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Smallville 7.5 "Action"
Despite the
Things that were awesome--which pretty much encompasses the whole episode
Lana v. Lionel:
Dear producers, you really really don't need to pander to me in this very obvious way, because I think I've made it clear that I will see the good in this show no matter what. However, if you WANT to pander to me, you can keep up with this as long as you want to, really.
I had a hard time deciding who I wanted to win in the Lana v. Lionel smackdown. As you know, I've been Lionel's number one fangirl for a long time, and he only renewed that love by
On the other hand, if there ever was anyone who deserved the Misery treatment--not to mention a shovel to the face--it is Lionel, and I actually cheered when we saw it was Lana who was behind the captivity. (I'm slow, I know--I should have twigged to the fact that it was her earlier, but like Lois I suspected Lex all along.)
The Lionel-Lana confrontation in the barn was also fantastic because of course he figured out Lana was behind his captivity--but I think she did a great job holding her own in that scene. And Lionel bringing up her concern for Clark was a masterful bit of manipulation but also brought into sharp relief that parallel between Lionel's own actions last season--which he justified to Clark by saying he was trying to protect him--and Lana's actions this season.
I have to agree with Lionel, here: clearly imprisoning him was an act of revenge, not protection. Even though I sympathize a bit with Lana's actions--is there any fan of the show who hasn't wanted to, at the very least, hit Lionel in the face with a shovel?--I agree with Lionel: Lana's is on the edge of a moral precipice, if she hasn't already jumped off. (I actually think she's jumped, and though Clark can catch her when she physically falls, like in this episode, I don't think he can stop her ethical tumble. And even if she doesn't hit rock bottom, I can't imagine him looking at her in the same way when he discovers her methods have included kidnapping and assault).
Lois v. Lex
Can you say canonical Lois Lane, baby!!! Okay, she's not QUITE there, because Lex caught her before she was actually able to find anything, but still! Wonderful disguise, effective breaking and entering, going against her editors warnings, finding out stuff even Lex didn't know, and FACING OFF AGAINST LEX!! Oh, this made me so happy! They really need to have more Lex v. Lois scenes together; they really crackle.
I also liked Lois' scenes with new editor whose name is escaping me at the moment--though is he really protecting her by warning her off Luthors, or are we supposed to suspect he's in their pocket? I did love Lois' comment to him that he would be the arm candy if he went with her.
Warrior Angel and Devilicus
Aka Clark and Lex. Okay, I've always been a huge fan of this parallel, and even though they were a LITTLE anvilly, I still liked it. Didn't someone write a story where Lex had given up his Warrior Angel obsession as a direct reaction to his alienation from Clarked? Whoever that was just got inked in a major way. Though I love that despite Lex's protestations that he has given up his interest in Warrior Angel, he nevertheless has his entire comic collection right there in his office, and can immediately point to the issue that Clark needs. Oh yeah, he's totally over his superhero fetish.
And how cool was it that obsesso-fanboy actually CALLED Lex Devilicus in that scene in Belle Reve? (Devilicus in the movie had a very cool costume, btw). And everyone who's been saying Lex knows all about Clark, I think we basically got confirmation in that scene, didn't we?
This makes two episodes in a row where Clark and Lex had screentime together--and they weren't even fighting with each other. You'd think this was season five, or something.
Lex and Lionel
The show has toyed with Lex and Lionel switching places for a while, but I think this episode is supposed to signal that this shoft has definitively happened. Lionel was the powerless one who needed to be saved by Lex--and only his captor's goading allowed him to accept that help, given his deep suspicion about Lex's motives. Furthermore, Lionel, not Lex, was the one with the out-of-control emotions, beating that woman to death, while Lex remained calm.
The blocking of that scene, with Lionel crouched on the floor and Lex looming over him, seemed to me to be a clear sign that Lex has ascended and Lionel has fallen. My prediction is that Lionel is right to suspect Lex's intentions toward him, and that Lionel is not going to make it past the end of this season. Even though we saw Lionel's survival instincts in this episode, we also saw his weakness: he looked so old and weak in those opening shots, and I think that was significant beyond the fact that he's been captive for a long time.
Clark, Lana, and destiny
Very, very anvilly, yes--but this episode did make me wonder if they're actually foreshadowing Lana's death. I know she lives in canon, but the parallel between Warrior Angel's girlfriend and Lana was too direct to overlook, especially given the fact that Lex and Lionel now apparently know she's acting against them. And the fact that they already have Lana acknowledging she's going to have to let Clark go seems kind of ominous to me.
Clark catching Lana as she tumbled off the balcony was a clear homage to Superman I, but it was bittersweet given the heavy foreshadowing that Clark and Lana can never have a future together. I do have to agree now, though, with everyone who last week commented on the sexlessness of the Clana. There was one sort of veiled reference to sex at the beginning of the ep, with Lana suggesting that there were other ways Clark could work off his energy--but did they even kiss at all in this episode? It's really kind of weird. You would have at least expected them to kiss after he rescued her. WTF is up with that?