SV: Hypnotic

[norwich36]

I wanted to write down my responses to the episode before reading other people's, but I don't really have any deep thoughts at the moment, other than I'd really like to be Simone (and I would have done a few things differently when we got to the Luthor manor. Ok, maybe not, if Lex were blackmailing me, but that fic premise pretty much writes itself, doesn't it?)

It did strike me as interesting, though, how despite the overwhelming SV preference for brunette babes, in the past couple seasons whenever Clark has "strayed" from Lana it has been with a blonde with short hair. (Just not the one I want it to be....sigh.)

Other than that: I liked Lex getting his Indiana Jones on again. He's being played by Fine, yes, but I don't believe he trusts Fine, so I'm willing to wait and see how that storyline plays out. I also liked that they're continuing to show his descent into iconic villainy, with the Simone subplot. And at least he's starting to show signs of the vaunted Lexian ability to manipulate people (i.e. only communicating with Simone remotely), but if Lex was smart enough to figure out Simone killed her dad, he must have figured out about the medallion, so why didn't he drug her in her sleep and steal it for himself? Besides the fact that we needed a storyline, I mean.

I will believe Lana and Clark are broken up if they get through the next five episodes and are still broken up. Maybe. But still, assuming we take them at their word, I do like the plot dynamic it sets up. I really, really loved that last scene with Lana and Lex, and her anger at Clark. I like the way they are positioning her alliance with Lex, too, and that they're taking some time to set that up first before moving directly to the Lexana. And I also love that Lex is playing her, being apparently aboveboard but manipulating her behind the scenes. That's the kind of Lexana I want to see.

Metatextually, I think, actually, making Lana furious with Clark is a plausible way to move the Lexana along faster, so if they are actually done with the Clana, I actually forgive the writers for all the dithering about the breakup, because they did need to set up a scenario in which she would be more angry than heartbroken.

What else? Chloe continues to kick butt this season. Her scene pulling the wool over Simone's eyes was awesome; I loved her faith in Clark and her defense of him to Lois; and I really loved the fact that she got to pull a Clark-like vanishing act on Lois. That really cracked me up. And she completely rocked in that scene at the Luthor mansion--Clark could stand to learn some smooth moves from her!

Overall I thought this was a solid episode setting in motion a few of the plotlines that are going to finish up the season--nothing spectacular but pretty fun to watch.

Ok, that is all for now. Off to see what everyone else thinks.

Comments

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Well, I thought Clark picked an especially dumb way to break up, but it could have been worse--for a while I thought they were just going to let Lana keep on believing Clark cheated on her, which would have made me gnash my teeth in fury. Actually, the fact that she *knows* Clark was hypnotized makes the scenario work a little better for me, because it helps explain her extreme anger. It's not just that Clark says he doesn't love her anymore, when she's been patiently waiting (from her perspective, anyway); even though she probably was willing to forgive Clark for what he did under hypnosis, I'm sure seeing him with Simone is still fueling a lot of her anger.

Will they stay broken up? Well, I've been proven wrong before, but I think they might, at least until the Lexana is played out.

I saw that you didn't like the episode, but honestly I thought it was the slashiest (or at least most slashable) in a long time. I mean, Lex paying someone to break Clark and Lana up doesn't have to be about Lana, does it? And in that scene in the mansion, Lex looked like he was almost able to break through Clark's hypnosis (just by the sheer power of LOVE. Oh, was that only in my head?)

[latxcvi.livejournal.com]

Lex looked like he was almost able to break through Clark's hypnosis (just by the sheer power of LOVE. Oh, was that only in my head?)

No, it wasn't. Lex was the only person who got Clark to even waver or hesitate. He was calm and polite with his mom, Chloe and Lana, but he didn't waver from what Simone had told him to do with any of them. With Lex, he hesitated, he started to waver. Simone basically had to remind him what he was supposed to be doing.

I almost want to say that it's indicative of how Clark has always responded to Lex being upfront with him, which is to say that he tends to melt entirely soften, become warmer. And that's consistent with the way he was still fairly honest/in-character in his dealings with everyone else -- respectful and warm with his mom, open and straightforward with Chloe, annoyed with Lois -- despite being hypnotized.