Warning: Spoilers for Superman & Lois season 2, episode 11
The fight with Bizarro Jonathan in Superman & Lois hints at how Jordan’s powers are different from Clark’s. So far, the only real difference between their abilities that the show has established is that Jordan will never be as powerful as Superman. That being said, Jordan’s heritage sets up the possibility of him being unique to his father.
Jordan’s capabilities have grown tremendously as of late. Despite only being 15 years old, Jordan has already accessed most of Superman’s powers, including super hearing, ice breath, and more. He’s still missing X-ray vision and a few other minor abilities, but he has enough to be a force to be reckoned with. That was proven in his fight with Bizarro Jonathan in Superman & Lois season 2, episode 11, titled “Truth and Consequences”. Seemingly unable to phase his brother’s Bizarro counterpart through most of the fight, Jordan took a brutal beating before suddenly turning the tides and unleashing his full power. With an impressive display of his Kryptonian powers, Jordan managed to get a victory.
While Jordan’s win can be partially attributed to the fact that Bizarro World Kryptonians are weakened by the yellow sun, a detail in the fight suggests that another factor was at play. For most of the fight, Jordan seemed almost powerless. The power level difference between the two flipped when Jordan’s anger was at its peak. When the fight was over, Jordan’s ability to fly abruptly gave out, forcing Superman to sweep in and rescue him. This is yet another indication that Jordan’s performance in the fight wasn’t guided only by the rays of the sun and how they negatively affected Bizarro Jonathan. After all, Jordan was only in full control of his powers when he was mad. Since that’s the case, it may be that his powers are heightened by anger.
The reveal that Jordan’s full power is triggered by intense emotion would create a noteworthy distinction between his character and the Arrowverse’s Superman. It also makes sense, given both his DNA and comic book precedent. Jordan doesn’t exist in DC Comics, but Superman does have a son – Jonathan Kent – who inherited his abilities. How strong his powers are at any given time has a direct correlation with his emotional state. It could be that Jordan shares the same problem. As for why that would be, it could have something to do with his character being a human-Kryptonian hybrid. Alternatively, it could be explained by his youth. Jordan may develop better control as he gets older.
With Jordan becoming more active as a superhero in Superman & Lois season 2, it’s likely that any difference that exists between the character and his father will become more apparent as the show’s story continues. Jordan’s burgeoning powers and his growing sense of responsibility have caused him to rise to the occasion more than once this season. And the more he puts his powers to use, the better he’ll get at using his abilities.
Superman & Lois returns on May 31 on The CW.