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SV: Vengeance
For the first half of the episode I didn't think I'd have much to say about this one, but they really packed a lot into that last 20 minutes, didn't they.
Ok, first of all, I never thought I would cry for Jonathan Kent (for Martha and Clark's grief, sure, but not for the man himself), but *dammit*, even though I knew they were being deliberately emotionally manipulative with those home movies, I bawled like a baby when Jonathan said "goodbye."
Second: Oh, Lionel, you are *such* a magnificent bastard. I knew you'd start making a play for Martha, but I *didn't* expect you to play the Lillian card, and that was *masterful.* And I didn't really expect Martha to actually mean something to you--giving up your takeover of Luthercorp? Either you really *do* love her, or you're playing a very deep game, and either way I love that like McArthur, you have returned.
[So: was that statement just a typrical Luthor declaration of war masked as a historical allusion? A sign that Jor-El has been in his body this whole time, and now Lionel is back at the reigns? Or vice versa? At any rate, when he said "Thank you, son" after CLark saved him, I got *chills*].
On the "path to future destiny" watch, Lex and Clark both take a further step down that road. Clark's, of course, is strewn with many cheddar-flavored anvils, but I *did* like to see that he was able to pull back from killing that dude without a Chloe ex machina (which was what I was actually expecting).
And Lex--damn, I CHEERED when he beat his dad. You go, Lex! What are you doing, keeping the barn under video surveillance? (*There's* a story waiting to be written!) At last you're showing some badass mojo. I also loved "If I'd have known you wanted a duel, I would have brought my own pistol." I know Lionel is probably going to die by the end of this season (it makes thematic sense, especially given how he's always been paralled to Jonathan), but I am really going to miss the JG/MR scenes when that happens. (And I must say I *loved* how this episode paralleled the Lex/Lana and Lionel/Martha plots--that's not a connection I was anticipating).
I will leave others to talk about the lessons Clark is supposed to learn from his encounter with the "Angel of Vengeance"--but it's interesting that they seem to be setting up a complicated suicide slums plotline, linked to Lionel. I can't figure out why else we got so much exposition dump about the gangs and Akrata--it was more complicated than it needed to be for just one episode. (I wish their Suicide Slums *set* looked a little less fake, though!)
I'm also really excited about how this plotline opens up an expanded role for AOT (I hope). Is she really going to be Senator? That would make the Lionel romance plot make a lot more sense, and more interesting. I wonder how far they're willing to go with this storyline? As usual, AOT was really good in all her scenes tonight--I especially loved the Chloe/Martha bonding moment. And she played her scene with JG very well--I love how steely-eyed she was through most of it, but then she softened up at the end.
It's interesting, if you think about Jonathan's watch, paralleling Lillian's watch, as a symbolic heritage passed down to the sons. In both case, the heritage is a moral center for them. I think it's significant that Lex's watch got stolen during Lexmas, but Clark had his with him even when he didn't have the physical watch.
Ok, first of all, I never thought I would cry for Jonathan Kent (for Martha and Clark's grief, sure, but not for the man himself), but *dammit*, even though I knew they were being deliberately emotionally manipulative with those home movies, I bawled like a baby when Jonathan said "goodbye."
Second: Oh, Lionel, you are *such* a magnificent bastard. I knew you'd start making a play for Martha, but I *didn't* expect you to play the Lillian card, and that was *masterful.* And I didn't really expect Martha to actually mean something to you--giving up your takeover of Luthercorp? Either you really *do* love her, or you're playing a very deep game, and either way I love that like McArthur, you have returned.
[So: was that statement just a typrical Luthor declaration of war masked as a historical allusion? A sign that Jor-El has been in his body this whole time, and now Lionel is back at the reigns? Or vice versa? At any rate, when he said "Thank you, son" after CLark saved him, I got *chills*].
On the "path to future destiny" watch, Lex and Clark both take a further step down that road. Clark's, of course, is strewn with many cheddar-flavored anvils, but I *did* like to see that he was able to pull back from killing that dude without a Chloe ex machina (which was what I was actually expecting).
