Smallville "Patriot" A reaction post with GIFs
So, I've decided to just not be serious today and just either laugh at everything or laugh at the gifs in my collection. A lot of these comments were scribbled on a piece of paper as I watched. This is not a review, it's thoughts on scenes through the episode, is all. Little attempt at being 'smart' has been made. I think, I'm sure my comrades will have more intelligent and meaningful things to say. Bear with me.
Amazing 'previously on'. My face said this, especially in the shots of "Ambush", my favorite episode of the season :)
Such manic joy. It did a great job of pulling all the treads together: the dark force, the government, suicide squad, our heroes, the romance etc.
And then....
Ahhhhhhhh, it's John McCain's vigorous and deranged twin brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111(*&^%(*&%*&^
I actually really enjoyed Slade in this scene. He was campy, he was OTT, and there was a sinisterness to him that made me nervous. His references to Hitler reminded me of this unpleasant man I saw on a train a few weeks ago, I posted about it here, so art imitates life apparently.
Anyone laugh at that first glimpse of Mera and Orin? Because they skulked across that deck like cheap villains in a pantomime. Hilarious. Also, um, Mera walked up that beach like she had a dislocated hip. I realize sand is tough to walk on sometimes but that strut was disturbing. She seemed to be very awkward with her body in general where I'd expect her to be a lot more fluid... but maybe life underwater has made it hard for her to deal with land, and she's just not amphibian at all. Poor thing.
Also, holy starfish --- CLEAVAGE!!!! Seriously, wardrobe department? Seriously...
OPENING CREDITS....somebody saaaaaavvveee me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. OH, it's the love of my life, Emil --- the scene wins for me just for this alone. I love him. He's so smart and dorky. More of him please, show. I love him better at this job than Tess and Chloe and honestly wish that HE was running Watchtower full-time. But whatevs, he's great.
And what's this? Secret meetings between Clark and Kara? Hunh. I hope she never comes back. The VRA business is interesting, all of the propaganda; the whole politics of this particular arc are just kind of resonant for me in good and bad ways, and that's a good thing. SV is ham-fisted with this sort of thing in general but I'm glad they try, it's so current too, me likey. I liked how they displayed the differences between Clark and Oliver's politics so starkly, and we see how those, in turn, mold them into the kinds of heroes they are now and will one day be. Clark and his belief in these country ideals is so naive (I'm not going to get 'serious' so I'll stop there), and so Supermanly, and such a product of his identity as the ultimate immigrant who made good etc. that I was glad to see them articulated.
I found Oliver's dialogue interesting here --- he's back to his snappy, sarcastic mode and I like it but at some points it felt incredibly forced, he seems awfully crabby. Clark was very serious and determined, I enjoy his good posture. He's hot when he's all-business, I'm glad we're seeing it more.
"Sometimes Clark, words are the greatest weapon." YES. They are, wise Oliver. Now, Clark, come out of the closet and let Lois be your brilliant PR consultant, using the power of the pen to slay all these horrid folks to the curb. Also, stop excluding her from this part of your life because she's the greatest asset you lot have, even now.
2. Another favorite scene. Oliver and Lois are so fun together, these two characters can riff off of each other all damn day and I'd love it. Combining Lois permanent foot-in-mouth disease with Oliver's nonsensical cheek is genius. These two actors work so well together.
Our girl's missing her guy and worried about these decisions he's making. Rightly so. It's something they really needed to resolve Clark and Lois, and I'm glad it was brought up. The dialogue was odd in some moments and I couldn't get why Lois would think that Clark wouldn't discuss this sort of stuff with 'other people' i.e. fellow vigilantes/heroes. Again, I blame the dialogue, all it would've taken was two more rounds of editing to push that essential idea through and cut all the stuff that makes Lois sound off-putting and OTT about something that's a totally legit issue. Bah. I'm sure Clark would've come to discuss things though... wouldn't he? Anyway, everyone has irrational moments, no?
Oliver's jacket is hot, I want it.
"Who would be stupid enough to stand up and register?" Indeed.
3. Why is Aquaman so agro? If this is the much-promised 'dark side' to A.C., I want the old, equally wooden surfer bro back. Although, Aquaman in the comics can be kind of ... well, he's very kingly I guess and cares about the underwater world so much that he can come across as kind if a dick in a ... kingly way, all that responsibility. Saying this so badly.
Wow. Just unconvincing acting all around from these two. Smallville is just determined to make me hate D.C. women characters aren't they? Dinah was a pain when she showed up. Zatanna became an irritant. And now Mera is...
I made this face for many of their scenes:
I also, felt the urge to do this.
I evidently share anger management issues with dear Bill but I managed to control myself. No one has singed hair.
4. Love. This. Scene. Why? Lois. And Slade. That is all.
Same awesomeness we witnessed when she went up against Godfrey. Honestly, I just want to see her investigating all the time.
Slade's fanatical 'patriotism' was well-displayed. Again, this was so disturbingly like my life because just the other day, I interviewed a taxi driver who informed me that 'those damn Mexicans are just out to steal from all of us and the cops should just drive around in immigration vans and we'd see those Mexicans scramble like rats, and take America back!' and 'Philadelphia is full of terrorist Black Muslims'. I know. I didn't get it either. Different kinds of babble but equally disturbing to me.
Lois = brilliant. Her fearlessness and ingenuity. I admit, that half of me didn't want her to be 'pure of heart' because I enjoy that sort of conflict but in the end, the struggle needs to be about Clark, so I get it and I'm excited to see his journey with her supporting him as she can and him standing as the hero he's always been/meant to be/etc.
Back to Lois: The lighter-camera was awesome, I love her gadgets. I love that she has gadgets.
How does she get them on her salary? She doesn't have a fancy Watchtower and a billionaire's income, nope. I would now like an OSV scene in which we meet Lois' awesome Tech-girl Chris who supplies her with all these super-sleuthing instruments in exchange for marvelously random things that Lois somehow uses to leverage. She must be swell! Thanks.
