Season 2, Episode 4: "The Inverse Method" (SPOILERS)

[flickchick85]

I like how Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest mirror. Appropriate setting for that fight.

Oh wow, great catch.

 

[flickchick85]

Also, Lucy seeing her "other self." That's some specific wording. What are the odds this ties into the multiverse and/or Bizzarro World?

 

[hopefuldreamer]

This was such a strong episode!

I loved Lois & Allys showdown at the cafe. I loved Clark & John talking about the peace in the countryside.

Loved that first fight scene on the barn - what does that pendant do? It looked like it was pulling on Superman like a magnet, which made me think either phantom zone or some link to parasite going on there.

Loved Jordan's attempt to save the grocery store. That made me so happy. And im happy with the training with Grandad plot, that will be really fun.

I thought I was going to hate John doing XK and I mean... I do feel mad at him for being so selfish, but also... maybe he does always hide how he really feels. Maybe he is always acting okay when actually he's got a lot to feel not okay about.

I'm so intruiged by how everything is going to link together - like is Ally linked to the woman who was down in the mines? And how is Anderson going to play into this?

Also really liked the scene with Natalie yelling at Superman. I always felt like she was way too okay with him... like, he has the face of the guy who killed her mom, surely looking at him would stir up some trauma. If she'd just been like 'it wasn't your fault' it would have gone too far

Also, despite Kyle really growing on me, I kind of like the cheating angle. If they break up, it also paves the way for Kyle to possibly have a bit of a breakdown villain arc which could be interesting.

I think one of the only things that irked me was the way Clark said the two members of Andersons team were dead... I'd have gone for another take there, once more with feeling

Overall I'm just so excited about where this season is going, there are so many good story threads. It's gonna be a hell of a finale I think

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Also, Lucy seeing her "other self." That's some specific wording. What are the odds this ties into the multiverse and/or Bizzarro World?

That makes a lot of sense. Think that's why I'm wondering if the Amertec lady was talking to Ally when she said about it 'coming through', but it could also be someone totally different.

I like the connection though, if the version of Lucy that she saw when she took the pills was from a 'bizzaro world' alternate reality.

 

[titansupes]

LOVED this episode. Things really moved, yet we got a couple of nice quite moments. I find I can't help but get a warm fuzzy feeling with the Kents, even Clark and John's moment on the porch.

I was grinning like an idiot with Jordan stopping the shoplifters. Perfect, fun little Superman moment we don't get enough of when they're busy saving the whole world all the time, and still seemed to contribute to his overall arc by helping guide him to Sam.

They finally made Kyle interesting. I'm pretty ambivalent on him, so will be interesting to see where this goes.

Weird how they not spending anytime trying to track down that Amertec lady considering she knocked John's ass out and clearly has knowledge about all this.

Man Anderson ****s me. But I guess that's the point.

For a kid that only has super SPEED, Tag took a direct super-strength punch to the face like a champ. Glad he had the presence of mind to tag the pendant, but I assume that's going straight to the DOD. Oh and re the other two Super-soldiers deaths, I imagine that'll be followed up on-- We see two American flag draped coffins in the preview for the next ep after all.

Speaking of the pendant, wonder what Bizarro was trying to do there-- does heat/energy trigger the portal (or whatever it ends up being) to open?

Agree with @flickchick-- They're handling the cult story so well that it's actually just a touch unsettling, though I too didn't get why that recording of Lois would be so damning-- yeah Lucy, you're cult leader convinced you to try to kill yourself and you think you had a dream about something weird while it was happening... not exactly getting that. But yeah, I think considering how the showrunners already said the stories would converge, they'd be linked to Bizarro in someway. I mean Clark's having visions too, isn't he...

Don't have much to say about Jon. So far his story seems pretty straight forward.

I kind of wish Clark had a bit more to chew on. Other that being confused and frustrated about Bizarro, whatever emotional journey he has this season hasn't made itself clear yet.

 

[flickchick85]

I think Tag's super-speed comes with some strength too. Remember when he first got it and was fritzing, he broke a (pretty thick) tree in half.

 

[titansupes]

I think Tag's super-speed comes with some strength too. Remember when he first got it and was fritzing, he broke a (pretty thick) tree in half.

Vaaaguely, my memory's pretty bad for these things. I think I might've taken it as he was moving so fast he just chain-sawed himself through it, but I don't know how that translates to standing still and taking a hit. I'm willing to roll with it in any case.

PS. Loved Supes's entrance to that fight. It somehow makes him even more special when you already see super-people try and fail, then the big guy himself turns up to save the day.