And Lex--damn, I CHEERED when he beat his dad. You go, Lex! What are you doing, keeping the barn under video surveillance? (*There's* a story waiting to be written!) At last you're showing some badass mojo. I also loved "If I'd have known you wanted a duel, I would have brought my own pistol." I know Lionel is probably going to die by the end of this season (it makes thematic sense, especially given how he's always been paralled to Jonathan), but I am really going to miss the JG/MR scenes when that happens. (And I must say I *loved* how this episode paralleled the Lex/Lana and Lionel/Martha plots--that's not a connection I was anticipating).
I will leave others to talk about the lessons Clark is supposed to learn from his encounter with the "Angel of Vengeance"--but it's interesting that they seem to be setting up a complicated suicide slums plotline, linked to Lionel. I can't figure out why else we got so much exposition dump about the gangs and Akrata--it was more complicated than it needed to be for just one episode. (I wish their Suicide Slums *set* looked a little less fake, though!)
I'm also really excited about how this plotline opens up an expanded role for AOT (I hope). Is she really going to be Senator? That would make the Lionel romance plot make a lot more sense, and more interesting. I wonder how far they're willing to go with this storyline? As usual, AOT was really good in all her scenes tonight--I especially loved the Chloe/Martha bonding moment. And she played her scene with JG very well--I love how steely-eyed she was through most of it, but then she softened up at the end.
It's interesting, if you think about Jonathan's watch, paralleling Lillian's watch, as a symbolic heritage passed down to the sons. In both case, the heritage is a moral center for them. I think it's significant that Lex's watch got stolen during Lexmas, but Clark had his with him even when he didn't have the physical watch.
no subject
I'm really glad you mentioned the watch parallels. This really got to me, because Martha getting mugged seemed such an obvious Lexmas parallel. And yet I couldn't make out the *point* of it. Certainly the missing parent working as moral compass thing is at the heart of it, and you made the leap that I didn't in pointing out that Clark's functions without the need of an actual physical memento. Whereas Lex has rejected his mother's moral function after losing the physical memento.
So here's my crazy speculation(!): Lionel could be behind Lex's mugging/shooting too. I know really that this is just the nurofen and my Lex-fixation combining with weird consequences (I really can't bear the fact he lost that watch and Clark got his back even though he didn't really want it!) but my mind kept going there...
no subject
Ok, like I said, wish fulfillment, because I'm sure no one gets to be on Lex's side. *Sigh* Back to responding to your comments:
I'm really glad you mentioned the watch parallels. This really got to me, because Martha getting mugged seemed such an obvious Lexmas parallel. And yet I couldn't make out the *point* of it. Certainly the missing parent working as moral compass thing is at the heart of it, and you made the leap that I didn't in pointing out that Clark's functions without the need of an actual physical memento. Whereas Lex has rejected his mother's moral function after losing the physical memento.
I'm sure Lex losing Lillian's watch in that episode is just foreshadowing the choice that he eventually makes--but if you're looking for parallels, I'll call your "Lionel was behind Lex's mugging" and raise you one "Martha is going to lose *her* moral center" (for a little while, anyway). I can't figure out why else they stuck in that odd conversation with Chloe where she says she feels like she can't keep Clark's secret without Jonathan. I think Martha is going to slip, somehow, with Lionel. (It won't really matter, I suspect, because he already knows, but it will matter to Martha.)
no subject
I think you might be right about Martha. The way the barn scene with Lionel played out was uncomfortable for me. She seemed genuinely vulnerable to him in a way that I wouldn't usually expect from her. I can't say I love the idea of Martha losing her moral centre in the wake of Jonathan's passing (I just baulk at her being shown as that dependent) but I think it might be something they go for. She reached out to Chloe, but it may be that Chloe proves to be less reliable and dependable than Martha thinks.
no subject
I think the post I just made on "Splinter" and foreshadowing is on more solid ground on the foreshadowing front, so I'm interested to see what you think of that.
no subject