30 Days of Smallville | Day Four | Ships - all my ships
Okay, so really this post is too long. It doesn't help that I'm trying to deal with four things at once but that's just in case this week is as awful as I predict it will be and I don't have time to do this until the weekend.
So here we go. Shippy, post is shippy as all get-out!
Day Three (four, five, six): Ships (and everything)
Favorite Ship: Clark Kent/Lois Lane
Clark: Lois?
Lois: Clark - Clark what happened?
Clark: (stroking her cheek) We made it.
Does this really come as a surprise to anyone? Probably not. This is one of those pairings where I feel like everything that can be said has already been said and really bloody well. Of course, I don't think any of it can be said enough because I love this pairing. Like no other.
There are many scenes I could have chosen to spam but there was a reason why I chose this one. Guys. Girls. Whoever is reading this. Do you remember what it felt like to watch this scene? If you don't. Stop now. Go to your computer or you DVD collection and put on "Rabid" because this scene. THIS SCENE. I actually probably won't say anything useful in this post (bear with me, they often reduce me to a puddle of incomprehensible goo when I try to think about them deeply).
This sort of signifies everything that I love about this ship. Symbolically, the scene works on many levels to show how these two work so well together, as was pointed out at the time of this episode airing. Lois is strong and independent, we all know that. But in this moment Clark gets to be strong for her, to be there for her, and she takes such comfort in that strength. Here's the kicker: him being strong here doesn't negate her strength, it doesn't diminish her as a person. And I love that. Because how hard has it been for some of the women on this show (friends and lovers) to strike that balance for themselves?
Clark, meanwhile, when he says "Lois?", and you can hear the thread of fear in his voice - fear that was apparent in the struggle before this. But even with all of that he kept holding on. Because for Clark Kent, especially after the events of "Doomsday", a world without Lois Lane just isn't an option. Okay. NOT. AN. OPTION. And you see it in the way that he fights for her while she's in the zombie rage. He's desperate and scared and that fear for Lois does not diminish him as a character. It doesn't make him weak; it doesn't make him the insecure, grasping boy he used to be; the boy who was so desperate to hold on to a relationship that was so poisonous to him because he thought he deserved nothing better. So this scene right here gets me for so many reasons but one of those is that with them, that biblical saying, 'when I am weak I am strong' rings true. That's really how I envision love in its best form between two people. Loving someone is scary as hell and allowing yourself to be vulnerable is hard but there is such strength to be found in that seeming weakness, and in giving of yourself so completely and accepting someone else in the same turn. And it's amazing.
Also, look at Clark's face when he says, "We made it." My God. I mean. Just. What more could you ask for in that moment? You can see all these emotions flitting across his face, and it's like watching someone fall in love in seconds, and it's beautiful and terrifying and exhilarating. I have no words. I'm sorry this is so incoherent, maybe I'm just too in it to write about it properly. But this pairing, folks. They are my OTP of OTPs, and it's instances like this (literally 90 seconds of ST) that show me why. The writers have made some mistakes, and I can't lie, my favorite Clois is first half season 9 and probably some of the earlier seasons, so that's why I chose these scenes - but I can't even get into it now. It's whatever, I love them.
And a bonus scene because they are worth it (well I did for most of the pairings in this post but... eh!)
Lois: Clark! Did I miss him?
Clark: If by him, you mean me - barely.
Lois: Not you, the Blur.
Clark: Well he was long gone - by the time I got here. I was just trying to call you.
Lois: From a payphone?
Clark: ... Apparently.
Lois: How'd you get here so fast anyway? My guy at Met P.D. didn't leak us until a few minutes ago.
Clark: Well we can't all be as fast as Lois Lane.
(Lois tries to clamber between cars and loses her balance; Clark catches her)
Lois (touching his arm, thinking): Hellooo, Sailor! (hops away)
Clark (confused): What'd you just say?
Lois: Nothing. You should get your hearing checked... (thinking) Hot Stuff.
(Clark is perplexed.)
I just love this scene. I love their sparring. I love them doing their jobs. I like Lois' mental stream of consciousness. That's all.
