Review of Smallville's 200th episode "Homecoming"
Milestones are hard to live up to the hype. Sometimes one can expect too much, or expect too little in the fear of disappointment. Ever since the behind the scene photos first appeared I've been looking forward to this episode for weeks. I read the reviews and the interviews, but you never know truly what to expect until you watch it for yourself.
Not many shows make it to 20 episodes these days, so for a show to make it to 200 episodes is just an outstanding achievement. To think we have only begun the final season lol. This episode included so much within it from romance to moving forward. We basically been leading up to this point for the past 199 episodes, and we aren't even at the end yet (or is it the beginnning depending how you look at it).
The Past - I really liked how they blended Clark's memories, memorable stock footage from the "Pilot", into the episode. I always been a fan of Clark and Lana's first meeting on the show because you get to see freshman bumbling Clark Kent, green kryptonite, and references to Nietzsche and one of the show's most memorable lines "are you man or Superman". Did anyone notice how that memorable scene tied directly into Clark's darkness storyline in the final season? Alas, young Clark Kent replied to Lana saying "doesn't everyone". Gotta love that continuity. It was nice to see the memory of Clark's introduction to the Wall of Weird.
While those memories got me sentimental it was going back to 2006 to the 100th episode "Reckoning". "Reckoning" has always been a personal favorite of mine. For a 100th episode it was truly one of the saddest to watch, and I cry everytime I watch it. However, it was so beautifully well down due to the writing, acting, and directing. Plus it's one of the most pivotal episodes in Clark's character development. The death of Jonathan Kent is one of many mistakes that fed into Clark's darkness. I'm glad Clark not only witnessed why Jonathan had his heart attack, but he was finally able to forgive himself. We seen Clark accept responsibility for his own decisions, but not Jonathan's because who wants to blame your deceased father. I know I wouldn't because it's easier to blame yourself.
Brainaic 5 was right that it was Jonathan's decision to protect his son the way he did. It was his choice to go to A.I. Jor-El for help in getting Clark back home. It was his choice to accept the deal that would later put Clark in the shield shape void in the Kawatche Caves. Jonathan had a great deal of responsibility of what went down, and even though it's sad that he is gone *sniff* it's still his own decisions. Another thing I loved about this is that Brainaic 5 didn't put Jonathan down for them, but praised him for it and to show Clark that it was his father's decicions. He didn't have to do it, but he did out of his own free will.
The Future in 2017 - We seen 2013, but now we have seen 2017. In 2013 Clois is still in the bullpen, but in 2017 they are on the 8th floor. Future!Lois was so adoreable, and the writers did a great job at still keeping us guessing lol. We still don't know when Clark tells Lois his secret, but we know it's Clark that tells her. I wonder if it will be the same moment when Lois tells Clark that she knew his secret for a while now, or perhaps she keeps that notion to herself. I've always enjoyed how the writers wrote Clois' relationship since season four. The little touches of detail are so sweet, such as Lois keeping a calendar of the date that moment happened. Their rooftop moment of Lois covering Clark's identity and their kissage....*fansqueels*. It was iconic Clois all over the place on that roof from the helicopter save and all. You see how deeply in love Lois was in Clark, and it's something Present!Clark wanted hehe. I just loved Future!Lois' eyeglasses gesture during this whole sequence lol.
Superman was truly all over the place in this sequence from newspaper headings to Lois' noting a ton of Kryptonian knowledge. I wonder what happened with the black kryptonite, but I noticed there was no complaint about the red kryptonite (something she experienced already in "Crimson" hehe). It was a nice touch by the writers to have Daily Planet employees notice that Present!Clark looked so much like Superman to the point they needed a double take lol. I loved Present!Clark's reaction to their not-so mistaken identity. Seeing Future!Clark was another epic moment in not only the episode, but the series. I loved that the writers went for the George Reeves era of Clark Kent's look, and loved his behavior. He was down to business, and I'm glad the writers noted Future!Clark's memory of time travel and the other weird things that has happened to him lol. Since there is a chance we will see Future!Clark again I would love to see him interaction with regular civilizans. Future!Clark was basically Superman without the suit, and I loved it so much I didn't want the sequence to end. Even though the budget isn't massive I loved Superman's twister save and the kept the continuity of the cape. I truly loved seeing two Clarks saving the day in two different locations! The way Superman did his twister save is something one sees all the time in the comics. It was epic to see it come alive on-screen in a similar fashion.
The Present - While the past and future were filled with memorable moments, but the present had equally memorable moments as well. I just love the Oliver Queen/Green Arrow business and "Maiden of Might" magazines. The Time magazine cover reminded me of something one would see when Superman dies after his battle with Doomsday. I was so amused that Lois knew nearly everyone at the reunion, but no one knew her lol. It was so sad to see her hear about Lana and Chloe connections to Clark through quiet a nosey classmate. That said I'm glad the writers referenced Clana and Chlark because those are two significant relationships Clark had on the show. Plus it brought back memories of the shipper wars during the first three seasons lol. The only thing that puzzled me was Chloe's text messages to the current editors to The Torch. Man, I forgot how much I missed seeing The Torch location on the show *sniff*. Anywho, since Chloe basically wiped out any existence she ever had (goes directly into the dialogue from the "Legion" episode) why would she text two teenagers? So either Clark did it, or Chloe did it (which is thoughtful but also bewildering at the same time). I thought it was cute that they gave the girl a Chloe-type hairstyle, and put the boy in red flannel just like Clark.
