7.18 "Apocalypse"
This ep was a bee-YOTCH to write up and still needs some work, but it will post for now, to be revisited.
Episode Title:
7.18 "Apocalypse"
Airdate:
1 May 2008
Writers:
Al Septien, Turi Meyer
Director
Tom Welling.
Story
Clark, declaring that the world would be better off had he never come to Earth, is transported to an alternate universe in which things do seem to be better for some of his acquaintances, friends, and family, but ultimately wind up much worse for Earth.
How the title of the episode figures in, and how/if it’s referred to in story
"Apocalypse": refers to the potential destruction of Earth in the AU.
Featured Cast
AU: Chloe's fiance
"Clark Kent"
Jimmy Olsen
Lois Lane
Sheriff Adams
Recurring Cast
Kara
Milton Fine/Brainiac
Voice of Jor-el
VOTW/FOTW , their special power/ability and how they got it
Brainiac and Lex serve as the villains.
Firsts
Clark's first trip to Krypton (that we know of)
Locations
AU: The White House
AU: The Ace of Clubs
AU: Jimmy Olsen's loft
Gadgets, Objects, Accoutrements
Photograph of Lana in Clark's loft
Book with Kryptonian symbols
Photoshopped photo of the Kents and "Clark Kent" in the AU. "Clark Kent" is about twice Jonathan and Martha's size.
AU: Memo from Milton Fine, which Lex burns.
Briefcase with nuclear attack codes (McGuffin)
The octagon
Newspaper with photo of President Lex and headline: "President Luthor Ups Military Budget."
Discoveries (made by characters, etc.)
Clark discovers that things would be worse overall if he hadn't come to Earth.
Exposition
Chloe explains that Brainiac used Kara to time-jump back to the day Krypton exploded to stop baby Kal-el's ship from leaving Krypton.
AU: Jonathan and Martha are on a cruise celebrating Jonathan's birthday.
AU Lois tells Clark that the national threat doesn't exist, and that she wants to put the truth on the Planet's front page before Lex "presses the button."
AU Fine wants Lex to destroy Earth and made up a phony national crisis in order to be able to convince the president to launch a nuclear strike.
AU Lois got her information on AU Lex's plot from AU Sheriff Adams
AU Lex says that "America's Best & Brightest" have been shuttled to bunkers around the country.
Brainiac says that AU Lex (still the Vessel of Zod) and Kara will repopulate the planet together "and Krypton will rise again.".
In the AU, Zod is trapped in the Phantom Zone, according to Fine.
Relationships (highlights, tone, progress)
Note: No one in the AU recognizes Clark.
Clark and Chloe: Clark has called Chloe to come over and tells her that he has received a message from Kara that Krypton will be destroyed. Chloe tries to convince him to travel to Krypton in response to Kara's message, and tells him not to be stubborn. But he tells her all he's brought is misery and the world would be better off without him. She tries to dissuade him, saying: "Don't do this. We need you. I need you!" But he pays no heed.
Clark and Kara: Kara sends Clark an S.O.S. from Krypton. After he saves his infant self on Krypton, she leads him to the portal. After his return, he refuses to try to change the past again. She tells him that, whatever the future holds, she will be there for him.
Clark and AU Kara: She tells him to "back off" when she arrests Lois at the Planet. Clark tries to convince her that
Clark and AU Jimmy: Clark tells him that he admires his writing.
Clark and AU Lex: AU Lex will not listen to Clark's pleas not to destroy the world, and shoots him pointblank.
Clark and Lex: At the end of the episode, Lex visits the loft and asks if Clark can share information on Lana's illness. Clark declines. Lex says that he knows where to find him if he remembers anything he wants to share.
AU Kara and AU Lex: Kara was adopted by Lionel and they were raised as brother and sisters. She tries to tell him that Fine is his enemy. Lex says: "My father did everything for you. He died protecting your secret."
AU Lois and Clark: Lois falls into his arms at the Planet. She introduces herself, and invites him to O'Malley's for a beer after she's done working just before she is arrested by AU Kara and her team. She clearly finds Clark attractive.
AU Fine and AU Lex: Fine got Lex elected.
Clark and Lana: Clark continues to blame himself for everything that happened to Lana. When he gets to the AU, his first task is to track down information about her.
