When new superhero projects come to the screen, there's always talk of "superhero fatigue" and whether the audience really needs another adaptation of the same comic book character. That's true of CW's newest superhero venture, Superman & Lois, inspired by the relationship of the titular characters in DC Comics. The show isn't bringing a retread of the stories the audience has already seen in previous iterations. Instead, it's leaning into the family life of Clark Kent more so than the adventures of Superman.
That isn't the only change either. The series is also borrowing some characters from Supergirl's stories instead of sticking with the same characters the audience has seen. It's also giving new life to characters that have already appeared in CW's existing Supergirl series.
Which Supergirl Characters Appear in Superman & Lois
Morgan Edge makes a big splash in Superman & Lois. It's his name that prompts Lois to find a reason outside of her family for life in Smallville. A big city reporter transitioning to life in a small town isn't easy. Taking down the corrupt businessman gives Lois purpose. Including his character also gives the audience plenty of questions about the narrative, getting them talking about the potential for more previously used characters to appear.
Adam Rayner plays Morgan Edge in Superman & Lois. When Edge appeared in Supergirl, it was with another actor (Adrian Pasdar) in the role. In fact, the character was arrested at the end of the arc and never seen again. That likely implies that this Morgan Edge is actually one from an alternate Earth who ended up in this particular world as a result of last year's "Crisis On Infinite Earths" crossover for the Arrowverse. There, the multiverse essentially collided and became less infinite. His presence in the show is also tied to the comic book character known for being Supergirl's rival - Lesla Lar.
In Superman & Lois, Stacey Farber plays a woman who works for Morgan Edge named Leslie Larr. Initially, she appears as someone who appears to be Edge's assistant. Over the course of the first few episodes, she's revealed to be Kryptonian - or at least have Kryptonian abilities. In DC Comics, Lesla Lar grew so jealous of Supergirl that she continuously plotted to steal her spotlight. She even tried to become Supergirl.
Why Lesla-Lar Is A Great Choice
Lesla-Lar in particular is a great choice for a villain in this particular series. While not an especially well-known comic book character, she does have some interesting skill sets from her original appearances.
When she started appearing in Action Comics in 1961, Lesla-Lar wasn't just a Kryptonian, but also a scientist. She had the know-how to combine technology from her homeworld with that of Earth. That caused her to develop things like shrink-rays, which allowed her to bring people into the bottle-city in which she lived in the Fortress of Solitude. It also meant she developed technology that allowed her to actually switch places with people. Even when her body was destroyed at one point, she learned how to use her life force to control the bodies of other people.
If that all sounds familiar, it should. Variations of these abilities make their way to Superman & Lois in just the first five episodes (minus the shrink-ray). Leslie Larr found a way to use Kryptonian technology on human bodies. Or, at the very least, she understands the science behind it, and has been "resurrecting" dead humans with Kryptonian abilities. Her background is easily translatable to the series.
Leslie Larr Keeps Superman & Lois Fans Guessing
It's not just that her comic book counterpart contains interesting material for adaptation. It's also that Leslie Larr makes for a surprising story for the show. After nearly 100 years in comics and another 50 on the screen, fans are well versed in Superman lore. They need the kind of characters that they won't always see coming.
Superman having to save the world from Lex Luthor is a given. So is his love for Lois Lane. His sons are slightly less explored territory. If the writers really want to throw fans for a loop, however, giving Superman villains that usually target other heroes (or new allies) is a great way to go. It allows Superman & Lois to breathe new life into a story the audience already knows.
What is Leslie Larr's endgame if it's not replacing Supergirl? The audience doesn't know yet. Just why is she so loyal to Morgan Edge? Again, the audience has no way of knowing yet. Maybe he resurrected her, or maybe he's a closet-Kryptonian as well. By bringing in a character like Leslie Larr and changing up her interactions with the titular heroes, more story possibilities open. Arrow previously saw a lot of success by bringing Batman villains into the series, allowing fans to see the characters in a new light. Superman & Lois taking a slightly obscure Supergirl villain from the page can do the same.