Robin’s “Salvation” Review
Well, it’s been over a month since the finale aired, and if there are any images that still echo in our minds, it would have to be from the first few minutes, where Clark has a prophetic dream of 2013. I absolutely loved the easter egg they threw in, showing a tiny Superman stopping a plane from crashing into the Daily Planet. Scenes like that were made for the pause function on my DVR. We also find that Lex is alive and running for president and the Dalai Lama is fond of Lois. I would have to say that my only complaint of this scene is that Lois looked a lot like Sarah Palin and did a lot of screaming at offscreen characters like Perry and Jimmy. I mean, I’m glad to know they are working at the Planet in 2013, but is it any more obvious that the actors aren’t really there? The producers should have planned ahead and shot a quick Perry scene while McKean was on the set for Hostage, and why not cast a young guy to play Superman’s pal? It’s not like he would be needed for Season 10. Just saying…
And hey, fun fact: “In Superman the Movie, when Jor-El (Marlon Brando) takes the young Clark (played by Jeff East) on his journey through the 28 known Galaxies he says that 12 earth years will have passed. This is when we first see Superman in the movie, so there is significance that Clark’s dream sequence at the start of the episode takes place in 2013 (12 years after Smallville first started).” – from Smallville Wiki.
Clark wakes up and finds a present from his mother – the suit! Let’s hope he suits up for Season 10. The trenchcoat has worn its welcome. Although the Connor Kent-inspired t-shirt look Clark sports at the end of the episode looked cool. Maybe we could get a red shield on the shirt though? That’s my Tim Gunn report. On with the rest of the episode!
Nearby on a gothic patio high above the streets of Metropolis, Lois finally gets to meet the person she’s been talking to on the phone. “FBI Agent” Zod reveals himself to be the Blur and warns Lois that Clark is not who he says he is. At Watchtower, Chloe, still sporting her green jacket, awkwardly talks to Oliver about the upcoming war of the worlds. They are still not being truthful about how much they care for each other. After Oliver hangs up, Clark shows up with the Book of Rao. When Clark tells her that it means exile for all Kryptonians, Chloe starts to think that maybe Clark’s destiny is to lead his people off the planet.
At the Fortress, Zod bellows away at the silent Jor-El. Before he destroys the crystals, Tess steps out from behind a glacier. She admits that she has seen the error of her ways and is looking for redemption. Zod throws her against the wall and denies her forgiveness. But Tess was talking about her conversation with Martha, not Zod. She pulls out some krypto-knuckles and beats him. He catches her monologuing though, as he crawls far enough away from her weapon to get to his feet and set her ablaze with his heat vision.
When Clark shows up, he also bellows at his mute biological father. He argues that his destiny is on Earth, and if all the training was just so he could help Zod, then it was no use. Zod steps out from what I am assuming might have been the Bathroom of Solitude and tells Clark that he can’t stop him. Clark notices the console was destroyed. He debates with Zod over whether war is actually necessary, and to not make a mistake like the murder of Faora again. He even says that he was able to find redemption after he caused the death of Jonathan. But Zod is sure of his destiny and takes off. Clark finds the char-broiled body of Tess Mercer being preserved in the cold.
At the Daily Planet, Lois snoops into Clark’s computer and finds a picture of Zod when she does a search for the Blur. At Met Gen, a strange old woman knits in the hallway as Clark looks in on Tess. Two Face Mercer apologizes to Clark and says that she wanted to stop Zod. She tells him to open the Book of Rao, he should use crystals she got from the rubble of Rao Towers. She left them in his “crow’s nest”, which I guess is the gothic patio that we have seen Clark hanging out on now and then. She tells him he is out of time.
Now we get to see a pretty cool montage of Kandorians hanging out at famous landmarks, burning the seal of Zod into them and setting them on fire. Pretty good CGI, I would say, but I was disappointed we didn’t get to see one of them burn Zod’s image into Mount Rushmore. I would say this episode was a total win if that happened. But, according to Chloe, even with all the destruction, the military is under the impression that this is all a hoax. Are they not getting live footage of this chaos? Where’s Geraldo when you need him?
