SV: Splinter as foreshadowing?

[norwich36]

I don't believe in destiny, but I do believe in foreshadowing. When I rewatched "Splinter" last week in light of "Reckoning" and "Lockdown," I noticed a few things that may be foreshadowing upcoming developments in the season, especially in the Lex/Lana relationship.

Spoilers through Vengeance

Comments

[norwich36]

I can *absolutely* believe Lex would get off on the poetic justice of doing the same to Lionel. I mean, Lionel's interest in/attention to Martha isn't a new thing, and Lex does, I think, know his father well enough to know that even if Lionel's got some *other* motives for wanting a connection with Martha, there's nevertheless something about Martha qua Martha that's appealing to him. So I can see Lex timing it just so Lionel maybe gets close enough to thinking he's got Martha (and access to Clark), and then sharing the information and effectively destroying the tenuous connection. I certainly know *I* would find that to be really satisfying TV.

That would be really good TV, and I'd *love* to see Lex bring down his father in that way.

Lana was being used as a stand-in; Lionel was essentially telling Lex *no one* would ever love him, because he's apparently inherently unloveable, and that's (a) an awful thing for a parent to say to their child, and (b) absolutely not true, as iconic!Lex *is* well-beloved by the people of Metropolis

[norwich36]

I agree that it's part of the SV mythos, but honestly? It's a part of the mythos that's always troubled me, because I think it's really very simplistic. The idea that all any given person ever really needs is to be loved to keep them from doing or being bad is, IMO, a somewhat romanticized idea of the power of love that bears no relationship to the real world/real life.

No argument here. I think part of the problem is that TPTB just aren't good enough at really complicated storytelling to tell something that complex. I also think that perhaps they decided to stick with this particular motivation for Lex's fall because they thought it would be easier for a lot of the audience to accept, especially given Lex's popularity. (And I'm not sure that your desire to see Lex being responsible for the choices he makes towards his iconic destiny is widely shared in the fandom--given how frequently people still want to blame Clark's secret keeping, or Jonathan's judgmentalism, or Lionel's machinations for every bad decision Lex makes.)

[bop_radar]

Brilliant piece of meta! Loved it. Lots of solid and interesting speculation. I particularly liked the idea of tracing the punches and their meanings.

I wonder if Clark would have been capable of saving Lionel's life in "Vengeance" had he known the truth about Jonathan's death.Well this was directly addressed when Andrea asked 'what would you do if you were face to face with your father's killer?' and I think we're seeing a Clark who is gradually moving towards being able to hold back despite his anger. As you suggest, it could be that discovering his father's fury contributed to his death plays a part in that. And perhaps the season will end with a non-punch, with Clark confronting Lex but stepping back from the final blow. That would really shape their future relationship and put the punch at the start of the season in context

[norwich36]

Well this was directly addressed when Andrea asked 'what would you do if you were face to face with your father's killer?' and I think we're seeing a Clark who is gradually moving towards being able to hold back despite his anger.

Ah, but I think it's a little different when he's talking to Andrea, because it's not his father, it's her mother--so it's still a little abstract for him. And while he did finally restrain himself from hurting Snake, it was a close thing for a while--and Snake didn't really hurt his mom that badly.

Recognising just how dangerous the secrets are has also been a matter of self-discovery. I think when Lex says 'people have killed for a lot less' he's speaking personally. I think he knows *he* would kill for the secrets under certain circumstances (arguably he already has). And not only that, but *Lana* has killed for them and though it's unspoken between them, he is protecting her from becoming a killer again as much as protecting her from killers. The desire for knowledge taints people's morality and one of

[bop_radar]

I think it's a little different when he's talking to Andrea, because it's not his father, it's her mother--so it's still a little abstract for him
Sorry! That was me excitedly replying too fast and not explaining myself properly. I meant that for the audience, that question was posed. I think we're meant to reflect on what Clark would do if he knew Lionel had met with Jonathan just before his death. Certainly Clark wouldn't have taken it that way: his obliviousness to Lionel in that scene was one of its most powerful aspects.

Do you think Lex thinks Lana is still pure, though?
Ah

[bop_radar]

Hee! I posted halfway through replying. Doh!

Do you think Lex thinks Lana is still pure, though?I don't think I want to leave that at an enigmatic 'Ah' actually. ;) Again, I think this is a case of split feelings. He's not an idiot so no, he doesn't think she's just the fairy princess anymore. I think he is drawn to her darkness, to the fact that she's got secrets too. But I also think that he sees her still hold herself together *as if* none of that had happened, so her surface image of demure good-girl attracts him. In that way, I think his love for her is quite narcissistic, because she holds out the hope of having secrets but being 'good' despite that. They could be like that together. They could understand one another. They could recognise the stains on each other's souls but be loved despite them. If he can love her with those stains, he can love himself (maybe?)... It's hard to express what I mean exactly but I do think that both Lana's goodness/purity and her darkness attract him. The double level is what really gets him

[norwich36]

It would also tie in nicely to something Lex said to her in Recruit, which is this idea that sometimes, people claim all they want is the truth, and then when they get it, they wish they'd never learned it.

*Nodding in agreement* I'd be happy to see either scenario, really.

[bop_radar]

That would actually be another way for her to learn that sometimes, the things people keep from you, they're keeping for reasons of allowing a relationship to *survive*.
Oh yes, that would fit as well. I like the idea of Lana learning that. Either way, I'm looking forward to the arc's completion.