Spike it up

True. But I can't believe it took them 2/3 of the season to get there.
Hopefully now he'll be more threatening.
I really don't know why I'm surprised anymore. SV has always loved a good soap. This is a show that thought fake babies is a good plot twist.
I just think villains should be off limit.
Ha ha, don't get me wrong. I enjoy eye candy as much as the next person.
But this was getting ridiculous. How many times do we need to see him shirtless? Spend that time developing plot.
And how did Davis get home? Did he walk from the Arctic?
First - we all know who plays Lois on Smallville. So unless Smallville decides to go all Doctor Who, and do their take of The Five Doctors episode, and get Margot Kidder, Kate Bosworth, Teri Hatcher, Dana Delany and Erica in one episode, there really is no need to differentiate Loises, as there's only Erica on Smallville.

Second - Clark is a grown man. He's a 22 year old alien, who lives on his own, works and has a superhero gig as a hobby. He's more than old enough to make his own decisions on his own, and decide what he wants to do with his life. And face the consequences - good or bad. He doesn't need anyone to play his mother and tell him what's best for him.

Clark's decision was a long time coming. He realized in Identity that:
"Maybe my destiny is more than just secretly saving people. Maybe it's also to give people hope. Someone to believe in."
And after being blackmailed, he took his own destiny in his own hands, and made his own decision.
She also accused Clark in Prey of being a coward because he didn't step forward and tell everyone about his secret. So it's not like she's consistent.

If anything, the writers used Chloe this season as someone who will argue an opinion opposite Clark's.
Where exactly did Lois not have Clark's best interest at heart? When she went against Linda? When she told Homeland Security to get lost? When she marched to see Tess to tell her what she thinks? When she told Clark to stay and fight, and give people a chance to get to know him because once they do, they'll like him.
If anything, she was nothing but supportive in this episode. She did what Clark wanted, and she stood by his side when others turned on him.
And Clark decided not to tell her to protect her. A practice not uncommon when it comes to him and people he cares about.
That's why he dressed up and showed up.
Since clearly he couldn't have text her from the office or from the farm.
Because clearly, Clark is an insensitive jerk who likes to spy and gloat when he tells someone he can't make it. We all know he's such a cruel prat.
Oh...wait.
No.
Yeah.
He didn't give a damn that his mother's job was in jeopardy.
That Homeland Security was after both Chloe and Lois.
That he couldn't protect people anymore because they turned on him.
It was clearly all.about.Chloe.

now.it.all.begins

Cris, I think I love you. Excellent, excellent posts hun.

I needed some time to digest this episode but after multiple viewings I found that I really liked it. The execution of the storyline could have been better to me since it felt very rushed and Tori Spelling's acting left something to be desired, but overall I thought it was great.

Starting with Clark it was nice to see him acting Super again and being mope free after the previous episodes of angst. Clark being proactive and deciding to not be Linda's puppet was great, even though it backfired on him at the end. One of my favourite scenes in this episode was after Lois' article came out and everyone was admiring him and going crazy over him. The little kid was cute, however Clark don't you realize how ridiculous you look if a boy is wearing your outfit? Also having that teenage girl throw herself off the balcony to get Clark catch her was great and I can't say I blame her. I kind of got the impression though that Clark was being swallowed up by a mob when his admiring fans crowded around him...perhaps that was foreshadowing for later in the episode when everyone turned on him? But yeah I also thought then that flight would have really come in handy at that moment, so that he wouldn't have to bowl people over in attempt to get away. Another good scene was when Clark was being interrogated by the cops. I'm glad that he was honest and open with them and TW did a great job at subtly changing his expression from an open and understanding one to a really concerned/pissed off look when they brought up Lois. When they open fired on Clark and he just stood there and took it, I thought that was another super moment for him, although I also thought that the cops were massive idiots. Clark's decision to turn back time, while it was understandable, was also a bit disappointing. Clark can't keep getting freebies when things go colossally wrong and I loved how Lois told him to stay and fight back. Lois said way back in Lucy that Clark always looks for the best in everyone, but in this instance the tables were turned and Lois was the one who still had faith in humanity and believed that things could get better. I really think this episode showed why Lois and Clark are destined to be together and why they work so well.

