Ep 12. Brave New Metropolis

In the episode "Brave New Metropolis" of Superman: The Animated Series, we see a parallel universe in which Superman never existed and instead the world is under the rule of a tyrannical Lois Lane, who is now known as "Luthor's Widow" after marrying Lex Luthor. The city of Metropolis is now a heavily policed and oppressed city, with the rich living in high towers and the poor struggling to survive in the streets. The police state is heavily enforced by androids created by Luthor, and anyone who opposes the government is swiftly silenced.

In this timeline, we see an alternate version of Lois Lane who is bitter and hardened by her experiences in this world without Superman. She runs the Daily Planet as a propaganda machine for the government and actively suppresses any dissenting voices. When a scientist named Emil Hamilton suggests that Lois might be living in a false reality, she has him arrested and locked up. However, Hamilton manages to reach out to the single person who might be able to help bring down the regime: Lex Luthor's alternate universe counterpart.

In this parallel world, Luthor is a benevolent dictator who tries to keep order, but he opposes Lois's harsh methods. He is much more genial and honest than his Earth-1 counterpart, and is disgusted by the way he and Lois have twisted the world for their own benefit. When he is approached by Hamilton and the alternate Superman, who had been pulled into this universe, he agrees to help them take down Lois and her androids.

Throughout the episode, we see the alternate Superman struggling to come to terms with this new world. He is initially horrified by the way that Lois has taken over, but he also realizes that he has the potential to be just as dangerous as she is. He finds himself tempted to use his powers to take down the government, even if it would mean becoming a kind of dictator himself.

The final showdown takes place in the Daily Planet building, where Lois has been holding Hamilton prisoner. The alternate Superman and Luthor lead a charge against her androids, but it's only when Lois herself is confronted by Superman that the tide begins to turn. In an emotional moment, Lois reveals that she had been trying to create a world in which she and Superman could be together, but without him, she became a monster. Superman shows her compassion, promising to help her rebuild the world from the ground up.

One of the most interesting aspects of this episode is the way it explores the idea of power and corruption. Without the presence of Superman, the world of this parallel universe has become a grim dystopia, with those in power using their positions to maintain an iron grip on society. But even with the best of intentions, those who hold power can become corrupted by it. Superman and Luthor find themselves in positions of great influence, and they both struggle with the temptation to use that influence for their own ends.

Overall, "Brave New Metropolis" is a thought-provoking and compelling story that showcases the best and worst of human nature. It's a powerful reminder that those in power must always be held accountable, and that even the most idealistic of heroes can fall prey to their own flaws.