Character Specifics
Clark: believes that Earth world would be better off without him, and that all he's brought is death and destruction. Chloe protests, saying: "We need you! I need you!"
AU Chloe doesn't recognize Clark and knows only vaguely of Lana Lang, not having seen her since graduation: "We didn't exactly swim in the same social pond."
Gabe Sullivan is around in the AU! Chloe's boyfriend says that he's "waiting at the tuxedo shop."
AU Lana studied art history at the Sorbonne, where she met French philanthropist Pierre Rousseau. They're married, have two kids, and live in Paris.
AU Sheriff Adams is no longer a hick sheriff. She holds a government position, has the authority to arrest people, and "kicked [Smallville's] dust off [her] boots a long time ago." She is also Lois Lane's informant, and uses "farm" imagery in her speech, such as: "I will hunt you [Clark] down like a henhouse fox."
AU Milton Fine is the Chief of Staff.
AU Kara (Linda Danvers) is the Head of Domestic Security. Lex's father found her in a ship submerged near the Reeves Dam.
AU Jimmy says that "ever since [AU Lex] rounded up the meteor freaks, he's been a national hero."
When Clark phones the hospital on his return, the nurse he speaks to tells him Lana is "worse than ever." Lex's doctors, after examining her, pronounced her condition "almost alien," and that her state is "irreversible."
AU Lois "doesn't like courier service," according to Jimmy.
Hair and Clothing
AU Jimmy Olsen wears a bowtie.
AU Lex wears a white suit and a black glove.
AU Kara ("Linda Danvers") wears a dark suit and her hair in a severe bun.
AU "Clark Kent" wears a Crows jacket and has curly blond hair.
Memorable Lines and Passages
"The future is yours, Mr. President."
Accidents, Explosions, Random Acts of Destruction
AU: Lex shoots Clark Kent and Kara with green K bullets.
A nuclear explosion destroys Earth.
The bottle of milk Kara is drinking from in the kitchen smashes when she falls.
Injured/hospitalized
AU: Clark Kent and Kara when Lex shoots them.
Kara suffers an attack while drinking milk in the farmhouse kitchen.
Killed/Deceased
Literary/Art/Historical References
"Aren't you sipping the poison a little quick, Romeo? You two just met." AU Jimmy to Clark, re: AU Lois.
AU Lois says to Clark: "Armageddon's minutes away."
Pop Culture References
Chloe says: "if they [Brainiac and Kara] made the Quantum Leap, you can, too."
"Even if you white-tornado your way in there, you're still gonna stick out like a red and blue thumb."
"C-Span much?" says AU Jimmy to Clark when he doesn't know what "DDS" stands for.
"You're not in Kansas any more," Brainiac (on Krypton) tells Clark.
AU Lois says AU Fine "might come across a little stiff on Larry King"
AU Jimmy refers to Lana doing "The Last Tango in Paris"
Lois says she's spent years watching "Dr. Phil."
AU Jimmy asks Clark: "Aren't you sippin' the poison a little quick there, Romeo?" after he meets Lois.
Superman myth references
AU Jimmy Olsen's bowtie.
Lex Luthor as president.
"Pierre Rousseau." In some versions of the Superman myth, Lana marries Pete Ross.
In the AU, Clark wears a suit and glasses like iconic Clark Kent.
In the AU, Supergirl goes by the name: "Ms. Danvers." In the comics, Linda Lee was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Danvers from the Midvale Orphanage.
Noteworthy Use of Superpowers
Clark, in the AU, uses superspeed and superstrength to free Lois from her DDS captors.
Clues to Timeframe
AU Chloe's wedding is the upcoming Sunday.
Clark talks to AU Sheriff in the bar the evening of the day AU Lois was arrested.
Vehicles
Clark's small spaceship in which he left Krypton as a baby.
Random
Clark meets himself as an infant in this episode.
AU Lois invites Clark to "O'Malley's"--likely a bar, since she offers to buy him a "cold one."
AU Jimmy Olsen has a roommate about the size of Clark
Suggested Subtext
None to speak of.
Mistakes, or errors in continuity
The whole business of Clark finding himself as an infant and enabling himself to travel to Earth is unusual, to say the least.
