The episode was but a mish-mash of ideas, a farewell, and a few remarkable scenes. “Prophecy” likely won’t go down as one of the best episodes of Season 10, but it was full amazing moments. The episode set up parallel stories.

Running on side were Clark and Lois, a day before their wedding, getting an unexpected gift of a day in each other’s shoes, thanks to the always curious Jor-El. On the other side were Oliver and Kara, both hunting for the Bow of Orion, but for different reasons.

Oliver was looking for the bow, once the possession of Darkseid’s son, to cure him of his pesky little “marked by darkness” problem. Kara wanted it to defeat Darkseid. Unfortunately, once it was found, after first a few trials by the out-of-costume heroes (and Kara was forced to return to the Clark’s Fortress by her dastardly AI uncle), Granny Goodness stepped in and destroyed the bow. Gone was what Oliver believed to be his only chance at a cure. What more, Oliver was now completely under Granny Goodness’ control, and therefore, Darkseid’s control. With a callback to Luthor and Kent, Oliver was last seen in “Prophecy” digging for gold…gold Kryptonite. Best man. Gold Kryptonite. This can’t be good.

Meanwhile, after abandoning Oliver during the search for the bow, Kara had a heart to heart with the always (read: never) helpful Jor-El. It seems that while he originally wanted her to stop Darkseid because Clark “wasn’t ready,” the AI finally believes his son is ready and wants Kara to leave. Clark must forge his own destiny, according to Jor-El’s plans, apparently, and Kara mustn’t interfere. So, with a tear in her eye as she floated above Watchtower, Kara slid on a Legion ring and…poof. I bet Brainiac 5 is waiting for her.

While all of that was going on, Clark and Lois were having a rather chaotic day. Lois had Clark’s powers, Clark had no powers, and all of the B-league villains had formed a gang, “Marionette Ventures,” stolen up all of the property along the aquifer and were looking for world domination. Ok, city domination. Have to start somewhere. The Toyman, still in prison, had organized a virtual Who’s Who of baddies. Not that they did much but sit around a table. Among the group were Metallo and Roulette, curious additions since neither were really all that villainous the last time we saw them.

Before even getting powers, Lois was hot on the story of the land grab. But nothing is ever simple on Smallville, so it wasn’t just going be an episode about Lois and Clark cracking a big story (though, really, I wouldn’t have complained about an episode about Lane and Kent’s journalistic endeavors). Clark took Lois to the Fortress to announce his intentions to marry Lois, Jor-El gave them the world’s oddest wedding present, and for a few hours Lois got to play Burgundy Blur.

This little plot device did lead to one of the most remarkable moments on the series, a scene that spoke of exactly why Clark Kent is the only person who can really be Superman. Lois, using super hearing for the first time, became overwhelmed by all of the cries for help, unable to distinguish who needed her and who didn’t. Clark, having dealt with this for years, quickly talked her through the process he makes in a matter of seconds—is it urgent, can the police/EMTs/fire respond, etc. This showed the stress that Clark must go through, the split second decisions he must make and live with, in order to be the hero he’s meant to be. It’s an overwhelming thought and one that left a lasting impression on Lois.

Not only that, after realizing Toyman was using mind controlling diodes to get others, including Stargirl, to do his dirty work, Lois visited the demented toymaker in prison. During their conversation, as the sun was setting and Lois was about to lose Clark’s powers, the Toyman threatened Clark’s life if Lois didn’t put on the diode. Panic and fear drove Lois to put on the diode to protect Clark—her greatest weakness. Unfortunately, the Toyman sent Lois off to kill The Blur. The sun set, Clark got his powers back, and the bad guys were stopped. But Lois, clearly, was not ok.

At Watchtower, just as they are about to leave for their rehearsal dinner, Lois realized two things about Clark: just like he is her greatest weakness, she is his and the weight of his responsibilities makes their lives seem shallow. Not wanting to rob the world of its hero and afraid someday an enemy will use her against Clark, Lois decides to call off the wedding.

And that’s how we head into the finale. I don’t presume to know what will happen in the finale, the series finale, but one imagines that Clark Kent will finally get his happy ending—and Lois is just going to have to accept it.

“Prophecy” was an interesting an episode for the themes it presented, but maybe it was a little too full. It would have been nice to see the power swap storyline fleshed out even more. I, for one, would have enjoyed seeing Clark get a taste of what Lois goes through every time he “whooshes” off to save the day—the worry, the concern, the pride. In the end, though, “Prophecy” set up the finale, said good-bye to Kara, and delivered some interesting character moments. Not a bad hour of TV.

The episode opens with Clark and Lois unpacking their belongings at their new apartment. They joke about Clark doing it at super speed and Lois’s love of hair bands before Tess, via computer video conferencing, interrupts their domestic bliss with League news.

After learning from Tess that General Slade, who had been sent to the Phantom Zone in “Icarus,” was now back on Earth, Clark decides to make a quick trip to the Phantom Zone to make sure nobody else had escaped. In spite of Clark telling him that he couldn’t tag along, Oliver literally jumped on Clark’s back as the portal was opening, sending both men into the intergalactic prison. There, they are captured by the very corporeal Zod (the season 9 Zod was exiled to the Phantom Zone by the Kandorians and merged with the season 6 phantom Zod) and forced to fight to the death. Luckily, our heroes came up with a plan to outsmart Zod, allowing them to return home.

Back home, Lois and Tess were having a disagreement about what to do with regards to the Phantom Zone portal gate. Tess, on orders from Clark, was to blow up the gate after three hours, less any alien criminals use the opportunity to escape. Tess’s argument, and Clark’s rationale, was that a world without Clark would be bad enough, the last thing anyone would need would be super powered bad guys running around without a champion there to stop them. Lois, on the other hand, argued that her fiancé’s plan was stupid they couldn’t possibly give up on Clark and Oliver. Fueled partly by her love for Clark, Lois steadfastly refused to give in, even brandishing a handgun to illustrate how serious she was.

Eventually, the boys returned home. Oliver worries about what the League would do if one of them were marked by “The Darkness.” Giving Oliver the idea that he doesn’t need to tell Clark and should keep secret his cranial tattoo, Clark casually informs his friend that there was no defeating the darkness and thus no hope. This leads Oliver to investigate possible “cures” on his own, which seems to involve something called the “Bow of Orion.” I’m sure this will all work out just fine for the Green Arrow—as evidence by the Weeping Angel (don’t blink) crying tears of blood. What can possibly go wrong?

Back at Lois and Clark’s new apartment, Clark learns that while he and Oliver were only in the Phantom Zone a few hours, the time elapsed on earth was about three weeks. Lois informs Clark that while the League eventually agreed with her to keep the portal gate open, in the future, she wanted to know about Clark’s plans if they were going to possibly take him away from her permanently. We also learn that Clark and Lois’s wedding is only a few days away and that Lois, in spite of Clark being missing for three weeks, didn’t postpone it.

That, pretty much, sums up the action of the episode. But scratch a little deeper, beyond the flashy violence and Zod’s teeth, and there was a lot going on in “Dominion.” While being relegated to the “B” part of the storyline, Tess and Lois are both given strong points-of-view and clear voices in the episode. Tess is the voice of reason, pragmatic and logical, her desire is to protect the world and respect Clark’s plan. In a constant state of feeling the need to prove herself to the group, Tess has done everything she can to march lock step with what Clark wants since officially joining the good guys. Until Lois, that is. Lois is the voice of passion and emotion; she is driven by her unwavering inability to see a world where Clark isn’t by her side. She absolutely won’t take no for an answer. When she points the gun at Tess it is not that she has any intention to shoot her. For her part, Tess clearly doesn’t believe Lois will pull the trigger. What the gun represents is the end of the line, the idea that Lois will not budge. As Tess looks at Lois, it is apparent she understands and empathizes. As we find out later in the episode, Lois won the argument and eventually convinced Tess and the rest of the League to wait for Clark. Maybe it wasn’t noble thing to do, maybe it was driven by Lois’s selfish desires, but in the end it was the only move to make. With Darkseid’s evil still lurking, the world needs Clark.

In the Phantom Zone, there is another, a different push and pull between Zod and Oliver with relation to Clark. Both men look at Clark as a surrogate brother—someone like them in some ways, someone they want to be like. Zod spent much of season 9 trying to appeal to Clark’s Kryptonian nature as a brother in arms. In much the same way he bonded with Lex, Clark did forge a bond of sorts with Zod, hoping to save him from his maniacal future. Ultimately, the two were always fated to be on the opposite side of right and wrong.

Similarly, Oliver and Clark have been uneasy friends since they first met. Oliver has always seemingly resented Clark for his abilities and, largely, his black and white view of the world. But in spite of these resentments, and maybe because of them, Oliver has always sought Clark’s friendship and approval. The two have clashed and Oliver has questioned Clark’s leadership, but always to Oliver’s detriment. Oliver hitch-hikes to the Phantom Zone in an attempt to do something heroic to combat the “darkness” and to prove himself to Clark.

It is no surprise, then, that Zod sees something familiar in the Green Arrow. He tries to psychologically worm his way into Oliver’s mind by trying to convince Oliver that they can find in each other what they couldn’t find in Clark. Someone of like mind, someone who won’t judge and won’t condemn. Oliver proves, though, that he is at heart a hero and doesn’t give in to Zod’s manipulation—though the fight scene between Clark and Oliver was convincing in attempting to prove that he had turned.

Ultimately, “Dominion” was about how the rest of the characters see Clark and what they are willing to do when confronted by those views.

Director Hartley did a remarkable job in his first attempt behind the camera. The action scenes were fun and visually engaging, but what really stood out were the emotionally driven scenes. Erica Durance and Cassidy Freeman were each given the freedom to instill an exceptional amount of emotion and nuance in their scenes together. The subtlety both women delivered gave their scenes a realistic bent that prevented the moments from sliding into the inevitable melodrama that could have happened. The reunion scene between Clark and Lois, too, was full of depth and quiet emotion. I’ve said in the past that Durance and Tom Welling have such a natural, intimate chemistry that there scenes are automatically engrossing. In “Dominion,” they seemed to take their performances to another level. Somehow, Smallville has developed the Clark and Lois relationship so naturally that one believes in their larger than life love story without it dripping with saccharine platitudes and overwrought drama.

With “Dominion” in the bag, we are almost at the finish line. There are only two more weeks of Smallville left, only three more hours. While these last few episodes haven’t been perfect, in some ways, they’ve been a microcosm of Smallville itself. Highs, lows, laughs, tears, and a bit of action. Let’s enjoy the rest of the ride.

The titular character, Booster Gold, showed up in Metropolis, making miraculous saves just in the nick of time. Played with an excess of charisma and energy by soap star Eric Martsolf, Booster is a time traveling show boat looking to strike it rich and famous by co-opting all of The Blur’s saves and even snaking the interview of a lifetime. Since Booster comes from the future, he knows how the story on Smallville (and the greater Superman mythology) plays out. He knows full well that it is Lois Lane who Superman gives his first public interview to. It’s the interview that makes Superman an icon. And an icon is exactly what the self-promoting Booster desires.

It is unfortunate timing, though likely planned by Booster, that when the blue and gold hero sweeps into Metropolis Clark is working on perfecting his mild mannered persona in an attempt to downplay Clark Kent’s inherent awesomeness in preparation for The Blur going public. With The Blur not quite ready for primetime, Clark jealously seethes on the inside as he watches Booster preen and pose for the public. It isn’t so much that Clark wants to be in Booster’s shoes, it’s just that he has a fundamental difference of opinion regarding heroism. Clark’s desire to go public as The Blur is to inspire, in the public he serves, hope and trust. When Clark finally does go public (in, say, the series finale?), he’ll do so not to seek fame, but to better help humanity. Booster, on the surface, has a very different view.

After making a mess of his life in the future, Booster stole his suit and Legion flight ring, and came to the past to start over. He made just enough saves to curry favor with the public, though never doing enough to outright stop disaster. And disaster, it turns out, is what he confronts when he brushes off the request for help from a young boy named Jaime Reyes. Not to get too involved in the Blue Beetle mythology, but in “Booster” a piece of alien technology, a beetle scarab, that is being studied by Blue Beetle number 2, Ted Kord, gets loose, attaches itself to young Jaime, Blue Beetle number 3 and takes control (Blue Beetle number 1 was Dan Garret). Jaime nearly wipes out everyone rehearsing for Booster’s Key to the City ceremony. Luckily, Clark had been able to impart a super dose of wisdom to Booster, explaining the nature of the hero, which in turn helped Booster talk down Jaime in order to defeat the scarab powered suit (oh, science-fiction, never change).

In the end, Lois, who had been battling with Cat Grant for a plum promotion at the Daily Planet, got an interview with Booster and the two men who would carry the name of Blue Beetle. Breaking a big story, helping Clark perfect his reporter persona, and landing a major promotion—it was just an average day for Miss Lane.

While the plot of “Booster” wasn’t overly complicated or deep, the message was straightforward and inspiring. It is always a nice to see characters positively influenced by Clark and taking his words to heart. Too often in the past Clark was blamed and derided by those who were supposed to be his friends.

What really stood out in “Booster,” though, was the direction of Tom Welling. The now veteran director got a “golden” performance out of Martsolf, allowing the actor to walk the tightrope between charming and smarmy to the point where Booster was both at the same time. It was nearly impossible not to get sucked in by Martsolf’s portrayal to the point of making some wonder if a Booster Gold, time traveling spin-off (a Doctor Who meets Quantum Leap, perhaps) wouldn’t a great idea.

The episode’s final scene, an intimate moment between Clark and Lois where he questions whether she is ok with the idea that society would think less of her because she wants to marry the bumbling, mild-mannered Clark Kent, was beautifully shot and acted. Welling and Erica Durance have such an intimate, lovely, and relatable chemistry together there is almost a sense of voyeurism when they share smaller, quiet scenes. And Welling’s direction of the scene, lit primarily by the roaring fire, only heightened the warmth and love of the scene.

But, really, the visual moment of the episode most fans will remember, and should remember, is Clark Kent’s first super change in a phonebooth. The moment really defies description as it as exciting as it is iconic. While many overuse a word like “epic,” this moment truly was. It’s a super change that has to be seen to be truly appreciated. One also has to give an honorable mention to Welling’s nifty framing of himself in front of a billboard, complete with a red super shield, that reads “The Real Man of Steel.” I think that says it all.

“Booster” was an entertaining and fun episode. A slight diversion into what a Superman show with this crew would look like. But, unfortunately, it was actually one of the final episodes of Smallville ever. Next up is “Dominion,” directed by Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen), an episode that breaks the record for longest running science-fiction show in the US.

I was wrong.

‘Booster’ fit more perfectly into this season than any of Johns’ episodes before it. It had the perfect pacing from where we’ve been in the season already, to where we are headed in the coming few weeks. Not only is it his finest episode to date, but it is almost tied for me with Welling’s greatest directorial outing, ‘Apocalypse’. The fanboy moments are there. The cameos. The inside jokes. The mile-a-minute references to people and places in DC. But the story, for once, is about Clark. And just as Booster Gold is trying to sweep the leg out from under The Blur in Metropolis, Booster almost does it to Clark in the episode. He’s hogging the limelight, showing up for press opportunities, and always managing to be one step ahead. But it is mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent who really steals the scenes this time around.

Hartley and Freeman don’t appear this week (which is a shame because I would have loved to see Cassidy and Eric Martsolf chew the dialogue and scenery together) so it’s just our main players in affect here, Clark and Lois. Booster and Blue Beetle take full affect of the scenes they are in, however, as do some other characters that pop up this time around (Keri Lynn Pratt’s Cat Grant provided some even greater light-hearted moments with Booster Gold).

I think there’s a little something for everyone in this episode, which is always hard to do with Smallville. It’s a fun episode. In fact, it might be the last bit of fun we get to have before the end (though I have no doubt that ‘Prophecy’ will provide some laughs). The casting choices for the three new DC characters were great (look for an AMAZING scene between Clark Kent and Ted Kord). Martsolf IS Booster Gold. There’s no denying it. It doesn’t take 12 seconds of him on screen to realize that. He takes Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, fluffs up his ego, takes a nod from an audio-sidekick, puts him in an even more ridiculous costume with scantily clad dancers surrounding him, and makes it his own.

Welling gets some of the best dialogue of the season. Great speeches. Great lessons. Not only is it his greatest outing as director, but it puts ‘Noir’s bumbling reporter to shame, and shows us what the future for this Clark Kent will be. It was the only episode this season Welling needed to direct. It was his swan song. In addition to his scene with Kord, look for a great moment at the end with Cat Grant, and something that you may think was spoiled in photographs doesn’t even do it justice when it comes time in the episode for a quick change. It made me as excited as that amazing finale promo did during ‘Kent’. As far as Lois goes, I will go so far as to say this is Erica Durance’s best episode in all of 6 years. She’s exactly what this episode needed, as her Lois has really matured this season. Other than ‘Homecoming’, this is our first real look at our future Lois, as well – she takes a lot of steps here that are important for the finale. Including a final scene between her and Tom that Matt Mitovich says could be their greatest shared scene ever. I tend to agree. It’s sweetly romantic. It’s short and poignant. It will have fans of their relationship begging for more, and fans of Superman dying for these final hours of the series.

That’s probably the most negative aspect of this episode. It’s the first one that has felt like the end. There are scenes, lines, looks in this episode that…you feel it winding down. You can tell it is the end, and to me that hasn’t been coming across this season. Until now. It’s quickly approaching and ‘Booster’ didn’t hold that back. It’s bittersweet, but a fun episode nonetheless that puts all our players in place for the final 150+ minutes of the series.

But, just as many loved “Luthor,” it turned off many, including this reviewer. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. “Luthor” offered a world where Clark was found by Lionel Luthor instead of the Kents, he was abused and molded into a sadistic monster that killed and carried on an incestuous relationship with his adoptive sister Tess. Lois Lane was in a loveless relationship, the only light in her eyes the moment she meets and connects with Clark Kent, who soon disappears back to his own world. There was no hope for this alternate world. Clark Kent returned home, with the alternate Lionel hitching a ride, sending Clark Luthor back to continue his reign of terror. Other than finding an excuse to bring back John Glover as Lionel Luthor, the Alternate Universe, back in December, offered little point beyond re-teaching Clark a lesson about individuality and self-determination he had already learned.

“Kent,” on the surface, seemed to be offering more of the same. There was more Clark Luthor prancing around menacingly, more Clark Kent being subdued by green Kryptonite and beaten senselessly, more tragedy, little hope. Thankfully, the surface was wrong. In many ways, “Kent” was the mirror of “Luthor” in the same way the “real” world is the opposite of the alternate world.

Clark Luthor does make a trip to the real world and tricks Clark Kent into switching places. In the alternate world, Clark reconnects with that world’s Lois, once again establishing her as the most tragic character in the entire alternate universe. Her husband (Oliver Queen) is dead, the Clark of her world isn’t exactly a winner, and the man she shares an innate and undeniable connection with is meant to be with a different Lois Lane.

Conversely, the alternate universe’s Jonathan Kent is on the surface a tragic, broken man. Angry at Oliver Queen, the Luthors, everyone who has ever taken anything from him, Jonathan Kent lashes out at Clark Kent. But because he is Clark Kent, a man who sees the best in everyone, sees the potential for good in all, Jonathan’s defensive walls are torn down and there is hope for him. The episode ends with Jonathan Kent, separated from his Martha for some time, taking the first tentative steps towards taking his life back and reuniting with the woman he loves. Redemption isn’t easy, but the spark of hope Clark inspired in Jonathan was enough to send him down the path towards saving himself.

Someone seemingly not interested in redemption was Clark Luthor. Luthor jumped universes not because he found the real world, teaming with heroes and good guys, so appealing. Rather, he abandoned the world he once ruled because, in fact, his identity was revealed and his murderous ways had caught up to him. Clark Luthor had become public enemy number one and needed a new start or face the ultimate end.

Not that his goals would be accomplished easily—or accomplished at all. His first attempt to get information, primarily where he could find and then eliminate the alternate world’s Lionel Luthor, hit a brick wall. The brick wall was Lois Lane. While momentarily unaware the man she was talking with wasn’t her fiancé, Lois quickly clued in and tried to warn Tess, before contacting Dr. Emil Hamilton so they could work to bring the real Clark back.

Knowing the best way to get information on his wandering father was family, Clark Luthor went to Tess. Using a combination of seduction and violent persuasion, Clark Luthor worked his not-quite-a-sister to help him take down their “father.” For her part, Tess didn’t give in and managed to stall Clark Luthor long enough for Lois and Emil to bring Clark home.

Once the hero returned, he quickly lured Clark Luthor to the Fortress and gave him the keys to redemption. With Jor-El transporting Clark Luthor to his own world and a welcome greeting from the AI Kryptonian, the seemingly evil Clark Luthor had the chance to accept that his past didn’t have to define his future and become something more, something better. “Kent” didn’t end with Clark Luthor being redeemed. It ended with Clark Luthor having the opportunity to make the choice to work towards redemption. It likely wouldn’t be easy or overnight, and going by the AI Jor-el’s past behavior, it is likely he’d put Clark Luthor on ice before being releasing him into the world again. But it was a chance. It was a spark of light that maybe all hope wasn’t lost.

The issue of redemption is something that Tess Mercer has seemingly dealt with and conquered. Unfortunately, the revelation that she is a Luthor and meeting members of her family (even if they were from an alternate world) have opened up Tess’s old wounds and buried desires. The desire to belong, to be loved, has driven many of Tess’s decisions since she showed up in Season 8. She started out as Lex’s surrogate, trying to rule his empire as he’d see fit, desperately searching for him and, ultimately, for his approval. In Season 9, Zod was able to seduce Tess, playing on her desire to do what was best for the world, eventually punishing her when she sided with Clark over the Kandorians. This season, Tess has been welcomed into the good guys club. She took over Watchtower duties after Chloe left and has been asset to the team all season. But one has to wonder if her loyalty to Clark, Oliver and Lois is strong enough to withstand the temptation of her blood family. In “Kent,” Tess was able to withstand the seductive nature of what Clark Luthor offered, but the temptation of Tess Mercer is probably far from over. Whether Tess will finish her journey down the path or redemption or turn back to become a true Luthor is a question that will probably remain all the way until the series finale.

Redemption, or the chance for redemption, wasn’t the only theme presented in “Kent.” After all, Clark and Lois (their “real world” versions, at least) didn’t need to be redeemed. It’s hard to find two more upstanding, morally resolute characters on television. It wasn’t about redemption for them—it was about letting go of the past to truly live in the present and plan for the future.

The Kent Farm on Smallville has always represented home for Clark and even Lois. The farm was where the Kents took Clark when they found him in that field after the meteor shower. The farm was first place Lois lived when she came to town. It was where they both found a family, found love, found security. When Martha Kent placed the deed of the farm in their names as an early wedding gift with the sole intent of having them sell it, it clearly shook them to the core. Selling the farm would mean giving up security, would mean walking away from the only real home either of them knew.

But meeting the alternate universe’s Jonathan Kent helped crystallize a few things for the man who will be Superman. It isn’t where you live that makes a home, but who you live with. Lois, too, had come to a similar realization. Smallville was her home—not the city, but the man. It didn’t matter where they lived, so long as Lois and Clark had each other, they’d be home. Of course, this bit of dialogue and these realizations were the culmination of a theme that began in Odyssey in Season 8 when Clark informed Lois he’d be working at the Daily Planet and his desk, across from Lois’s, would be “a little closer to home.”

When all was said and done, while there were some obvious plot holes in “Kent” (How exactly did Emil fix the mirror box so that it would work? When did Clark discuss with Jor-El his plan to send Clark Luthor home?), it was an enjoyable hour. It was as uplifting and hopeful as “Luthor” wasn’t. In fact, “Kent” was the perfect spring board into the final run of episodes before Smallville’s grand finale.

“Fortune,” when taken at face value (and, given the distinct lack of narrative depth, that’s as far as you need to go with this episode) was a lighthearted romp, the chance for a veteran cast to really let loose and maybe show off their comic chops to prospective casting directors. It was Smallville stepping out of character for a moment and taking itself far less seriously than it ever had before. There were moments of emotional depth, particularly involving Lois’s jitters about marrying the “perfect” Clark and their subsequent moment of reconnection. There was the poignant start of maybe, possibly something new between Tess and Emil. And there was the final bow for Chloe, as she got her happily ever after. But, in the end, “Fortune” was about bringing the funny—and boy did it.

Each actor (appearing this week were Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Justin Hartley, Allison Mack, Cassidy Freeman and Alessandro Juliani) gave memorably hysterical performances. The main plot, which was really secondary to the jokes and the performances, centered around Clark and Lois’s supposedly separate bachelor/bachelorette parties. Chloe and Tess planned to take Lois out for a night of free drinking, and Oliver and Emil had their own set of plans for Clark. That all got derailed when they toasted the upcoming union of Lane and Kent with a bottle of magically spiked champagne thanks to the problem-causing Zatanna. (Here’s one small complaint—is Smallville trying to strip any warm feelings for Zatanna? Her first appearance in the eighth season episode “Hex” was wildly popular, but her attempt at getting Clark to cheat on Lois in last season’s “Warrior” eroded all of that affection, and her off-screen behavior in “Fortune” leaves one to wonder if the character is maybe a little more villain than heroine.)

The spiked champagne resulted in our group of do-gooders having their very own Hangover experience. Clark made a new little friend (Dr. Lemur), Chloe slept in a closet, Lois and Oliver spent the evening on railroad tracks, and Tess helped Emil become an overnight-sensation as an Elvis impersonator (and, well, more). The dispersed gang spent much of the episode trying to find each other while piecing together the fragments of their forgotten night. Clark and Chloe tried to figure out if they errantly got married (they didn’t), Lois tried to find her missing engagement ring (she did), and Oliver got in touch with his feminine side (you really have to see this moment for yourself to fully appreciate it). There was a DC Comic villain of the week, Amos Fortune, natch, who was all wrapped up in the wacky, drunken hi jinx. Clark stole the armored car that belonged to Fortune, which Fortune himself was trying to steal as part of an insurance scam. Lois, while gambling at Fortune’s casino, sensing a “sure thing” gambled away her engagement ring. Fortune snatched Emil, demanding his money, and then snatched Lois and Oliver for getting in the way. This led to the Green Arrow and the world’s best journalist putting on show girl outfits and sparking what may be the most memorable fight sequence in Smallville’s history. With the soundtrack an encore of Emil and Tess’s fantastic duet, which was first heard earlier in the episode, Oliver punches his way through Fortune’s goons with Chloe, wielding a pair of handguns, joining the fray. The entire time, Lois, in an inspired homage to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is seen crawling around the floor in search of slippery ring. While the trio stops the bad guys in the casino, and Lois retrieves her ring, Clark rescues Emil, and essentially everything is back on track for next week.

Well, almost. The episode ends with Clark and Chloe’s farewell. It seems Chloe doesn’t really want to stick around Smallville or Metropolis, having set up a secret identity for herself in Star City as a reporter (how can one have a secret identity if she erased her identity 14 episodes early?). Along with returning to the journalism game (should I mention that going back to doing something she previous gave up kind of contradicts the message of Chloe not knowing what she wants to do with her life as stated in the previous episode, “Masquerade”? No, ok.), Chloe Sullivan, or whatever she’ll be calling herself in Star City, will be working as some sort of super hero headhunter. There is mention that Chloe has met two other quite famous, yet embargoed DC heroes, the idea of which may cause minor rage blackouts for some since it seems she has met them before Clark or any other DC hero. But, hey, I’m trying not to dwell. So, moving on.

Once that scene is over, the action shifts to Watchtower. Emil and Tess share a poignant moment of connection where Tess encourages the good doctor, who hadn’t sung since his wife passed away, to keep singing. There is a spark, a hint of something more between them that I hope is allowed to evolve in the final episodes of the season. Tess is a fascinating character, the mirror of Lex Luthor who started out as kind of a villain but has become one of the good guys, finding happiness with someone like Emil is refreshing and hopeful. Every person Tess has been connected to (romantically or not)—Lex, Oliver, and Clark—has been connected to her desire for power. Emil isn’t the personification of power, he’s a gentle, smart doctor aligned with the good guys, and he may just be the person Miss Mercer needs to break a very destructive cycle

Lois and Clark also have a heart to heart. They discuss Lois’s anxieties and Clark stresses that whatever worries she has about the wedding, he understands, and he’ll want to marry her in five days or five years. It is a sentiment that he backs up, rather boldly, in the most memorable part of the episode: the video evidence of the missing night. Lois having doubts, not about whether or not she loves Clark, but whether or not she is good enough for the man she loves beyond reason, was a fascinating development. Lois is as imperfect as she perceives Clark to be perfect (who isn’t actually anywhere near as perfect as others perceive him to be). It’s one of the reasons the Clark and Lois relationship has withstood the test of time, why they are the first couple of pop culture. Lois’s doubts aren’t an indictment of the relationship, but evidence that this is a strikingly real portrayal of a beautifully surreal couple.

With Lois and Clark in a good place, the gang gathers around to watch the video. There is a genuine sense of fun in the air. The actors seem immersed in the onscreen action (whether or not they actually were watching it), more viewers than participants. Their reactions are so spot-on, so realistic it almost doesn’t feel like they are acting. The clips of what they were watching were even more fun. Clark burning his shield into the wall to “warm” up Lois, his drunken yet sincere declaration of love for her, Oliver falling over after declaring alcohol doesn’t affect him, Clark and Chloe referring to the lemur as a monkey, the group goading Emil into having a drink, Clark and Oliver trying on wedding rings in a bathroom stall, and then, finally, Tess and Emil getting intimate (before, I imagine, heading back to the nightclub for more of their boffo duet). The episode ended with Chloe trying to make a quiet exit but being stopped by Oliver. It is revealed that it was Chloe and Oliver who actually got married, with Oliver questioning whether Chloe was going to escape to Star City without her husband. Chloe Sullivan gets a happy ending, and Smallville is ready to jump into the final stretch of episodes no worse for the wear.

The episode did have its plot holes, some of which were a symptom of the fact that the entire plot revolved around the characters’ loss of memory. Others just seemed to be willfully ignored in order to further a story beat that seemed necessary (like, for instance, Chloe and Oliver actually being married and it being legal when Chloe erased all existence of herself somewhere between “Lazarus” and “Shield”). But the plot and plot holes aren’t the reason why “Fortune” is immensely watchable. It is watchable because it is 40 minutes (give or take) of fun. The jokes are delivered with the sort of Smallville earnestness usually reserved for the big dramatic moments. The cast is loose and immersed in the moment, lost in the absurdity of the comedy. It’s probably the final bow together for a hardworking cast, one last laugh before the final stretch that will deliver the dramatic, the heroic, and the romantic, but probably little by way of the comedic. “Fortune” was fun. It was entertaining. It was the calm before the storm that will be the final tense 6 hours of Smallville.

Many may have disliked “Fortune” for the very reasons I was entertained. But I challenge anyone to watch the duet between Tess and Emil and not smile.

As loyal viewers know, Smallville’s heroes have been undergoing increased scrutiny since Oliver Queen decided it was a good idea to out himself as the Green Arrow. This led to the government growing suspicious of the “vigilante movement,” which in turn led to the evil General Slade grabbing power and pushing through the Vigilante Registration Act and the Vigilante Registration Agency. With the VRA in place, all heroes, including Clark Kent’s red-and-blue clad alter-ego, were deemed outlaws. In “Icarus,” Clark ordered his team to go as far underground as possible and stay off of the VRA’s radar. In “Beacon,” we learned, that in spite of being named an outlaw, in spite of his own vow to stay off grid, Clark has been diligently fighting the VRA in the only way he knew how—by staying on the streets, by protecting those in need, by helping those in need. In short, he fought the VRA by being a hero.

While Clark was off being, well, Superman, his mother and fiancée were fighting in their own ways, as well. Lois was dedicating her time to alternately trying to get someone, anyone, to print her pro-hero pieces while also hitting the streets in a grass roots effort to show the good sides of the so-called vigilantes. Her grass roots efforts were decidedly easier to accomplish than her attempt to use the fifth estate, since her main employer, The Daily Planet, had been taken over by the not-dead-just-arrived-from-a-parallel-Earth Lionel Luthor, much to Tess Mercer’s surprise. (This, my loyal readers, is where the episode sort of started to veer off into ADD territory.) Anyhow, while Lois was fighting her best to keep Clark’s spirits up and spread the word about the good he was doing, his mother, the junior Senator for Kansas, was using her position of power to reach a larger audience.

At a pro-hero rally in Metropolis, Martha Kent was speaking on behalf of the heroes, delivering a rousing and inspiring speech when the peaceful rally was disrupted by the crack of a bullet. I’ve seen a few mentions on the internet that the shooting of a government official was perhaps something that should have been edited out or rewritten after what happened in Arizona last month. While the similarities there, the fact remains that this episode was written well before that event and didn’t play on that tragedy.

Martha Kent’s shooting was the knot that attempted to tie together the VRA and Luthor storylines. While it did so, loosely, the two plot lines felt wholly disconnected and disjointed. The shooter, it turned out, was the rapidly aging clone of Lex Luthor, this time played by Lucas Grabeel (who first appeared as a teenage Lex in season six). Alexander has a grudge against Clark, since he has all of adult Lex’s memories, and wants to hurt him and send him a message by shooting Martha. This sends half of the cast off to play Meet the Clone with the Luthors, while the other half is left worrying about the impending national vote on the repeal of the VRA, with Martha dancing between both storylines.

In short, Lionel tries to manipulate the emotionally vulnerable Alexander and mold him into the son the real Lex never was (and that Clark Luthor sort of was), only to have the boy reject him and attempt to burn down the Luthor mansion around him. Alexander then decided to also eliminate Clark with a gun full of Kryptonite bullets, only to be reasoned with by Clark and his surrogate mother figure Tess. By the end of the episode, with the mansion destroyed, Tess and Alexander were apparently living at the farm, in the barn (who knows where, exactly, but the Kent house is getting a little crowded and turning into some weird Three’s Company), with Tess contemplating ending the clone experiment with a syringe filled with cyanide. Only, when she went to poke the teenage boy with the needle it bent. And suddenly the questions relating to Alexander went from “Why are he and Tess living with Lois and Clark?” to “What the heck? Who is he?”

In the episode’s other storyline, Lois, feeling disheartened that she has little recourse in helping Clark or stopping the VRA, receives a pep talk from her soon-to-be mother-in-law (along with a family heirloom), as well as a little inspiration from her relating to the great Perry White. Lois enlists her cousin, who hadn’t been doing much this episode, to help her “go gorilla” and hack into “all of” the websites…everywhere. Normally this would be a ridiculous request, but Lois is the kind of character that reaches for the stars and Chloe has the skills, in this instance, to make it happen.

After Clark had his season three acid flashback with the Luthors, Lois and Chloe called him to the Daily Planet to show him the fruits of their labor. It turns out that they had enlisted the people of Metropolis to speak out on behalf of their favorite hero, The Blur. The people of Metropolis were actually fans of Smallville who submitted videos where they spoke out about why “The Blur” was a hero. I anticipated these videos to be kind of cheesy and awkward, but they actually worked beautifully. Thanks to a combination of wonderful editing, Louis Febre’s amazingly inspiring score, and the perfect videos being selected the moment was actually quite inspiring. And while some may have hated it, when Lois told Clark that he was “an American hero” I felt a swell of pride and excitement, it was a very Superman line.

Knowing that he had the backing of the people, the only thing Clark had to worry about was whether those who supported him via video would also turn out to vote. Surrounded by his family and friends at home, Clark watched as the results of the vote were announced. The faith of the citizens was clearly behind Clark and his allies, as the VRA was voted down. Buoyed by the results, Clark spoke candidly with his mother about taking the next heroic step. It was time, he decided, to perhaps find a way to step out of the shadows, to give the people of Metropolis a face to believe in. He recalled his trip to the future where his future-self wore glasses and “a bad haircut,” to hide his identity. Martha explained to Clark that he was “the light” and he was making the right choice.

The episode ended with Clark, decked out in his hero’s uniform, striding confidently into Watchtower, flanked by Lois and Chloe, and essentially declaring, without words, that the heroes were back in business.

“Beacon” was an interesting episode. There were a couple of scenes that were wholly unnecessary, and the Luthor plotline set against the VRA plotline gave the episode the feeling of being disjointed. It had a lot of the same problems as “Abandoned.” Both episodes had plenty of compelling moments, but neither had the continuity or flow of episodes such as “Icarus” or “Ambush.”

The best part about “Beacon” was how clearly it helped to highlight how Clark is already Superman. He may not have the cape yet, he may not technically be flying yet, and he may not have the official name yet, but he is Superman. Why is he a hero? Because he is. Period. He doesn’t do it for accolades or to become famous or to be loved. He doesn’t do it for any reason other than it is the right thing to do. The government was against him, portions of the public were against him, his team had to go into hiding, but Clark remained steadfast and dedicated. He would help, he would save, and he would be a hero because he couldn’t not be. In the face of adversity, he persevered. He’s a beacon of hope, he’s a light. He’s Superman. While the episode had its failings, when it delivers a message that strong and the right, it can’t be all bad.

I apologize for the delay, but “Collateral” was a tough episode for me to sit down and review. I must say that I had to not think about it for a couple days and then rewatch it again. My initial reaction was one of total disappointment and irritation that as we’re wrapping up the series, the writers still feel the need to blatantly reference other creative works rather than be original. But on my rewatch, I felt a little less urgent because of the impending “Finale”, and more appreciative of what we got. It still doesn’t excuse how little information we got about Chloe’s disappearance though.

First off, let’s count down the references and get them out of the way. The first one I felt was during Clark’s “flashbacks” of being in the lab. This may not be exactly what they were referencing, but if you’re a fan of The X-Files, they had an episode called “Field Trip” where Mulder and Scully were trapped under the earth, hallucinating that they were still in the real world. There’s also Inception, a film the writers seem to be especially inspired by. In that movie, there are safeguards set up in the mind to get rid of anyone that doesn’t belong. There’s also a climactic scene toward the end where two characters need to leap from a great height to leave the dream. Then there are the many references to The Matrix, with the Chloe-Fu scene and her stopping a knife in midair like Neo did with the bullets. Also, how about all that gunplay? Also, when all the sinister NotChloes started appearing all around Clark, telling him he is too afraid to make the leap, I immediately thought of the Bully Brawl from Matrix Reloaded. They lifted so much from the Matrix, it’s a little hard to just excuse it away by saying it was a simple homage.

This episode focused on how much each of our characters trusts Chloe. Dinah had a hard time trusting her. It was cool to hear her reference what happened with Doomsday. I think that’s a bit weaker of a reason to not trust Chloe as Clark and Oliver’s reason: Where has she been these past few months? Do you trust Chloe? Did you think her explanation was sound enough to earn back her friends’ trust? I certainly did not.