Least Favorite Ship: Clark Kent/Lana Lang
Lana: You okay?
Clark: Yeah, I'm great.
Lana: You know, I can always tell when you're being less than truthful.
Clark: It's just I'm - I've waited for this for so long. For us. I just don't want it to go away.
Lana: You're not going anywhere.
This should not come as a surprise. If it is. You must be new.
So this scene is really pretty and I chose it because I think it represents a time where Clark/Lana makes absolute sense. They're kids, in high school, full of the blush of young love, canoodling with horses under a tree on a warm afternoon (although, at times their faces look like they just got their teeth pulled by an elephant). At this stage in their lives, I get it. And it's cute and maybe lovely. But the show, of course, chose to wring this ship dry and bloody until there was nothing but dessicated bones and broken dreams and my anger.
Perhaps the most egregiously offensive thing about what this ship became (to me) is that it made me dislike both of these characters. A lot. I mean, it takes a lot for me to be truly disappointed in or even despise Clark Kent, it really does. But this relationship and the way the writers' crafted it took me over the edge many times. Fandom tends to lay much of the blame for this mess on Lana. And no. Just no. Stop. Both of them drove this train wreck into the ground. And I understand emotionally why both of them did this, and in that light, I can feel nothing but compassion and pity for the characters because (unintentionally sometimes) we have concrete textual evidence of why they're so needy and so insecure etc. etc. and why they'd both engage in such an unhealthy disaster for so damn long. But humph.
It's still something that bugs me though because the writers couldn't even craft this mess right. It makes total sense as a doomed, poisonous romance. TOTAL SENSE. Character-wise, story-wise, everything. Clark had to experience this in order to grow up and realize that he doesn't need to define everything he is in someone else, that he can't hide who and what he is behind an illusion of normality and 'happiness'. That frankly, he deserves to love and be loved without denying his true self. And, theoretically, Lana had to experience this in order to grow into a stronger, independent woman who realized her self-worth and strength came from herself and not from the people/things around her; that she didn't need to define herself or her life choices through the prism of the loss of her parents. Boy did the show get that wrong. Sigh. Bottom line, this really should've been over by season 6 and it wasn't. And the hits to Clark's character and Lana's character were almost painful to watch sometimes. Seriously. It takes doomed, regressive ship to the Nth degree and makes me want to bludgeon small insects with a chair leg. I can't believe it took seven years. Oh well, it is what it is but yeah, in case you didn't get it, this is my least favorite ship on the show. I'll stop now.
Guilty Pleasure Ship: Lana Lang/Lex Luthor
Lana: This whole thing - I mean, I can't believe we're even having this conversation. To think there'd be anything between us besides friendship.
Lex: Don't worry. Talk is just a - bunch of noise. As long as we both feel the same way...
Lana: Then that's all that matters.
(They kiss)
Lex: You okay?
(Lana walks away)
Lex: Look - it's just something that happened -
Okay. This ship, imo, is one of the best-constructed on the show - until Season 6, in the middle there somewhere. And by this I mean (C)Lexana. Seriously, so many feelings on this ship - it's another case where the writers had so much. SO MUCH to work with, so much that was already there, encoded in this quite brilliant lattice of relationships between these three characters but they failed. Because... useless. Before they decided to turn Lex into some sort of pseudo-Blue Beard; negate every bit of agency that Lana had in this relationship; wedge stupid-ass Lionel into the equation with his idiotic plans that make no sense and only furthered Lana's passivity in this mess (have I mentioned that I can't stand Lionel Luthor, useless character after season 3 and doesn't become useful again until "Descent"); and made Clark such a needy, self-destructive, never-moves-on dude -- I LOVED THIS ship. I ate it all up - hell, I'm still eating it all up because it tastes so damn good and hits a lot of my buttons.
This scene I really enjoy for a number of reasons. I especially liked the things it did for Lana. I love that she comes to the house to 'clear the air' and maybe there's fly-spider thing going on but I like to think that was empowering step number one. Whatever her intentions were, I will always believe subconsciously she wanted things to go down this way and after the first kiss, you can see that she knows it. She has this moment of doubt, she walks away and Lex is rambling off in the background trying to absolve her of everything, of her responsibility.
