Lionel: "You're about to face your darkest hour, my son."Clark had sex, and he died. That's two major human life experiences, right there.
I was right about the Buffy parallel; have sex for the first time, experience cosmic retribution. But we don't know who will ultimately suffer for it, which is an interesting twist. Who will die, and will we have to wait until the season finale to find out? Logically, it should be Lana, since Clark did it all for her, anyway. I sure hope it isn't Chloe. My money is on Jonathan, who is the only one we know will die in the Superman mythology. I can even see Jonathan sacrificing his life for Clark.
And now, Clark can't sleep with Lana any more. I wonder why? It's implied in the Christopher Reeve movies that they're paralleling all over the place that Clark has to be human to have sex. Is that because Superman would be outright dangerous in bed? The safe sex discussion brings up another question: how likely is it that Lana could get knocked up by an alien? Yes, the medical file that Lana showed Lex says that Clark was testing as totally human, but how much sense does that make?
The missile silo subplot reminded me of two things: (1) the first Superman movie where Superman flew up in the air and redirected the missile into space (interesting that that was kinda what happened), and (2) the evil Lex dreams about all the missiles going into the air. Lex gets more evil-like every week. Yes, yes! Lex! Be evil!
I heart John Glover. My favorite thing about this episode was Lionel as Jor-El. Absolutely inspired. Lionel can be Jor-El again, at any moment, and that will make any future scenes between Jor-El and Clark so much more powerful. It's just perfect.
Bits and pieces:
— Clark just returned from the dead, in ripped up clothes and covered with soot. Isn't Lana going to suspect that something is off? What on earth could he tell her that she would believe?
— Chloe is more important than ever, now. Clark desperately needs a friend in whom he can confide.
— I'm going to mention the obvious Jesus parallels of sacrifice, death, and resurrection, and move on.
— Lex was waiting for Lana in her apartment, and going through her things. He may just want to know what she knows about the ship, but it was still creepy and stalker-like.
— Gabriel had a Room of Weird. I miss the Wall.
— Kristen Kreuk did really well with Clark's death scene, as did the long-suffering Kents. I trash Lana so much that I have to give credit where it's due.
— Where's Lois? She's in the cast now. I want Lois.
— During the extremely cool missile take-down, Clark was wearing blue jeans and a red windbreaker. About as close as they could get to The Suit. Yes, I know he wears blue and red all the time, but still.
Quotes:
Chloe: "I just passed Lana flying outa here. What would she be doing here at six thirty in... oh."
Jonathan: "He didn't ask for anything in return?"
Clark: "No."
Clark lied to his parents! Clark never lies to his parents! I guess he feels that there is no point to telling them the truth.
Chloe: "When Kansas didn't merge with Oklahoma today, I kinda guessed you were involved."
Lex: "I think you're forgetting something, Lana. Whatever new lie he told you, however he swept it under the rug, a normal person doesn't rise from the dead."
Got it in one, Lex.
Oh, my, did I love this one. Four out of four stars,
Billie
---
Billie Doux had a love-hate relationship with Smallville, which is why some of her reviews are briefer than they should be.
Gabriel was played by Johnny Lewis, who played Half-Sack on Sons of Anarchy and Chili on The O.C.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the great ones. I haven't seen season five in a while, so I had forgotten how good this episode is.
ReplyDeleteThe opening bit when Clark and Lana get caught is hilarious. Jonathan is his usual self ("Like you didn't do it?" Tell him, Clark!), but Martha was great as the mom trying to be cool about the whole thing.
Gold star to Welling in this one. When he comes back, Clark is different -- older, weightier somehow. And, when he hugs Lana to "Collide" (one of my top ten songs of all time), I just weep for him. Thank goodness he has Chloe.
I love the scenes with Lex and Lana. Lex is right in that Lana is just burying her head. As you point out, he was dead in a hospital bed and comes back tattered and torn. At this point, she doesn't want to know and Lex getting in her face won't help.
I had mixed feelings about Lex making his final journey to the dark side; but being as a long time Superman fan that used to sneak her brother's comments, saw the movies, watched the TV shows including the animated ones, it had to happen. I knew it must happen so I have accepted it. Michael Rosenbaum did a great job as always. In addition, it was well written. I loved that Chloe found out that Lex was watching and that Clark went over there to beat his tail for putting them all in danger just to find out what Clark is hiding as though he had some RIGHT to know. But still, I did enjoy Smallville's interpretation of their relationship so it is a little sad that he and Clark are no longer friends.
ReplyDeleteUnlike you, I have no issues with Lana. She is part of Clark/Superman's history and they remained close friends even after he became Superman. In fact, in the comics, it was Lana who actually bowed out of the relationship and it was her who felt that Superman didn't belong to her, he belonged to the world. So in Smallville, it makes sense that she would be his love interest. I do however, have issues with how she is written at times but not KK's fault. I don't really care about the couples; I know who his ultimate soul mate is going to be but I do see chemistry between Clark and Lana. Sorry don't shoot me. :)
And I also don't find their celibacy far fetched; it just depends.
I forgot to add the other reasons I loved this episode. I enjoyed seeing Clark and Lana being normal like young people. I enjoyed Chloe being realistically disappointed and I loved how Martha, Jonathan AND LANA handled themselves with Electro freak and the psycho Wonder Twin knock offs. LOL I also loved the banter between Clark and Chloe during their rescue mission and loved Chloe's part in it especially when she found out that Pete knew. It would have been nice if he was still on so they could be a tag team. I liked Pete personally; they just gave him little to work with.
ReplyDeleteI give it 3 stars. :)
Dammit Clark, you idiot...
ReplyDeleteThough in your defense I did feel a bitter amusement about Jor-El clucking about his own choices leading to this, then when Clark goes "Fine don't bring me back then" he's all "Too late now! Sorry lol. It's still all your fault but know that I love you, bye-bye." Yeah no wonder you found Lionel a worthy vessel!! Goddamn hypocrite. Of course we know you love him, but so what? That's why you're insistent on letting a loved one die in his place no matter his desire to take responsibility for his life and its end. I actually felt bad when Clark almost-guiltily said "The real sacrifice would've been not coming back at all." Because he did make that sacrifice! Jor-El just vetoed it, the f*cker. Rules for thee but not for me.
Chloe was looking really good in that final scene, it really does make me sad there's no romantic angle here. They're being so cozy together. And yes, I actually do miss Pete/feel his ghost with Chloe going on about being his only secret-keeper too :( The only thing missing from the reboot feel.