My theory on why the "No flight, no tights" rule...

[ZIPBAGS]

When that "No flight, no tights" was brought up the show was just coming out and trying to be different then all other previous incarnations of Superman. And also I honestly think that the producers never thought (May have dreamed) that the show would be on long enough to where the two rules would matter.

 

[zerohour films]

Agreed.

I think the fact that it has made it as long and the direction the story has taken (introducing Lois, spending alot of time in Metro and Daily Planet) that now it just seems strange that he hasn't worn the suit.
But when you actually look at it in the context of the story, he is still very young and should not technically be Superman yet.

Even though I would love for that to happen.
I am very excited for this season, but like I told my wife the other day...it is going to frustrating seeing Supergirl zipping around Smallville and Clark stuck on the ground.

 

[AgentPat]

The "No Flights, no Tights" rule explained:
http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20011016smallville1016fnp3.asp

 

[ZIPBAGS]

The "No Flights, no Tights" rule explained:
http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20011016smallville1016fnp3.asp

That story basically proves my theory. Saying how its about him as a teenager in Smallville learning about his abilities. They even say the last scene would be him flying. Which he has done a few times already...granted under the influence. So its lost its excitement. He is not a teenager anymore, he spends more time out of Kansas. Its ridiculous that he hasn't flown by now. The suit they could hold off on...but, flying is this years new power.

 

[AgentPat]

That story basically proves my theory. Saying how its about him as a teenager in Smallville learning about his abilities. They even say the last scene would be him flying. Which he has done a few times already...granted under the influence. So its lost its excitement. He is not a teenager anymore, he spends more time out of Kansas. Its ridiculous that he hasn't flown by now. The suit they could hold off on...but, flying is this years new power.

The only time he actually flew for real - and it can't be fanwanked any other way as jumping, dreaming or hovering - was in Crusade. And yeah, he was "under the influence" of Jor-El at that time. The problem with having established that though is Clark has obviously been capable of flying since he was seventeen, which blows the whole "girls mature faster than boys" excuse out of the water. If we go by what was established in Crusade, Clark's ability to fly is a mental barrier he must overcome, not a physical one. Because he's quite obviously capable of doing it - with aplomb. So there's going to be a little revisionist history happening this season - or retconning LOL.

The no tights thing is obvious, because once Clark dons the suit, SV ends. We're not in a rush for that to happen. Well, most folks aren't anyway.

 

[The Caped Knight]

IMO this rule should've been compleately thrown out the window in Season 4 (When Clark turned 18 years old) and flew for this first time as The Badass Kryptonian Kal-EL .

Because at that point it should've been The Turning point (After High School ) He stoped runnnig and take Flight towards his DESTINY .

 

[mellyM]

The problem with having established that though is Clark has obviously been capable of flying since he was seventeen, which blows the whole "girls mature faster than boys" excuse out of the water.

I thought thats simply what Kara said to him, not that it was the absolute truth. Kara didn't grow up hiding who she is, so she wouldn't have the same hangups as Clark has.

 

[zerohour films]

I love the idea that it is a mental barrier as Pat put it.

I have always felt that Clark's way of thinking is that once he defies our gravity there is no going back. He is definitely not one of us.

I for one wish they had explored the "sleep flying" storyline they had started. To me that was very interesting but at one point was just brushed under the rug or abandoned.

 

[RakuMon]

Clark also "flew" the last time he met a "Kryptonian" named "Kara."

In "Covenant," Fake-Kara takes Clark's hand and flies him up in the sky. Clark ask, "How are you doing this?" to which Fake-Kara responds, You're doing it too."

 

[RakuMon]

The only time he actually flew for real - and it can't be fanwanked any other way as jumping, dreaming or hovering - was in Crusade. And yeah, he was "under the influence" of Jor-El at that time. The problem with having established that though is Clark has obviously been capable of flying since he was seventeen, which blows the whole "girls mature faster than boys" excuse out of the water. If we go by what was established in Crusade, Clark's ability to fly is a mental barrier he must overcome, not a physical one. Because he's quite obviously capable of doing it - with aplomb. So there's going to be a little revisionist history happening this season - or retconning LOL.

The no tights thing is obvious, because once Clark dons the suit, SV ends. We're not in a rush for that to happen. Well, most folks aren't anyway.

For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure Gough was always being facetious whenever he said the "girls mature faster" line.

