Superman & Lois Should Explore Jon Kent's Bisexuality

[Behind the Aegis]

It's been only a few years since DC decided to start depicting Superman as a father, but this aspect of the character has quickly become popular with the fans, solidifying their first superhero as the epitome of a family man. Jonathan Kent, the son of Superman and Lois Lane, became a fan-favorite character by following in his father's footsteps, donning the mantle of Superboy and later becoming the second Superman. Soon after that, the character made his live-action debut in the CW drama Superman & Lois alongside his twin brother Jordan Kent.

In late 2021, DC Comics revealed that Jon Kent was bisexual and had a new boyfriend, exciting many fans around the world who were looking to see themselves represented. The version seen on Superman & Lois does not follow that same path. In early 2022, showrunner Todd Helbing stated that while he is not opposed to the idea of Jon being bisexual, "the comic book story and what we're doing are two separate stories."

However, there's creative room in Superman & Lois to incorporate Jon's bisexuality. The CW drama has successfully mixed superhero storylines with family problems throughout its seasons, especially the hardships that the teenage characters go through. Jordan Kent and Sarah Cortez have both struggled with mental illness, Nat Irons is still recovering from the destruction of her world, and Sarah briefly had an LGBTQ+ storyline herself, though it wasn't written very well.

An LGBTQ+ storyline revolving around Jon's complicated feelings about his self-image and his sexuality, especially within the world of high school sports, would fit within the show's already established narrative. Jon's Season 2 plotline centers around his inferiority complex in relation to both his super-powered brother and a football teammate who uses X-Kryptonite drugs to enhance himself during games. Jon's insecurity leads him to take X-Kryptonite that gives him the superpowers he always wanted. It wouldn't be surprising to learn that another reason Jon compares himself to other men is because of his sexuality.

more...

[TlalocW]

1. It would be interesting

I'm sure CWTV could weather any outrage considering they've done pretty well with LGBTQ representation in their other shows - two lesbian Batwomans (Batwomen?) plus other characters on the show, a trans superheroine (played by a trans actress) on Supergirl, two main female characters who are lesbian and bi on Legends are in a relationship, and the character of Constantine is bi and has been shown in relationships with both men and women and gave a pretty good impassioned speech about it. The character is taking a break from the show, but they brought the actor back in another role as the original inventor of time travel who invented it to save the man he loved who died in WWI. Oh, Captain Cold was gay - or at least an alternate universe version of him was gay, and he was in a relationship with another male hero in that universe, and the actor is gay. An alternate version of some characters on Flash and Legends were in a relationship. One of the super-powered daughters of Black Lightning is lesbian. I'm probably missing some. Can't remember anything from Arrow, but that show ended a few years back, and my memory is fading.

Y'know, I never stopped to think about all these characters at once. I'm a cis-male who's obviously a comic book geek, and admittedly these shows are not the height of good acting/story-telling, but I still watch them because of my geekosity. I wonder what it would take to convince CW to do a cross-over where it's just the LGBTQ characters to freak out conservatives?

TlalocW

[Behind the Aegis]

3. Batwoman, Supergirl, Legends, Black Lightning....all cancelled!

Mr. Miracle on Arrow was gay and POC but left the show. Supergirl, frankly, got silly with its representation and it was an embarrassment, IMO. Legends was the first to introduce an asexual character. There have been a few "one and done" queers on CW hero shows, usually as a "plot point". The Pied Piper is gay on the Flash but is a villain cum hero who has only been on twice. On one of the major crossovers, we got The Ray, who was gay and hooked up with Captain Cold; again, one and done. The only upside, as it were, was The Ray was the leader and one of the most powerful on his Earth, Earth-99, where the Nazis won WWII.

Queer people are not well-represented overall, but on superhero shows, we were making inroads. Seems that has passed.

[TlalocW]

5. Oh, I didn't know they were canceled

Technically Black Lightning and Supergirl had series finales in that they wrapped everything up and ended though Black Lightning felt REALLY rushed. And Googling verifies the other two. Too bad. I thought the new Batwoman was coming into her own, and I liked Legends' wackiness.

Who was the asexual character on Legends?

TlalocW

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Black Lightning was really rushed. I didn't care for the ending of Supergirl.

With Supergirl, they could have rebranded the show given the number of superheroes. Like you, I thought Batwoman was really starting to make headway and I, too, loved the wackiness of Legends. The asexual character was Spooner. It came out, so to speak, in the episode where they were trying to maintain a fixed point, the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand. She and Alastra were playing a game of "Fuck, Marry, Kill", and she explained she had no real desires for anyone, not in a sexual way.

[TlalocW]

7. Oh, that's right. Spooner

Thanks. Supergirl was a little too saccharine, but then again, that's kind of the history of the character. She's super-sweet for the most part, and Superman is a boy scout.

TlalocW

[LonePirate]

2. Correct me if I am wrong but haven't the CW shows been averse to male LGBT+ characters?

I could very well be mistaken but haven’t the CW superhero shows been reluctant to depict male LGBT+ characters? I know they have hired several LGBT+ performers but haven’t they been cast as straight characters? I’m sensing a concerted effort not to depict male LGBT+ characters which almost certainly has some sort of homophobic motivation behind it.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. That is my take, my husband's too.

Mr. Terrific on Arrow was a gay POC, but not long after coming out, his character left the show. On Legends, Constantine is bisexual, but the one love interest that was male, was, of course, killed, and most of the time he is chasing women. There have been a few one-and-done male gay characters, but usually as a plot device, a throwaway comment ("BTW, I'm gay!" Oh, neat says the hero.), or they are pushed into the background.