Let’s go over the information presented by Chloe in this episode. Throughout the course of this episode, we find out that she wanted to come back, but the Fate helmet told her she could not. Why did it tell her that? Why did she need to stay away? Then the helmet (which is more talkative than the Sorting Hat) tells her that something bad will happen to the group. She finds out what Flagg did in Ambush, and wrote a worm to stop his missile system. Then she blackmailed his team into letting her lead them.  I’m sorry, but is the guy who’s trying to assassinate top level government officials with a missile in the back of his van really going to care whether or not Chloe calls the cops? You remember, this guy has already faked his own death and has been living underground for quite some time.

When Chloe and the Suicide Squad hear about the VRA kidnapping the heroes from Carter’s funeral, they break into the lab to rescue them from the experiments they were sleeping through. First off, can I just say how unenthused I was about this wrap-up from Icarus? The cliffhanger was so mysterious with that strange pyramid thingy rising from the sand and all the heroes passed out, I felt letdown that it was just the VRA. What the heck was that pyramid thingy? It just seemed like it was going to be something mystical. Oh, and secondly, that lab where they are keeping these “dangerous vigilantes” seems pretty lax on security and personnel. It reminded me of John McCain’s underwater lair from “Patriot”. Where is everybody??

Sidenote: Speaking of Patriot reminds me that this is the second episode where the VRA are interested in how Green Arrow’s skills work. Now, I get the reason why they might want to kidnap all the meta and alien beings to study them and learn how to turn their powers on and off, but Green Arrow? Next thing you know, the VRA will be kidnapping famed Olympic gymnasts and archers and trying to piece together how their “powers” work. Either the VRA is stupid, or this is kind of a lame attempt at keeping Oliver included in the story. Also, what were they doing with Lois? Although, that quick tongue of hers is a marvel of its own: “I’m a General’s daughter. I can do happy, I can do sad, and I can do ‘Stop giving me the runaround, bitch, or I will come for you!”

There are only two reasons I see the Suicide Squad working with Chloe. Either it’s a) their hearts grew three sizes since we last saw them or b) Chloe is going to help them with something dangerous that Clark would never approve of. If it was simply because she was blackmailing them, those two bullets Deadshot fired would have been lodged in her head. Chloe is still hiding something. Something big. If she isn’t and everything is back to being hunky dory, this whole explanation is an extremely shallow reason for not having Allison Mack around for half the season.

Also, someone needs to explain this to me. When Lois returns from shopping, she tells Clark and Chloe that Tess said Trotter and her men are enjoying a taste of her own virtual venom. Since they weren’t on the military’s grid, they don’t have to worry about them spreading hero hatred or Clark’s secret. Huh? What does this mean? This makes me think that Tess locked them in a lab and imprisoned them in the system they created. In what reality would Clark even be remotely okay with that? Or does this mean the VRA is shut down? If so, how does this stop them from using Clark’s secret to their advantage? This seemed like a quick way to just say the VRA isn’t a threat anymore and we’re moving on.

Finally, a word on flight. My goodness that was a glorious scene. Lois tells Clark how much she believes in him and he takes off into the air! Then he and Lois enjoy a nice flight around the Daily Planet before going through the trapdoor. I just loved the look on Clark’s face during it. First determined, then relaxed and at peace. Then he gives Lois a smile that she deserves for getting him to this point. It was magnificent.

Except it wasn’t real! Please, oh please, almighty writers, have this just be a sneak peek of what’s to come! Although I do have a feeling that Clark might not take to the real sky until Finale, and it will be under more pressing circumstances. This may be a way for the writers to pay off the Clark/Lois “Can You Read My Mind” homage. There may not be time for it in the end. I know. I agree. I really feel like we should get another one of those, too. But with the suit.

But after the worries fade away, the fact that this was a wonderful moment on Smallville truly stays with me. There were a few other things that I was appreciative of. First off, welcome back Allison Mack. From phasing through a wall to shootouts in Met Gen to having a catfight with the woman that will eventually be her man’s true love (sorry Chlollie fans), this was a very action-packed way to spotlight her. But I also loved the little moments, her smile at the Maid of Honor request, and her scene with Oliver in Watchtower.

I loved seeing Dinah again. This was a much better guest appearance than her hanging out on a TV screen. She spoke about what others seemed to ignore – why should we trust Chloe? The fight with Chloe was great, too. Some terrific action choreography – even though it seemed to be ripped directly from the Neo vs Morpheus dojo scene. Then seeing her unleash that Canary Cry at Trotter was cool as well.

Finally, let me heap the weekly obligatory praise on Tom and Erica. They really have us all sold on the Clark and Lois relationship, and it was great to see them debate over issues concerning reality, trust, and then to see her basically bring the power of flight to the surface for him. Even though it was virtual reality, like I said, it was magnificent. She lit a fire inside of him. You gotta love Lois Lane.

While the Alternate Universe Lionel Luthor jumping back to the real world at the end of this season’s tenth episode was telegraphed a mile away, the end of “Icarus,” the mid-season finale, was both shocking and confusing; delivering a truly surprising cliffhanger that’ll leave viewers scratching their heads for the next seven weeks.

While the cliffhanger, which I’ll get to in a bit, was a moment that elicited a universal “What?” reaction, was fun and unexpected, the entirety of “Icarus” was what made it quite possibly the best mid-season ender Smallville has ever delivered. A deft combination of drama, action, comedy, romance and some truly taught suspense (in spite of those aforementioned set-in-stone fates) allowed for an hour of television that was truly entertaining.

Described as the episode where Clark Kent would experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows, “Icarus” was in some ways a companion, or an answer, to the show’s 100th episode, “Reckoning.” The episodes shared many superficial elements—a marriage proposal, a celebratory party, and a funeral. But they were well and truly superficial. “Icarus” showed how much Clark, and the show, has changed in five seasons. Clark’s proposal to Lois was something he thought about for weeks (since at the latest episode 7, “Ambush”). He planned and plotted the perfect moment, and, when Lois decided to unknowingly derail his plans, he finally got down on one knee in front of “their phone booth” and simply asked. And she simply answered with a yes. Bright smiles and a passionate kiss ended the scene. With all of the secrets between them out in the open, Clark proposed for the right reasons—not to hold onto Lois because he was losing her, but to spend his life with her.

The celebratory party was a surprise engagement party thrown by the available members of the Not-Yet-Allowed-To-Call-Them-That Justice League. Oliver Queen and Tess Mercer, Carter Hall and Courtney Whitmore, and Dr. Emil Hamilton toasted the happy couple and seemed genuinely happy to do so. There was no tension or anger or jealousy, it was simply a group of friends spending the night celebrating truly good news. “Icarus” also echoed one of the lessons from last seasons’ “Absolute Justice,” when the old Justice Society members talked about how important it was to create a family out of the team members to truly be able to function as a cohesive unit. The evolution of Watchtower began in “Isis” when Clark and Ollie invited Tess onto the team to run the intel for them. It continued when Lois, already in possession of the rest of Clark’s secrets, was brought onto the Home Team. It culminated in “Icarus” as the group, for the first time, was allowed to interact in as not just colleagues but as friends, as a family. In my “Patriot” review I expressed how much I loved the final scene between the four core characters, “Icarus” took that feeling of unity and injected it with an overwhelming sense of joy.

Of course, given the highs that Clark and his friends experienced, it made sense that as the episode evolved, the good guys would be in a more and more desperate situation until one of the heroes had to pay the ultimate price.

With General Slade Wilson surviving the explosion at the end of “Patriot” (and getting a spiffy eye patch and some accelerated healing abilities), Oliver has been branded as a terrorist, a city wide curfew has been enacted, and the VRA officers have created a police state in Metropolis. While not quite as intrusive as the current methods being used by the TSA in this country’s airports, the VRA enforcers are shown searching every person who enters the Daily Planet. They are also seen rounding up the biggest hero supporters or allies—namely Lois Lane, Tess Mercer, and Dr. Emil Hamilton. The three members of the Home Team are interrogated about their connections to The Blur, Oliver and all of the other “vigilantes.” At the same time, the Field Team, consisting of Clark, Oliver and Carter Hall, is forced to shut down Watchtower due to the threat and is then found searching Wilson’s office for a way to stop him before he destroys all of their lives.

Unfortunately, one life he does destroy. After a showdown with Wilson leaves Lois unconscious on the floor of Oliver’s LuthorCorp office, Carter, in full Hawkman attire, heroically flies to her rescue and engages in the villain known as Deathstroke in a mace to sword battle that ends with Carter impaled on said sword and the office exploding thanks to a gas leak. With Lois flying out of the window and plummeting to certain death, the mortally wounded Carter shows one last burst of the heroism that makes him a legend and leaps out of the window after her. His wings on fire (bringing to mind the episode’s title) as he falls, Carter makes the ultimate sacrifice for Lois, Clark, and the world at large. By saving Lois, Carter knew he’d be saving Clark and by doing that the world would be in good hands.

When Clark finds his fallen friend, who reveals a safe and sound Lois tucked protectively in his wings, he approaches Hawkman and insists to him that he doesn’t know how to ever thank him for what he’s done. Knowing that what Lois and Clark have is akin to his own love for his wife, Shayera, Carter assures Clark that he already has. With his last breath, Carter tells Clark to hold onto Lois because he can’t be the hero he needs to be if there is emptiness in his heart.

The episode ends one of the things Smallville has always done better than almost any other show—a funeral. Both the funerals of Jonathan Kent in “Reckoning” and Alia in “Persuasion” were somber, memorable moments, both as visually stunning as emotionally resonant. The funeral for Hawkman, a hero, a friend, was no different. The funeral procession, in an Egyptian tomb, is led by Carter’s protégé Courtney (Stargirl), carrying his casket are Lois and Dinah Lance (Black Canary), Clark and Oliver. Making appearance (via craftily shot body doubles) are the rest of the league—Aquaman, Impulse, Cyborg, Martian Manhunter and Zatanna. The only costumed hero missing was Kara. (Tess was also absent, but one imagines that was done more for future narrative purposes.)

With the heroes staring somberly at the final (for this lifetime) resting spots of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Clark takes Lois’s hand for strength and there is a feeling of a passing of the torch. From the JSA to the JLA, from Hawkman to the soon to be Superman, from Carter and Shayera to Clark and Lois—from the generation that was to the generation that is.

But like any great mid-season finale heading into a seven week hiatus, the episode couldn’t just end there. A glowing, pyramid or obelisk begins to rise out of the sand and, with a flash of light, incapacitates everyone present. It was an unspoiled moment, equal parts shocking, breathtaking, and confusing. Was it a trap? Was the object placed there by Carter? By Darkseid’s minions? By the Suicide Squad? What did it do? How will our heroes come out of this? Tune in…on January 28 to find out!

“Icarus” was undoubtedly, at least in my mind, the best “regular” episode of the season. The only episode in its league is “Homecoming,” but since that was a special episode with a very different feel, it’s really in a league of its own and can’t be compared to anything else. What makes “Icarus” stand out (along with episodes like “Homecoming,” “Ambush” and “Patriot”) is that it covers one storyline. Far too many times Smallville stretches itself too thing with “A” stories and “B” stories and sometimes even “C” stories. Episodes like “Shield,” “Harvest” and “Abandoned” were entertaining, featuring outstanding performances and important plot threads, but had varying degrees of odd pacing and lack of cohesiveness between the multiple plot threads.

“Icarus,” however, had every character driving the main plot, working together, interacting, and furthering each important beat of the story. A big reason why this is occurring, finally, in the tenth season centers around one simple fact: everyone is in on the secret, Clark’s secret. Smallville has been, for so long, a fragmented ensemble forced into scenes with no more than three characters due to the fact that half of the scenes dealt with a secret that at least one character wasn’t privy to. When Clark told Lois the unbridled truth in “Isis” (that he IS the Blur), those restrictive walls came down and Smallville became a united ensemble. “Patriot,” “Luthor” and “Icarus” all featured scenes that involved the entire principal cast. “Icarus” was the first time that the entire cast and all of the important guest characters have shared scenes (in both the party and funeral scenes).

Hopefully this is something that doesn’t change in the second half of the season. As the show approaches its final eleven episodes ever it is a glorious bonus to get to see this amazing cast interacting as a unit.

What “Icarus” also did well was balance the various different emotional beats that writer Genevieve Sparling put the characters into. The script moved from the highly romantic setting of a marriage proposal, to the familial gathering at the party, the tight and tense interrogations at the Daily Planet and the fight scene at LuthorCorp, to, finally, the grief filled power of Carter’s funeral. The episode was a roller coaster ride of emotions that never let up, not even with its shocking cliffhanger. Guiding this seasoned ensemble of regular actors and guest performers was my favorite Smallville director, Mairzee Almas. Every visual was breathtaking and the performances she got out of the cast were genuine and true to the characters. It was exciting, as a woman, to see an episode driven by two other women, particularly in the world of super heroes, which is generally male dominated.

“Icarus” was a rush of adrenalin, an exciting end to the first half of the final season of Smallville. While the CW’s second-half promo left a lot to be desired (mainly much by way of new clips of Clark), I have faith that what was an incredible first eleven weeks of television will go out in style with the final eleven as Clark takes those last steps to putting on the cape.

The plot wasn’t too complicated—the government passed the Vigilante Registration Act and Oliver decided to register. The only problem was that the man in charge of the VRA, General Slade Wilson, wasn’t exactly operating above-board, in fact, he was operating more “water board.”

At the same time that Oliver was becoming Uncle Sam’s poster boy, Clark visits a newly married AC to find out why he and the new missus were blowing up oil rigs. It turns out their intentions weren’t simply to protect the great blue sea; since the stations were really VRA holding facilities, they were trying to protect the team. Realizing that Oliver has turned himself over to the government and these locations likely point towards nefarious intentions, Clark and AC split up to search the various rigs for signs of Oliver. Of course, because Aquaman is notoriously getting himself caught by the bad guys, he gets captured when he finds Oliver and is being “dried out” by the not-so-good General.

With Clark in Miami visiting the Aquacouple, and seemingly not answering his cell phone, Lois is left spinning in worry as she has no way to get in touch with her wayward boyfriend. It doesn’t help matters that Oliver, before signing up for the VRA, had implied to Lois that Clark had contemplated signing up as if it had been a long deliberated upon decision. Not only was Lois worried, but she had some info about Slade, due to her own journalistic investigation into the VRA, that Clark and the good guys needed. Using her investigative and persuasive skills (including scaring and then impressing Dr. Emil Hamilton), Lois eventually tracked Clark to Miami, where she had a run-in with Mera, and finally imparted her information to the Team, which included a video-conferencing Tess. She shows Clark and company the photo she took of the blue prints that were on Slade’s desk. Her photo showed the only facility likely to be housing Oliver and, now, AC. With a proud smile, Clark set off to rescue Aquaman and Green Arrow.

After a nifty action sequence and the help of Mera, Oliver and AC escape the now self destructing facility. Unfortunately, as Clark is about to leave, Slade traps him in a Kryptonite cage (what’s with everyone having the blasted meteor rocks?). Slade and Clark have a heart to heart, with Clark imploring the military man to let him save them both. Slade would rather die if it meant eliminating the “threat” Clark poses. Conveniently Clark scans Slade’s head with his x-ray vision and notices that his skull was branded with the omega sign (for those playing at home, the omega sign means he’s Darkseid’s property). Just as Clark gets this handy piece of information…something happens. The facility explodes, Clark escapes and viewers are left going “What? How’d he…did he escape?” as the episode’s biggest gaping plot hole unfolds. Fortunately, while an odd end to a scene, it didn’t completely diminish the episode.

With Clark safe, the episode jumped back to the Kent farm where Clark and AC and Lois and Mera have parallel conversations about relationships and partnerships and how important it is to find the one person you can rely on for everything. When the Aquacouple take their leave, Lois and Clark are left to face, head on, their issues. Refreshingly, instead of drawing out the angst and relying on hurt feelings for drama, the show’s pinnacle couple is allowed to voice, out loud, their issues and resolve them like mature, real world adults. Lois is the person Clark trusts and relies on more than anything, for her part, Lois understands she can’t be involved all of the time when Clark goes off on his missions; she just needs to be able to know what is going on with him. Explaining that he hadn’t looked at his super duties from an “us” stand point, Clark resolves to change that. Lois also informs him that some of the things he’s been battling himself, namely the nameless “darkness,” he needs to share not just with her but with the entire team.

This leads to Clark taking Lois to Watchtower, the headquarters for the Home Team, with Lois’s presence welcomed, happily, by Tess. Oliver arrives and Clark lays out what is ahead of them, the fight they have on their hands, and how hard it is going to defeat an enemy that doesn’t have to do anything but wait for everyone to self destruct. (Maybe it was just me, but it kind of sounded like Clark was explaining the concept behind the Anti Life Equation.)

The final act of the episode, which featured all four regular cast members, was a treat to watch. Welling, Erica Durance, Cassidy Freeman and Justin Hartley have wonderful group chemistry and it was nice to see it exploited. Smallville has, for so long, relied on scenes of nearly always just two or three characters, that it was a delight for all four to have an entire scene that wasn’t full of animosity, but teamwork and shared ideas. I don’t believe a scene of this nature has ever really existed on Smallville, certainly not in the last three years when the show’s had a reduced cast size (“Pandora” had a scene that featured all six cast members, but Tess was with the Kandorians and, well, was then murdered by Chloe). Here’s hoping there are many more moments for the Home Team or, as Cassidy Freeman recently referred to them, the “four core.”

“Patriot” was a fun episode, even if it had a few stumbles in the plotting. All of the season’s plots were pushed forward and advanced—the Lois and Clark relationship, Darkseid, and the VRA. In fact, all three plots, and their importance separately and as a seasonal arc, were tied together deftly. The final moment of the episode, with Slade emerging as Deathstroke and then a fade to static instead of black, was chilling, ominous and rather cool, setting a tone for the rest of the first half and upping the ante for the rest of this exhilarating ride that is Smallville’s final season.

When Lois’s four star General father, Sam Lane, and her misguided sister, Lucy, stop by the Kent farm on Thanksgiving morning, she and Clark experience their first fight, Lucy gets into trouble, the Talon explodes, and Clark asks the General a very pointed question.

The episode starts out happily enough, with Lois and Clark, bed hair galore and the secret smiles of two people who have spent the last week in bed enjoying the newest level of their relationship. Deciding to forgo breakfast to “test” the front porch swing, the young lovers engage in a little bit of against the door making out before Lois goes to slip outside, only to come face to face with her father and a very amused Lucy.

Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.

With Lucy unpacking, and Lois and Clark finally dressed, Sam Lane presents Clark with an almost impossible list of chores to tackle, while Lois tries to run interference and stick up for Clark. That is until Sam starts in on his dislike of the masked heroes and his support of the Vigilante Registration Act. Clark, knowing that even before she knew he and the Blur were the same that Lois was his alter-ego’s biggest supporter, looks to Lois to back him up regarding their shared views of Metropolis’s heroes. Unfortunately, Lois is stuck between a rock and a hard place—between the man she loves and the father whose approval she craves.

While Clark tries to jump through hoops to impress his future father-in-law, Lucy Lane is manipulated by Rick Flagg into (who wants to assassinate the General in an attempt to stop the VRA, due to the fact that Flagg associates with the “vigilantes” and is trying to recruit them to his side) tracking her father. She also, for reasons only known to Lucy, kisses Clark, an act which Lois witnesses.

Both of their nerves fried, Clark and Lois have an emotional, yet minor fight about Lois’s inability to speak her mind to her father. Clark accuses Lois of not backing up what she believes in, and she accuses him of not understanding the stress of having to answer to father or a family.

As the episode evolves, Clark is forced to defend himself and his relationship against the General during a harsh interrogation during which Clark is accused of being in league with the vigilantes. Clark stands up to the General and holds his ground—he doesn’t flinch on the subject of the Vigilante Registration Act or on the belief that he and Lois are meant to be together. He boldly declares that there isn’t a day he wants to spend apart from Lois. Sam Lane counters by stating this would be the last day he actually spends with her.

In the farm house, the General announces that he and his daughters are going to Lois’s apartment. Once again, Clark hopefully looks to Lois, believing she’ll stand by him and refuse to leave. Lois has a different plan. While she does leave with the General and Lucy, it is clear Lois spends the entire trip defending Clark and standing up to her father. Back at the Talon she issues her father an order—she is going to be with Clark and he will accept it. Realizing that he is fighting a losing battle, Sam and Lucy take their leave at the precise moment Flagg launches a missile at the building.

Lucy and the General are safe outside, but Lois isn’t. Luckily, Clark, Oliver and Tess had been digging for info about the Suicide Squad and their motives. Tess had found the sub-dermal marking tattoo on Oliver, traced it back to her former life at Checkmate, and then honed in on what exactly Rick Flagg’s plan was. This allowed Clark to arrive at the Talon just in time to sweep Lois to safety. Unfortunately, the movie house turned coffee shop wasn’t so lucky. Outside, Clark’s shield burned onto the side of the building, the General realizes what happened and who was responsible for saving his eldest daughter.

The episode ended with everyone mending fences—Lois and Lucy, Clark and the General, even Tess and Oliver shared a nice bonding moment. And what Thanksgiving episode would be complete without the slow motion passing of cranberry sauce and stolen smiles? Before the fade to black, we get one last look at Rick Flagg who is just not giving up on his plan.

“Ambush” was a remarkable episode. It had the tone and feel of an episode from the early years that dealt with the family drama that often circled the Kents, but it also sprinkled in the elements that have made the ninth and tenth seasons creative stand-outs.

Lois and Clark had a fight. But it wasn’t dramatic angst for angst sake alone. The issue was real and relevant; it was an issue they had to deal with in order to fully become an unstoppable force of a couple. Early in the episode Clark tells General Lane that he and Lois have each other’s back, by the end of the episode, this statement holds true—but not before Lois works through some of her long ingrained emotional issues. She does stand up for Clark when it is most important, signaling to her father that Clark is “the one,” the one she loves, the one she’s meant to be with.

For his part, Clark stands up for himself and his relationship with Lois in a way he never has stood up for anything before. He is confident and determined, he knows exactly what he wants and he’s not about to back down. In combination with Lois’s defense of Clark and Clark’s willingness to stand up to the General in ways nobody since his late wife did, Sam Lane has a newfound respect for Clark. The two men reach an understanding, and the General imparts some wisdom on Clark (with hinting that he perhaps has put the dots together regarding Clark and the Blur)—what you’re doing in the world is important, but it is also important to savor the moments that make life worth living, the moments he’ll spend with Lois, because they are the moments that give meaning to his larger purpose. With the two men finding a middle ground, and Sam essentially issuing his approval of Lois and Clark’s relationship, the ever traditional, always polite tells the General there’s a question he’d like to ask him. The obviousness of Clark’s intended question is rather pointed, but still a surprising and delightful moment.

There may be arguments that Smallville hasn’t dealt with the coming thread of Darkseid since the third episode of the season, “Supergirl.” Darkseid, though, isn’t a villain that needs much build up to explain his goal and purpose—to cause misery and enslave mankind. Instead of building up the threat of Darkseid, Smallville has spent every episode since “Homecoming” building up Clark. Clark, whether going by the Blur or Superman, can’t defeat Darkseid through simple brute force. Mentally and emotionally he has to be at his strongest in order to truly conquer Darkseid. In “Homecoming” Clark learned to put the past behind him, embrace his present, and stop worrying about the future. In “Isis” he learned that love was the strongest weapon on earth and that to truly start his life he had to be honest with the one woman he wants to spend his life, so he in turn finally told Lois the truth about himself. In “Harvest” Lois told Clark that the world needed him to be someone good and honest to have faith in, to put their trust in him. Lois’s faith in Clark, and his opening himself up completely to her, will help to give Clark the confidence to accept that stepping out of the shadows is the right thing to do. Finally, in “Ambush,” Clark showed the inner strength and fortitude that comes from a growing wisdom. He stood up for the relationship that gives him hope, that makes him happy, and he stood up for himself and his heroic colleagues against Sam Lane and the Vigilante Registration Act.

Instead of hammering home the constant rhythm that something terrible is coming, in this final season, Smallville is hammering home the constant rhythm that something great is coming. Darkseid is simply the backdrop providing tension, giving Clark something to defeat when the time is right. But the purpose of the season is for Clark to take the final steps to becoming Superman. Through seven episodes the villain plot, be it Darkseid or the Suicide Squad or the Vigilante Registration Act, have simply been tools to push Clark towards who he is destined to become. This is the season of Superman.

Superman is a happy, confident, content individual who is a symbol of hope and safety and justice for the world. He’s not a dark avenger; he’s the light in the dark. In order for Superman to come to fruition on Smallville, Clark must come to terms with his past, embrace his present, and become the future. And in “Ambush” Clark took another step in that direction.

“Harvest” aka A Very Spooky Smallville Halloween Special was a chilling little stand-alone Clark and Lois romp as well as a suspenseful continuation of Tess and Alexander’s storyline. Both stood as good Halloween fodder as they served up classic Halloween tropes. First the young lovers whose car breaks down in a town with horrific secrets – let’s call that one Children of the Corn. Next we have the “mother” whose child is starting to express himself in more and more frightening ways – let’s call that one The Bad Seed. This was much better seasonal material than last year’s Crossfire, which ignored the holiday altogether. In fact, the last Halloween episode we got was five years ago with Season 5’s Thirst!

Children of the Corn

More like Children of the Blue Kryptonite. What an interesting way to use Blue K though! I can believe that while Blue K makes Clark mortal, it makes humans immortal, in the sense that they are free from sickness. The citizens of Meeker Springs think of it as nothing short of a miracle, and before you can scream “Outlander!” Lois is strung up yet again. How Lois and Clark work as a team to frighten the townspeople, much like how C3P0 frightened the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, was a pleasure to see. If only Clark floated a bit. I did like how he super sped them away, leaving the people to drop to their knees in shock.

Again, as most episodes have been this season, the best part about the Clark and Lois plotline is the progression of their relationship. While I might have liked to have seen him reveal to her that he is an alien, I really dug the list of odd occurrences Lois was finally getting answers for. As if that wasn’t enough, I was especially happy with the scene where Clark discovers Lois saved his life in Lazarus. Much like the look on his face when Lois reveals that she knew he was The Blur long before he told her, Clark’s surprise that he is really dating the best girlfriend ever is so much fun to watch. It’s not very shocking that Clark tells her she is the one for him and hands over Swann’s journal before they “take their relationship to the next level”. Brown chicken brown cow….

The Bad Seed

Joe and I discussed on the episode for Isis our theories about how Alexander will become Lex, not knowing that we would get what we asked for in the very next episode. I mean, I figured that they would hint around it, tease it out a little longer, but here is my 2nd favorite version of Lex on Smallville, as played by Connor Stanhope, referencing season one, “And at the window…I told him that our friendship would be the stuff of legend.” Amazing. And there were even more callbacks, with continuity that made so much sense. Can you call tying the cloning plotline to the earlier stories about Emily Dinsmore anything less than genius storytelling? I am really on the edge of my seat as to where this is all going!

So what say you, SHoEligans? Would you call Harvest a Trick or a Treat? Comment below!

Neither strictly adhering to the concept nor loosely adapting the idea, “Homecoming” completely captured the essence of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic. What made “Homecoming” particularly impactful was that this wasn’t a story about a lost soul turned bitter looking for redemption. Instead, it was about showing Clark Kent that he is a good person, a good soul who doesn’t need redemption, he only needs to let go of the chains of his past and cease worrying about the future.

Brainiac 5, played to subtle perfection by guest star James Marsters, serves as a Clark’s Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of past, present and future rolled into one. As the Jacob Marley stand-in, Brainiac 5 explains that he and Clark are very much alike—both “created” by Jor-El to be the world’s guardian. In Brainiac’s case, the corruption of a single nanobyte turned him from a hero to a villain. Through the intervention of Clark and the Legion of Superheroes, Brainiac was redeemed as a force for good. Through Brainiac 5’s intervention Clark was taught that he doesn’t need to be redeemed to be a force for good, but he just needs to forgive himself and believe in himself. The rest will take care of itself.

Instead of Christmas, showrunners and episode writers Brian Peterson and Kelly Sounders centered Clark’s trip through time on his five-year high school reunion. By doing this, Clark was assaulted by memories before Brainiac got involved. Flashbacks to the pilot allowed Clark to look back fondly on his first love, Lana Lang, and his old friend, Chloe Sullivan. He was allowed to remember a simpler time when those relationships were defined by the innocence of youth instead of the tension of adulthood.

Brainiac 5, serving as the ghost of Christmas past, takes Clark to moment that changed Clark forever—the day his father died. While Clark had always carried a bit of a guilt complex with him, it was his father’s funeral that prevented him from ever being able to forgive himself. Brainiac stresses to the man who will be Superman that it was Jonathan Kent’s choices that led him to that day in the barn, which led to his death. It wasn’t Clark’s fault. Jonathan chose to be Clark’s protector just as Clark has chosen to be the world’s protector. But in order for Clark to truly be able to accomplish the great things he’s destined for, he must first forgive himself and accept that he is not responsible for the actions of others. The past must stay in the past, because the chains of history are too heavy for even the Man of Steel.

It’s not just Clark’s mistakes, though, that are weighing him down. As Clark and Brainiac 5 travel to the present and visit Oliver’s penthouse, Brainiac informs Clark that he punishes those around him for their mistakes. Forgiveness is not just for himself, but those around him. He can’t lead if he can’t accept the mistakes his friends have made. Even though Oliver made everyone close to him vulnerable by revealing his double identity, what he needs isn’t Clark’s condemnation but his support.

The past is also getting in the way of Clark’s present happiness. When he sees Lois, she’s being dressed down by the busybody alum manning the punch bowl. Punch bowl Maddie (serving as a stand-in for fans who have wanted a different romantic end for Clark other than that which has been defined by over 70 years of history) highlights Lois’s insecurities and vulnerabilities by bringing up Clark’s past with Lana and Chloe. Lois is left vulnerable, doubting her place in Clark’s life. Clark asserts that he has been trying to protect Lois after his relationship with Lana failed so spectacularly, to which Brainiac 5 counters by stating that Lois, her walls uncharacteristically cracked by the harsh words of Punch Bowl Maddie, doesn’t look very protected.

Before Clark can really absorb this lesson fully, a familiar face from the past, Bug Boy, aka Greg Arkin, approaches Lois. In a panic, afraid that Arkin is about to harm Lois, Clark reaches for Brainiac’s Legion Ring in an attempt to return to the timeline and intervene. Instead, though, Clark is thrown into the future (and Brainiac 5, apparently, into the Dark Ages).

And this is where the episode goes from very good to brilliantly exceptional. I’m talking about a sequence that elevated the episode beyond simply being the best Smallville episode to date, but one of my personal favorite episodes of any television series—ever. It was that good.

The year is 2017. Superman exists. Lois and Clark are…probably married. The world is still in constant peril, but it has its protector and the protector has his own guardian. In the teaser of the season 9 finale, “Salvation,” we got a glimpse of a post-Smallville future. 2013 had a fast talking Lois, a Superman sighting, and the appearance of Clark’s famous glasses. 2017 had all of that and the appearance of Future Clark. More George Reeves than Christopher Reeve, Future Clark was strong, steady, and bold as he told Present Clark what to do and where to do it.

As much fun as the Clark and Clark scenes were, the real highlight had to be Clark’s interaction with Future Lois. This is a Lois who is as professionally driven, full of fire and straight forward as Present Lois, but free of the insecurities and vulnerabilities of worrying about the state of her relationship with Clark. Clark and Lois, in the future, are a true partnership—in work, in romance, in life. Clark gets a sneak peek at their life through the way Lois relates to him, his secret, and their world—and he likes it. He likes it a lot. After he saves Lois’s helicopter from crashing (as instructed by Future Clark, who is off stopping a nuclear meltdown) they share a searing kiss on the roof of the Daily Planet. Clark is overwhelmed by Lois—she is devoted and completely in love with him, the knowledge of his secret having not changed her in the slightest, the only real affect it has had has been to strengthen their relationship. Lois is stronger, more confident because of learning the secret, her relationship with Clark that much more solid, which is in direct contrast to how this knowledge has affected everyone else in his life.

Brainiac 5 finally catches up to Clark and informs him that his darkness is not only related to the inability to let go of the past, but his fear of the future not working out and the responsibilities that are ahead of him. The trip to 2017, though, shows Clark that if he lets go of his past and embraces the life he wants, the future will work out. The present may not be perfect, but the only thing standing in the way of Clark achieving the future he covets is himself.

Back in the present, Clark can finally see the end of Greg Arkin’s conversation with Lois. Instead of issuing a threat for Clark, Arkin declares Clark a hometown hero who helped to positively influence many of the people that went to Smallville High. Clark has lived in the shadows his entire life, hoping to help without being noticed. But shadows in small towns aren’t very dark, and Clark’s goodness hasn’t gone completely unnoticed.

With a few more words of wisdom from Brainiac 5, Clark is returned to his timeline and approaches Lois. The two head to the dance floor, “Everything” by Lifehouse in the background, ready to reignite a romance that has stalled. Unfortunately, the music is cut off and the house lights go on—the reunion is over and Lois and Clark have seemingly missed their moment.

Before Clark can rectify things with Lois, though, he has a few other important issues to take care of. A visit to his father’s grave, wearing his new super hero uniform, allows Clark to finally say good-bye and put his past in his past. It is an emotionally powerful scene, which I’ll admit I welled up a bit while watching. Clark buries his father’s watch and says good-bye. His father and Smallville will always be with him, but it is time to move forward and concentrate on the people in his life now, the people who need him and who he needs. This leads to his next stop—Oliver’s penthouse.

The Green Arrow has set-up a television interview to set the record straight about why he came out and what his purpose is. He stumbles through the interview until Clark arrives and delivers the moral support he needs. In a stirring speech, and one of Justin Hartley’s best performances, Oliver declares that in a world of “critics” he is actually doing something to make the world a better place, he’s not alone in it, and yeah, he is a hero. Clark proudly watches on, the peace and purpose of the world’s greatest hero ready to take up that mantle taking over his entire demeanor.

Clark’s final stop is home—his barn, to be precise. Lois arrives in the darkened barn, which quickly comes to life through the sparkling lights of a disco ball and soft music. Clark apologizes for their dance being cut short but informs Lois, who argues he doesn’t need to worry about her, his gesture isn’t being done to placate her or make her feel better—he’s doing it because he’s missed her. He misses her, he misses the woman who has come to mean everything to him, and he wants a moment just for them. After some rambling by Lois, they try to dance only to have Clark clumsily step on her feet. Smoothly, Clark suggests they try something different—he has Lois stand on his feet as they dance. The music swells, Clark stares into Lois’s eyes and says the words Lois and the fans have been waiting a long time to hear—“I love you.” Lois reciprocates and, with her head on Clark’s chest, tells Clark they need to talk. We know she means his secret, and part of Clark probably knows she means his secret (even if he doesn’t know she knows—you know?). But, for just this night, Clark says, just have the moment. They’ll face everything else “tomorrow,” but for now, be happy, be in love…and float.

Their eyes closed as they hold onto each other, a look of complete contentedness on Clark’s face, the two begin to defy gravity. For the first time, a completely conscious, completely in control of his powers Clark leaves the earth and Smallville has its most uplifting, most hopeful, most super episode to date.

“Homecoming” was a nearly perfect episode. It had a little something for every fan without simply falling prey to becoming a flashback heavy retrospective. Refreshingly, “Homecoming” didn’t have a villain for Clark to battle. In a season where Clark is going to have to face his toughest villain ever in Darkseid, it was fitting that in a landmark episode the obstacles he had to overcome were his own insecurities. To praise the actors for their performances would almost be redundant—this was an actor’s episode, character driven and emotional. The principal performers—Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Justin Hartley, and James Marsters—were all on the top of their game. In the future sequence, Welling and Durance nimbly delivered slightly different yet familiar performances as the future versions of their famous characters.

I could probably go on for another two thousand words about “Homecoming,” but that’d probably devolve into fan girl fawning and nobody needs to read that. I’ll just end this review with one more thought: “Homecoming” was a show becoming the myth. It may have just been one episode, but it was one episode that fully embraced being a Superman show. It didn’t simply rely on anvils and hints; it flat out stated the purpose and the future. And much like Clark, for this final season of Smallville to fully achieve the greatness it is capable of, it needs to step away from the past and embrace the future. “Homecoming” did just that.

I think what really won me over was the whimsy of it all. With a plot like this one, where Clark gets to revisit his past, take a closer look at his present, and get a sneak peek of his future, it is not surprising to see Lois referencing Scrooge and to have the girl giving out the badges have the surname “Capra”. Clark Kent, it truly is a wonderful life, and once you can let go of the darkness, you will not only dance in the streets on Christmas morning, you’ll soar high above them.

First off, let’s all give James Marsters a standing ovation for bringing a new twist on his Brainiac character. I always found Marsters an interesting actor to watch, especially the way he performs his lines. What comes across is a character that serves as a friendly guide, but also a beacon of light to show Clark the way. This is especially conveyed by the light that is always shining on him.

Skipping around a bit, but I also have to give kudos to Justin Hartley for delivering a great speech when it seemed like the reporter had Ollie on the ropes. I still wonder where this plot will go or if it will just serve as motivation for Clark to stick to the secret identity. I just don’t think, if this series is grounded in reality at all, that Metropolis will accept a rich guy who thinks he is above the law – no matter how noble the cause. I did enjoy seeing some of Ollie’s liberal side coming out, as that is very true to the character in the comics. But I especially liked Clark’s role in all of this. He is truly becoming a symbol of hope.

I loved seeing Lana and Chloe flashbacks, too. I was worried at first that this was going to turn into a Family Ties-style flashback episode, but I think they did it just right. Seeing Chloe in the Torch and Lana helping an especially young-looking Clark with his books was heartwarming. Especially since I had just referenced the “Man or Superman” quote back in the SHoE episode for “Shield”. But talking about those two ladies leads me in to talking about Lois Lane.

So Clark has been missing for a couple days following the disheartening events of “Supergirl”. He’s holed up in his original Fortress of Solitude, looking over the magazine covers with Kara and Ollie, but also with his family shield and the single word “Hero?” I can imagine he is still wondering his last line from “Supergirl”: “Maybe the Blur isn’t who he thinks he is.” But then Lois comes in, tells him in so many words that she still believes in him. At this point, they are just good friends, but she is still standing by her man, no matter if he’ll have her or not. This is echoed when we see the Lois of the future, still doing the same thing and enjoying her secret life with Clark. I mean, how fricking great is Lois Lane? Right??

In present time, she gets brought down a bit by Punchbowl Lady. When she is compared to the great independent Lana Lang and the friend-that-could-have-been-more Chloe Sullivan, Lois comes out feeling pretty terrible. And when Clark comes back from his travels with Brainiac 5, she comes up short on the big slow dance. But the writers pulled it off perfectly, especially with the song selection.