 

[ariellem]

I love the idea that it is a mental barrier as Pat put it.
...
I for one wish they had explored the "sleep flying" storyline they had started. To me that was very interesting but at one point was just brushed under the rug or abandoned.

I'm in the same boat here. I was hoping for at least two or three more "sleep flying" references/episodes, possibly one in which Lana wakes up to find an asleep Clark hovering near her - above her bed, or outside her window. Surprised, she says his name out loud and reaches up, touching his sleeve. His eyes open - and then he isn't there any more (he has zoomed back home). She asks him about it in the morning, but he doesn't remember it and says she must have been dreaming. She'd think so - except she's so sure it was real.

Clark also "flew" the last time he met a "Kryptonian" named "Kara."

In "Covenant," Fake-Kara takes Clark's hand and flies him up in the sky. Clark ask, "How are you doing this?" to which Fake-Kara responds, You're doing it too."

Maybe girls mature mentally to the point where they can control it before boys do. But Covenant means that Clark can fly instinctively; he just doesn't know yet how to activate that power consciously.

 

[AgentPat]

I thought thats simply what Kara said to him, not that it was the absolute truth. Kara didn't grow up hiding who she is, so she wouldn't have the same hangups as Clark has.

I love the idea that it is a mental barrier as Pat put it.

It makes the most amount of sense until we realize that they've never really addressed it. They make references to Clark having a fear of heights, but all of his proactive powers (strength and invulnerability are always "on") have come out of necessity (super hearing) or age/puberty (speed, X-Ray vision, heat vision, super breath.)

Clark woke up hovering over his own bed in the *SECOND* episode of the entire series. Technically, he's been physically capable of at least defying gravity since he was fourteen, yet he's never attempted to reproduce it. I understand the fear thing, but Clark has overcome all of his other power-associated phobias, not the least of which being the fear that he might incinerate his girlfriend by accident just by looking at her the wrong way. Furthermore, there's been many times where even something as "minor" as hovering - never mind flying - would have come in darn handy to him, so why hasn't he tried it?

Simple: from a story POV, flying makes things too easy for Clark. Things are about to change this season however. Took long enough, didn't it? LOL

I doubt they'll go back to the fear of heights thing, 'cause after jumping off a few bridges, leaping between buildings, and falling from ORBIT (!!!), the fear of heights excuse just doesn't hold water any more. If they go in this direction however:

I have always felt that Clark's way of thinking is that once he defies our gravity there is no going back. He is definitely not one of us.

That would be great.

Also, for what's it's worth...

Spoiler

the line "I guess girls really do mature faster than boys" IS in an upcoming episode of the show. Clark asks Kara why he can't fly, and that's her response.

 

[barnface]

Now I don't know about you guys, but if I knew I was capable of flying but just didn't know how...I know what I would be doing in my spare time

 

[zerohour films]

I doubt they'll go back to the fear of heights thing, 'cause after jumping off a few bridges, leaping between buildings, and falling from ORBIT (!!!), the fear of heights excuse just doesn't hold water any more. If they go in this direction however:

That would be great.

Yeah I really wish they had done something more with that.
I mean remember the fear Clark had when he needed to make that long jump over to the daily planet to save Martha?
Falling back down to earth is HUGE in comparison. Not to mention the crater he must have left in his wake.

 

[avidreader]

Also, for what's it's worth...

Spoiler

the line "I guess girls really do mature faster than boys" IS in an upcoming episode of the show. Clark asks Kara why he can't fly, and that's her response.

Just because that's what Kara says, it doesnt make what she says gospel. To me it sounds like a line that's going to be played for laughs.

 

[Serene]

Clark flying is a great overall metaphor for the show. When he does finally take to the air with his own willpower - the next step is donning the suit.. and we know what happens after that.

He's held back on exploring his flight abilities for a long time now, but soon he'll have to embrace it. Not unlike his destiny.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Clark flying is a great overall metaphor for the show. When he does finally take to the air with his own willpower - the next step is donning the suit.. and we know what happens after that.

YEAH He's becomes The World's Greatest Hero t:

I hope that day comes soon because I'm tired of this on the verge of Fullfilling his DESTINY crap (that's been going on the the last past 6 freaking years) .


I WANT SUPERMAN DAMNIT .

 

[AgentPat]

Just because that's what Kara says, it doesn't make what she says gospel. To me it sounds like a line that's going to be played for laughs.