STOP THE PRESSES.
Okay, this is almost text-book M.O. for Clark/Lana. She does something. Something happens in there relationship. He absolves her of any responsibility and culpability, proceeds to blame himself; they blink, they weep, and dribble into puddles of Lifehouse-themed angst. And it all starts again. But nope, not this time. Lana doesn't take the out he's offering her, she doesn't run off or cower, she turns around and kisses him - essentially communicating that this isn't a fluke, she's drawn to him, she's attracted to him, SHE WANTS THIS. I love that second kiss, especially her hands on the nape of his neck. Unf! Obviously, she does run off afterward but not before removing all doubt from her own mind, Lex's and the audience. She's in this. Aside: LOL at the 'danger!creepy!dark! music in the background.
I like Lex in this scene too. I like that even though we know he's almost always being all plotty in his head, and he's so deliberate with this relationship and there's all the Clex-angst seeping through in the same where that there's Clana-angst underscoring some of Lana's actions, he's momentarily disarmed by that second kiss. I like the way he looks after her. I don't know, I find it hard to gauge Lex sometimes but my fanon for this pairing (tripling) is so complicated because the relationship is complicated. And maybe that's the best thing about it.
But then it went to shit. We got fake babies and fake deaths and fake-Lex coming back in season 8 in the most pathetic case of tragic-love-trolling to ruin Lana and Clark's lives forever, waaarrrrggggghhhhh!!!!! *eye-roll* And the things it did to Lana. My god. Ugh. It should be noted that I actually liked some of the darker, twisted elements between these two. Before season 8, I used to fantasize angry divorced-couple sex for them all the time. End of the day, what a waste. What an absolute waste of a ship because the writers couldn't think outside of the box, and were incapable of writing a) a multi-dimensional Lana who was an agent of her character's destiny; b) a Lex who didn't descend into a caricature of himself.
Ship that Caught me by Surprise or the one Fandom Hates that I Love: Chloe Sullivan/Oliver Queen
Chloe: Just the interruption I was hoping for.
(Oliver raises volume on the music and changes it to rock.)
Chloe: I like where this is going, Romeo, but you might want to put on some softer music.
Oliver: This is not a booty call.
So this was the first time that I side-eyed Chloe/Oliver and was like, 'Oh, hey there, I think I likey...' I love how sexy and risque (especially for Chloe) this was (a nooner in the Talon and clearly not the first time); the open friends/colleagues-with-benefits thing; the shady undertones of both of them keeping secrets from each other. This relationship is one of those that I see mostly from Chloe's perspective. In light of her arc after Jimmy's death: her continual withdrawal from emotional connections; her emergence as a truly morally gray character as the season wore on; her increasing desire to control herself and the space around her - hooking up with Oliver 'Poster-boy-for-no-commitment' Queen makes sense to me.
Coming back to my first point, favorite thing about Chlollie? It allowed Chloe to be a mature, sexual woman - and even a sexually aggressive one. Early on in this show, Chloe was shoved into the 'Sexless Best Friend & Confidante' box and she never truly escaped that until possibly season 8 (except for periodic love-potion/red-k juice/formula X which would invariably unleash her inner sex demon on Clark). I like that it was something she was choosing for herself that had nothing to do with Clark or anyone else. It was about her, her sexual (and emotional) needs, and there was no shame in that. On Oliver's part, I like that she's so different from his usual. I'd say Tess and Lois are remarkably similar to each other, and you can look at them and say, 'Ah, in serious relationships, Oliver clearly has THIS type.' And then there's his one nights stands, he's often come off as quite fickle in his sexual relationships. But Chloe is rather different from all of those women and I like the tension and the newness of that.
