In the tribute-filled flashback episode "A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysms," Superman & Lois came close to undoing a significant change DC Comics recently made to Superman’s motto. From his early beginnings, the phrase most strongly associated with Superman is that he was "fighting a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American Way." A re-examination of the phrase in recent Superman versions resulted in the motto being changed to "truth, tolerance, and justice," used most recently in Batman/Superman #16; however, the Arrowverse nearly undoes this update.
The character Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the 1930s and rose to prominence during World War II. His iconic catchphrase was first uttered in The Adventures of Superman radio series that ran from 1940-1951 and it became the emphatic conclusion to the opening theme of the Adventures of Superman television series of the 1950s. The statement was punctuated by the image of George Reeves standing as Superman, hands-on-hips, with an American flag waving behind him. The catchphrase was never uttered by Superman himself until Christopher Reeve's Superman said it in the 1978 film. However, as the years have ed Superman has grown far beyond being solely a hero of the American people; he has become a hero for the entire planet.
During their Easter-egg filled nod to the Golden Age of Superman, Superman & Lois put its own spin on the creation of the catchphrase. After their initial meeting, Superman sits down for a televised Daily Planet interview with Lois Lane. In the interview, Lois tries repeatedly to learn where the new superhero was from and where he grew up; yet, Superman would never it he was a homegrown, Kansas farm boy from the heart of America. When pressed to tell the people what he stands for, Superman says, "everything good: truth, justice…" to which Lois adds, "the American way?" which he immediately sees as another attempt by her to find out if he was raised in the U.S.
Superman's new motto in DC Comics, "truth, tolerance, and justice," is actually a throwback, revisiting the first-time fans learned what the superhero stands for. In one of the earliest Superman film serials of the 1940s, Kirk Alyn's Clark Kent is taught about the great responsibilities that come with his powers by his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent. Jonathan stresses to his son the importance of using his powers in the name of "truth, tolerance, and justice." It was almost prophetic that a line uttered nearly 75 years ago so accurately depicts what Superman stands for in 2021.
One of the strengths of the CW's Superman & Lois's first Arrowverse season has been the respect it has paid to the source material. Throughout the season 1 episodes, there have been many homages and nods toward the legacy of Superman. "A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysmic Events" was at its core perhaps the show's strongest episode yet, with many meaningful flashback nods to the Fleischer era of Superman: from the hero's first suit made by his mother to the show's acknowledgment of his catchphrase from that era.
While it may appear that Superman & Lois was attempting to walk back the recent changes to Superman’s motto, the show did the opposite, celebrating Superman’s past but affirming the value of his present-day motto. Superman & Lois is continuing to set the example for other Arrowverse shows with this attention to the roots of its superhero. By looking back at where Superman began, the show is illustrating how far the character has come and why now he truly is a hero of the world, standing for "truth, tolerance, and justice."