7.06, lara
Krypton
First off, it's goregous. And great to show the civil war, it's beautiful and sad. Kara is in her outfit as a 16 year old that she'll leave Krypton in. We know it takes 3 years to reach Earth from this set up so it means within the year (1986) she's shipped off and Krypton explodes not long after she leaves. This when you consider the Justice and Doom stuff is quite interesting. So this is also 16 year old Kara who is going to spend 3 years in transit, to awake... or even more sadly, not awake but then go into a suspended animation cycle for almost eighteen more.
So right now I'm noticing that Zor-El at the end still has his House of El crystal, and Kara has the bracelet we see her being all over in Bizarro and since then.
See I know a lot of people are deriding the whole "The Council blew up the portals" but I love it. More than a scientifically advanced group that were ignorant of their own demise, Krypton by making it general Zod is not only a pretty blatent war parallel but I think it's rather interesting given how Zod and Jax-Ur were treated by TAS (and the TAS tie in comics) as those who wanted to concour everything, basically. There is a certain amount of hubris still at work - the Council basically thinks they are going to get the upperhand, imprison Zod (which obviously happens according to S5), and rebuild.
Only, y'know, only Kal-El, Kara Zor-El, Brainiac + some deciples who don't know where Earth is, and those trapped in the Phantom Zone survive cause they get blown up.
Interesting that on Krypton Zor-El who is in Kandor (not Argo - although they might play with that too since SV's Brainiac is a lot of TAS's and on TAS Argo was another plant) is dressed in gold. I'm reminded of Kal-El's shipment out with Lara in red and Jor-El in blue from Memoria. Also interesting is that Zor-El has a red cape as a partner necklace to what Jor-El gave Kara.
No mention of Allura at all; so I wonder if they are going to play with the fact (as some version do) that Kal-El had an abnormal family which did truly love each other rather than the typical sterile birthing matrix. We see elements of this with Lara and how she interacts both in Memoria and here.
Washington DC
I do love that Kara is like "I dig skirts." Not only does it make her fashion choices unique on the show but love the show out. And I like the parallel to Crusade here; I remember the cut scene from Gone when Clark was to see exactly what he did to Lex's plane and be horrified at it.
It makes sense then at Clark's later reaction to Kara here because she's careless (at the same time I can understand why floating and isolation would work for her especially given what she's remembering.)
Credits They are STILL awesome this year.
Daily Planet : aka let's play how many times we can fit this logo in here.
Isis:
Lana, you need to pick a better color scheme. And a better designer.
Chloe is working at the DP (in addition to the intro shot, here is another globe). I love the wind intros for Clark, especially as we don't see him run in much; I'm sure it's cheaper and it always reminds me of Superman flying in and out. "My worries should be the least of your worries" - interesting.
"...in a red/blue blur."
"No."
"Yeah."
I love that kind of understanding rather than spelling it out over and over for people. Chloe hands off her assignments and gets... more assingments. Nice. Jimmy comes down the steps to talk to Clark in a very subtle blocking situtation. (and here, and here). They tie in Kara's intro ep and the crystal.
LuthorCorp
Lionel has a black glove. Dueling Lex's. Bwha. "Which father?" A line about not bothering Martha would of been nice here. Interesting about underground labs; not only does this silo lab fit in with Hidden and the SV novels that set that up, but it also goes in nicely with the SVComics and the Chloe Chronciles with the Level Three facilities that were underground. I love how vague the "tell your friend" was; and Clark using journalism as a cover? I do actually like it.
Starhawk - I'm wondering if this ties back into the intial group we saw in Justice and Doom last year; certainly there were some seperate members going on or coming in over the 20 years for that.
Lab
Carter I still think is Brainiac. Lex having more and more ties in Washington, I also love. (The casting is really amazing).
I also really liked the casting of geeky lab guy. "Secretagentman" was a pretty fun shoutout. But his look at the end? "Why do women always do that?" cracks me up.
Also Kara totally stole that guys ID.
And Clark some how beat her to the punch.
Isis
Pink and purple, Lana? Miss your wedding much? Lana confirms that she's Isis yet again which is pretty cool. People noted the sweater the secretary is wearing, but haven't we seen that actress on the show before? Hmm. Chloe's proud that Lana's not a xenaphobe; but Lana doesn't really let that impression last for very long does she? Chloe being her trusted confidant also seems a bit interesting here.