The show had a few options with these two. It could've ended. Or, it could've continued on as a convenient fuck-buddy thing. This was high up on my list simply because I liked that there was a relationship like this and there was no slut-shaming; she was a woman, in charge of her sexuality and her emotions, she took what she wanted and that was that. Or it could've developed into something more. They chose this avenue. I bought that development. There's clear progression from "Conspiracy" to "Escape" to "Checkmate" to "Charade" to "Sacrifice". I really don't see how anyone can deny that - it's there if you pay attention. They don't get much screen time (not nearly enough imo) but it was apparent that the self-protective, iron-clad control Chloe had girded herself with was disintegrating, and that Oliver was starting to feel more for her. Offscreenville on this show is often the best place to be, I'm cool with that; the fic-writer in me is perfectly capable of filling in some of the gaps. Let's be honest, the writers slacked off on this ship majorly and the I love yous were dodgy timing for me. And they've made some odd choices this season, especially for Oliver's arc. But I still dig it - I'm shocked by how much I dig it and how invested I am.
Also, I should point out that the fact that this 'thing' with Oliver is so far and away from Chloe's 'type' of relationship was the clincher in these early days. Chloe, as a general rule, builds relationships with men in a way that results in her losing herself; giving a lot of her identity up and not getting what she needs in return. Men who need her, she constructs herself around that. It's a pattern of behavior that plays itself out in her friendship w/Clark and relationship w/Davis. She has this self-destructive habit of subsuming her needs and desires, herself, for the sake of the men in her life (I also think there's an element of control there, and the way she asserts control in these relationships or is it that having people need her is a form of control? Ugh, my words, they fail me). Is this a flaw? Yes in a lot of ways. But it's something rather humanizing and I think it's understandable when you think of Chloe as a character but that's a whole 'nother post. (Jimmy doesn't fit so well in this equation, is that why it didn't work?) Long story short, from the beginning, there's a sense of equality and reciprocity to it that I much-preferred -- she very deliberately, imo, built this relationship in a way that it wouldn't suck the life out of her because she's been there, done that, and it only ends up hurting her. And even though the relationship has shifted now; and Chloe has sacrificed herself for Oliver (with the foreknowledge of the helmet, bear in mind) -- it doesn't leave the sour taste I had, for instance in season 8 when she decided to run off with Davis to save him from himself. And Oliver's just as invested, he clearly needs her and wants her, so it's happy-making for me.
Which brings me to another scene I enjoy, I actually really like most of their scenes in "Escape", just how playful they are, and Chloe - smiling and laughing and flirting. I don't know, it makes me happy-cakes. (Except when the writers take unnecessary potshots at Clark when really the person they should be talking about is Jimmy, anyway...).
Favorite Non-Canon Ship: Lois Lane/Tess Luthor
Tess: You missed a spot.
Lois: Oui, oui, madame.
Tess: And the floors.. they've lost their sheen. You're not getting lazy, are you?
Lois: I didn't realize Lex's secretarial staff could spot a speck of dust from across the room.
Tess: I'm as much a secretary as you are a French maid. I have been so looking forward to meeting the intrepid reporter, Lois Lane. (Tess touches Lois' lace collar) So you like to play dress-up?
I haven't got much to say with these two, I'm tired. But even capping this scene made me slightly squirmy (in a good way). The SPARKAGE. I love how touchy-feely Tess is (in true Luthor form, apparently) but she's really only this touchy-feely and space-invadey with Lois. She doesn't do it so much with Clark or any of the other characters she spars or converses with. Nope. It's the Lutessa Special, Exclusive for Lois Lane. And I like it. There's such an energy to their scenes. Sometimes, Tess has this almost lazy, predatory air and Lois is a little more energetic and defensively antagonistic. I like how confrontational they are but also restrained so that it can feel like they're getting ready to either punch each other's lights out or make out against a wall. Or something.
I will always look on that too-brief fight in "Doomsday" with fondness. I could go into some serious meta about them, because look at "Pandora", folks, look at Tess invading Lois' memories in what might be read as a cruel metaphor for sex or even rape. I could go all day. But I won't because I need to eat. And I doubt anyone would like to hear what I have to say.