At Watchtower, the two teams of superheroes, Justice Society and Justice League, are talking on an epic video conference call. It’s funny to think of how they set these cameras up. Stargirl is a big fan of patriotism, so she set up a flowing American flag in the background. Hawkman, who is in Giza, and also has some ties to Egypt, figured that his feed should have sweet hieroglyphics behind him. Cyborg loves technology, so he stationed himself in front of some screens with technostuff on it. Black Canary and Martian Manhunter have hit the streets and set up a link from respective dusky warehouses. It just cracks me up when I start to think about the scenes we don’t see on Smallville.
Anyway, the teams argue over what course of action to take. Clark joins the debate and tells them he has decided to use the Book of Rao to lead them all off Earth. He asks the heroes to accept his destiny to protect the world as a team. Oliver tells Clark he should tell Lois everything before he goes. Clark thinks it would hurt Lois, but Oliver tells him he should at least say goodbye.
The Kandorians cut off communications from Watchtower to the rest of the heroes by taking down the satellites (so much for our TV shows). This is when Oliver reveals a gift he has been hiding from Chloe, Watchtower’s own personal satellite. Oliver takes off to flip the switch at “the Earth station” to turn the satellite on after giving Chloe a (final?) kiss.
Lois continues on her snooping mission by looking through Clark’s things at the barn. She finds Dr. Swann’s journal, with the drawing of the Book of Rao. Clark shows up to say goodbye. He tells Lois that she is the one he has always needed. Lois tells Clark that Perry offered her a job in Kenya. After gathering himself, Clark throws on a smile and congratulates her. Lois admits she will give up Africa if they stop with the secrets. Clark tells her he doesn’t know what she is talking about. Clark gives her a hug and sends her on her way. Cold, but it was needed.
Meanwhile, Tess is fighting for her life in the hospital. She loses though, and the old woman goes in to her room….Chloe and Oliver communicate through radio handsets as Oliver goes through ventilation shafts to turn on the satellite. But Oliver is swarmed all of a sudden, and after they quickly exchange their declarations of love for each other, he tells her that they are not Kandorians! And that, ladies and gents, is the beginning of the end of the season finale. The cliffhangers have begun!
At the crow’s nest, Clark, finds the crystals that Tess hid, but realizes Lois swiped the Book of Rao from him. At a phone booth nearby, Lois meets with Zod to deliver the Book. Lois admits how hurt she is over Clark. Zod tries to console her by putting a hand on her shoulder. When she touches it, she realizes that it’s not the same hand she felt in Charade. She immediately starts to tell Zod that she hid the book where she confessed to the Blur he was the most important person in her life. Zod realizes the jig is up and throws Lois into the phone booth. But before she crashes completely through it, Clarks superspeeds in, clocks Zod and grabs Lois. He sets her to the ground before she comes to her senses. She stands up, looking around, and sees the real Blur in the shadows. She hands the Book of Rao off to him, and he whisks her into his arms and kisses her. After he leaves her, she realizes that the Blur is Clark Kent. Zing! Cliffhanger #3!
At the crow’s nest, Clark confronts Zod. The other Kandorians land on the building all around him. Clark tells them that the Book of Rao won’t hurt them. It will bring them to another place where they can live in peace. Clark talks about what happened when Faora wanted to leave him. Zod, in a fury, grabs Clark and whispers that Faora was a traitor and he didn’t want to kill his own child. Bad move, Zod, when you are surrounded by people with super hearing! Zod tries to argue his case more, but the Kandorians start to rip their Zod Fan Club armbands off. Vala asks Clark to take them home, where they can deal with Zod.
Clark places the book into the crystals as the Kandorians are taken away by a bright light. Zod pulls out Plan B, a dagger made of blue kryptonite, which neutralizes his and Clark’s powers and makes them mortal. As the rain falls, Clark and Zod beat the everliving snot out of each other. Zod slashes Clark with the dagger. Clark gives him an awesome slow motion uppercut. Zod gives Clark a Guy Ritchie jawbreaker and knocks him through some stained glass. Zod tries to stab Clark with the dagger, but Clark holds him back. Zod declares that everyone on this planet, including Lois, will kneel before him.