And just because it's played for laughs doesn't make it funny.

From a story-telling POV, I know why Clark doesn't fly. I just want it to be logical within the fiction of the show. Cracking jokes about girls maturing faster than boys with no actual alternative explanation only solidifies the notion that that is indeed the case, and it's not what we've seen on the show. Clark hovered in his sleep when he was fourteen. If it only required physical maturity to do that, he'd be zipping through the clouds effortlessly by now. And if it's a mental thing involving concentration, rather than a phobia preventing the feat, he really shouldn't have been able to do it in his sleep.

It's bad enough that everybody flies in this show except Clark Kent. They HAVE to come up with an acceptable reason for why that is the case and make it work within the fiction of the show. I'll accept that he needs to be shown how to make it happen, just like practicing a perfect golf swing or something, but then they BETTER come up with an explanation for how Kara already knows how to fly when she's been living on Krypton for the better part of her life.

This is ALL about continuity, something SV doesn't have the best reputation for being too good at. How far away is Metropolis from Smallville again? [waves to Raku]

 

[zerohour films]

Pat you said the C word. That should be forbidden around these parts.

But you are dead on, it does need further explanation. As it stands everyone down to Lex Luthor (Zod) has been no chalantly zooming around the meteor capitol of the world and poor Clark is left wearing out his Nikes.

I always like the explanation in the comics (post crisis) about how the longer he spent on Earth his body absorbed and stored the sun's rays. So then at 18 he hit a sort of peak and was able to do things such as fly. (hopefully I explained that accurately).

But that is obviously not the case in Smallville since Jor-el could fly from his short visit as well as others we've seen (Kara being the latest).

Who oddly enough has taken right to her powers. Hopefully they will go into some detail about that. At least show her trying to get used to them or in shock by them.

 

[triplet]

Just because that's what Kara says, it doesnt make what she says gospel. To me it sounds like a line that's going to be played for laughs.

Yeah, I think you're right. She's probably trying to bust his chops a little bit for not "getting on that" like Chloe said he should in bizarro.

Clark flying is a great overall metaphor for the show. When he does finally take to the air with his own willpower - the next step is donning the suit.. and we know what happens after that.

He's held back on exploring his flight abilities for a long time now, but soon he'll have to embrace it. Not unlike his destiny.

I don't have a problem with him not flying up until now. Not only will it make life too easy for him, but it underscores just how different he really is from everyone else.

Now he's finally coming to terms with that, he's psychologically ready to deal with flying.

Now, from a more pragmatic perspective for those who have complained he should have been flying back at season 4:

If he had been flying then, the show would have ended and I'm not sure I woulda been ready for it to end before the fantastic stuff had happened the last few seasons.

Personally, I'm all for Clark delaying "accepting his destiny" as long as possible because once he accepts it and starts flying, the show will be over.

That said, I think it's finally time for him to do just that. He should fly and the show should end at the close of this season.

I can't see the show continuing in any real way without Lex as Clark's nemesis.

Clark needs his foil, Lex. A hero can't be heroic if there isn't evil to fight.

 

[AgentPat]

Pat you said the C word. That should be forbidden around these parts.

HAHAHAHA! You're gonna have C.Lee searching back in my post thinking, "OMG, she didn't!?!!! That word is censored!!!" LOL

But you are dead on, it does need further explanation. As it stands everyone down to Lex Luthor (Zod) has been no chalantly zooming around the meteor capitol of the world and poor Clark is left wearing out his Nikes.

Yup!

I always like the explanation in the comics (post crisis) about how the longer he spent on Earth his body absorbed and stored the sun's rays. So then at 18 he hit a sort of peak and was able to do things such as fly. (hopefully I explained that accurately).

Oh yeah, I gotcha on that. SV kind of cherry picks what they want from the comics though, so it's hard to know what they're going for until we see it. As I said in an earlier post, I'm keeping an open mind, but I *am* expecting some explanations here, and if I don't get it on the flying issue, I'm gonna be Hulk-sized angry.

But that is obviously not the case in Smallville since Jor-el could fly from his short visit as well as others we've seen (Kara being the latest).

Who oddly enough has taken right to her powers. Hopefully they will go into some detail about that. At least show her trying to get used to them or in shock by them.

Actually, you've hit on another glitch, because spoilers tell us...