My bad, she just has the fastest hands in the West and somehow switched from phone to lighter. I still want that oneshot because we've seen her gadgetry; it's still cool.
5. Who is Lucy Burns and where did she want to vote like her father not expecting people to do the right things enduring starvation? What is the 'night of terror'? What is this conversation even?
"Victories aren't won by spectators... but by fighters, like me and Mera." [intense look of love and eternal devotion of the seven salty seas]
It was hard to get past the acting to be honest. I understand the gist of the conversation but with Mera and Arthur actively pimping themselves and their relationship with such... erm.... fervent conviction... I gave up.
6. Tess and Lois. I was so happy to see them together that I lost focus for a bit. I guess they can put aside their mutual dislike to actually get things done, and when there are more important things on the plate and I found it fascinating. I'm sort of confused about their relationship and feel like I missed a step along the way for some reason, it's less fractious than expected. Is that weird?
Amazing in that moment with Oliver in the elevator. It was like watching a sheep led to the slaughter, and Tess' worry, and Lois' anguish were really affecting. Both of these women, excellent actresses. Oliver standing up to do this filled me with pride; you know, I really love the way Justin plays him in hero mode --- just like TW owns Clark Kent for me and ED is Lois Lane in disguise, I sincerely believe that JH sells Oliver so well, especially in moments like this one.
7. Lois and Emil. Seriously, my two favorites this episode. I love her threatening him and his thoroughly bemused expression in the wake of Hurricane Lois. I would like an OSV drabble where she snarkily apologizes to him in the Watchtower and proceeds to be the bane of his existence with endless hassling and teasing, and they become best friends. Okay, three drabbles. Thanks.
She is the definition of badass. In the dictionary, there's a picture of her in a bunny outfit holding a scalpel next to the word 'badass'. I love her. No words can express how much.
8. Okay. Get ready for it.
"She's pretty amazing. Smart, passionate, fiery, even helped me understand my true origins."
Is he describing a hair product?
"Sounds like you really want to high-dive for her." Clark. When you're funny like this, even unintentionally, I love you too much for words. He did it again in the barn and it made me happy.
"I'm so much more with her than I ever was solo." Okay, we get it, you want to make many water-babies with her. If being 'more' with her means that he walks like he's got a large log shoved up his butt and being a sanctimonious jerk then... yay? Seriously though, what even was that dialogue?
Also, so subtle, Smallville. I see you. Mera and A.C. are supposed to be FOILS... no mirrors to Lois and Clark, they embody what every couple wants to be, they stay together and swim together and fight together. Aw. Presh.
9. Oh yeah, training montage, Go Ollie! I heard 'Eye of the Tiger' there, did you?
10. I just. What was this scene with Lois and Mera? Hunh, someone more brazen and instantly obnoxious than Lois, good times. Kind of femslashy, if I was a femslasher for anyone but Tess and Lois, I'm sure I'd be writing fic for those two right now or something. But I was just taken aback by how obnoxious this girl is.
And...wait. What????? Why? WHY IS SHE NAKED?????
I don't understand.
"Some people get a ring on their finger and everyone else's relationship just doesn't cut it." I'm as confused by this woman as you are, Lois.
So, I'm thinking that Mera has a fish-people superiority complex. I get it. Perhaps she's always been part of an Atlantean royal family or she's just a snooty person in general, or maybe she has an innate distrust of land animals, which could make sense actually. But she was unnecessarily bitchy here and as sanctimonious and preachy as her husband. Two whales in a pod; fishes of a scale, shoal together or whatever, I could go all day, people, all day. So...
... is all I have to say. And someone wipe that faint smirk off the Sea Queen's face, she's like Morgana from Merlin but I'm just not interested. Comics Mera is MUCH cooler and she's currently an alien, her origin at least, and actually could kick butt and take names without being a bitca.
Also, dialogue, SV writers. "Squid-lips", "Little Mermaid", yada yada yada --- sometimes it's just a little too try-hard.
11. Where Lois proves ONCE AGAIN why she's the s.h.i.t., so awesome etc. etc. etc. and why I ♥ Erica Durance like burning for bring this character to life for me.
Oh Clark, I know it'll take a while to wean you off the poor habits bred at Lana's teat, I understand. It's a legitimate issue between them. I didn't receive satisfactory discussion about him cock-blocking her story way back in "Harvest", so I'm glad to see the notion of his being over-protective and underestimating Lois and the roles she can play in his world --- in THEIR world --- being tackled head on. It definitely could have been handled better but it needed to be handled and I'm proud to see it so. Yay!
When she brandished that BlackBerry with the blueprints, I was like, seriously people --- she can do all that on her 2-gig phone and a connection to the internets. Y'all have Watchtower-Tess, a guy with super-hearing, a dude with a leather fetish, Aquagirl, various and sundry heroes we'll never see again, and Emil... what? Whatever. Lois is HBIC. I am unabashedly, obsessively in love with her, just going to throw that out here now.
That must have been a jolt for Lois to see Tess Mercer. Another OSV scene waiting to happen: how Clark Kent explains that, especially after explaining everything that's come before, would be hilarious.
12. Oliver's being tortured again. It must be Sunday. I think he's this year's Tess, this year's season eight Chloe, and the previous seven seasons' Lana and/or Lex. This was Slade's weakest scene for me. It should have been sinister; I should have been frightened; I should have been thoroughly involved in the plight of these two heroes. But I didn't care. All three of them fell flat to me. The dialogue was ham-fisted as all get-out. Blah, what a waste, it could have been built up better and felt like a scene was missing. Maybe if we'd seen Arthur getting captured, perhaps that might have helped. I do admire Welling's amaze-balls ability to choreograph scenes like this though, it really can't be easy to do.
But look at the angry children... they didn't like the scene either and are expressing their annoyance.
OH NOOOOOOO, Slade pushed the Red Button of Loud Alarm and Oncoming Explosion that takes a REALLY Long Time to Activate Thus Enabling Profound and Revealing Conversation Between him and our Man CK, and Also Allows Us to See That Soon-To-Be-One-Eyed Slade Bears the Sign of Darkseid!!!!!!!
