“Superman & Lois” showrunners and stars break down the series finale ending and answer burning questions

Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, and executive producers Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher unpack that bittersweet happy ending.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Superman & Lois series finale, "It Went By So Fast."

The Superman & Lois team warned us that the final season would be the Death of Superman. But no one realized they were actually spoiling the series finale from the beginning.

The CW's superhero era came to an end on Monday night with the poignant and powerful Superman & Lois series finale, "It Went By So Fast." After yet another brutal showdown with Doomsday, Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) expose Lex Luthor's (Michael Cudlitz) evil plans to the world, finally sending him back to prison for life — this time for the crimes he did commit. Then, a year later, John Henry Irons (Wolé Parks) and Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui) get married.

And then the rest of Clark and Lois' lives together play out in a beautiful, sweeping montage spanning more than 32 years, as Jordan (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan (Michael Bishop) grow up and have families of their own, and the entire Kent family works to make the world a better place until Clark and Lois' eventual and peaceful deaths. Lois goes first after her cancer comes back, and Clark, who has become totally human in his old age and was never the same after losing Lois, follows not long after — although they happily reunite in a form of an afterlife.

"That's what we were going for — happy, sad, but something that stays with you for a while," executive producer Todd Helbing tells Entertainment Weekly.

Below, showrunners Helbing and Brent Fletcher and series stars Hoechlin and Tulloch break down that emotional series finale ending.

Related: Superman & Lois stars and showrunner explain that emotional Lex Luthor moment in series finale

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you feeling about Superman & Lois coming to an end?

TYLER HOECHLIN: We're very, very fortunate to get to [end the show]. I know how it's ending now compared to how it could have ended had we not come back [after season 3] is pretty night and day. So I'm happy for the fans. They get a little bit of closure.

ELIZABETH TULLOCH: It's a bummer. Not that we were technically [still] part of the Arrowverse, but it's also the end of the Arrowverse era, and also Smallville, I mean, if you really go back to the WB shows. But the CW is not really a thing anymore, so bookending it with Smallville [when the network began] and ending with Superman & Lois, it's sad, especially for genre fans who are so loyal and dedicated and smart. But I'm grateful that we had four seasons and I'm grateful that we had the final season at least to close it out, and I hope that people like the ending. I think it'll probably be a little bit controversial. I was ugly crying. And it's so embarrassing when you're crying at your own performance.

Was this always how you planned to end the show?

BRENT FLETCHER: Pretty much. We talked at the end of season 3, it was a version of this. It maybe had more bells and whistles after seven seasons, and there was some changing due to production measures. But to see his life wind down and what it meant to him was always what we were hoping to do when we finished.

TODD HELBING: In season 3, with Bruno telling him that he hadn't really made a change or as big a change as he could have, [that] was something that we were definitely going to explore. The way it worked out was probably a little bit different, but that was the theme that we wanted to hit, for sure.

How did that ending change when you found out you were only getting this 10-episode final season?

HELBING: There were so many [ways]. 10 episodes instead of 13 or 15 made it a little tricky, and the cast reductions, obviously. But once we knew what their availability was and we started to plot it all out, it lined up with what Brent and I had plotted out in a lot of ways, oddly.

FLETCHER: We had story that we fast-forwarded a little bit because we knew it was the last season. Sarah [Inde Navarrette] going off and studying in another country, we would've probably waited on that a little bit but something like that would've been our goal. The same with Jonathan having powers, I think we would've waited — we never wanted it to be just the superpowers show. But because we knew it was the last season, we took some swings that we wouldn't have taken if it was going to continue, all in service of the grand ending.

Why did you want to show both Lois and Clark's deaths?

FLETCHER: It was a choice that we made because we felt like we're the only [Superman] show that's ever been able to end on our own terms. We were like, "Why don't we show the totality of their lives?" We had to fast-forward through stuff, but we tried to give you a glimpse of the feel of what the decades looked like and the things were that were important to them and the theme of the show, which is family and hope — they had so much of that in their later years. Those were the things that meant the most to them at the end, not stopping a Doomsday or stopping a Brainiac. That's not what he remembers when he shuffles off the mortal coil. He remembers his grandkids, and moments of forgiveness, and his friends, and all the things that are good and right in the world.

HELBING: At the beginning of the season, there was a lot of press about Death of Superman, and we knew we were doing that. But we were doing the death of Superman, the whole thing. We were talking more about the ending than the beginning of the season. One of our mantras was how can we twist some of these stories on their head and do a different version of it, so this was sort of the same thing.

When did you learn how the show was going to end?

