During last night's episode of Superman & Lois, Arrowverse star Tom Cavanagh returned to the DC Universe...but he wasn't playing yet another version of the villainous Reverse-Flash! Instead, the actor was revealed as interviewer Gordon Godfrey.
Created by Jack Kirby and introduced in 1971's The Forever People #3, the character - one of Darkseid's many servants - has appeared in multiple animated projects and was played by Michael Daingerfield in Smallville.
In Superman & Lois, Godfrey moderates the tense television debate between Lex Luthor (now rocking his classic comic book look) and Lois Lane.
Talking to TV Line, co-showrunner Brent Fletcher explained why they cast Cavanagh in the role. "He’s hilarious and has more energy than a 10-year-old," he said. "[Godfrey is] not like him at all, but he can play that guy perfectly."
Michael Cudlitz, who plays Luthor and also directed the episode, added, "He’s not only a cast favorite but also a crew favorite, and he was wonderful to have on set. He’s a lot of fun, he has a lot of energy, he’s incredibly creative, and he’s not afraid to throw out everything he’s done and come up with something new. He’s also incredibly supportive, so I was grateful to have him on set. He’s a hoot."
Elsewhere in the episode, Lois learned that she's cancer-free but the clock is ticking on Clark Kent's human heart. Milton Fine, one of many iterations of Brainiac in the comics, also debuted when he hacked Steel's suit.
Played by Riverdale's Nikolai Witschl, he's not the alien version of the character on the surface but does promise to be a major threat to our heroes in the final two episodes.
Talking to Screen Rant about casting the actor, Cudlitz said, "Nikolai Witschl was wonderful. There was just something about him that really drew me to his performance. Ultimately, [Nikolai] was great, we played around a little bit. I knew he was my choice, and all I had to do is go through approval with our showrunners, and ultimately the studio confirms that we can hire them."
He added, "But I got who I wanted, and he's a lot of fun. I think the fans are going to really enjoy what he has to bring for the rest of the season."
Had Superman & Lois been allowed to run for longer, we'd have likely seen Brainiac continue to evolve. Still, the fact a fourth season happened is still a minor miracle, and the hope is the show will end on a high note as all involved knew this was the end.
You can check out a promo for next week's episode, "To Live and Die Again," along with a clip from last night's instalment (and a first look at Milton Fine) below.