When the opening strains of Lifehouse’s “Everything” fired up (a song I know too well since it was my wife and I’s wedding song), I immediately thought, “No! They can’t re-use this! This is a Clark and Lana song!” I really thought they were going to go through with it, too, after they re-used that Vast song in “Lazarus”. But it was right for that song to end before they got too close. That song, that high school, those things are not Lois and Clark. When Clark set up a dance in the barn with a new song (Kim Taylor-Baby I Need You), it was perfect. Their relationship, their world – it’s not Smallville High. It’s the special private bond they have built between them. It’s fricking Lois and Clark. And how about that nod to “Superman Returns” at the end? Man. Squee.

One last thing before I go watch it again – the future. What can I say? It was everything I would hope that Clark’s life becomes at the end of this series. I thought the dream he had in “Salvation” was incredible. Man, it had nothing on this! The scene in the elevator…ok yes, we just saw Tom Welling playing an older version of Clark Kent. But that air of confidence he had….folks we just saw Superman! And Clark saving the helicopter from falling off the building? Classic Superman. Honestly, if this was the last episode of the series, I could be happy with it. The best part though? It’s only the fourth episode!! Can you imagine what that finale is going to be like?!

I can’t wait to hear what you all thought, so let’s get this party started! SHoEligans! You have the floor!

At face value, “Supergirl” seemed to “elevate” Kara at the expense of Clark. After all, she returns with a splash after a super rescue, becomes a budding media sensation, and quickly tells Clark that Jor-El sent her back to earth to take care of the coming dark force of a threat (how many ways can the show reference Darkseid without naming him?) because not only isn’t Clark ready, according to the computer representation of Clark’s biological father, but he’s been disowned from the House of El (again, by a computer). All of this seems rather damning on the surface, but dig a little deeper and there’s quite the method to the madness of an episode that is far better upon rewatch and will probably make a heck of a lot more sense in the coming weeks.

Kara, while mature due to her time in the Phantom Zone and then searching the universe for her mother, as she explained to Clark, is still a bit on the naïve side. She blindly trusts in what A.I. Jor-El has to say about Clark without fully investigating the possibility that maybe Clark knows what he’s doing. She’s surprised when Clark takes her to Watchtower and she learns that Clark is not only actively engaging in heroics, but he has an entire team of heroes on his side. She is an outsider making judgments based on little evidence.

For his part, Clark is suffering through a major case of self-doubt, in no large part due to the combination of Clone Lex, Jor-El and people like Gordon Godfrey, who has launched an anti-heroes (nee vigilantes) crusade in Metropolis. Clark’s issues, nine years in the making, seem to be building towards a breaking point that will be resolved sooner or later. But, issues and insecurities aside, Clark does have one rather strong weapon on his side—or fighting for his side.

Lois Lane. With her return from Africa, Lois reunites with Clark, though the two seem to be in some sort of bizarre middle-ground stuck between where they were romantically in “Salvation” and “Lazarus” and where they actually want to be. Clark’s question of whether they are still “partners” is answered with an affirmative from Lois, but Lois still seems to be struggling with a bit of doubt about her place in Clark’s life. After her conversation with Carter Hall in “Shield,” Lois has returned to take her place by Clark’s side, but in a seemingly supportive role. She voices her doubts to Kara (in a not-so-subtle way) about Clark needing her as anything more than a cheerleader. Kara asserts that not many people can see beyond the powers, beyond the hero, and that every hero needs someone to go home to. With Carter and Kara both, essentially, telling Lois that it’s OK to be with Clark and maybe even essential, one has to imagine the intrepid reporter will come around on her personal self doubt and end the romantic stand-off with her partner.

The main plot thrust of the episode, hidden by some fantastic interpersonal character interaction, was radio personality Gordon Godfrey’s campaign against heroes and his intention to reveal the secret identity of the Green Arrow. Lois, champion of the champions, intends to put a stop to Godfrey’s dirty deeds for Oliver, Clark and all heroes. This leads her to following (or rather driving, as she poses as a chauffeur in an outfit many would love to have seen Tess in) the twisted Godfrey to a nightclub where a, um, fetish party was being held. Undercover in a leather outfit and blonde wig, Lois snaps a few compromising shots of Godfrey and quickly e-mails them to her editor. Unfortunately, the dark force (read: Darkseid) that has taken over Godfrey takes control and strings Lois up in some painful and deadly, well, bondage. Of course, this is not before he declares she is “pure of heart” and he’s incapable of inhabiting her.

Meanwhile, at the farm, Kara attempts to teach Clark how to fly. She tells him instead of trying to block out all of the sounds of the world, to instead focus in one single sound. To live in it, to make that sound his entire world. Clark focuses in on the flapping of a butterfly’s wings and takes off, building towards the sky before, unfortunately, losing momentum and crashing back to earth. While this attempt failed, one has to wonder if maybe Clark was simply focusing in on the wrong sound (as comics’ fans know, there is a very specific sound that Clark does like to tune into).

Eventually, Clark and Kara connect the dots between the “dark force” and Godfrey, they also realize that Lois was also on Godfrey tail. After a stand-off with Godfrey, where he intimates that Clark has some issues with self-doubt that may not allow Clark to defeat the “dark force” (and even suggest they’d make a good team), Kara sweeps in and stops the “dark force” in time to allow Clark to save Lois from her precariously dangerous position.

With the bad guy temporarily vanquished, Lois gives Clark a pep talk. She asserts that even if the Blur has doubts, she has faith in him. He’s different, she declares, she’s not just a hero—she’s her hero. With Lois’s words still in his head, Clark bumps into a young woman, with dark hair and glasses, on the street. The woman is an incognito Kara. She informs her cousin she’s not leaving town (though actress Laura Vandervoort won’t be sticking around, as she has to return to her full time gig on ABC’s V) and to leave worrying about the “dark force” (I’m sensing a new Smallville drinking game) to her.

The episode ends on Oliver, who had gone through some introspection throughout the episode, outing himself, Tony Stark style, as the Green Arrow. While I’m sure the leather-clad hero thinks it is a good idea, it’s sure to backfire, plus it is unlikely it will accomplish what he hopes (creating a world where Chloe can return to him). His actions are sure to have ramifications that will last much of the season and affect everyone around him.

“Supergirl” was the sort of episode that many will struggle with on first viewing, but I recommend giving it a second and third watch. I also think the first three episodes of this season of will make more sense as an anthology of episodes than stand-alone pieces, since each episode is part of the 22-hour movie that is the final season of Smallville. Everything, it seems, is building towards “Homecoming,” the landmark 200th episode of Smallville. An episode nobody should miss.

The second episode of the tenth season, titled “Shield,” was no different. Much like last season’s stellar second episode, “Metallo,” this year’s offering gave viewers a mythos heavy, character driven episode that delivered more dialogue than action, but still packed enough action to keep even the most distracted viewer riveted.

If there was a central theme to “Shield” it would have to be trust. Trust in friends, trust in love, trust in the decisions of others. This theme was best illustrated by the divergent paths taken by Clark and Oliver in regards to the women in their lives. Clark, for many seasons, rarely, if ever, trusted the decisions made by those around him. He’d often take their decisions as his own, carrying around the guilt and angst of the action’s resulting consequences. But the closer he gets towards becoming Superman, the more he’s learning to truly trust those he loves and trusts. When Clark learns from Oliver that Chloe traded herself for the Green Arrow’s freedom and subsequently faked her own death, he trusts that his longtime friend has done the right thing—for her, for them, for everyone involved. Oliver, meanwhile, whether due to grief or hubris, can’t seem to see Clark’s point of view. He not only believes that Chloe’s choice was insane, but somehow believes his choices as Green Arrow, a shadow hidden quasi-vigilante of a hero, put Chloe into the untenable position of having to give herself up and go into hiding. His thinking, though, is flawed when it comes to Chloe’s situation. After all, she was as much a part of the inner circle of do-gooders as he was. Her choice was an honestly selfless choice of a hero and not a victim. Oliver’s argument, that of the world perceiving the nascent Justice League as dangerous vigilantes, had more to do with Clark and Lois’s plight than Oliver and Chloe’s. A fact Oliver doesn’t let slip by.

Oliver derides Clark for not going straight to Egypt and bringing Lois home, questioning Clark’s affection for the intrepid reporter. Clark, for his part, shows great maturity and strength in allowing Lois the time and space to deal with the issues that drove her to Africa. Sure, Clark under the impression that the reason Lois left is a combination of the issues that plagued their relationship at the end of season 9 (relating to Clark’s secret and Lois need for meaning in her life), than the real reason, which is that Lois knows Clark’s secret and was spooked by Lex (or, rather, his deformed clone), who kidnapped her and
claimed she was Clark’s greatest weakness.

Unsure of her place in Clark’s world, Lois finds herself in Africa covering, for the Daily Planet, the unearthing of the Egyptian Queen Isis’s tomb (tuck that into your back pocket for episode 5, curiously titled “Isis”). Not in the base camp five minutes, Lois meets the Indiana Jones of the D.C. Universe, Carter Hall (Michael Shanks, reprising his season 9 role of Hawkman’s alter ego). Carter not only imparts the wisdom that Lois should perhaps talk to Clark about all of her concerns and issues (yes, the grizzled archeologist quickly determines that Lois has figured out Clark’s secret and openly discusses it with her), but show’s his sentimental, romantic side by relaying a story about King Khufu and his wife Shayera. The story of the soulmates, destined to fall in love lifetime after lifetime, is subtle allegory to the love story of Lois and Clark without hitting you over the head with the obviousness. When Lois still doubts her place in Clark’s life, but has figured out that Carter is King Khufu, he explains that Lois is Clark’s Shayera. After some more, subtle prodding by Carter for Lois to trust
in her and Clark’s love, and a discussion about Nietzsche’s Übermensch, Lois utters the word that has taken 10 years and 198 episodes to be said again, “Superman.”

This time, unlike in Smallville’s pilot episode when Lana asks Clark if he’s going to be “man or Superman” and a teenage Clark is unsure, Lois says it with the certainty and belief that Clark is now Superman. Right after Lois says “Superman,” the scene cuts to Clark purposefully striding onto to the roof of the Daily Planet, in a new red leather jacket featuring the famous “S,” and steps into the light, ready to take those final steps towards becoming Superman. It is a beautiful moment that allows Clark to shine as both the hero of the story and the romantic leading man. Throughout the entire episode, Clark had been clinging to a plane ticket to Egypt, because even though he claimed to respect Lois’s choice to leave for a while, he still desired her return and wanted her by his side. But as he stepped onto the roof and let the ticket flutter away, he finally put into actions his words of trust and faith. Lois left, and if Clark really trusts and believes in their love, he must do what is right, even if, as he states in the episode, it feels wrong. Clark decides to take the first tentative steps out into the light, to become for the rest of the world the hero that Lois has always believed him to be. (Conversely, I’ve seen some theorize that Clark dropping the ticket and stepping out onto the ledge symbolized his desire to actually fly to Lois. While as an unabashed romantic I do enjoy this theory, it’s not one I can actually endorse.)

There was an action plot to “Shield,” which revolved around Cat Grant (or is she?) starting at the Daily Planet, being named Clark’s new partner, and becoming the target of an assassin. This Cat Grant isn’t the Cat Grant from last season’s Crossfire (who is still apparently on “Good Morning Metropolis”), she’s a small town, single mother and reporter who is determined to unmask and discredit Metropolis’ heroes. She hates the Blur and accuses him and his ilk of being dangerous vigilantes. The gun-wielding assassin (D.C. Comic’s Deadshot) that is after isn’t really after her at all. In fact, he’s gunning for Clark, unaware of his lack of vulnerability. True to his heroic nature, Clark protects Cat. But in doing so, a bullet grazes Clark’s shoulder and he’s “marked” by…the Suicide Squad? Darkseid? Both? One for the other? Not only is Clark marked, but all of the episode’s costumed heroes (Oliver and Carter) receive similar marks. I’m not sure where this is going, but it probably isn’t a good thing for Clark and Company.

In short, “Shield” was an excellent episode, the perfect soft landing after the intensity of “Lazarus.” There was a little too much Cat (it seemed that she was running around for about 10 minutes), and it was an odd choice not to include the Clark and Lois reunion in this episode, but “Shield” was still a stellar episode. In fact, “Shield” was the sort of episode, for me at least, that only got better upon multiple viewings. The dialogue was sharp and fresh and the actors were given the chance, absent of the larger than life theatrics of the premiere, to really dig in and get to the heart of their characters.

On a final note, Clark’s new jacket is quite, well, super. While some would have liked the red leather jacket to maybe include some blue and yellow, it works better by still being “not quite” there. When Clark finally puts all of the pieces together and puts on the iconic suit it’ll be that much more of a “wow” moment if he’s never worn anything like it before. While fans are antsy for that moment (and many moments, really) it’ll be well worth the wait.

With those words, the voice of Tom Welling kicks off the tenth and final season of our beloved show. And the subsequent 43 some odd minutes are an emotional roller coaster of tender moments, amazing action, and genius acting.

I won’t be getting into spoilers as I cross examine ‘Lazarus’ (though there are some key points of continuity I’d like to cover at the END of my article) so I wanted to assure you up front that it is safe to read ahead, for now, as I’ll cover the actor’s portrayals, set up, music, etc.
As I said, Welling kicks off the opening of the final season premiere with those words that game me equal goosebumps and near tears in my eyes. Though that was the first sign of emotion I gave, it would not be the last as my eyes widened to see the final seconds of ‘Salvation’ play out, and open us into an all new scene, story, and season. Allison Mack gives her (perhaps final) “previously on…” which is just as emotional. The clips they used for our intro to The End give a hopeful and heroic tip of the hat towards the events shown from the prior season. As we see Clark plunge the dagger of blue kryptonite into his own side and fall back, Louis Febre’s score swells with pride and is drowned out into the rain as Zod is lifted off Earth, and The Blur plummets to the streets below…

Clark Kent.

Empowered.

“…I died to save the world…”

Clark’s journey in this episode is one of hope, and urgency. Clark comes face to face with own “mortality”, his own ghosts. And his own worst enemy. He goes beyond Smalville, Metropolis, and the Fortress of Solitude to a place he’s never been before. If you’re a fan of comics, I liken some scenes from the premiere to the arc after The Death of Superman and Funeral For A Friend, where Jonathan Kent and Superman face heaven and hell, ghosts and demons, and life and death in order to make sacrifices to bring them home. Clark interacts with Lois, Chloe, Jor-El, and Tess, and no momentum is lost from the end of season nine into this premiere. The path that lays ahead of Clark is one of a conflicting nature in season ten. Does he trust his heart to be the hero the world needs, or does he trust his head and his past to guide him in the way he should continue to protect those around him? While there are many lighthearted moments in the episode, darkness looms just around the corner for all our characters…

Lois Lane.

Conflicted.

“…so much better in technicolor…”

Last we saw of Lois Lane, she was scooped up into the arms of The Blur, for what he thought was a final kiss, but what turned out to be the headline of her career, her boyfriend is the protector of Metropolis. As “Lazarus” unfolds, Lois has to the deal with her new found revelation to the best of her abilities. Tom and Erica only share one scripted (meaning the two actors have dialogue) scene together, but the duo are amazing on screen as Lois toys with Clark to try and get a rise out of him to her own advantage. Clark is on an urgent mission, so the two are cut short but not before they make a plan to meet at Kent Farm later that day.

Chloe Sullivan.

Determined.

“…you were the world’s hero, and you weren’t in black…“

Chloe is desperate to uncover any information she can about her missing beau. Oliver’s disappearance takes Chloe outside the walls of Watchtower and into harm’s way, as she makes a sacrifice to try bring the Green Arrow back. I’ll admit, when I first heard that Mack would only return for a handul of episodes, I was concerned about how we would say goodbye until she came back again later in the season. I think the executive producers, and Allison, handle this very well as Chloe’s final look into the camera leaves us with many questions about the mysterious individuals responsible for Oliver’s apprehension.

Tess Mercer.

“…he told me to give you a message…”

Bewildered.

It’s odd to see Tess Mercer out of her element, and rarely not getting the upper hand. Tess cheats death to awaken in a LuthorCorp lab, surrounded by an unthinkable evil. She tries to struggle with the new path in front of her, as to not fall victim to the mistakes she’s made in the past. Cassidy’s only scene with a regular cast member is shared with Tom Welling, and Clark is just as bewildered to find Tess alive, as she is to be living. Though we don’t see the good Granny anywhere, the mystery that surounds Tess’ survival is not one we will discover by the end of this episode. As much as Tess’ journey changed from season eight to nine, Tess has a whole new role in season ten as she tries to find her place between the world she’s known, the lies she’s been a part of, and the woman she wants to be.

Oliver Queen.

Defiant.

“…I’m not guilty of anything but trying to save the world…”

Oliver spends most of this episode shirtless, blindfolded, and bound. A treat for the ladies, no doubt. Oliver has no clue who has him, or where he is. In many ways, the audience and Oliver share similar ties throughout “Lazarus”. Oliver knows not of Chloe’s actions in this timeline, but it doesn’t change the fact that Oliver doesn’t give up any information to his kidnappers about his team, the Justice Society, or anything else involving Queen Industries. Oliver’s path for the final season is one of redemption and courage as he tries to find Chloe and right wrongs.

Around this time last year, I fell prey to some individuals who chose to twist my words around when I did an advance review for “Savior”. I said that this was no longer a show about Smallville, but a show about a superman. I’m sure I’m digging a hole for myself here when I say, this is no longer a show about a superman. But a show about the Superman. The moment before we go into the opening credits gave me goosebumps, and that’s still without a finished Febre score. There are so many callbacks, so many references, so much emotion, and so much triumph in one episode that it feels like it’s already the end, when it’s only the beginning of it. The acting is phenomenal, the writing superb, and the setting is significant. The curtain has been raised on the final act, and it may in fact be their finest hour. It’s “Rosetta”, “Crusade”, “Reckoning”, “Savior”, and “Absolute Justice” all rolled into one. It is the perfect season premiere for the perfect final season and my only complaints lie in silly continuity issues that come out of watching, and loving, this show nearly everyday for ten long years. But as we see Clark standing in the cornfield, it feels like it was only yesterday when his journey, and ours with him, began.

As far as effects go, this of course is a screener, and they are unfinished. But even the temp fx still brought me to the edge of my seat and even more excited for the finished product on Friday night. Febre’s score, also unfinished, will be icing on the cake. They do use some of his score, temporarily, here but also a lot of cues from other film scores like The Dark Knight and Requiem for a Dream. Expect an ending music montage as Tess returns home to the Luthor Mansion, and Clark checks his mailbox at the Kent Farm near the end of the episode. For the screener, they used the same Vast song that they used at the end of “Veritas” during those scenes. While it worked well here, I can almost assure you it won’t be in the final product Friday night. The opening credits were also unfinished, so that will be fun to see for the first time with everyone else in a few days.

I understand a certain lack of promotion, as I have now watched this episode over and over again these past 24 hours. If you spoil one thing, you spoil everything. The 6-second previews make sense to me now, as we got closer and closer to the premiere. Plausible deniability. This episode builds, one moment upon the other, and as trials take place and sacrifices are made, each scene is on the fringe of the next and way too important to this premiere, and this season to spoil. Trust me. You have to see it for yourself to understand why this episode has been kept under wraps for all these months. Comic-Con footage was nothing compared to the Ben Hur that is this episode.

A+. Over and over. As I said before, an emotional roller coaster. We’re staring at the end here, and knowing that makes this episode even more powerful, from Welling’s first words to the final shot we see before it fades to black. If you follow SHoE on twitter, I mentioned that there is one scene that has yet to be seen in any trailer or promo, that I was dying to see how they brought it to fruition. Chills. The scene itself wasn’t even finished, and yet, chills. You’ll know it when you see it; trust me. It’s the next to last shot of the episode. And it sets up the final season in such a haunting way, that proves that emotions aren’t the only roller coaster we are in store for.

This article is my thank you. This television series has given me a safe haven for the past ten years and a place to meet new friends. It’s been a joy and an honor to follow the series, and produce this show in correlation with it. And the past 10, and especially five years, will have a special place in my heart for the rest of my life as we watch Clark Kent make the final steps to wear the cape, make a leap, and save the day.

“…You’ve got to protect the things you work hard to build…”

The final season of Smallville premieres Friday, September 24th @ 8pm/7pm Central on the CW.

Don’t miss it.

————————————–

Nitpicking.

Still here? That means you want to be slightly (SLIGHTLY!) spoiled.

Here’s your chance to leave if not.

The episode, as I said, picks up right where “Salvation” left off, with Clark falling to his death below. Lois finds him and, as it has already stated in the official description, removes the blue k dagger to save his life, but not before Clark comes face to face with a grim fate before him. My complaint here? The Book of Rao. Presumably, still in place above at Clark’s crows nest. No mention is made of it, and no one removes it. So once the dagger is removed from Clark’s skin and he basks in the sunlight, his wounds are healed and he returns to life anew.

While facing his own mortality, Clark speaks with Jor-El about life and death. In the end, Jor-El must confront Clark over some of his actions, and uses the Kryptonian key to transport him to the Fortress of Solitude.

…

THE KEY DOES THAT!? That would have saved a lot of trips to the Kawatche caves; thanks dad! Again, I’ll let this one slide because it is the “will of Jor-El” that summons Clark to the FoS via the key…but still. Even I let out a “hey!!!” upon first viewing of this scene. Of course that may be because Jor-El does scoop Clark up at a VERY PIVOTAL SCENE in the episode… but I digress.

My third nitpicking has to, again, do with the Fortress of Solitude. It is unscathed after the events of “Salvation” in which Zod destroyed the console that controls the Fortress. Jor-El is there “alive and well” and the lighting has changed to somewhat normal settings…at least, initially.

Again, to tell you more is to spoil this tour de force, so don’t miss it this Friday night.

Going into Season Ten, I spent most of the summer revisiting the entire series over again. As of this writing, I’m not even done yet, but I just started Season Nine. Getting to go back over all 196 episodes has made me appreciate the long journey we have all been on, leading up to September 24, 2010 – the beginning of the end. It’s because of this appreciation that I decided to actually narrow down my top ten, especially when they are all so fresh in my mind. Check it out after the jump!

Now I will get your comments out of the way right now. To answer the question, “How could you possibly leave out/include __________?” obviously this list is very subjective. What appeals to me might not appeal to you. I also had to filter out some to be fair. The way I narrowed it down was to leave out all the season premieres and finales. I mean, let’s face it, the premieres and finales are some of the greatest episodes, but it’s almost unfair to forget what came in between them. Or else my list would probably be something like: Pilot, Commencement, Exile, Crusade, Salvation,  Zod, Bizarro, Tempest,  Arctic and Vessel. Pretty boring, right?

I also did not want to leave any season out, so you could almost read this list as my favorite episode from each season, although since there are only nine seasons, one season gets the benefit of having two episodes featured.

So without further ado, here is my list!

1-09 – This episode was about how corrupt cop Sam Phalen discovers Clark’s secret and uses it to blackmail him. From the beginning, this episode has an epic Smallville moment, where Clark stops a bus by throwing his shoulder into it, letting it wrap around him. There are other cool moments, like when Phalen tries dropping a generator on Clark, and Clark drops a safe from the police department on Phalen’s car. Jonathan loses his cool when Phalen threatens his family, and Clark has an important moment when Phalen gets Jonathan thrown in jail. This is the first time we see Clark incredibly angry, but since he won’t take a life, he’s forced to figure another way out of Phalen’s grasp.  Finally, the bullet dodge at the end is neat, the very first bullet Clark has had to dodge on the show.

6-13 – Ok, yes, this is the one with the Red K lipstick. But what starts off as a fun way to get Clark and Lois together for an episode ramps up to one of the most emotionally jarring moments of Season 6. The mix CD, the “Lois & Clark Forever tattoo”, and the super-leap which ends with a makeout session in Oliver’s apartment – these are all distractions to what Clark with no inhibitions is really capable of. He is devastated that Lana is days away from marrying Lex. Under the influence of the Red K, he completely crashes the engagement party, painfully insults everyone in attendance (some of the things he says are perhaps thoughts that he would normally not say out loud), and takes Lana forcefully to his barn. He makes her kiss him and when Lex shows up, gun in hand, he nearly gets the life choked out of him. That is when Lex stabs him with a chisel, just as Martha shows up with green kryptonite. Lex saves Lana, but not before she sees how bent the chisel became.

9-07 – Jor-El has had a plan all along, and Julian Sands guests as Jor-El’s clone to put all the pieces – the stones, the Orb, the caves, why the clones are powerless- together. We see several flashbacks including one with the Ruling Council of Krypton, which looks exactly as it did in Superman the Movie. It’s too bad that Clark didn’t get to talk to Jor-El for too long because he dies in his arms, murdered by a mysterious assailant. Zod discovers who has been leaving the House of El markings all over Metropolis as well, and watches as Clark marks his father’s grave.

3-09 – Lex is locked away in Belle Reve after Lionel found out that Lex discovered one of his biggest secrets. Lex also knows about Clark’s secret after being saved by him. Clark plans to break Lex out, but three (or four) of the villains he was responsible for locking up plan their revenge. It was great seeing Ian, Eric and Van back again and Clark has his powers taken away again. Lex goes even farther off the deep end, and Lionel’s sadism hits a new peak as he has shock therapy administered to Lex so he will forget what he knows about Lionel.

7-10 – This episode is great because it follows the twist that the last episode, Gemini, didn’t even feature Clark and it had been Bizarro the entire time. There is plenty of good about Persona, with the guest appearances of Marc McClure and James Marsters, and Lionel finding out about Grant. But the great thing is how Bizarro so perfectly twists Lana around his finger because he becomes the Clark that she’s always wanted – one that completely trusts her, who drops pet names, as well as supports her habit for Lex revenge. By the end, you almost feel bad for Bizarro. And I’m certain Lana shed a few tears for him offscreen and away from Clark. One other plot that should be noted is how much Lex wanted Grant under his control, and when he betrayed him to be closer to Lionel, he had his creation mercilessly gunned down in the street. As a result, Lionel loses Julian again. Lex might not have seen Grant as a human and that might have made it easier for him to kill, but this continues his downward spiral into true madness.

2-17 – Was this the last time Clark sleep-flies? If so, this was also the beginning of other things. This is the first episode we hear the word “Krypton” or Clark’s real name “Kal-El”. Also, we get to see more Kryptonian alphabet and a scary message from Jor-El at the end – Clark was sent to Earth to conquer the human race! This episode is important for those things as well as giving Christopher Reeve a guest spot as Dr. Virgil Swann. His entrance into the episode, announced by the subtle strains of the Superman theme is important because we get to see two Supermen on screen (much more epic than when Dean Cain guest-starred years later) and his character provides valuable exposition. It’s too bad that Reeve passed away because I would have loved to see Swann play a bigger role in the Veritas storyline in Season 7. But the biggest thing I get out of this episode, personally, is to see the hero I really looked up to as a child one more time on screen, and to see that he is even braver now than he was when he was asking General Zod to step outside.

7-16 – This is it. Lex Luthor has walked a fine line between good and evil for seven years. In the last year or so, he has done some very questionable things, but most of them could be explained away as for the benefit of mankind. But it’s his obsession for the truth corrupted by the lust for power that really drives him over the edge. Lex is so fixated on discovering the secrets of Veritas that he is furious when Lionel won’t share it. This is doubled when Lionel tells him one final lie, saying Lex is the Traveler. When Lionel pulls a Hans Gruber, it is sad because Lex kills him so mercilessly. The drama is so intense in this episode. The scene outside Luthorcorp is set up in many layers – with Lionel’s body sprawled across a few steps, Lex trying to stay composed while his conscience/inner child is demanding to know why he did it. Meanwhile a completely shocked Clark follows him through the crowd, but Lex refuses to give him eye contact. Amazing. Later on, Lex purges all the goodness from himself as he shoves his imaginary younger self into the fireplace. Even though little good Lex was imaginary, I was shocked by how violent this scene was. Yes, Lex has finally lost it. Finally, the scene between Lex and Clark at Lionel’s grave is without dialogue, but their unspoken exchange is loud and clear. It’s on.

8-11 – Forgive the typo on the picture. This is indeed number three. Why is Legion on this list and not the two forms of Justice (Regular Justice and Justice with Absolut)? The biggest reason is because this episode is so much fun. The others seemed to be more event than episode. But this one actually has a cool plot and not just a reason to give each hero a badass moment. Callum Worthy as Lightning Lad was a sheer delight every time he opened his mouth. He was the voicebox of many Smallville fans – “Hey Kal, where’s your cape?” The morally grey area was explored once again with the fate of Chloeiac – where Clark’s ideals get in the way of “what needs to be done”. Also, the techno-exorcism that they give Chloe perfectly worked in each of their powers logically. Allison Mack does a great job as Brainiac, and I loved the callback to Superman the Animated Series, when the three dots show up on the monitors at the Planet. Finally, since we’re in the Lana Arc of Season 8, Lana fans get something out of it as well when Saturn Girl assures her that whether she ends up with Clark or not, she still has a special destiny. Geoff Johns FTW.

4-06 – Count them up now – that’s three episodes on my list where Tom Welling gets to act like someone other than Clark Kent. But this one is the best. Because it’s one thing to take all inhibition away with Red K, but to get body-switched with Lionel Luthor I would argue is even more terrifying. On the DVD commentary, John Glover describes acting out every scene that Welling has to play Lionel as he looked on. Then Welling would virtually mimic him after that. It is really the darkest characterization I can think that he’s done so far during his nine years on the show. Case in point – the scene with Chloe – where he plays with her emotions and nearly kisses her before saying, “Don’t you wish.” Sinister. I would name at least four other scenes that Welling is superb in but I need to also mention how well Glover pulls off being Clark, too. Glover says on the commentary something about how hard it was to play someone so pure, especially in the scene where he is trying to convince Martha who he is. It was another very interesting performance. Finally, at the end of the episode, one of the coolest shots occurs during the prison riot as Lionel-Clark circles around while Clark-Lionel waits in the middle, probably a bit scared that things won’t go as planned. Excellent episode all around.

5-12 – Just as Clark seals the deal, Jor-El does, too. Of course this episode is number one. Besides tuning in for superheroic deeds, I also am a sucker for angst. If I can get personal here, I lost my father as a young man as well. So when you see Kandor, Descent and Reckoning on my top 10 list, it’s no surprise that I really feel sad for Clark each time he has lost a father figure. Of course the devastation Clark feels when Lana dies at first is great drama as well, with Jonathan holding Clark as he blames himself for not getting there in time. This is indeed just as hard hitting after we see Clark reveal his secret and propose to her. But when Clark defies fate to make sure she lives, Jonathan’s life is taken instead, collapsing in his driveway after fighting with Lionel in the barn. His death scene and the funeral after is probably one of the most powerful moments in Smallville, with not a dry eye in the house. And just as he did in Descent and Kandor, he picks up a handful of dirt and sprinkles it over his father’s grave.

So, SHoEligans, what is your top 10? Leave it in the comments! We’d love to hear about your own favorites!

Bonus material: I did have to narrow this list down from 50. Here are the other 40, in order by season:

X-Ray 1-04     Hourglass 1-06     Zero 1-14     Nicodemus 1-15     Stray 1-16

Heat 2-02     Red 2-04     Lineage 2-07     Ryan 2-08     Rush 2-14

Perry 3-05     Relic 3-06     Shattered 3-08     Truth 3-18     Memoria 3-19

Run 4-05     Spell 4-08     Unsafe 4-11     Pariah 4-12     Onyx 4-17

Blank 4-19     Mortal 5-02     Mercy 5-19     Justice 6-11     Promise 6-16

Wrath 7-07     Fracture 7-12     Apocalypse 7-18     Identity 8-07     Abyss 8-09

Requiem 8-14     Metallo 9-02     Rabid  9-03     Idol 9-08     Pandora 9-09

Society 9-11     Legends 9-12     Warrior 9-13     Checkmate 9-17     Upgrade 9-18

This being one of my favorite seasons of the series, I was very excited for this release and as I ended up with both a standard and BluRay version of the season, I thought I’d bring a little bit of both to the masses today.

So if you want to find out everything you’re in store for on Tuesday, check it out after the jump below.

Let’s start with the first thing you’re going to see when you open the Amazon box at your doorstop, or go to your local Target/Best Buy. The box.

My favorite artwork from the series sets still remains season five and two, but this image of The Blur is just jaw dropping. They didn’t bother sullying up the front cover with multiple people, terrible photoshopped imagery (see season 7) or last minute ideas for how to measure up this season in one photo: they did it. Just as 9×01 opens with Clark watching over the streets of Metropolis, he is doing the same on the box art. I also love the grey tones of the color for this box. I always find myself wondering what next season will look like (especially now that we’re gearing up for the final season).

The box itself is the same case design as season eight, changing from the original season 1-4 ‘tray tablet’ edition, and then the 5-7 ‘easy-scratch-edition’ cases. While I loved the trays from the early seasons, I did love the inside artwork that seasons 5-7 gave us, with Lex as Zod atop LuthorCorp, the Justice League walking away from the explosion in season 6, and the final showdown between Lex and Clark in the FoS from the end of season seven. My problem with those sets were the spoilery imagery they offered up (Really, how mad would you be if you’d not seen season seven, bought the DVD, opened it, and saw Lex and Clark in the final scene from the season INSIDE the Fortress of Solitude!). With season eight and nine, they’ve moved to using those landscape images to the inside liner art that goes behind the DVD’s, if you will. Last year they used the photoshoot of the cast from the Daily Planet. This year, it’s Lois in the barren streets of Metropolis from ‘Pandora’, as seen below.

The disc images have made their way around the internet for a few months, so I won’t waste my time with them other than just in passing: Tom dressed as the Blur, Allison from an official still from the season, Erica from a photoshoot from season eight, that for the most part, never saw the light of day. Cassidy’s image is from the original season eight photoshoot, Callum Blue from an official episode still from 9×01, and Hartley also from an official episode still.

Next up is the booklet, which I always love. I’ve attached photos below so you see first hand the chapter titles, photos, and mini-descriptions of the episodes (which are always funny for me to read):

So that’s the booklet, minus the great read from Brian and Kelly about season nine that I’ll let you read on your own.

When you pop in disc one there is, of course, some ads to sit through. Then you’re treated to the eye candy they put together for intro to the menu screens, which I always love. Lots of shots from Savior, Absolute Justice, and Pandora here. With a nice shot of Clark catching that bullet from killing Oliver as the menu screen fades in. As always, accompanied by a cut together of Remy Zero’s Save Me, which really rounds it out in a great way.

With them combining the two-hour Absolute Justice into one episode (not a fan of that idea, wish it had been ‘Society’ and ‘Legends’ as they were scripted, produced, and directed) you’ve got 21 episodes here but not a huge amount of special features as we fans have become accustomed to with these sets. Two docs – two commentaries - miscellaneous deleted scenes, and that is it. Unless you count subtitles as special features. The deleted scenes are probably the worst selection we’ve ever seen from the series. Nothing of value here except a neat scene between Clark and some Kandorians in a new spin on a barn loft scene. Where that extended press conference from ‘Idol’ and explanatory cuts from ‘Upgrade’ (that BAG mentioned on SHoE) are, I have no idea – but I think they would have been better suited than the six seconds of Oliver and Lois from ‘Rabid’.

The documentaries are good, a lot better than the Doomsday one last year, but still not the full look behind the curtain we fans would love to see. The Absolute Justice one is a nice peek at stuff we never get to see from the show, though, with some great interviews at the cast and some cool shots of Welling directing part 2. Great interviews with Geoff Johns as well, and you can really tell how proud everyone was of the telefilm. It and it’s corresponding episode are definitely highlights from this set.

I love the Zod documentary as well, just because I’ve always loved the character, I loved Callum Blue’s portrayal and it was nice to see Terrence Stamp talk about the character. Again, like the Doomsday or Green Arrow documentaries before, nothing really new here – just something nice for the average fan that has been well put together.

For me, the cool stuff is in the commentaries. Two random episodes to choose for the set, I thought, but they came out to be really nice book ends to two monumental episodes in ‘Kandor’ and ‘Idol’. It’s good to hear Erica Durance on a commentary again and she does a great job in ‘Idol’ talking about a LOT of behind the scenes stuff from this episode, especially between her and Tom. Clark and Lois fans will love this commentary as she talks about her mindset as Lois and how well the two play off of each other in scenes.

Though, for me, ‘Kandor’ was one of my favorite episodes of the season, so it was really fun to hear Callum Blue talk about what all went into that. I loved the Richard Donner imagery used for this one and it will probably stay one of my commentaries from the DVD’s long after the show is over.

That really rounds out the set. Now on BluRay? Well. BluRay was made for Smallville. Without a doubt. The booklet is of course a little smaller and thinner in the BluRay so it would be overkill to show again – the back art on it is an image of Zod and Clark from ‘Salvation’ – same special features but everything just looks superb. ‘Salvation’ looks amazing as does ‘Pandora’ and ‘Checkmate’. Some of the most visually stunning episodes of the series came out of this season and it’s great to have them in high quality.

Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season comes out on DVD and BluRay this Tuesday, September 7th, 2010. Be sure to follow these links to pre-order the standard version or BluRay from Amazon via SHoE and you’ll support this site and podcast in the process.

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!!

This episode brought us at least four things I was waiting for: Chloe’s apology, more information about the Book of Rao, the return of Martha Kent and Perry White, and the break-up of Lois and Clark. Now, I don’t take delight in the unhappiness of our characters, nor am I one of those people who push their glasses up as they scream at their TV about the continuity of Smallville leading into the Superman comics. I subscribe to the same notion Big Honkin Steve talked about way back during last season, Smallville is an Elseworlds tale. Period. I’m pretty sure it was established in the first episode anyway when we met a stranger named Chloe and noticed that Pete Ross had zero chemistry with Lana Lang. When Lois showed up in Season Four, I can’t believe people got upset.

Sorry. Tangent. What I am trying to say is that I wasn’t waiting for Lois and Clark to break up because they don’t belong together this soon. I was waiting for them to break up because I truly believe that unless Clark is completely honest with Lois and Lois is completely accepting of Clark’s secret, they will never be a real couple. I’m married and I can tell you that my wife and I wouldn’t ever be happy with either of us having a “secret life”. Happy commitments usually don’t usually involve a bylaw that states “mystery adds spice to a relationship”. I may be crazy but I think it adds doubt and mistrust, unless your relationship isn’t serious. But when they are finally straight up with each other, they will be the power couple we all know and love. In Charade, Clark ended up distancing himself more from her by ending her relationship with the Blur. Now if he tells her he is the Blur, he risks making her hate him for putting her through so much emotional strife. The question now is: Will he decide to build up his secret identity, and keep his nightlife away from Lois? Or will Clark’s story continue to be Elseworlds which will lead to him revealing his secret to her?

