7.18, apocalypse
Squee!
Oh man I loved this ep so much, so much to think about, and to get meta about, and to contemplate. I will warn that there are spoilers for all of s7, including what is out now because of certain plot points. So I present both sides that I'm sort of 'considering' here. And I will probably touch on stuff, but like Sleeper, I didn't think this was nearly as bad as some people made it all out to be at all, nor did I find Clark nearly as Lana obsessed. I'm going to try to find some good way to break this up and I'll try chronologically but we'll see.
And the reason this is so late is due to senior projects as well; so I've not watched the following two episodes yet. I guess we'll see how right on I am?
In Reality / Timeshifting?
Or I should say our reality, in the real Kent Barn? I know a lot of people had issues with the teaser, but I didn't. Think about it, Clark had to have someone to tell his plan too and in this case it really only works to tell Chloe - there are no Kents and no Lana to talk to; likewise, Chloe wouldn't take no for an answer and in typical form she only lets out the emotional truth under stress and pressure (Traveler, Vessel). I think there is something to be said as well that Clark wasn't going to leave her without saying goodbye or hear her talk him out of it, because character-wise he could of waited until he faded because he assumed she'd been better off too; instead he talks him self into it being not a burden on her (she won't remember) and calls her over anyway.
I also like that they directly brought up Reckoning and what happened to Jonathan and how much that still plays a huge influence on Clark; both times in reality every time Clark actively messes with the past timeline, things get worse. I liked the message that they could only change the future without changing the world as they know it which works. It kind of brings up the whole Zeus/Heracles vibe they've put to Jor-El/Clark especially this year.
The whole Jor-El speaking though Brainiac's face creeps me out too as we transfered back in. It was like Jor-El using Lionel as his Oracle. It's like "This guy ain't no good." Brainiac is still trying to release Zod, which the Fortress obviously doesn't want but given the spoiler photos that have come out... Just really odd, I think. Interesting.
And, I have to add, putting Chloe's scarf under her jacket looked ridiculous!
So we got a hug upon returning and we saw a Clark whom rejects a destroyed world (which effectively ruined the Kents, Chloe, and Lana's future happiness.) who then mans up and comes back even further convinced of how timelines should opperate. Does this mean this Clark will never spin the Earth backwards? I won't mind at all if he doesn't. Also interesting here is that when he's first pulled over he looks around for Chloe like she's of some how gone with him or left him - it reminded me a bit of Arrival but I don't know why.
We also have a pretty awesome Clark and Lex scene; I don't know why but when ever they have Lex at that window it reminds me of Hug and the Friendship of Legends. I loved the contrast of grey /black Lex here to White Prez Lex, the use of the football, and the fact that that scen reads both on the lexana level and on the Prying Lex level. And the repeat blocking that was used on Lionel and Lex in Fracture? Creeepy!
Krypton
Okay writers, I know you needed Kara to fight Brainiac so she could get infected or trapped or something. I get that. I know you needed someone to get baby Kal-El on the ship. I know Big Clark looks just like Jor-El so Baby Kal-El probably doesn't notice. I know you think Laura looks like Helen. I know you went for a big recreation scene of the comic covers and the movies and even stuck to the same primary colors from Memoria to get that iconic shot.
But you just had Clark cross his own time stream!
At best it means now there are active alternate worlds (well the show has been building them up steadily since Hereafter actually; we got them in Crisis, Lexmas, Reckoning and now in Apocalypse) where that Clark was sent off by Clark and Kara, where our Clark was sent off by Jor-El and Lara. At worst it means a PARADOX. Clark goes to SV because Clark went to SV and Clark put baby Clark in the ship that went to SV so Clark went to SV...
I liked seeing Krypton, I even like the iconic shot, I didn't even mind them stealing from Tempus' arc on LnC except they kind of forgot Memoria.
I guess my fanwanks i that Lara and Jor-El put him on the ship and Brainic came an intercepted it, so it was already programmed, so Clark merely put himself back in. There is still a paradox there but then at least Memoria isn't cut from existence.