Ah, there's my leather jacket, I couldn't help but flinch in horror when I saw the return of the blue jacket at the beginning of this episode. I'm sorry. I hate that outfit, and the reverse outfit so much.
Clark was so commanding in this scene. I have to say, Tom Welling's body looks amazing (shallow). I think I love that in nearly every Welling-directed episode, we never see Clark writhing helplessly on the floor even in the presence of green K. Even if he's taking a backseat to another character, he is always an active force; a strong presence and it's really fantastic. I don't know if Clark has built a small tolerance to green K or if there was less of it in the cage; but his resolve and his determination to save even a madman like Slade; his heroism shone through.
Please, take lessons, this is how to write Superman working in tandem with the JLA on a Superman show, Geoff Johns. This episode. Thanks. Sure, you can make it so the others aren't quite so helpless and in need of rescue but what was great about this is that EVERY character displayed their heroic self in really layered ways e.g. Oliver in sacrificing himself and signing up for the VRA and then later in the torture scene and his throwing skills with A.C. Each character, including Lois, hell, even Emil had their moment to show their skills and do what they do best. And yet Clark was still impactful and central! Say what you will about Gen Spar but she got that right this time.
But, look, let's just think about the fact that they actually have Kryptonite! Truly, show? Everything is the worst-kept secret ever. How many random people and future enemies actually know who Clark Kent is? Or have seen his face? Or know that he's allergic to the green stuff, and the blue stuff, and every stuff? This is a serious question. I would like to know this for my own peace of mind because it always seems like it's an awful lot or that the people who actively know are so potentially dangerous to him. So I need some reassurance that I'm imagining things.
I think it would help if they showed him building his 'normal' persona alongside his heroics. Because this Clark, the Blur-hero-dude, and the Clark Kent with Lois, family (i.e. who's his most honest self, his romantic self, his Smallville self, the self we've gotten to know for a decade) is most of what we've seen this season. It feels odd to me for reasons I'm too lazy and un-serious to explain. But I feel as though I need more of Reporter!Daily!Public!Clark Kent, the persona he presents to his colleagues at the DP and random strangers, just to see how these different sides of him interact. And I feel quite strongly that they are and must be different. I don't need him to go all Reeve-Silver Age on us; I think I honestly, and this might sound dumb, I need a pair of glasses and an episode of Clark showing his investigating prowess as we saw Lois'. Perhaps I'm wrong. Whatever.
I'm glad that they hinted at Slade's comic history as a mercenary, questionable military past, because I didn't want this to be all about the dark mark (Oh, Harry!) -- I guess the Dark Lord Darkseid got hold of his 'wavering soul'. I suppose this is when he gets his first super-healing, immortality etc. etc. boost. Or maybe he already does... color me curious...
"I am a man.. made of steel." *faints* What? It sounded hot. I exploded along with the military facility.
13. A.C., you're not funny. At all. But your best line the whole episode approaches.
"Don't let an overzealous war hawk shake your faith in people, Clark. Your endless optimism is the one thing I actually like about you."
So, I thought Clark was raised to believe in this so-called 'American way', in this country and its 'core values', in systems that have been in place for centuries as he stated at the beginning. That's how his faith was shaken, and rightly so, because those systems suck a lot or maybe it's the people in charge of them... (must... remain... un-serious...). I didn't really get that his faith 'in people' was in question so much here, didn't he learn that lesson perfectly well in "Homecoming"? So I'm wondering if the crux or gist of the episode is a little muddy or if I missed how everyone's drawing conclusions in these scenes.
Bottom line and a few of the lessons learned: this system will chew these heroes up and spit them out without blinking; they need to take control of their identities and lead by example, by setting themselves apart from exactly everything that makes these systems and people (that are supposed to be stand for what's right) so rotten to the core. These heroes, Clark in particular, their role is to restore faith in humanity that they can change these systems for the better; that they themselves have an individual stake in ensuring that justice and truth prevail in the midst of all this corruption and darkness etc. etc. not to be anarchists who inspire fear (although there is always room for some anarchy). Also, it doesn't help when our heroes are fractured, another lesson on teamwork that was sorely needed. I thought there were some great lessons and ideas to draw from this episode. The execution might have been poor at times but it was quite cool.
14. But wait! there are more lessons of the romantic kind....
"The away games don't matter unless you win the ones at home too. Which you definitely can't do if you refuse to have a co-captain." Okay, so who the hell talks like this?? Actually, there are people who do talk like this. I took a basic math class once for a requirement in college, and the class was full of football jocks and jocks of other persuasions. Anyway, the teacher would ALWAYS use football terminology to explain his ideas. Worse, American football. I don't watch it. I don't care to watch it. I think it's dead boring. It was infuriating because I never understood a frigging thing the man blabbed about and you'd think at an institution like that a math teacher would be able to come up with better ways to explain things. I'm still carrying unresolved resentment about it.
My permanent demeanor in said class was this:
The teacher never liked me very much. Sad, that.
Oh god, and it continues, "You can't bring her on the team and keep her benched." Why? For all that's merciful, why??? Make the crack-dialogue end!!!
At least he was starting to sound like the A.C. I remembered from back in the day. For most of this episode Ritchson was so SERIOUS and NOBLE and EPIC and SERIOUS w/furrowed brow and fisted hands and squared shoulders for every single line he uttered as if he was trying so hard with all the gravitas of the fifty worlds and Charlton Heston combined --- that he made it entirely necessary for me to be not-serious in this post to balance it out.
But at the end of the day, I understand A.C.'s lesson entirely, maybe there's something to sports analogies after all *snort*
15.
"Perhaps I was too hasty in my judgment of you, Lois Lane." No. You just talk too much and it's starting to sound like the flapping of a hundred gills.