Unfortunately, what doesn’t help and what eventually is the tipping point to Lois breaking up with Clark is that he is majorly distracted. Or should I now say generally? *wink* But Clark is desperately looking for the Book of Rao because there are now a group of superbeings that are ready to burn this mother down. But Lois is feeling kind of lost since she lost her way to that higher purpose she had. I am certain she saw the Blur as that savior that will need her just as she needs him, as Dr. Fate prophesized. That loss has not just simply upset her; it has made her question what she is supposed to do with her life. When Clark tells her to give him a break, I knew she had just about enough. Obviously you can’t blame Clark because of what he is now up against. But, again, to paraphrase Dr. Fate, love is a two-way street.

I don’t have much to say about the Lois and Perry subplot other than it was a lot of fun. We got Perry’s catchphrase: “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” She called him “chief” which is something we all know Perry is going to get tired of in the future. We got to see how easily these two work together and how Perry can inspire her to be better. I was glad Perry helped Lois since Clark couldn’t be there for her. Although it was great to see Clark smiling as he watched Lois rescue Perry in front of the crowd that had gathered. Nice Superman reference, too. “I’ve got you.”  Also, it was nice to see his pull at the Planet got their desks back, too. I felt bad about his love for Martha. Perry will never get her to marry him. I’m sure she sees him as fun, but I think she will remain single in the end. I also have a sneaking suspicion that their relationship was something to keep him distracted from his search for the Book of Rao. I hate to think of her as that calculating, but he then got a tip that the Red Queen was in Nairobi. Who do you think planted that? I’m thinking that after a visit back home, Martha may need a break as well.

But, ah, to see Martha Kent again, back at Kent Farm. Boy, that big house has seemed empty these past three years. But seeing Ma Kent making a pie just felt like home. But Martha is different now. I’m not sure if you can call it hesitation, but certainly a thoughtful pause was taken as she looked at her old apron. She had a few moments like that. For instance, staring wistfully at Jonathan’s workbench, with his gloves and toolbox or seeing Perry’s silhouette as he brought in firewood wearing Jonathan’s old coat. Martha has been through a lot of change taking on the Senate seat, getting away from the farm, and putting the loss of the love of her life behind her. I can say from personal experience, after the loss of my father, my mother had to almost reinvent herself and find a life outside of what she did before she became a widow. Wounds like that never heal; you just find different ways to distract yourself so the pain doesn’t keep you from functioning.

I must take one moment to mention that I loved hearing her tell the story to Lois about how she and Jonathan sandbagged a river all night to protect 20 families from getting their homes flooded. I would love to have seen that as a flashback episode, or maybe even in comic book form. The thing is, up until now, Martha has always been portrayed as the big city socialite that gave up all the opportunities she had because she fell in love with a man who believed in the goodness of people. But what we have never heard was that it wasn’t just love that brought her to Smallville, it was purpose. Working in the rain and mud all night filled that space inside her that she might not have gotten if she stayed in Metropolis. Not to say her love of Jonathan wasn’t a huge part of what kept her in Smallville, but I am guessing what she found inside herself that night probably gave her the excitement that Lois got when she first talked to the Blur.

But her life as a Senator sure hasn’t kept her from protecting Clark. In fact, it has helped her discover forces inside the government out to get him. We find that she is the Red Queen, as many of you easily guessed. She also has a bit of a manipulative side to her, because while she keeps her son and the two reporters “hostage”, she sends a nasty virus to Watchtower, and has Maxwell Lord kidnap Tess to discover the location of the Book of Rao. I’m not sure either how Tess obtained the book or how Martha knew Tess had the book either. But Martha calls Tess out for only being into the saving the world game just to save herself. She also threatens her to stay away from Clark and if she’s not careful, she’ll end up on the wrong side of the apocalypse. I really think Tess isn’t long for this Earth.

On the Zod front, the stakes were certainly set up for the season finale. No doubt that it was Zod who contacted Lois at the end of this episode and not Clark. And how about the information Martha gave Clark about the Book of Rao? We now see that Clark will be able to use it to get rid of Zod and his army, but he runs the risk of getting transported to “another plain of existence” himself. What does everyone think that plain is? The Phantom Zone? Earth-2? The Legion’s Future Time? New Krypton? The Bottle of Kandor? Bizarro World? A CW spinoff called The Unexpected Diaries of Valla, One Supernatural Gossip Girl from Melrose Tree Hill, 90210?

Finally, the moment many have been waiting for happened tonight. Some were happy about it. Some thought it wasn’t enough. I’m talking about Chloe’s apology. After last week’s discussion here on SmallvillePodcast.com about whether or not we still love Chloe after Season 9, I was happy to hear her tell Clark she was sorry. If anything, let’s quickly recap that scene:

Clark shows up at the wrecked Watchtower. He wonders what the holdup is with the repairs. Chloe reveals that Watchtower is ready to go but she isn’t. She admits that she found footage of Jorel hiding the Book of Rao months ago. She apologizes for keeping it a secret because she became tangled in her own world wide web. She lost track of what was important. When Clark disappeared, she retracted into Watchtower, playing Big Sister. She tells him that it turned out having all the information doesn’t mean having all the answers. She wants to start plugging into the real world with Ollie and have a normal life because virtual reality bites. But Clark won’t let her just give up. He tells her that they are on the brink of war and he needs her. They open the shutter for the main window of Watchtower and everything starts powering up. Chloe tells him that even when she was hurting him, she was trying to protect him.

So I don’t know about you, but I think that any problems I had with Chloe were resolved with this scene. I spent a great deal of time talking Chloe last week, and the conversation between her and Tess in Sacrifice must have been on her mind as she repaired Watchtower. I just wanted to quickly mention that I’m sure this is what led her to tell Clark she wanted out. I almost expected Clark to sympathize and tell her he can handle it. But he told her he still needed her. And if I know my TV dramas, this means that something bad is going to happen to Chloe. No need to curse at me! I just have a feeling about this one.

OK, we’ll talk again soon about the season finale, Salvation!!

Tess Mercer has also gained entrance, using DNA that Chloe has left behind from previous break-ins to Luthorcorp and the mansion. She holds Chloe at gunpoint, trying to get her to hand over all the information she has on the Kandorians. Chloe responds with a feisty “I knew you were the Kandorians’ lapdog, but I didn’t realize you were Zod’s little bitch, too.” A security breach is detected by Watchtower and it puts itself on lockdown. It turns out that Tess unwittingly brought a bug, that Checkmate had implanted her with, to get the information on the Kandorians as well. Chloe tries cutting it out of her, but it is programmed to read Tess’s biorhythms and burrow deeper into her when it feels threate

I thought Tess’s reaction to the fact that she had been bugged spot-on. It reminded me of her reaction to Lex implanting her with nano-technology so he could see through her eyes anytime he wanted. I think Tess is someone on the show that would have the most violent reaction to being used a puppet or a pawn.

Tess tells Chloe that once Checkmate arrives and breaks in, they are both as good as dead. As the air starts to run out, Tess’s defenses start to fall. Tess swears that she just wanted to save the world and admits jealousy of what Chloe has. She points out that Chloe seems to have programmed Watchtower so no one can get close to her. She says that Chloe gives Oliver something she never could – purpose.

Chloe gets the idea to use chemicals from Watchtower’s cooling system to freeze the steel door keeping them in, and breaking through it. But she realizes that in order to save their lives, she must sacrifice her own – or at least the one that she has built since Jimmy died, the one revolving around Watchtower. Breaking through the security will trigger another security measure: the mainframe will melt down. Chloe hesitates, but decides their lives aren’t worth it and they break through the wall. But they need to move quickly because Checkmate with their new White Knight, the scarred and extremely ticked off Stuart Campbell, has defied Waller’s orders and is hell bent on killing Tess.

Meanwhile, Clark is on a mission to track down Zod, and enlists Oliver’s help, but no killing this time! He wants to find a way to take care of Zod, but keep his followers, his Kryptonian family, from feeling threatened. Oliver reminds Clark that they aren’t his only family. We next find Green Arrow repelling into the mansion and a body gets thrown through a window. Zod has dispatched a Checkmate agent staking out the mansion and asks Arrow to join him against their common foe. When Green Arrow refuses, Zod and him come to a standoff. Zod knocks him into a wall but he has gotten off a kryptonite arrow to Zod’s leg, which drops him like a rock. Zod dares Arrow to murder him, but Ollie is keeping his promise not to kill.

At the same time, Clark goes to the Kandorian hideout to find the Kandorians performing a ritual, involving a flower blooming in Faora’s hand. After the Kandorians exit, Clark shows Faora Dr. Swann’s journal, which depicts how the original General Zod destroyed Krypton. He worries the same thing will happen to Earth. Faora tells Clark about how the Kandorians have split. Some wish to live the simple life as a human and others have left to gain power with Zod. She hopes, however, that what Zod gave her will unite them again. Clark listens and hears a second heartbeat coming from Faora. The ritual must have been kind of like a Kryptonian baby shower. Clark insists that Krypton lives on through her. Faora then tells Clark that Zod has been looking for the Book of Rao, which is more than a religious text, but also wields great power. This is when Oliver calls and tells Clark that he is with Zod. But Zod must have been able to get the arrow away from him because the next thing Clark hears is Oliver screaming as Zod burns his seal into his chest.

The action switched to Met Gen for a bit when Tess and Chloe, still on the run from Agent Campbell, show up in a last ditch effort to neutralize the bug. Unfortunately, Tess has got to die. But only for a few minutes. You could see that Tess was ready to die because Chloe knows that she has too much information. Chloe stops her heart with the paddles just as Checkmate is searching the hallways. But with the signal lost, so are they.

If you’re just joining us, Tess Mercer has died. Now Wikipedia states that reviving someone after 3 minutes of clinical death (which is when the heart and circulation stops) is highly rare. I don’t know how long it took between Chloe killing her and bringing her back to life because it cut away to a different scene. But when it came back, the bug is taken care of and Tess is in a body bag to hide her from the Checkmate agents. Did Chloe have to take the bug out herself? Or did it just die from the paddle shock? Then Chloe had to wrestle her dead weight into a body bag. I’m not certain if I buy it, but Chloe then revives her ala Pulp Fiction and tells her to remember what she did for her or else. Tess is back to being Tess again: “I guess you’ll have to trust me….”

Ollie is wheeled in to the hospital and warns Clark that Checkmate is after the Kandorians. Back at the warehouse, Faora is trying to convince her people to stand against Zod. But this is cut off because Waller’s Checkmate team raids the hideout. Waller takes Faora into custody and tells her agents to dispose of the rest. Waller leaves with Faora, but before Valla and the others are executed, Clark superspeeds in taking out all the agents.

At the super-secret Checkmate hanger, Waller tells Faora that Zod had just leveled their field offices in Metropolis. When Faora said she’s defecting, Waller doesn’t believe she would betray her own kind. Faora insists that she is only betraying one. Speaking of, Zod shows up and throws Waller into a windshield. He goes to finish her off but Clark shows up and throws Zod into the side of the hangar. As Zod dislodges himself and levitates back down to the ground, I immediately sat up and yelled “Oh it’s on now!” But unfortunately it’s just a staredown as Zod and Clark debate whether murder is justice. When Clark is distracted by checking on Waller, Zod swoops Faora away.

Back at the hideout, Zod tells Faora how much he has done for her and how much she disappointed him. The title of the episode comes back up as Faora accuses him of already sacrificing one world for his evil. Zod tells her she knows nothing of sacrifice and Faora tells him she knows more than he ever will. Zod orders her to kneel, but she won’t. So he chokes her and when she dies, the flower from the ritual drops from her hand and Zod notices. Then he sees that her belly had grown. He listens as his baby’s heart slows and then stops. This was so hard to watch. I really was wondering where Clark was. I mean, Smallville only has so many sets. How quick does it take to check them all? No, but seriously, I felt so bad for Faora and I really think Clark dropped the ball on that one. He should have left Waller and followed Zod.

Zod’s reign of destruction begins again as he shows up at the Checkmate headquarters murdering everyone. It seems that Waller and Campbell were also victims although if they died (which I am certain of), their deaths were offscreen. As annoying as Waller was, I don’t think I’m a fan of her dying this soon though. Chloe, Oliver and Clark watch the castle burn, which apparently was a monument of some sort, on TV. Then Chloe detects some movement at the Fortress. It looks like not all of Chloe’s toys were ruined when Watchtower melted down.

At the fortress, Zod is officiating a funeral for Faora. Using her death as a rallying cry, he tells the group that the first son of Kandor has been killed by humans. Clark tries to tell them it’s a lie, but the Kandorians are so outraged by Faora’s death and Clark’s supposed betrayal by trying to help Waller that they will follow Zod to the ends of the Earth. In fact, they now call him “General Zod”. And when they all take to the skies, Clark realizes he’s got quite the challenge ahead of him.

This catches the attention of a new player in the game of Checkmate, Maxwell Lord, who has the power to scan your mind, annoying called a Jedi mind trick by Sacks, who I’m thinking needs a Star Wars rewatch. Maxwell is the black king in this game, and he is frustrated with how little the White Queen has accomplished from behind her desk. I’m thinking he’s being a bit unfair to Ms. Waller. She at least came out of the castle once to slam the side of a van while bellowing at Tess.

But while Waller wants to recruit metahumans (a word I just had to add to my spell check’s dictionary) for her Suicide Squad, Maxie wants to kill them all. So, along with a pizza delivery guy that snapped a photo of the Blur, Lord kidnaps Lois to hook her up to some contraption that I think I last saw on the alien ship in The X-Files. Could this room be any creepier? I think Maxie and Dr. Chisholm from Conspiracy should get together and create a Megacreepy Lab. They were both no problem for Clark to defeat either, so maybe they should get some henchmen, too.

In the end, Maxie is thrown in a limo by some guy from LA Confidential. While I’m sure he was hoping to see Ed McMahon in there with a couple of supermodels, instead he comes face-to-red-pump with the Red Queen. If those end up being Martha Kent’s legs, let me be the first to high-five her Pilates instructor. That’s one foxy pair of legs. And if that turns out to be Perry White, let me be the first to retract that last statement.

But seriously folks, that wasn’t really the main focus of Charade. In this episode, the writers decided to put our emotions through a grinder by tackling the Clark/Lois/Blur triangle head-on. Clark has invited Lois to do a candlelit dinner and some stargazing, and Lois excitedly tells Chloe that the “L bomb” is about to be dropped, after they confess each other’s secrets. When Chloe confronts Clark about it, it turns out he isn’t telling her anything. He just wants her to tell him what she’s been keeping secret. But then he starts to entertain the thought that maybe it’s time to trust Lois with everything.

But after a near death experience with one of Ray Sacks’ henchmen, Clark realizes that Lois has been talking to someone other than him. As Clark, he tries to get her to give some information on who she thinks is the Blur. Out of this we get a great speech from Lois, who makes Clark realize again why he shouldn’t tell her.

“I am sure he is dying to tell me, but how could anyone who cares about me put me in that kind of position! If I knew his true identity, then every lowlife with high hopes of hurting him would come after me. And he would never put me in that kind of danger just to get a secret off his back. That’s why I trust him!”

Ahh, the plight of the everyday superhero. You try to save the world, but you can’t ever be honest with the one you love. And quicker than you can say “Can You Read My Mind?”, Lois shares a tender moment with the Blur after getting rescued, holding his hand but refusing to turn around to protect his identity. Clark soon realizes that in order to protect Lois, he needs to break her heart. What struck me here was how intense Lois’s feelings for the Blur were. I suppose after being saved countless times and being trusted with what she defined later as a “calling”, it makes a lot of sense. But the question remains, with the Blur gone, will Clark be enough? I think Lois might just be calling it quits soon in her relationship with Clark. If she does, does that make her a lesser person?

Other random thoughts I had:

1. Since when did Clark start spraying that S on his shirt with Day Glo? I still thought the shot of him on the roof, as CGI as it looked, still was pretty darn cool. How about when Clark jumped to get to the roof? It sure looked like he was taking off flying to me…

2. Who is Rick Degroot? The camera seemed to linger on his record as Chloe was talking about how Sacks’ cellmates were released. Was he Sacks’ henchman? Or is he yet someone else to look out for in the future?

3. Hey, that indoor/outdoor café has a name – the Brasserie Georgina. I spotted the name on Lois’s menu.

4. I think my favorite line might have had to be when Lois was talking about how Clark’s kiss altered space and time. I could see him making a mental note of that.

5. Clark finding out Zod has been calling Lois on top of him eventually finding out that he’s been holding Kandorian Survivors/Bloodletting Parties in the Fortress is most certainly going to lead to a big battle. I cannot wait.

Lois wakes up in bed by Clark, who just got there. She is not sure what happened but covers it up so Clark doesn’t worry. He notices a scratch on her arm, which she says came from opening The Hangover dvd with a Swiss army knife. I know how she feels! Clark is persistant, saying that there isn’t a need for this much mystery in their relationship, as he hasn’t seen her in a week. Lois tries her charms on him, but it’s put aside quickly when she gets a call from “the Blur”. Clark leaves as Lois fills Zod in on the events of the previous night, thanking him for the rescue.

Leaving the Talon’s apartment, she hears some noises coming from the basement. She goes in and finds John Corben in a weakened state. She is ready to turn him over to the authorities but he pleads with her that his mind is almost normal except for the upgrade he got: a chip implanted in the back of his neck which would have controlled him if Lois didn’t save him. But his electronic heart is in need of meteor rock for fuel. They take off in Lois’s car.

Meanwhile, Clark is trying to figure out what Lois was up to the night before. Chloe is helping from Watchtower but calls him on their trust issues, citing the lowjacked keychain they are tracing. The signal leads Clark to underground to the lab, where he discovers some red meteor rock in a mist. Back at Watchtower, Clark is doing some computer searching. Chloe comes in and jokes that she might not be needed. Clark tells her he was tired of waiting for her.

Clark shows Chloe what he’s discovered: that Tess has been stockpiling kryptonite across the country. Chloe confesses that it was really her and Oliver behind it. Clark’s eyes blaze red as they begin to argue. Chloe pleads that it was to protect them from a possible war with the Kryptonians. He bellows that he is Kryptonian and even goes as far as to push Chloe onto the ground. “There is a war, Chloe, right now, and you’re about to lose it.” He brands the Watchtower with his shield and leaves.

John Corben is inside one of these stockpiles. Inside a tractor trailer, he doses himself with a meteor rock. When he comes out, Clark is there. He winces at the light of the green rock, but then a couple bolts of fire destroy the trailer. From the sky, Zod swoops in, looks at Clark and then speeds away. Clark is learning that everyone is lying to him at the wrong time!

Lois arrives at the scene. She finds Corben naked. He tells her they need to get out of there in case the Blur decides to wreak more havoc. She surprised the Blur was involved. At the ruined lab, Chloe tries to discover what Clark got into. Tess steps out of the shadows and the two exchange barbs for a bit before Chloe finds the red meteor rock. Chloe tells Tess that if she wants to protect her alien pet project, she should help her find Clark.

Meanwhile, Zod is unsheathing a glowing green sword, which must mean goblins nearby. Clark shows up and, after coercing Zod, finds out that Zod got his powers from Clark’s blood. Zod asks him to join him because of the lies that Chloe told him. Red-K-infused Clark has no problem sealing the deal with the super-cool forearm-clasping handshake.

Lois and Corben are getting settled on a bus, but he wants her to go. She tells him she won’t leave him until he is at the military base in South Dakota getting help from the General’s friend, Dr. Hale. Corben notices that a lady is having trouble securing her bag in the overhead, so he gets up to help her. With his back turned, she places an emotion chip onto the implant in the back of his neck. He immediately starts to leave the bus. Lois gets up to protest but gets injected with a sedative and left on the bus.

Meanwhile, Clark and Zod are proving that walking away from flames is still cool. Their conversation drifts to Jor-El and Zod says they were like opposite sides of the same coin. Clark admits he had a friendship like that once (Lex), and declares that it’s time to live a little. At the Space Needle in Seattle, Zod wishes Jor-El could see them now. Clark says that he can, but first gives the city an unexpected wintery blast with his super cold breath.

Chloe and Tess are still at the lab when Chloe finds a weather alert for Seattle. UUsing satellite imagery, she catches a shot of Clark and Zod atop the Needle. They wonder about the sudden bromance, when Corben returns.

At the Fortress, Clark welcomes home his new brother, but is frustrated that Jor-El is silent. He announces that he is done with constant lectures and mindgames anyway. Zod asks him if he would like the answers to everything in the universe. He tells Clark that on Krypton, they revered the red sun god, Rao. To them, religion is science, but their bible, the Book of Rao is on Earth. He states that “With the Fortress and the Book there are no limits to what we can achieve.”

Chloe watches Corben’s GPS feed at the lab, but stops it so Tess doesn’t see where he’s going. Chloe hears movement in the lab and hides just as Lois shows up, cracking that this is the “least secret secret lab I’ve been in twice.” She tells Tess that she can’t cover up what she did to Corben, just as Chloe chloroforms her. Lois was talking about The Hangover earlier. I can imagine with that much sedative in her system; she may wake up with a tiger in her bathroom, too.

Back at the Fortress, we realize as Corben arrives through the portal that Chloe must have sent him to the Caves. Clark and Zod are baffled at this sudden arrival, but when he comes at them, they make a good team. Zod zips around him, and when he turns, Clark blasts some ice from the ceiling to rain down on him. This knocks the chip off. He remarks, “I sure like what you’ve done with the place” and starts to advance on Clark. But he is caught in a tornado of freeze breath as Zod and Clark turn him into a block of ice.

But Corben is not beaten yet. He breaks free and tries to make a field goal with Zod. He tells Clark that he is here to save him before he plunges a sharp kryptonite rock into him. The red K in his body is cured and Corben tells Clark to thank me another time before putting the key into the crystals and disappearing. You can see that Clark realizes he has made a mistake, but now Zod is gone.

Lois is stopped on street by Corben. She hands him the cybertronic self-sustaining heart, which makes Corben even more enamored with her. He declares that she is his hero and asks her to come away with him. Lois lets him down easy and tells him she is seeing someone who “is it for me.” Corben tells her, “You are a real dame, Lois Lane.”

Zod is drinking in his lair when he finds pictures of him and Clark on the Space Needle. Tess is there and worried he may be backing out of their arrangement. She tells him that he can’t bet on someone who so quickly switches allegiances. To further her cause, she reveals that she has discovered a secret rebellion of Kandorians that answer to Clark. She shows Clark pictures from the episode Conspiracy where Clark was giving Faora and Vala their identities.

At Watchtower, Clark remarks that an apology on video would save him some time. He isn’t mad that she lied to him, because in the future, her weapons saved the Earth.  He admits that what happened with him and Zod was partly due to the red K, but also could be attributed to wish fulfillment, as he feels that Zod is the only one that can really understand him, and that he feels close to him, like a brother. At the Fortress, Zod has assembled a small group to drink his blood and gain powers. He raises the blood to the heavens as we fade to black.

I’d like to say thanks for all the feedback last week as most of you figured as I did that the Red Queen is probably Martha. It’s so strange how Elseworlds this show can get because I just don’t see our Martha as this government puppetmaster that can hold her own against something like Checkmate. Then again, I never felt like John Corben was such an empathetic character until Smallville either.

There were a few “what in the Sam Hill?” moments for me, and maybe as a discussion this week, you can help me fill in the blanks that I seemed to have missed:

1.       We see Lois and Corben drive off after she found him in the basement of the Talon. Next thing you know, Lois is gone, and Corben is getting his Krypto fix before Clark and Zod show up. So where did Lois run off to and how the heck did either of them know about the stockpile?

2.       We see that Corben has the key when he disappears from the Fortress. Does the key stay in the caves or do you think Chloe actually directed Corben to go to Kent Farm, find the key, and then go to the Caves to use the shortcut to the North Pole? Or maybe Chloe carries the key in her purse?

3.       Lois gives Corben the (Cyberdyne) cybertronic self-sustaining heart. Do you think she stole it right under Tess’ nose before she got knocked out, or do you think Chloe gave it to her?

4.       Also, Brian Austin Green is awesome. Discuss.

Til next week…

Tess is disguised in a La Femme Nikita wig as she pensively walks the streets. First, she is followed by the FDA lady from Hell and then Joe Chill steps out of the shadows. A fight ensues, which looks like it was lifted straight from a Guy Ritchie movie. Watch as Joe Chill’s flabby face gets ruptured by La Tess Nikita’s fist. The fight attracts the attention of Green Arrow, but IT’S A TRAP!

At Watchtower, Chloe is worried because of a surveillance blackout where Green Arrow was last seen. When the cameras come back up, Clark sees that John Jones (do you think he spells it J’onn J’onzz?) is investigating the crime scene. We have a funny moment where Chloe turns to talk to Clark but he has supersped to the scene on camera. John is being secretive about why he is there, so Clark x-rays him and sees an earpiece with an incredibly easy-to-read serial number on it. John is upset Clark did that and takes off. Um, literally.

In an armored van racing to Checkmate’s headquarters, Green Arrow is handcuffed to a chair. Tess is considering taking his sunglasses off to see who he is, but Waller pops up on screen. Tess leaves as Oliver wakes up. Waller welcomes him to Checkmate and Oliver says, “I don’t remember signing up for chess club.” Waller tells him he is being forced into recruitment to work for the government. When she is done, Oliver has picked his way out of the handcuffs and pulls some explosives out of his costume to blow the door on the van, which he rides to safety. Doesn’t anyone frisk these heroes anymore? Tess certainly deserves the screamfest that Waller gives her later.

Meanwhile, John has hunted down the man who belongs to the earpiece. Probably because manhunting is his specialty. The guy is actually a CEO living a double-life, working for Checkmate. Apparently he has been scared into loyalty to them because he poisons himself as John interrogates him. John scans his memory for clues and sees flashes of Waller, a rook and the castle. Oh, hey, that’s interesting. A rook IS a castle. Nice. Wow, these chess metaphors are pretty neat…

Chloe has tracked down who the earpiece belongs to, just as Oliver shows up. Clark has an awkward moment as we see a blonde-on-blonde nuzzlefest. Oliver gives them the rundown about Checkmate, and Chloe links that to who Sylvester Pemberton was scared of several weeks ago. But when they get back to business, Chloe discovers that the owner of the earpiece is dead and he is last seen with John Jones. Clark whooshes off. Chloe decides to check on Icicle’s whereabouts at the psych ward at Met Gen because he may be connected to this as well. Oliver wants to go but Chloe insists he hang up his tights for the evening. Then Oliver insists they are not tights.

Oliver shows up at the Luthorcorp Shareholder Dinner at Luthor Mansion, where he greets Tess. At this point, I’m baffled that they have not recognized each other. I knew Tess didn’t know Oliver was Green Arrow from the van scene, but I didn’t think Oliver didn’t recognize Tess in the wig. But then again, in a world where a man will soon hide his world famous super-face with just a pair of glasses, it’s not totally unbelievable. But in a scene reminiscent of Batman Returns, where Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle discover each others’ alter-egos by repeating some lines they said “in costume”, Tess and Oliver figure each other out.

As Clark follows the clues from the morgue to Tess’s office, John Jones has already infiltrated the castle. He discovers the blood slide Lois acquired from Bernard Chisolm’s House of Horrors and Waller shows up, asking who he is working for. When he doesn’t give it up, she traps in flames. Meanwhile, Chloe has a gadget fight with a shifty doctor at Met Gen. As she remote scans his PDA, he pulls off a COUNTERSCAN, which just is made even more silly when the LED lights on his PDA show it in big bold letters. Oh yeah, and we get yet another chess piece – a pawn. I guess they must think of Chloe as a pawn to get to The Blur at this point.

Oliver has to defend himself against more tights accusations from Tess. Oliver really had some funny lines tonight. Especially when she throws a knife at him, and he informs her they are not in a cartoon. Cheesy inside jokes like that are so much more palatable than the barrage of chess metaphors we got. Clark zips in and grabs Tess, and in a flash, he is dangling her off a building. By now, Smallville viewers are realizing that when it comes to Clark interrogating Tess, there is no good cop.

Tess tells Clark, after begging for her life, that she is a part of Checkmate, Amanda Waller is the White Queen and she first involved Tess in her first days at Luthorcorp, because she wanted information about Lex’s alien investigations. However, she never told Waller about Clark or the Kandorians. In fact, something called Watchtower is actually the target. DA DA DAAAAAAAA!

At the castle, John tricks a guard into freeing him from his flame cell. Clark shows up in Waller’s office, shrouded in darkness. Waller admits to not being a fan of the costume. Has anyone this season told CK that his dark threads are kicking? I don’t believe one person has. If anything is going to get him to go back to the red and blues, it’s going to be peer pressure. Anyway, Waller tells him that Checkmate needs his help to stop an alien invasion. He has a choice to be with them or against them. And, uh, if he says “against”, Chloe’s head will be ventilated. She makes him step out of the shadows and lectures him about something that seemed to be a metaphor for chess as well. These Checkmate folk need to get a new game to make metaphors about. Seriously! “You wouldn’t have a Chance at getting Free Parking even if you won 2^nd prize in a beauty pageant, Mr. Blur! Mwahahahaha!” Oh wait, Monopoly is more of a Lex game. He’s the one that’s all about the real estate.

Waller wants the identities and locations of all the Justice League members from Watchtower along with Clark’s loyalty. She also lectures him on how vulnerable his greatest asset, Chloe, is. But then, the power goes out. Clark uses his super hearing to figure out where in the castle the guard is, and then begins one incredibly creative action scene. The problems with the power in the castle started this strobe effect, so the whole fight was seen in flashes. I really dug it. In fact, I ended up rewinding the DVR to watch it again. The best part was the last bit after the guards were taken out. You see Clark face to face with Chloe as he checks to see if she is alright, they stare at each other for a moment, and in the next flash, they’re already gone. Excellent job, Smallville!

Back at the Watchtower, Clark is freeing Chloe from her handcuffs. I don’t know how far away that castle is, but could he have put her down for a moment during the run home to make her wrists a little more comfortable? Clark is feeling guilty, but not because of the handcuffs. What Waller said hit home for him, and he apologizes to her. She understands because she knows she has been acting a little unorthodox. Not that she admits that she has a weapons cache to defend against the Kandorians or anything, but the two are now a little more honest. But Chloe is still worried that Waller knows who they are.

The next scene, conveniently enough, we see John erasing the memory of Amanda Waller. He has also destroyed the blood slide, too, effectively putting her in checkmate. Oh great, now I’m doing it, too! We also see Tess beg for Oliver’s help at a coffee shop, but he turns his back on her because he can’t trust her. I swear, as evil as that woman can be, I still feel bad for her. Look at all she’s had to put up with between Zod and Clark and now Oliver.

Back at Kent Farm, Clark is relieved to hear that their identities are safe. But he is still haunted by Waller’s words as it is concerned with the Kandorian problem. Eventually he might still need to choose a side. John reminds him that he is here for something much greater than this. Clark asks him who he is working for, and John tells him that sometimes things aren’t always black and white. Like a chessboard. Ugh.

At the end, Amanda Waller is upset that her plans have been foiled by people she can’t remember, but is intrigued to find a red queen sitting on a lone chessboard. Is it game on, or off with her head?

All in all, an excellent episode. Lots of action, funny lines and good stuff to write about – all I can ask of Smallville. So, who do you think is the Red Queen? I know I have one idea, but I just don’t see her as the covert government ops type. Maybe her time away from the show changed her……

Welcome back to another installment of Goodman Covers, your look into the Superman comic universe.  This time we will be taking a look at this week’s latest comic release: World of New Krypton #8. You can read the full review after DC’s official solicitation and the jump:

On a mission in space, Superman and his fellow Kryptonians encounter the might of the Thanagarian Army. Can Superman keep things peaceful between the two races – or will The Man of Steel discover that Hawkman’s legendary temper is shared by all his people?

World of New Krypton #8

Written by James Robinson and Greg Rucka

Art by Pete Woods

“Good. Grand.”

These two words are repeated several times throughout this eighth issue of World of New Krypton and perfectly describe the quality and scope that this book carries.  Without getting into spoilers, this issue really starts to see more galactic dealings of New Krypton, as a battle rages between the Thanagarains (think Hawkman and Hawkgirl) and the Kryptonians.  The Thanagarains are just as interesting and diverse as the Kryptonians, and Wing Master Dae is one of my favorite new characters.  I hope we see more with her and the rest of the Thanagarains in the months to come.

The space battle and the political negotiations that take place throughout the issue really reminded me of the Star Wars prequels.  While some might consider this as a bad thing, in the case of World of New Krypton, that isn’t true.  For example, with the battle scene, Robinson and Rucka do a great job with the written execution, and Pete Woods’ art is perfectly suited to show the chaos of the battle.

I was concerned about the necessity of this book when it was first announced, but month in and month out, Robinson, Rucka, and Woods continue to make the adventures of Superman and New Krypton interesting and intriguing to read. From the start, the book was good, and the scope was grand and 8 issues into the series, nothing has changed.  World of New Krypton is hard for me to recommend to those that have not been reading the series from the start, but if you’ve been following it for this long, you won’t be disappointed.

What did you think? Sound off in the comments below!

Over the past couple of weeks there has been a “cold war” of sorts that has started between myself, Steve Glosson host of Starkville’s House of El, and some of the masses that post on other sites and forums concerning the venom that has been spewed on our beloved Smallville, based on the attacks of others.

The war has broken down into anger-filled rants against these people given by Derek and myself, and quite frankly, they’ve had some words about us too. I stand by my complaints against those who would tear down the honest work by the producers, directors, writers, actors, and crew of a television show that has made just about every night of the week something to look forward to at some point in history.  (Remember Smallville started on Tuesdays, moved to Wednesdays, then Thursdays, and now Fridays…I think if the show does go to a tenth season it should be aired on Mondays to round out the weekday hat trick.)

However, there have been some good points made, though one has to sift through mounds of vulgarity and unfounded criticisms of an actor’s performance here or a story choice there to actually see the points.

Ultimately, as a fan of this show, if you don’t like the direction the show has taken or the direction taken with a certain character or relationship, that’s fine.  Part of episodic television is that everyone can’t be pleased every week.  There are going to be people who like a certain aspect of the show that may eventually go away, and this may cause the viewer to no longer enjoy the show.  In this case, opinions are valid and, honestly, should be aired, albeit in a well thought out polite manner.  Instead, what a rather vocal portion of fandom has chosen to do is to attack the show runners, writers, and actors who put in a lot of hard work just to entertain their viewers on a weekly basis. (I use the term “vocal” because I’m not sure how “large” this particular part of fandom is.)

As I stated, I stand by my rant on episode 128 of the show against the idiocy of  some who have chosen to be rude and downright mean in their comments concerning those involved with the production of Smallville.   However, I felt compelled to bring to you a response to those criticisms which I feel like have some sort of validity to them from a Smallville fan’s standpoint.  Issues with the direction of the show in season nine, issues with direction of certain characters, primarily Chloe, and problems with the CHARACTER of Lois are all things that can be discussed calmly and politely, if not a little heatedly.  That is what I am seeking to do here.  What follows is my response to the critics.

This is why I still watch Smallville…

The direction of Smallville has changed decidedly in recent years.  This season, the show has become, as Derek stated in his review of  “Savior”, a decidedly more Superman show.  I honestly can’t speak to whether or not this was the original intent of Al Gough and Miles Millar, though I feel pretty confident that they had a more short term vision in mind when they came to the Smallville table.   However, as fate and ratings would have it, Smallville has lived beyond the teen angst of Clark and the gang’s high school years.   It has remained one of the CW’s flagship shows.  Indeed, it has grown into something that hasn’t been nearly this  successful since George Reeves brought the Man of Steel to the masses over half a century ago.   It’s true that no Superman related show has ever enjoyed the longevity of Smallville.  To that end, there is destined to be a section of Smallville fans that are alienated by the turn to more comic bookish/sci-fi television.

However, the catch is this.  Had Smallville remained the teen angsty show that it was in it’s first few years, it most likely would have ended somewhere around season 6.  Why?  Because most television fans won’t accept a television show where the characters in which they have invested hours of time don’t change.   Most television fans won’t accept a television show that tries so hard to remain what it’s always been because it would get boring.   If Clark were still running the farm pining after, hooking up with, and breaking up with Lana, even the most die hard fans would grow cold to the show.  Even if Clark jumped from Chloe to Lana and back, fans would get bored with the same old same old.  It stands to reason that Clark had to begin to get out of Smallville and find himself as a hero in Metropolis.  The gang had to grow up.

If the problem is that this show is now more of a Superman show than it’s ever been, then I submit that it’s nowhere near enough of a Superman show to be considered a Superman show.  The truth is that Clark, in the show, is at a point where we’ve never really seen the character before.   He’s in his early twenties trying to get his life figured out.  Comparably, the only time we’ve seen Clark at this age in other incarnations is the Superboy television series and a few pages of Superman: Birthright, a limited series written by Mark Waid about 7 years ago that gave us a new origin for the Man of Steel.  In the silver age, there was a story where Superman recounted deciding that he was no longer a boy and was now SuperMAN.  It was hokey and fun, but the transition from Boy of Steel to Man of Steel seemed a bit too easy.   While on the subject, let’s face it, as great as Superman: The Movie is, Clark did spend TWELVE YEARS with Jor-El in the fortress and suddenly have the big blue suit at the end of things.  So…no angst…no struggle…just…twelve years and here he is.  Which worked in the movie, but no so much in episodic television.

What we have now is a young man struggling with the destiny he must accept.  He still has a desire to cling to the values given to him by Jonathan and Martha, but also desires to be able to distance himself from those he loves to better be able to serve humanity as a whole.  This isn’t the Superman we read about in comics. Why?  Because Clark in Smallville isn’t there yet.  He’s headed there though.  That’s what makes this season of Smallville so compelling to me as a Superman fan…Clark is soooo close, I can see it, you can see it, but none of the people around Clark have any idea just how great he is going to be.

I have a Star Wars analogy to make, but I will refrain.

I’m now 32 years old.  When I look back on my life, I realize that when I was 23 I wasn’t sure what I was gonna do with my life, much less what my destiny was.  Honestly, I’m still not sure what I’m gonna do with my life.  I have a career that I enjoy, I have the whole podcasting thing that is fun, and there are few signs pointing to the fact that there will be any drastic changes in my life anytime soon.   However, I still don’t know if where I am now is my destiny or not.  I still don’t know what I’m gonna do with my life.  When I look back to almost ten years ago though, I was then only a shadow of who I am now.  That’s where Clark and the gang are.  Lois may be a reporter for the Daily Planet, but she’s not the STAR reporter.  Clark may be wearing the \S/ – but he’s not Superman.  Chloe may be Watchtower, but she’s not…well, Chloe is the X factor isn’t she?  My point is things change.  It’s part of the reality that the creators have striven to have at the center of a world where the fantastic is possible.  I accept it, I enjoy it, and I move on.  Do I have a few problems with the way things have progressed?  I think I do.  I think it makes me uncomfortable that Clark can’t snap his fingers and just be Superman.  I think it makes me uncomfortable that I have loved Chloe so much for so long that she got married, became a widow, and now seems to be at odds with her lifelong best friend.  Then I think back to my life.  I think about how much has changed since I was a Freshman in high school.  I think of the falling outs I’ve had, the fences I’ve mended, the mistakes I’ve made, and how those moments shaped my life today, and I start to buy into the direction Smallville has taken.

