Okay, it’s time once again to take your best guess, this time on who’s gonna snuff it on “Smallville.”
Personally, I still think the entire concept is appalling. Jor-El decrees that for Clark to live, someone else must die? What is up with THAT? For a moment there I thought that they were saying it wasn’t Jor-El at all but, instead, General Zod, and that made tons of sense to me. But no, apparently that IS supposed to be Jor-El, and the gargantuan guilt trip they’d be laying on Clark here…I just think it’s pretty dámņëd depressing. Anyway…lessee what we’ve got:
CHLOE–1-1. Yes. She’s the most obvious, since she’s never shown up anywhere else in the Superman universe. Y’know what? Last time I dismissed something as being “too” obvious. If, as it appears in adverts, Clark is proposing to Lana in the Fortress, he’s coming clean with her. For a reporter there’s Lois, for a female who knows Clark’s ID there’s Lana. Chloe becomes superfluous. So this time I’m saying, Yeah, this is the most likely victim. But right up behind her is…
PA KENT–2-1. Second most obvious. He has a heart condition already. It would leave one parent still around. And in several versions of Superman continuity, Pa dies while Clark is still young, so it dovetails with that. For that matter…
MA KENT–5-2. It would provide a bit of a switch, thinking it’s gonna be one parent and it turns out to be another. Plus she’s been hanging out with Lionel, and that never turns out well. For that matter…
MA & PA KENT–7-2. Clark becomes an orphan. On the cusp of adulthood, that which anchors him to Smallville would evaporate, setting him up for a final season in which he readies himself to become a citizen of the world…a citizen that anyone in Smallville would still take one look at and say, “Hey, Clark, what’s with the tights?” Look for a mysterious glowing light that mindwipes everyone’s recollection of Clark’s face in the final Smallville episode, I’m thinking.
LANA LANG–10-1. Yes, she’s in current continuity, but that doesn’t mean anything. Plus if Clark proposes and she accepts, she’s toast. Which leads us to conclude that either she accepts and dies, or she says no and lives. Bottom line, I suspect the latter.
LIONEL LUTHOR–20-1. The advantage is that it spares Clark the emotional guilt trip because, really, how choked up would he be? It’d be particularly compelling if Lex is the one who kills him, and frankly, Lionel’s been boring the crap out of me for close to two seasons now (it’s not the actor’s fault; the character just seems all over the map.) On the other hand, just how “close” is Lionel to Clark?
PETE ROSS–20-1. The upside is that it doesn’t disrupt the week-to-week series, and it doesn’t put an actor out of work. The downside is that, since he’s been gone for a couple seasons, there’s zero emotional impact. Not likely.
EINSTEIN, a.k.a. Krypto–25-1. Don’t look at me like that. He’s someone close to Clark. I didn’t make up the criteria.
DOCTOR QUENTIN COSTA–40-1. Hey…it could happen.
LEX LUTHOR–Quadrillion to zero. We saw his future: He’s the President.
LOIS LANE–Quadrillion to Zero minus 5. Now for all I know the guys in the “Smallville” offices are chortling and saying, “They’ll never see THIS coming.” But I suspect we don’t see it coming because it ain’t coming. No fricking way.
Of course, let’s not forget: This is comics, or more accurately, comics-based fiction. Someone dies. Okay. But there’s nothing to say that they wouldn’t come back somehow. Here’s hoping that Clark doesn’t make the Earth turn backwards, because there’s only so many times you can pull THAT stunt.
PAD
• 
Here’s my 25 minutes before the show final guess.
What if Lana “dies”, but Chloe takes the ride to the Fortress through the cave and offers herself as a sacrifice in place of Lana?
KIP
Lana just accepted his wedding proposal… she is so dead.
I’m going to take a wild guess and say that Lana will at least be in a horrfic car accident and be very bloody, leaving Clark in Pa’s arms to…. aw, dámņ…. the posting time is up by my name. :p
…. at half way over, this episode has me interested enough to see if I can get my hands on at least the last several epsiodes to see what has been leading up to this.
Fred
Okay, at almost halfway through, this is reminding me of the Angel season 4 episode “Awakening” – everything a little too perfect …. Ooops, a couple things have changed since I started this ….