This was stilted, Lois and Mera. I think the actress was challenged but the dialogue was also stupid. Also, I just didn't feel as though I needed to have this sort of thing said out loud about Lois and Clark, or at least so much of it. Why? We are way past the stage where this sort of thing must be TOLD. We have been shown time and time again why and how Lois and Clark work so wonderfully as a couple. So we didn't need to have this water girl pop by to inform us of this. The question is, did Lois need to have this particular conversation? Maybe. Mera just comes off as being presumptuous with everything she says. I liked her acknowledging and understanding that Lois is a force to be reckoned with; and her comment about how it's a work in progress -- this idea of partnership, of equals in relationships etc. It ended on a sweet note, I think, something of an understanding.
I guess a young newly-married girl and boy will always have some wise words and handy advice and grave opinions and insightful observations --- for people even when they don't ask for it. Goodbye, sea people! You're also on my list of characters I hope to never see again on this show!!!! See ya. Swim safely, and all that. Cheerio. please let the door hit you on the way out. Tata!
16. So, Tom, I'm really not sure about the way you staged this Clois scene. Actually, I am sure: I just don't like it. I understand that they were resolving a conflict and so touching of any kind may not have made sense for most of it BUT there were certain moments that felt like they could have been punctuated with physical contact, a punch, a chest-touch, a hand-hold, a something. At the very least, I think they should have touched in some way at the end.
The gist of the moment and the episode in a Clois sense is captured in these two sentences: "By not trying to do it alone. We're in this together now." Lois brought it to the team, but in that instant, I do feel that it would have been organic for her to step forward and place a hand on his chest, or take his hand, or just step much closer to him. It's nitpicky. I get it and it worked without touching, so I'm now over it.
I loved the sentiment, I love how they balance each other out, the crack about Picasso made me smile. With all their imperfections; all their differences; with everything that they both bring to the table and how it seems like it doesn't make a lick of sense for the two of them to be together --- they just fit. And it's right. I adored Lois speaking of her mother --- I feel like I wanted to write a fic about that once, wonder if I ever did. Hunh. Perhaps one day.
They both know each other so well. There's a lot to love in that scene. We rarely ever see such intimate exchanges between couples, couples who TALK about things, about what's bothering them, about life, anything and everything --- on this show (and TV in general), so it was just effective to see that and see them work through things together. You know what they say about communication. How refreshing to see that sort of honesty and openness between two people; to see them bare their anxieties, and both of them laid bare what was troubling them, their fears is a powerful thing. Emblematic of why THIS one is different from all the other relationships that have come before for both characters. I loved it for what it said about Clois and what they're facing.
And yes, Clark and Lois, side-by-side. The couple that fights together... stays together, all that jazz. It's good to see these stages in their relationship laid out so clearly. To see them unafraid to deal with that conflict and work it out. I've never seen it in any other incarnation ever. Thank you, SV!
Also, very joyous, Lois loves the Clark Express. Lucky girl.
17. And the Watchtower scene. So, unpopular opinion: I didn't LOVE IT NOR DID I BREAK INTO A SEIZURE OF EXCITEMENT ZOMG!!!
I'm sorry. I just didn't. I know many on my f-list hate Chloe but personally, I really wanted Lois' first time in the Watchtower to be with Chloe present. I had it planned in my head. It'd be a mirror to that scene in "Pandora", and it would allow a moment for the two cousins to recapture some of their old banter and humor, and the symmetry would have been awesome. There would be acceptance and honesty, and it would resolve some of the issues that have been festering in my head about the cousins since episodes like "Persuasion," "Roulette", and "Pandora." In this instance, it fell flat for me. But whatever, it is what it is. I am thankful that they didn't use it as an opportunity to wax on about Chloe though, which would have been stupid.
I love seeing Lois in that space, and I like her seeing this side of Clark, the almost fully-realized superhero, in his element, I don't know --- this is weird, but for some reason that first moment when they step in, the camera whirls around them, and she smiles at him was sexy to me. The way she looks at him, the way he stands. Also, nice to see Tess so a part of the team, I keep thinking something's going to happen to ruin this.
The conversation was particularly exposition-heavy, the whole episode was or at least there was a lot of talking going on.
I squealed at the mention of Omega. Clark was clearly the focal point of the little pow-wow, which is good, he's unquestionably leading things and doing it so well despite his worries about the darkness etc. I'm glad that no one took the opportunity to Kick-the-Clark about opening the portal. Just, go team!
They also needed to lend some sort of energy to the long, long exposition or else they'd have put viewers in a coma so the chemistry of the entire regular cast was a good way to offset that and communicate some key information.
A lot of things came up. I'm not going to tackle them because again, I'm lazy and un-serious. Suffice it to say, I'm really excited to see the Darkseid plot unfold. I like that they've tied this escalating vigilante fear and suspicion; the government growing increasingly 'patriotic' and fanatically right wing; the rise of the Suicide Squad --- all symptoms of collective panic and a sense of not having any control over the world around us, and finding ways to gain control. It's the extreme of things we see every day. I love it. Oh, forgot my point, I like how they're tying all of this in to Darkseid but also emphasizing the idea that these things exist in all of us everywhere. Darkseid tips the scale into MEGA but it's a fight they face on every level with multiple faces. This also seems to set things up nicely for the rest of the season. I'm not expressing myself well but it's just kind of cool. I'm very into it.
18. Slade has his eyepatch, and the Slade I know and love is coming. I'm intrigued.
CREDITS .... OH WOW, GRAY SCREEN, SCARINESS. Seriously, it was very unnerving, I thought.
And then.... dear god, take me now, the preview for Luthor and.....
Elvis' reaction, he gets it. Oh wow, that ones quite gross, isn't it?
THE END.
I love Smallville. I'm just going to take what I can get because this time next year, there will be nothing to fill my Friday nights *sob* so I hope you found something to laugh about here or at least snort about. I almost think that going scene by scene in this scattered manner helped me to appreciate the episode more. Overall, one might say it was a poor episode, but when you look at individual moments and instances of character-building, there's a quite a bit to value.
Disclaimer: This is possibly the least intelligent I've sounded in a while, I promise, I'm in a weird mood. My whole post seems to be saying to me...