Then there’s Chloe.  As I wrote earlier, Chloe is the X factor on this show.   She is the one character for whom we have no precedent.  We don’t know her ultimate fate, and no matter how much we like her, we can’t look at the creators and say, “THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE COMICS.”   Some have said that Chloe turning away from journalism is a light switch.  In other words, with no rhyme or reason Chloe left journalism.  The truth is, that most of our life changing choices are light switch moments.  We may have thought about things.  We may have struggled with things, but the choices we make happen in a moment.  Sometimes even those closest to us have no idea we were considering the change.  I can only speak definitively for myself, but for years I was on course to do something fairly different with my life than what I am currently doing.  The moment I decided to shift courses came in a light switch moment.

Chloe went from reporting on the amazing to being a part of it.   Chloe could have said, “I love journalism, so I’m gonna stay at the Planet rather than become a part of a group of the most powerful people on Earth.”   But she said, “I love journalism, but I found something I love more.”  There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s a very real turn of events in a person’s life.

Let’s not forget that the turn from journalism as Chloe knew it started the moment she found out about Clark’s abilities.  In her desire to protect her friend, she started to pull back on the things she reported.  Then, she found out she had meteor powers, and that sealed the deal on stepping back from “her style” of reporting.

Most people peg Chloe as an intelligent, passionate reporter.   All of that is based on what the girl did in high school.  This is a young lady that pushed for stories of meteor freaks and was on her own personal campaign to prove that kryptonite gave normal people incredible abilities.   The very story that got her a job at The Daily Planet was a story on krypto-vampires.   I’m not saying that Chloe was a one trick pony, but the closer things hit to home, the more she pulled away from those stories, and the more she pulled away from those stories and found out about this other side of life – the super hero side of life – she discovered she was more passionate about being a PART of the amazing rather than just reporting on it.  I like that.  It’s true growth.  It makes sense to me.  It should make sense to anyone who had one idea of themselves as a teenager and has since learned who they really are.

I submit that Chloe’s character has not been destroyed in the eight plus seasons of Smallville.  Rather, Chloe’s character has taken a journey.  Like most television shows, some of the changes may have seemed to come out of the blue, but I don’t feel like any of them have been unbelievable.

Of course, there’s the question of Chloe and Clark’s relationship.  They had their two seconds way back at the end of season one.  Frankly, for three years, I wanted more.  I wanted Chloe and Clark to have their time in the sun.  However, as happens all too often in life, it wasn’t meant to be.  What an adult thing of Clark and Chloe to accept that and choose to keep their friendship in tact.  Chloe has been Clark’s most loyal supporter and his biggest fan.  Chloe has believed completely in Clark.  Chloe has been there for Clark again and again and he has been there for her.  Now, in the wake of personal tragedy, a wedge has been driven between them.  This doesn’t make Chloe or Clark a villain.  It makes them more realistic.

Honestly, we’ve seen Clark and Chloe at odds before.  Think back to season two and three when a love-spurned Chloe agreed to investigate Clark for Lionel Luthor.   Did this “destroy” Chloe’s character?  It’s the closest to being a villain that she’s ever been on the show, outside of the Brainiac stuff, and it didn’t “destroy” her character.  Ultimately, because she was trying to help Clark…at the expense of everyone else around her.   How has that changed?  it hasn’t.   Clark is still the one person for whom she’d sacrifice everything.  She still believes in Clark that much.  The problem is the grief she is experiencing over the loss of Jimmy, coupled with a sense of confusion and (a little bit of) jealousy that Clark won’t break ties with Lois as seemingly easy as he did with her are causing the two to be at odds.

But why was it so easy for Clark to leave Chloe behind?  Because Chloe knows Clark completely.  To Lois, the Red Blue Blur was just a faceless hero.  When he talks to Chloe, she knows all of the hurt, all of the failures, all of the weaknesses, that Clark has.  To Lois, he’s perfect, impeccable, and can do no wrong.   That’s hard to give up.  It’s hard to leave the accolades and be left with reality sometimes.  So, yeah, Clark said goodbye to Chloe pretty easily.  He didn’t let go of Lois.  I can buy it.  I can also buy the ultimate repairs that will be made to Clark and Chloe’s friendship.

Oliver has been a sticking point for many as well.  Here’s a guy who was seemingly altruistic with very few vices who woke Clark up to the need to be a hero for everyone, not just the people around him.  Now he’s on a path of self destruction.  Why?  Guilt.   If one follows the path of Oliver Queen from the time we were first introduced to him in season six to the point we now see him, we will see a man who was obsessed with a mission to take down Lex Luthor’s schemes, to a man who has some questions about his place among those with extraordinary powers, to a man who questions the loyalties of those he’s put his trust in when he found out the truth that Clark already knew about Ma and Pa Queen, to a man who was out for vengeance and didn’t care what that looked like – until he got some form of vengeance – to a man who was dealing with his actions, to feeling like a good, innocent person was put in harm’s way and killed because he failed to do what was needed.  So, yeah, now he’s on a spiral of self destruction that will have to be resolved.  It’s the nature of storytelling to introduce conflicts to a character whether they be external or internal, and Ollie’s conflicts have always been primarily internal.  Season nine is no different for him.

Finally, there’s Lois.  Lois Lane is a name that is as embedded in pop culture as Clark Kent and Superman.  Lois and Clark go together like peanut butter and jelly.   There are a few things that cannot be forgotten when discussing the character of Lois though.

First, there is the argument that Lois is more intelligent than she has been portrayed on the show.   Really?  Are we talking about a character that for over fifty years worked with Superman…right across the desk from him nonetheless and never knew it?  Are we talking about a character that constantly put herself in danger only to have Superman bail her out?  Yes.

Don’t get me wrong.  Lois is intelligent.  However, the defining characteristic of Lois in her 70 year history has never been the intelligence.  Her defining characteristic (outside of her feelings toward Superman) has been her tenacity.  Smallville’s Lois is nothing if not tenacious.  Partier? Sure.  Sleep around with various and sundry men? Ok.  Ultimately, though, this is a more tenacious, yet compassionate Lois than we’ve been given in any incarnation of the character outside of the comic book panels.

In all of my years as a Superman fan, I never thought Lois received any of her accolades by being more intelligent than the next reporter.  Rather, she gets to where she is by being strong, willful, courageous, and unstoppable when she is turned on to a story.  Her instincts are unparalleled, and her drive is unstoppable.

In the past, when we’ve been introduced to Lois, she is Perry White’s top reporter, she’s an established journalistic force to be reckoned with, and in some instances, she’s a Pulitzer Prize winning writer.  Smallville has given us a Lois that has yet to accomplish any of these things, but it’ll come one day.  The things we see on Smallville are her learning to be what she will one day become.   Lois has gone from no interest in journalism to a desire to seek out the truth at any cost.  Is it completely altruistic?  I don’t think so, but I honestly don’t know that Lois has ever been completely altruistic in her actions in any format we’ve seen her.  Her motives have always been to prove herself, draw out Superman, or win that aforementioned Pulitzer.   Will she go after her goals by any means possible?  Any legal means, and some means that are a bit shadier than legal.   That’s the Lois we all know from 70 years of comics, cartoons, movies, and other television shows.  This Lois is the Lois that is becoming that Lois, and knowing where she ends up, I completely buy in to where she is now.

In the end, that’s the thing we can’t forget as viewers.  We are in an untapped time in the lives of Clark, Lois, and of course Chloe.  If a person is unhappy with the show, I have to believe it’s one of two reasons.  Either the person doesn’t like where the characters are in relation to where they will one day be, or the person doesn’t like where the characters are based on where they began in the show.   You know what?  That’s ok.  We can talk all day long about those things.  However, when one trashes the cast and crew of the show, he or she negates any intelligent argument that he or she may have as it pertains to criticism of the show.

Fan fiction, speculation, and what if conversations all have their place in fandom.  However, attacks on the people who have only sought to entertain us for an hour a week over the past eight years have no place in any discussion.

My conclusion is that if you don’t like Smallville, let’s talk about it.  Let’s geek out about what we wish could be.  Let’s talk about the possibilities of what could have been.  Let’s celebrate the moments that made us cheer.  Let’s discuss what is and why it may not be so bad.  Let’s be entertained.  Then, if you’re still not convinced, maybe it’s time to let it go.  It’s what I would do…but that’s just me.  For now though, I’m honestly hooked.  I still watch Smallville because it still entertains me.  It’s still a show about the rise of the greatest super hero of all time, and my favorite super hero of all time.  It’s still a fun show, a surprising show, and I’m still invested in these characters after all these years.  That’s why I still watch Smallville.

Finally, to quote so many of our great listeners in their e-mails, “sorry I went on so long.”

Of course, last week saw the release of Superman: Secret Origins, but what did we think of it? The spoiler-free review is here for you reading pleasure after the jump. Sound off and let us know your thoughts on this first issue!

Superman: Secret Origins #1

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Gary Frank

We all know the story, a planet on the verge of death, a parents’ last desperate attempt to save their only son.  A ship crash-lands on the planet of Earth, a kind couple in a small town takes in a baby from another world and raise them as their own.  This is the story we all know and love, this is the story of Clark Kent, Kal-El, or Superman.  Over the years, there have many different retellings, and Superman Secret Origins is another take on the man of tomorrow’s origins, but there’s something new and fresh about this retelling.

I will try to be as spoiler free as possible during the process of this review.  Let me start out by saying that this first issue is a fantastic start for the 6 issue mini series.  Johns and Frank craft an amazing story that combines elements from the Superman movies, Superman comic book history, and even Smallville.  Unlike past origin stories, Johns doesn’t spend anytime dealing with the last days of Krypton.  We jump straight into the life of a young Clark Kent.  All the important key members of Clark’s childhood in Smallville are there. We see Lana, we see Pete, we see Smallville High, and see Clark starting to gain powers we know and love.  John’s has an incredible handle on the characters of the Superman universe, and the way he writes them makes them feel like we’ve known them for years.  The Kents are just as warm and inviting as they’ve always been, and you really feel for Clark as he begins to learn about his past and how it will shape his future.

One minor issue I have with this issue is the art.  Gary Frank is a fantastic artist, and one of my favorites in the business.  Frank normally draws Superman so that he looks very much like Christopher Reeve.  While this is in no way shape or form a bad thing, Frank tries this same approach for Clark when he is a teenager.  The art falls apart in some scenes, as the teenage Christopher Reeve-ish looking Clark just comes off more awkward than anything else.  I’ve seen Gary’s art before and know that it’s much better than this, so I look forward to some better art in the future.

Art issues aside, Superman: Secret Origins #1 is well worth your time and money.  Johns and Frank look ready to redefine the character for a brand new audience and now is the perfect time to jump into the Superman universe.

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There’s been a lot of great villain centric episodes in the past eight seasons. Some people would agree there’s been better ones than others. I liked the introduction of Toyman in “Requiem”, Lex as “Zod”, Mxyzptlk and several others.

I don’t think one has ever had as much screen time, presence or capability as that of John Corben’s Metallo in the second episode of the season. While Brian Austin Green handles the role perfectly, he’s got some years worth of research from being a comic book fan on how to handle himself and the man pays off. Such a sympathetic character we were introduced to in the premiere, takes a dark turn in the opening seconds of the second episode. It’s a bit sad that a Metallo story can’t involve Lex Luthor in season nine, but It’d be hard for it to make sense now.

As much as I loved “Savior”, this episode is leaps and bounds better to me than the premiere. It felt like everything one would love about an episode of Smallville, plus a little extra for longtime fans. Not only do we get the appearance of Shelby and a mention of Martha Kent, we see what’s become of the Kent household in the void of Clark over the last four weeks.

The wedge between Chloe and Clark takes a greater strain, but Tom and Allison never miss a beat. Handling these characters in a new way is far too interesting to ignore since the friends have gotten along so well these past few years. The duo start off at odds but try to find some common ground before all is said and done. Unfortunately, like all things in Smallville, it’s not that easy. Luckily for us, the two realize some mistakes they’ve made and try their hardest to look forward, even though a grudge can’t disappear in forty-two minutes this time around. Where we end with the two makes me very anxious to see what lies after “Rabid”.

Erica shares most of her scenes with Brian’s “Metallo”, who with his newly found gifts sets out to take vengeance on the Blur, who he blames for his sister’s death. Lois is very Lois in this episode: curious about Clark, searching for the Blur, and trying to get the story. One of my main complaints in these two episodes is that Lois’ realization of the events from Doomsday never came to light. I’ll suggest that somewhere between Lois finding Oliver, and her phonecall with the Blur at the end of “Savior”, she has learned about the demise of Jimmy and Davis. I’ll go as far to say that it’s a scene that was filmed but didn’t make the cut. I’ll anxiously await the season nine DVD for that clip. Even in her scene with Tess (one of my favorite between the two characters) Lois keeps the upper hand in a calm, and cool behavior, especially after being challenged to a rematch.

Tess is on a search of answers herself, trying to locate the missing Kandorians who escaped the mansion. She has some help in that of Stuart, played by Ryan McDonell – some kind of whiz kid who we almost get a kid brother kind of vibe from. Or Lenny Luthor, depending on how you look at it. He knows his stuff though, and while Callum Blue doesn’t appear this round, the presence of Zod is very much felt, almost as if he were watching over our shoulders. Usually when an actor “goes to visit Aunt Nell” or “is in Metropolis” it’s really noticed but with Zod, it’s like he’s in the shadows the whole time and whether you see his face or not, you know he’s there.

We get to see more of Dr. Hamilton who has the unfortunate privilege of encountering Metallo at Metropolis General. His meeting with The Blur is handled great and really feels like something out of a Superman movie.

We get to see more aspects of the Watchtower which I’m growing more and more in love with. I think it’s the most fantastic set they’ve had in the series and I catch something new everytime I watch a scene that takes place in there. You can tell Chloe has been doing some training of her own there, catching the hang of the new Queen technology goodies quite well. I think Allison shined in this episode more than she has in a long, long time. Probably since “Abyss” or “Bride”. Her encounter with Clark at the Kent Farm is particularly noteworthy, as her disdain and judgement of Clark carry out quite well. While Brian has the most screen time and definitely steals the show, this episodes acting award goes to Allison Mack for showing us some sides of Chloe we haven’t seen before. There’s even a shot that will have Chloe fans cheering for more as she tries to protect her cousin.

Erica takes Lois to something that’s so familiar to us, but we haven’t really seen on Smallville, and that’s someone eager to help the hero, in this case being the Blur. Clark’s decisions to implicate Lois in the search for Metallo definitely don’t end well, but the final confrontation between the hero and villain is one of the longest, most heartfelt encounters we’ve seen in this series, and the two characters really make for a tense battle.

One instance between Tom Welling and Erica Durance is my favorite scene of the episode, if not my favorite scene between the two characters of the series. Clark’s playful banter to Lois’ inquisitive nature really brings everything home for the episode and I would have been perfectly fine with it ending right there….

…but we’re treated to more, and the cliffhanger for this episode is one of those things that makes Smallville great.

All in all, my favorite episode of Smallville since “Beast”, and now in my top ten of the series. It’s all so perfectly done. Lois and The Blur/Clark share a lot of scenes in this one, several phonecalls and their final encounter in the Daily Planet bullpen that will have audiences smiling. If there’s one thing Brian and Kelly do well, it’s continuity and from the looks of these two episodes, this season will be no exception. From Kara, to Jonathan and Lionel, to Martha and Shelby, it feels like a show we’ve known for years, while still looking forward to what every man and woman has to do, grow up. Living in the past is not an option for these characters, and while Lois’ dreams continue to haunt her in this episode, the realizations will be something that reach far into the weeks to come for herself and Clark, as they eventually cross paths with Major Zod, and, as funny as it sounds, battle Kryptonian Virus zombies next week.

Lots of people are saying Smallville is having its best season yet. Who am I to disagree? It’s probably the strongest start to a season ever and without a doubt the second strongest episode of a season since “Phoenix”, written by Kelly and Brian themselves. Personally, my favorite seasons go in order of 3, 5, 8, 2, 1, 7, 4, 6 – but I can easily see this one climbing the charts with iconic episodes like this one pulling out all the stops early on. They’re not running out of steam at all, they have a plan of attack that we’ve seen in the first two weeks that will be carried out in months to come. The show is in good hands, the characters are safe, and the story is as super as ever.

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Let’s make this very clear from the word go:

These are the two weirdest episodes of Smallville I’ve ever seen.
You know why? This isn’t Smallville anymore. It’s Superman

And it’s not because of the new suit, or Zod, or the defeat of Doomsday last season, or anything like that.

It’s the writing, it’s the heart, and it’s the adventure. Clark Kent is no longer the boy running from his training and his Kryptonian destiny, he’s the hero that the world needs.

I’m going to keep this very un-spoilery, just putting that out there now. I’ll also be saving my advanced review of “Metallo” for early next week.

This is an all new show this season, it’s the characters we know and love but the dynamic has shifted into something that doesn’t get wrapped up in a nice little bow from week to week.

That’s one complaint I always have with season premieres of Smallville…it feels like that huge cliffhanger we were left with several months earlier can be explained, justified, and fixed in 42 minutes.

Not this time.

If anything, every scene of the season premiere is a new and exciting cliffhanger in itself.

Clark has begun his training with Jor-El, a workshop he’s been skipping out on since season two. And even when the Fortress was formed in 5×01 and he got downloaded for all of 15 seconds, he still had to exit early to save Chloe’s life, who had been transported to the Arctic with him. Clark finally realized he needed to join Jor-El in the Fortress to continue his training midway through season 6, but not until he had righted the wrong of releasing the prisoners from the Phantom Zone. Once that task was complete, Martha had moved away, and he believed Lana was dead, Clark once again returned to fulfill his destiny and continue his training with Jor-El. The training didn’t begin quite like Clark (or we) thought it would, as his father explained that the appearance of Kara was a mystery, and that he must find the reasons she was on Earth before he could continue.

While that storyline progressed, others occurred. With the Veritas plot, Clark had to battle for his own answers, and have a final confrontation with Lex Luthor in the Fortress, which was destroyed in the process. As season 8 began, Clark and Lex were missing with the Justice League in pursuit. Once again, Clark is found in the premiere and most of the loose ends were tied up…but a new danger arose in that of Braniac and Davis Bloome (aka Doomsday). Once Clark was ready to begin training again, Braniac took control of the Fortress and damaged it, using it as a cocoon for Doomsday to emerge. Clark was able to rebuild the Fortress in an effort to split Davis from his Kryptonian monster side and send him to the Phantom Zone. When he was unsuccessful, he did all he could to destroy Doomsday and save Davis. Ultimately though, Davis was as terrible as the creature within him, and he killed Jimmy Olsen before dying himself.

Clark, riddled with guilt about trying to protect Davis and not defeat him and Doomsday in the process, decided that humanity was his weakness after all, and to be the hero he needed to be, he had to give up all that he’d known as Clark Kent and follow Jor-El’s instructions to become something more. Clark’s decision, however haste, came after the events of the eighth season finale, the falling out between him and Chloe, and the absence of Lois Lane.

Season nine begins three weeks later (on September 25th no less) and a lot has changed in the state of Kansas. Chloe now resides in the Watchtower, actively seeking her cousin after her mysterious disappearance. With the help of the ever loyal Dr. Emil Hamilton, she begins her own journey this season.

While I love Chloe she has remained pretty much the same since the end of season four, even taking into consideration “Chloiac”.  But this is a new Chloe. She’s not the innocent sidekick anymore, but not the loyal friend either. She’s been hurt, betrayed, and left behind. She wants answers and doesn’t want to wait around on her heroes anymore to find them. I really like the scenes between her and Hamilton (who I hope is seen a lot more this season) but at times I can’t tell if he’s flirting or just meant to be a little awkward.

Lois returns from her most excellent adventure, only to be pursued by something that followed her back. As she searches for answers, dreams begin to haunt her. We’ve all seen the flashes of Clark-Lois sex since the scenes were released at Comic Con…but those dreams are only the tip of the iceberg to the fallout of an overall season arc, and one that will not be concluded in the final seconds of “Savior”.

Clark and Chloe reconnect, but it’s not a Clark and Chloe we’ve ever seen before. He’s a hero, she’s been scorned. They are on very different sides of the table this season, and the resentment that’s been left behind makes for some very uncomfortable glares and silences that we’re not used to from the pair of best friends we’ve known all these years.

We get to see the introduction of John Corben, played by Brian Austin Green, who really shines in the second episode of the season, but we’ll get to that. John shares his two scenes with Erica’s Lois Lane and the two work really well off of each other. It makes you very sad to know what’s to come for the iconic Superman villain.
Oliver is in there as well, though his short scenes (which have now been released on the Internet) don’t offer much more than a look into his downward spiral over the guilt of Jimmy’s death. I’m very interested to see where his storyline goes this year.

Callum Blue. What can I say?

Callum Blue is Zod.

I’ll wait while you kneel.

Done kneeling yet?

Good. This guy is INSANE! I’ve never seen anything with him in it before, so I did not know what to expect. His arrogance is impeccable, and the way Blue delivers his lines is like he was made for the role. And he was. The mystery behind Zod’s appearance is another storyline that’s not easily answered in the course of the premiere. And like everything else that happens in this one, I love it.

An overall season arc like this has not been seen before in nine years. Sure we’ve seen a phantom appear at the end of an episode, or a body appearing from underneath a ship…but this is different. It’s fresh, and the twists and turns make for what I guarantee you will be one of the best thrillrides Smallville has ever offered as the season progresses.

Outstanding performance of the premiere? Cassidy Freeman. It’s rare you feel sorry for Tess Mercer, but her loyalty to a glowing orb at the end of last year was based on her trying to be the good guy. The wrong thing for the right reasons rarely ever work out well, and Tess learns that early on in this episode. Her scenes with Major Zod are the stuff of legend, and will only get better as time goes on.

So what’s the stuff people have been dying to know about? The suit.
Clark dons his family crest well, and wears it proudly as he protects the streets of Metropolis. I’ve seen a lot of people refer to this persona as a more Batman type of chivalry, but I disagree. The way Clark watches over the streets reminds me of something out of an Alex Ross painting, or the way Brandon Routh hovered in space, listening, waiting, helping. The red and blue may be missing, but the Blur is still out there, leaving his Zorro-like mark on surroundings of those he saved.

I cannot tell you how much it excites me to see the \S/ around town and on Clark’s chest. It’s the first major push in a long time to a destiny he’s been running from for far too long. Though Clark only shares his scenes with Chloe and Jor-El, he knows what he’s doing is right, and will stop at nothing to do the thing he knows is right.

Jor-El wants him to turn his back on everything, but Lois returning makes that very hard to do. And Lois’ dreams when only further complicate Clark’s destiny with Jor-El and with the Blur as the weeks continue.

I can’t wait to watch it again on Friday night with finished music and affects. One thing that was great to see at the end of this was the names of the remaining two showrunners Brian Peterson and Kelly Sounders. They’ve definitely taken fans to a new place this year, and the season premiere does not disappoint. The show is in good hands yet again and will only continue to thrive as Clark and Zod’s cross paths, with our other characters mingled in the mix.

Get ready, Smallville season nine premieres this Friday, September 25th on The CW.

Check out my thoughts on Smallville The Complete Eighth Season DVD after the jump.

Packaging:

Let’s start off with the first thing anyone is going to see when they look at this one, the box. It’s no secret that Warner Bros has had fun changing the design of our favorite Superman show over the years. The first four seasons were bulky sets with invidual plastic trays for each disc; they then upgraded to a sleeker design when Smallville wrapped it’s fifth season on the CW in 2006. Seasons 5, 6, and 7 all featured a bi-fold design that, when opened, featured a large (epic) image from one particular episode of each season. Season 5 featured Lex/Zod atop LuthorCorp Tower while Metropolis burned below, season 6 had the Justice League walking away from the iconic blast, and season 7 depicted Lex and Clark’s final confrontation in the Fotress of Solitude from that season’s finale. While I loved the images, I kind of felt like it might ruin the show for people who didn’t tune in until the DVD came out. I for one would have been VERY angry if I’d never seen season seven, bought the set to catch up on, and saw one of the last images of the year plastered across the set.

Season eight brings, yet again, a new look for the DVD’s, meeting somewhere in the middle of 1-4 and 5-7. A plastic case insert rests inside the box, and features indivdual trays for the discs yet again (and the crowds rejoice: no more “easy scratch edition” cases!) The plastic lining is clear, and a faint image can be seen of our season 8 cast in the background in the bullpen of the Daily Planet. As always, there is a booklet accompanying the set with a message from our new showrunners, Kelly, Brian, Todd, and Darren, that talks about the challenges of taking the reigns on Smallville in the midst of losing Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, John Glover, and Al and Miles. The booklet also offers a brief synopsis of all 22 episodes of the season, and which episodes/discs contain special features like audio commentaries, unaired scenes, and documentaries.

Content:

I think the episodes of this season speak for itself. It was a high charged change for the show, moving away from the barn and into the streets of Metropolis for Clark Kent aka the Red-Blue Blur. There are new faces and new trials and tribulations, all leading to a climactic battle with Doomsday in the end, and the loss of fan favorite Jimmy Olsen. All 22 episodes are featured, covering the season that aired from September 2008 – May 2009. One thing I love about the DVD’s is the unaired or deleted scenes. Sometimes they’re just fun little moments, but sometimes they are great dialogue that delves deeper into the mythology of the show, and I love that they are able to be seen and get some recognition. Deleted scenes included are from the episode Plastique, Instinct, Legion, Power, Requiem, Turbulence, Hex, Eternal, Beast, and Injustice, and are some great insights into some already fantastic episodes.

There are two episode commentaries this go around, one for Instinct featuring Cassidy Freeman, director Marizee Almas, and Executive Producer Brian Peterson. This one was of the best episodes of the season in my opinion and I’m very glad they devoted one of the features to it. The other was for a huge episode for Smallville in general, Legion, which was written by DC favorite Geoff Johns, who also is featured in the commentary alongside executive producer Todd Slavkin and supervising producer Tim Scanlan. The Legion commentary alone was, without a doubt, worth the purchase of this set. Hearing Johns describe the Legion, what he wanted to do, and where they wanted to go was incredible and a great listen for fans of Superman and Smallville alike.

Two documentaries grace this set, one on the evolution of Doomsday and what it took to bring him into the series, and another behind the scenes look at Allison Mack’s directorial debut with the episode, Power. This was a great look at the cast and crew and makes me wish there had been one for John Schneider, Tom Welling, and Michael Rosenbaum from previous seasons when they directed. The documentaries are great and having two this year was really a treat, though I would have liked to maybe seen a documentary focusing on lots of the DC characters from this year like Maxima and the Justice League, instead of just Doomsday.

The real thing that always bothers me about these sets, is the lack of features. In years past we had gag reels that always made for fun to watch, but I think some things should go deeper than that. It’s no secret that Smallville knows how to put out a trailer or TV spot for upcoming episodes, like the 2009 promo for Legion:

Or the one for Bride, which was particularly epic:

I’m a big fan in these trailers being on the DVD alongside their corresponding episodes, but I’m afraid that’s something we’ll never get to see. One other feature I think that would have been great was the Smallville panel from last months San Deigo Comic Con, which was the first that was attended by Tom Welling, but that might have been too close to the release of the DVD to put together.

In Closing:

A+. Smallvile always knocks it out of the park and there’s even more reasons to love this DVD as it’s one of the strongest seasons of the show. As far as the BluRay goes, the Audio and Video are spectactular and I strongly suggest watching episodes like Legion and Abyss in full resolution for some amazing eye candy. I love that Warner Bros gets these out towards the end of the summer to increase awareness for the upcoming season, and this is no different. Smallville season 9 airs September 25th on The CW so order your Complete Eighth Season today on DVD or BluRay today!

Check it out after the jump to see what she thought of the last bout with Doomsday, and everything else!

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Ever since the day we first heard the spoiler that Doomsday was coming to Smallville in S8, we’ve been waiting to see the inevitable outcome of his arrival: the final showdown between good and evil, played out on the streets of Metropolis. Lots of people assumed we would see Clark die in the fight, the way Superman did in the comic book version of this story. The show put a surprising twist on things by giving us Doomsday in the person of Davis Bloom, who appeared to be a sweet, sensitive paramedic, and the exact opposite of the killing machine we expected. But the real shocker was when it turned out that Clark’s greatest challenge this season came not from the indestructible monster from Krypton, but rather from his best friend, and his brother in arms.

Once Clark realized that Davis was Doomsday, the ultimate destroyer Jor-El had warned him about, he came up with a plan to keep the world safe from him. In fact, he came up with three successive plans, any one of which would have worked. The first and best plan was sabotaged by Chloe, his BFF, because she thought the fate Clark had planned for Davis was too harsh. The second was thwarted by Tess, who destroyed the Phantom Zone crystal in an attempt to force a confrontation between Clark and the beast. And when Clark enlisted the help of the Justice League to ensure the third time would be the charm, they turned on him and literally stabbed him in the back. As the old saying goes, with friends like these, who needs enemies?

Clark allowed Chloe to change his mind about Davis. He decided to ignore his instincts and revise his plan, to try to find a way for the human part of Doomsday to have a normal life. The results were disastrous. Clark was felled by his own allies, Chloe unleashed the beast, and the JL proved powerless to stop his resultant rampage. Doomsday couldn’t be destroyed, but Clark did manage to contain him. Unfortunately, by that time Metropolis had already paid a terrible price. And as Clark battled the beast, the human part of Davis turned out to be a monster, too, who attacked Jimmy and then went after Chloe. In the end both Jimmy and Davis lay dead, a burden Clark will carry on his shoulders for all time, placed there by Chloe and Oliver’s inability to have faith in the hero who stood before them.

The two people who did believe in Clark, Lois and Jimmy, were gone, and everyone else close to him had let him down. Seeing only his own hand in the tragedy of Jimmy’s death, and battered by betrayal, Clark turned away from humanity altogether. Of course he was wrong to do so; of course Clark needs his human side. But I couldn’t help but think he was right, too. I don’t blame Clark for wanting to take a step back. And maybe that’s just what he needs to gain some perspective and balance. I’ve never been more proud of Clark than I am this season, but the one thing he has yet to master is believing in himself. Perhaps by exploring his Kryptonian side without fear or shame, he can finally embrace every part of himself, human and alien both, and truly become the man he is meant to be.

There were a lot of things about this episode that bothered me, and most of them came down to the same problem we’ve seen all too often on this show: too much story to tell, and not enough time or money to tell it properly. Smallville is nothing if not ambitious in trying to give us as much as possible in every episode, especially when it comes to season premieres and finales. Sometimes this can lead to rushed scenes, unexplained details, and plot holes that don’t make sense, where we’re not quite sure what’s going on, and we wonder if something critical didn’t accidentally get left on the cutting room floor. And the ongoing budget cuts are killing this show.

Don’t get me wrong, I applaud what Smallville is able to accomplish given their limited resources, and usually I hardly notice the cut corners. I love that little city block of Metropolis where everything happens, and I’m perfectly happy to see an intensely focused look to represent Clark’s x-ray vision, or an offscreen whooshing sound effect to indicate his super speed. But if I see one more scene filmed next to those old train tracks under Vancouver’s elevated SkyTrain, I think I might scream. And when they end up shortening or even leaving out scenes because the necessary effects are too expensive, that hurts the storytelling. Much worse is that most of the series regulars appear in only half of the episodes. Their absences are notable, and can make the story appear abrupt or choppy. I sometimes wonder if one can truly do justice to a superhero story on a CW budget.

In Doomsday, the things they left out were disappointing. We didn’t get to see the orb explode out of Tess’s safe, or exactly how the JL captured Davis, or what went down at the Geothermal Plant when Clark vanquished the beast. I would have liked to see the conversation where Lois found out that Chloe had run off with a serial killer, or the one where Oliver convinced Bart and Dinah to turn against Clark, or the scene where Clark searched for Lois. I suppose the biggest disappointment was the big fight between Clark and Doomsday, the one we waited all season to see, that turned out to be just a couple of minutes long. What we saw of it was awesome (beyond the actual fighting, I loved the car catch, and Clark with the little girl), but it was so short! We also saw an overhead shot of Metropolis that was recycled from Vessel, and the big explosion was obviously unused footage from Justice. Noticing that took me right out of the moment.

What redeemed the episode for me, however, was every moment that Clark was oncreen. Between bad news and bad friends, Clark took a lot of hits this week, but never gave in to anger or despair. Instead he was my hero, completely focused on just one thing: removing Doomsday as a threat to mankind. Only when that battle was over did he finally break down.

I loved the scene between Clark and Rokk at the top of the episode, with both of them so serious, where Clark refused to regret his decision to save Chloe from Brainiac, and Rokk smiled because he expected nothing less from his hero, Kal-El. Clark took the sobering news that his own end could be near with courage and determination, prepared to die for the people of Metropolis if that’s what it took to keep them safe. But first he sought to leave them a message, of hope and inspiration:

To the Citizens of Metropolis: You have welcomed me into your city and allowed me to make it my home. I will always be grateful for that. Which is why I cannot leave without saying goodbye. This newspaper has made me into what you think I am – an example, a symbol, a “hero.” But the truth is, I’m simply one of you. The only difference is that my days in the shadows and my nights on the streets have allowed me to see what you’ve lost sight of – the good in each of you. I’ve seen regular people do extraordinary things. I’ve seen you help each other up after you’ve been knocked down. I’ve seen you stand together when times are tough. And I’ve seen the smallest act make the biggest change. If I’ve done anything right, I hope it’s help you realize one person can make a difference in the lives of others – that Metropolis doesn’t need a hero. Have faith in yourself, and you will find hope in each other. Remember, it’s not the mask that makes the hero. It’s the choices we make and the desire to do what’s right. I’ve seen that desire in all of you. It inspired me to promise I would do everything in my power to protect this city – but I can’t promise that I’ll be around forever. One day, there may be a fight I cannot win. But if that day comes, please, keep fighting without me to make the world a better place. Be the heroes I know you are. — The Red-Blue Blur

*sniffles*

I love Clark so much. Clark’s RBB phone conversation with Lois was a beautiful moment that brought both of them hope. Clark was reeling, trying to come to terms with what his fate might hold, and Lois was frantic with worry over Chloe. He promised to find her cousin, and she showed him just how complete her faith in him truly was. These two need each other! I have no doubt that Lois will play a critical role in bringing Clark back from the edge, once she gets back from the future, that is. I think losing Lois was the final blow for Clark, the one he could not withstand.

The scene where Jimmy learned Clark’s secret was wonderful. And heartbreaking. As soon as we saw Clark’s cut heal right before Jimmy’s eyes, we could read the handwriting on the wall. So even as my heart swelled to see Jimmy’s absolute joy and Clark’s quiet happiness as they shared this moment (complete with Supes music), my eyes filled with tears, because I knew just how short-lived that joy would be. It wasn’t Jimmy’s death scene that made me cry, but this one, where we saw the incredible potential of this character, but realized, sadly, that we were about to lose him. Still, I loved this scene, and have watched it again and again.

My favorite scene of the episode was Clark’s last, with Chloe. Coming from Jimmy’s funeral to the place where he died, his blood still staining the floor, Clark was devastated. He was in mourning for his friend, but also for so much more: the loss of faith, and trust, and hope. He looked so sad, and so alone. But along with the bleakness in his eyes, there was something more: a steely resolve. When Clark said, “Clark Kent is dead,” I heard the promise of something hard and ruthless inside him being given free reign, and a desperate inner struggle to come. I can only hope that a superhero will be forged in the fire of that conflict. As Clark said goodbye and walked away, only to disappear, my heart went out to him. I hope next season brings us light as well as dark, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Tom Welling brings to his performance as Clark without his humanity.

I was intrigued by the showdown between Lois and Tess. Lois’s fierce loyalty to her family is one of the things I like best about her, and I loved that she didn’t apologize for breaking into Tess’s office, or even seem embarrassed that she was caught. Was it her snooping for information about Chloe that made Tess suspect her of stealing the orb? Or was Tess remembering Faora and her talk of Kal-El? When Tess meets Zod, will she remember that Faora mentioned him as well? Things could get very interesting between these two next season! In any case, their banter was fun, as was their catfight atop the desks of the Daily Planet. I know Lois has bigger problems right now, being zapped into the distant future and all, but I’m guessing she’ll be out of a when she gets back.

The other scene I liked a lot was Jimmy’s encounter with Lois in Tess’s office. Cute, funny, and awesome. That is the Jimmy I’ve always loved, not Chloe’s insecure, jealous boyfriend. Why do they wait until the episode in which they’re going to kill him off to tease us with the Jimmy who might have been? Oh, we’ve seen him before, just not very often. Taking sneaky photos while meeting with Lex in Fallout. Having a heart-to-heart with Clark in Sleeper. Working at the DP in Apocalypse. Vowing to track down Metropolis’s mystery hero in Prey. Every moment of Identity. I never liked the Chimmy, but Jimmy as sidekick, comic relief, and DP photographer completely won me over, as did Aaron Ashmore. I’m sorry to see Jimmy go, even sorrier that they killed him, and sorriest of all that they stripped him of his iconic identity as well. It just seems like a slap in the face to everything AA has contributed to this show, and the great character he brought to life. I know the official story is that DC had a problem with the age discrepancy between Smallville’s Jimmy and the one in the comic books, but when you already have Super!Lana and U.S. Senator Martha Kent on the show, and you’ve supposedly killed off Lex Luthor, that seems kind of nitpicky. And don’t even get me started on Jimmy’s last scene, with Chloe. Ugh.

So let’s talk about Chloe. I am so angry with her right now! All season long I’ve been making excuses for her in my head, calling her behavior OOC as she questioned Clark’s actions and told him what to do, time and time again. But when she lied to Clark and betrayed him so that she could run off with Davis, I finally had to accept that Chloe no longer has the same loyalty to Clark she once did. She said she did it all for Clark, but I don’t buy it. Everything about the way she interacted with Davis said there was more to it than that. She herself told Davis she once thought she loved him. Was that before or after she “never left” Jimmy? And using the black kryptonite on Davis was all about helping him, and nothing to do with Clark. I’m also outraged that she never apologized to Clark for any of it. Her plan to control the beast didn’t work. She screwed up. And yet, right up until he walked out on her, she was still telling Clark how he was doing it wrong, and making it all about her. I haven’t been this mad at Chloe since she made her dirty deal with Lionel at the end of S2. I loved her more than ever in S3, and I hope I will love her again in S9. But right now? Not so much. Whatever she’s suffering, she brought upon herself.

