The Way of Perfect Superhero TV: Looking back on one of Superman's best adventures

"The Way of All Flesh" is the seventh episode of the first season of Superman: The Animated Series. Superman is pitted against returning villains Lex Luthor and John Corben. John Corben is the focus of the episode, as it is where he transforms into Metallo, a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart bent on destroying Superman and taking revenge on Lex Luthor for making him that way.

Corben is originally a mercenary working for Lex Luthor, until Luthor subjects him to the experiment which turns him into the Terminator-esque villain. Metallo is a unique villain, as he is an enemy of both Superman and Luthor.

Superman: The Animated Series showcases Metallo's strength as a villain

What makes "The Way Of All Flesh" such an intriguing TV episode is that Superman faces an opponent that can truly kill him. Due to Metallo's Kryptonite heart, he poses a real threat to the hero and could feasibly stop him in a way that few of his other enemies could. As such, the Man of Steel is forced to approach Metallo differently than he would a villain like Bizarro or Lobo, as physical strength won't do him much good.

Lex Luthor also finds himself in a unique position, one in which he is both the overarching villain and at risk of Metallo's wrath. Superman is unable to prove he was the one behind Metallo's creation, and as such, Luthor both gets away with it, but now has to face Metallo himself.

Metallo is of course the most important development of the episode. He would go on to have more appearances as the series went on, challenging Superman and his allies in bold new ways. The character struggles with the prospect of losing his humanity, too. When he became a cyborg, he lost his senses, no longer being able to feel or smell or taste, and as a result he went insane.

Metallo is truly a tragic figure, as he is both struggling against Superman, and against himself. His loss of humanity follows him throughout his time on the series, as he is never able to become human again. Superman may be an alien from Krypton but he is more human than either Luthor or Metallo, which he shows by saving Luthor from Metallo. And that proves why he is such a respected, beloved hero.

No matter what kind of superhero story you are looking for, you will be able to find it in "The Way of All Flesh".