Well they just amde a joke about spinning the Earth backwards so I guess that won’t happen…I’m feeling very nervous for Chloe…but I still say it’s Pa Kent.
This is more exciting than an election…wow, that’s sad.
Ok, now this is starting to give me FINAL DESTINATION vibes…
“What? You spin the world around backwards?”
Are the writers reading this blog?
If they are…DON’T KILL CHLOE!
You did see the (BELIEVE it was on WB – don’t think I channel surfed) “Final Destination 3” commercial about ten minutes ago, too? Corporate synergy?
Hey Clark, how about some super speed to the Emergency room??? I’m just saying…
Looks like Chloe is safe. Now I feel bad about Pa Kent.
Well, I guess that answers the question. Whether or not you were “right” depends on which part of the episode you’re looking at!
(Though Jonathan is my second guess after Chloe — she survives the car crash and he dies of “natural causes.)
Talk about a lucky guess. I ended up being right for the wrong reasons.
Must say, it lived up to its hype. I am sure writers like PAD might see the flaws, but I would not change a thing. There are so many things they did right (for once).
Now to see where they go from here.
Iowa Jim
“What? You spin the world around backwards?”
Are the writers reading this blog?
Yes, they read it, grabbed the crystal and went back and corrected what would have other been a bad episode.
Best lines in the thread go to Bill Mulligan for such hits as:
*In reference to writers of the episode reading this thread* “If they are…DON’T KILL CHLOE!”
“Hey Clark, how about some super speed to the Emergency room??? I’m just saying…”
Thanks for adding a laugh to my night.
Fred
SPOILERS (which there kind of have been for a dozen or more posts now – if ya haven’t watched it, don’t read any post from 9 PM eastern time on the 26th on)
******************************************************************************************************************************************************
Today’s Smallville ALSO featured music by Peter Gabriel, “I Grieve” (you can figure out where), featured on the “City of Angels” soundtrack (and probably elsewhere).
Well, I don’t regularly catch this show – last I knew, Lionel was in jail (I said “You son of a bìŧçh” out loud when I saw that he actually WAS at the funeral, btw – though I suppose he didn’t intentionally or even quite directly cause the death; still …) – but, thanks to this thread, I was aware of this ep, happened to see it in the listings, and checked it out. And, it was a pretty interesting watch (thank you, PAD).
To be honest, I was beginning to wonder if Lana’s death at the first half was going to be the only death in the ep; then, I thought Jonathan was going to beat Lionel to death. (And that was before he actually started swinging.) Poor, doomed freakin’ Clark. Although, with those shots of all the women looking at him at the burial, the thought occurred that he may need to look into some kind of polygamy …. Hey, if he had a Heinlein family, he and Lex could BOTH have Lana 😉
I also noticed the “spinning Earth backwards” remark – very funny/uncanny. If they were taking their cues from this thread – you guys have obviously been watching the Superman movies. Superman II – fun movie, but there’s some stuff you definitely don’t want to borrow from that thing. (When I was in college, some cable station showed it several times over the course of a weekend. I ended up getting my note pad and starting a list of the logic flaws and other problems with that movie ….) For instance, the abovementioned “finger rays”, heroes dropping people down “bottomless” chasms … Don’t make me dig up my notebook!
D’oh – that should say EIGHT PM eastern time. Spoilers from like 8:15 on … which anybody who’s read this far has already found …
He then pointed out that after Superman spun around the Earth and it rotated backwards, Superman then did several rotations in the *opposite* direction and the Earth started going in the proper direction again.
Tell you roomate that was just to get his personal timeline going in the right direction again.
Well…on the one hand, I sort of liked it the way it was at 8:30. It turns Lana into Clark’s Gwen Stacy, the One True Love who died tragically. (Which, by the way, I think is a fascinating thing about Spider-Man’s continuity, the way that Gwen’s memory keeps surfacing and coloring Peter and MJ’s relationship. There isn’t anything like it in mainstream comics, I don’t think.)
