Season 1, Episode 13: "Fail Safe" (SPOILERS)

[Primal Slayer]

That’s the point. They might hesitate or wait too long cause they know him.

Steel is more neutral.

To me, I think Argus would use it. I think even John at this point would hesitate to a degree. If you are able to bring back the person once, you'll try it a 2nd time.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

To me, I think Argus would use it. I think even John at this point would hesitate to a degree. If you are able to bring back the person once, you'll try it a 2nd time.

I’m not saying they wouldn’t. I’m saying Argus would exhaust every option first.

I feel like John’s threshold is still lower to pull the trigger.

 

[Gaultheria]

I mean atleast its coming back the same day as Stargirl which I'm also excited about since that means I'll have two quality DC shows to look forward to on the same day, but the two week wait still sucks.

Really enjoyed this episode though, especially for the drama with Lois and its cool seeing John Henry finally bonding and becoming closer with the Kent family which surprisingly feels very natural.

Speaking of Stargirl, Irons staying at the Kent farm reminds me a bit of the early unfilmed plan for Pat to crash on Crusher's couch.

 

[Dark Raven]

I’m not saying they wouldn’t. I’m saying Argus would exhaust every option first.

I feel like John’s threshold is still lower to pull the trigger.

Irons seems like he could be like when you call up tech support for a problem with your computer and the first suggestion they give you is to wipe the hard drive and reset it to factory state instead of finding another less drastic solution.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

For me, this is definitely one of the season's best. It smartly uses recent events to challenge/push our main characters into uncharted territory. Clark, in particular, experiences the most growth, as a visit to Tal-Rho at the DOD forces him to embrace the necessity of having some kind of deterrent against powerful metahumans like himself. Similarly, Jon learns the hard way that sometimes it's your heart that needs protecting. (Poor kid can't catch a break, but he really should have known better this time around!)

Meanwhile, Lois is giving Supes a run for his money in the hero department, as she's forced to deal with everything from a son in jail to Clark's come-to-Jesus moment, in the course of having her journalistic loyalties put to the test w/ Chrissy. Hell, even Lana is finally coming into her own now! I thoroughly enjoyed watching her take the mayor to task with such unfettered zeal. And then on top of all that, we get a wallop of an ending in Rho's ultimate transformation into The Eradicator! With those bioluminescent eyes, can his trademark glasses be far behind?

Noteworthy mentions:

I almost laughed out loud at LL's reaction upon sensing that Jon was eavesdropping on her conversation with Clark.
And that fist bump between Clark and John Henry is another very cool moment.

 

[Dr.]

I have a “philosophical” objection to storylines where the government or military (ostensibly the good guys) stockpile kryptonite in anticipation of taking down Superman (another good guy). And I especially dislike it when Superman is a willing participant in this scenario — agreeing, as it were, to his own “domestication.” Well, this episode leaned heavily into both those concepts.

Granted, pretty much the entire season has been built around the possibility that Superman (in one manifestation or another) might/could “go rogue.” Indeed, he did go rogue for a spell. So the emphasis of this theme in this episode didn’t come out of left field; it was logically consistent with the overall narrative. I’m just not a fan of that narrative.

That said, I thought “Fail Safe” — on its own terms — was pretty solid.

 

[The Caped Knight]

I thought this was solid episode, however I had a few problems with the over extreme drama between the town of Smallville turning on Lana and her family. Yes it was Kyle who railed the town in welcoming Morgan Edge to the town, but last time I check the whole town agreed as a collective hold to have Edge Industrial in Smallville so the the blame game falls on everyone but the Kent family.

I find it interesting that both Kent boys fall in an entrapment scenario with two girls just to cause teen angst . Honestly both Jonathan & Jordan know better I suspect this was a writer’s room design

As for the fail Safe Kryptonite arsenal it harken back to Batman always having a contingency plan, the fact Clark realized that it’s a necessary show a huge amount he rather protect his adaptive world and family should kryptonians become a threat.

Lois’ concerns are valid because theirs quite a bit of villains who would love nothing more than to settle a score with The Man of Steel and if they found out the D.O.D. Had a stockpile of various kryptonite weapons it would be coastal.

I’m curious where their going with The Eradicator and if he might be the key of unlocking the full kryptonian dna in Jonathan.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I thought this was solid episode, however I had a few problems with the over extreme drama between the town of Smallville turning on Lana and her family. Yes it was Kyle who railed the town in welcoming Morgan Edge to the town, but last time I check the whole town agreed as a collective hold to have Edge Industrial in Smallville so the the blame game falls on everyone but the Kent family.

I find it interesting that both Kent boys fall in an entrapment scenario with two girls just to cause teen angst . Honestly both Jonathan & Jordan know better I suspect this was a writer’s room design

As for the fail Safe Kryptonite arsenal it harken back to Batman always having a contingency plan, the fact Clark realized that it’s a necessary show a huge amount he rather protect his adaptive world and family should kryptonians become a threat.