Clark tells Zod, “You already destroyed my first home. I won’t let you take this one.” He takes the dagger into the gut willingly and stumbles backward off the side of the building, smiling. Zod, out of range of the blue kryptonite, becomes Kryptonian again and is accepted into the golden light of the Book of Rao. He screams as he is taken away. Meanwhile, cliffhanger #4 arrives, as Clark falls from the roof, evoking religious symbolism. Clark is victorious, but as he said earlier to Hawkman: “At what cost?” Bring on Season 10!!
@Natasha So “Geekwood…” Now has that been confirmed that Jonathan will be in the Season Ten Premiere? And it will be actually John S. or will it be similar to “Odyssey” when Kal-El got shot with arrows by Ollie and saw Martha, Jonathan, and Lana right before he was going to pass on? I hope it actually is John S. and not reused video. But I have to be frank with my fellow SHoEligans it sounds similar to the fifth season ep. “Void” where Clark sees Jonathan again. I think it will still be “Epic.” What do my fellow Android, iPod, and Zune SHoEligans think? Opinions, please?
I think Jonn Jonzz’s will save Clark but Clark will go to the other side and meet Jonathan for a chat where he give Clark so much needed advice and then Clark will wake up.
I also think he will turn up 10/22 as a final push for Clark to wear the cape
@Woo, they said that they were getting John S in person. Tom said he wanted Schneidy to come back, Bo Kent said he wanted to come back, so the PTB made it happen. And they said they were making it happen for two episodes this season. No reused video, but J.S. himself. Big Daddy Kent. In the “flesh”, so to speak.
@Natasha to quote Barney Stinson from “How I Met Your Mother” “Awesome!” Since it is the last season we need Jonathan back but his death was a huge part of Clark’s development. I would agrue that Clark’s journey would have taken a very different turn if Jonathan had never died. I’d love it in the tenth season if they could get Lionel back (in some way) and Pete Ross or Lana as well. Especially Pete because of how awful his return in “Hero” was. Opinions? Fellow iPod, Android, and Zune SHoEligans?
Yeah they really need to bring Pete Ross back, his sugar gum commercial was my least favorite episode ever. Lana is a character I liked and I hope they bring her back, but in a way where she’s okay with Clark and Lois, maybe she has someone herself. Lionel is a character that I’d love to see back. This season already seems to be heading in the right direction.
@Woo, if Jonathan hadn’t died in the middle of Season 5 my guess is that Seasons 6,7 and even part of 8 wouldn’t even have happened the same way. I always felt as though Clark spent the better part of Seasons 6 and 7 outright depressed. IT was very difficult to watch.
I still remember my husband getting emotional watching the end of “Rage” a few years ago. My husband’s father died when he was 19 and he said that the ending of that episode sitting around the dinner table really hit him. He could feel Clark’s sadness over losing his father.
Maybe that’s part of why I like Clark and Lois together so much on Smallville. When Clark started spending more time with Lois in Season 8 it was the first time I had truly seen Clark happy since his father died. His depression was so tangible. But he seemed to finally find some joy again with Lois. I don’t care what anyone says. That reason ALONE would be enough for me to know without a shadow of a doubt that they belong together.
So yes, I do believe things would have been different if Jonathan had lived. Clark probably would have been much happier. Instead he had to face several years in pain and mourning grieving for his father. I do believe that he has FINALLY found some acceptance over what happened and I HOPE he has found some peace. It would make a reunion between them all the more moving at this point.
@MJ, it was Vengeance, but I understand what you mean. I don’t want to speculate anymore about how they’ll bring Big Daddy Kent back because I’m confident that the writers will do an amazing job with it. I can’t wait to see the trailer at Comic Con (20 more days!!!)
@MJ Well, from a character/writing stand point a couple of things occurred Lionel being a more pivotal character in his overall run was a pretty big change. Another thing that happened and this is something that I have never understood Miles and Al doing. Martha’s role on the series being heightened and than we get to the sixth season and she was treated pretty much the way Chloe was treated in the ninth season as a “story device.” And for my fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans who were upset at how Chloe was used in the ninth season think of how Martha was used in the sixth season? I think Chloe was treated better writing wise. What do my fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans think?