But as matters finally stand…you know, fine. This may be a minority opinion, but I have always found Jonathan Kent, as written and acted in Smallville, to a small-minded, judgemental jerk. I know what he’s supposed to be, but all I see is a man who spends his whole life insisting that Clark never tell anyone the big secret – meaning he has obvious trouble forming normal relationships outside the family — and demanding that he live up to his own sense of what someone with superpowers should be. One of my favorite bits from the whole series is when Clark tells him, paraphrased, “These are my powers, and eventually I’ll have to decide how to use them.” RIP, Mr. Kent, and don’t let the coffin cover hit you in the nose on the way down.
OK, this has nothing to do with who dies or doesn’t die.
Lana says she “needs a break”; and I have a Friends Flashback.
“But Lana, WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!” 😀
Kip
That first half was really good. Gave us a lot of things we’ve been wanting for a long time. A confident, albeit nervous, Clark, some tall leaping in single bounds, liberal/casual use of super powers, Lana not freaking out over knowing everything, followed by Lana lying in a pool of blood.
Then the second half happened, and it still wasn’t totally bad. My wife was upset because she HATES Lana, and didn’t want her to come back, especially not at the expense of someone she really DOES like.
Anyone else think, when Clark grabbed to Crystal to save one person, that just maybe Clark should have waited for something really disatrous….nuclear accident, massive tidal wave, something? I dunno, maybe that’s just me.
Yeah, I had a Friends flashback when Lana said she needed a break, too. Overall, it wasn’t a bad episode. I’m sorry to see Jonathan go. Yeah, he could be a moralistic pain in the butt a lot of the time, but he was also a good influence.
Can I ask the Lana haters what it is about the character that you dislike so much? I don’t really have any strong opinion about her one way or another, although Kristin Kreuk is smokin’ hot! I just want to know what there are so many people who dislike her.
Well, that was depressing. I would rather they’d stuck with the first part. It was much more dramatic. It opened as many doors as it closed, and it had the advantage that at least we didn’t have to watch Clark lie to Lana. That’s gotten realy old. I been shouting at the TV whenever Chloe’s on to tell HER to spill the beans to Lana. It was obvious that Clark was going to do it.
On a side note, has anyone else noticed that besides Clark, the only major male characters left are the “bad guy” Luthors? Every other “good guy” in the show is a woman. I don’t know if it means anything, but it is interesting…
That should have read “It was obvious that Clark WASN’T going to do it.”
I’m going to miss John Schneider. When the show first started coming on, I knew I would dig their take because he so fit Pa Kent in my mind.
I thought the episode was one of the better ones of the season. I loved the beginning because the “Oh, I can’t tell Lana” thing has been so played out already.
I will just wait patiently now for him to ask Jor el if he wants him to take over the world or not.
So let’s see what I got right from my initial post:
Pa Kent was the second most obvious,right behind Chloe.
Just because someone dies, there’s nothing to say they won’t come back. Which is what happened. “Here, my son: Turn back time with the magic crystal dìldø.”
They made reference to turning Earth back on its axis.
Ma Kent has been hanging out with Lionel Luthor and that never ends well. I’d certainly say getting blackmailed and having a heart attack over it isn’t ending well.
This, unfortunately, is what I don’t quite get:
Okay, so we suddenly find ourself in an episode of “Tru Kal-ling” as Clark’s day rewinds. Lana didn’t die because Clark told her his identity. Lana died because Clark wasn’t there when the car crash occurred (a car crash in Smallville? Oh my God, what were the odds of THAT?)
If he’d done everything he’d done the first time around, he could easily have said to her, “Listen, take my word for this: You’re going to want to go see Lex tonight. Don’t. If you do that, you’ll die.” Considering all the other stuff she took in stride, I can’t see her saying, “I don’t believe you. Off to my death I go.” Basically he put her MORE at risk by creating a new set of circumstances, out of his control, than repeating the old set and staying in complete control thanks to his foreknowledge.
So I don’t get that. At all.
PAD
> Lana didn’t die because Clark told her his identity. Lana died because Clark wasn’t there when the car crash occurred […] So I don’t get that. At all.
I think Clark figured that Lana was killed less by the car crash, and more as the result of Jor-El’s prediction that in exchange for saving Clark’s life, someone else close to him must die. And proposing seemed to put a big target on her. Of course, I don’t really get that prediction. At all.