Lois’ concerns are valid because theirs quite a bit of villains who would love nothing more than to settle a score with The Man of Steel and if they found out the D.O.D. Had a stockpile of various kryptonite weapons it would be coastal.

I’m curious where their going with The Eradicator and if he might be the key of unlocking the full kryptonian dna in Jonathan.

It's easier for weak-minded people to look for scapegoats rather than acknowledge their own failings. And with Kyle having been Edge's most vocal supporter, who better to bear the brunt of that?

 

[The Caped Knight]

It's easier for weak-minded people to look for scapegoats rather than acknowledge their own failings. And with Kyle having been Edge's most vocal supporter, who better to bear the brunt of that?

How about that spineless Mayor who was basically in bed with Edge from the get-go?

 

[The Caped Knight]

The scene between Clark and John definitely echoed the classic comic "Dark Knight over Metropolis from Action Comics #654

 

[Gaultheria]

The scene between Clark and John definitely echoed the classic comic "Dark Knight over Metropolis from Action Comics #654
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Superman to Batman: "I want the means to stop me to be in the hands of a man I can trust with my life."

Yeah. Irons showed that he's willing, despite his fears, to not pull the trigger when there's a chance it's not necessary. That was an important factor in Clark's choice.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

How about that spineless Mayor who was basically in bed with Edge from the get-go?

Mayor Dean's hands are plenty dirty too, but Kyle's the one with the redemption arc here. The hardship he experiences is just another step in his transformative journey.

 

[Gold Samurai]

Anyone have a .gif of Superman hovering over earth? That looked great

49 seconds in

 

[flickchick85]

Anyone have a .gif of Superman hovering over earth? That looked great

49 seconds in

 

[Dark Raven]

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He looks like he's looking for his misplaced glasses everywhere.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

The promo for the next one has me dying to know what's got Lois so emotional, as we haven't yet seen her like that all season, even with the crazy intense stuff she's gone through already. I'm gonna predict either Sam is killed or, more likely, Jonathan gets taken by Tal/The Eradicator. Annoyed we have to deal with yet another break now, but I get it, Olympics or whatever.

Interesting. My mind went straight to Jordan. Feels like The Eradictor would be more interested in him. Then maybe Jonathan (with some help from John Irons and maybe a suit) will step up to help save his brother?

 

[flickchick85]

Interesting. My mind went straight to Jordan. Feels like The Eradictor would be more interested in him. Then maybe Jonathan (with some help from John Irons and maybe a suit) will step up to help save his brother?

Yeah I was thinking Jon just because he’s powerless, which is a little scarier, and the Eradicator would probably offer to eradicate the human side that was holding him back like in the comics, but thinking more on it I can see why he might more likely be interested in Jordan, since he witnessed Jordan’s Kryptonian powers firsthand a couple eps ago.

 

[herolee10]

Anyone else thinking that this show is setting up Lara to be the new A.I. at the FOS? This is the second time that they've brought up Tal-Rho having Lara's crystal.

 

[herolee10]

Yeah I was thinking Jon just because he’s powerless, which is a little scarier, and the Eradicator would probably offer to eradicate the human side that was holding him back like in the comics, but thinking more on it I can see why he might more likely be interested in Jordan, since he witnessed Jordan’s Kryptonian powers firsthand a couple eps ago.

I'm also hoping that we'll see the Eradicator take possession of Jonathan, leading into one of the main conflicts for next season. It would be a great role reversal to see Jordan become his anchor after all of the pep talks that Jonathan has given him. Plus, I'll take that conflict over any potential love triangle.

 

[Thome216]

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Epic shots!

I'm also hoping that we'll see the Eradicator take possession of Jonathan, leading into one of the main conflicts for next season. It would be a great role reversal to see Jordan become his anchor after all of the pep talks that Jonathan has given him. Plus, I'll take that conflict over any potential love triangle.

And I'd take one of them dying over a love triangle arc!

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Anyone else thinking that this show is setting up Lara to be the new A.I. at the FOS? This is the second time that they've brought up Tal-Rho having Lara's crystal.

I didn't quite get that far in my thinking, but I did suspect that Zeta-Rho might've been lying about the destruction of the crystal. So, yeah, maybe we'll see her in some capacity.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

The promo for the next one has me dying to know what's got Lois so emotional, as we haven't yet seen her like that all season, even with the crazy intense stuff she's gone through already. I'm gonna predict either Sam is killed or, more likely, Jonathan gets taken by Tal/The Eradicator.

Coupled with the season finale description that was just released (the "worst nightmare" bit in particular), I'm starting to think that Tal makes good on his threat to expose Clark's secret.

 

[herolee10]

 

[Dark Raven]

Get off me lady, I'm married!!