Honestly, I just wanted to include this gif because it is so irritating to look at. Isn't it irritating, and kind of funny? But mostly irritating.
Have lovely days, friends!!!!
Amazing 'previously on'. My face said this, especially in the shots of "Ambush", my favorite episode of the season :)
Such manic joy. It did a great job of pulling all the treads together: the dark force, the government, suicide squad, our heroes, the romance etc.
And then....
Ahhhhhhhh, it's John McCain's vigorous and deranged twin brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111(*&^%(*&%*&^
I actually really enjoyed Slade in this scene. He was campy, he was OTT, and there was a sinisterness to him that made me nervous. His references to Hitler reminded me of this unpleasant man I saw on a train a few weeks ago, I posted about it here, so art imitates life apparently.
Anyone laugh at that first glimpse of Mera and Orin? Because they skulked across that deck like cheap villains in a pantomime. Hilarious. Also, um, Mera walked up that beach like she had a dislocated hip. I realize sand is tough to walk on sometimes but that strut was disturbing. She seemed to be very awkward with her body in general where I'd expect her to be a lot more fluid... but maybe life underwater has made it hard for her to deal with land, and she's just not amphibian at all. Poor thing.
Also, holy starfish --- CLEAVAGE!!!! Seriously, wardrobe department? Seriously...
OPENING CREDITS....somebody saaaaaavvveee me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. OH, it's the love of my life, Emil --- the scene wins for me just for this alone. I love him. He's so smart and dorky. More of him please, show. I love him better at this job than Tess and Chloe and honestly wish that HE was running Watchtower full-time. But whatevs, he's great.
And what's this? Secret meetings between Clark and Kara? Hunh. I hope she never comes back. The VRA business is interesting, all of the propaganda; the whole politics of this particular arc are just kind of resonant for me in good and bad ways, and that's a good thing. SV is ham-fisted with this sort of thing in general but I'm glad they try, it's so current too, me likey. I liked how they displayed the differences between Clark and Oliver's politics so starkly, and we see how those, in turn, mold them into the kinds of heroes they are now and will one day be. Clark and his belief in these country ideals is so naive (I'm not going to get 'serious' so I'll stop there), and so Supermanly, and such a product of his identity as the ultimate immigrant who made good etc. that I was glad to see them articulated.
I found Oliver's dialogue interesting here --- he's back to his snappy, sarcastic mode and I like it but at some points it felt incredibly forced, he seems awfully crabby. Clark was very serious and determined, I enjoy his good posture. He's hot when he's all-business, I'm glad we're seeing it more.
"Sometimes Clark, words are the greatest weapon." YES. They are, wise Oliver. Now, Clark, come out of the closet and let Lois be your brilliant PR consultant, using the power of the pen to slay all these horrid folks to the curb. Also, stop excluding her from this part of your life because she's the greatest asset you lot have, even now.
2. Another favorite scene. Oliver and Lois are so fun together, these two characters can riff off of each other all damn day and I'd love it. Combining Lois permanent foot-in-mouth disease with Oliver's nonsensical cheek is genius. These two actors work so well together.
Our girl's missing her guy and worried about these decisions he's making. Rightly so. It's something they really needed to resolve Clark and Lois, and I'm glad it was brought up. The dialogue was odd in some moments and I couldn't get why Lois would think that Clark wouldn't discuss this sort of stuff with 'other people' i.e. fellow vigilantes/heroes. Again, I blame the dialogue, all it would've taken was two more rounds of editing to push that essential idea through and cut all the stuff that makes Lois sound off-putting and OTT about something that's a totally legit issue. Bah. I'm sure Clark would've come to discuss things though... wouldn't he? Anyway, everyone has irrational moments, no?
Oliver's jacket is hot, I want it.
"Who would be stupid enough to stand up and register?" Indeed.
3. Why is Aquaman so agro? If this is the much-promised 'dark side' to A.C., I want the old, equally wooden surfer bro back. Although, Aquaman in the comics can be kind of ... well, he's very kingly I guess and cares about the underwater world so much that he can come across as kind if a dick in a ... kingly way, all that responsibility. Saying this so badly.
Wow. Just unconvincing acting all around from these two. Smallville is just determined to make me hate D.C. women characters aren't they? Dinah was a pain when she showed up. Zatanna became an irritant. And now Mera is...
I made this face for many of their scenes:
I also, felt the urge to do this.
I evidently share anger management issues with dear Bill but I managed to control myself. No one has singed hair.
4. Love. This. Scene. Why? Lois. And Slade. That is all.
Same awesomeness we witnessed when she went up against Godfrey. Honestly, I just want to see her investigating all the time.
Slade's fanatical 'patriotism' was well-displayed. Again, this was so disturbingly like my life because just the other day, I interviewed a taxi driver who informed me that 'those damn Mexicans are just out to steal from all of us and the cops should just drive around in immigration vans and we'd see those Mexicans scramble like rats, and take America back!' and 'Philadelphia is full of terrorist Black Muslims'. I know. I didn't get it either. Different kinds of babble but equally disturbing to me.
Lois = brilliant. Her fearlessness and ingenuity. I admit, that half of me didn't want her to be 'pure of heart' because I enjoy that sort of conflict but in the end, the struggle needs to be about Clark, so I get it and I'm excited to see his journey with her supporting him as she can and him standing as the hero he's always been/meant to be/etc.
Back to Lois: The lighter-camera was awesome, I love her gadgets. I love that she has gadgets.
How does she get them on her salary? She doesn't have a fancy Watchtower and a billionaire's income, nope. I would now like an OSV scene in which we meet Lois' awesome Tech-girl Chris who supplies her with all these super-sleuthing instruments in exchange for marvelously random things that Lois somehow uses to leverage. She must be swell! Thanks.
My bad, she just has the fastest hands in the West and somehow switched from phone to lighter. I still want that oneshot because we've seen her gadgetry; it's still cool.