So, the Fortress of Solitude has a reset button? But you can only use it once! (Er, “magic crystal dìldø,” PAD? Were you in the gift shop of the NYC Museum of Sex recently?)
The opening seemed so perfect — Clark tells Lana, proposes to her — that I was expecting him to sit up quickly in bed as he woke up. When Lana accepted the proposal, I thought she was targeted for death. For better or worse, the SMALLVILLE writers would rather have Clark and Lana break up, date, break up, ad nauseum. So she was targeted, but then we get the “it never happened, but you remember it” ending. (I guessed something like that was going to happen when Lex saw Clark suddenly materialize in front of him. If Lex ever found out (and remembered) Clark’s secret, it’s Game Over for the show.)
Is everyone on the show used to how Clark is pessimistically taking responsibility for every bad thing that happens? Chloe points out (correctly, I think) that Lana didn’t automatically die because Clark told her secret; later, Martha Kent had to reassure Clark that he wasn’t responsible for his father’s death.
If Jonathan Kent had lived, I would’ve guessed that the photo Lionel showed him would *not* have been of Clark’s powers — too obvious. Imagine if Clark suddenly learned his father had a dark secret… maybe an affair?
And for next week’s episode, wouldn’t it be cool if the masked athlete turned out to be Barbara Wayne, someone who’s parents’ death focused her on becoming a costumed crimefighter, and her training brought her to Smallville? Considering all the liberties they’ve taken with comic-book continuity (not sure, but I think Byrne’s limited series is now considered the “official” Superman origin), nothing says they can’t swap genders of characters who aren’t introduced in the SMALLVILLE universe yet.
The reason Clark won’t tell her now isn’t that he’s afraid Jor-El will inact some kind of life for a life deal. It’s because Lana is a bad liar and can’t keep a secret. If he were to tell her again and even tell her to stay away from Lex they both live in Smallville and chances are she’d run into him eventually and Lex would know that Lana knew something. Lame reason really but that’s the only thing I can think of.
I just hope they don’t go through the motions of “I’ve lost her again if only I could tell her my secret but I can’t” routine for the rest of the season.
So, they killed Pa Kent, eh? Ðámņ, I was hoping it would be that Chloe girl you’re all so enamored of. Hopefully the WB-UPN merger will take care of this show, but I’m afraid it’s going to survive.
And James Lynch, if you haven’t figured out already that the makers of this show don’t give a dámņ about continuity, much less the Superman legend, pay attention! 😉 They been doing damage to Superman from day one with no regard for the comic book continuity.
Anyone else think, when Clark grabbed to Crystal to save one person, that just maybe Clark should have waited for something really disastrous….nuclear accident, massive tidal wave, something? I dunno, maybe that’s just me.
I had the same thought…if Jor-El had said something to that effect, something like “The day may come when you could save the life of countless thousands with this crystal”…well, he would have used it anyway. But how many times in his life will Supes remember what he threw away that day?
(Note–I’m not saying what he did was wrong or in any way different from what I’d do.)
Can I ask the Lana haters what it is about the character that you dislike so much? I don’t really have any strong opinion about her one way or another, although Kristin Kreuk is smokin’ hot! I just want to know what there are so many people who dislike her.
She IS smokin’ hot, no argument. It’s probably not the fault of the actress. Lana just holds an unfortunate role in the story–the endless source of the hero’s angst, and in a passive way that isn’t interesting. I mean, we LOVE Lex, but he actually DOES stuff. Lana just pouts. Plus, we know how this will all end up. Lois can be annoying at times but we know that ultimately the two will hook up so her antics now are amusing. Chloe, of course, is the one with the most mystery since we have no idea where she ends up in the mythos.
As others have mentioned, the “I can’t tell Lana my secret! That would make me HAPPY!” bit has gone stale. We can’t hate Superman–he’s Superman!-so we take it out on Lana.
JWD pointed out a great point too–Lanna is a TERRIBLE liar! I’d love to play poker with this woman–I’d have all of her money and most of her clothes withing 15 minutes. I’m surprised Lex didn’t figure out the whole story from her evasive, eye darting fibs. “You’re lying…Clark’s…an alien! From Krypton! All all makes sense now!”