 

[Dr.]

...I don't get what was so bad about anything Lois said in that fight with Lucy that was recorded. Her sister was OD'ing, clearly out of her right mind on drugs (which I'm sure there's a medical record of), so why WOULD she listen to whatever she was saying at that moment?? Why would she be expected to include her rantings in that moment in her article? Like, I get why it would sound horrible to the other cultists and just reaffirm what they've already been led to believe about Lois' narrative, but to Chrissy? I don't get it.

Yeah, I had the same reaction. The dramatic intent was clear enough: Lois had become professionally and ethically compromised. Problem was, the writers supplied her with some very reasonable and convincing counterarguments. So the execution didn’t seem to match the scene’s purpose.

 

[Perfect Cell]

That was an... interesting... setting they chose for the fight at the end. I appreciate that this show will often use new and unique locales for its Big Hero Moments, and that this one in particular was thematically appropriate, but it was an ugly ass scene. Still, points for trying.

When it looked like the villain was going to be Doomsday, I said that the SoA was here only to be fodder for his rampage. Well, I don't even know if I would call them fodder here. They were more like very small speedbumps. I did laugh when Clark watched them get killed through Bizarro's eyes, and then literally says "welp, they're dead. Gotta go." I don't know what that says about me.

The Inverse Method storyline is getting real uncomfortable, at this point. It's heavy subject matter, and I appreciate that they seem to be taking great care while handling it, but it's still a bit too real. Tulloch is killing it, as always, so I think it's working for now. Having Chrissy go super undercover (which is how I feel things are playing out) seems like it will be a good way to give Lucy's aspect of the story time to grow without being attached to Lois. Right now they're just clashing into each other, so it can't really progress unless they're apart.

I think Tag's super-speed comes with some strength too. Remember when he first got it and was fritzing, he broke a (pretty thick) tree in half.

I've always thought super-speed inherently comes with a form of super-strength. Aside from the Speed Force and its magic bull****, it's hard to explain how someone can move at those speeds and not destroy every ligament in their body, unless they have a bit of durability or strength to match.

 

[Frodo]

Yeah, I had the same reaction. The dramatic intent was clear enough: Lois had become professionally and ethically compromised. Problem was, the writers supplied her with some very reasonable and convincing counterarguments. So the execution didn’t seem to match the scene’s purpose.

I also didn't really see what was wrong with what Lois said either, and Chrissy's seems a bit gullible, (as far as the The Inverse group goes), for someone who wants to be a journalist, let alone the editor of a newspaper.

I get the idea that Chrissy knows Lois is hiding something, though, I don't know if the execution of this storyline is really the most effective way to get that concept across.

For now imo, it just makes her seem pretty naive and gullible for someone who aspires to be taken seriously as the editor of a newspaper.

Maybe this storyline also is meant to highlight Chrissy's own inexperience by having her drawn in so easily, but, I don't think it makes her character look all that sympathetic.

 

[Pow]

Jenna Dewan is a fine actress and gorgeous lady.
Hoping that Natalie will design her own suit of armor providing she can acquire the proper tools and material here. Her home world is clearly far more advanced technologically than our earth. Cannibalize her space craft for source material?
The depiction of her armor in the original edition of the DC Comics Encyclopedia is magnificent, love to see 'em go with that incredible design.
We still don't know who the woman that was managing the Shuster mines was speaking to on the phone, or how Bizzaro came to be and fits into all of this.
Be nice to see Kara drop in on the Kents for an episode.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

I kind of wish Clark had a bit more to chew on. Other that being confused and frustrated about Bizarro, whatever emotional journey he has this season hasn't made itself clear yet.

I feel the total opposite to this. I think it's because I'm seeing in him something I struggle with myself - not feeling good enough.

He said a lot of it in the last episode - he's feeling like a total failure.

He's questioning his role as a dad, husband & superhero. And in each role, he keeps coming up against challenges and mistakes and people pushing back and even TELLING him he's not good enough. Lois didn't want to open up to him in the first episode about Natalie so he felt powerless and like his help wasn't wanted. Anderson made him feel useless and a liability as a superhero in episode 2 when his visions got in the way of saves. His kids seeing him rage out in episode 3 made him feel like he was going to screw them up. And now... 2 teens are dead & his friend (Natalie's Dad... the same Natalie whose mom was killed by another version of him) is in hospital... all because they don't trust him to handle it himself because they've repeatedly seen him fail.