5. Who is Lucy Burns and where did she want to vote like her father not expecting people to do the right things enduring starvation? What is the 'night of terror'? What is this conversation even?
"Victories aren't won by spectators... but by fighters, like me and Mera." [intense look of love and eternal devotion of the seven salty seas]
It was hard to get past the acting to be honest. I understand the gist of the conversation but with Mera and Arthur actively pimping themselves and their relationship with such... erm.... fervent conviction... I gave up.
6. Tess and Lois. I was so happy to see them together that I lost focus for a bit. I guess they can put aside their mutual dislike to actually get things done, and when there are more important things on the plate and I found it fascinating. I'm sort of confused about their relationship and feel like I missed a step along the way for some reason, it's less fractious than expected. Is that weird?
Amazing in that moment with Oliver in the elevator. It was like watching a sheep led to the slaughter, and Tess' worry, and Lois' anguish were really affecting. Both of these women, excellent actresses. Oliver standing up to do this filled me with pride; you know, I really love the way Justin plays him in hero mode --- just like TW owns Clark Kent for me and ED is Lois Lane in disguise, I sincerely believe that JH sells Oliver so well, especially in moments like this one.
7. Lois and Emil. Seriously, my two favorites this episode. I love her threatening him and his thoroughly bemused expression in the wake of Hurricane Lois. I would like an OSV drabble where she snarkily apologizes to him in the Watchtower and proceeds to be the bane of his existence with endless hassling and teasing, and they become best friends. Okay, three drabbles. Thanks.
She is the definition of badass. In the dictionary, there's a picture of her in a bunny outfit holding a scalpel next to the word 'badass'. I love her. No words can express how much.
8. Okay. Get ready for it.
"She's pretty amazing. Smart, passionate, fiery, even helped me understand my true origins."
Is he describing a hair product?
"Sounds like you really want to high-dive for her." Clark. When you're funny like this, even unintentionally, I love you too much for words. He did it again in the barn and it made me happy.
"I'm so much more with her than I ever was solo." Okay, we get it, you want to make many water-babies with her. If being 'more' with her means that he walks like he's got a large log shoved up his butt and being a sanctimonious jerk then... yay? Seriously though, what even was that dialogue?
Also, so subtle, Smallville. I see you. Mera and A.C. are supposed to be FOILS... no mirrors to Lois and Clark, they embody what every couple wants to be, they stay together and swim together and fight together. Aw. Presh.
9. Oh yeah, training montage, Go Ollie! I heard 'Eye of the Tiger' there, did you?
10. I just. What was this scene with Lois and Mera? Hunh, someone more brazen and instantly obnoxious than Lois, good times. Kind of femslashy, if I was a femslasher for anyone but Tess and Lois, I'm sure I'd be writing fic for those two right now or something. But I was just taken aback by how obnoxious this girl is.
And...wait. What????? Why? WHY IS SHE NAKED?????
I don't understand.
"Some people get a ring on their finger and everyone else's relationship just doesn't cut it." I'm as confused by this woman as you are, Lois.
So, I'm thinking that Mera has a fish-people superiority complex. I get it. Perhaps she's always been part of an Atlantean royal family or she's just a snooty person in general, or maybe she has an innate distrust of land animals, which could make sense actually. But she was unnecessarily bitchy here and as sanctimonious and preachy as her husband. Two whales in a pod; fishes of a scale, shoal together or whatever, I could go all day, people, all day. So...
... is all I have to say. And someone wipe that faint smirk off the Sea Queen's face, she's like Morgana from Merlin but I'm just not interested. Comics Mera is MUCH cooler and she's currently an alien, her origin at least, and actually could kick butt and take names without being a bitca.
Also, dialogue, SV writers. "Squid-lips", "Little Mermaid", yada yada yada --- sometimes it's just a little too try-hard.
11. Where Lois proves ONCE AGAIN why she's the s.h.i.t., so awesome etc. etc. etc. and why I ♥ Erica Durance like burning for bring this character to life for me.
Oh Clark, I know it'll take a while to wean you off the poor habits bred at Lana's teat, I understand. It's a legitimate issue between them. I didn't receive satisfactory discussion about him cock-blocking her story way back in "Harvest", so I'm glad to see the notion of his being over-protective and underestimating Lois and the roles she can play in his world --- in THEIR world --- being tackled head on. It definitely could have been handled better but it needed to be handled and I'm proud to see it so. Yay!
When she brandished that BlackBerry with the blueprints, I was like, seriously people --- she can do all that on her 2-gig phone and a connection to the internets. Y'all have Watchtower-Tess, a guy with super-hearing, a dude with a leather fetish, Aquagirl, various and sundry heroes we'll never see again, and Emil... what? Whatever. Lois is HBIC. I am unabashedly, obsessively in love with her, just going to throw that out here now.
That must have been a jolt for Lois to see Tess Mercer. Another OSV scene waiting to happen: how Clark Kent explains that, especially after explaining everything that's come before, would be hilarious.
12. Oliver's being tortured again. It must be Sunday. I think he's this year's Tess, this year's season eight Chloe, and the previous seven seasons' Lana and/or Lex. This was Slade's weakest scene for me. It should have been sinister; I should have been frightened; I should have been thoroughly involved in the plight of these two heroes. But I didn't care. All three of them fell flat to me. The dialogue was ham-fisted as all get-out. Blah, what a waste, it could have been built up better and felt like a scene was missing. Maybe if we'd seen Arthur getting captured, perhaps that might have helped. I do admire Welling's amaze-balls ability to choreograph scenes like this though, it really can't be easy to do.
But look at the angry children... they didn't like the scene either and are expressing their annoyance.
OH NOOOOOOO, Slade pushed the Red Button of Loud Alarm and Oncoming Explosion that takes a REALLY Long Time to Activate Thus Enabling Profound and Revealing Conversation Between him and our Man CK, and Also Allows Us to See That Soon-To-Be-One-Eyed Slade Bears the Sign of Darkseid!!!!!!!
