norwich36 | Smallville: Arrow

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Smallville: Arrow

If you hated this episode, this may not be the review for you.

Let me just get this out of the way first:
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS SHOW! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I screamed out loud at least three separate times when I was watching it!!!!

Ahem. Ok. I will try to contain my fangirly joy long enough to be semi-coherent about this episode. I expect there will be abuse of the CAPITALS OF EMPHASIS AND GREAT EXCITEMENT in this post, though, so please be warned.

Things that filled me with tremendous joy in this episode:

LOIS: I could finally see, beyond a shadow of a doubt, iconic Lois Lane. She really shone in this episode. Even when she was bumbling tactlessly through cocktail party small talk, she was amusing, but I loved how good she is at being an action-adventure heroine! Seriously, I *believed* her ability to catch up to Ollie, and more especially, her proficiency at self-defense when attacked by the goons and her toughness under torture a hell of a lot more than I ever believed in the self-defense moves of any of the women on this show before. She seemed like a grown-up, tough woman, rather than a little girl playacting at being tough.

And I'm believing her entry into journalism, too, because I can definitely see someone like Green Arrow getting under her skin and making her crazy enough that she can't stop investigating him. I love that just like she ends up eventually giving Superman his name, she gives Green Arrow his name, too--and I love their adversarial relationship. Hell, her banter with Green Arrow is even better than her banter with Ollie.

I think the moment I loved Lois most in this episode, though, wasn't any of the dramatic stuff or the great banter, but just how self-assured and snarky she was in her initial scene with the security guy, because that's the moment I went, oh YES. That is a Lois Lane I can buy into!

I only have one concern with her new trajectory this season, and that's that I really hope they're not setting up a Lois/Chloe journalism rivalry. That would make me sad, because I love their relationship. I think maybe Chloe's still being a tad condescending to her, but they did work together, and I liked that better than a rivalry.

CLARK:
I really liked all his interactions with Ollie--they seemed really in character for his future role. I like that he's simultaneously realizing that not everything is black and white and yet at the same time holding onto a moral code, because future Superman really *isn't* Robin Hood. And I'm actually interested to see what he does with that necklace--I hope we will find out in future episodes. And that final talk he had with Ollie about relationships was fantastic, I thought, because it shows first of all that Clark has learned something from his time with Lana, and because it struck me as a nice bit of protectiveness toward Lois. (I still don't really see Clois chemistry--more of a sibling thing--but I like that he feels protective).

I'm not as into Ollie as the rest of fandom, but I can definitely see the slashy potential there, too, and definitely look forward to reading those stories.

LANA:
Oh, MAN. Before the very end of the episode, this review was going to close with a long section on how much I LOVE LANA in this episode--she was so LUTHORIAN. (And I still think that--it's just now I have to end with Lex, for obvious reasons. But first Lana).

I never thought I could possibly love Lana as much as I loved Lana tonight, but this Lana? Kicks serious ass. HOLY SHIT! She was playing Lionel! I mean, he was playing her in a very complex game for Lex, but until that reveal, I was so damned impressed that she made Lionel think she was sympathetic to his agenda and then went and blackmailed that scientist. DAMN! That was just the most perfect thing I have ever seen in my life. I love that she puts Lex's interests above those of other people; I love that she is using the Luthorian skills of blackmail and manipulation, and I love her little steely explanation to Lex that she wants him to keep investigating so if the Kryptonians return they can fight back. That was so marvellously in keeping with the whole fear-of-aliens motif that was her primary character arc last season and was only reinforced by the encounter with Zod, and I love it to DEATH.

LEX
And really, the only thing better than Lana's plotline was to find that Lex was ~~playing her~~ testing her the whole time. DAMN! That's my Lex Luthor! And holy crap, he got Lionel to play along with him! This is it, folks. This is Lex taking serious steps down the road on his iconic journey. The power reversal from season 1 is almost complete: now Lionel's the one begging to be let into Lex's projects, and Lex is the one with power. And he's using the power for what to him is a serious and important goal--being able to protect the world--and if that's dangerous, so be it.