Oliver was awful in this episode, and even worse, he corrupted the JL as well. I couldn’t believe that Black Canary would lure Clark to an ambush! Or that Oliver would shoot him in the back!! And then they just left him there on the ground, writhing in pain, at the mercy of whomever came along. And these are the good guys?! Was Ollie’s single manly tear at Jimmy’s funeral supposed to signify his return from the dark side, instantly cured by remorse after seeing the consequences of his actions? I hope it’s not that easy. I wonder if they’re going for a complete role reversal next year. Will we see the same man who helped strip Clark of his faith in humanity try to restore it? Or will Oliver’s darkness continue?

Random thoughts: Edge City looks a lot like Metropolis looks a lot like Smallville. *rolls eyes* Tess and Lois are furiously fighting, and Lois finally gets the upper hand when she knocks Tess out with a ring box? The JL have captured the most powerful creature in the universe, and they restrain him with plastic zip ties. Then they stand around and wait for him to wake up. And when he breaks free, how is it that they’re all just left unconscious, instead of ripped to shreds and dead? How in the world could Jimmy afford that place he gave to Chloe? Even as a fixer upper, it had to cost millions. Awww, and Jimmy almost gave Clark his hero name. He’s some kind of super… guy!

Because of all the spoilers and hype, and the comic book canon about Doomsday, a lot of fans came to this episode with expectations. Most were surprised by what they found. Clark didn’t die. Neither did Chloe or Lois. Jimmy did. Except Jimmy wasn’t Jimmy, he was Henry. Jimmy Olsen was a young boy we met for the first time at his brother’s funeral, not the sweet, funny guy we’ve known for the past three years. Rather than a tragic figure who struggled to conquer his inner demons and failed, Davis was simply a monster. The fight between Clark and Doomsday was over almost before it began. The Daily Planet was not destroyed. Clark still didn’t fly. And instead of recreating the iconic Death of Superman image with Clark and Lois, the show gave it to us with Jimmy and Chloe. In true Smallville fashion, everything had a little bit of a twist. And in the end, Clark Kent simply walked away. Most Smallville finales have left me on the edge of my seat, saying I can’t wait to find out what happens next. And while I’m certainly looking forward to the next step on Clark’s journey, and wondering how the show will resolve the crisis he is now facing, mostly Doomsday just left me feeling sad. For better or worse, S8 is a wrap. And I, for one, am ready for a break.

Check it out after the jump to see what she thought, what she liked, and what left her wanting more.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Every year I look forward to the episode that Tom Welling will direct. He’s been behind the camera as well as in front of it for one episode each year since S5, and they have all become favorites of mine. I don’t think anyone has a more clear vision of the man Clark Kent is meant to be than Tom, and when he is given the artistic freedom to direct himself and craft an entire episode, something magical happens. Injustice was a story of unrelieved darkness, with no romantic lightness and little comic relief, where Clark faced challenges at every turn, and realized that saving mankind truly might be something he is destined to do, like the heroes in the comic books, alone. And once again Tom rose to the occasion, giving us an episode that inspired us even as it broke our hearts, and showing us exactly why Clark Kent will one day be the symbol of hope for an entire planet.

I don’t think Clark has ever felt more alone than he does right now. Everyone around him in this episode questioned his judgment, and told him his plan to dispatch Doomsday would fail. They urged him to kill the monster instead, if that’s even possible. But convinced by Chloe’s passion in the Fortress, and the drastic actions she has taken, he has resolved to find a way to save Davis before following through with his original plan of banishing Doomsday to the Phantom Zone. I think looking to Black!K for a solution is a desperate measure, with no predicate for success in this situation. I also think Clark is giving Davis too much benefit of the doubt. Clark hasn’t seen all the sides of him that we have, and I remain convinced that Davis is but a thin veneer covering the beast within, and that the woobie part of him is more manipulation than truth. I love Clark for his faith in Davis’s humanity, but I have a bad feeling about this.

This week Tess assembled the Injustice League, a group of meteor freaks that included Plastique, Parasite, Livewire, Neutron, and Mirror. She had them hunting for Davis and Chloe, just as Clark and Oliver’s Justice League were doing, but for an entirely different reason. Tess still hopes to force the confrontation between Clark and Doomsday, believing it is the necessary final test Clark must face before he can emerge victorious as the savior of the world. The IJL didn’t know Clark was the fabled Traveler, but they knew he played a part in Tess’s plan, and that was good enough for them. Mirror, a shapeshifter, pretended to be Chloe, and used some very creepy tactics in an attempt to prey on Clark’s devotion to his best friend and convince him to do exactly what Tess wanted.

When Clark found Chloe, frantic and traumatized on a lonely road through the woods, she was dirty and disheveled, and appeared to be naked under her short trench coat. Back at the farm, she was jumpy and tearful, and could barely speak about her experience, her voice shaking as she described how afraid she was. And later, when Oliver asked Clark how Chloe was, he cryptically answered, “Something happened.” Was Tess setting Clark up to believe Chloe had been sexually assaulted by Davis? If so, she truly is ruthless. And sure enough, Clark blamed himself for everything he thought had happened to Chloe, attributing her decision to lie to him and run off with Davis to some failing on his part, rather than her lack of faith in him as a hero. I get that Chloe would never have been exposed to Brainiac or Doomsday if she weren’t in Clark’s life, but she chose to be with Davis, and she knowingly betrayed Clark. Having good intentions doesn’t make her blameless.

Clark’s relationship with Oliver continues to deteriorate. Oliver is a handy ally, but Clark has been reduced to lying to him to get him to do what he wants. Not good, and behavior beneath the future Supes, I think, but it reflects just how deeply Clark distrusts Oliver now. And his feelings were only validated by the shocking revelation that the head of the Justice League keeps and wears a kryptonite ring, and his subsequent admission that he murdered Lex. Even though he shares Clark’s desire to keep the world safe, Oliver hardly seems like one of the good guys anymore.

That said, however, I actually found Oliver more sympathetic than usual in his conversations with Clark in this episode. For once he didn’t hurl wild, unfounded insults at Clark, but rather expressed a lot of frustration that was at least understandable. I still believe he’s totally wrong, of course, but I imagine he speaks for a certain segment of the audience who are not necessarily Superman fans, and are feeling their own impatience with Clark’s reluctance to bend his rules in Davis’s case. The conflict between Oliver and Clark gives our hero the perfect opportunity to articulate what his moral code is, and to present an alternative to Oliver’s vigilante justice, but I worry that the growing rift between them will prove impossible to mend.

I also delighted in Oliver’s scenes with Tess, as he played the sexy spy. Except for Clark’s hilarious first line of the episode, Ollie provided the only moments in Injustice that made me smile, and I thought his charming antics were adorable. And he still looks amazing without his shirt. Or pants, for that matter! I had to laugh when Tess told him it was time for him to leave, and he spread his hands to indicate his glorious bare chest and asked, incredulously, “Really?” As in, have you seen this body?! He was the definition of incorrigible. And I still think there’s something there between these two. Oliver was working his seduction skills way too hard to be completely faking it, and Tess freaked when she thought he was hurt. Plus he raged out of control when Plastique and Parasite hurt her, and seemed to cradle her quite tenderly as he carried her away. I find that fascinating to ponder. Will Ollie decide he has more in common with Tess than Clark?

Tess just keeps getting crazier, and more dangerous. “Clark, the mark of a true hero is somebody who’s willing to sacrifice his own personal morality to help keep the world safe.” WTF? I never know what Tess is going to do or say next, but I always love where she takes us. And she’s such a bundle of contradictions! She’s utterly devoted to Clark, without question. Did you see how devastated she was when he said she was just like Lex? And yet she thinks nothing of lying to him, manipulating him, and trying to change him. She has the passionate fervor of a religious zealot, but also the cold ruthlessness of a sociopath, murdering anyone who gets in her way without hesitation or remorse. I continue to enjoy how straightforward she is as well. There is no more pretense between Clark and Tess about the existence of his abilities, although he still refuses to discuss them with her, or use them in front of her. Do we see more of Smallville’s convenient unconsciousness in her future? And the best thing about Tess is the actress who plays her. Cassidy Freeman more than owns this role, giving us a performance that is unpredictable, yet consistent, and always captivating.

I was stunned to see Tess communicating with the orb at the end of the episode. That explains why she chose its symbol for the IJL jackets. I don’t believe for a moment that anyone from Kandor is speaking to her; that has to be Zod. We don’t know how or where Tess came to possess the orb, do we? I can only speculate that while Brainiac was in Chloe’s body, where, as a human, he could touch the orb freely, he somehow located it, reprogrammed it to serve his only purpose, to bring Zod to Earth, and then delivered it to Tess. Or not. I don’t know, I’m totally guessing here! Does Tess mean to repopulate the Earth with Kryptonians? Or simply bring more of what she sees as a superior race to our world? And how does Clark figure into all of this? Does she seek to give him back a piece of his home planet? In any case, after hearing what the orb said to her about being the savior of Kandor, I’m seeing some of the things she said in the episode in a whole new light: “Clark, don’t you see that I’m doing all this for you?” “I understand that if everyone was more like you, the world would be a better place.” “That’s simple, Clark. An entire civilization’s survival depends on it.” I can’t wait for next week!

Clark was every inch the hero this week, in spite of one devastating hit after another. First he believed Chloe had suffered unspeakable horrors in the name of protecting him. The he discovered just how far Tess was willing to go to manipulate him. Again and again he had his judgment questioned; again and again people tried to thwart his plans. Oliver had a kryptonite ring, and refused to give it up. Further, he confessed to Lex’s murder. Tess stole and destroyed the PZ crystal. And whether Clark could bring himself to recognize it or not, Chloe continued to choose staying with Davis over trusting her best friend to know what’s right. Clark’s world was falling apart around him, but still he stayed strong. He did what he needed to do to put his plan in motion, and he kept his resolve. And when Oliver railed at him, AGAIN, he responded with a speech that made me want to stand up and cheer: “My responsibility is to do what’s right. Like it or not, we stand for something. We set an example for others to follow, and if we don’t, then we’re no better than the people we fight.”

After the events of this episode, Clark is hurt, angry, and frustrated. And utterly alone. But he is far from lost. He’s worried about Chloe, and he’s more worried about the world. But he’s working on a plan, and he’s not backing down. And through it all, in spite of seemingly universal opposition, he remains true to a belief that lies at the core of every choice he has made with regard to Davis Bloom: “No one has the right to choose who lives and dies.” I believe in you, Clark Kent. You go take care of Doomsday the best way you know how; just promise me you’ll come home safe after, okay?

Tom Welling’s performance was wonderful. He always seems so comfortable in his own skin when he directs himself. I loved the strength and fire he gave to Clark, and I equally loved his tenderness and vulnerability. The bleak look in Clark’s eyes after he lied to Oliver, his complete devastation when he thought Chloe had died in his arms, and the quiet, wounded way he asked Oliver about the kryptonite ring, all broke my heart. His heroic moments were just as moving. And I think I have to give thanks to both actor Tom and director Tom for the insane amount of pretty in this one. Between the killer wardrobe, the great hair, the beautiful lighting, the stunning close-ups, and all the shots of that perfect profile, I was swooning every other second. Tom may not do interviews, but he still knows how to give with both hands to his fans.

I don’t pretend to know a lot about directing, but I think Tom’s skill behind the camera is obvious. Injustice was a compelling, dramatic episode, and I was impressed by the choices Tom made with the blocking, the camera angles, the lighting, and many other details. I do have some favorite moments. The Chlark reunion in the woods was both intense and haunting, with a beautiful ethereal quality. Seeing a desolate Clark through the glass of Ollie’s office window, the buildings of nighttime Metropolis reflected on its shiny surface, was a heartbreaking reminder of how alone Clark was at that moment, even surrounded by the big, busy city. I loved the use of slow motion in the climactic scene in Tess’s study. I held my breath on a gasp when Clark and Oliver locked gazes as Green Arrow stalked out with Tess in his arms. Clark’s eyes narrowed in anger and renewed distrust, while Oliver’s face was stony and unapologetic, and we saw every nuance that passed between them. And finally, I found the last scene between Clark and Tess in the barn breathtaking. The warm, pretty lighting and the incredible beauty of the two actors belied the ugly menace of Tess’s ravings. I think Tom should be proud.

Dr. Emil Hamilton rocks. I love his unflappable demeanor and his dry delivery. There was no mistaking his meaning when he explained to Clark that there had been two witnesses to Doomsday’s latest rampage, a man and a woman, and then looked straight at Chloe as he pointedly added, “both dead.” hee! I don’t think he liked the way she threatened him last week. He works with John Jones, he appears to be a deductive genius, he’s a capable hacker, and Alessandro Juliani can deliver exposition with the best of them. Plus I think the character has great chemistry with Clark. I hope we see lots more of him in S9.

I thought the troubled teens of the IJL worked well, although Brendan Fletcher will always be Max Miller from Supernatural to me. His Parasite was suitably creepy, and I liked Jessica Parker Kennedy’s portrayal of Bette much better this time around. With another season (or two!) to go, I suppose we might see these two again. Neutron was kind of hot; it’s too bad they didn’t give the actor even one line before they killed him off.

Random thoughts: Chloe’s control sure didn’t last long. Just a week has gone by, and Doomsday is killing again. Lex had his blue water bottles, and now Ollie has green ones! How did Tess miss the unconscious guard Oliver carelessly left lying in the hallway on the way to her bedroom? I thought the effect used to show Clark’s powers leaving and reentering his body was cool. And Clark was at the corner of Marshall and Beeman? hee!

Now that Tess has destroyed the PZ crystal, it looks as though the fight she wants so badly will come to pass after all. Clark changed his mind about Davis because of Chloe, and will now try to save the man before taking on the beast. When that plan goes horribly awry (and you know it will), will he take that as proof that he needs to retreat from such close relationships with humans, or will he find further cause to heap guilt and blame on his own shoulders? Either way, I see even darker days for Clark ahead. There’s a showdown coming, with consequences for our hero we can’t even imagine yet. I’m afraid this season’s finale will bring us a far from happy ending, but I’ll be there, front and center, to see it for myself. Bring it on, Smallville!

Clark vs. Doomsday – Round 2!

tariel22 shares with us her thoughts on why “Beast” was dark, epic, and awesome.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

This season we’ve seen Clark move closer to becoming Superman than ever before. He has embraced his destiny, and in so doing has struggled with some of the bigger issues of living as a superpowered alien among men, such as revealing his true identity to the world, and deciding what limitations to place on himself to insure he doesn’t abuse his powers and become a tyrant. But I think the biggest adjustment he has faced is the reluctance of his closest allies to fully accept him as a superhero, and to trust him to take a leadership role when his abilities are needed to keep the world safe. Oliver seems to second guess Clark’s every move, and is rudely critical of him on a routine basis, while Chloe lacks faith in his decisions, and feels compelled to constantly tell him what to do. Both of them are hiding things from him, and the situation just got worse in Beast. How is Clark supposed to believe in himself when those who know him best don’t?

Chloe is Clark’s BFF, and outside of Martha, there is no one he trusts more. She has put helping him above everything else in her life, and he would move heaven and earth to keep her safe. But the events of this season have put their friendship to the test, and their lives are no longer as closely entwined as they once were. First Chloe hid her Brainiac enhanced intelligence from Clark, and then they argued over whether her new abilities were a fortunate side effect or an ominous warning sign. Chloe doesn’t know that Clark had Jor-El wipe her memories clean of his secret. Clark doesn’t know that Chloe killed a man who was a threat to him while under Brainiac’s influence. Clark started a whole new life at the Daily Planet, and Chloe wasn’t part of it. Chloe developed a deep friendship with Davis, and Clark knew little to nothing about it. Chloe hasn’t approved of some of Clark’s activities as the Red Blue Blur, and Clark didn’t agree with how Chloe reacted when Jimmy accused Davis of being a killer. Most recently they clashed when Clark discovered how much time Chloe was spending with Davis, and how much she had been keeping from him about the anomalies of Davis’s life. As devoted to one another as these two clearly are, they’ve never been more seriously estranged.

Chloe took even more steps away from Clark in Beast. Almost every word she spoke to him was a lie, she ridiculed his assertion that Davis was still alive, and she even sent him on a wild goose chase to Alaska in an effort to buy herself time to get Davis out of town. She has convinced herself that she only has Clark’s best interests at heart, but I think her motives are a bit murkier. With her erotic dream that ended so gruesomely, her subconscious seemed to be telling her she has a dangerous attraction to Davis, one that may prove fatal to Clark. The plaintive way she said to Oliver about Davis, “he needed me,” spoke volumes, I thought, as did the stricken look on her face when Oliver told her Clark had taken Davis away. In the confrontation with Clark in the Fortress, Chloe’s concern for Davis’s suffering in the Phantom Zone seemed at least equal to her worry over Clark’s guilt about it. Her anger toward Clark was obvious, and the things she said to him were hateful. Even if you theorize it was all an act, that she sought to manipulate Clark for his own protection, I think she crossed a line. When the solution you come up with is just as harmful as the problem you seek to solve, how have you won?

Chloe claimed that she stopped Clark from sending Davis to the PZ because she couldn’t bear to see the burden of guilt it would place on his shoulders. Ignoring for the moment all the pain she caused Clark in achieving that goal, does she honestly think the thought of her, out there somewhere with Davis, giving up everything to stay forever by his side in order to tame the beast, will torture him less? Especially after she dropped the bomb of her excuse for everything she had done to betray him: “Anything I’ve ever done, right or wrong, I did for you.” She said herself that she knew Clark better than anyone. What did she think he was going to do with a statement like that?! We need look no further than that crumpled file cabinet to gauge his emotional distress. Way to go, Chloe. I think she’s playing the martyr here, and I have no patience for that. Her final words to Clark just made me roll my eyes: “Clark, if there’s one lesson I’ve learned from you, it’s that choosing the greater good is never a sacrifice.” *rolls eyes* See? What did I tell you? I think Clark said it best: “Chloe, you’re wrong! You’re wrong, Chloe!”

The real tragedy is that with Chloe’s cooperation, Clark’s plan would have worked perfectly. We saw in the Fortress that Davis physically can’t doom out when Chloe is near, and even loses his strength in her presence. With Chloe by his side, Clark could have opened the portal and sent Davis to the PZ quickly and without a struggle, minimizing the likelihood of Zod escaping, or Clark being sucked in. And I really do think Clark’s solution was the best one. The PZ was created to hold the worst criminals the universe had to offer, and that certainly describes the killing machine known as Doomsday. As Clark pointed out, at least Doomsday could be himself there, and no longer fight against his true nature. If Chloe really is interested in the greater good, she should listen to Clark. Her plan is infinitely more dangerous to the human race. What if something happens to her, or separates her from Davis? What if her soothing effect wanes over time? Then you have Doomsday fully realized, in the midst of humanity. And that would be bad.

Obviously I feel no sympathy for Davis’s plight. I never have. He’s been a monster from the moment he arrived here on Earth, he exists to kill my boy Clark, and he must be stopped. End of story. My take on Doomsday is, he was created to adapt and survive, and the Davis persona is just one of the tools in his arsenal, the one he uses to manipulate the humans who surround him. Isn’t that what we saw in this episode, as he lied to Chloe, and acted differently when she wasn’t around? With Chloe he plays the woobie, because that’s what works, but he was positively chilling in the basement with Jimmy and Oliver, and he couldn’t wait to throw down with Clark once he saw that his attempt at emotional blackmail wouldn’t do the trick. I don’t know if the part of Doomsday that is Davis could ever be separated from the monster within, but it doesn’t look likely. Anyone care to haul out the Black!K and try for a Hail Mary pass in the last seconds of the game? Even if that were possible, I shudder to contemplate the undiluted version of Doomsday that would unleash upon the world.

I both hated and loved Oliver this week. I wanted to kick him for the way he spoke to Clark, especially at the end of the episode. Ollie, you’re such an ass sometimes! But at least he’s consistent in his expectations, and I suspect he’s got an agenda as well. If he can convince Clark to kill Doomsday, maybe that will somehow make the way he murdered Lex seem less awful. [You're grasping at straws, Ollie, but ease your mind. That wasn't the real Lex anyway.] And why does Oliver assume killing Doomsday is simply a matter of Clark agreeing to do so? The guy was already dead, and he came back! In any case, the growing discord between Oliver and Clark worries me. They’re the heroes in this story, and they need to stick together. Oliver needs to swallow some of his arrogance and see that Clark’s is the better way, and Clark needs to tell Oliver to shut up.

On the other hand, Oliver was a wonderful friend to Jimmy in Beast. He didn’t beat around the bush in confronting his drug addiction, but he didn’t humiliate him with it either. And he offered to help without preaching or proselytizing. Oliver really is one of the good guys. He was also great with Davis in the basement, trying to calm him down and keep him that way until Chloe arrived. He’s no dummy. But where he earned my undying devotion was in the glorious smackdown he delivered to Chloe. No, he wasn’t very nice, but I don’t blame him. Her actions almost got him killed. And she needed to hear what he had to say, for all the good that it did. Or maybe I just needed to hear it, because it’s what I’ve been thinking since the moment Chloe took Davis in, and it was immensely satisfying to hear someone speak the words out loud on the show.

Jimmy continued his downward spiral in this episode. Not only did he find out he was right about Davis all along, he learned that Davis was also the beast who destroyed his wedding day and nearly killed him. Worst of all, he found out Chloe had been willingly hiding him in the basement of the Talon. In his weakened, drug-addled state, the news proved to be too much, and he lost all hope, lashing out at Davis and daring him to kill him. Luckily Oliver stepped in to save him from himself, and he escaped, battered but still alive. Oliver extended another helping hand when he offered Jimmy a job. There was a world of difference between the nervous, shifty Jimmy who approached Oliver for a loan early in the episode, and the one who accepted the job from him at the end. Maybe there’s hope for Jimmy yet!

Beast was a little light on Clark, probably because Tom Welling was busy preparing to direct next week’s episode, but I didn’t really notice, because the scenes he was in were all so good. Once again, as far as I was concerned, Clark didn’t make a single wrong move. He investigated his suspicions about Davis, discovered the truth about his resurrection, and formulated a plan to save the world from the threat of Doomsday without the loss of a single life, not even the monster’s. Nothing Chloe or Oliver said kept him from doing what he knew was right, and he was every inch the hero. He truly had compassion for Davis, but he knew there was no place for him on Earth. Hey, Oliver? Clark makes tough decisions all the time. And Chloe? He’s a big boy, I think he can handle living with those decisions. Let’s give the guy a little credit, shall we? Davis chose to fight rather than face a world without Chloe in it, and his brief showdown with Clark before Chloe intervened was a thrilling preview of the inevitable and final conflict still to come. I can’t wait!

When Clark finally realized how completely Chloe had deceived him, he was devastated. He knew she had lied to him about Alaska, but when she showed up in the Fortress, key in hand, there was no longer any question that her involvement with Davis was voluntary. As Clark stared at her, stunned, and quietly asked, “Chloe, what are you doing?” he broke my heart. When she proceeded to berate him for even considering sending Davis to the PZ, of course he stopped and listened. He has always valued Chloe’s opinion. Her condemnation, combined with the shock of her betrayal, made him freeze in confusion, and gave her the time she needed to whisk Davis away.

When Oliver found Clark later, using the bank of monitors at Isis to search for Chloe, he looked grim. He refused to rise to the bait of Oliver’s asinine remarks, but his face told a story of frustration and cold fury. He couldn’t make sense of what Chloe had done, but he never lost faith in her, and never stopped believing the best of her. I wish Chloe could have had that same faith in him. When she called to tell him she was okay, and to ask him not to look for her, he grew desperate, frantic in his need to save her from the reckless path she had chosen. After she hung up, lost to him again, his control finally broke, and we saw the toll this crisis had taken on him emotionally. Oh, Clark.

The acting in this episode was amazing. Sam Witwer seemed to delight in showing us another side of Davis, letting a creepy coldness peek through, giving us just a glimpse of the monster who simmers right below the surface, and who lives to kill. *shivers* Justin Hartley’s Oliver was the arrogant, flawed hero I have come to love, even as he infuriates me, and I found his performance both consistent and compelling. Aaron Ashmore blew me away, especially in Jimmy’s bitter conversation with Davis in the basement. How his acting talents have been squandered on playing little more than Chloe’s jealous boyfriend! Allison Mack perfectly portrayed Chloe’s strength, and her vulnerability, showing us her steely resolve as she fought to save Davis from both beast and banishment, and her tearful despair as she faced the true cost of life by his side. And Tom Welling was phenomenal. Clark faced challenges everywhere he turned in Beast, going from confident leadership and unshakable determination at the beginning of the episode, to hurt confusion and blinding frustration at the end, and every moment was unmistakable in Tom’s hands. In the scene with Oliver at Isis, I couldn’t take my eyes off of his face, as a world of emotion played out in his eyes and even in the set of his jaw, telling us so much more about what Clark was feeling than any dialogue ever could. We may be heading for the final countdown on this season, but this wonderful cast is still bringing everything they’ve got to the game.

Random thoughts: Dream!Davis was charming and sexy. Rowr. It totally cracked me up that the two fake movie posters the art department designed to put on the wall for Chloe and Davis to make out against were “Casa Bronte: A Love Story,” and “Zytron: The Clock Is Ticking, The Last Day Is Today.” Love! And aliens! Clark’s dead torso, strung up and dripping blood, was easily the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen on this show. I liked Dr. Emil Hamilton. Can we have more of him, please? I know I keep harping on this, but the plates of cupcakes on the counter and the buckets of flowers by the door seem to indicate the Talon is open for business, but what exactly are their hours of operation? And I love Clark’s new blue-on-blue combo. It’s so pretty!

Beast was a dark episode, showing us the shadow Doomsday has cast over Clark and his friends. It explored the conflicts in Clark’s life, and resolved none of them. It was dramatic, suspenseful, and intense, leaving me impatient to find out what happens next. I may dread where this storyline is heading, but I can’t wait to get there! I see tragic endings ahead, as Oliver is forced to face his demons, Chloe risks losing everyone she holds dear, and Clark finds himself at odds with those he once trusted most. Not to mention we still have Doomsday to consider. I hope Clark doesn’t lose faith in himself, and that he can weigh the doubts Oliver and Chloe have expressed against Lois’s open admiration for the RBB, and the public’s appreciation for all he does. This isn’t the first or last time our hero will be tested, but this challenge feels particularly personal, and the possibility that Clark will face his greatest enemy completely alone is daunting indeed.

tariel22 shares with us her thoughts on why this episode went from “cheesefest” to “epic” in 42 short minutes.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Stiletto was a fun episode, but it was far from a piece of fluff.  The light comedic and romantic moments were balanced by darkness as we saw Lois, Chloe, and Jimmy all face the consequences of rash, impulsive decisions, and met a brutal new villain in Bruno Mannheim.  In the midst of all the conflict, Clark stood tall and true, playing both hero and moral compass, and showed us just how ready he is to put his life on the line to protect the world.  This episode made me laugh, but it also made me worry.  I see more darkness ahead, and a price to be paid, and I’m very much afraid that Clark’s broad shoulders will once again be asked to bear the biggest burden.

I have really come to adore Smallville’s Lois Lane.  I like her passion, her courage, and her vulnerability.  I like the way she makes mistakes and owns up to them, and gets right back out there and tries again.  I like her fierce loyalty, and the way she never gives up on love.  I had my doubts about the premise of this episode, and I still think the plot was a bit silly, but I thoroughly enjoyed Lois’s foray into Clark’s world.  Lois was a delight as Stiletto.  She was beautiful, and she kicked ass, but she was also wry and self-deprecating.  There were a lot of funny moments, but it wasn’t played entirely for laughs.  Lois made an impulsive decision in a moment of weakness, and as a result not only risked her career in journalism, but also saw her friends’ very lives put into danger.  She was humbled by the experience, and learned an important lesson about ethics and integrity, unanimously delivered by Jimmy, Clark, and Chloe.  I appreciated that the show was adamant about that!

As much as I loved Lois, I loved Lois and Clark even more.  *draws hearts around them*  The scene of the two of them both working late, listening to the police scanner with their matching costume bags stashed at their feet, was adorable.  And Clark’s first meeting with Stiletto was hilarious.  When Lois tried to brazen it out with that fake English accent, I couldn’t stop laughing!  Things quickly got more serious when Lois found Clark and Jimmy in trouble at the Ace of Clubs, and after her phone died while she was dialing 911, she was magnificent as she threw caution to the wind and crashed through the skylight to their rescue.  First Lois saved Clark, and then he saved her right back, taking a bullet that was meant for her.  Even made powerless by kryptonite, our boy didn’t hesitate to throw himself in harm’s way.

After that, everything was different.  At the DP the next morning, Lois struggled to express her gratitude, and apologize for involving Clark in the first place.  We could tell she was seeing Clark in a whole new light after his selfless act of heroism.  Clark in turn seemed quite touched by Lois’s genuine contrition, and her concern for him.  By the end of the scene, the teasing banter was back, but it did nothing to mask the new level of intimacy between these two.

And then we had the best scene of the episode, Lois’s phone call from the Red Blue Blur, where Clark called Lois “Miss Lane,” and Lois asked, “Can you read my mind?”  *swoons*  The whole conversation was like that!  That was Superman and Lois Lane, right there.  It was romantic, it was iconic, and it was awesome.  Clark never took his eyes off Lois the whole time he talked to her, and what he saw was something rare, at least to him:  Lois without her walls and without her snark, open and vulnerable, more interested in the man than the myth, and more concerned for his loneliness than the scoop of a lifetime.  How could that not affect him?  The sweet smile on his face at the end of the conversation told us everything we needed to know.  And I especially appreciated that Lois came from a place of pure admiration and hero worship for the RBB.  She wasn’t flirting or trying to spark a romance.  After all, she likened herself to Barney in the Flintstones analogy, not Wilma!  Clark, on the other hand, was a different story.  I think he’s falling for her, and hard.

There is no question in my mind that Clark’s feelings for Lois grow deeper by the day, but he may not be able to face them anytime soon.  He told Chloe that romance is the last thing on his mind right now, and I think that’s just as it should be.  I don’t know, maybe he’s over Lana, but he certainly isn’t over their breakup, and going slow is absolutely the right thing to do, both emotionally and for the sake of the show.  With another season ahead of us, this relationship has time to develop naturally.  In fact, as much as I hated the Lana arc, I have to concede that having Lana leave Clark’s life in some traumatic fashion was pretty much the only way to go.  Otherwise, what would stand in the way of Lois and Clark getting together right now?  I still want to hear Clark say that kryptonite or no kryptonite, he and Lana would never have worked out, but I’m not holding my breath.  I’m sure TPTB don’t want to alienate the Clana fans, and so far I think it’s working.  I’ve already seen the theory that somehow the suit will prolong Lana’s life into the realm of immortality, and that long after Lois is dead and buried, Clark and Lana will find a way to be together once more.  In any case, I think they’re handling the Lois and Clark romance perfectly.  It’s all about the journey, right?

I’m not so sure about what they have planned for Clark and Chloe, however.  *sighs*  My heart broke for Chloe in this episode.  Her devotion to Clark and her compassion for Davis are at war within her, and that struggle led her to make an untenable decision in the face of impossible circumstances.  Now she’s in over her head, and seems completely lost and alone.  When she collapsed in despair in that alley, her hands bloody, I had tears in my eyes, even as I condemned her course of action.  I know she sees no way out, but I wanted to shake her, and tell her to go to Clark.  NOW.  And instead she pushed him away, even though it was clear he knew something was wrong, and wanted to help.  I have to ask, how did she think this was all going to play out?  Did she plan on keeping Davis in the basement forever?  I guess the answer is that she wasn’t thinking, she was following her heart, but in the end I still think Chloe should know better.

I hate what they’re doing with Jimmy.  I don’t see what purpose this whole drug addict storyline serves, and it’s way too dark for a character who works much better as comic relief.  Jimmy, too, made a hasty, ill-advised decision, throwing back a day’s worth of pain meds in a single swallow and quitting his job at the DP in the wake of his breakup with Chloe.  This week we saw how far he has fallen since then, and it wasn’t pretty.  He’s not all bad, of course.  He didn’t give Lois up to the bad guys, even when they beat him half to death, and he helped save both Lois and Clark in the fight at the Ace of Clubs, but I found it a bit ironic that he lectured Lois about ethics, and then turned around and evidently used stolen counterfeit money to buy illegal drugs.  I have a bad feeling about this.

And then there’s Clark.  How completely awesome was he in this episode?  He was smart, proactive, independent, and heroic in investigating the theft of Chloe’s laptop and getting it back.  He didn’t berate Chloe for her mistake, was sensitive enough to realize there was something else wrong, and reached out to her, but also respected her right to privacy when she asked him to back off.  He was stern with Lois about her Stiletto story, saving her from herself in the process, but was also tender and compassionate, and went out of his way to reassure her and make sure she knew just how special he (as the RBB) thinks she is.  Not to mention risking his own life to save hers!  I don’t think he hit a single false note, although maybe he needs to start using his x-ray vision to check for suspicious green substances before he blurs into any strange rooms.  Oh, and he flashed us!  When Clark nonchalantly hauled up his shirt to show Chloe he was okay, fandom exploded, and fangirls around the globe flailed at the rare sight of bare Tommy tummy.  Thank you, Tom Welling!

So, what else?  I loved the Chlo-Lo in Stiletto.  We need to see more of that!  I didn’t like Bruno “Ugly” Mannheim;  he was a little too ugly for me.  He was a cruel, violent thug, and his brutality was hard to watch.  I like my villains handsome and charismatic as well as evil, and this guy was utterly repellent.  I loved seeing the iconic trio of Lois, Jimmy and Clark in action, that was fun.  And every one of the four principal actors turned in an outstanding performance.  Our cast just keeps getting better and better.  I applaud them all.

Random thoughts:  Does Chloe know that Lois knows that Oliver is Green Arrow?  How did the Blur-etto shippers already know about Stiletto?  Or was it that user known as ChloeSullivan who started it all?  Did everyone see that they’re calling Impulse “Flash” now?  I want to live in Metropolis, where every moon is an impossibly big, full one.  The music during that last scene was amazing.  And how tiny did Clark’s cell phone look in those big, sexy hands of his?

Stiletto held the promise of a deeper friendship between Lois and Clark, but it also warned of darker days ahead.  As Clark continues to find his place in the world, struggling to fight the good fight, his two closest allies, Chloe and Oliver, are both lying to him.  Regardless of their reasons for doing so, he’s going to be hurt when he finds out, and probably angry as well.  I don’t know how easily forgiveness will come.  And of course Doomsday looms large.  I suspect that this episode gave us our last lighthearted moments of the season, and that we now turn toward the inevitable final conflict.  Brace yourselves, guys, and make sure you have a box of tissues handy.  I think we have a rough road ahead.

So check out after the jump for Steve’s review of 8×19 – ‘Stiletto’.

I just watched Stiletto and really liked it…I figured since I wasn’t on the show and to save time of future shows, I would write up a quick review and send it to you. If you want to post it on the site that’s fine, if not, that’s cool too. Here it is:

It’s been said on SHoE that filler doesn’t necessarily mean “Noir.” In the past, filler episodes have done everything from giving us a SAW homage (read “ripoff”) to exploding babies, to…well…Noir. So it was with great trepidation that I turned my DVR on to watch the latest Smallville offering, Stiletto.

By now, you’ve watched the episode or heard the recap on SHoE, so there’s no need to go over everything that happened, however, if for some reason you’re still in the dark about this episode, know that the following will contain spoilers and you may want to wait until you’ve seen the episode to read on.

What we all expected from this episode was a freak of the week type outing in which Lois would be granted temporary super powers which she would use to fight crime, get preached to by Clark, lose and take away a lesson learned from the whole thing. At least, that’s what I expected. The first breath of fresh air in this episode came in the teaser when, without exposure to meteor rocks, kryptonite laced gum, sorority vampires, or a bolt of lightning mixed with the green stuff, Lois took down some would be muggers and the idea struck her to masquerade as a super heroine all to capture the attention of the Red Blue Blur. I was so glad that Caroline Dries decided to go this route with the story. It was a bit of a surprise and, given that we’ve seen Lois kick a little butt in the past, actually more believable and “acceptable” than a freak of the week story featuring Lois.

The next thing I expected was a bunch of cute little jokes about Stiletto, girl power, and how the new kid on the block isn’t to be trusted. Thankfully, we got very little of that. There was a bat signal reference (which was quite funny to me), the whole shipper thing on the web (an “anvil” for Clark and Lois’ eventual relationship TWoP people?), and the “S” sewn on the chest remark, but other than that things were played as straight as they could be played with Lois placing herself in this ridiculous position. In fact, the side stories gave this episode much more gravitas and dramatic weight than I ever thought possible for it to have.

Jimmy’s story is particularly interesting to me because we don’t know what his angle is outside of drug addiction. However, I wouldn’t put it past Jimmy to not only be trying to take down this nacent version of intergang, but also trying to single handedly uncover a drug dealing ring. Alas, I’m afraid he’s still just an addict though, and that makes me sad as it gives too much weight to a character who has already become too weighed down by the big issues he’s had to face. The direction that the creators of the show have given young Mr. Olsen causes him to never be able to be the happy go lucky guy we’ve all come to know and love from Superman mythology. For this story, and this series for that matter, though, it really worked well, and it was nice to see him back and doing something other than whining about Chloe keeping secrets and not trusting her.

Chloe’s story breaks my heart for her. We’ve all been where she is though. Not necessarily taking out garbage bags full of dead mutilated bodies for the monster that lives in our basement, but I know I have found myself in situations were I have no idea how I can get out, because getting out means making a choice harder than I may be willing to make. Her scene with Clark at the end showed us just how torn up inside she is. She so desparately wanted to tell Clark everything, but knew she couldn’t and that hurt her so deeply. Her tears were not because she’s scared, or confused, but because she knows what she needs to do, and can’t bring herself to do that. The weight of keeping the most dangerous man on Earth under control is tearing her apart.

Then, there’s the payoff of the whole episode for me…the Red Blue Blur’s conversation with Lois…I will now speak in bullet points.

- Ms. Lane!
- You’re a great reporter Ms Lane.
- The Red Blue Blur is a mouthful.
- YOU CAN COME UP WITH A NEW NAME FOR ME!
- When I’m ready to tell the world my secret you’ll be the first to know.
- You can talk to me off the record.
- CAN YOU READ MY MIND?!?!?!

OH MY LANTA! What a terrific conversation!

The Lois/Clark relationship has deepened as Clark “put his life on the line for Lois.” And therein lies the true success of this episode and one of the strongest points of the entire series for me: the handling of Lois and Clark. Lois has seen Clark screw up, look weak, and almost die time and time again, there is no way that he can ever be a super hero to her. Yet, she still has feelings for him. All the while, she’s developing this crush on a hero she’s never seen. AND THAT WORKS! It’s so fitting that her real feelings develop for Clark and what she feels for the future Superman is just a crush born out of admiration and a certain bit of awe. It’s a twist we’ve never really seen before. Not in this way at least. I’m loving it.

