Season 4, Episode 6: "When The Lights Come On" (SPOILERS)

[OrbOfConfusion]

I didn't see a thread for this one, so...



Anyway, did not expect to see

Spoiler

red sun radiation

being implemented here!

 

[The Caped Knight]

The fight between Clark and Lex was a good old fashioned brawl. Glad to see Clark take matters into his own hands with Luthor. Enough is enough

 

[vantheman77]

The fight between Clark and Lex under the Red Sun is a nod to an old Superman comic issue where they did the same thing.

 

[OrbOfConfusion]

And nice little Superman Easter Egg: Clark's total at the store was $19.38- and Action Comics #1, Superman's first appearance, was released in 1938.

It was too specific of a number to just be a coincidence.

 

[flickchick85]

Clark's insecurity about aging is one of my favorite things the show has done. I feel like we're heading toward a "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" kind of ending, and this may be the first time in Superman media that such an ending would feel right to me.

My one complaint about this episode - that NONE of the superpowered Kents heard Lana's distress from only a few miles away - was addressed directly in the show, and while I still don't quite buy it, I can live with their explanations.

Really loved the Smallville residents stepping up against Luthor. And I'm enjoying how the show's handling Clark's secret becoming a rather open one.

 

[Dr.]

The fight between Clark and Lex under the Red Sun is a nod to an old Superman comic issue where they did the same thing.

When it comes to artificial “red sun” radiation, I have two nerdy complaints. 1) It’s often presented as a new/different type of weapon to use against Superman. But for all practical purposes, red radiation does the same thing as low-grade kryptonite. So not really novel. 2) Despite any exposition as to its exotic, high-tech nature, the radiation source kinda looks like a red lightbulb. Thus, one imagines Supes rendered helpless in a photographer’s darkroom or at the local disco.

But to be fair, S&L didn’t invent this trope. It's pretty standard within the canon.

 

[chamber-music]

Clark and Lex throwing hands to Idles is unexpected.

 

[Web-Head]

Great episode. Tyler brought it in that final encounter and the brawl was nice. I love Sarah and Lana's dynamic too, I totally buy them as mother and daughter.

Yeah, just a solid episode and maybe my favorite from this season so far

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Definitely my favourite of the season so far. Really loved the episode, so much fun. Still tonnes of stuff that's pretty nonsensical when you think too hard, but I'm very forgiving when the story itself is enjoyable 😊

Bonus points for the H/C of it.

 

[flickchick85]

Bonus points for the H/C of it.

H/C?

 

[Sithborg]

Yeah, I love that Clark's secret becoming one of those things that the people of Smallville keeps to themselves. And of course the coach wanting to ignore Jon's football ban. And nice for them to drop a mention of what Morgan Edge did.

Boy, that green skull that popped up on Lana's security system sure doesn't hint at someone incoming, does it?

The fight was between Clark and Lex was great. Hoechlin does a great angry Superman.

And I do enjoy Sarah more when she is being buddies with both boys, rather than being a pure Jordan side character.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

H/C?

Hurt/Comfort perhaps?

Hurt/Comfort - Fanlore

fanlore.org

 

[flickchick85]

Now that I think about it, this episode (and season) has had a lot of "Up, Up and Away!" vibes, which might have something to do with why I'm loving it so much lol. One of the showrunners has got to be a Busiek Supes fan. They've been referencing his stuff since S1.

EDIT: Now that I say that, I'm wondering if we're heading toward a more Secret Identity-esque ending. I might wanna have Kleenex handy just in case.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

H/C?

Hurt/Comfort perhaps?

Hurt/Comfort - Fanlore

fanlore.org

That would be correct! Basically... Lois comforting a bruised up Clark is a bonus to me 😅

 

[Dark Raven]

We don't normally see Superman lose his cool like that to the point of even being threatening. Why should MAGA Lex laugh at Clark that his family have seen him act like that? They would all have liked to have smashed Lex's head through a window too themselves.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

We don't normally see Superman lose his cool like that to the point of even being threatening. Why should MAGA Lex laugh at Clark that his family have seen him act like that? They would all have liked to have smashed Lex's head through a window too themselves.