And can I just say, I actually got up and did a little joy dance around my living room at the confirmation that Lionel has been playing the Kents, and Lex knows it very well. (Ok, it's possible that Lex is right, Lionel *has* convinced himself that he's good and he's playing some sort of deep multi-level game, but either way, I don't care: Lionel's back to his glorious, bastardly, devious self and I couldn't be happier.)

Oh, and Martha Kent running for U.S. Senate, not just state senate, and needing Lionel's help to grease the wheels: an excellent motive for her to spend more time with him. Mionel! With Clark not wanting his mom to be indebted to Lionel! I am so excited about the potential of this storyline!

And next week's preview, which I won't mention specifically so as not to spoil the DL crowd, but it makes me so excited too!

I love my show so VERY MUCH!!!

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01. And sadly enough I can't agree with you about Lois, because I still don't see any of the iconic Lois qualities in her that everybody else is seeing and it irritated me to no ends the way she treated Chloe regarding "the scoop" on her story. As if Chloe would try and steal her precious little by-line. I don't think so, plus Chloe has been at this a lot longer than Lois.

However, I can give you that her scenes with Oliver and also with Green Arrow and their banter are quite amusing. I'm happier that she's spending more time with him and less with Clark. That parts nice, because I don't buy into the whole Clois thing either and I too feel as if they're more like siblings than anything.

02. Again I can't agree about Mionel, for obvious reason. But I won't rain your happy parade. *g* So I'll just keep my thoughts on that to myself. If you happen to read my thoughts and see the first I wrote about Mionel, please don't take it to heart. I wasn't being serious about it or offensive to those who like them. I was just being my usual snarky self.

03. Everything that you said about Lana - YES! You get a GIGANAMOUS resounding YES!!! I love the fact that she was playing Lionel, he was playing her and then she blackmailed the scienstist guy. That was amazing.

04. *see above* The same with Lex. There's really not much else to add to that. :)

And yay! It was a really good episode tonight, not my favorite - but one that I can at least enjoy and really feel proud of both Lex and Lana.

Well, I guess I think that Lois' defining quality for me, in her multiple incarnations, is having a spine made of steel. Sometimes (like in the 1950s TV show) that comes out more in Lois-the-reporter; in later incarnations, in comes out also in Lois-the-person (like knowing karate and being able to defend herself, and just basically not *acting* like a damsel-in-distress even when she is *functioning* like a damsel-in-distress because Superman plots require someone to be rescued), and that's what I saw in Lois tonight. She's tough and she won't give up in the face of danger. I think some of the other things--journalistic skills and possible a soupcon more tact--will come with time.

But I also understand that not everyone sees that as organic character development, and I'm cool with that. It took me a while to warm up to ED's Lois myself. And I definitely understand people having different visions of who Lois should be.

I'm off to look at your review, and promise not to take personally any anti-Mionel sentiment!

I think, my problem with not seeing the journalism as organic is that it was very rushed though, thinking a bout it, it does make sense. Lois might not be a look-n-stare-at-me ~~and-watch-me-fail~~ type of person but, she is a loudmouth so it makes perfect sense for her to be all, “you will hear and listen to me!” So that’s how I buy that storyline. But it does take some thinking to who Lois has been.

I can see why you see it as rushed. I'm ok with it because she's not a perfect journalist right off the bat: she still needs to develop research skills, she's still jumping to conclusions too early in the game, but she's definitely showing the tenacity that will make her a great reporter. And I agree with you, she totally wants her opinion to be heard.

I don't mean to undermine everything that you just said about Lois, because iconic wise that's true...but I just personally don't think ED's Lois pulls off many of those qualities and in trying to appear as if she is I feel like she's becoming more annoying and irritating than appealing and Lois-like.