Here’s something to think about as far as Clark is concerned when Jonathan passed on, the Clark we knew from the first four years on the series that ended totally with Jonathan’s passing. And if one were to look at Clark’s actions throughout the fifth through seventh seasons it was very much and Clark even said as much in 08×01 that he had spent those years trying to recreate or keep the happy home he had with Lana and his mother and father and he realize how much a waste of time and energy that was.
Now, I don’t know if that had anything to do with his relationship with Lois, I do believe that was a part of it. But I think coming close to death made Clark see what a waste that was. And then later on it was Lois I totally agree on that.
@Natasha, no I was talking about Rage. The episode where they have Thanksgiving dinner and Clark is feeling so sad at the start of the episode about Jonathan and then finally has a moment of peace at the end. :)
Chloe’s arc in Season 9 was a direct and organic result of the poor choices that she made at the end of Season 8. It was also the natural progression, imo, of negative controlling traits that she had exhibited for years. Everyone on this show is driven by what the plot needs. I don’t think she was a plot device. I think that her story was a natural result of what happened last season with Jimmy and Davis. And yes, I do absolutely believe that Clark’s renewed happiness had a lot to do with Lois. She is the only person he smiles around and seems to find joy with. And I do believe that being around her helped him start his life over. Its not really debatable anymore. Clark said in the finale that he knew that she was the one he “always needed” so he gives her credit for it as well. That’s canon now.
Salvation podcast?
@MJ, OOhhh, I thought you were talking about the episode right after Jonathan dies, sorry :)
Alright, I’m going back to drawing.
New Topic: That’s discuss directors for the final ep. The directors I’d love to see direct the finale are Jeannot Swarc, James Marshall, or Greg Beeman. I don’t think Welling should direct the finale just because I think he should just focus on acting since it is the last one. Same goes for the 200th ep. As far as writers go, for the finale I’d love it if Jeph Loeb or Geoff Johns would write the finale because they would give Clark the glimpse into the future and the foreshadowing of what Clark’s journey will be after the series ends. If neither Johns or Loeb could write the finale then Kelly and Brian should write the finale. Fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans opinions on who should write and direct the finale who are your choices?
@ Woo, to answer your question:
Director: Greg Beeman or Glen Winter or Jeannot Szwarc.
Writer: Al Septien and Turi Meyer or Jeph Loeb (it would be fantastic! – but I highly doubt it).
I’m sorry, but I don’t want see Geoff Johns writing the final ep of Smallville – I’d be really annoyed if he was appointed to write that episode.
@Joanna
I completely agree with you on not having Geoff Johns writing the finalie. The ones that should do it are the show runners for the last few seasons: Kelly Sounders and Brian Peterson or the original two who brought Smallville to television: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Maybe a combine effort from the four of them.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t mind seeing Geoff writing an episode since I enjoyed the previous ones that he did so I’m sure that he could do it again for the 10th season.
@Joanna I totally respect your opinion and to be frank with you Geoff Johns wouldn’t be my first choice Loeb I would actually enjoy seeing more writing the finale than Geoff Johns. But if nothing else if neither Loeb or Johns are not available then Kelly and Brain should “pen” the series finale.
@Anthony Pa I really don’t think Miles and Al should return just because the series in just two seasons is miles away from the series that they created I don’t believe they know how to write for this Kal-El. They knew how to write for Clark Kent: Captain of the Smallville Crows and angst confused Clark Kent. But not The Red Blue Blur and or The Blur. Do my fellow Zune, iPod, and Android SHoEligans concur with my thoughts or disagree?
@Woo:
//They knew how to write for Clark Kent: Captain of the Smallville Crows and angst confused Clark Kent. But not The Red Blue Blur and or The Blur.//
Totally agree :)
You know, I liked the early Smallville created by Al & Miles – they had some really brilliant ideas and a fresh vision of a show about a young Clark Kent in his teenage years…To tell the truth, seasons 1-5 were really good, imo. However, seasons 6 and 7 were the weakest seasons in the history of Smallville (soap-operish eps such as Promise just killed me, and left me wanting to punch sb in the face).