This may be a minority opinion, but I have always found Jonathan Kent, as written and acted in Smallville, to a small-minded, judgmental jerk. I know what he’s supposed to be, but all I see is a man who spends his whole life insisting that Clark never tell anyone the big secret – meaning he has obvious trouble forming normal relationships outside the family — and demanding that he live up to his own sense of what someone with superpowers should be.
I think you’re being harsh. Pa Kent is the only reason Clark doesn’t grow up to be Guy Gardner. Which is what would happen to most of us if WE found a power ring or discovered we had more powers than a Greek deity. Ma is great but she’s love Clark even if he turned out to be Lex with superpowers. Pa loved his kid, his wife, he willingly sacrificed himself when need be. he avoided anything that could possibly be corrupting–how much of that was pure integrity and how much was to impress on his God-like son the danger of taking shortcuts we can’t know. He deserves honor.
(An aside–is it a coincidence that Pa seems to occupy the same role as Joseph? Honorable but his role vanishes at the point where his son assumes his position of greatness. It’s never actually mentioned in the Bible what happened to Joseph but the implication has always been that he died before Jesus began his ministry. Has there ever been a movie about Joseph?)
Smallville started out with cheesy villain of the week and I didn’t get into it until the 2nd season when they changed the writing and focused on his “mythos” coming of age more.
Then I stopped about a season and a half ago because it just seemed like the neverending snap back to status quo.
I heard about the 100th episode and the “Someone will die!” and figured it’s worth a try. Not to hard to jump back aboard when this show’s stoy unfolds at a snail’s pace of one step forward-two steps back.
I generally enjoyed the episode but do agree with PAD thinking that Clark could’ve done it all over again and TOLD Lana and just been more careful.
Her’es my question:
Since he seemed to nonchaulantly display his SUperman Movie power of crushing a coal into a diamond – why doesn’t he do that more often? . . . like just make diamonds and save the farm – set your parents up financially .. . .don’t need to take Lionel money for campaign etc. . .
Is that unethical? One could get coal pretty easily – He can crush it pretty easily . . .you’ve got Bling!
This isn’t breaking some superhero commandment? It’s not origin SPider-man being selfish.
It’s just like, I don’t know “Before I go to bed each night I’ll crush one coal and make one diamond . . .and I’ll be able to help family and friends a WHOLE lot.”
Is there some code of honor not to screw with the diamond commodity market oir something?
I don’t know – think a little here Clark!
Maybe I’m just greedy.
Can I ask the Lana haters what it is about the character that you dislike so much?
She’s whiny. Very whiny.
Basically he put her MORE at risk by creating a new set of circumstances, out of his control, than repeating the old set and staying in complete control thanks to his foreknowledge.
I too would have told Lana everything and simply saved her, but his rationale (as told to Chloe) is that her knowledge of him puts her at risk EVERY DAY of her life since those who want to know his secret will hound and follow her every second. Sort of like if Bush were Lex… HI-OOOOO! Just turned this non-poli thread into one. ;D
One thing I don’t remember is that the first time around, Pa Kent got the same phone call he got the second time. We just didn’t see enough of that timeline to know that he would die by a heart attack when confronting Lionel, right? They could have really made things tough for Clark by having him see all that, going to the Fortress and being given the choice – who do you save?
Like PAD said, Clark could have just told Lana to be more careful. For that matter, he could have just done everything that happened the first time around, except be there on the scene to slow down the bus like he did the second time. On the other hand, since Lana is such a terrible liar, like others said, he felt that telling her the truth put her in too much danger. So, now both Lex and Clark have messed up their lives because they have seen Lana die and don’t want to go through that again.
They pulled a fast one on us this time when it looked like Lois was electrocuted. Was anything that Clark did this time around change things so that happened? Or was that just Jor-El laughing?
It was an interesting episode, but I would have rather seen Lana die and see Clark move on from that.
Neil
The diamond thing is one of those that you aren’t supposed to think about too hard. It wouldn’t work, for starters. You can make artic=fiical diamonds but it’s not as simple as pressing and heating coal. Also, you have to admire how he was able to make the diamond and cut it as well as an experienced diamond cutter–is there nothing Superman can’t do???
