Who Does Tom Cavanagh Play On Superman & Lois Season 4? (2024)

When it comes to Superman & Lois' fourth and final season, there are some interesting players added to the mix. It's a truncated season that has seen regulars reduced to guest roles, or in the case of Dylan Walsh's General Sam Lane, killed off. But there are fresh faces involved to add depth to the story.

One new face is Douglas Smith's Jimmy Olsen, Superman's "Best Pal" in a key arc that plays into Clark Kent's history at the Daily Planet. Another big appearance now occurs thanks to an Arrowverse alumni. This is none other than Tom Cavanagh, who shocks fans as he suits up as a new version of Gordon Godfrey.

Who Is DC's Gordon Godfrey?

Godfrey Brainwashes People for Darkseid

"Glorious" Godfrey is a New God from DC's Fourth World stories about Apokolips. He worships Darkseid, but while he isn't a strong warrior, he uses his forked tongue and powers of persuasion. He created a cult on Earth called the Justifiers, modeling himself as a politician and televangelist at times.

Glorius Godfrey Details

In the Justice League cartoon, he hosted a talk show that scolded the heroes. In Smallville, he was a human shock jock that Darkseid possessed as he needed a vessel. He was also a virulent, xenophobic news show host in Young Justice. In the Reign of the Supermen animated movie, he wrote about how Earth needed to depend on themselves, and not superheroes and godlike vigilantes. In short, Godfrey's discourse is always about propaganda to turn citizens against heroes, mostly to weaken the planet for Darkseid.

What Does Tom Cavanagh's Godfrey Do in Superman & Lois?

Cavanagh's Godfrey Leads a Slander Campaign Against Lois and Clark

Cavanagh's Gordon Godfrey hosts the GODFREY!" talk show in Metropolis. He appears in when interviewing Lex Luthor. Lex details how Lois Lane's stories were filled with lies and got him jailed for crimes the Mannheim family committed, and all because Lois hated him. With Clark revealing his identity as Superman, Godfrey plays along at Lex's penthouse. He is Lex's pawn, eager to slander the Man of Steel, the Kents in general, and rack up views and ratings.

There isn't Darkseid or anything alien in play -- he just hates aliens. He tries to frame Superman as a dissenter when Kal-El breaks through the window and flies off to fight a corrupted Steel suit. Godfrey rants about how Superman is a dangerous weapon, creating a media campaign meant to sway public opinion. It's all part of Lex's plan to show that Kal-El is a blight upon society.

This isn't the first time Cavanagh has gone evil for DC TV. He played the heroic Harrison Wells at times, but he also had evil variants such as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash. That villain was powered-up and cerebral, but this one is more subtle. Godfrey is grounded. He preys on human instincts, prejudice of the mind, and works to show the world, through footage of Clark accosting and beating up Lex in Smallville, that Superman is a problem if left unchecked. Ultimately, the snappy, wise-cracking Cavanagh pops as Godfrey, leaving viewers sad he wasn't given more sass in previous episodes.

Superman & Lois airs new episodes Mondays on the CW.

Superman and Lois

Action

Adventure

Drama

The world's most famous superhero and comic books' most famous journalist face the pressures and complexities that come with balancing work, justice, and parenthood in today's society.

Release Date

February 23, 2021

Cast

Tyler Hoechlin , Inde Navarrette , Jordan Elsass , Alexander Garfin , Wolé Parks , Elizabeth Tulloch , Erik Valdez , Emmanuelle Chriqui , Adam Rayner , Dylan Walsh

Rating

Seasons

1

Creator

Production Company

Story By

Greg Berlanti

Writers

Greg Berlanti

Number of Episodes

Network

The CW

Streaming Service(s)

Prime Video

Franchise(s)

Superman

Directors

Amy Jo Johnson

Showrunner

todd helbing