From what I remember, Al & Miles had plans for only 5 or 4 seasons of Smallville – they had no idea that their show would last longer than that. Also, they had no intention of bringing Clark to Metropolis or creating for him a double identity – they weren’t interested in exploring that part of Clark’s journey…
It is Brian and Kelly (and Todd Slavkin + Darren Swimmer – the new show runners) who decided to introduce the idea of the Red-Blue-Blur in s8 (which was a brilliant move, imo). What is more, Clark started working at the Daily Planet with Lois (the dynamic between the iconic duo became an integral part of this “new, fresh Smallville”) – it was a HUGE change, and it was exciting!
Let’s think for a moment about season 7 Clark who spent a huge amount of his time with Lana on the farm (doing nothing constructive) – ugh! – so much wasted time and potential… :(
Ok. maybe Season 8 wasn’t perfect, it had its high and low moments – but (in my opinion) it was far better than season 6 and 7 combined.
As for s9 – it was simply amazing! No words can even describe how much I loved that season…
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is – I agree that Kelly and Brain should “pen” the series finale, but I don’t support the idea of Al & Miles making their comeback as a writing team in the final episode of Smallville. But that’s just me.
As much as I love GJ as a comics writer, and he did a great job with the “special” episodes, I wouldn’t want him to write the finale of Smallville for the simple fact that he is not a regular writer. He is a guest writer. He knows the Superman canon characters, but he isn’t an expert on the SV characters because he isn’t a regular viewer/writer. One of the veterans deserves that slot, either Kelly & Brian, Al & Turi, Don & Holly, or Jeph (who isn’t a regular, but knows this version of the characters better than any other guest writer would). And for director, definitely Beeman. He proved that a former director can come back and remember who this show is supposed to be about, then I have every faith that he will completely make the series finale nothing short of epic.
I…really want Al and Miles to stay where they are, far away from the final season of SV. Sorry. I still haven’t forgiven them for the second half of Season 6 and the pre-writers-strike Season 7. Even though I loved Season 8, it actually took Season 9 for me to have faith that the showrunners remembered who this show was supposed to be about and who the true hero is.
I wish to carrify about my earlier comment about the possibility of Al and Miles writing the finalie. I didn’t mean that they should have a sagnificant amount of impact on it. Main reason why I even considered it was for just old times sake.
Kelly and Brian should porbably be the finalie writers since they were able to keep the show going after the changing that came following season 7. They also helped to move Smallville to a direction that has made the past two seasons some of the favorites of the entire series. Hopefully they’ll be able to keep up the good work for the 10th and final season.
@Natasha, @Anthony Pa. @Joanna As far as my choices for directors it really comes to Swarc, Marshall, or Beeman. Some of my fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans wouldn’t question me on my Marshall because I think he is the most seasoned director on Smallville in terms of eps. directed I think he is at least in the top three in terms of number eps. directed. Beeman we already discussed because he probably directed the best finale in Smallville’s history (up until this point.) Swarc I just enjoy because of how he directs because even though “Noir” might be one of the weakest ep. scripts wise, directing wise and shot wise it’s great. And “Kandor” was beautifully directed and one of the best eps. in Smallville history. Bottom line, it needs to be a director everyone in the cast has worked with a lot.
As far as writers for the finale it really needs to be Kelly and Brian or Jeph Loeb for me to be totally on board with no skepticism.
As far as Geoff Johns goes I don’t want him in the tenth season (if he does decide to write another ep.) to establish a new DC character or group since we are going towards Clark’s destiny in the tenth season. I want the Legion of Superheroes to return. And have it be because something involving Darkseid. I don’t know how I just feel we don’t need to establish something new (unless it is for a backdoor pilot) I want either a JLA or Legion ep. from Johns.
Lastly, these things I listed above are things that I would be totally on board with if some things didn’t happen, I’d still be on board with the series’ final season. Opinions? Fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans?