Okay, that's that. I don't know that I'll update this for at least a couple of days but next up will probably be best villain or sexiest scene. Since I'm incapable of restraint, expect multiple scenes for the latter ;). Thanks for reading!
So here we go. Shippy, post is shippy as all get-out!
Day Three (four, five, six): Ships (and everything)
Favorite Ship: Clark Kent/Lois Lane
Clark: Lois?
Lois: Clark - Clark what happened?
Clark: (stroking her cheek) We made it.
Does this really come as a surprise to anyone? Probably not. This is one of those pairings where I feel like everything that can be said has already been said and really bloody well. Of course, I don't think any of it can be said enough because I love this pairing. Like no other.
There are many scenes I could have chosen to spam but there was a reason why I chose this one. Guys. Girls. Whoever is reading this. Do you remember what it felt like to watch this scene? If you don't. Stop now. Go to your computer or you DVD collection and put on "Rabid" because this scene. THIS SCENE. I actually probably won't say anything useful in this post (bear with me, they often reduce me to a puddle of incomprehensible goo when I try to think about them deeply).
This sort of signifies everything that I love about this ship. Symbolically, the scene works on many levels to show how these two work so well together, as was pointed out at the time of this episode airing. Lois is strong and independent, we all know that. But in this moment Clark gets to be strong for her, to be there for her, and she takes such comfort in that strength. Here's the kicker: him being strong here doesn't negate her strength, it doesn't diminish her as a person. And I love that. Because how hard has it been for some of the women on this show (friends and lovers) to strike that balance for themselves?
Clark, meanwhile, when he says "Lois?", and you can hear the thread of fear in his voice - fear that was apparent in the struggle before this. But even with all of that he kept holding on. Because for Clark Kent, especially after the events of "Doomsday", a world without Lois Lane just isn't an option. Okay. NOT. AN. OPTION. And you see it in the way that he fights for her while she's in the zombie rage. He's desperate and scared and that fear for Lois does not diminish him as a character. It doesn't make him weak; it doesn't make him the insecure, grasping boy he used to be; the boy who was so desperate to hold on to a relationship that was so poisonous to him because he thought he deserved nothing better. So this scene right here gets me for so many reasons but one of those is that with them, that biblical saying, 'when I am weak I am strong' rings true. That's really how I envision love in its best form between two people. Loving someone is scary as hell and allowing yourself to be vulnerable is hard but there is such strength to be found in that seeming weakness, and in giving of yourself so completely and accepting someone else in the same turn. And it's amazing.
Also, look at Clark's face when he says, "We made it." My God. I mean. Just. What more could you ask for in that moment? You can see all these emotions flitting across his face, and it's like watching someone fall in love in seconds, and it's beautiful and terrifying and exhilarating. I have no words. I'm sorry this is so incoherent, maybe I'm just too in it to write about it properly. But this pairing, folks. They are my OTP of OTPs, and it's instances like this (literally 90 seconds of ST) that show me why. The writers have made some mistakes, and I can't lie, my favorite Clois is first half season 9 and probably some of the earlier seasons, so that's why I chose these scenes - but I can't even get into it now. It's whatever, I love them.
And a bonus scene because they are worth it (well I did for most of the pairings in this post but... eh!)
Lois: Clark! Did I miss him?
Clark: If by him, you mean me - barely.
Lois: Not you, the Blur.
Clark: Well he was long gone - by the time I got here. I was just trying to call you.
Lois: From a payphone?
Clark: ... Apparently.
Lois: How'd you get here so fast anyway? My guy at Met P.D. didn't leak us until a few minutes ago.
Clark: Well we can't all be as fast as Lois Lane.
(Lois tries to clamber between cars and loses her balance; Clark catches her)
Lois (touching his arm, thinking): Hellooo, Sailor! (hops away)
Clark (confused): What'd you just say?
Lois: Nothing. You should get your hearing checked... (thinking) Hot Stuff.
(Clark is perplexed.)
I just love this scene. I love their sparring. I love them doing their jobs. I like Lois' mental stream of consciousness. That's all.
Least Favorite Ship: Clark Kent/Lana Lang
Lana: You okay?
