Smallville: Tomb

[norwich36]

Hmm. My first thought about this episode was that not only has Lana taken Clark's's old place with Lex (going to him with all her important problems and asking him for favors), but Chloe has completely taken Lex's place for Clark, as well (there were too many parallels--and direct references--to the Shattered/Asylum arc not to be deliberate).

And even though Chloe is tied with Lex as my favorite character on Smallville, it kind of hurt that the lessons (if any) that Clark learned from Shattered/Asylum--never to let a friend get sent to Belle Reve again--were getting carried out for Chloe's benefit rather than Lex's. *Sniffle*
(Though, frankly, if anything this storyline showed that even if Clark *had* rescued Lex, it wouldn't have helped much--geez, if Chloe had really been having a breakdown rather than being possessed by an evil spirit, she'd probably be dead by now).

Still, I loved getting a Chloe-centered episode. They did a good job with the horror, I thought--especially that scene with Lois and Chloe trapped in the basement. Damn, AM is always good, but ED *really* was awesome in that scene. I *love* Lois being all protective of her cousin. (Though I wish the writers hadn't made Lois so stupid as not to lock the door when that creepy orderly had just left. But that I blame on their bad writing, not on Lois).

I wish we had gotten to see Chloe's mom at the end, but still, I'm really glad that Chloe did go to see her, and I *love* that Clark pushed her into it. (Chloe's always pushed him--sometimes inappropriately--to deal with his past, so it was nice to see that reversed, for once). Really, this episode is definitely showing Clark maturing, as an investigator (having to track down bad guys without Chloe's help!), as a friend (that final conversation with Chloe at the end), and as a son (I *love* that he's the one persuading Martha to take the senate seat.) Now if only he would remember that he and Lana broke up!

Lex was very interesting in this, I thought. I think volunteering to help Lana get Chloe medical help was a genuine desire to help Lana, but it of course would have served to help him find out the secrets Chloe is keeping about Clark, and so we're finally moving on to a Lex characterization worthy of the real Lex Luthor, where everything he does will be for dual (or multiple) motives.

Finally, once again AOT really steals the show. I can't figure out *when* in the timeline of her life Martha was supposed to have been a "corporate animal" (didn't she marry Jonathan right out of college?), but I loved that line and the scene with Clark when she decided to be senator. But even more, I loved that scene with Lionel--she had barely *any* lines in the last half of it, and she conveyed so much just with her eyes and her expression. I am *really* getting excited about this storyline, if only because it gives AOT a chance to shine, even if they *do* decide to let Martha get played by Lionel. (I'm torn on how I feel about that plot, because I would really love to see Mionel, but I can't figure out any way the writers could get there *without* Martha being played by Lionel.)

Comments

[sadface.livejournal.com]

I think volunteering to help Lana get Chloe medical help was a genuine desire to help Lana,

Yes I was thinking, it was like. At first, Lana asks something, and he agrees just because he can. Same as he often does with Clark, he doesn't *care* at all and he doesnt have any emotional investment, he *enjoys* being the guy that people turn to. Then after Lana leaves, Lex is thinking, 'this could totally work for me, Clark is *way* closer to Chloe than he used to be and *way* further away from Lana. There *has* to be a reason for this. And its then that his motives come in to play, which is why he is a little creepy at the hospital.

I love that he mentions Lana *twice* in that scene. Telling Clark that Lana told him all about and the 'Lana thinks so too' jab. I loved that scene so much. I *love* that Clark didnt say anything, and just *stood there* and I thought he was going to let him do it too and I was so pleased when he didnt, but he didnt shout at Lex or rant and rave he just waited til he was gone and then took her out. And he didnt bother denying it later on either. I loved that.

I'm not counting the previous Clana breakup, they held hands at the funeral and his dad has *just* died, there really isnt an appropriate time to have the 'so are we still together' conversation. It would have been better, I think, if Lana had hesitated before saying 'couple' but she didnt, never mind. And maybe if Clark had *looked* a little suprised when she said it, but whatever. I really did see todays scene as a breakup though, just a resigned 'we are never going to work' thing, and Clark has more important things now, he seems to really be growing into that, scoobying on his own, helping Chlow out and the lessons he learnt in Vengeance. Lana doesnt have *any place* in Clark's life anymore and I *think* he's coming to realise that. Which pleases me as I have great hopes that this means the Rift will be about something that isn't Lana, that its about *Lex* and *Clark* and their rapidly diverging paths and goals.

Okay, sorry I rambled there. My bad.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Nice! You picked up on a few things I didn't. I was all in the Clark-is-maturing-emotionally-OMG!! bit.

if Chloe had really been having a breakdown rather than being possessed by an evil spirit, she'd probably be dead by now
Uh... yes, and I was a little uncomfortable with that. His methods were validated by the outcome within the episode. It could have been otherwise. Still... I tried to go with that in my review.

Lois was good! Yay! I'm glad you thought so. I think Erica's acting was reall strong and I loved the girls saving one another thing. It's rapidly becoming a more female-dominated show! Lois in protective cousin mode is always always good.

I *love* that he's the one persuading Martha to take the senate seat
Yes! I love the way he is maturing. I also found it very interesting, though I didn't talk about it in my review, that he says it's what Jonathan would have wanted. Because I'm not so sure... yes, Jonathan really wanted someone to take on the Luthors. He believed in the cause, not just himself doing it. But would he want *Martha* doing it? Wouldn't he want to 'protect' her more? I love that Clark thinks Martha is strong enough to do this. And I think it's interesting that we've got this developing myth of there being a lot of Jonathan in Clark. But what Clark *tells* himself his dad would want and what his dad really would have wanted... could be different. Or am I just too cynical about Jonathan?

I'm really excited by Martha/Lionel plot too, but I don't want her strength taken away from her. *crosses fingers it's done well*