HOECHLIN: [Laughs] When I read it. I mean, I had an idea. They had given us a clue as to how they were going to do it, but the details of it I really didn't know until I read the final script. Part of it was the last thing we ever shot, and it was really evolving [throughout the whole process]. And now that it's done and I've seen at least a rough version of it, I'm really happy with how they decided to wrap everything up. It feels very fitting for this version of the characters and the circumstances being what they were and knowing that we were ending the show, to really have this finality to it.

TULLOCH: We had been told by higher-ups to anticipate going seven or eight seasons, and so all of a sudden having it cut down to one final, shortened season where they have to wrap everything up, they did what they could. But I know that the ending specifically was probably the plan for a couple seasons down the road, whenever it was going to end. The challenge was fitting in as much of their grand plans as possible when you're dealing with budget cuts and fewer episodes.

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What did you think of how the rest of Clark and Lois' lives played out over the next 32 years together, and how they never spent a day apart until the day Lois died?

TULLOCH: Well, my initial thought was, "Wait a minute. What if Max wants to pick us up?" [Laughs] Anything could happen — it's been No. 2 or 3 after The Penguin in South America, Brazil, Mexico Argentina, and it's doing so well that I was kind of having pipe dreams about maybe it's not over. But I also thought it was beautiful. We shot that scene absolutely last, and so it was emotional for everyone who was there. There were actors who weren't in the scene who wanted to be there for the last scene that we shot on the show, and the crew was emotional. When I read the script, I was tearing up, and then I was tearing up even more when I was filming it and watching Tyler's stuff. I think the fans love this iteration of Lois and Clark because there's no worry or hesitation or concern about whether or not they're madly in love with each other. The foundation of their relationship was incredibly strong and remains so throughout all kinds of obstacles that they had to overcome, both as far as fighting monsters like Doomsday and Lex Luthor, and also fighting with their hormonal teenagers. There's never been a question about their love for each other and their dedication to one another.

HOECHLIN: It's fitting because when we first specifically started doing this Superman and Lois, they really were the focus. Also, I was at a point in my life where I was coming to that realization — family had always been very, very important, but it got emphasized with COVID where everything in the world stopped except for the relationships that we had with people. To wrap the show up on that note was very fitting. I'm really happy that that was what we leaned into.

How did you feel about Lois' breast cancer coming back, which ultimately led to her death?

TULLOCH: The reality is the kind of breast cancer that the writers had given Lois is incredibly aggressive — I believe it's the most aggressive form of breast cancer because it's not detectable before stage three, at which point it has metastasized. It rings true that it might come back, and they chose to write a storyline where they both end up being human and succumbing to human diseases, whether it's aging or a heart attack or cancer. And the red dress — because that episode was pretty important in season 3 — for him to be seeing her back in that red dress that had been sort of a concurrent theme throughout the series, I think was really touching.

What was it like filming Lois' death?

HOECHLIN: It was definitely a heavy day on set. Bitsie and I have gotten really close over the years. I couldn't have asked for a better Lois Lane, and I hope she'd say the same [about me] — I feel like she would not say the same and then say that she was lying, because we just have that relationship. [Laughs] But in that moment, you're living out these moments for these characters, and so you have to let it hurt and you have to be in that space to get a truthful performance and do right by them and do right by the people that are watching. It was worthy of the story that we're telling to completion.

TULLOCH: The one thing I did miss in Lois' final moments was Dylan [Walsh], not having her father there in some capacity, even if he was sort of a hologram or a ghost or something. I remember when I was shooting it thinking, "Oh man, I really wish Dylan was here." Because it would make sense — she says, "Daddy." Can't we fly him in just to be on the other end saying, "Pumpkin," because that's always what he called Lois? That was my one regret, but we were dealing with crappy budget cuts and I'm really proud of what the writers and the producers and the cast and the crew were able to put together given those restraints.

Was that Elizabeth's real husband David Giuntoli playing the adult version of Jonathan? How did that casting happen?

HELBING: It is David. We all got to know him in the last four years, he directed this season, and he's such a great guy.

TULLOCH: That was sort of a, "Will you do this for us as a favor?" He's not credited. He directed episode 3 of this season, and so Todd and Brent went to him and they're like, "You don't have to do this, but we think it'd be really cool if the Grimm shows up as a little cameo." David has a really great relationship with Todd and Brent, and he was like, "I'll do it," and it was funny, the boys were fighting over who David would get to play. Ultimately they decided that Michael Bishop looked a bit more like him, and Michael Bishop has a very distinct walk. David, also having directed Bishop, kind of picked up on his walk, and it was hilarious. Though there was one scene where he whispered in my ear, "I love you, Mommy." And I was like, "Ew, no, do not do that again. I will break character." I was so grossed out. And then the family was standing together as a foursome and David was to my left, and I was like, "No, no, no. I don't want to stand next to him. Put him on the other side." But I think he had everybody in stitches when he was like, "Love you, Mommy." I can't!