Clark: Yeah, I'm great.
Lana: You know, I can always tell when you're being less than truthful.
Clark: It's just I'm - I've waited for this for so long. For us. I just don't want it to go away.
Lana: You're not going anywhere.
This should not come as a surprise. If it is. You must be new.
So this scene is really pretty and I chose it because I think it represents a time where Clark/Lana makes absolute sense. They're kids, in high school, full of the blush of young love, canoodling with horses under a tree on a warm afternoon (although, at times their faces look like they just got their teeth pulled by an elephant). At this stage in their lives, I get it. And it's cute and maybe lovely. But the show, of course, chose to wring this ship dry and bloody until there was nothing but dessicated bones and broken dreams and my anger.
Perhaps the most egregiously offensive thing about what this ship became (to me) is that it made me dislike both of these characters. A lot. I mean, it takes a lot for me to be truly disappointed in or even despise Clark Kent, it really does. But this relationship and the way the writers' crafted it took me over the edge many times. Fandom tends to lay much of the blame for this mess on Lana. And no. Just no. Stop. Both of them drove this train wreck into the ground. And I understand emotionally why both of them did this, and in that light, I can feel nothing but compassion and pity for the characters because (unintentionally sometimes) we have concrete textual evidence of why they're so needy and so insecure etc. etc. and why they'd both engage in such an unhealthy disaster for so damn long. But humph.
It's still something that bugs me though because the writers couldn't even craft this mess right. It makes total sense as a doomed, poisonous romance. TOTAL SENSE. Character-wise, story-wise, everything. Clark had to experience this in order to grow up and realize that he doesn't need to define everything he is in someone else, that he can't hide who and what he is behind an illusion of normality and 'happiness'. That frankly, he deserves to love and be loved without denying his true self. And, theoretically, Lana had to experience this in order to grow into a stronger, independent woman who realized her self-worth and strength came from herself and not from the people/things around her; that she didn't need to define herself or her life choices through the prism of the loss of her parents. Boy did the show get that wrong. Sigh. Bottom line, this really should've been over by season 6 and it wasn't. And the hits to Clark's character and Lana's character were almost painful to watch sometimes. Seriously. It takes doomed, regressive ship to the Nth degree and makes me want to bludgeon small insects with a chair leg. I can't believe it took seven years. Oh well, it is what it is but yeah, in case you didn't get it, this is my least favorite ship on the show. I'll stop now.
Guilty Pleasure Ship: Lana Lang/Lex Luthor
Lana: This whole thing - I mean, I can't believe we're even having this conversation. To think there'd be anything between us besides friendship.
Lex: Don't worry. Talk is just a - bunch of noise. As long as we both feel the same way...
Lana: Then that's all that matters.
(They kiss)
Lex: You okay?
(Lana walks away)
Lex: Look - it's just something that happened -
Okay. This ship, imo, is one of the best-constructed on the show - until Season 6, in the middle there somewhere. And by this I mean (C)Lexana. Seriously, so many feelings on this ship - it's another case where the writers had so much. SO MUCH to work with, so much that was already there, encoded in this quite brilliant lattice of relationships between these three characters but they failed. Because... useless. Before they decided to turn Lex into some sort of pseudo-Blue Beard; negate every bit of agency that Lana had in this relationship; wedge stupid-ass Lionel into the equation with his idiotic plans that make no sense and only furthered Lana's passivity in this mess (have I mentioned that I can't stand Lionel Luthor, useless character after season 3 and doesn't become useful again until "Descent"); and made Clark such a needy, self-destructive, never-moves-on dude -- I LOVED THIS ship. I ate it all up - hell, I'm still eating it all up because it tastes so damn good and hits a lot of my buttons.
This scene I really enjoy for a number of reasons. I especially liked the things it did for Lana. I love that she comes to the house to 'clear the air' and maybe there's fly-spider thing going on but I like to think that was empowering step number one. Whatever her intentions were, I will always believe subconsciously she wanted things to go down this way and after the first kiss, you can see that she knows it. She has this moment of doubt, she walks away and Lex is rambling off in the background trying to absolve her of everything, of her responsibility.