I do like the Solitude redux of Brainiac laughing on the spike.
A Parallel Universe
Like Lexmas said Clark was the only one Lex really couldn't influence, here Lex was the only person that Clark didn't completely change. Chloe was close to herself, and it sounds like the Kents aren't that far off either but the farther away from Clark people are the more different/tweaked versions of themselves we get. Some people are dead alive, some people succeed where they have failed, et cetera.
Smallville
Is this the first time that we've seen this shot sine the Pilot that things weren't falling in doom-like nature towards the town? We know that the town still had meteor freaks. Presumably since Chloe still worked at the Torch in HS (reporter regardless of Clark) that she would of talked about them. We also know later that the people are afraid and openly know about Metas/Supers/Meteor Freaks which means long run proven right with her theory.
Kent Farm: Clark, Martha, Jonathan
Our other Clark Kent is a blonde. :)
Jonathan and Martha are still together but on a cruise (which is odd) but we can see that they raised a similar son - he hangs out in the barn, he plays football, he wants to help other people, Jonathan still gets out his guns. Stuff is pretty typical; we even see the Kent family photo we've seen numerous times redone.
Mrs. Chloe... ??
They didn't use George Dean's name on the show, and that's sad given all the other anvils they gave him that go with the Chloe we know (likes men in uniform, heroes, works in partnership with a guy in law enforcement). Chloe is the only one really dressed like typical Chloe - I believe that's her jacket from Traveler and the purple blouse from Blue. It's not dressed up oddly or bizarrely which is why Clark's initial "Hey, Chloe!" is kind of adorable. Despite no real reason, she still went to Smallville High, still worked at the Torch, and still did research. The implication is that she still does researchy stuff (which maybe where the official write up that she's a star reporter as well came from?) Clark's looks here (and Chloe's glee) are adorable. Given that Chloe is still on the show, more relationship stuff is upcoming for her I suspect.
Lana Lang marries Peter Ross
Basically. :) I would of loved to have seen 150 with Lana, and to of seen the differences. Just like our universe, Lana left Smallville to go to Paris. Just like our universe, she fell in love. Just like our universe, she married a rich man who is known for philanthropy. Just like our universe, she always wanted to have her own family. But she didn't marry Lex Luthor or date Clark Kent; she married the French version of Pete. The implication is no Isobel, no known meteor freaks trying to kill her, et cetera. And no life of constant, inexpressible pain. Whenever Lana wakes up though, I'm guessing like Chloe we'll see more relationship stuff headed her way.
Jimmy Olsen, "Hot Shot"
Jimmy is still a photographer, but he's actually out of the archive room. He still does team ups, but instead he's Edlo's errand boy. He is trying not to go to jail, instead of trying to keep someone out of jail. He still got a bowtie from an ex (though I'm not sure it is Chloe given his obvious EDloness this ep, which contrast how he treats the two girls in Crimson or Fierce). He's actually less risky, but he's still willing to help others. He was all cloaked in grey too; not brown, red, baby blue, but grey.
Also Jimmy's got a press pass too (with his photo on it like the ones we've seen of Chloe). Though I suspect they could of used Jimmy's the way had they wanted. Interesting too that he's working against the girl he seems to like (shreading the note, which Lex later sets on fire.)
President Luthor and Lionel
This Luthor trusts Fine, ours really didn't. Both are/will be President. Both Lionel's were after the Traveler. Lex has a proclaimed sibling relationship with an alien whom he doesn't fully trust. The nuclear war, twice (Bound, here). I have to say this was my favorite part of the episode too. It was so wonderful. And once again Lex is taking away Edlo's information. And Lex has his Devilous gun; I'm waiting for Lex to shoot someone and I do hope they don't wimp out.
