SV: "Rage"

[norwich36]

Spoilers for SV: Rage behind the cut.



Ok, I was spoiled for Lana's pregnancy, which I'm sure is creating a great deal of comment, and I will add my two cents below, but I first have to make a confession that will surprise no one who has read my journal before: during that first Lionel/Martha scene I was SCREAMING "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" I know they'll never go too far with the Mionel-- it's more doomed than Lexana--but dammit, I want them to at least get to make out before they pull the plug on this relationship.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the whole Thanksgiving thing, because I was sure they were setting it up for Clark to have some sort of big explosion at Lionel being invited to Thanksgiving, and that didn't happen. And while yes, it boggles my mind that even as a polite guest Chloe would agree to sit next to the man who tried to have her dad and her killed, I was *still* happy we didn't have a Clark explosion. I actually loved that little speech he made at Thanksgiving; it made me a little teary-eyed.

I also really loved the Lois/Oliver subplot. The opening scene was very HOT, and I very much appreciated his dilemma--poor superheroes, they never get to have sex because they always have to rescue someone. But I felt *really* bad for Lois. And I respect the fact that she refused to just give up on him when Clark warned her about his "drug problem." Does Oliver really have to leave? Can't he just stay on the show? Because I really love the Lois/Oliver relationship--he's always fun to watch and he definitely brings out the best in her. Plus I love all his scenes with Clark, the way they both push each other to do the right thing.

The Lex/Lana stuff was...odd. She's adopting a charity, presumably funded by Lex--already acting like a good trophy wife--so why does she think he has no say in it, if he's the one funding it? They're not married, so it actually is his money and his decision. If she was just doing volunteer work, then yes, he has no control over her, but that didn't sound like what she was talking about. And if she's so unsure about the relationship that a pregnancy causes her to freak out so much, why was she already acting like his wife at the beginning of the episode?

So that was annoying, as was the fact that pregnancy is depicted as trapping her permanently in a relationship with Lex. (And my god, that final scene WAS very effective in depicting that--the long table dividing them, the servants--it was every stereotype of upper-class loveless society marriage in one shot. It was especially effective for the contrast with Clark's happy home.) So, abortion doesn't exist in the SV verse?

I'm sure everyone who was unspoiled is freaking about this development, but I'm not, at least not yet. For one thing, I'm 98% sure that she's never going to have the baby. I'm sure it's going to end in miscarriage caused by one of these experiments Lex is funding, and that will be the thing that breaks up Lex and Lana. But the 2% of me that thinks they might go further with this is interested in the funhouse mirror version of "Lexmas" that's being set up here. Lex, already in this episode, is depicted as being very concerned about Lana's safety--in refusing to allow her to be free he thinks he's preventing the loss he saw in Lexmas, but of course he'll just recreate the freak show that was his parents' marriage. Maybe it will even have the same "Medea"-esque conclusion, with Lana killing the baby to save it from Lex!

I also think regardless of how much or little sympathy you have for Lana these days, you have to admit KK has really been excellent, recently. I am actually finding myself sympathetic to how trapped Lana is feeling, even though *rationally* I don't agree that I should feel sympathetic, just because KK was really *on* tonight, especially in those last three scenes.

Well, I'm off to find out what other people thought about the episode, but I may write more later.

Comments

[cinderella81.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally agree with the trophy wife stuff!!! I wanted Lionel to kiss Martha too!! Also, the beginning with Lois and Oliver ... opening scene was totally hot!

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Hee. Just from my quick survey of the f-list, I think you and I are the only ones in favor of that kiss.

Yeah, Lois and Oliver are totally hot!

[ferdalump.livejournal.com]

Your feelings about this episode are actually quite close to mine (yay, who would've thought? ;) ) I freaking LOVE Lois/Oliver!!! **flails and dies** They are just magnetic on screen and just GUH!!!

This was the first episode in some time that I actually really liked--which is amazing since I knew about the pregnancy and seriously thought I would be going postal during this episode--but I have to say the fact that Lana wasn't all *squee* about the baby really helped me digest this disappointing turn of events. I do hope her disillusionment continues on and it doesn't turn into a 'happily ever after' from here on out.

I am with you in thinking (and hoping) that this baby doesn't come to fruition. I think the pregnancy will probably be a hard one, and I agree that more than likely it will end in miscarriage probably inadvertiantly at Lex's hands or by his seemingly protective methods.

I loved the juxtaposition of 'home' scenes at the end, and the sterile, cold and disconnected feeling of Thanksgiving with Lex. I think it does mirror Lexmas in a great way as far as what we dream and what is real. I like too the fact that Lex controls Lana--and well, why shouldn't he? It is his money and his name? Who is she exactly?

I could dig deeper and slice apart the episode as far as continuity especially in character development, but on the whole I was not as disappointed as I thought I would be, and these days that's enough. (How sad I know--but I fear they will never make me happy as they used to back in the early days.)

Clark was actually really likable this week, and not so much his whiny, lonely self. And I nearly peed my pants when Oliver asked if he was ever going to get off of his ass and do something. Hee! Man, talk about speaking for the masses. Too funny.

Lex shot again... Sigh. I'll just leave that alone. My poor Woobie-- it's a sad day when my eyes are off of you and glued on Ollie.

Martha and Lionel-- Hee! Yeah, I was one of those silly monkeys smiling and squeaking for him to kiss her. I know, I know--Martha Kent should mourn Johnathan til the day she dies--and yes, yes, I LOVED JK--but Mionel is just the right level of naughty that it makes me swoon.