Ah, there's my leather jacket, I couldn't help but flinch in horror when I saw the return of the blue jacket at the beginning of this episode. I'm sorry. I hate that outfit, and the reverse outfit so much.
Clark was so commanding in this scene. I have to say, Tom Welling's body looks amazing (shallow). I think I love that in nearly every Welling-directed episode, we never see Clark writhing helplessly on the floor even in the presence of green K. Even if he's taking a backseat to another character, he is always an active force; a strong presence and it's really fantastic. I don't know if Clark has built a small tolerance to green K or if there was less of it in the cage; but his resolve and his determination to save even a madman like Slade; his heroism shone through.
Please, take lessons, this is how to write Superman working in tandem with the JLA on a Superman show, Geoff Johns. This episode. Thanks. Sure, you can make it so the others aren't quite so helpless and in need of rescue but what was great about this is that EVERY character displayed their heroic self in really layered ways e.g. Oliver in sacrificing himself and signing up for the VRA and then later in the torture scene and his throwing skills with A.C. Each character, including Lois, hell, even Emil had their moment to show their skills and do what they do best. And yet Clark was still impactful and central! Say what you will about Gen Spar but she got that right this time.
But, look, let's just think about the fact that they actually have Kryptonite! Truly, show? Everything is the worst-kept secret ever. How many random people and future enemies actually know who Clark Kent is? Or have seen his face? Or know that he's allergic to the green stuff, and the blue stuff, and every stuff? This is a serious question. I would like to know this for my own peace of mind because it always seems like it's an awful lot or that the people who actively know are so potentially dangerous to him. So I need some reassurance that I'm imagining things.
I think it would help if they showed him building his 'normal' persona alongside his heroics. Because this Clark, the Blur-hero-dude, and the Clark Kent with Lois, family (i.e. who's his most honest self, his romantic self, his Smallville self, the self we've gotten to know for a decade) is most of what we've seen this season. It feels odd to me for reasons I'm too lazy and un-serious to explain. But I feel as though I need more of Reporter!Daily!Public!Clark Kent, the persona he presents to his colleagues at the DP and random strangers, just to see how these different sides of him interact. And I feel quite strongly that they are and must be different. I don't need him to go all Reeve-Silver Age on us; I think I honestly, and this might sound dumb, I need a pair of glasses and an episode of Clark showing his investigating prowess as we saw Lois'. Perhaps I'm wrong. Whatever.
I'm glad that they hinted at Slade's comic history as a mercenary, questionable military past, because I didn't want this to be all about the dark mark (Oh, Harry!) -- I guess the Dark Lord Darkseid got hold of his 'wavering soul'. I suppose this is when he gets his first super-healing, immortality etc. etc. boost. Or maybe he already does... color me curious...
"I am a man.. made of steel." *faints* What? It sounded hot. I exploded along with the military facility.
13. A.C., you're not funny. At all. But your best line the whole episode approaches.
"Don't let an overzealous war hawk shake your faith in people, Clark. Your endless optimism is the one thing I actually like about you."
So, I thought Clark was raised to believe in this so-called 'American way', in this country and its 'core values', in systems that have been in place for centuries as he stated at the beginning. That's how his faith was shaken, and rightly so, because those systems suck a lot or maybe it's the people in charge of them... (must... remain... un-serious...). I didn't really get that his faith 'in people' was in question so much here, didn't he learn that lesson perfectly well in "Homecoming"? So I'm wondering if the crux or gist of the episode is a little muddy or if I missed how everyone's drawing conclusions in these scenes.
Bottom line and a few of the lessons learned: this system will chew these heroes up and spit them out without blinking; they need to take control of their identities and lead by example, by setting themselves apart from exactly everything that makes these systems and people (that are supposed to be stand for what's right) so rotten to the core. These heroes, Clark in particular, their role is to restore faith in humanity that they can change these systems for the better; that they themselves have an individual stake in ensuring that justice and truth prevail in the midst of all this corruption and darkness etc. etc. not to be anarchists who inspire fear (although there is always room for some anarchy). Also, it doesn't help when our heroes are fractured, another lesson on teamwork that was sorely needed. I thought there were some great lessons and ideas to draw from this episode. The execution might have been poor at times but it was quite cool.
14. But wait! there are more lessons of the romantic kind....
"The away games don't matter unless you win the ones at home too. Which you definitely can't do if you refuse to have a co-captain." Okay, so who the hell talks like this?? Actually, there are people who do talk like this. I took a basic math class once for a requirement in college, and the class was full of football jocks and jocks of other persuasions. Anyway, the teacher would ALWAYS use football terminology to explain his ideas. Worse, American football. I don't watch it. I don't care to watch it. I think it's dead boring. It was infuriating because I never understood a frigging thing the man blabbed about and you'd think at an institution like that a math teacher would be able to come up with better ways to explain things. I'm still carrying unresolved resentment about it.
My permanent demeanor in said class was this:
The teacher never liked me very much. Sad, that.
Oh god, and it continues, "You can't bring her on the team and keep her benched." Why? For all that's merciful, why??? Make the crack-dialogue end!!!
At least he was starting to sound like the A.C. I remembered from back in the day. For most of this episode Ritchson was so SERIOUS and NOBLE and EPIC and SERIOUS w/furrowed brow and fisted hands and squared shoulders for every single line he uttered as if he was trying so hard with all the gravitas of the fifty worlds and Charlton Heston combined --- that he made it entirely necessary for me to be not-serious in this post to balance it out.
But at the end of the day, I understand A.C.'s lesson entirely, maybe there's something to sports analogies after all *snort*
15.
"Perhaps I was too hasty in my judgment of you, Lois Lane." No. You just talk too much and it's starting to sound like the flapping of a hundred gills.
This was stilted, Lois and Mera. I think the actress was challenged but the dialogue was also stupid. Also, I just didn't feel as though I needed to have this sort of thing said out loud about Lois and Clark, or at least so much of it. Why? We are way past the stage where this sort of thing must be TOLD. We have been shown time and time again why and how Lois and Clark work so wonderfully as a couple. So we didn't need to have this water girl pop by to inform us of this. The question is, did Lois need to have this particular conversation? Maybe. Mera just comes off as being presumptuous with everything she says. I liked her acknowledging and understanding that Lois is a force to be reckoned with; and her comment about how it's a work in progress -- this idea of partnership, of equals in relationships etc. It ended on a sweet note, I think, something of an understanding.