STOP THE PRESSES.
Okay, this is almost text-book M.O. for Clark/Lana. She does something. Something happens in there relationship. He absolves her of any responsibility and culpability, proceeds to blame himself; they blink, they weep, and dribble into puddles of Lifehouse-themed angst. And it all starts again. But nope, not this time. Lana doesn't take the out he's offering her, she doesn't run off or cower, she turns around and kisses him - essentially communicating that this isn't a fluke, she's drawn to him, she's attracted to him, SHE WANTS THIS. I love that second kiss, especially her hands on the nape of his neck. Unf! Obviously, she does run off afterward but not before removing all doubt from her own mind, Lex's and the audience. She's in this. Aside: LOL at the 'danger!creepy!dark! music in the background.
I like Lex in this scene too. I like that even though we know he's almost always being all plotty in his head, and he's so deliberate with this relationship and there's all the Clex-angst seeping through in the same where that there's Clana-angst underscoring some of Lana's actions, he's momentarily disarmed by that second kiss. I like the way he looks after her. I don't know, I find it hard to gauge Lex sometimes but my fanon for this pairing (tripling) is so complicated because the relationship is complicated. And maybe that's the best thing about it.
But then it went to shit. We got fake babies and fake deaths and fake-Lex coming back in season 8 in the most pathetic case of tragic-love-trolling to ruin Lana and Clark's lives forever, waaarrrrggggghhhhh!!!!! *eye-roll* And the things it did to Lana. My god. Ugh. It should be noted that I actually liked some of the darker, twisted elements between these two. Before season 8, I used to fantasize angry divorced-couple sex for them all the time. End of the day, what a waste. What an absolute waste of a ship because the writers couldn't think outside of the box, and were incapable of writing a) a multi-dimensional Lana who was an agent of her character's destiny; b) a Lex who didn't descend into a caricature of himself.
Ship that Caught me by Surprise or the one Fandom Hates that I Love: Chloe Sullivan/Oliver Queen
Chloe: Just the interruption I was hoping for.
(Oliver raises volume on the music and changes it to rock.)
Chloe: I like where this is going, Romeo, but you might want to put on some softer music.
Oliver: This is not a booty call.
So this was the first time that I side-eyed Chloe/Oliver and was like, 'Oh, hey there, I think I likey...' I love how sexy and risque (especially for Chloe) this was (a nooner in the Talon and clearly not the first time); the open friends/colleagues-with-benefits thing; the shady undertones of both of them keeping secrets from each other. This relationship is one of those that I see mostly from Chloe's perspective. In light of her arc after Jimmy's death: her continual withdrawal from emotional connections; her emergence as a truly morally gray character as the season wore on; her increasing desire to control herself and the space around her - hooking up with Oliver 'Poster-boy-for-no-commitment' Queen makes sense to me.
Coming back to my first point, favorite thing about Chlollie? It allowed Chloe to be a mature, sexual woman - and even a sexually aggressive one. Early on in this show, Chloe was shoved into the 'Sexless Best Friend & Confidante' box and she never truly escaped that until possibly season 8 (except for periodic love-potion/red-k juice/formula X which would invariably unleash her inner sex demon on Clark). I like that it was something she was choosing for herself that had nothing to do with Clark or anyone else. It was about her, her sexual (and emotional) needs, and there was no shame in that. On Oliver's part, I like that she's so different from his usual. I'd say Tess and Lois are remarkably similar to each other, and you can look at them and say, 'Ah, in serious relationships, Oliver clearly has THIS type.' And then there's his one nights stands, he's often come off as quite fickle in his sexual relationships. But Chloe is rather different from all of those women and I like the tension and the newness of that.