What also stands out to me is a throw back to Action. In Action, Rachel's character Penelope wore white -- we really didn't see Penelope very much, instead Rachel in white to Lana in white; Chloe was in black, she was the opposite of the Lana/Rachel there. They continued that this week by putting Chloe in a white shirt (white up all around her face) and a very light grey suit; Lana's in a black dress. The color coordination here (since they actually are sharing a scene, not the colors by proxy of Action) reminded me a bit of the first Chlana meeting in Vessel.
Chloe knows something is up, and Lana uses the same line that Lex has used over and over and over to Clark. But Chloe agrees that it's off the record and so it is; at least for the moment.
Back at the Washington Bar
Kara attacks dejected geek who just wants his wallet back. I think Clark came off very well in this scene personally, and he's got valid points -- he doens't know which end is up here because he was just a kid when most of this went down. Clark's "forget about it" - he's got it already. Kara calls him selfish, and takes off.
Daily Planet
Globes for Jimmy. Jimmy's not very smooth - and I think it's hilarious that all his wanna be girlfriends are technologically more capable than him. I'm guessing however Clark got in was on that list. Kara pulls a Clark and leaves. Get used to it Jimmy.
Isis + Luthor Manor
Lana is getting her daily Lex fix. See the static there reminds me of Brainiac's ship; we know Kryptonians don't cause static, but Brainaic's ship did. And that's right when Carter showed up. He posed prior as a teacher/professor, and then later acted like a black ops agent to Lex in Hondurous. So it makes sense that this is him again; plus when he says he disabled the feed? Yeah, he might of cut Lex's -- but he shouldn't of known about Lana's. Lana's are seperate and hidden. And the fact that hers come back online, pretty much prove that. So I'm thinking the static is our clue. Because as Lana rewinds, the static comes up just as Carter enters.
Clex with a bad over dubbed line.
Lab
Memoria! Truth! See, Kara is sloppy here but it's nice to see it noted.
1986 - Kara pets a horsey. We find that Zor-El was a scientist, and that Kara can't typically leave Kandor. Jor-El built Brainaic in this version, and I think they might go with a variation of TAS where Brainiac some how turns on them; which I think could be very, very interesting. What is also interesting is the notation of Relic, that the only thing that Jor-El notes as unique is the Kent's capacity for love.
A true home, of peace and security. I personally liked Kara naming Kal-El; for those that don't know the break down of his name meaning Light of God or Sun God, it makes sense for Kara wanting to tie their red sun back to him even if he's on Earth. And I love that Kara can't stop pawing things. Also nice was the mom behind the mom photos. [Did anyone else catch that it was definately Lara's bracelet that Kara has? In 1986, she's got plastic bangles like whoa.]
Nice contrast of Zor-El coming for Vengence and Clark coming to save Kara.
And Carter has an extra set, and is interested in learning everything? Brainiac.
Zor-El: "rule with strengh" -- he's totally the AI. Zor is dellusional. "You stole my DNA?" I think Kandor is totally in that crystal too. I personally have no problem with the super revivement either. (Also note how we don't really see if Carter is bleeding or not.) Zor-El playing with her memories is pretty horrific and it reminded me of Cave-El around Crusade.
Kent Farm
Lara and Martha. I really loved this scene; I love how Clark can't not be gleeful. Clark was very good here as the mentor, and trying to help Kara move on. They are so adorable.
Luthor Manor
Lionel should of just used Martha as an excuse. More Martha mentions. Fixation with Clark! Ha! "Whose father are you?" Hint of Lion-El? And YES, finally confirmation of how Lillian/Lionel the Lexana is. I really do wonder if they are having Lionel be the un-trustworthy truth teller. "You can never fool me." So true. So true.
Daily Planet
I do really think that they are setting up Kimmy akin to Chlark; I know people thought that or think that Chloe's moping after it, but I don't think so. Chloe wants to be his friend, and I think that's where the show is headed for them. What I also notice is the blue to red that we've seen with Chlark before. Grey dress for Chloe, I'm guessing because she's caught in the middle.
Farm
Clark's reaction here, while excited about his mom? CREEPPY. I thought for a minute there that Clark was going to give Lana back her necklace but I guess not. :)