Yeah that comment from Lex made no sense I context. My first thought was 'are people from Smallville watching?' but there was no one around...

 

[flickchick85]

He only cared about what Clark’s family sees. I thought that was such a great moment because it showed how twisted Luthor’s worldview is - he saw “a god falling from grace and showing he’s no better than us,” while Lois and the boys saw their father/husband fighting for them and their town. That’s why Clark reacted the way he did - he didn’t suddenly realize the “horror” of what he’d done and shrink away in shame, which was the reaction Luthor was going for. No, he punched the guy in the face again after telling him to get the hell out of his town. Luthor got neither the physical victory NOR the moral victory he was aiming for in that fight.

 

[Dark Raven]

It seems only Tyler Hoechlin's Clark and Dean Cains's Clark and possibly Tom Welling's Clark have been in an actual fist fight and brawl without their super powers and proved themselves still fairly tough in their own right. Don't think Cavill ever fought without powers and Christopher Reeve got badly beaten up by the guy in the diner. Not sure Brandon Routh did anything.

 

[flickchick85]

Not sure Brandon Routh did anything.

He very infamously got his ass kicked by Luthor and his thugs on the Kryptonite island. Didn’t even get in a single punch.

 

[Dark Raven]

He only cared about what Clark’s family sees. I thought that was such a great moment because it showed how twisted Luthor’s worldview is - he saw “a god falling from grace and showing he’s no better than us,” while Lois and the boys saw their father/husband fighting for them and their town. That’s why Clark reacted the way he did - he didn’t suddenly realize the “horror” of what he’d done and shrink away in shame, which was the reaction Luthor was going for. No, he punched the guy in the face again after telling him to get the hell out of his town. Luthor got neither the physical victory NOR the moral victory he was aiming for in that fight.

What if Clark didn't manage to get up and beat Lex? I'm surprised Lois didn't come and join in and use Sarah's baseball bat on Lex's face. And although the lights would have depowered the Kent boys if they went under it, they could still have shot Lex with their laser vision from where they stood or blew him over with their super breath.

 

[flickchick85]

What if Clark didn't manage to get up and beat Lex? I'm surprised Lois didn't come and join in and use Sarah's baseball bat on Lex's face. And although the lights would have depowered the Kent boys if they went under it, they could still have shot Lex with their laser vision from where they stood or blew him over with their super breath.

They could have, but Clark had it handled. This wasn’t Lois’ first rodeo lol. If it looked at any point like Lex was gonna kill Clark, I’m sure they all would have stepped in. But that’s not what was happening there at all. There was no fight to the death happening on that street. It was two dudes with a long rivalry having a long overdue brawl on equal footing.

 

[Dark Raven]

This discussion raises the question: who is the toughest Clark? Like if he weren't Superman or lost his powers, which Clark would win in a fight?

 

[hopefuldreamer]

This discussion raises the question: who is the toughest Clark? Like if he weren't Superman or lost his powers, which Clark would win in a fight?

Tyler. No question to me.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Clark's insecurity about aging is one of my favorite things the show has done. I feel like we're heading toward a "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" kind of ending, and this may be the first time in Superman media that such an ending would feel right to me.

My one complaint about this episode - that NONE of the superpowered Kents heard Lana's distress from only a few miles away - was addressed directly in the show, and while I still don't quite buy it, I can live with their explanations.

Really loved the Smallville residents stepping up against Luthor. And I'm enjoying how the show's handling Clark's secret becoming a rather open one.

I like this take 😊

 

[Babillygunn]

Tyler. No question to me.

I don’t know.
Cavill’s Clark is depressed, has nothing to live for and definitely doesn’t value human life like the rest. He stood idly by and let his own dad die in front of him. That’s cold blooded.

I’m pretty sure that in a fight, he’s the first to pull a shank.