Seasons Come, Seasons Go - Discussion Continues

[avidreader]

Watching Smallville is like watching one BIG long movie. I find going back over previous seasons and previous episodes you discover things that you missed the first, second, third even fourth time around.

• Did the stones arc of Season 4 make sense?
• Was Lex the villain of the story from the beginning?
• Was Clark responsible for all the strange things that happen in Smallville?
• Did Jonathan prevent Clark from accepting his destiny earlier?
• How did Martha become such a great home cook if she was brought up in a corporate world?
• Is Chloe the real Lois Lane?
• What makes Lois the woman Clark is destined to be with?
• Is Lana's story a tragedy or is she responsible for the way her life is going?
• Do you hate that damn red jacket or love it?

Here is a thread to discuss such points. Its also a place where we can discuss individual episodes.

• Was there something you didnt understand?
• Have you rewatched an episode and found that it correlates with a plot in the current season?
• Is there an oops that you'd like to point out?
• Have you got some great screen captures to share?
• Were you so ticked off with something that happened in an episode that you just need to share it with us?
• Was there a scene, a plot, a story that was so wonderful that you just want to talk about it?

Well fire away folks. Here's the place to discuss seasons gone by. You can get really specific and long winded or you can just add a thought.

Just remember we're all here because we share something in common, Smallville. So have fun, keep it clean and be respectful.

 

[Kaboom]

this thread gets the "Absolutely Terrific Great Kaboom, Defender of the Universe, and Protector of All that is Right and Good"'s World Dominating Seal of Approval.

 

[Kaboom]

his question: why go from Krypto-tech to Krypto-crystal.....makes me wanna go grrrrrrr!

 

[Brainiac 8]

Love the title Avid.

Why ask why Kaboom, drink bud dry.

 

[avidreader]

this thread gets the "Absolutely Terrific Great Kaboom, Defender of the Universe, and Protector of All that is Right and Good"'s World Dominating Seal of Approval.

I have to admit I was a little nervous about Kaboom's seal of approval. Now I can breathe again. t:

 

[Kaboom]

As for is Lana's story a tragedy, i think would depend on how one defines a tragedy. If I'm not mistaken, in traditional Greek Tragedies, the protagonist of a story has a moral flaw which is exloited by the gods and results in the death of everyone the hero eventually comes into contact with.

in shakespearean tragedy, there are usually supernatural themes, and the hero is the cause of everyone's death and ultimately his own.

the tragic hero in this case would be clark, in that everyone around him will die eventually, and that he will live forever, which some may see as a fate worse than death.

but i dont think her particular story is a "tragedy" in the historical literal definition.

 

[avidreader]

his question: why go from Krypto-tech to Krypto-crystal.....makes me wanna go grrrrrrr!

Because before the FOS was built the only means of krypto technology was via earth technology.

 

[Kaboom]

Because before the FOS was built the only means of krypto technology was via earth technology.

the space ship?

the stones?

although the krypto power source was a little more "techy".

 

[avidreader]

but i dont think her particular story is a "tragedy" in the historical literal definition.

Maybe not. But due to circumstances, whether avoidable or unavoidable, she's not going to be living the life that she could have.

 

[AssMan]

We share something in common, Superman

Fixed

 

[avidreader]

the space ship?

Clark destroyed that before it could provide him with anything substantial. Remember he only had access to the key a couple of episodes prior to Jor-el using it as a vessel to speak with.

I wonder if Clark's spaceship was an AI like Brainiac's ship?

the stones?

Well they formed a crystal.

although the krypto power source was a little more "techy".

What was the krypto power source?

 

[avidreader]

Love the title Avid.

Thanks.

 

[Kaboom]

Maybe not. But due to circumstances, whether avoidable or unavoidable, she's not going to be living the life that she could have.

but nobody else is either. I mean, shoot, Superman showed up. That changes everything for everyone...and before we go on the "she lost her parents route" what about all the other KFOTWs whos lives were ruined?

it becomes the question all heroes ask themselves, would the world be better off without me?

 

[Kaboom]

What was the krypto power source?

what LexZod stole from the Pentagon

 

[avidreader]

but nobody else is either. I mean, shoot, Superman showed up. That changes everything for everyone...and before we go on the "she lost her parents route" what about all the other KFOTWs whos lives were ruined?

it becomes the question all heroes ask themselves, would the world be better off without me?

You can argue that for every character and you could write a whole thesis on it. However, Lana just comes to my mind because of Reckoning.

what LexZod stole from the Pentagon

The briefcase or the box from the black ship. Either way, neither of them are crystals.

I think now that Clark has his FOS and its constructed of crystal that it seems a natural course that technology hereafter comes in the form of crystals.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Not really, here are some episode examples of progress made that is deffinate progress toward the tights:

X-Ray/Heat/Whisper/Sneeze - he learns his new abilities.

Dichotic - he knows that his goal in life is to help people (Has not been undone.

Rosetta - He learns how to read Kryptonian and learns about his planet and part of his heritage. (Not undone)

Commencement/Arrival - Creates the Fortress of Solitude

Metamorphisis/Rosetta/Covenant/Crusade - Learns that eventually he will have the ability to fly.

Hourglass - Clark learns that his destiny is to help people in need. He has yet to deny this part of his destiny.

Hidden/Reackoning - Shows to an extent some control over the law of gravity.

Commencement/Hidden - Does some feats that show he takes his role as protector of man seriously.

Arrow/Reunion - Shows by the way Green Arrow looks to Clark for answers Clarks ability to infuse confidence in people.

Arrival/Vessel/Zod - Learns of the Phantom Zone and what it was used for.

Zod - Learns of the motivations behind what Jor-El does.

