superbat costume swap permanently altered my brain chemistry so much because the S stands for hope. we know this, it's an iconic line. clark says this in multiple iterations specifically to lois; an olive branch plastered plain and simple on his chest, symbolizing his planet and everything he never even had the chance to have before he lost.
what are the implications of carrying the sigil of another house? the bat, which in and of itself is just a bat, but stands for so much more than that; it is bruce wayne's legacy, which he first raised in honor of his parents (his vengeance). bruce raised a family after the fact, and each member of his clan carried the bat sigil one way or another. sure, it's to strike fear in criminals' hearts, it's being one with the night, etc. but—
here is clark, donning the house of wayne's bat.
i like to think it meant more to him than he let on...