But you have to ignore all that and just go with it and man, was that not a romantic scene or what? Even my wife, no great Smallville fan, was looking kind of swooney. Demonstrate your powers by turning a lump of coal into a diamond ring and proposing… the man’s got style!
Is that unethical? One could get coal pretty easily – He can crush it pretty easily . . .you’ve got Bling!
I think the main problem is that, if the Kents suddenly become the DeBeers of Kansas, people are going to wonder if Clark has become a jewel thief. High quality diamonds aren’t that easy to sell as most of the good stuff is registered and traceable. If they sell them openly, people will wonder where this Kansas farm boy is getting all of them. If they they try to sell them underground, that means getting inolved with people just as unsavory as Lionel Luthor.
And for next week’s episode, wouldn’t it be cool if the masked athlete turned out to be Barbara Wayne, someone who’s parents’ death focused her on becoming a costumed crimefighter, and her training brought her to Smallville?
I would doubt that. So far, they haven’t played the gender switching game like Battlestar Galactica does. I wouldn’t be surprised though, if her name was Helena.
Considering all the liberties they’ve taken with comic-book continuity (not sure, but I think Byrne’s limited series is now considered the “official” Superman origin), nothing says they can’t swap genders of characters who aren’t introduced in the SMALLVILLE universe yet.
I’m not sure. There’s been talk at DC that Waid’s Birthright mini supercedes Byrne’s Man of Steel. I hope that’s the case, if only to see Mr. I’ll-throw-everyone-else’s-continuity-out-the-window-just-to-put-my-stamp-on-the-title gets a taste of his own medicine.
I’m curious to know what was on the picture that Lionel showed Johnathan. Was it Martha accepting money from Lionel for the campaign? From their dialog I seemed to understand that Johnathan was aware of that. I missed the previous chapter so I don’t know if Martha came clear to Johnathan and had already confessed she accepted money from Lionel for Johnatan’s campaign.
Can I ask the Lana haters what it is about the character that you dislike so much? I don’t really have any strong opinion about her one way or another, although Kristin Kreuk is smokin’ hot! I just want to know what there are so many people who dislike her.
I have no problem with Lana, although I’ve noticed recently that she looks exactly like a CGI character.
What does bother me is that the show is really badly written. One symptom of that is Lana and Clark’s relationship, which has always been very Ross-and-Rachel. And I liked Ross and Rachel, but occasionally I wished they’d kill each other just to get it over with.
Another symptom was last night’s episode, which was actually more entertaining than most, but made no sense. The death(s) had nothing to do with Clark’s secret identity, and everything to do with the writers’ decision to make Jor-El into an unpredictable tyrant. I’m hoping that decision will pay off down the line, or at least be explained, but I’m not counting on either.
But the episode does reflect the increasing Marvel-ization of Clark, where every choice he makes leads to suffering, no matter what.
Some thoughts.
Ironically, if the first timeline had remained extant, Jonathan Kent very likely would still have died. Not that night, because he wouldn’t have met with Lionel, but sooner or later they would have had a confrontation. It very probably would have led to blows, as it did in the revised timeline. And Jonathan’s knocking Lionel’s block off seems to be what precipitated the heart attack (possibly helped by whatever was in the photo).
It also would have been interesting to see what would have happened as a result of Lex’s now knowing at least one aspect of Clark’s secret, had the first timeline remained in place. At this point in the Lex/Clark relationship, would it have restored their friendship, as Lex realized just how big a weight Clark had been carrying; or would it have firmly set them on opposing sides?
As I’ve said before, if Clark had told Lex everything early on (say about the time Pete learned, or even earlier), Lex would’ve been a supportive friend like both Pete and Chloe have been.
Regarding Jonathan as a “small-minded, judgmental jerk”, I think that pretty much applies to his attitude toward Lex, not to the world at large. And that is somewhat counterbalanced by the fact that Jonathan was _aware_ of that shortcoming and tried to overcome it. In the second season, when Lex was kicked out of the mansion (and out of Luthorcorp), he came to stay with the Kents for a time. Jonathan gave him all the crappy farm jobs, but was impressed that Lex did them without complaint. He admitted he may have been wrong about Lex, and told him he was always welcome.
