It's funny, because you and I picked up on a lot of the same positive things about the episode, but while I didn't hate it -- and actually quite enjoyed it while I was watching it -- I didn't love it as much as you did. Too many of the connecting threads -- why is Chloe even taking Lionel's calls? How did Lana even meet her flatlining compadres? how did Clark know exactly where in Honduras to look to pick up Fine's trail? why did we need the Homeland Security shout-out when Chloe simply hacking into the school's systems would have been sufficient since they were tracking Lana's electronic student I.D.?, etc. -- were just, as I said, dumber than a sack of hair that there's much I simply can't take seriously about the ep. But what I liked in it, I really, *really* liked, and it was many of the same things that worked for you.
And to tie this to the iconic episodes we got for Clark and for Lex (part one of Reckoning and Lexmas), I find it telling that even in her fantasy/dream/post-death world, Lana doesn't get what she most desires. Even compared to Lex and Clark's experiences with their parents tonight: Lex and Clark both got very clear messages from their parents about the type of men they are going to be (and I'll discuss that more below), but Lana just got pulled away from her parents, again. Loss still remains the defining feature of her character. But I think what we saw tonight was Lana really *accepting* that, on an adult level
See, this I'm not sure about, largely because she's about to jump into a relationship with Lex. I'd be more persuaded that Lana's really accepting it and that she's really growing beyond it if they didn't plan to stick her right back in a relationship that seems to be more about her not wanting to be alone again and less about her actually having feelings for her new partner (and also possibly about her being broke, too, although I don't know if this creative team is willing to let Lana be *that* ruthless). I think Lana *wants* to be over this aspect of her personality; I think she recognizes the ways in which it's her emotional and psychological albatross, but I don't think she can actually break free of it. (In much the same way, I think Lex absolutely recognizes that he has within himself the power to make good choices and to be a good person, but it's not something (1) he believes he *can* do, or, (2) he *wants* to do.)
For the same reason, I'm glad Lex lied to Lana about what his mother said to him, because it means that he's lying about always being truthful to her.
*nods* What I liked about it was that I also think it shows that even if he wants to, he doesn't really trust her. I mean, Lex *has* opened up to people about dark things in the past (and by 'people' I really mean 'Clark') and it's been established that if he really loves or thinks he loves someone, he can even come clean with them about really bad stuff that he's done (cf. telling Helen he stole that vial of blood). But the fact that he wouldn't tell Lana just how dark that vision really was suggests that he doesn't feel the kinship to her that he might want to. I liked it because to me, it showed that he absolutely realizes she's capable of active manipulation; he didn't just write off the business with his car as her being strung out. If Lex were truly besotted with Lana, his answer would have been a lot closer to the actual truth, even if he did put a spin on it.
As long as he isn't a lovestruck fool, I'm completely ok with that. Bring on the mutual manipulation!!
Right. That's why I loved him lying to her about the dream. I don't want sincere!Lex but scheming!Lana. That's not any more appealing than lovestruck!Lex and oblivious!Lana.
part I
And to tie this to the iconic episodes we got for Clark and for Lex (part one of Reckoning and Lexmas), I find it telling that even in her fantasy/dream/post-death world, Lana doesn't get what she most desires. Even compared to Lex and Clark's experiences with their parents tonight: Lex and Clark both got very clear messages from their parents about the type of men they are going to be (and I'll discuss that more below), but Lana just got pulled away from her parents, again. Loss still remains the defining feature of her character. But I think what we saw tonight was Lana really *accepting* that, on an adult level
See, this I'm not sure about, largely because she's about to jump into a relationship with Lex. I'd be more persuaded that Lana's really accepting it and that she's really growing beyond it if they didn't plan to stick her right back in a relationship that seems to be more about her not wanting to be alone again and less about her actually having feelings for her new partner (and also possibly about her being broke, too, although I don't know if this creative team is willing to let Lana be *that* ruthless). I think Lana *wants* to be over this aspect of her personality; I think she recognizes the ways in which it's her emotional and psychological albatross, but I don't think she can actually break free of it. (In much the same way, I think Lex absolutely recognizes that he has within himself the power to make good choices and to be a good person, but it's not something (1) he believes he *can* do, or, (2) he *wants* to do.)
For the same reason, I'm glad Lex lied to Lana about what his mother said to him, because it means that he's lying about always being truthful to her.
*nods* What I liked about it was that I also think it shows that even if he wants to, he doesn't really trust her. I mean, Lex *has* opened up to people about dark things in the past (and by 'people' I really mean 'Clark') and it's been established that if he really loves or thinks he loves someone, he can even come clean with them about really bad stuff that he's done (cf. telling Helen he stole that vial of blood). But the fact that he wouldn't tell Lana just how dark that vision really was suggests that he doesn't feel the kinship to her that he might want to. I liked it because to me, it showed that he absolutely realizes she's capable of active manipulation; he didn't just write off the business with his car as her being strung out. If Lex were truly besotted with Lana, his answer would have been a lot closer to the actual truth, even if he did put a spin on it.
As long as he isn't a lovestruck fool, I'm completely ok with that. Bring on the mutual manipulation!!
Right. That's why I loved him lying to her about the dream. I don't want sincere!Lex but scheming!Lana. That's not any more appealing than lovestruck!Lex and oblivious!Lana.