Spoiler

...that Clark will have to show Kara how to use certain powers that she isn't aware of possessing. So how the heck does that work? How in tarnation would she know how to fly - something that must be the most difficult power to master since Clark STILL doesn't know how to do it - yet not know about powers like superhearing or X-ray vision?

The mind boggles.

 

[zerohour films]

HAHAHAHA! You're gonna have C.Lee searching back in my post thinking, "OMG, she didn't!?!!! That word is censored!!!" LOL

Yup!

Oh yeah, I gotcha on that. SV kind of cherry picks what they want from the comics though, so it's hard to know what they're going for until we see it. As I said in an earlier post, I'm keeping an open mind, but I *am* expecting some explanations here, and if I don't get it on the flying issue, I'm gonna be Hulk-sized angry.

Actually, you've hit on another glitch, because spoilers tell us...

Spoiler

...that Clark will have to show Kara how to use certain powers that she isn't aware of possessing. So how the heck does that work? How in tarnation would she know how to fly - something that must be the most difficult power to master since Clark STILL doesn't know how to do it - yet not know about powers like superhearing or X-ray vision?

The mind boggles.

Simple explanation...ratings. It was the season premiere and all.

Oh well. Smallville faults and all will still continue to be a guilty pleasure.
Who needs logic or explanation.

 

[TWistim]

From a story-telling POV, I know why Clark doesn't fly. I just want it to be logical within the fiction of the show. . .

It's bad enough that everybody flies in this show except Clark Kent. They HAVE to come up with an acceptable reason for why that is the case and make it work within the fiction of the show. I'll accept that he needs to be shown how to make it happen, just like practicing a perfect golf swing or something, but then they BETTER come up with an explanation for how Kara already knows how to fly when she's been living on Krypton for the better part of her life.

This is ALL about continuity, something SV doesn't have the best reputation for being too good at. How far away is Metropolis from Smallville again? [waves to Raku]

ITA. I'm assuming the "C" word is continuity. Am I correct?

It's like they sit around and say "let's do a show about . . ." and someone says "well how do we explain . . ." and someone else says "we'll just say . . ." (maybe the first thing off the top of their head) and its a done deal whether it makes any sense or not. Okay, maybe I'm overdramatizing it, but it certainly feels that way at times.

The other thing I wanted to say is I don't buy the thoery that when Clark flies the show is over. Flying, like super-speed or leaping tall buildings is just another way to get from one point to the next. Why does that change anything? He can run as fast as he would fly, can't he? Maybe I'm missing something but I usually think of him as flying anyway when he swooshes in and out. Wearing the suit I get so I'm okay with the "no tights" part of the equation. Agreed that that should be saved until the end of the series but flying I think is different. Besides, they've already broken the "no flight" rule regardless of how you slice it or fanwank it.

 

[ariellem]

But you are dead on, it does need further explanation. As it stands everyone down to Lex Luthor (Zod) has been no chalantly zooming around the meteor capitol of the world and poor Clark is left wearing out his Nikes.

I always like the explanation in the comics (post crisis) about how the longer he spent on Earth his body absorbed and stored the sun's rays. So then at 18 he hit a sort of peak and was able to do things such as fly. (hopefully I explained that accurately).

But that is obviously not the case in Smallville since Jor-el could fly from his short visit as well as others we've seen (Kara being the latest).

Who oddly enough has taken right to her powers. Hopefully they will go into some detail about that. At least show her trying to get used to them or in shock by them.

My guess is that adolescents on Krypton learn - either in school or as part of some other training - about other planets with known life and how Kryptonian bodies work on those planets. Jor-El, Barbie & Ken, and Kara were all plenty old enough when they arrived on Earth to have benefited from that schooling. Clark was not. That's what his father's training will cover - in part - when he finally gets to it.

Since Kryptonians have often been described as emotionally cold, I was thinking that early Kryptonian visitors to Earth figured out the flying thing pretty easily but possibly not things related to emotions - heat vision would be obvious - but I think Barbie & Ken negated my logic here. I'm having trouble coming up with another explanation.

 

[avidreader]

And just because it's played for laughs doesn't make it funny.

Well different things will amuse different minds.




I dont believe for one second that the reason Clark cant fly is because he is not mature enough, they've already established in Crusade that he is.

It might just come down to him not really giving it a try, hence why Chloe said you really have to get onto that one.