It's a real crisis of self belief, and I think he's playing it real well. Because I'm feeling it. I'm empathising with it. It resonates for me.

 

[titansupes]

I feel the total opposite to this. I think it's because I'm seeing in him something I struggle with myself - not feeling good enough.

Oh, I think we've allllll been there.

He said a lot of it in the last episode - he's feeling like a total failure.

He's questioning his role as a dad, husband & superhero. And in each role, he keeps coming up against challenges and mistakes and people pushing back and even TELLING him he's not good enough. Lois didn't want to open up to him in the first episode about Natalie so he felt powerless and like his help wasn't wanted. Anderson made him feel useless and a liability as a superhero in episode 2 when his visions got in the way of saves. His kids seeing him rage out in episode 3 made him feel like he was going to screw them up. And now... 2 teens are dead & his friend (Natalie's Dad... the same Natalie whose mom was killed by another version of him) is in hospital... all because they don't trust him to handle it himself because they've repeatedly seen him fail.

It's a real crisis of self belief, and I think he's playing it real well. Because I'm feeling it. I'm empathising with it. It resonates for me.

Interesting, I see where you're coming from. I'll keep this in mind and see if it starts clicking with me.

 

[Sithborg]

God, I really love the Bizarro theme.

Good episode. I will be sad if Sam training Jordan means we no longer get all of Sam's first scenes of him doing some retirement activity against a bad green screen. Also pretty much indicated how Lois and Clark's stories will combine.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

I finally caught up on the last two episodes and DAMN!

Bizarro, a cult, Lucy Lane, Jonathan on that stuff... a lot of interesting stuff going on in Smallville lol. Really can't wait to see how this all ties together, I'm not big on my Superman lore but just gathering from what you guys have said this ties us to Bizzaro's world?

Anyhow, again I can't wait to see what's next. This is all very fun.

Also loved Steel summoning Mjlonir and that shot of him inside his suit talking to his AI a la Tony Stark lol.

 

[titansupes]

Part of why I'm excited about a new Steel suit is because I'm really hoping they'll have an open helmet so we can do away with those Tony Stark moments. They're just awkward, IMO. Let the actor be more connected to the action scenes, too.

 

[flickchick85]

Part of why I'm excited about a new Steel suit is because I'm really hoping they'll have an open helmet so we can do away with those Tony Stark moments. They're just awkward, IMO. Let the actor be more connected to the action scenes, too.

Yeah that design seems like a perfect compromise between what we're currently getting and the too-impractical but aesthetically-pleasing helmet-less look he often sports in the comics.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Oh, I think we've allllll been there.

Interesting, I see where you're coming from. I'll keep this in mind and see if it starts clicking with me.

Haha yeah I guess that is universal. Though ironically, it always feels so isolating.

I really hope he gets to find his strength and his belief in himself again. You would have thought defeating Zod in his brain would have given him some sense of his inner strength, but I think it only happening because of John Henry's intervention still makes it feel like it wasn't his win.

I would love to see someone other than Lois tell him how much he's valued and appreciated for what he does.

 

[Dark Raven]

I'm hoping we'll have John Henry Irons wearing a suit inspired by Shaquille O'Neal's Steel.

 

[Erik20]

I'm hoping we'll have John Henry Irons wearing a suit inspired by Shaquille O'Neal's Steel.

I think Natalie is going to be wearing the suit... it seemed like foreshadowing when Clark made a comment about the suit, and John then said she actually knows more about it. (Especially now with him being in a coma)

 

[Spider-Fan]

I must say so far, I like this season more than season 1. But that said, the cult plot line is prob that plot line I am least interested in so far. But I think so far this is an improvement

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Also, Lucy seeing her "other self." That's some specific wording. What are the odds this ties into the multiverse and/or Bizzarro World?

That was my first thought as well.

I'm enjoying this season so far, but I do feel the current Lois storyline feels disconnected. Not in terms of content. I think it's clearly headed towards being connected to Bizarro World, but tonally it feels a little off. Especially with Lois' newspaper buddy. That said, Eliza is of course selling it well.

 

[flickchick85]

That was my first thought as well.

I'm enjoying this season so far, but I do feel the current Lois storyline feels disconnected. Not in terms of content. I think it's clearly headed towards being connected to Bizarro World, but tonally it feels a little off. Especially with Lois' newspaper buddy. That said, Eliza is of course selling it well.

Well with regards to Chrissy, I think the most recent episode description suggests people are right about her doing the "deep cover" thing, knowing the cult is surveilling them. Seems she and Lois likely had another conversation in the car.