I really liked how the writers are handling Oliver's public reveal from the constant calls to the outrage on the streets and in the media. We saw a peek of this in "Infamous", but due to Darkseid's seed of malipulation in the Anti-Hero movement this news footage was far more intensified. It was sad to see Oliver so alone, and just yearning for Clark to contact him. You gotta love that bromance angst. The writers did a great job at showing both Clark and Oliver's side, and their ending was so awesome. Oliver's speech reminded me a lot of what he would say in the comics. Just as Clark is going towards his destiny you can see Oliver going to his. Oliver, with the silent support of Clark by his side, stood up to the rude reporter and anyone else against him. He's a hero. He's not alone, and he's proud of it. Who didn't cheer after hearing that speech? I know did! Plus loved the reference to President John F. Kennedy's famous speech about what a person can do for their country. I continue to look forward to seeing Oliver in his public reveal status after this episode.
As Oliver stood proudly in the media light Clark (and Lois) took massive steps in his journey tonight. Clark finally came to terms with himself and his father's death. I've been dying to see this take place since the original airing of "Reckoning". It's one of the reasons I throughly enjoyed "Homecoming" set-up in the first three episodes of this season. He's been carrying all of his mistakes on his shoulders, and Clark just simply couldn't move on from them. He was too busy dwelling on his past mistakes and fearing the future that he forgot the present. Even though we aren't superheroes ourselves that is something we all can relate to on some level. It's a feeling we get when we know a chapter is closing and one is opening. Seeing Clark, in his newest prototype suit, putting his father's watch in the ground brought me to tears. To hear him say he has to let go of Smallville and of Jonathan, but this town and his father will always be with him. How Clark was raised and the teachings he received from his parents is one of the reasons why Superman shows the light to others. The graveyard scene was one of the most touching moments in the show's history to me. Tom Welling did a great job in this scene with teary-eyes and all.
Another moment that pushed things to the level was the last Clark and Lois moment. Clark was adoreablely romantic in giving Lois that dance she wanted. Their banter was so classic "shutting up" lol, but their "I Love You" brought the fansqueeling on my part. Tom Welling and Erica Durance portray the iconic Clark and Lois' relationship perfectly. I couldn't ask for anything more, but alas we were given so much more. When I saw the commericals I thought perhaps they would have them float in the air while they dance. It's something you think is likely to happen, but your never quite sure until it happens. The moment Clark started to float up into the air I literally said OMG lol. Not only did Clois say "I Love You" to each other thus having the couple officially reunited, but they floated while they danced. With everything that went on in this episode I was seriously smiling like a chester cat
. The facial expressions between the two during this dancing scene was pure love and respect.
The References - The episode was so filled with them that if you blink you might miss it.
Episodes: "Pilot", "Metamorphosis", "Hereafter" (Superman's cape is the exact same cape Jordan Cross saw in the future when Clark touched him), "Commencement" (indirectly), "Reckoning", "Vertias", "Arctic", "Bride", "Legion", and "Salvation" (indirectly but with continuity). I don't know if I covered all them, but those were the ones that were brought to my attention. I truly loved that they redeemed the first villain of the show with Greg aka Bug Boy telling Lois how awesome Clark is. That without him none of them would be here today, and knew exactly where Clark might be due to his hastily disappearance lol. Greg knowing the errors of his ways is another example of why Clark, later on Superman, is an inspiration to people around him. Something the young teenage boy foreshadowed earlier in the episode. I loved that intertwined Lifehouse's "Everything" into the episode, and didn't have Clark and Lois dance to it since that song belonged to Clark and Lana. Even then it was nice to see it played because Lifehouse was one of the bands that was used most often on the show. Similar to how One Tree Hill uses Jimmy Eat World, Wakey!Wakey!, and Kate Voegle. If you'll look at the 2017 paper they reference a photo being taken by Jimmy Olsen.
Movies/TV Shows: Catching the helicopter with Lois in and a knocked out pilot in Superman: The Movie (btw I just loved how the Daily Planet helicopter looked logo and all -- it also reminded me a bit of when Clark saved Lois in "Exposed"). Clark and Lois floating in the air while Lois' feet on Clark's feet just like in Superman Returns. Future!Clark's look in 2017 was similar to George Reeves' Clark Kent style in the 1950's tv show Adventures of Superman.
Comics: Brainaic 5 in all of his Legion glory, references, and signature colors. It was great to see James Marsters again, and I just loved seeing this new side to Brainaic. He was teasing, thoughtful, and did so much to help people that helped him. I would love to see the return of Brainaic 5 later down the line if possible.
Overall, it was an epic episode and gives viewers a taste of what we might see in the show's series finale in May 2011. It was sad, happy, and bittersweet all at the same time. To think we are only four episodes in, and we have yet started November sweeps.