FLETCHER: And then we cast the actor [who plays adult Jordan]. We had David, so we were just trying to look for somebody that matched in a lot of ways. The stuff bedside, they both brought it, which was what we needed in that moment. They were wonderful.

HELBING: One of the things that we tried to do this season in particular, which is one of the benefits of knowing it's the last season, is give our crew a bonus in ways that we hadn't been able to before. In episode 7, that crew during the interview is our real crew, and the kids at the end are our crew members' kids. We became a family, and so why not have them on camera as part of the family.

TULLOCH: A lot of those scenes as they're getting older were sweet — the blond woman who played Jonathan's wife is actually [executive producer/director] Gregory Smith's wife in real life, Taylor. One of our CW execs, Liz Wise, her son is in it. All of those kids, for the most part, were actual crew member's kids — not our child, we do not show her face on social media. They asked and we said no. And I absolutely adore my stand-in Amanda May, she's fantastic, and I asked and she played the wife of the older Jordan. It was great to be able to honor the crew. Greg Smith's kids were a part of it, and some of the wardrobe girls, and some of the executives and Brent Fletcher's kids were in it, and so it was sweet. It was really a familial moment.

Related: Superman & Lois star/director Michael Cudlitz talks (finally) debuting classic Lex Luthor look

In the midst of Clark grieving Lois' death, at least we got to see him adopt Krypto. That joy was a nice balance to the sadness, so thank you for that.

FLETCHER: [Laughs] Exactly! That's why we did it. Dogs always make you happy.

HELBING: That's so funny that you word it that way because that's exactly what it was. There's something about seeing Clark Kent walk in with Krypto on the country road that is so satisfying.

What was it like bringing those Krypto scenes to life?

HOECHLIN: It was so fun. We had a cat for the Bizarro episode, but it was one of the very few times we had an animal on set. It is really weird when life and the project that you're working on mirror each other so closely — we're closing this chapter of not just the show, but of our lives being up there in Vancouver and working together, so to have the puppy there on set those couple of days was nice.

The moments in the final montage showing Clark working alongside adult Jonathan and Jordan as well as John Henry and Natalie as a five-person super team would make a great spinoff. Is that something you're interested in exploring in a new show?

HELBING: Yeah, that would be fun. I mean, if James Gunn called us up, I would say yes. However, we're really satisfied and proud of what we did the last four seasons.

FLETCHER: It was meant just to show the arc of their lives. Love the characters and would certainly be open to it, but it was never the intent [to debut a spinoff]. We're just trying to give a window into where each of these characters lands and how their lives unfolded.

Would you ever be interested in doing another comic book role in the future?

HOECHLIN: I love the genre. This has been a huge, I'm trying not to say iconic, that is such a cliché thing to say, but it is such an iconic character, and it's a character that represents so much of something that is so vital and necessary in the world right now. When I took on the role, it already felt like we needed more optimism and hope than was present in a lot of storytelling. At the time, things that were really dark were really getting a lot of attention and that was where the focus was. And I think when there are dark things going on, we need to focus on those things, but we also need to shine a light in those moments. In retrospect and looking back at what the last eight years have been, I'm just really grateful that I was able to play this character at this time. The superhero genre is fun, and I wouldn't mind doing something as the guy who's maybe causing some of the problems. I think playing a villain is always fun, so something like that could be a nice change.

Was there any character or actor you wanted to bring back for the final season or series finale that didn't work out for any reason?

FLETCHER: Yeah, Tal-Rho [played by Adam Rayner] would be one. We would've maybe had Dylan [Walsh return] and see him when Lois says, "Dad," in that moment. Matteo [played by Spence Moore II], just seeing him with Natalie. But it's budget, time, all that. We were down to our last penny in the finale and felt like it still worked without.

HELBING: Same. It would've been nice to have Jenna [Dewan] a couple of times as Lucy. But that's the same reason, just schedule and money.

Did you take anything from set after you wrapped?

HOECHLIN: Officially? Nothing. But I may have a little bit of sand from the Fortress of Solitude in a bag that I might put into a little hourglass or something at some point. I thought that was cool. I'll use it on game nights.

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