This brings me to Clois/Lois. It was fantastic to see Erica Durance again after her four episode/almost four month absence of the show and she rocked every scene she was in. From the very first scene with her showing up at the DP soaking wet, getting splashed, and then seeing her clothes falling out of her suitcase, she was just amazing. When she ignored Clark and was like "what's that noise? Is someone talking him?" I couldn't help but laugh and it gave me great flashbacks to LnC when Lois was ignoring Clark for running out on her during their date. I loved how she reacted upon finding out Clark's secret and how she just kind of rolled with it and asked him what "guns he had in his arsenal". One thing I didn't particularly like was Clark letting Lois believe that he told Lana and Chloe before he told Lois, b/c technically they found out on their own. Alicia showed Chloe Clark's powers in Pariah and Lana shoved Chloe into a winecellar in Promise so that she could see Clark use his powers. I thought that Clark should have mentioned that they found out on their own so at least Lois wouldn't have been so hurt. Actually I think that whole line with Lois saying, "Why am I the first to know?" was just weird overall and they should have just had her ask, "So why are you telling me now?" instead, which could have lead into Clark telling her about Linda Lake blackmailing him and how he trusted Lois to tell his story. I also loved how Lois had Clark's back and completely supported him when everything went to hell and then she just broke my heart in the barn scene when she was practically telling Clark that she loved him and he was not getting what she was saying. The way Erica delivered the line "this...this was different" and her "I understand" slayed me. Lois might not have agreed with what he was doing but she ultimately supported him and her reaction to finding out that Clark wouldn't tell her again later on was amazing. She respected his decision and accepted that it was his secret to tell and she did not have the right to demand that he tell her again later on. Oh and absolutely loved seeing her kick the crap out of Linda Lake. Way to go, Lo! Also, I was thrown for a loop when time was reversed and we found out that Lois was only upset with Clark in the previous timeline b/c he was late picking her up from the airport and she got caught in the rain...but upon thinking it over I do appreciate her maturity in dealing with her changing relationship with Clark. That last scene at the cafe was so sad. Tom and Erica really nailed it and you could see both of their hearts breaking in that moment with Lois' walls going up and Clark's struggle between wanting to protect Lois and wanting to go to her.

With regards to Chloe, I did find it a bit odd that she was perfectly fine with Clark outing himself to a bunch of meteor freaks in Prey but now she has a problem with him telling everyone that he's the RBB. I was happy that they finally remembered to talk about Jimmy again and how we saw her making arrangements for Jimmy's return to Metropolis only to have it go down the crapper when Clark told the world his secret. I think the frenzy and the invasion of privacy that occured after Lois' article came out was well done at showing the down side of what would happen if Clark did not have a secret identity and how it would affect everyone in his life and not just himself. Another thing I liked was the Chlark scene at the end when Chloe and Clark talked about what happened and Chloe told Clark that he could tell Lois his secret, although I think their convo about dual identities is a bit redundant at this point and very similar to their convo in Identity.

Concerning Davis, it's interesting to see him trying to control the beast within...yet I have to think that if he truly cared about not hurting people he should have isolated himself completely after finding out exactly what he was and what his purpose was. I was really happy to see Chloe and Davis decide to end their friendship and liked how their conversation existed on two levels. Their friendship would be physically dangerous for Chloe, since Davis is a killing machine and emotionally dangerous for them as well since Chloe and Davis are still fighting their attraction for each other. I thought that scene with the two of them at Isis was excellent and Sam Witwer's performance in that scene was incredible as he tried to keep the Beast at bay and told Chloe to get the hell out of there. I loved seeing Chloe tell Davis to stay away from Clark and then how she called Lois to warn Clark about Davis. Having Clark put the ring on just as Lois was about to tell Clark about Chloe's phone call was really dumb though IMO and just made Clark look like an insensitive jerk who didn't take the time to listen to something important that his friend was trying to tell him. I realize that it was to create some more drama and tension and whatnot but I felt that it was unecessary. But yeah back to Davis, that last scene with Davis and Linda was also really good. Although I have to say...just how dumb is Linda Lake? What on earth was she thinking? Did she actually believe that when the beast came out they'd be all bffs and partners in crime? Oh well I guess that's the end of Linda Lake and her really bad dialogue.

