Smallville: It's All About The Chemistry, Baby!
Smallville’s “Labryinth” last night inspired me to write a post about it today. As a Clexer, I find myself watching this show for the growth of the Superman mythos, since Clex is pretty much on life support right now. The first three seasons? Nirvana! Now we are reduced to whatever moments we can, and we got some excellent ones last night (Spoilers all the way):
Clark bursting into Lex’s office and his horror at Lex revealing his legless condition, which was caused by Clark on the bridge the day they met (Pilot). In this nightmare world, Lex swerved to avoid him and wound up crippled for life instead of being saved by Clark. Lex’s bitterness and rage at Clark cuts through our hero’s rock-steady belief in himself and begins his doubts as he is trapped in insanity.
Clark’s sincere relief and happiness at Lex being healthy as Lex meets Lana in the coffeehouse. Lex even recognizes the sincere words though he’s probably past believing in them. I think there will always be a part of Clark that misses their friendship and love and wants it back. Lex, too, but it's buried so deeply he probably doesn't realize it.
Michael Rosenbaum brings out the best in Tom Welling. Both scenes are perfectly played by MR, and TW responds with his best work.
Whew, this is getting long, so please read more behind the cut with more ruminations that cover slash in general as well:
Was anyone else annoyed by the background sound of this entire episode? I know it was meant to convey the nightmare world Clark woke up in, but it was INCREDIBLY ANNOYING!
Loved seeing J’onn! I laughed myself silly when he declared himself from Mars the first time he makes contact with Clark. J Watch out for cigarette lighters, J’onn!
Chloe as a fellow schizophrenic made sense, since she is Clark’s most trusted confidante and “knows the truth”.
Which leads to: Clark is picking up on his mother’s attraction to Lionel. I have believed there’s a backstory there: not only did Jonathan hate Lionel for being a rich bastard and able to wield power while Jonathan struggled with the farm, but I think Martha chose Jonathan over Lionel way back when. Good thing for her and for Clark!
I would have liked to have seen how Lois would have fit in here. Would she have any belief in Clark and Chloe (who is her cousin) or believe them to be mentally ill?
Lana: this character has better chemistry with Chloe. Look, I’m a slasher, and Clex is my pairing on this show, but I don’t just slash people for the heck of it. I have to feel it. I see why people slash Jim and Blair of The Sentinel. I even enjoy reading some of the fic. I just don’t feel it myself, or more accurately, they don’t inspire me. There are people who adore Fraser/Kowaski from Due South. I don’t see it, except as friends. I do see a lot of chemistry between Fraser/Vecchio, so that’s what I write. I saw chemistry between Kowalski and Turnbull from an episode, and also saw some sizzling chem. between Vecchio and Kowalski, but none from the dominant fannish pairing of Fraser/Kowalski.
In the SV universe, I feel the best chemistry is between Clark and Lex, even as enemies. Clark has zero romantic chemistry, IMO, with Lana, or Chloe, for that matter. With Chloe, it’s friendship, a special one to be sure, but not romantic. Same with Lois, though I do get an inkling of future romance. Still, the One True Love in the Smallville universe for Clark is Lex, and vice versa. Lex and Lana have no chemistry! The only chem Lana has is with Chloe! Friendship first, and I could definitely see romance there. And chemistry is not same-sex all the time with me. In the comics, I still love Diana/Steve as a couple from their pre-Crisis days, and in Smallville? I saw chem between Lois and Ollie. So I don’t limit myself to same-sex couples. Chemistry is chemistry!
Finally, Smallville, ENOUGH WITH LANA! It made me sick to think that Clark was tempted by her! She looked gaunt and was all very cheerleader-ish (that dress she was wearing in the loft looked like the black-and-white dress that woman wore in the Seinfeld episode over and over and over again). I still say it’s Clex, damnit! Clark is depressed over Lex getting married, not Lana! J
As an aside: did anyone else crack up in the gossip ep of a few weeks ago when the trio of Clark, Lex, and Lana are featured in the paper and Clark’s pic is in the middle? Shouldn’t it be Lana trying to decide between the two men? Just made me laugh! J
BTW, it's zero degrees out today and with wind chill, a few degrees below! Brrr!!!