Superman & Lois seems to be setting up Kal-El’s mother, Lara, to take Jor-El’s place in Kal-El’s journey as the Last Son of Krypton. So far, Lara’s biggest role to date in the Arrowverse was when her spirit briefly possessed Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqu) and explained the inner workings of the Eradicator to Clark (Tyler Hoechlin).
When it comes to Superman’s biological parents, the Arrowverse has primarily stuck to the status quo established by the Superman stories that preceded it. It was made clear in the Superman & Lois series premiere that both characters are dead, but Clark is still able to regularly communicate with a hologram AI of his father, Jor-El (Angus Macfayden). Like most incarnations of the Man of Steel, Hoechlin’s Superman has found Jor-El to be a valuable source of information on all things related to Krypton. He also played a part in helping Clark understand Jordan’s powers. Unfortunately, Superman won’t be seeking his counsel in the future. In episode 11, Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner) destroyed Jor-El’s crystal, effectively ending his presence in the Arrowverse.
Since then, Clark has been left without a Kryptonian figure from his past to guide him. However, he could soon receive a new one in the form of Lara. Clark can’t currently communicate with Lara in the Arrowverse because he never had her crystal. Perhaps as setup, it was stated in an earlier episode that Lara’s crystal was stolen before Krypton’s destruction. As for where it is now, Superman & Lois has already revealed the answer. Zeta-Rho stole it, which means that it’s likely in Edge’s Fortress of Solitude. Edge wanted to use it to talk to her when he was a teenager, but Zeta-Rho (A.C. Peterson) forbade it.
Lara’s crystal could be the key to the Superman & Lois season 1 finale. Right now, things are looking bleak with the Eradicator, who can create Kryptonian minions at will. Plus, he put Zeta-Rho in Jordan’s body, which further complicates matters for Superman. What Clark needs is something that will turn the tide against the Eradicator. The solution could very well be Lara. After all, it was she who created the Eradicator device in the first place. If there’s anyone in the Arrowverse who knows how to stop the villain and save Jordan from his control, it would be her. Finding Lara’s crystal and releasing her could be what leads to Superman and Steel finally defeating the Eradicator and Zeta-Rho for good.
The introduction of Lara’s AI could be a major, long-term change for Superman & Lois, and a move that would feel unique to the Arrowverse, especially since viewers and longtime Superman fans are accustomed to seeing Jor-El – and not Lara – be the one who advises Clark with his problems. Since the Arrowverse’s Lara is a highly capable scientist responsible for building the Eradicator, she would obviously bring a lot to the table if she were to replace Jor-El. And since his crystal is what created the Fortress of Solitude, there’s a chance that she could create a brand-new version of Superman’s secret hideout for season 2.