Music, (mention if it can be seen as tying into the action or providing commentary on it)
Deleted Scenes (if known)
Episode Title:
7.18 "Apocalypse"
Airdate:
1 May 2008
Writers:
Al Septien, Turi Meyer
Director
Tom Welling.
Story
Clark, declaring that the world would be better off had he never come to Earth, is transported to an alternate universe in which things do seem to be better for some of his acquaintances, friends, and family, but ultimately wind up much worse for Earth.
How the title of the episode figures in, and how/if it’s referred to in story
"Apocalypse": refers to the potential destruction of Earth in the AU.
Featured Cast
AU: Chloe's fiance
"Clark Kent"
Jimmy Olsen
Lois Lane
Sheriff Adams
Recurring Cast
Kara
Milton Fine/Brainiac
Voice of Jor-el
VOTW/FOTW , their special power/ability and how they got it
Brainiac and Lex serve as the villains.
Firsts
Clark's first trip to Krypton (that we know of)
Locations
AU: The White House
AU: The Ace of Clubs
AU: Jimmy Olsen's loft
Gadgets, Objects, Accoutrements
Photograph of Lana in Clark's loft
Book with Kryptonian symbols
Photoshopped photo of the Kents and "Clark Kent" in the AU. "Clark Kent" is about twice Jonathan and Martha's size.
AU: Memo from Milton Fine, which Lex burns.
Briefcase with nuclear attack codes (McGuffin)
The octagon
Newspaper with photo of President Lex and headline: "President Luthor Ups Military Budget."
Discoveries (made by characters, etc.)
Clark discovers that things would be worse overall if he hadn't come to Earth.
Exposition
Chloe explains that Brainiac used Kara to time-jump back to the day Krypton exploded to stop baby Kal-el's ship from leaving Krypton.
AU: Jonathan and Martha are on a cruise celebrating Jonathan's birthday.
AU Lois tells Clark that the national threat doesn't exist, and that she wants to put the truth on the Planet's front page before Lex "presses the button."
AU Fine wants Lex to destroy Earth and made up a phony national crisis in order to be able to convince the president to launch a nuclear strike.
AU Lois got her information on AU Lex's plot from AU Sheriff Adams
AU Lex says that "America's Best & Brightest" have been shuttled to bunkers around the country.
Brainiac says that AU Lex (still the Vessel of Zod) and Kara will repopulate the planet together "and Krypton will rise again.".
In the AU, Zod is trapped in the Phantom Zone, according to Fine.
Relationships (highlights, tone, progress)
Note: No one in the AU recognizes Clark.
Clark and Chloe: Clark has called Chloe to come over and tells her that he has received a message from Kara that Krypton will be destroyed. Chloe tries to convince him to travel to Krypton in response to Kara's message, and tells him not to be stubborn. But he tells her all he's brought is misery and the world would be better off without him. She tries to dissuade him, saying: "Don't do this. We need you. I need you!" But he pays no heed.
Clark and Kara: Kara sends Clark an S.O.S. from Krypton. After he saves his infant self on Krypton, she leads him to the portal. After his return, he refuses to try to change the past again. She tells him that, whatever the future holds, she will be there for him.
Clark and AU Kara: She tells him to "back off" when she arrests Lois at the Planet. Clark tries to convince her that
Clark and AU Jimmy: Clark tells him that he admires his writing.
Clark and AU Lex: AU Lex will not listen to Clark's pleas not to destroy the world, and shoots him pointblank.
Clark and Lex: At the end of the episode, Lex visits the loft and asks if Clark can share information on Lana's illness. Clark declines. Lex says that he knows where to find him if he remembers anything he wants to share.
AU Kara and AU Lex: Kara was adopted by Lionel and they were raised as brother and sisters. She tries to tell him that Fine is his enemy. Lex says: "My father did everything for you. He died protecting your secret."
AU Lois and Clark: Lois falls into his arms at the Planet. She introduces herself, and invites him to O'Malley's for a beer after she's done working just before she is arrested by AU Kara and her team. She clearly finds Clark attractive.
AU Fine and AU Lex: Fine got Lex elected.
Clark and Lana: Clark continues to blame himself for everything that happened to Lana. When he gets to the AU, his first task is to track down information about her.