The show had a few options with these two. It could've ended. Or, it could've continued on as a convenient fuck-buddy thing. This was high up on my list simply because I liked that there was a relationship like this and there was no slut-shaming; she was a woman, in charge of her sexuality and her emotions, she took what she wanted and that was that. Or it could've developed into something more. They chose this avenue. I bought that development. There's clear progression from "Conspiracy" to "Escape" to "Checkmate" to "Charade" to "Sacrifice". I really don't see how anyone can deny that - it's there if you pay attention. They don't get much screen time (not nearly enough imo) but it was apparent that the self-protective, iron-clad control Chloe had girded herself with was disintegrating, and that Oliver was starting to feel more for her. Offscreenville on this show is often the best place to be, I'm cool with that; the fic-writer in me is perfectly capable of filling in some of the gaps. Let's be honest, the writers slacked off on this ship majorly and the I love yous were dodgy timing for me. And they've made some odd choices this season, especially for Oliver's arc. But I still dig it - I'm shocked by how much I dig it and how invested I am.
Also, I should point out that the fact that this 'thing' with Oliver is so far and away from Chloe's 'type' of relationship was the clincher in these early days. Chloe, as a general rule, builds relationships with men in a way that results in her losing herself; giving a lot of her identity up and not getting what she needs in return. Men who need her, she constructs herself around that. It's a pattern of behavior that plays itself out in her friendship w/Clark and relationship w/Davis. She has this self-destructive habit of subsuming her needs and desires, herself, for the sake of the men in her life (I also think there's an element of control there, and the way she asserts control in these relationships or is it that having people need her is a form of control? Ugh, my words, they fail me). Is this a flaw? Yes in a lot of ways. But it's something rather humanizing and I think it's understandable when you think of Chloe as a character but that's a whole 'nother post. (Jimmy doesn't fit so well in this equation, is that why it didn't work?) Long story short, from the beginning, there's a sense of equality and reciprocity to it that I much-preferred -- she very deliberately, imo, built this relationship in a way that it wouldn't suck the life out of her because she's been there, done that, and it only ends up hurting her. And even though the relationship has shifted now; and Chloe has sacrificed herself for Oliver (with the foreknowledge of the helmet, bear in mind) -- it doesn't leave the sour taste I had, for instance in season 8 when she decided to run off with Davis to save him from himself. And Oliver's just as invested, he clearly needs her and wants her, so it's happy-making for me.
Which brings me to another scene I enjoy, I actually really like most of their scenes in "Escape", just how playful they are, and Chloe - smiling and laughing and flirting. I don't know, it makes me happy-cakes. (Except when the writers take unnecessary potshots at Clark when really the person they should be talking about is Jimmy, anyway...).
Favorite Non-Canon Ship: Lois Lane/Tess Luthor
Tess: You missed a spot.
Lois: Oui, oui, madame.
Tess: And the floors.. they've lost their sheen. You're not getting lazy, are you?
Lois: I didn't realize Lex's secretarial staff could spot a speck of dust from across the room.
Tess: I'm as much a secretary as you are a French maid. I have been so looking forward to meeting the intrepid reporter, Lois Lane. (Tess touches Lois' lace collar) So you like to play dress-up?
I haven't got much to say with these two, I'm tired. But even capping this scene made me slightly squirmy (in a good way). The SPARKAGE. I love how touchy-feely Tess is (in true Luthor form, apparently) but she's really only this touchy-feely and space-invadey with Lois. She doesn't do it so much with Clark or any of the other characters she spars or converses with. Nope. It's the Lutessa Special, Exclusive for Lois Lane. And I like it. There's such an energy to their scenes. Sometimes, Tess has this almost lazy, predatory air and Lois is a little more energetic and defensively antagonistic. I like how confrontational they are but also restrained so that it can feel like they're getting ready to either punch each other's lights out or make out against a wall. Or something.
I will always look on that too-brief fight in "Doomsday" with fondness. I could go into some serious meta about them, because look at "Pandora", folks, look at Tess invading Lois' memories in what might be read as a cruel metaphor for sex or even rape. I could go all day. But I won't because I need to eat. And I doubt anyone would like to hear what I have to say.
Okay, that's that. I don't know that I'll update this for at least a couple of days but next up will probably be best villain or sexiest scene. Since I'm incapable of restraint, expect multiple scenes for the latter ;). Thanks for reading!