Overall, I was expecting a bummer of an episode and walked away with my faith once again restored in the current creative staff. This is a crew that knows how to make an episode of Smallville and I think it speaks volumes that the episodes that have worked the least this season are the ones in which the viewer and the story becomes too bogged down in what has come before. (Lana trilogy, I’m looking in your direction.)

I have to give this episode a very solid 3.5 out of 5 whatever I give 5 of because it was so good. I can’t go full on 4 or 5 because for all of the episode’s strengths I still have a hard time suspending my disbelief enough to get Lois into that outfit with that mask doing the super hero thing…however her amazement that dropping through the skylight actually worked coupled with the bad guys only being taken down because evertime they got the upper hand a member of the three Muskateers (Jimmy, Lois, and Clark) stepped up and took it away made for a great climax to the action of the main story.

As we look to the last three episodes, I cannot wait for what we’re gonna see…I think it’s gonna be amazing.

tariel22 shares with us her thoughts on why the episode worked in part 1, and why it didn’t in part 2.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Eternal was an episode full of exposition.  In order to set up the events to come in the remaining episodes of S8, the show rewrote Clark’s story, reaching all the way back to the Pilot to do so.  I don’t mind a little revisionist history, especially if it comes with a compelling storyline, but if you mess with something I hold dear, we’re going to have a problem.  This episode was a bit of a mixed bag in that respect.  Along with the retcon, Eternal gave us some intense confrontations, revealed a few surprises, and finally brought Davis’s dark secret out into the light, setting the stage for the showdown we’ve been anticipating ever since we first heard the word “Doomsday” in spoilers last summer.

Most of this episode played out as a series of conversations between two people, bringing an intimacy to the action that infused it with emotion.  We saw Davis and Chloe, Chloe and Clark, Clark and Tess, and for the first time ever, Tess and Davis.  We even had a glimpse, in flashback, of Davis with Lex.  Clark and Davis had a couple of brief encounters, and the second one was chilling in the promise it held for what is yet to come, but the show is wisely keeping these two mostly apart until they come together in final conflict.

Chloe and Clark were not getting along this week, and I can understand why.  Chloe has had the year from hell, and Clark has been absent for a lot of it.  Most of his time is spent at his new job at the Daily Planet, and that’s a life he shares with Lois.  When he’s not working, he’s patrolling as the Red Blue Blur, or helping Oliver with the Justice League.  He and Chloe still get together for coffee, but it’s not like the old days.  He doesn’t heed her advice like he used to, or ask for her help as often.  Most recently he missed her birthday, and he wasn’t there to pick up the pieces when Jimmy dumped her in front of a public audience at Met Gen.  The one person who has been there for her without fail is Davis, and now Clark is giving her a hard time about him.  No wonder she’s a little put out.

Clark, on the other hand, can’t understand why Chloe won’t listen to him about Davis.  All he cares about is protecting her, and he has a bad feeling about this guy.  And it looks like Chloe’s hiding things from him again.  First it was her engagement, then her Brainiac infection, then her memory loss, and then Jimmy’s apparent breakdown.  How can he keep her safe if she doesn’t tell him what’s going on?  When they made the shocking discovery that the serial killer they were investigating was Davis himself, Clark lost it, overcome with the thought of the danger Chloe had put herself in, and the lives that had been lost.  And Chloe was in despair herself, awash in guilt even as she tried to come to terms with the truth.  Their argument was a wonderful, passionate scene, and Tom Welling and Allison Mack were electric in it.  It seems that Davis has come between Clark and his BFF, with what I fear will be dire consequences.

In the meantime, Tess has been doing some investigating of her own, and there is little she doesn’t know, or at least suspect.  Thanks to Lionel’s journal, she knows the whole Veritas story, and she’s gathered other information from Lex’s journal, her brief conversation with Faora, and professional surveillance, as well as her own perceptive observations.  Frustrated that Clark wouldn’t confide in her, she took matters into her own hands, going to great lengths to prove to herself, and Davis as well, just what his destiny is here on Earth.  Like Lex before her, she wants to save the world, but she sees Clark as a savior rather than an enemy.  Unfortunately, she’s a little crazycakes, and has hatched a plot worthy of any zealot, determined to make her fantasy a reality.  She’s a loose cannon, and we all need to watch out.

The parallels between Superman and Jesus are inescapable, and were evoked in the very first episode of Smallville, when Clark was mock crucified by Whitney and his football thugs.  But to baldly state that Clark is like Christ, and Davis is his Judas, destroys the beauty of the allegory, and gives the story religious overtones that are sure to alienate some viewers.  Besides, the Judas story is a poor analogy for the role Davis is destined to play in Clark’s life.  I could have done without all of it.

I can live with all the S1 retcon.  It’s messy, and I’m not sure it’s necessary, but it’s not egregious.  It was nice to see Martha and Jonathan again (awww, I miss them), and John Glover always played Lionel with just enough ambiguity that I could well believe he knew all about Clark from the start.  It was a treat to see Connor Stanhope as Little!Lex again!  He’s a wonderful actor, and his sensitive performance made my heart ache for the little boy who will forever have to live with the consequences of his father’s endless quest for power.  Little!Davis left me cold.  He hatched from a pod, killed Lex’s pet, and started his lifelong murderous rampage, all within five days of hitting the planet.  He’s a monster.

On the other hand, I completely reject the retcon of the Kawatchee legend of Naman and Sageeth.  Sageeth is Lex.  Not only is Talisman one of my favorite episodes, the legend perfectly describes the lifelong relationship Clark and Lex are destined to share (we’re all clear that Lex isn’t really dead, right?).  Besides, the Starblade disintegrated at Lex’s touch.  I say the idea that Davis is Sageeth is just Tess’s interpretation of the legend, and she’s wrong.

Because of my rampant anti-Davis bias (he’s here to kill my boy!), I was mostly unmoved by Davis’s plight, and Chloe’s anguish over it, but I do think both Sam Witwer and Allison Mack turned in stunning performances.  When Davis started to doom out in front of Clark, I was genuinely scared, and just like Chloe, I would have pulled that lever in a heartbeat if I thought Clark were in danger, no matter what I once felt for Davis.  Of course I think Chloe is woefully misguided in choosing to stay with Davis, and I’m sure there will be a terrible price to pay for that decision, but I appreciate that she is just trying to protect Clark at all costs.  The only thing that bothers me is that ultimately, I think her actions show a lack of faith.  If she truly believed in Clark, wouldn’t she trust him to find the solution to this problem?  But perhaps she knows him a little too well, and still sees not the superhero he will become, but the sweet, shy boy she kissed in the loft, and still holds close to her heart.

Just as in Turbulence, my favorite scenes were between Clark and Tess.  Cassidy Freeman is an incredible actress, and her Tess is wonderfully complex, and a joy to watch.  Together, she and Tom Welling are nothing short of explosive.  Their chemistry is breathtaking.  At the top of the episode, Tess saw Clark in her office, and I swear she was flirting with him, even as she turned his story idea down flat.  She gleefully baited him by dissing the RBB, and openly called him a liar!  And Clark responded with complete insubordination!  “You need to print it!”  hee!  I love these two!  *draws hearts around them*  Later, when Clark came to see her in the hospital, she shocked him by telling him what she had read in Lionel’s journal, including the secret of his alien origins.  She then theorized that Davis, too, fell from the sky that fateful day.  Clark tried to laugh off her wild assertions, but Tess remained undeterred.

Their best scene was their final one.  Tess came to the Kent farm, happy and eager to have an honest conversation with Clark.  He shut her down completely, all self-righteous indignation and angry denial as he lied to her face!  It was so Clexy I got chills!  Clark was rudely dismissive of Tess as he went about his chores (looking absolutely delicious in his snug blue tee), and the sparks flew between them as Tess finally gave in to frustration and let Clark see her hurt, and her fury.  The whole scene was unbelievably HOT.  And when Tess calmed herself, quietly called Clark “Kal-El” (she knows!), and then went home, opened a locked cabinet, and pulled out the Orb (GASP!), my jaw dropped.  OMG!!

All four of the featured actors this week were phenomenal.  I honestly think Eternal had some of the best acting I’ve ever seen from Tom Welling on Smallville.  His performance was focused and controlled throughout the episode, and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him more engaged.  It amazes me how he can bring new depth and strength to the character of Clark Kent after all these years.  He owns this role, and he owns this show.  I’m beginning to get seriously excited about S9!

Random thoughts:  Watching Eternal made me go back and watch the Pilot again.  If you haven’t watched it in a while, you should.  It’s glorious!  The scene of the Kents walking away with Baby!Clark, as Little!Davis watches, must have been a new insert.  Because those were definitely not the original actors.  Lex’s Warrior Angel comic was the same one we saw in Ryan, from S2.  It cracks me up that Clark no longer wears his red jacket/blue tee combo unless he’s patrolling, for fear of being recognized as the RBB, but the blue jacket/red tee combo is perfectly fine.  I liked the black jacket Clark wore in his last scene with Chloe, at the Talon.  And in spite of all the clues, I don’t think Clark or Chloe realized that Davis was Doomsday until he said, “I was sent here to destroy you, Clark,” and started to doom out.  I loved that even though Clark was clearly shocked when Davis’s voice changed and his eyes went red, his first instinct was still to protect him.  That’s my Superman.

When I first watched Eternal I had a LOT of problems with it.  But I find myself watching it again and again, and each time those things bother me less, as I lose myself in the acting, the drama, and the emotion.  I give a lot of credit to the actors, of course, but I also give major props to the director, James Marshall.  That shot of the kryptonite raining down on a writhing Davis, while Clark mirrors him, collapsing in front of the containment unit, is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen on this show.  As we’ve lost more and more of the veterans from the Smallville production staff over the years, I can’t even begin to express how fortunate I feel that he has chosen to stay.  He has been instrumental in making this show great since the beginning, and this episode is a perfect example of what a gifted director he truly is.

tariel22 shares with us her thoughts on why the episode worked in part 1, and why it didn’t in part 2.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

All the times Smallville’s Eternal made me say, WTF?

The first time I watched Eternal, I liked it, but I had a LOT of questions.  So I did my homework.  I rewatched parts of the Pilot, Lineage, Skinwalker, Memoria, Talisman, Traveler, Veritas, Quest, and Arctic.  I even dug out my Bible and read up on Judas.  And then I watched Eternal again.  And the second time was even worse.  I thought my head was going to explode.  I mean, seriously.  They should have called this episode Retcon.

Between the continuity conflicts, the contrived plot points, the OOC behavior, the heavy-handed attempts to tug at my heart strings, and the bizarre dialogue, this episode drove me CRAZY.  But still, there was a lot to like in there, too.  So I decided to let it all out, and then let it go.  Maybe then I could find the joy in this one.  So in the interest of therapeutic catharsis, here is my list of all the WTF moments and quotes from Eternal.  Did any of these bother you, too?

1)  Once again we have pictures (drawings, this time) of events that no one but the viewing audience could possibly have been there to see.  That’s just sloppy, Smallville.

2)  Um, show?  If you want me to sympathize with your woobie villain, don’t show him emerging from a pod and forming out of a substance that looks a little too much like puke.  That doesn’t exactly humanize him for me.

3)  Clark:  “You need to print it!”  hee!  Okay, I LOVE Clark in this scene, but let’s get real.  He would be so fired.  Well, if his boss weren’t totally fascinated with him and his alien origins, anyway.

4)  So Chloe and Davis are best buds, hanging out and being all cutesy funny with each other?  They’re kind of adorable, but this is the relationship that cost Chloe her marriage.  Ramping up the intimacy in the aftermath seems wildly  inappropriate to me.

5)  Jimmy’s a big jerk who sends abusive emails now?  Fine, show.  I still like him better than Davis.

6)  Chloe:  “I thought we were best friends, but obviously there was some stuff brewing beneath the surface for awhile.”  Beneath the surface?!  Jimmy’s insecure jealousy has been his defining characteristic since the day we met him!

7)  Chloe:  “How can you be so close to someone, and not really know who they are?”  Oy, with the irony already!

8)  Davis cuts his finger with a knife, and it’s covered in blood, which Chloe wipes away to reveal no cut at all.  Davis says, “Quick reflexes, huh?” and Chloe looks at him suspiciously.  Then Clark bursts in, and that’s the last we hear of it.  Did Davis’s words satisfy her?  Did she forget all about it?  And isn’t Davis supposed to be invulnerable to knives after Bloodline anyway?

9)  Why is Clark running to Chloe for information on a story?  Hasn’t he been doing his own research for a while now?  I suppose Chloe could have been doing some kind of hacking for him, but it just seemed like a contrived way to get them together so they could argue about Davis.

10)  Chloe:  “Since when did newsworthy have anything to do with what was on the front page?”  Was that a dig against Clark, or the Daily Planet, or journalism in general?  In any case, bitter much?  What’s that about?

11)  Chloe:  “No, please, I love trudging through stagnant water.”  Huh?  What does that mean?  And what’s with the attitude?

12)  Chloe:  “He’s kind, supportive, and a strong shoulder for me to lean on.  Which I don’t know if you’ve actually realized, but I could really use right now.”  He’s also creepy, intense, and kind of a stalker.  And since when has Clark not been there for Chloe when she really needs him?  Weren’t they having a nice little heart-to-heart over coffee just last episode?  Has Chloe even tried opening up to Clark?  When he asked her about Jimmy in Turbulence, she lied and said everything was great.  Is he supposed to read her mind?

13)  Clark:  “He’s full of secrets, Chloe.  There’s not even a record of his childhood.”  Chloe:  “Sounds familiar.”  Is she saying that he sounds like Clark, and that’s a reason to back off?  Because Clark is an alien.  From another planet.

14)  So first we found out Lex kept a journal, and now they tell us Lionel did, too?  And Tess has them both?  How convenient.

15)  If Lionel had a whole team of commandos combing the countryside after the meteor shower, why did he have to hitch a ride with the Kents to get Lex to the hospital?  And why didn’t they take the ship when they took Davis?

16)  In the Pilot Clark tells Lex he remembers when the mansion was first moved to Smallville, that the trucks rolled through town for weeks.  Lex in turn tells Clark that Lionel has never stepped through the front door.  And yet here the mansion is, fully furnished and occupied, just a few days after the meteor shower.

17)  Davis can speak and read English already?

18)  Yeah, the woobie little boy who kills birds doesn’t get my sympathy either.

19)  Miller’s Field sure doesn’t look anything like the way I remember it from Obscura.

20)  Were Davis’s memories of his days at the mansion repressed before?

21)  Oh, come on!!  Why in the hell would there be a meteor rock in the lead box?!  And doesn’t Lex receive that box on a birthday that’s still several years in the future?

22)  Judas?  Christ?  Really, show?  You’re going there?  Have you read the story of Judas?  Because that analogy doesn’t work for me at all.

23)  Clark:  “And all the times that you were angry at me for doubting him!”  Have they been arguing endlessly about Davis in Offscreenville?

24)  When Clark and Chloe figured out that Jimmy was right all along about Davis, I hope they at least called him to let him know.  And I hope Chloe apologized for not believing him in the first place.

25)  Chloe knew it was Tess who had checked out Davis’s records and she didn’t think that was worth mentioning until now?  And if she didn’t know who it was, how did she make the connection to Tess all of a sudden?

26)  Chloe:  “I think it’s time to pay a visit to the widow of LuthorCorp.”  Widow?  What’s that supposed to mean?

27)  So once Lionel found out about Clark, he figured Davis was just a random naked human boy who lost his clothes in the meteor shower and ended up huddled next to Clark’s ship?  Um, okay.  So why would he just dump him on the side of the road, when Davis could lead the authorities right back to him?  Why not pay someone off, and bury him in the foster care system?

28)  Davis is Sageeth?  Oh, hell no.  Lex is Sageeth.  According to the legend, Sageeth is like a brother to Naman, but later turns against him, and together they form the balance between good and evil in the world.  That’s not Davis.  And do you even remember the Starblade, show?  I’m not buying it.

29)  Tess:  “Why else would Lionel Luthor arrange an adoption for a boy who seemed to come out of nowhere?”  Last time I checked, so he could blackmail Jonathan into helping him get the creamed corn factory.

30)  Tess:  “Looks like you’re the reason Davis was abandoned in the first place.”  Oh, bite me.

31)  Davis:  “That guy, that I killed, he was a drunk driver, he was a three-time offender.”  Okay, you get a pass on that one, then.  It’s not murder if he deserved it.  [/sarcasm]

32)  Chloe:  “You lied to me!”  Because that’s way worse than the killing part.

33)  Why doesn’t the proximity of the gigantic tank of kryptonite have any effect on Davis?  Or Clark, for that matter?

34)  So Davis was dooming out even as a child?  Yikes.  Was that a repressed memory?

35)  You know the part where Chloe sank to her knees next to the containment unit, weeping, and reached out in anguish to meet Davis’s hand, palm to palm, for one last, tender touch through the glass before he slipped away?  I felt NOTHING.  Yeah, evidently I’m dead inside.

36)  Chloe:  “I won’t risk the safety of the world because of your code of ethics.”  So it’s not about Clark, it’s about the world?  I don’t have a problem with that, but I think it’s new.

37)  Why did Clark throw those cave pictures into the fire?  Didn’t they belong to Chloe?

38)  Clark:  “When I was a kid I used to have this nightmare. My ship landed in a field and no one ever found me.”  Except that Clark didn’t know about the ship until he was in high school.

39)  Chloe:  “That nightmare was Davis’s life.”  Oh, boo hoo.  He’s a freaking monster, Chloe!  Do you even remember your wedding day?

40)  Clark:  “I can’t imagine what it must have felt like knowing that, no matter how you lived your life, you were doomed.”  I don’t think Davis knew that.  Based on what we saw earlier this season, Davis didn’t know who or what he was until Faora showed up.  Although I suppose Clark doesn’t know that.

41)  Tess:  “Yeah, but betrayal.  You know, the more you love someone, the harder it is.”  Is she talking about how much Lex loved Clark?

42)  Clark:  “Are you threatening me?”  With what?  Where did that come from?  I’m so confused!

43)  Is the Talon still open for business?  Or is it just where Chloe lives, throws the occasional party, and stashes monsters in the basement?

44)  Oh, yay.  Another woman martyrs herself to protect Clark.  Promise redux.  Doesn’t Chloe remember how that worked out for everyone?  On the day of the wedding Chloe said to Clark, “She’s marrying a monster and trapping herself into a loveless life.”  Deja vu.

45)  Exactly what is the deal between Davis and Chloe?  Why does she keep the beast at bay?  I just don’t get it.  *sighs*  And please tell me “stay with me” is NOT a euphemism for sex.

46)  Is anyone else getting the feeling that Chloe is the new Lana?

Well, I feel better, how about you?  Thanks for letting me vent!  Now I’m off to write a happy Eternal review, celebrating everything I found to love in this episode.

tariel22 is back with her review of “Hex”. Click the jump to see her thoughts on Smallville’s magical “freaky Thursday”.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Hex was an interesting combination of pure fun and serious mythos, as a crazy magic spell made Chloe take a hard look at her life and her dreams, and come to a realization that I think holds great promise for the future of Smallville. We met a great new character, Zatanna, straight from the comics, were treated to some wonderful performances, welcomed back Lois and Oliver, and took a break from the gloom and doom that I’m sure is hurtling us toward a heartbreaking season finale. I loved it!

Chloe has pretty much had the year from hell this season. She was imprisoned for months, was possessed by Brainiac, had her memory wiped, had her wedding crashed by a monster, lost her husband, gained a stalker, and was almost killed several times over. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Add to that a birthday party where everyone you care about either doesn’t show up or bails partway through, and I don’t blame a girl for feeling a little down. I don’t think Chloe’s fleeting wish for Lois’s life was jealousy so much as it was wistfulness for the path she left behind, the path she was on the last time her life was truly happy. All the burdens of the present made the past look very inviting, but Chloe soon realized that life at the DP didn’t hold the appeal she once thought it did. A lot of Chloe’s time in Lois’s body was played very effectively for laughs, but the more important message was that while Lois’s life may be perfect for her, Chloe now yearns for something completely different. And although I know many people saw that as an inexplicable change, it made a lot of sense to me.

Chloe has been a reporter since day one on this show. In fact, as we saw in Progeny, she has been one pretty much forever. And reporting for her has always been equal parts writing and investigating. What we’ve always seen on the show is her passion for finding the truth. But now the biggest truths in her life are ones she can never disclose, so I don’t wonder that some of the thrill has gone out of reporting for her. All through S7, we almost never saw Chloe working on a story. All her time at the DP seemed to be spent working on something for Clark, or researching her meteor power. And then the Justice League found its way into the mix. Chloe’s special skill set of brainstorming, problem solving, and computer hacking seemed tailor made to help superheroes keep the world safe, and I’ve rarely seen her more excited than she was in Siren, after her little adventure with Oliver. So to see Chloe embrace the role of Watchtower as the next phase in her life not only made me cheer, it seemed like a logical next step for her.

I think Chloe has been kind of adrift for a while now. What she was doing at Isis was a noble effort, but as Chloe herself said, she wasn’t really qualified for the job, and I don’t think it has been all that fulfilling for her. Clark seems to need her less as a sidekick, as he becomes increasingly more independent and confident, and more as a friend. She needs something more, something that will challenge her. For a moment she thought that was reporting again, but as she saw firsthand what that life had to offer her, and contrasted it with the way she was able to inspire Clark to rediscover his inner hero, I think she realized she had a higher calling, one that was about something much more than helping just one man. And so the spell was broken. Chloe as Watchtower has limitless potential, especially for S9, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Chloe in Lois’s body was a riot. I laughed all the way through this episode, thanks to the scenes between Chloe and Clark. Erica Durance did a great job of capturing Chloe. Her expressions, mannerisms, and speech inflections were very evocative of Allison Mack’s Chloe, and there was a world of difference between the real Lois and the hexed one. I applaud her efforts in a very demanding role. And how completely awesome was Tom Welling? The man is just too funny! He has an amazing gift for comedy, and I wish we could see that side of him more often. The way Clark struck a heroic pose and manfully called 911 was hilarious, and the whole scene on the roof of the DP made me laugh so hard I could barely breathe. Everything about hexed Clark just screamed mild-mannered reporter, right down to his body language. He was adorable! I especially loved the incredulous way he asked Chloe if she had locked the door to the roof, and the way he threw up his hands to defend himself when she came toward him holding the pipe. hee! TW and ED were pure gold together, from start to finish.

What a contrast we saw when Clark’s spell was broken, and he made that glorious leap to stop Zatanna. He was a true hero then, and it touched my heart to hear him speak about Jonathan so passionately, and to share his pain to bring Zatanna back from the brink. I also liked the other side of Clark we saw earlier in the episode, when he was full of snark, showing us the tempestuous side of Lois and Clark’s working relationship. I guess there’s no question that our boy truly has grown up. Last week he tried to get Tess drunk, and this week he looked directly at Lois’s breasts and commented on them! Clark’s side of that initial conversation in the DP showed us how close he and Lois have become. It’s clear they talk often, and about subjects well beyond the scope of their jobs. And he immediately knew that something wasn’t quite right with her. These two are tight.

Of course so much with Clark is inferred on my part. I’ve seen countless signs since the beginning of the season that Clark has feelings for Lois that go far beyond friendship, but it’s all a matter of interpretation. Clark still hasn’t uttered a single definitive word on the subject. I know that others watch and see nothing but simple friendship in his eyes, or ambivalence, or even regret that he will inevitably hurt Lois because he doesn’t feel that way about her, and never will. I know what my fangirl heart believes, but who am I to say anyone who thinks differently is wrong? I understand why the show has hit the brakes so hard: we have an entire season of UST ahead of us now. I look forward to the flirty, snarky fun! And it even makes sense to me, given what happened with Lana. As I’ve said before, Clark needs time to process, and to heal. But the ambiguity continues to fan the flames of the shipper wars, and I hate to see this fandom torn apart.

I was so happy to see Lois find her inner strength and resilience after Infamous! She was having a blast at Chloe’s party, not sitting in a corner pining for Clark. You go, girl, that’s exactly the quality that captivates him, IMO. And I adored the way she teased him in their one scene together, reveling in the knowledge that he had saved and framed her rules. And how cute was Clark, with the big sigh of resignation and the self-conscious look around the bullpen before he handed them over? *draws hearts around them* I also liked that Lois made no secret of the fact that she was going on a date. I’m glad to see her moving on, even though it’s obvious she’s carrying a massive torch. Maybe next season will be Clark’s turn to chase her. I’d love to see that!

Chloe’s scenes bookended this episode, and Allison Mack positively sparkled in them. Chloe looked beautiful at her party, and my heart went out to her. Of course we all want our birthday to be special, and when it’s not, it makes you feel like you’re not special either. I would have been bummed, too. And Chloe’s reappearance as herself at the end of the episode reminded me anew of what AM brings to this role: a life and vibrancy that jump off the screen, and a talent that is nothing short of magical. I think Chloe’s Watchtower is going to rock!

I’m always happy to see Oliver join the party, but he still troubles me. Clearly murdering Lex haunts him, as it should, but I don’t know where the show is going with that. I adore Oliver, and I think he makes a fascinating counterpoint to Clark in the hero game, but is he still a good guy? I hope so. And BTW, I don’t count the way he talked to Chloe at her party among his sins. He doesn’t see Chloe as someone to protect and indulge, he sees her as a colleague, a strong and valuable member of his team, and I like that. The way he ruthlessly manipulated her in Requiem? Not so much.

Zatanna was fun. She wasn’t malicious, just driven to relieve the pain of her loss, and she was sympathetic to Chloe, wanting only to make her birthday wish come true. In the end she did the right thing, and I’d love to see her come back as a Justice League ally someday. Serinda Swan was beautiful and visually perfect for the part, and a good actress as well. Another example of fabulous casting by this show. It’s always been their greatest strength.

Random thoughts: I thought Clark’s gift to Chloe was especially thoughtful, a sweet reminder of their long and meaningful history together. What was with those flower barrettes? I haven’t seen Chloe wear anything like those in years. I like Oliver’s new office at LuthorCorp, especially the ginormous Queen family crest. Overcompensating much, Ollie? There’s something about a guy in a dress shirt with his top button unbuttoned, and his tie slightly loosened, that is all kinds of sexy. I don’t care what anyone says, that was flying! I loved Lois’s squeaky chair callback to Clark in Odyssey. And Tom is very, very pretty.

Hex was a great episode, and far from filler. I honestly think it was meant it to put the Chlois theory to rest once and for all, especially with Chloe’s assertion that “after spending a day at the Daily Planet, I realized that’s someone else’s life,” and Clark’s statement that “there’s only one Lois Lane.” And while I don’t think Clark ever really wanted to give up the superhero half of his life, the results of his passing wish to have nothing more complicated to worry about than his next deadline did serve to remind him that he is on the right path. It was nice to hear Clark articulate that, and reaffirm that this is the life he wants, especially when it seems certain he will face his greatest challenge ever in the episodes ahead. I appreciate his resolve, because I fear a reluctant hero would be ill-equipped to battle Doomsday.

tariel22 is back with her review of “Turbulence”. Click the jump to see her thoughts on the shaky ground of our characters.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

With Turbulence, S8 of Smallville is well on its way back to being my favorite season of all again. Clark was a joy to watch in this episode, and his scenes with Tess were absolutely captivating. The Doomsday storyline advanced in some intriguing ways, and Chloe’s ill-advised marriage to Jimmy Olsen just might be over. What’s not to like? To top it all off, we were treated to one of the best promos for future episodes in Smallville’s history. And the pretty was off the charts. I can’t wait to see the rest of this season’s episodes, and I’m getting pretty excited about S9, too.

Clark was making all my dreams come true this week. He embraced his powers, took charge of every situation, and played the hero throughout the episode. Once again he was my Superman. Did you you see the happiness he radiated in that first scene with Chloe? He was practically bursting with pride over his Red Blue Blur rescues, and he delighted in showing off his ability to change clothes in the blink of an eye. He was beyond adorable, and I just sat there drinking it all in, with the biggest, goofiest smile on my face. How long have we waited for Clark’s powers to bring him joy? Thank you, Smallville! There were so many great Clark moments in Turbulence. My inner fangirl swooned at the oh-so-iconic shot of our boy with his buttons undone and his tie loosened, pulling his crisp white shirt open to reveal that flash of royal blue beneath. Ditto for the scene at the Daily Planet where he blurs into the phone booth to change, emerges in all his red and blue glory, and then speeds off as the camera shoots him from below, his determined face and broad shoulders filling the frame. I also loved him on the plane as all hell broke loose, with the pilot gone and Tess unconscious, figuring out a plan of action and then making it happen. And who else thrilled at the sight of Clark bursting through those double doors at the mansion, just like old times?

I reveled in every scene he shared with Tess, as they did their fascinating dance around what remains unspoken between them, each not quite ready to put their cards on the table. This is the way to keep Lex alive in the story, by making him the common ground between Clark and Tess, not by giving us the lame Fake!Lex we saw during the Lana arc. I especially liked how Clark defended Lex, and said their friendship was real. Tess obviously learned from the master, and her pursuit of the truth about Clark was very reminiscent of Lex’s before her: reach out to him in genuine friendship, open up to him about the secrets you share with no other, hoping he’ll do the same, and set up a test to give you proof of the suspicions you already accept as fact. But Tess added another layer that was all her own. She fangirled Clark like nobody’s business, flirting, making double entendres, and batting her impossibly big eyes at him. And she was surprisingly direct, imploring him point blank to spill for her. She also put herself right in the middle of the manufactured crisis, instead of observing from a safe distance the way Lex always did. Where Lex was cool and calculating, Tess is hot and unpredictable, but they’re both intelligent, manipulative, and dangerous. Tess is no replacement for Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex, but as the next best thing, she’s not half bad.

The banter between Clark and Tess is different from what we’ve seen before. It’s not snarky and flirtatious, like with Lois, or friendly and cute, like with Chloe. It’s serious, and smart, and fraught with sexual tension that, like the Clex, will probably never be acted upon, but still adds an intriguing facet to the relationship. Clark, as always, wants to believe the best of Tess, but he is suitably wary of what she may already know, and what she is still trying to find out. I like the way he holds his ground with her, an adult in every way, quietly confident and for the most part unshakable. Clark still can’t tell a decent lie (and I love that about him), but he’s a lot more smooth with Tess than he ever was with Lex. Our sweet farmboy has grown up. He did a pretty good job of hiding his shock at the news that Lex left a journal behind, although his attempts at nonchalantly grilling Tess about the contents were a bit transparent. And I laughed out loud when he went for the booze as a way to get her to talk! Smart boy, I approve!

Tom Welling and Cassidy Freeman have fabulous chemistry, and they were both great in this episode. Their scenes together gave us intensity, emotional resonance, and humor. I remember when CF was first introduced at Comic-Con last summer, and the new showrunners went on and on about what an amazing actress she was. I had never heard of her, and I was still mourning Michael Rosenbaum’s departure, so I dug my heels in and vowed not to like her. But they were absolutely right, and with every episode she’s in, I become a bigger fan. Turbulence didn’t do Chloe any favors, I’m afraid. Since when did she become Clark’s naysayer? Maybe the writers were trying to show us how much Chloe cares about Clark. Or maybe they were giving Clark a chance to demonstrate his independence, and his commitment to his new life as the Red Blue Blur, by dismissing her concerns. Either way, I thought Chloe came off as a wet blanket who didn’t show a lot of confidence in Clark’s judgment. Even worse, though, was how she treated her husband. Jimmy told Chloe he witnessed Davis committing a murder. Chloe has seen Davis act inappropriately toward her, and display some pretty stalkerish tendencies, and yet she immediately believed him over the man she’s supposed to trust above all others. She didn’t even give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt. And then she rushed to apologize to Davis for Jimmy’s accusation, and found comfort in his arms just a few feet from where her husband was standing. What the hell? Later she tasered Jimmy into unconsciousness to protect Davis, when simply making her presence known would probably have been enough to stop him. I have to agree with Jimmy, Chloe doesn’t trust him. And I also have to echo Jimmy’s question: why did Chloe marry him?

I think we have to consider that Brainiac had a hand in Chloe accepting Jimmy’s proposal. First of all, he proposed for all the wrong reasons, because he was jealous, and insecure, and afraid, and he wanted her to prove to him that she loved him more than she loved Clark. Chloe knew they had unresolved issues, and that Clark’s secret stood between them. Did anyone really think she should have said yes? But it served Brainiac’s purposes quite well, ultimately inciting Doomsday to fully emerge when Chloe’s wedding day threatened to put her forever out of Davis’s reach. Chloe has made a valiant effort to see this marriage through, but I think it’s time to admit it never should have happened in the first place. What Jimmy said to Chloe before he stormed out of the hospital was awful, but it also held a lot of truth, and I really can’t blame him for lashing out. In his place, I would see Chloe’s actions as nothing short of betrayal.

Aaron Ashmore’s performance in this episode was the best I’ve ever seen from him. I’m a much bigger fan of Jimmy the way he was in Identity, intrepid reporter wannabe with a side order of comic relief, but I give AA props for making desperate, confused, angry Jimmy completely believable. Allison Mack was also great. I may not have liked the way Chloe was acting, but AM sold every nuance of her anguish over Jimmy and her compassion for Davis. Which brings us to Sam Witwer, and his incredible portrayal of Davis Bloome. I don’t know how Smallville manages to attract the caliber of actors they consistently bring us, but I’m so thankful they do. Like Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover before him, SW has crafted a villain of great complexity. The monster he showed us this week, the one who has taken over Davis on the inside and now looks out at us through his eyes, was infinitely more frightening than that rubber suit they call Doomsday. Davis was the anti-Clark in Turbulence. As the RBB patrolled the streets of Metropolis saving lives, Davis made his own sinister rounds, taking them. Yes, he was only killing the “bad” guys, and yes, he was doing so to keep the monster at bay, but those were only rationalizations for his insupportable actions. He has crossed a line from which he can never return.

While Clark struggled to tell a convincing lie, Davis was the master, deflecting the suspicion cast on him by throwing it back on Jimmy, undermining both Jimmy’s credibility and his character with his insinuations. When Jimmy scoffed at him, Davis became condescending and dismissive, and utterly convincing. I was infuriated on Jimmy’s behalf, and truly scared of what havoc Davis would wreak next. He went to church at the beginning of the episode, ostensibly to confess his sins. But as he poured out his story to the priest, and we saw in his mind’s eye how his words subtly but fundamentally differed from his actions, I realized he sought not penance, but validation, and justification to carry on. He lies to everyone, including himself. And God.

Davis ended the episode in the rain, staring intently up at Chloe’s window. What exactly is her connection to him? She is Brainiac free, and yet he is still drawn to her. Chloiac said he had no free will, so who controls his destiny now? And why does Chloe’s mere touch have the power to soothe the savage beast he holds within? When Chloe chose not to tell Clark about her troubles with Jimmy, was it because she was embarrassed, or was it an attempt to shield Davis from Clark’s scrutiny? I hope we’ll find the answers to these questions in the episodes ahead. The Doomsday story isn’t playing out the way I expected it to, and I’m glad. I’m more interested in it than I’ve been all season, and now that Jimmy has put Tess in the loop, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Random thoughts: I liked that Clark went to see Jimmy at the hospital. I wish we could see more of a friendship between them. Did Clark change clothes between the farm and the DP, or was that supposed to be a different day? Tess’s new straight hair style looks good. Jimmy had a bouquet of yellow roses in his hospital room. Did you know that traditionally they symbolize jealousy? Was Tess’s question about the weather in L.A. her prearranged signal for the captain to ditch the plane? If the prop people aren’t going to do a better job of writing the articles we see, then stop giving us close-ups of them. The one about the plane crash was the worst one yet. And when Tess said she and Oliver share all of their toys, did that include Clark? *snerk*

In terms of time, Clark’s story seemed almost secondary in Turbulence, but it was far more compelling and entertaining to me than the Davis/Chloe/Jimmy triangle. Clark and Tess together are made of win, and I hope we see more of their verbal sparring in future episodes. The Doomsday stuff brought some chilling developments, and one welcome one. Let’s hope the Chimmy breakup sticks this time. Thanks to that amazing promo, I’m counting the days to the next episode, and I have high hopes for the rest of S8. Smallville owns me again, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

tariel22 is back with her review of the “Infamous”. Click the jump to see her thoughts on this alternate Smallville-verse.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Smallville, my love, THIS is why you are my show. With Infamous you gave us a story that was all about Clark, as he struggled with another issue that is critical to his journey to become Supes: his need for a secret identity. In the best episode I’ve seen since Bride, you showed us a Clark who is truly his own man now, making his own decisions and dealing with the consequences of them. You brought us a little joy, a little heartache, a little action, and more proof of the superhero our boy will soon be. In addition, you advanced the Doomsday story arc, and gave us new insight into the relationship between Clark and Lois. You even included impressive levels of continuity, and great callbacks to previous episodes! But what surprised me the most was the way you integrated the events of the Lana arc. I was afraid it would be as if those episodes had never happened, but instead we saw a Clark who was believably shell-shocked and wary, mindful not only of the hurt he suffered, but that for which he feels responsible. He’s moving on, but not too fast, and for that I love you, show. Yeah, it’s official, guys. Smallville and I have kissed and made up.

Clark took an important step in Infamous. He has always wanted to be accepted, but in the past he tried to seem normal to fit in, hiding and denying his special abilities. Over the course of this season, we’ve seen him begin to embrace who he truly is and what he has to offer, and this week he was ready to face the world as himself, with no more secrets or lies. Linda Lake may have forced Clark’s hand, but he made his decision on his own, with both hope and relief. I loved that Clark wanted to believe the best about the human race, that we would welcome him, stranger in a strange land, with open arms. I never want him to stop believing in us that way. Chloe sensibly tried to dissuade him. Chloe’s a realist, and after what she’s been through lately, I wouldn’t blame her if she became a cynic as well. But I was glad Clark didn’t heed her advice, even if things did turn out badly on the original timeline. I liked seeing Clark be independent and proactive, and I enjoyed watching how he met each new challenge as things went crazy after Lois’s article hit the stands.

How wonderful was it to see the joy on Clark’s face as Metropolis showered him with love? Fleeting though it may have been, he’ll always have that memory, and I suspect it will sustain him for a long time to come. And as things started to unravel in the face of Linda Lake’s lies, I was so proud of Clark for trying to calmly reason with the authorities, instead of running away. When they attacked him, he stood tall and strong, deflecting their bullets but never giving in to anger or frustration. Even when it became clear that everything was spinning out of control, Clark still wouldn’t consider Chloe’s suggestion of a time reset at first, not for the sake of his friends or himself. Only when he realized he would no longer be able to help the world did he choose that drastic solution. And after it was done, he destroyed the ring, unwilling ever again to risk the dangers of controlling time.