I just feel like her character is half-baked, if you will. lol. I don't mean that in a bad way either, what I mean is I feel like SV writers could protray her in a much more realist Lois quality than they are doing. But then again, being the Chlois theorist that I am - I will always believe that Chloe would make the better Lois Lane.

Well I wouldn't necessarily call it anti-Mionel sentiments, because I don't look at them that way at all. I just feel like it's snark on my part and it's not meant to be taken seriously. It would be anti-Lois sentiments if I said, "Lois is such a bitch." lol. Which I've said before, hee. I won't lie. But the only reason I said it was because I thought she was acting like one at the time. So it wasn't me being overly cruel or hateful.

Really, that's interesting because I just don't see it that way at all. See, the way that the scene played out was Lois acting as if Chloe was out to steal her oh so precious by-line and so she was hesitant to give Chloe the scoop, but yet she's so ready to ask her cousin to help her out as far as resources go at the Daily Planet. Not only that, but in seeing Chloe compiling the photo's together to get a clean image of what was on the ring - I believe that she would have eventually shared them with Lois. I don't think that she was doing that as a way of stealing the story from her cousin. So no, I'm going to choose to side with Chloe on this one and not just because I don't like Lois, but because I think that Lois needs to take a couple steps back and not try to cause something there between her and Chloe at all. And as for the people saying that Chloe was being a tad condecending with the whole journalism thing, I just don't see that either. Chloe's been at this longer than Lois and she's really got a nose for news.

She even gave Green Arrow a better name than Lois did and I enjoyed her little quip to Clark about how she'd drop the "bandit" from it, proving that she comes up with better names. I'm not necessarily sure that Lois would have been able to realize that Oliver was Green Arrow, but I like now that she just doesn't know and Chloe does or either she will soon. But then that's the Chlois theorist in me which I can't let go of.

And of course Lex and Lana were spectaculor this episode. I am really digging the way that they're really investing in Lana's character depth more and the way her and Lex are really complimenting each other.

Also, *points up*, don't take anything I say to heart okay. It's just me and my own humble opinion. lol. I'm not undermining yours at all. I guess we just differ on this one a bit. :)

I believe that she would have eventually shared them with Lois. I don't think that she was doing that as a way of stealing the story from her cousin.

Really? She seemed so smug when she told Clark that she hadn't shared the information with Lois.

I think that Lois wanting the 'bandit' to stay in mostly points out the differences in the way that Lois and Chloe viewed the Green Arrow -- Chloe agrees with Oliver that the ends justify the means and Lois agrees with Clark that they don't, that the GA having reasons for stealing the necklace doesn't make it any less stealing.

Lex and Lana are just great together! I'm loving their scenes.

Also, *points up*, don't take anything I say to heart okay. It's just me and my own humble opinion. lol. I'm not undermining yours at all. I guess we just differ on this one a bit. :)

No worries. I'm very fond of Chloe myself. I just love Lois and her attitude a bit more.

Really? She seemed so smug when she told Clark that she hadn't shared the information with Lois.

Maybe Chloe was a little smug, but I do still believe that she would have eventually shared the information with her. I still say that Chloe's been at this journalism thing a lot longer than Lois, so with Lois just taking an interest in it - I will be pissed if it causes the writer's to push Chloe's character to the background as far as news goes.

Maybe Chloe does agree with Oliver for now, but that doesn't mean that she still couldn't change her mind and see it Clark's way if something happens. As far as Lois goes - I've tried to like her and I can't. I favor Chloe and her journalism more.

Ooh and my Lex and Lana...love them. :)

And I'm glad that you didn't get offended with this. I just don't like Lois attitude b/c I find it annoying and superior and she's not been there as long as Chloe. But that's cool. :)

And I'm glad that you didn't get offended with this. I just don't like Lois attitude b/c I find it annoying and superior and she's not been there as long as Chloe. But that's cool. :)

No worries. I'm coming at the whole 'reporters' thing from the other direction -- I have adored Lois Lane, with her pushy (sometimes tactless) and direct ways since as long as I can remember, so for me, she's been there ages longer than Chloe and she's the one I get defensive on behalf of.