One last thing, I really appreciated the continuity in this episode with the way they referred to events in Identity, Sneeze, and especially how they had Clark talk to Martha on the phone. Thank you for remembering that Clark has a mother and she would be greatly affected by Clark's decision to tell the world the truth!

And I think that about sums up my feelings towards the ep as a whole. Man that is one long post.

Wingster

Lois didn't think about the consequences outing Clark would have unlike Chloe...that's the point the previous poster made and i agree

re: Chloe's consistency...since when is anyone on the show ever consistent? it goes from Clark all the way to Whitney

the same guy who mind raped his friend and called it a gift? i'd say so..
i'm still waiting for ramifications from that by the way

fanofsv

I don't recall Chloe discussing the possiblity of Clark outing himself to the meteor freaks.

I disagree with that interpretation of the scene. Chloe was telling Clark that he should understand the importance of anonymity because of his alien origins. Since he knows what it's like to fear being discovered, he should have been more sensitive to the plight of the meteor freaks who wanted to remain anonymous considering the fact that he never had the courage to out himself.

starryeyedmvp

You don't like Lois, fine. But it doesn't change the fact that she's SV's Lois, so why refer to her as EDLois? Are you assuming we're as dense as Clark is?

Clark's a grown man. He needs to make decisions on his own. It's fine that Chloe gives him advice, but at this point, if he doesn't know how to do things on his own, then he def. should not be Superman.

now.it.all.begins

After Chloe conducted her group counselling session at Isis and Clark showed up she suggested that he start them off next time by telling one of his stories. That does strongly imply that Chloe suggested that Clark out himself to the meteor freaks.

Chloe told Clark in this scene, "I can't believe you, of all people, would throw someone in a lineup just because they're different." Clark had just cause to suspect that a person with abilities was behind the attack on the Ace of Clubs b/c that level of carnage is not something that normal people can acheive. Chloe saying that she couldn't believe that Clark would blame someone just b/c they're different isn't a valid argument b/c it's not about meteor freaks being different. It's about the fact that 90% of the meteor freaks they've encountered have been psychotic and homicidal. Also Clark outing himself would have completely different repercussions since he is not a meteor freak. He's an alien and people would react much differently to an alien or "intergalatic traveler" than they would to a meteo freak, as Infamous demonstrated.

fanofsv

She asked Clark to tell entertain them with one of his "rousing Kent tales". So I don't see how she's suggesting that he reveal his origins to the meteor freaks. It sounds like she just wanted him to mingle with the group. Clark would have reacted strongly to any suggestion that reveal his identity. Chloe has never suggested that Clark reveal his secret. A secret identity? Yes. Complete exposure as it occurred in Infamous? No. If she didn't want the meteor freaks exposed, why would she suggest that Clark reveal himself? There's no guarantee that the group would have kept the secret among themselves.



I'm not defending the meteor freaks or suggesting that Clark was wrong to suspect and investigate him. I take issue with the way he handled his suspicions by stealing the list. The point is, not all of the meteor freaks could have been guilty and Clark could have potentially risked exposing the innocent ones. Basically, Chloe was telling him that he should have been more sensitive to the privacy of the meteor freaks and she was right because they could not have all been guilty. Their fears are similar to his.

Whether the repercussions would have been different or not is a non-issue. Exposure is dangerous for Clark and the meteor freaks.

2old2care

Great post Rachel!

I don't have time to say much cause I'm using the work computer here but I agree with your last comment that it's cool that they remember Martha.

eternalfate

broken melody

Here!

eternalfate

broken melody

Started

eternalfate

eternalfate

broken melody

Lois isn't having the best day