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Smallville: Stray

Jonathan: "You've always had a soft spot for strays."
Martha: "The last one turned out all right."

Yet another supernatural orphan dropped into the Kents' lives. (You certainly fell into the right family, honey.)

I liked this one. I liked how young mind reader Ryan had every intention of keeping his gift a secret, but couldn't help telling people what he knew. Of course, Ryan loved the Kents, took to Chloe, and didn't like Lex at all. He couldn't read Clark, but still picked up from others what a good guy Clark was. In a transparent comparison to Superman, Ryan saw Clark as "Warrior Angel," a "strange visitor from another planet who protects the weak."

Lionel told Lex that he was "more than adequate" and in an attempt to diffuse Lex's success in Smallville, offered him a job in Metropolis. Lex turned him down. We also got the first mention that Lex had a younger brother, Julian, who succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome.

So Clark had a temporary little brother. No little brother for Lex. I wonder what sort of big brother he would have been? Would he have treated Julian the way he treats Clark?

Bits and quotes:

— In a nice romantic subplot, Ryan told Clark that Chloe wanted to go to the prom with him, and offered to tell Clark how Lana felt about him. Clark showed more moral character than I would have in that situation; he said no.

— Ryan wasn't a meteor freak, was he?

— In the end, Ryan left Smallville to go live in Edge City. Edge City is definitely from the comics. And yet one more person knows Clark's secret.

— Martha hit Ryan with her car. Not a car wreck, but I think it counts as one point.

Lex: "It's a foil, Clark. Every hero should have one."

A solid three stars. I liked this one,

Billie
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Billie Doux had a love-hate relationship with Smallville, which is why some of her reviews are briefer than they should be.

2 comments:

  1. Jim Shield, who played James Gibson in this episode, returns in the later episode, "Absolute Justice", as the Star-Spangled Kid.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This one was about siblings. It's interesting that none of our core team has a sibling -- Clark, Lex, Lana, Chloe and I think Pete (feel free to correct me on that last one if I am wrong) are all only children. The conversation between Lana and Clark about wanting a sibling made me smile. Only children idealize what having a sibling means. Don't get me wrong -- I would die for either my brother or my sister, but it hasn't always been hearts, puppies and rainbows.

    Lex is finally offered the opportunity to "go home," yet chooses to stay in Smallville? Why? I believe it's because he feels that his family is now there. Lex would like nothing better than to become part of the Kent family, but what is heartbreaking is that we know that will never happen. Even so, the faintest glimmer of hope means more to Lex than his true family/father back in Metropolis.

    Clark and Lex certainly look on each other as brothers at this point. Everyone (Jonathan since the beginning, Pete in the last episode, Ryan in this one) warns Clark to watch himself, but he is loyal to Lex. I respect that, but it makes me sad as we all know how this will eventually turn out.

    If there were ever a family that should have had a household of kids, it is the Kents. But, that didn't happen. So, when Ryan turns up, they all enjoy getting to play the part. Jonathan takes him for treats; Martha bakes pies and gives him hand-me-down clothes; Clark plays ball with him. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time.

    So now, both Lex and Clark have "lost" a brother -- Lex to death and Clark to distance. Yet another thing they have in common.

    ReplyDelete

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