Later that season, when Martha went to work with Lionel, and both were held hostage in Metropolis, he initially angrily turned down Lex’s offer of use of the Luthorcorp jet to rush he and Clark to Metropolis. But then he returned, admitted that he’d let his pride get the better of him, and accepted Lex’s offer.
In the season finale, at Lex’s wedding, he gave Lex a compass that had been passed down from Jonathan’s father when Jonathan and Martha had wed. Another indication that he was trying to overcome his tendency to paint all Luthors with the same brush.
One of the great ironies of the _Smallville_ mythos is that as the series progressed and Jonathan began taking a more consistent anti-Lex stance, it pushed Lex closer to Lionel’s view of the world. Lex respected Jonathan, but if the man you respect throws it in your face, and you’re being tempted with various trappings of power….
Of course the more Lex leaned Lionelization, the more Jonathan was convinced he was right all along, and the more he pushes Lex towards Lionelization; and so a self-fulfilling prophecy results.
As to Jonathan’s death, there’s one thing I would have done, had I written the episode. Earlier in the season, I would have introduced a character who could let people see the future. Who and how they do this, I don’t know, but this person would have been present with Martha and Clark as Jonathan is dying. He or she would have touched Jonathan (or done whatever he or she does to let someone see the future), and here’s what would have happened:
(Jonathan’s POV): Clark running towards camera, opening his shirt to reveal the S.
Cut to the camera looking at Jonathan: He’s looking past camera at something only he can see. And one of three things happens: Either he whispers the word “Superman” (ironically naming Clark’s future other identity); or, as we’re looking at Jonathan, we hear faint voices saying, “look, up in the sky”, etc.; or, we hear the familiar phrase, with Jonathan repeating the word “Superman” aloud. After we either hear the phrase, or Jonathan just says “Superman”, or both, Jonathan closes his eyes… and is gone.
I mean, c’mon, the universe owes Jonathan Kent at least a glimpse at Clark’s destiny.
One other thing. Was it just me or did Martha suddenly look so much _older_ in the scene at the farm where she and Clark are getting ready to leave for the funeral? Annette O’Toole is, what? late 40s? Early 50s? Whichever, she’s always still looked young. Not “pass for 19” young, but she never seemed “old” to me (or even “middle aged”). Then we have this scene, and you’d think a decade or more had gone by. I’m wondering if this was deliberately done with lighting and/or make up to show how much of an effect Jonathan’s death has had on her.
Rick
Actually, I’ve noticed a few more lines on Martha’s face in earlier episodes this season. Maybe the years are simply catching up with Ms. O’Toole.
Anyone notice that Jor-El told Clark that they can’t undo time, that they’re not gods — and about a minute later he demonstrates that they *can* alter time?
And wouldn’t it have made more sense if the “life for a life” exchange had happened immediately (“I saved your life, Jor-El, but with the life essence of someone you loved”) rather than this delayed-reaction stuff?
I know I’m supposed to just go with the coal thing – and I never nitpick superhero conventions – it was just one of those times I said:
“Waitaminute here – this is an ethical way to raise some cash – so I can’t really fall for the “save the farm” episodes anymore!”
I’m thinking Peter Parker would pay the rent with that coal crushing bit in a heartbeat – it’s really no different than the photo taking. Sure you can stretch the unethical by saying he has an unfair advantage against other photographers – but really – think about it.
Clark – skip to Metroplois onece a month with diamonds – and just use it to save the farm and contribute to the campaing – OR – to build something to hide your dámņ ship in!
But something else is bothering me more and maybe it’s because I tuned out for a season or two – but – Since when is Jor-El like a God?
I’m not well versed in Superman mythos – but I thought he was . . .dead . . .maybe left some crystals that served like futruistic home movies to fill Clark in on who he is.
Since when is he a sentient being able to carry on a dialogue and allow Clark to go back in time – make decisions on a life for a life.
It just seems that they are really amping up the Savior and Messiah undertones that Superman always had. It’s just that with Smallville they really are hammering home Jor-EL as God and SUperman as a Jesus figure.
I’m not looking to offend with these statements – just an observation – am I missing something from teh comics here or are they really just spinning this wildly different from the comics.
