SV: Wither

[norwich36]

This episode kicked ass, I thought. I loved how it continued to position people in terms of their seasonal arcs, and I thought it did an excellent job of blending character and relationship development with the Freak of the Week. It was fantastic that the Freak of the Week was not, in fact, a meteor freak but one of the Phantoms Clark released from the Zone. That's very appropriate, because in this season, Clark (like everyone else) is really an adult, and is making decisions not based on his childhood guilt (and the meteor showers he wasn't really responsible for), but must take responsibility for adult actions. He freed the faux Poison Ivy, and now he has to deal with her.

What was especially interesting, I thought, was that in an episode that was all about budding relationships, Clark clearly felt an instinctive connection to Faux Ivy (sorry, I have forgotten her name). I couldn't quite figure out why, when they first met, but clearly we're supposed to believe that he is drawn to her instinctively because she, like him, is alien to this world--and of course because of his increasing sense of isolation. It was very interesting, too, that in the list of people he's lost he gave to his mom, he includes Jor-El in the list with Jonathan and Lana. So maybe he is actually beginning to embrace his alienness a little more.

I really want to rewatch this whole episode before completely analyzing the new Lex/Clark dynamic, but based simply on my first viewing of that scene, the writers are clearly positioning both of them for their iconic identities. That scene was pure Luthor confronts Superman--there was not much of the Lex and Clark about it. And it's regrettable, in a way, that Clark is blaming Lex for Zod's actions, though it certainly makes character sense, since he's still very torn up about Lex and Lana. Still, even though I regret where Clark and Lex are, vis-a-vis each other, on the show, I loved that scene. It felt like the gloves were off, and both MR and TW rocked in it.

Of course, the show hasn't completely surrendered the subtext between Lex and Clark--Chloe's line to Lana about Lex not wanting a threesome actually made my jaw drop. Canonical acknowledgement of that particular side of the triangle, even to deny it, is fun to see!

Another reason I really want to rewatch this episode, though, is for all the scenes with Lex and Lana, both independently and together. I really have never loved Lana more than I did tonight. Like Clark learning to act like an adult and take responsibility for what he unleashed from the Phantom Zone, Lana is clearly more mature in this episode than we've ever seen her. I loved her initial conversation with Lex, especially the insight that Lex always wants what he can't have, and so she fears when he has her he will no longer want her. I sympathized with her dislike of the media's classification of her as another one of Lex's girls, and I really adored her reluctance in approaching Chloe. She recognized that their friendship had been strained, which was a wonderful bit of continuity, and I really loved her acknowledgment that her trust issues were really more about *her* than they were about the men that she dated. And I loved, loved, loved that Chloe put aside (for the most part) her trust issues about Lex and gave Lana the advice of a good friend.

And Lex--my god, if I hadn't already worshipped this show's Lex Luthor, I would have started tonight. He was wonderfully direct with Lana, that he was no longer going to pay for Clark's mistakes. And that story about his mom tore my heart to SHREDS, but using that story so strategically, to counter Lana's complaints about the press, was sheer Lexian manipulation, and I loved it. And I also loved his speech to her at the end, about how satisfaction is superior to happiness, since happiness is just a product of brain chemistry. Oh yes, that's the future Lex Luthor. And seamlessly seducing Lana by making her feel like she is different from all of his other girls was also completely smooth. (I do think Lex does place Lana in a special category, but at the same time he knows she needs to feel his relationship with her is different, and he's definitely using that to his ends).

And on a completely shallow note: he was absolutely GORGEOUS in that costume. And I feel sorry for the people who can't stand Lana, because I honestly thought that sex scene was the HOTTEST thing I'd ever seen on the show. I loved the symbolism of Lana taking away his armor, because it's so double-layered: she thinks she is getting underneath his shell, and he lets her think that (and maybe even lets himself think that), but he denies the possibility of happiness. And if happiness is merely brain chemistry, how much more so is love? This, my friends, is the slower (and better) road to iconic Lex Luthordom, and I am currently ecstatic at the way this season is shaping up.

And how fun that we got to compare the different couple dynamics: Lex/Lana, Lois/Oliver, and Chloe/Jimmy. I want to rewatch before I speculate more on the parallels/differences the show is setting up between these couples (for example: is Oliver's ability to completely predict Lois' responses suppose to mirror Lex's more subtle manipulations of Lana? Does Lois' refusal to do the predictable and kiss Oliver anyone a deliberate reversal of Lana taking the first step in the literal seduction scene? And isn't it interesting that of all the relationships, the only one right now where there is a clear dominant personality right now is Chloe/Jimmy?) But like I said, I want to rewatch before saying anything more definitive about parallelism. But I can say I loved watching all three of them.

Ok, moving to Lois: speaking of this episode being about taking adult responsibility, it was wonderful to see Lois accepting responsibility for her mistake--and not, I think, out of fear that Martha would fire her, but because she genuinely felt guilty about letting Martha down. And damn, she does good banter! I really loved seeing her with Oliver--so many great, quotable lines--and I also love the possibilities this romance sets up for her getting more involved this season. And they have great chemistry.

As do Chloe and Jimmy. I thought the two of them were completely adorable, actually. I forgive the writers that unbelievable trick in the ambulance just for the line "Did you just paddle me?" And I loved Jimmy being the reasonable one, trying to stop Chloe from endangering her life, but then going into to danger himself to prove himself to her.

Ok, I probably have more to say but I'm running out of steam. So much stuff in this episode to analyze, though, after the rewatch. And I think I may completely wear out the tape replaying the Lexana sex scene. Guh. I hope those two have lots and lots and lots of sex before their inevitable painful breakup.