I guess a young newly-married girl and boy will always have some wise words and handy advice and grave opinions and insightful observations --- for people even when they don't ask for it. Goodbye, sea people! You're also on my list of characters I hope to never see again on this show!!!! See ya. Swim safely, and all that. Cheerio. please let the door hit you on the way out. Tata!
16. So, Tom, I'm really not sure about the way you staged this Clois scene. Actually, I am sure: I just don't like it. I understand that they were resolving a conflict and so touching of any kind may not have made sense for most of it BUT there were certain moments that felt like they could have been punctuated with physical contact, a punch, a chest-touch, a hand-hold, a something. At the very least, I think they should have touched in some way at the end.
The gist of the moment and the episode in a Clois sense is captured in these two sentences: "By not trying to do it alone. We're in this together now." Lois brought it to the team, but in that instant, I do feel that it would have been organic for her to step forward and place a hand on his chest, or take his hand, or just step much closer to him. It's nitpicky. I get it and it worked without touching, so I'm now over it.
I loved the sentiment, I love how they balance each other out, the crack about Picasso made me smile. With all their imperfections; all their differences; with everything that they both bring to the table and how it seems like it doesn't make a lick of sense for the two of them to be together --- they just fit. And it's right. I adored Lois speaking of her mother --- I feel like I wanted to write a fic about that once, wonder if I ever did. Hunh. Perhaps one day.
They both know each other so well. There's a lot to love in that scene. We rarely ever see such intimate exchanges between couples, couples who TALK about things, about what's bothering them, about life, anything and everything --- on this show (and TV in general), so it was just effective to see that and see them work through things together. You know what they say about communication. How refreshing to see that sort of honesty and openness between two people; to see them bare their anxieties, and both of them laid bare what was troubling them, their fears is a powerful thing. Emblematic of why THIS one is different from all the other relationships that have come before for both characters. I loved it for what it said about Clois and what they're facing.
And yes, Clark and Lois, side-by-side. The couple that fights together... stays together, all that jazz. It's good to see these stages in their relationship laid out so clearly. To see them unafraid to deal with that conflict and work it out. I've never seen it in any other incarnation ever. Thank you, SV!
Also, very joyous, Lois loves the Clark Express. Lucky girl.
17. And the Watchtower scene. So, unpopular opinion: I didn't LOVE IT NOR DID I BREAK INTO A SEIZURE OF EXCITEMENT ZOMG!!!
I'm sorry. I just didn't. I know many on my f-list hate Chloe but personally, I really wanted Lois' first time in the Watchtower to be with Chloe present. I had it planned in my head. It'd be a mirror to that scene in "Pandora", and it would allow a moment for the two cousins to recapture some of their old banter and humor, and the symmetry would have been awesome. There would be acceptance and honesty, and it would resolve some of the issues that have been festering in my head about the cousins since episodes like "Persuasion," "Roulette", and "Pandora." In this instance, it fell flat for me. But whatever, it is what it is. I am thankful that they didn't use it as an opportunity to wax on about Chloe though, which would have been stupid.
I love seeing Lois in that space, and I like her seeing this side of Clark, the almost fully-realized superhero, in his element, I don't know --- this is weird, but for some reason that first moment when they step in, the camera whirls around them, and she smiles at him was sexy to me. The way she looks at him, the way he stands. Also, nice to see Tess so a part of the team, I keep thinking something's going to happen to ruin this.
The conversation was particularly exposition-heavy, the whole episode was or at least there was a lot of talking going on.
I squealed at the mention of Omega. Clark was clearly the focal point of the little pow-wow, which is good, he's unquestionably leading things and doing it so well despite his worries about the darkness etc. I'm glad that no one took the opportunity to Kick-the-Clark about opening the portal. Just, go team!
They also needed to lend some sort of energy to the long, long exposition or else they'd have put viewers in a coma so the chemistry of the entire regular cast was a good way to offset that and communicate some key information.
A lot of things came up. I'm not going to tackle them because again, I'm lazy and un-serious. Suffice it to say, I'm really excited to see the Darkseid plot unfold. I like that they've tied this escalating vigilante fear and suspicion; the government growing increasingly 'patriotic' and fanatically right wing; the rise of the Suicide Squad --- all symptoms of collective panic and a sense of not having any control over the world around us, and finding ways to gain control. It's the extreme of things we see every day. I love it. Oh, forgot my point, I like how they're tying all of this in to Darkseid but also emphasizing the idea that these things exist in all of us everywhere. Darkseid tips the scale into MEGA but it's a fight they face on every level with multiple faces. This also seems to set things up nicely for the rest of the season. I'm not expressing myself well but it's just kind of cool. I'm very into it.
18. Slade has his eyepatch, and the Slade I know and love is coming. I'm intrigued.
CREDITS .... OH WOW, GRAY SCREEN, SCARINESS. Seriously, it was very unnerving, I thought.
And then.... dear god, take me now, the preview for Luthor and.....
Elvis' reaction, he gets it. Oh wow, that ones quite gross, isn't it?
THE END.
I love Smallville. I'm just going to take what I can get because this time next year, there will be nothing to fill my Friday nights *sob* so I hope you found something to laugh about here or at least snort about. I almost think that going scene by scene in this scattered manner helped me to appreciate the episode more. Overall, one might say it was a poor episode, but when you look at individual moments and instances of character-building, there's a quite a bit to value.
Disclaimer: This is possibly the least intelligent I've sounded in a while, I promise, I'm in a weird mood. My whole post seems to be saying to me...
Honestly, I just wanted to include this gif because it is so irritating to look at. Isn't it irritating, and kind of funny? But mostly irritating.
Have lovely days, friends!!!!