Fallout - Makes the decision to learn from his father and hunt down the Phantom Zone criminals.

Reackoning - Death of Jonathan.

Run/Aqua/Cyborg/Arrow/Justice - Meets other heroes, learns not all of meteor freaks and learns that his role as a hero is much wider than he once thought.

Stray/Ryan/Fragile - Shows how Clark can be a role model to children and someone they can look up to.

Many many examples of progression toward the tights.t:

I thought this would fit here. I posted this in the "Justice" a little while back because so many say that Clark is making no progress toward being a Superhero.

Through proof per episode, we see this as an unfounded claim.

 

[avidreader]

I thought this would fit here. I posted this in the "Justice" a little while back because so many say that Clark is making no progress toward being a Superhero.

Through proof per episode, we see this as an unfounded claim.

I agree Brainy there's been loads of progress and its often a very subtle thing, such as Clark not accepting the Big Screen TV in Fade. I'm never quite certain what it is that people are looking for when they say there has been no character progression.

 

[Zorex]

My problem with SV's progression is when something very cool, sometimes subtle, but still forward-moving happens, the show often still reverts back to the SV status quo, leaving the moments of progression behind, at least until it is convenient to bring them back into play. At least, that's often how the show plays out to my being.

 

[Brainiac 8]

My problem with SV's progression is when something very cool, sometimes subtle, but still forward-moving happens, the show often still reverts back to the SV status quo, leaving the moments of progression behind, at least until it is convenient to bring them back into play. At least, that's often how the show plays out to my being.

People think that, probably because they go back and forth on the relationships. But if you look at the things I mentioned, it's all things that continues in the themes and has not been reverted back to any status quo. The only thing they don't touch often is the flight, but Steven DeKnight has already said that if they do introduce flight as permanent, we still wouldn't see it much because of cost constraints.

None of the things I mentioned have been renigged on at all.

Avid..it seems that some of the people around here don't want subtle progression like would happen in real life. They want:

Episode 1 = Introduction of Clark
Episode 2 = Superman

It just doesn't happen like that.

 

[avidreader]

I just went out for a few hours and the first song that played on the car radio was My Immortal from Memoria. I so loved that scene at the end between Clark and Martha, it was such a special moment when Clark realised that Lara did actually love him as a mother would.

 

[Whiteflag]

I just went out for a few hours and the first song that played on the car radio was My Immortal from Memoria. I so loved that scene at the end between Clark and Martha, it was such a special moment when Clark realised that Lara did actually love him as a mother would.

I agree! I loved that scene! I actually cried when I first saw it.

It made up for the previous Clark/Lex scene at the barn. I never understood why Clark acted as he did. It was weird, almost OOC to me. I always thought there was something missing in between. Or maybe it was just bad writing. I firmly believe that, sadly, AG/MM have never understood, or really cared about, the character of Clark Kent.

 

[avidreader]

I agree! I loved that scene! I actually cried when I first saw it.

It made up for the previous Clark/Lex scene at the barn. I never understood why Clark acted as he did. It was weird, almost OOC to me. I always thought there was something missing in between. Or maybe it was just bad writing. I firmly believe that, sadly, AG/MM have never understood, or really cared about, the character of Clark Kent.

What did you think was weird about it? I thought that was a really good scene too.

 

[Whiteflag]

What did you think was weird about it? I thought that was a really good scene too.

Why would Clark ask Lex why his father hated him so much? I never understood what brought such a question at such a time. And why did Clark act so sullen, and hostile, toward Lex? Why didn't he at least thank Lex for helping him out of the tank?

I liked Memoria the first time I saw it, but after rewatching I've come to dislike how Clark is written on most of the episode. It seems as if AG/MM, and MM directing, wanted to make Lex a relatable, sympathetic figure at the expense of Clark. In that scene at the loft, Lex appears as the good, victimized friend, caring for Clark and patiently putting up with unfairness and gloominess from a broody Clark who had, after all, brought his ordeal upon himself. That's the idea behind the scene. But I don't understand Clark's reactions. If I think about it very hard, I can come up with some explanations but, to me, none of them is made clear enough in the episode.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Memoria is one of my favorite episodes from the series.

 

[Serene]

Why would Clark ask Lex why his father hated him so much? I never understood what brought such a question at such a time. And why did Clark act so sullen, and hostile, toward Lex? Why didn't he at least thank Lex for helping him out of the tank?

I liked Memoria the first time I saw it, but after rewatching I've come to dislike how Clark is written on most of the episode. It seems as if AG/MM, and MM directing, wanted to make Lex a relatable, sympathetic figure at the expense of Clark. In that scene at the loft, Lex appears as the good, victimized friend, caring for Clark and patiently putting up with unfairness and gloominess from a broody Clark who had, after all, brought his ordeal upon himself. That's the idea behind the scene. But I don't understand Clark's reactions. If I think about it very hard, I can come up with some explanations but, to me, none of them is made clear enough in the episode.

Nice thread, avid.

You bring up some really good questions, 'flag. Memoria is one of my favorite episodes, but I admit, I haven't watched it in a long time. My impressions though, were that Lex and Clark's relationship was in a different place at that time. Both Lex and Clark were victims, in different senses, but Lex did have an edge on Clark in maturity and worldliness. Clark's gloominess seemed very fitting for a young high school man with so many questions about himself. I do think that Lex was made a sympathetic character, but rightly so considering Lionel's monstrous actions, but I didn't see the sympathy to be at any cost to Clark - rather a distorted symmetry. The sympathy we may have been given for Lex is really short-lived in light of him progressing to crossing over into unredeemable territory. I think the sympathy becomes more of background explanation for the evil guy Lex is embracing now.