Linda Danvers / Kara
Both our Kara and this one went as Linda for a time. Both wore white while under Lex's influence. Both eventually choose Clark over him. Interesting change in mission for Kara though regarding Kal-El's life. Also interesting is that Kara is also in law enforcement (where the not!dead Sheriff though our Clark should be). We have Lionel protecting her, her with a fortress, and Lex ordering her around though. And interesting that even brought in as a sibling, Lex still turns on her. Kara gets removed from the equation.
EDlo
She with Jimmy and Kara were the farthest spun out I felt. Both are journalists, this one is respected, ours isn't. She's chummy enough with Jimmy to get into his apartment, where we just saw their awkward team up in Veritas. She's on Lex's radar here, which we see it occasionally pop up in RL dismissively (Fracutre). But like both, Lex still takes away her information. EDlo in our verse wears a fake name tag (Action); here she gives someone else away her name to wear.
I did like the show out to Birthright where Martha Kent works up the whole disguise angle and adds glasses to cut his eye color; the whole dress up scene felt very much like that to me. Fitting in too with Action, she'll get evidence and Lex will go after her - causing her to give her name away? We'll see her be an imputus to Clark some how? It's interesting to me that once she gives away her name we don't see her again at all even though people are after her and she's supposed to be nosy (rather than Chloe whom is probably working on her wedding, or Lana whom is most likely with her kids - no logical deduction IMO here.)
Clark Kent Replacements...
We meet Blonde Clark Kent, whom used to be Chris Kent. We meet now-nameless George Dean. Lana instead has a Pete Ross which to me once again rings the Clana doom. But Jimmy has a huge roommate/friend? That fits. I think we see Kara pulling double stand in duty later in the episode, and she's definitely partially a Clark fill in for Lex (she has a Fortress, Lionel searched for her and protected her). EDlo didn't have/need one which stuck out to me.
Bad things in Blue
Our Sheriff Nancy is dead; this one wears blue. Our Clark Kent won't die / is Superman; when he goes to the alternate universe, he wears a blue suit and dies - which is slightly year cause blue should be his color in our verse right? Our Kara comes back and wears blue, and she's hurt at the end of the episode - is she dying from Brainiac or time travel or something? ....EDlo wore blue at the end of the episode in RU.
AU / RU face off.
RU Chloe has enough info to start a nuclear war / AU Lois has the document that does start a nuclear war.
RU Chloe wears pink in this episode, and oddly / AU Lois wears pink in the episode.
RU Chloe gets arrested in Sleeper, and gets away / AU Lois gets arrested in the episode, and gets away
RU, Agent Webber wears blue and knows what Chloe is doing / AU, Agent Nancy wears blue and knows what Lois is doing
RU Chloe's hangs around living spaces with Jimmy / AU Lois knows the details of Jimmy's living space
RU Chloe leads Jimmy to the Ace of Clubs / AU Lois sends Jimmy to the Ace of Clubs
Why are they repeating Sleeper?
The only other thing is it feels like they split their forshadowing; the first half seems like a Sleeper retred, and I'm guessing the second half will set up the finale/s8.
That's why I'm guessing the two arrests.
So I'm guessing Sleeper (which would of been so much better if anyone other than Jimmy would of been her partner in, and probably would of made Jimmy look better too) was there to set up a cross examination of this episode.
Action!
So I've touched on this, briefly, a few times above.
While I've gone on my Lex + gun theme and my EDlo + photo theme, we see both of those continued here. Two cousins confront Lex/Lex minions (if we include Fine). One, who has a name tag saying "Lois Lane" gets shot and left to die. The blonde gets hurt as well but "will heal" and is arrested which is our next cog in the "Action" wheel. And we know Chloe will get arrested. There is use of the blue and the episode retred which makes this ep pretty confusing. Also interesting to me is how TW keeps the name tag in frame time after time (though I don't have a hires version to cap so the name isn't clear.)
My guess is that the finale starts tripping some of this stuff off and it will continue into s8 (simply do to the contract issues). Which what they cleave to, and what they don't, I guess we'll see?