“John Henry goes through a lot,” Wole Parks tells EW.
Warning: This article contains spoilers forSuperman & Loisseason 3, episode 9, “The Dress.”
Superman has one rule: Do not kill.
Tyler Hoechlin as Superman and Wolé Parks as John Henry Irons.Justine Yeung/The CW
But his greatest ally onSuperman & Loisjust broke that rule.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When you began this season, did you know this moment was coming for John Henry?
WOLE PARKS:No, it’s funny.
I’m always like, “Only tell me what I need to know.”
It got spoiled before I even got to actually read the script.
My mind was blown.
Now they need to put spoiler alerts on the calendar, just for you.
[Laughs] Yeah, they know.
Everyone knows: Don’t tell me anything.
I get very annoyed.
I like to read it.
What was your reaction when you learned he was going to kill someone?
For me, it’s all about the reasons why somebody has to do something like that.
Superman can’t do this.
The interesting thing that they set up is this juxtaposition between what’s right and what’s wrong.
For him, he truly believes that.
He wants to give a second chance or third chance or whatever.
And with John, it’s like, “Clark, this man was going to kill me.
He tried to kill me before at his restaurant.
He’s killed a version of me before.”
John doesn’t feel like he has a choice.
This could have been done a lot easier, but now it has to take it toll."
How is this going to be affecting his friendship with Clark moving forward?
They have to find a common ground with this.
My prayer is that Clark understands his perspective, even if he doesn’t agree with it.
And he’s like, “Guys, what else do you want me to do?
I’m trying to protect my family.”
What did you think of how John Henry’s fight with Atom-Man is so public?
You know what’s interesting, it was written in a different way.
He doesn’t do this willfully.
This comes from a place of defense.
He has to tell himself this narrative to make it okay.
It’s all because of the words on the page.
Will John Henry regret doing this?
He can’t let himself second guess it.
I think he’ll do that on his own.
That’s his rationale.
He has to cling with it.
He might question it to himself, but he wouldn’t do it with anyone else.
Will we see John Henry go even further down a dark path now that he’s killed someone?
I hope this is the furthest where he’d go, because this is so extreme.
He wasn’t doing that because he was a vindictive person.
I truly don’t believe that John is violent.
This is simply something that he had to do.
These are people who you could still empathize with them, you know what I mean?
And then you question, if I was in that situation, what would I do?
Those are your options, and one of them will happen.
We’ve also seen John Henry and Lana start to have some sparks this season.
What can you tease about what we’re going to see from that relationship moving forward?
[Laughs] It’s been a weird season of juxtaposition.
If Bruno wasn’t involved, they probably would’ve gotten together already.
But for him, he’s so emotionally broken that he’s scared to do this.
He’s scared to be with someone else because he doesn’t know how to process.
That’s something he hasn’t really grappled with, but I think Lana is helping him do that.
It’s a fascinating pairing.
Yeah, trust me, I didn’t know either.
You’re 16, you’ll move on.
I’m trying to protect you.
This is not the guy to fall in love with.
You guys are going to break up in a year anyway.
Why don’t you meet somebody who’s not attached to a crime boss?
How about that?!"
He’s really not asking for much.
Out of everybody,thisis the one?
This is your love of your life, really?
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Superman & Loisairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