@Woo On the Geoff Johns topic, why not a Legion and League episode in one? Plus, add the Society and even better, as long as it’s written right, which Johns is already the master of.
I just want it to be (July 22) September 24th already. I’ll let you know how epic the trailer is at Comic Con in a couple weeks.
I just hope that there will sb who is going to record the trailer and then put it on youtube – like it was last year (for those of us who will not attend this year’s Comic Con).
I’ll keep my fingers crossed…
@Joanna I would be more surprised if there wasn’t someone recording the panel at Comic Con.
As far as the series finale goes and I have said this on another post. I don’t want a JLA mega battle that should be like 10×20 and or 10×21. 10×22 should be like Clark packing up the farm and or Martha returning to the farm and Clark beginning his journey of traveling maybe with Lois around the world and learning different cultures (because that has happened in many Superman canons like Superman The Animated Series and Lois & Clark) and we cut to two years later or something and that is when “The Man of Steel” is revealed to Metropolis. Thoughts? Fellow Android, Zune, and iPod SHoEligans?
@Woo, you know….I’m don’t think I would like the show to end with Clark and Lois traveling around the world and then cutting a few years to the future. I know that traveling around the world and experiencing different cultures worked perfectly for other live action versions of the Superman story (It worked beautifully on LnC and the animated series) but I’m not sure that a break in time like that works for this version of Clark Kent.
Honestly, I just don’t think that Smallville’s version of Clark Kent NEEDS to travel the world at this point to be ready to be Superman. For the other versions of the character, that experience was a representation of their maturity and served as an “eye opening” experience. Smallville’s Clark Kent has been through SO MUCH over the last 10 years. He’s faced so many difficulties already and faced so many tough choices and sacrifices. I think he’s more than proven that he’s ready to be Superman. I think that any kind of cut to the future at the end of the show would be a cheat. Because it would imply that Clark Kent as we know him at the end of Season 10 isn’t quite ready to serve the world as Superman. And, in my opinion, that just isn’t true. He’s going to be ready all on his own by the end of Season 10. And I want to see him accept his identity as Superman and walk out into the light and show people his face in our present timeline. I don’t want to miss one moment of that development or maturity happening in offscreenville.
However, I wouldn’t mind some kind of conversation or hint towards the end of the series that Clark and Lois plan to travel the world and experience different cultures from time to time through their jobs at the Daily Planet. I think that would fit just as well with comics canon as I seem to recall that they both travel as reporters and they take on new adventures together. (Or ast least they did before the Superman comics decided to practically eliminate Clark Kent from his own books. Sorry for that rant. I’m still not over it and I won’t be until the freaking Superman comics fixes it. )
@MJ I totally see where you’re coming from and I totally agree, I just thought that could be a possible ending. Now if the season ended in the fourth season, it would line up with the canon better that Kal-El did travel the world but after the seventh season, there was no way they could have done Clark traveling the world and living out of his language. Like in Lois & Clark and The Animated Series.
@Woo, yes I agree. It would have been a fitting ending maybe 5 years ago.
But I do like your idea about at least hinting that he will travel the world.
You know…I think my biggest thing with the series finale is that I just want to see Clark happy and see a promise for Clark to have a joyful life spreading hope to humanity. I know that sounds corny. But I just feel like Clark has been through so much and come so far. So I would LOVE to hear a hint at the end of the series that Clark and Lois will get a chance to travel the world as journalists from time to time because I think that Clark would really enjoy that. You know?
@MJ No, I don’t believe that it is cheesy or sappy at all to want that for Kal-El. I think if nothing else and I know people don’t enjoy me talking about the Lana years but if nothing else, his relationships with Alicia and Lana have taught Kal-El to treat his relationship with Lois very differently. Not to mention all the people that have passed on and or had to leave because of his secret and or his powers: Lionel, Alicia, Pete, Lana, Jonathan, and even Lex to a certain degree. By the end of the series or Kal-El mentions in the series finale that all awful things had to happen to me for me to finally be truly happy in all facets of my life.