I know they are not “in continuity” but it almost seems as bizarre as if they did a show about early SPidey called “Forest Hills” and Uncle Ben is like Uncle Ben Konobi appearing and talking to Peter like God a jedi or some spider totem God if JMS was involved in the series.
As far as next week’s episode goes, given the villain’s costume and superpower (bring out your rage), it’s…. PSYCHO PIRATE!
Clark – skip to Metroplois onece a month with diamonds – and just use it to save the farm and contribute to the campaing – OR – to build something to hide your dámņ ship in!
The ship that brought him to earth blew up a few seasons ago. And as I said earlier, selling diamonds is easier said then done. Any legitimate jewelry is going to ask to see paperwork detailing where the stones came from. The other alternative is selling them to people who make Lionel Luthor look like Mother Theresa.
But something else is bothering me more and maybe it’s because I tuned out for a season or two – but – Since when is Jor-El like a God?
The exact nature of Jor-El in Smallville has yet to be fully revealed, but he’s likely some kind of interactive computer program based on the real Jor-El’s personality. The idea first popped up in the movie, but was recycled numerous times before, in Byrne’s Man of Steel mini, Lois and Clark, and the animated series. So it’s pretty firmly entranced in the mythos now.
I’m not looking to offend with these statements – just an observation – am I missing something from teh comics here or are they really just spinning this wildly different from the comics.
Yes and no. There have been numerous points of departure from the comics. Smallville does take many of it’s cues from the movie (Jonathan dying of a heart attack when Clark is a teen, a rock from Krypton building the fortress, crystalline architecture) then the comics.
But the idea of the voice of Jor-El coming to Clark and even trying to remake him into more of a kryptonian personality is also found in Byrne’s Man of Steel.
Someone had a question about why Lois nearly electrocuted herself, and what caused that. I’m not entirely clear on the events that led up to that, but basically, Lana wasn’t around earlier in the day to pour her heart out to Lois. Something that occured while Lana was there earlier in the day, didn’t happen in this version of the timeline, thus things changed.
You know what would have been cool? If, during the Brainiac/Clark battle a few weeks back, Brainy had pulled out the Cellophane S of Doom. I would have marked out like a madman.
As soon as I recognized Terrence “Kneel before Zod” Stamp’s voice as the voice of Jor-El I’ve kept expecting them to reveal that it’s actually been Zod all this time. But that looks unlikely now.
If they ever do bring in Zod he should be played by…Terrence Stamp. Anyone seen THE LIMEY? He’s only about 1000 times scarier now than he was in 1980…if the character from THE LIMEY tells you to bow before him you’ll bow and you’ll bow fast.
“Someone had a question about why Lois nearly electrocuted herself, and what caused that. I’m not entirely clear on the events that led up to that, but basically, Lana wasn’t around earlier in the day to pour her heart out to Lois. Something that occured while Lana was there earlier in the day, didn’t happen in this version of the timeline, thus things changed.”
This comment makes me think of one thing I did like about this episode: The writers used the whole time-travel mechanic VERY well. I think the Lois thing had something to do with Lana catching her on the step ladder, and in the second time-line, she wasn’t there. Although that occurred much earlier in the day, so I’m guessing there’s more to it than that.
But also many other little things…the three events at the Planet that Clark uses to demonstrate to Chloe that he’s travelled back in time. And when Pa Kent arrived at the scene of the accident, I thought “wait, Clark just got there with Superspeed…how’d Pa get there so fast? Did they put Krypto under the hood?” Which the writers later showed us that Pa had actually left the party early to meet with Lionel.
For a Smallville Ep, this one had very tight writing.
Well, one thing I’m glad they did was show that Jor-El wasn’t the bloodthirsty, vengeful dìçk that demanded life-for-life for Kal. The reason apparently for the “exchange” was stated as destiny’s need to preserve paths.
Also worth while:
This site (http://www.smallvilleph.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=59) actually has pictures from what I assume is a deleted scene from “Reckoning”, namely of Clark taking Johnathan to the Fortress and what happens there.
I really hope there’s a flashback in in future episode.
The photo that Lionel showed Pa Kent was proof that this is/was NOT the real Jonathan Kent.