I like Chloe, but even in Seasons One-Three, I saw her as a foreshadowing of Lois Lane and some part of me was waiting for Lois. I was so thrilled to see Lois in Crusade and that I liked her (much better than Superman Returns' Lois. Who washes dishes!).

But Lois can definitely be arrogant and superior and a lot of work. She's high-maintence in a very unusual way and that's part of what makes Clark (in the future) fall for her. She's always going to surprise him. She'll never take him too seriously and she'll help him keep his feet on the ground.

01. See I guess that I'm just the other way around about it, b/c I never saw Lois coming onto SV - I don't think she belongs there. She needed to be in Metropolis. Not SV and certainly not there to push Chloe to the back with this journalism thing.

02. I'm a Chlois theorist and I cannot change those thoughts. So, I see Chloe as a lot better than Lois ever could be and I just don't like ED like I do AM. Maybe that also plays a factor in it.

03. SV's Lois to me doesn't seem very Lois-like at all and also, I feel like she's only half-way written and not fully done yet.

04. I am more for Chlark than Clois any day on SV. lol. So that gets me too. lol. Can't help it, but I'm more Chimmy than anything. lol.

And sorry about the numbers, it just made it easier for me to string thoughts together. I would type more or elaborate, but I smashed my middle finger on my left hand last night and it's wrapped up and it's hard to type a lot without it throbbing. :)

Ah, the Chlois theory has never made any sense to me -- Chloe is a female reporter, yes, but she's never done anything to make me think she was Lois Lane (her use of the Lois Lane name in Delete did just the opposite, for me, as it confirmed the existence of a real Lois in the Smallville universe).

She's not hard enough, not cynical enough, and doesn't have any of the signature Lois Lane quirks/flaws, like bad spelling or being an ex-smoker. Chloe backs down from people when they get scary and mad, while Lois will confront (no matter how bad an idea it may be!).

I can understand liking Chloe more than Lois -- she's an underdog and a very sympathetic character. And I can understand liking Chlark more than Clois, because if you don't like that kind of snarky relationship, it can look almost mean from the outside. But thinking that Chloe is Lois just kinda baffles me. I like Chloe too much as herself, with her own quirks and faults and talents.

Well, I guess that's where the two of us agree to disagree, b/c I feel differently about Chloe regarding Lois than you obviously do. In Chloe I've seen a lot more Lois-like qualitied than I have in SV's Lois. Plus, when the show first started, it was said that Chloe's character was written based losely on Lois character.

I believe that Chloe is underestimated a lot and that she does have strength that she could use that would surprise us all and I do believe that she could be hard, cynical and does posses some of the Lois Lane quirks. Maybe Chloe does back down from people, but we can't say that it could last forever. Who knows maybe she could surprise us and be strong in the face of danger and stand up to someone. I have faith enough in her.I do believe that Chloe could easily confront somebody and not be scared if given the chance.

And like-wise thinking that SV-Lois is Lois-like baffles me too, when I think Chloe represents the better Lois in my pov. *shrugs* But I guess we're both entitled to our own thoughts. I respect your views even if I can't always agree with them.

*nods*

I think that we view different qualities as the 'essential' Lois Lane qualities -- for me, Lois has all the important stuff and can work her way up to the less essential parts and for you, Chloe's the one who has the essential LL heart and can work up to the other things.

I do think that Chloe was a bit more like LL in the first season, but starting in S2, they started to play up parts of her that were very different.

And for me I think Chloe has all of the essential important and *has* worked her way up and she's got the LL heart and the other things going for her as well. I can't help but think that when I'm an avid Chlois theorist.

I like to forget about S2, b/c I like to think that Chloe has become better since then and she has come a long way as well. But that's okay, because like I said before - you and me - we have our own views and there's no reason we can't respect the others.

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Smallville: Arrow

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