Infamous also marked the return of Lois Lane to Smallville, and boy, was I happy to see her! I love the dynamic Lois brings to this show. She blew into town hurt and angry, and rightly so. First Clark walked away from her on the dance floor at Chloe’s wedding, then he basically had no contact with her the whole month she was gone, and finally he forgot to pick her up at the airport. I was glad to see Lois give him a hard time. It was clear to me that Clark truly regretted hurting her, and that having her back made him start to fall for her all over again. Did you see his happy smile the second time around, as Lois dished out the snark instead of her fury? And he made sure to pick her up on time, too, because while he may not be able to tell her his secret, there are other ways he can show her she’s special. Clark’s regard for Lois was evident in every scene they shared.

The big reveal was delightful. I loved every moment of how Lois reacted. Her initial disbelief, with that wonderful laugh, was perfect, and it made her speechless shock when Clark demonstrated his powers that much sweeter. I liked that her reaction to the truth of his secret was the same in Infamous as it was in Blank, showing us that Lois has always been ready to accept Clark just the way he is. And I loved how her emphasis was totally on what Clark brings to the party (”what guns you got in your arsenal?”), rather than how different he is. What I liked best of all, though, was her belief that the public would embrace Clark’s news with the same joy she did. Clark was right; there was no better reporter to tell his story. And speaking of Clark, he was adorable. He was gentle with Lois as he dropped his bombshell, and a little bit vulnerable, but also a little bit proud. His obvious affection for her made the moment intimate, especially when he stepped close and looked deep in her eyes as he asked her to do him the honor of introducing him to the world, evoking a proposal of a different kind altogether.

The second big scene between Lois and Clark came when he rescued her from the DP and whooshed her off to his barn. I loved Lois’s passion as she implored Clark to stay and fight, believing that, given the chance, the whole world couldn’t help but see him the way she did. And when he said it was too late, and she realized what she was about to lose, she broke my heart. She all but declared her love for Clark, telling him her feelings for him were different from those she once had for Oliver, which I took to mean that with Clark she wouldn’t feel left behind or second best; with him anything would be possible. Clark couldn’t face the enormity of what she was saying, not then, but he respected her enough to admit he wouldn’t tell her his secret after he reset time. It was because he cared too much, but Lois thought it was because he didn’t care enough, and I had tears in my eyes as Clark said he had to go.

So let’s take a moment to consider what Clark is going through. Chloe found out his secret years ago, and since that moment has stood by his side, fighting the good fight. Her life has been in danger countless times, up to and including this very episode. Clark told Lana his secret the first time and she died. He told her the second time, and between Bizarro, Brainiac, and Lex, her life was torn asunder, and then she was ripped from Clark’s arms forever. Clearly, from Clark’s POV, revealing his secret to women he cares about is BAD.

Clark told Lois his secret, and within a day she was being hunted down by trigger-happy government goons. In addition, she fell even deeper in love with him. The danger to her is twofold. And Clark himself is at risk, too. I think he’s beginning to realize she might be the love of his life, and he’s just not ready to face that yet. He was nothing short of destroyed by what happened with Lana in Requiem, and he can’t possibly be over her yet. He knows that Lois loves him, by her own admission, by her actions, and from Chloe. He knows he has the power to hurt her, from what she said when he didn’t pick her up. He knows he has feelings for her as well, but he’s not sure what those feelings are. He can’t commit to Lois right now, but he doesn’t want to close the door either. So all he can do is put on the brakes, and get some distance while he lets his heart heal, and works things out in his head. Which brings us to Lois and Clark after the reset. I admire Lois for being so straightforward about what almost happened at the wedding, and suggesting they get together to talk about it.

Although she was gone for a month, I’m assuming she heard about Clark and Lana getting back together and breaking up again. Lois is no stranger to heartache, and has been among the walking wounded often enough herself to know how hard it is to move on, so she gave Clark an easy out, all the while hoping he wouldn’t take it. And he almost didn’t. He showed up, all dressed up just for her, but bailed at the last second, looking totally anguished about it, when he saw her from across the street. He just couldn’t be the man she needed right then, and having The Talk at that moment might have meant ruining their chances forever, and hurting her to boot. So he retreated, better safe than sorry. Smart move, show. I’ll be perfectly happy if you do no more than hint at a romance between these two for the rest of the season. And if you do intend to get them together eventually, I’m going to need to hear Clark articulate all the reasons he and Lana never would have worked out, kryptonite or no kryptonite.

Actually, most of my impressions about where Clark and Lois stood with one another came from the actors rather than the script, which was rather vague on the subject. Tom Welling turned in another wonderfully nuanced performance in Infamous. His Clark was in complete command of himself, facing each new challenge with self-assurance, never backing down or losing control. More and more I see Superman in him. But where he truly touched me this week was in showing us Clark’s emotions, from the hope in his eyes as he told Chloe that maybe the public was ready to accept him, to his shy but radiant happiness when people cheered him on the street, to his wistfulness when things didn’t work out. In the scenes between Clark and Lois, Tom portrayed tenderness, affection, respect, and concern, and left me convinced that this relationship grows ever more important to our hero. Erica Durance was equally memorable.

Lois went through a lot in this episode, and we felt every moment of it with her, because of Erica’s performance. She added so much to the scene where Clark told Lois his secret, showing us a reporter who was desperately trying to maintain her professionalism, but who couldn’t help but react with wide-eyed wonder at each new revelation. I especially liked the bit with the x-ray vision, that gave us a little of that Lois and Clark humor I’ve missed so much. In the barn scene, with dialogue that was confusing at best, the one thing we knew with absolute certainty was how much Lois loved Clark, and how vulnerable that made her. And in the final scene, as the perfect song played, we saw Lois’s heart break, and her protective walls go up, right before our eyes. *sniffles* Welcome back, Erica!

Chloe was awesome in Infamous, and Allison Mack’s acting was fantastic, as always. It just amazes me how she makes it look so effortless. I liked that Chloe genuinely cared for Davis, and yet never wavered in her loyalty to either Jimmy or Clark. When Davis said friendship would never be enough for him from her, she simply walked away. When she found out the government was after her to find out all of Clark’s secrets, did she run? Only as far as Isis, where she spent her time shredding anything to do with Clark. When Davis found her there, and she realized he was in fact Doomsday, she recoiled in horror and ran, as much to warn Clark as to save herself. But not before delivering her impassioned imperative: “You stay away from him!” Clark really couldn’t wish for a better friend. Do you think Doomsday killed her after he tore the door off her car, or is she the Beauty who can tame the Beast? I do have to say that I think having Chloe pimp the whole secret identity thing to Clark again was unnecessary. First of all, Clark has known all about secret identities ever since he met Oliver two years ago. He even knows what it’s like to don the costume, since he pretended to be Green Arrow to fool Lois.

Second of all, they already had that conversation, in Identity. And finally, Clark’s not that dumb. He gets it. He wanted to be able to be himself, completely, but he realizes that’s not possible now. The secret identity and a costume to go with it are the logical next step. Let him get there on his own for once. Davis was finally interesting in this episode. Less woobie and more monster worked great for me, and the intensity of Sam Witwer’s acting was riveting to watch. The scene with Chloe at Isis was chilling, and his confrontation with Linda Lake was even better. So Davis killed without fully transforming, and without any memory loss. Is that a first for him? Was it in fact the murder itself that kept the monster at bay? Fascinating stuff. And best of all was watching Davis toss the pills in the garbage at the end. Clark embraced his inner hero this week, and it looks like Davis just embraced his inner beast. Game on!

I welcomed the return of Tori Spelling as Linda Lake. Yes, the character was completely over-the-top, with ridiculous dialogue and mustache-twirling villainy, but she was also a hoot, and Tori played her brilliantly, giving her the same unbridled arrogance we saw in Hydro. Who else would have the audacity to taunt Doomsday while handcuffed helplessly to a hospital bed? I thoroughly enjoyed her performance. Besides, anyone who can deliver their lines coherently while standing opposite the perfect beauty that is Tom Welling in the rain is an accomplished actor in my book. There was a lot going on in this episode, and I appreciated that the show concentrated on just four regular characters this week, rather than trying to find a way to fit everyone in. Even so, some things seemed rushed and rather abrupt, like the way the public turned on Clark instantly and unanimously after hearing Linda Lake’s accusations. But given that an episode is just 42 minutes long these days, I’m willing to let it go, the same way I’m willing to accept that everything in Metropolis happens on that one little city block. I’m still impressed with what Smallville manages to give us, week after week, given the constraints of their budget.

Random thoughts: Someone seriously needs to reorganize that supply room at the DP. Who keeps their copy paper on the highest shelf they can find? Chloe goes through cars the way the Kents used to go through pickup trucks. Those baying bloodhounds in the woods with Clark and Chloe made me laugh. Did anyone else notice that Linda Lake was wearing her trademark black and white houndstooth from Hydro, albeit in a much smaller check this time? Couldn’t Clark stick around for one more second to hear that Davis is Doomsday? And Clark talked to Martha!! Yay!! I never thought it would be possible after the travesty that was the Lana arc, but Smallville is totally back on track as far as I’m concerned. Clark’s my hero, Lois is back, Chloe is herself again, and I’m actually interested in what happens next with Doomsday. I don’t know what’s up with Oliver, but I can’t wait to find out, and I even miss Jimmy. And next week we have a showdown between Clark and Tess! I am so in! Welcome back, show. It’s so very nice to see you again.

tariel22 is back with her review of the “Requiem”. Click the jump to see her final thoughts on our personally dubbed “Clana Trilogy” as it comes to a close.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

I haven’t read a lot of Superman comics, but I’ve heard there have been all kinds of different universes in them over the years, with a variety of stories, characters, and timelines. For instance, I know that in some comic books Jonathan Kent dies before Clark ever becomes Superman, and in others he’s still alive long after Clark dons the cape and takes to the skies. In some versions Lois knows Clark’s secret, and in others she doesn’t. So there isn’t much that is written in stone when it comes to Supes. And what little there is that other writers hold sacred, the people who make Smallville find easy to ignore. Because in the AU that is this show, Clark’s one true love isn’t destined to be Lois Lane. No, our Clark’s heart will always belong to Lana Lang. I just can’t believe it took me this long to understand that.

I have outlined my problems with the Clana relationship before, and I won’t bore you with that litany again here. Seeing Clark continue to choose Lana makes me sad and angry, but that’s just my own personal opinion. What I really don’t understand is the need to give our hero a life steeped in sorrow and setbacks. If the showrunners truly believe that Clark and Lana’s love is timeless, then find a way for them to be together! [Not really, I'm just making a point here.] I’m so tired of seeing my Clark burdened by angst. Superman is a creature of sunlight, not shadow; Batman is the dark figure. Superman is supposed to give us hope and inspire us. How can Clark ever become that man if his heart is destined to be forever broken? Can’t the boy ever have more than a fleeting moment of joy?

Once again this week Clark looked more like Lana’s sidekick than the star of the show. When he wanted to chase sunsets, she reminded him that there was work to be done. He stood by helplessly as she uncovered the remnants of the LuthorCorp bomb, and as she dispatched the kryptonite bomb on the roof of the Daily Planet. Fake!Lex gave them two choices of how to deal with the bomb; I would much rather Clark had done what Superman undoubtedly would: found a third solution, that required neither the loss of human life nor Lana’s martyrdom. And then Clark was ready to murder Lex, until Lana talked him out of it. I think their roles should have been reversed in that conversation, especially in light of what Clark said earlier in the episode. Just who is the hero of this story again?

I thought the Super!Sex was icky (and yes, I got the symbolism of the broken oak bed, I’m not impressed), and my cold stone of a heart was completely unmoved by all the schmoopy declarations of love throughout the episode, as well as the heartbroken, tearful goodbyes in the loft, so I’ll leave it to someone else to wax poetic over the acting in those scenes. But even I have to accept that these two will love each other for all eternity. I’m not sure where Clark is supposed to go from here, but if he shows even a hint of romantic feelings for Lois on the heels of what went down this week, he’s going to look like a colossal jerk.

Clark did have his moments in Requiem. I loved his scene with Chloe on Oliver’s plane, where he was adamant about not killing anyone, refused to get dragged into a vendetta against Lex, and vowed to move forward and not live in the past. My heart soared as I watched, and I was so proud of Clark in that moment! Too bad he negated the whole thing by charging off to kill Lex for his part in the Clana breakup, and showing us he will always live in the past when it comes to Lana. It was cool to watch him use his super hearing to locate the bomb, and I was glad he didn’t hesitate to choose the safety of others over his own happiness when he told Lana she had to defuse it. And I loved that he grieved for Lex, and gave him the same moment of respect he showed for Jonathan and Lionel when he scattered a handful of dust over his figurative grave. I applaud Tom Welling’s acting throughout the episode, even in the scenes that made me want to spork out my eyes. Given the opportunity, he always embodies the hero for me. *still loves Tom*

Fake!Lex was an abomination. I get that they wanted to involve the three characters who were the core of this show at the beginning in Lana’s tragic exit, but it was so not worth disrespecting Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex to do so. And I don’t believe for a moment that Lex is really dead; I’m sure that like Lana before him, he planted a clone to fool everyone, which means we could be subjected to this horror again in the future. Show, please, just don’t, okay?

I do find some small sliver of solace in the fact that Lana was the author of her own destruction. She voluntarily chose to steal Lex’s power suit and change her life irrevocably by putting it on. Heedless of any risk or consequence, and without consulting the man with whom she intended to share the rest of her life, she decided to alter the very fiber of her being and remake herself into a superhero. I still have a problem with Clark being okay with that, but whatever. Certainly Lex played his part in what happened to Lana, but the bigger burden of responsibility rests squarely on Lana herself. To me that says she placed personal power and glory above everything else, and for that hubris she received her just reward. I just feel bad that Clark got caught in the crossfire.

I’m not sure how I feel about Chloe in this episode. I loved seeing her scoobying again, with both Clark and Oliver, and Allison Mack was awesome in every scene, but are we headed for Dark!Chloe, even without Brainiac’s influence? I like Chloe best when she’s working side by side with Clark. The last thing I want to see is more walls coming up between them. I’m glad they’re revisiting what happened with Sebastian Kane, because I’m sure that traumatized Chloe, but I’m nervous, too. And what about Jimmy? Are we supposed to believe that Lois still sits by his bedside, or has he been abandoned to the loving care of the hospital staff? Either way, it makes Chloe look bad. Couldn’t they have spared one line of dialogue to explain?

And then there’s Oliver. What the hell is up with him? I thought he was supposed to be one of the good guys! I’ve been fanwanking his questionable actions all season long, but I guess he truly is taking a darker path this time around. Doesn’t this show have enough villains already? Tess, Doomsday, Brainiac, and Fake!Lex, plus various guest baddies, aren’t enough? And what about the Oliver who had such a problem with the vigilante activities of the rogue cops in Bulletproof? Hypocritical much, Ollie? Although I have to give Justin Hartley props for selling it. Whether Oliver was commandeering the LuthorCorp Board of Directors’ meeting, flirting with his nurse, outwitting Winslow Schott, ruthlessly manipulating Chloe, or chillingly contemplating Lex’s kryptonite ring, I found him to be both believable and captivating. I’m actually intrigued to see where they’re going with this.

I have to make special mention of Justin Hartley’s magnificent bare chest. I don’t know which hospital administrator instituted the “no gowns for hotties” rule at Metropolis General, but give that person a bonus, stat! I swear I didn’t hear a word of the dialogue in those hospital scenes the first time through, because I was mesmerized by the sight of Justin’s perfectly chiseled pecs. Add in the handcuffs, and I wasn’t even thinking about Requiem anymore! I know I’ve poked fun at the abundance of Oliver’s shirtless scenes on this show before, but I’ve never been happier to see the warm expanse of his glowing skin than I was this week. The man is gorgeous, and he provided me with a welcome distraction from the tortures to be found elsewhere in the episode. He also looked positively dreamy dressed, in the suit and tie at the beginning.

I liked Chris Gauthier as Winslow Schott, Smallville’s version of the Toyman. He hit just the right note of creepiness combined with banked rage in his performance, and portrayed Schott’s obvious delight in his toys perfectly as well. Oliver said he fired Schott six years ago, and five years ago Gauthier played a nameless LuthorCorp tech guy in Delete. Did we witness the Toyman in the making all those seasons ago? The continuity totally works. Well done, show. Gauthier is one of those actors you’ve enjoyed in small parts on many different shows. I’ll always love him best as Ronald Reznick on Supernatural.

Random thoughts: Why does the Super!Sex always have to be so violent? Did Lana find her necklace by snooping through Clark’s drawers? Some things never change. Chloe said that Lex declared war on Clark years ago, and that he’s a monster now. Huh? What show is she watching? And a shameless plug: watching Smallville in HD on iTunes, with no CW logo marring Tom’s pretty face, is GLORIOUS.

I always say I’m not a shipper, but perhaps I’ve been deluding myself. Because while I don’t root for a romance for my beloved Clark on Smallville (and I truly don’t, although I’ve enjoyed the flirtation between Clark and Lois this season), I loved Lois Lane long before this show ever hit the airwaves, and I do ship Superman and iconic Lois Lane in the future. I don’t see that as a possibility for Smallville’s Clark now, and that makes me heartsick. I even shed a few tears for their lost love as I watched Requiem. But the show doesn’t belong to me, and it’s not my story to tell. I don’t find the Clana love believable or compelling, but love by definition often defies logic or explanation. It is what it is. I guess it’s my turn to accept and move on, just as Chloe fans had to accept that she would leave journalism and the Daily Planet behind without a fight, Lois fans had to accept that she would sleep with her boss, and Lex fans had to accept that he would be completely emasculated by his love for Lana. I’m not bitter that the show didn’t go the way I had hoped it would, but I won’t say it doesn’t hurt. I’m not sorry we have another hiatus right now; I think Smallville and I need to take a little break.

tariel22 is back with her review of the thirteenth episode of the season,”Power”. Click the jump to see her continuing thoughts on the SHoE dubbed “Clana Trilogy”.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

I’m going to give Power a rational review if it kills me. I may be sick to death of the Clana, and fed up to the eyeballs with the awesomeness that is Lana Lang, but you cannot write off my utter dismay with this episode to a personal bias. The story presented to us this week was fundamentally flawed, and it was served up with a generous side order of WTF. Our star and hero was relegated to sidekick status, and he reverted to behavior I thought he had finally left behind. I did find moments to love in Power, but overall I was left disappointed and a little depressed.

So let me get this straight. Lana wakes up from three months in a coma, during which she has spent every moment in indescribable, unbearable pain, only to be forced at gunpoint to make a goodbye video for Clark, and then be thrown into a van to be taken to God knows where. In that moment she’s had enough, and decides she’s done being the eternal victim. She overpowers her kidnappers, dumps them in the street, takes their van, and races off into the night. Okay, I can actually buy that concept. But how it played out was kind of ridonkulous.

When John Jones is shot by one his fellow cops, Clark must go undercover to find out who’s killing off Metropolis’ finest.

tariel22 is back with her review of the twelfth episode of the season,”Bulletproof”. Click the jump to see what she thought of Joe Fordman, Danny Turpin, and *gasp* Clana!

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Smallville, my love, we need to talk. You know how much I love S8. It’s been my favorite season ever so far. And you know I love my boy Clark. Week after week, I’m in your corner. Usually I’m your biggest cheerleader. Other people marvel at the way I adore you. But after watching Bulletproof, I have to ask: what in the world are you thinking?

Fair warning, guys: full blown rant ahead. I hate the Clana. HATE it. I loved it once, rooted for it, even swooned over it. But it’s a relationship Clark should have left behind in high school, and every time it rears its ugly head, my hero makes me cringe. First of all, Clark is destined to be Superman, and Superman is destined to love Lois Lane. She is the love of his life, not Lana Lang. Smallville has already raised Lana’s importance in Clark’s life far beyond where it should be, and to resurrect their romance now, AGAIN, just makes me want to scream. Or cry. I don’t care if Clark and Lois get together on Smallville, but someday, somewhere, they are going to share a love for the ages, the kind of love that makes them both better, the kind of love Superman needs to fully become the hero for whom the world so desperately waits. But how am I supposed to believe in that when Clark is still nurturing an obsession which, to hear him tell it, he’s had since kindergarten? Show, if you make the legendary Lois Lane look like Clark Kent’s second choice, I will never forgive you.

Second of all, I have a problem with Clark still loving Lana anyway. She has done things that should be a deal breaker for the future Man of Steel. Even if you believe (I don’t) she was driven to her actions by Clark’s secrets and lies, or if you believe (I don’t) that the fault lies with Lex and his machinations, she’s still responsible for the choices she made. And I’m giving her a full pass for any occasion where she “wasn’t herself,” like when she stabbed Genevieve in the heart in Commencement, or when she tried to kill Lex in Wrath. I’m talking about how she has had her own share of secrets and lies, how she was going to leave Lex trapped underground to die in Nemesis, how she stole $10 million from Lex and created the Isis Foundation as a front to spy on him, and how she kidnapped and abused Lionel Luthor. And that’s just for starters. Of course I expect Clark to have compassion for Lana, but I don’t expect him to think someone who has shown such ethical ambiguity is the person with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life, not when he is supposed to be the moral compass for the rest of us. No, show. Just no.

Third of all, I don’t like what the Clana does to Clark. I never thought I’d see the day when my superhero would beg another man’s pregnant (or so he and she both thought at the time) wife to run off with him. Yeah, it was two years ago. I’m still not over it. The last scene in Bulletproof made my head hurt. Watching Clark try to convince Lana to give it one more try, while she selflessly reminded him the world needs him more, was depressing. And if Clark is going to realize there’s a woman out there with whom he can share his unique life, why have the subject of that epiphany be a woman we already know is leaving the show forever after two more episodes? At best, it makes Clark look confused, and like he doesn’t know his own heart. At worst, especially after Bride, it makes him look fickle and pathetic. And that was the unsexiest kiss I’ve ever seen.

Okay, I feel better now. That’s pretty much covers the big problem I had with Bulletproof. Now we can move on to my normal gushing review, where I either fanwank or forgive everything that bothers everyone else.

Click the jump to see what she thought of Smallville’s big return, and quite possibly, the biggest episode ever!

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

Never before have I seen an episode of Smallville hyped as much as Legion was. From the moment the announcement was made at Comic-Con last summer that DC golden boy Geoff Johns would write an episode this season, fandom has been bouncing in anticipation. Along the way we’ve seen spoilers, interviews, episode stills, teasers, and clips, and everything reached a fever pitch over the hiatus, when it seemed that January 15th would never arrive. So, did Legion live up to the hype? Oh, baby, I believe that it did!

I read Superman comics as a kid, but I haven’t kept up, and at first I had no idea who Geoff Johns was, or why all the fanboys were flailing over the prospect of him bringing the Legion of Super-Heroes to Smallville. The Supes love that I have, and that brought me to this show, was born out of TV and film. But after listening to everyone wax rhapsodic over the man, I made it my mission to hunt down and read what the mighty Geoff Johns had written. And I fell in love. Because he is a great storyteller, but also because this guy’s Superman is the hero of my dreams. And along with the Legion, that’s what he brought to Smallville.

The story in Legion was deceptively simple: Clark has to stop Brainiac, hopefully without killing Chloe, and the Legionnaires stick around to help because of the Persuader’s damaging interference. But the episode itself was rich and complex, full of conflict and heroism, exploring concepts that lie at the heart of the Superman mythos, advancing Clark’s storyline within the series, and bringing in enough elements from the DCU to satisfy even the biggest comics geek. Plus it was just a rollicking good time, with action, special effects, and humor. I loved it!

The Legion members were wonderfully written and perfectly cast. Cosmic Boy was every inch the leader, strong and resolute. I’m already half in love with him. Saturn Girl displayed the understanding that comes with knowing everyone’s thoughts and feelings. She radiated empathy. And Lightning Lad was the ultimate fanboy, expressing the adoration the Supes fans among us all feel. He made me laugh. They were true to their comic book counterparts, right down to their costumes, executed with that special Smallville twist. From our first glimpse of them with that glorious shot of Rokk’s flight ring, to that last, loaded warning before they left, every moment was a thrill. You didn’t have to be a comics fan to fully appreciate the Legion, but if you were, there were lots of extra little details that made the episode even more fun.

With the Legion we were able to explore what destiny means: is it a path or a prison? And what is the difference between a legend and the man who inspires it? Garth was rocked to his core to discover a Clark who didn’t embody his idol Kal-El in every way. I think Clark, in turn, was both touched and intimidated by what his future evidently holds. This season we’ve seen him expand his heroics from mostly friends and family to anyone who needs his help, and from the confines of Smallville to the crowded streets of Metropolis. Now he’s told that’s just the beginning, that his influence will be felt across the universe. That’s heady stuff.

The Legion also brought up the question of history, and how it both illuminates and obscures. Can Clark trust their version of his story? I especially liked how the Legion members gave voice to some of the questions that have been plaguing fans for years. Why, exactly, hasn’t Clark learned how to fly? Why has Chloe’s name, and her importance in Clark’s life, been lost to the past, and what does that portend for her future? Does she die, and in so doing finally inspire Clark to take to the skies? Or does she take another name, one that perhaps they already know all too well? It was a relief just to hear the show acknowledge these questions, even if they did leave them all unanswered.

I can’t say I appreciated another hint at the Chlois theory, though, right on the heels of the Clois almost-kiss in Bride. In a fandom that sometimes seems to be dominated by its shipper wars, we don’t need any more fuel for that fire. Pick a ship and run with it, show, and stop trying to pander to all fan groups at once. Actually, as much as I’ve enjoyed the flirty, funny moments Clark and Lois have shared this season, one of the things I liked best about Legion was its complete lack of romantic entanglements. Give me a smart, heroic Clark, a compelling big bad, some superpowers, and a good story, and I’m a happy fangirl. Even the comic book stuff was just icing on the cake for me.

I loved the Clark that Geoff Johns gave us in Legion. He was my hero, showing great leadership and strength of character, absolute conviction in his beliefs, and the determination to think and act independently that has become his trademark in S8. He was, in a word, my Superman. I have enjoyed every step of Clark’s journey on Smallville, truly, but after seven seasons of watching, this Clark is exactly the man for whom I’ve been waiting, and I can’t even express how happy I am to see him emerge. And Tom Welling plays him perfectly, as if he’s been waiting his whole life to show us the man Clark is destined to become. My secret wish is to see Tom in a romantic comedy, not a Superman film, but I’ve never been more convinced he could pull off the suit and the cape on the big screen than I was when Legion ended.

I also loved Clark’s interaction with the Legionnaires. It was gratifying to see their open admiration of Clark, and how deeply that affected him. And I liked how the relationship between them developed, how it was broken and then forged anew as they learned to see Clark as a man instead of a legend, but to trust him all the same. The cute moments, like when Garth asked Clark where his cape was, or when Clark signed the baseball with his heat vision, were a delight to watch. But most of all I celebrated how Clark rose to this occasion, and passionately made it clear that he doesn’t kill, inspiring the Legion to make his personal code their own. He made me proud.

Allison Mack was amazing this week, as usual. Her Brainiac was chilling. Ruthless, relentless, and completely devoid of emotion, her total disregard for human life was unmistakable. The return of the real Chloe at the end of the episode was nothing short of a transformation. And I’m glad to have Clark’s unadulterated BFF back. Analyzing her every word and action, trying to discern what was Chloe and what was Brainiac, was beginning to make my head hurt. Her conversation with Clark before leaving for Star City cleared up a few things in that regard, thankfully. We now know that while Brainiac definitely influenced her during his possession, Chloe evidently decided to marry Jimmy of her own free will, and is anxious to be reunited with her new husband. In fact, the ambivalence her attraction to Davis seemed to indicate was all Brainiac’s doing. And Chloe has ALL her memories back. Good move, I approve, but it all seemed kind of anti-climatic to me. I guess I’m not sure why the show bothered to take her memories of Clark’s secret away in the first place, if they were going to give them back so easily. What purpose did it all serve? And is Clark ever going to tell Chloe what he did?

If I have fewer questions about Chloe, I’m left with even more about Davis. Brainiac said Davis isn’t human, and has no free will. Is that true? And if so, with Brainiac gone, who controls the beast? With his incubation interrupted, what state is Davis in, exactly? And if he’s nothing but a monster on the inside, am I supposed to be unmoved by his obvious anguish over what he’s become? Are we looking at a showdown between Clark and Doomsday to bring this season to a close? If so, how in the world are the writers supposed to craft a final story arc that can serve equally well to end the season or the series? I have a bad feeling about this.

Finally, I really struggled with my reaction to Lana this week. First off, I absolutely hated that she had to tell Clark that killing Chloe was not an option. I wanted to see him come to that conclusion on his own, not be scolded into it by Lana. Why does her presence always have to diminish Clark? I wasn’t thrilled about the extreme hero worship Imra had for her, either, but I can at least rationalize that as idealized fangirling of her legendary status in future history. I like Lana’s new maturity in S8, and the fact that they’re giving her an identity outside of being someone’s love interest. I applaud her faith in Clark, and her loyalty to Chloe. And I appreciate that her fans want to see a fitting farewell to a character they adore. But do they have to lay it on so thick? For all that’s different in S8, some things are very much the same.

Random thoughts: Lana’s hairstyle continues to be a disturbing distraction. Kristin Kreuk’s new ‘do looks fabulous, why not let Lana have it, too? At the end of Bride, Lana was in a hospital gown, in a bed at Metropolis General. And then she put her bloody dress back on and drove back to the farm? Clark is hot when he’s angry. And Tom was gorgeous in that white shirt. I’m sorry, but I had to laugh when Clark just ran away from the Legionnaires. It looked kind of silly. And it took me right back to him running away so hilariously from Lois in Crimson. Did you see the Torch article about Alicia in Chloe’s binder? Continuity FTW! What’s the status of the Fortress now? And I think Ryan Kennedy is almost as tall as Tom!

We were given a rare treat this week, a true crossover between Smallville and the DCU. The result was a blast, and it seems everyone involved enjoyed the collaboration. Way to think outside the box, show! I’d love to see you do it again sometime. Legion was a fun ride, and it was also a great way to wrap up the first half of the season. Brainiac is gone, Chloe’s back, Doomsday has been unleashed, and Clark is more aware than ever of the destiny that awaits him, and of his importance to the entire world. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Click the jump to see what she thought of the return of Kara Zor-El and a super-powered Lois Lane in Smallville.

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give tariel22 feedback directly here!

In Bloodline we saw just how far Smallville has come in S8. This was a solid episode, where not a single moment drove me crazy, every scene had a purpose, and every actor had a chance to shine. The episode as a whole tied up one storyline, advanced others, gave us another big reveal, and was a joy to watch. PS3, I love you! And I’m not the only one enjoying the new and improved Smallville, because the ratings are up. The week this episode aired, Smallville was the number one show on the CW, with no need for that “scripted” qualifier. And in its eighth season, no less. I’m so proud of our show, guys! This week Kara finally came back to Smallville, Clark and Lois were trapped in the Phantom Zone, Chloe and Oliver teamed up to bring them back, Davis found out the shocking truth behind his mysterious blackouts, and Tess was everywhere. When Bloodline was over, we had new information to process and new questions to ponder. Who stole the crystal and then sent it to Clark? What did they hope to accomplish by sending him back to the PZ? What in the hell has Brainiac done to Chloe, who’s displaying way more than a little extra brain power now? What was Ollie up to in Venezuela? What does Tess know? Davis is the son of Zod?! What else about him changed when Faora killed him and made him indestructible? And what’s going to happen in the inevitable showdown between Davis and Clark? I’m on the edge of my seat, and I’m up for anything! I loved Clark in this episode. He was a man of action in the Phantom Zone, determined first to save Lois from a fate she was never meant to suffer, and then to bring Kara home. Stripped of his powers, Clark showed us once again that what truly makes him a hero is who he is inside, not what he can do. He used his strength and compassion to bring Lois back from the brink of hysteria, and to break through Kara’s hard shell of cynicism and despair. Refusing to give up on the only blood relative he has left, Clark’s love for his cousin finally brought her hope back to life, and in the end it was Clark’s heart, not his superpowers, that saved the day. Tom Welling was wonderful in the emotional scenes in the PZ, both with Lois and Kara, but most notably in the moment when Clark told Kara what she means to him. His performance made me realize what Clark keeps hidden from us all. Back on Earth, Clark was his usual awesome self, dealing with Faora, standing up to Tess with aplomb, talking hero-to-hero with Oliver, and bidding a wistful farewell to Kara. We even got a little bit of the Clark and Lois funny at the Daily Planet, where Tom gave us a couple of his priceless reaction shots, like when Lois told him Tess had given her a raise. This whole episode reminded me anew of how far Clark has come since we first met him all those seasons ago, and how very close he is to becoming our Superman. And Tom looked gorgeous, as always. We were treated to another lovely DP ensemble, and, surprisingly, I liked him even better in the traditional garb he wore in the PZ. The blinding glare of that desolate place somehow suited Tom, who looked prettier than ever, especially when he was showing off his incredible body by running and jumping and climbing all over the place, in jeans that actually kind of fit for once! I was happy to see Kara, and Laura Vandervoort, return to Smallville. I’ve missed her. LV and TW have always had incredible chemistry together, and this episode was no exception. There was a warmth between Kara and Clark that was truly special. LV perfectly portrayed a Kara made hard by the harshness of her prison, which made her return to her normal self once she escaped the PZ that much sweeter. I also liked Kara’s Mad Max look in the PZ. What a shocking transformation! I get why Kara’s not a regular anymore, and her leaving to search for Kandor is a good way to explain her departure on the show, but I wish they could bring her back again sometime. She and Clark make a good team. Lois went through a lot in Bloodline, and the episode was a showcase for how accomplished Erica Durance has become as an actress. Lois started out her normal, animated self, blowing into Clark’s kitchen like a mini hurricane, promising to turn his life upside down. Clark looked stunned, but I think he would have welcomed the change. I think that’s why he invited her in the first place, because his life is never boring when Lois is around, and I think he loves that about her. But then they were both transported to the Phantom Zone, and Lois understandably freaked. I loved how Clark’s top priority was finding a way to send Lois home, and then she refused to leave without him. The bond between these two grows stronger all the time. Kara finally had to shove her through the portal. Lois landed back on Earth and stood, dazed, for no more than a moment before her body was taken over by the phantom who had followed her, Faora. And this is where ED blew me away. She became a completely different person. Faora was quintessentially Kryptonian, and very cool. She was regal, ruthless, driven, and just a little bit creepy with Davis (oedipal much, show?). How funny was it that she took the time to clean up, put on makeup, and do her hair before she set out to find her son? And I wonder how Zod really felt about her, because back in S6 he was ready to repopulate the Earth with Lana, and he didn’t say anything about needing her to be a vessel for the old ball and chain back in the PZ. Lois’s final scene was with Clark at the DP, where she appeared completely back to normal. Lois is resilient, and it’s a strength that will serve her well as her life becomes further entwined with the future Man of Steel. It’s just one of the traits about her that charms me. She’s self-confident without being arrogant (I think it’s mostly bravado anyway), clueless without being dumb, and she makes me laugh. Like when she explained why she got her raise: “Because I’m me. Hell-o!” LOL! Something about ED’s line delivery there just cracks me up. But mostly I like Lois because I think she’s good for Clark. She challenges him, and shakes up his life, and keeps him from being too serious all the time. And I think she makes him feel human. Chloe entered brand new territory in this episode, tapping into a whole new level of power to command Clark’s crystal and bring him back from the PZ. She continues to change in subtle ways as her power grows, showing more dominance and less patience, but she’s still Chloe to the core, with all her love and compassion and loyalty. I have to wonder what’s going on in her head, especially after what happened last week. I think maybe she understands Davis’s torment all too well now. Allison Mack nails every scene she’s in, and I can’t wait to see what she does with Chloe as this infection continues! Oliver was great this week, too. He’s like the voice of reason when all these crazy things start happening; he says the things we’re all thinking. Clark and Chloe get so caught up in the current crisis, and sometimes they need someone who can take a step back and give them a different perspective. I had to laugh at his line about the Phantom Zone: “Seriously, who names these things?” All the same, he jumps in when he’s needed, and it was fun to see Green Arrow again, especially in a face-off with Tess. I also liked that Oliver stopped by the farm to express his concern for Chloe. Clark didn’t see what Oliver saw, and he needed to hear about it. Besides, I always love a scene between the boys. And what is on Oliver’s own agenda these days? Why is he looking at LuthorCorp’s files on the halfway house from Rage? Davis didn’t have a huge part this week, but Sam Witwer made the most of his moments, playing each emotion with great skill. I’m not sure why Davis chose such a dramatic test of his vulnerability following his return from the dead, or why he had to take his shirt off to do it, but it sure made for an exciting ending! And finally we have Tess, who keeps getting closer to Clark’s secret. I can’t quite figure her out, but I love to watch and ponder! Clearly she’s a cold-blooded killer, perhaps many times over, but what is her motivation? Misguided devotion to Lex? Mindless ambition? Or sociopathy? She’s manipulative and, no pun intended, merciless, like a cat with a mouse, and yet she continues to show flashes of vulnerability, and she truly seems to want to win Clark over to her side. She is an enigma, and one who fascinates me, thanks in large part to Cassidy Freeman. She’s still no Lex Luthor, but she’ll do in his unavoidable absence. Random thoughts: Clark buys a cereal called CocoMoco Crispies? Coconut, coffee, and chocolate? Yuck. Did you see the big bunch of drumsticks in the box Chloe brought in? Are those Lois’s concert souvenirs? It is absolutely ridiculous to expect us to believe that Tess didn’t recognize Oliver instantly in his Green Arrow costume, but then this is a Superman story, and all Clark’s going to have is a pair of glasses. :) I didn’t get why Faora taunted Clark about his parents never coming for him. Didn’t they die mere moments after they sent Baby Kal-El hurtling toward Earth? And I like Tess’s new assistant. He’s got attitude! I enjoyed this episode and everyone in it, and I think Smallville just keeps getting better. If we were on a stronger network, I’d be rooting for S9 by now, and that’s saying a lot, considering how badly I want to see Tom Welling on the big screen. I’m excited for what’s ahead, I’m dreading the hiatus that’s looming large, and I’m trying to savor each and every episode, because I’m pretty sure they’re the last we’ll ever see of our beloved show. Most series sink into mediocrity as the years go by, and very few even make it to an eighth season. How cool is it that Smallville is spending their S8 giving us some of the best episodes we’ve ever seen?

Click the jump to see what she thought of a very Superman foreshadowing episode of Clark embracing his destiny!

You can also weigh in on the episode at our new SHoE forums or give Angell feedback directly here!

Wheeee! I loved this episode! If Prey was about Clark discovering the struggles he will face as Superman, Identity was about him discovering the joys. And although he spent most of the episode worried about his secret being revealed, by the end he realized that perhaps he didn’t have as much to fear from that as he thought. It was another big step on the path to becoming Superman, the one where Clark first entertains the notion of trading his secret for a secret identity, and I thought our show handled it beautifully. My favorite moment of the whole episod