Character Specifics
Clark: believes that Earth world would be better off without him, and that all he's brought is death and destruction. Chloe protests, saying: "We need you! I need you!"
AU Chloe doesn't recognize Clark and knows only vaguely of Lana Lang, not having seen her since graduation: "We didn't exactly swim in the same social pond."
Gabe Sullivan is around in the AU! Chloe's boyfriend says that he's "waiting at the tuxedo shop."
AU Lana studied art history at the Sorbonne, where she met French philanthropist Pierre Rousseau. They're married, have two kids, and live in Paris.
AU Sheriff Adams is no longer a hick sheriff. She holds a government position, has the authority to arrest people, and "kicked [Smallville's] dust off [her] boots a long time ago." She is also Lois Lane's informant, and uses "farm" imagery in her speech, such as: "I will hunt you [Clark] down like a henhouse fox."
AU Milton Fine is the Chief of Staff.
AU Kara (Linda Danvers) is the Head of Domestic Security. Lex's father found her in a ship submerged near the Reeves Dam.
AU Jimmy says that "ever since [AU Lex] rounded up the meteor freaks, he's been a national hero."
When Clark phones the hospital on his return, the nurse he speaks to tells him Lana is "worse than ever." Lex's doctors, after examining her, pronounced her condition "almost alien," and that her state is "irreversible."
AU Lois "doesn't like courier service," according to Jimmy.
Hair and Clothing
AU Jimmy Olsen wears a bowtie.
AU Lex wears a white suit and a black glove.
AU Kara ("Linda Danvers") wears a dark suit and her hair in a severe bun.
AU "Clark Kent" wears a Crows jacket and has curly blond hair.
Memorable Lines and Passages
"The future is yours, Mr. President."
Accidents, Explosions, Random Acts of Destruction
AU: Lex shoots Clark Kent and Kara with green K bullets.
A nuclear explosion destroys Earth.
The bottle of milk Kara is drinking from in the kitchen smashes when she falls.
Injured/hospitalized
AU: Clark Kent and Kara when Lex shoots them.
Kara suffers an attack while drinking milk in the farmhouse kitchen.
Killed/Deceased
Literary/Art/Historical References
"Aren't you sipping the poison a little quick, Romeo? You two just met." AU Jimmy to Clark, re: AU Lois.
AU Lois says to Clark: "Armageddon's minutes away."
Pop Culture References
Chloe says: "if they [Brainiac and Kara] made the Quantum Leap, you can, too."
"Even if you white-tornado your way in there, you're still gonna stick out like a red and blue thumb."
"C-Span much?" says AU Jimmy to Clark when he doesn't know what "DDS" stands for.
"You're not in Kansas any more," Brainiac (on Krypton) tells Clark.
AU Lois says AU Fine "might come across a little stiff on Larry King"
AU Jimmy refers to Lana doing "The Last Tango in Paris"
Lois says she's spent years watching "Dr. Phil."
AU Jimmy asks Clark: "Aren't you sippin' the poison a little quick there, Romeo?" after he meets Lois.
Superman myth references
AU Jimmy Olsen's bowtie.
Lex Luthor as president.
"Pierre Rousseau." In some versions of the Superman myth, Lana marries Pete Ross.
In the AU, Clark wears a suit and glasses like iconic Clark Kent.
In the AU, Supergirl goes by the name: "Ms. Danvers." In the comics, Linda Lee was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Danvers from the Midvale Orphanage.
Noteworthy Use of Superpowers
Clark, in the AU, uses superspeed and superstrength to free Lois from her DDS captors.
Clues to Timeframe
AU Chloe's wedding is the upcoming Sunday.
Clark talks to AU Sheriff in the bar the evening of the day AU Lois was arrested.
Vehicles
Clark's small spaceship in which he left Krypton as a baby.
Random
Clark meets himself as an infant in this episode.
AU Lois invites Clark to "O'Malley's"--likely a bar, since she offers to buy him a "cold one."
AU Jimmy Olsen has a roommate about the size of Clark
Suggested Subtext
None to speak of.
Mistakes, or errors in continuity
The whole business of Clark finding himself as an infant and enabling himself to travel to Earth is unusual, to say the least.
Music, (mention if it can be seen as tying into the action or providing commentary on it)
Deleted Scenes (if known)