As far as Lionel being all good, and Chloe sitting next to the man who tried to kill her at the dinner table with a big smile on her face- well, I'll just chalk it up to Thanksgiving. Although I guess maybe their cool now that he sort of saved her on *cough* black Thursday.

Now, I hope I don't offend anyone with my icon-- but well, you said my very thought in your comments so I just had to throw this one up here.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

YOUR ICON!!! *Dies* So hilarious.

I could dig deeper and slice apart the episode as far as continuity especially in character development, but on the whole I was not as disappointed as I thought I would be, and these days that's enough. (How sad I know--but I fear they will never make me happy as they used to back in the early days.)

It is odd that they're ignoring everyone's previous experiences with Lionel, without even acknowledging them, because I think if you stay within seasons 5 and 6, they've actually done a good job building character arcs--but it's as if they're ignoring almost everything that went before.

think it does mirror Lexmas in a great way as far as what we dream and what is real. I like too the fact that Lex controls Lana--and well, why shouldn't he? It is his money and his name? Who is she exactly?

She's a symbol, is my guess. (To him, I mean). So of course he controls her. And it's his money, if she's doing charitable causes, so that's only fair. Unfortunately, MR is doing a very good job of convincing me he *doesn't* really love her except as a symbol, and that is making me sad. Not that I want Lex to be smitten with Lana, but I do want him to be capable of really loving someone, still, and I'm starting to think his heart is too closed off at this point to see her (or anyone) as anything more than a symbol.

I did love that scene where Lex and Oliver faced off--I thought it was awesome when he pulled the gun, and at least we got some Clexy stuff when Clark refused to let Lex just die, and actually threw Ollie into the wall.

And I just have an irrational love for Mionel!

[juxtoppozed.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you-- KK has been very good lately and I did feel bad for Lana in spite of myself. Aside fromt eh WTFness of Lionel at Thanksgiving I thought this was a solid episode. I would love if they did Medea!Lana but I don't think they'll take her that far down the Dark Ebil path.

reposting to fix coding

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

On a purely rational level, I get why everyone is up in arms about Lionel at Thanksgiving--it makes no character sense for Clark or Chloe to tolerate his presence, even if Martha is willing to give his past actions because he's really amazing in bed


On a purely rational level, I get why everyone is up in arms about Lionel at Thanksgiving--it makes no character sense for Clark or Chloe to tolerate his presence, even if Martha is willing to give his past actions because he's really amazing in bed she's really warm for his form she's, um, deranged by loneliness? But I am totally irrational about Mionel, I will admit that.

And same with Lana: on a rational level I can't see why we should feel bad for her; all her friends warned her about what she was getting into with Lex; she claims to know him really well, etc. But damn if KK isn't actually making me sympathetic to her, and I didn't think that was possible.

Medea!Lana would be MADE OF AWESOME. Maybe they could just do it in a dream sequence? They've been making Lex way too cold, lately--they could give him more nightmares so we could still sympathize with his inner struggle even as his external actions trend darker--and don't you think Medea!Lana would be one of his big nightmares, given his experiences with his mom?

[huzzlewhat.livejournal.com]

The Lex/Lana stuff was...odd. She's adopting a charity, presumably funded by Lex--already acting like a good trophy wife--so why does she think he has no say in it, if he's the one funding it? They're not married, so it actually is his money and his decision. If she was just doing volunteer work, then yes, he has no control over her, but that didn't sound like what she was talking about. And if she's so unsure about the relationship that a pregnancy causes her to freak out so much, why was she already acting like his wife at the beginning of the episode?

I actually thought Lana's reactions made sense as a progression. From her wording at the beginning, my impression was that Lex had told her to go and pick one of his charities to work on — I don't know why I got that impression... my memory is that she said something like, "I found the one I want to work on...," and that she found the brochure in his house indicated to her that it was one of his charities, and so fair game. And then Lex told her that she couldn't do that one, because it was too dangerous — essentially denying her permission, which is a bit... dicy, in a couple. Given that Lana had already expressed fear that she might lose her identity by becoming involved with Lex, her "it's not about what you want, it's about what I want" was, to me, her fighting the purse strings being the determining factor in what she does with her life. Which isn't to say that Lex shouldn't have say, as the one funding the project, but I don't think her response was irrational, because the reason he gave her was sort of half-assed (and a bit condescending, essentially saying, "you can't handle that one," and as it turned out, dishonest — care for her safety was not the reason he didn't want her near that project). From her POV, it may have seemed like he was acting like, well... holding out a handful of jelly beans. "Take one. No, not that one. Take another one. No, not that one..." and wrapping her in cotton, which she's always said she hates.

Given that this had happened earlier in the episode, her emotional reaction to the pregnancy made sense to me. In her scene with Chloe at the Planet, she didn't just express uncertainty about Lex's honesty, but also uncertainty about her own judgement about his honesty... she was already feeling trapped and uncertain and not on solid enough ground to make decisions, and it probably would feel to her like she was on her own when she found out she was pregnant. From her POV, it might feel like Lex is already being controlling, and that if she lets him know about the pregnancy, the decision would be taken out of her hands, one way or another. Even if abortion was a dramatic (in that, would they ever actually do that) possibility, I think she'd feel that she'd have to keep it from Lex unless she decided she wanted the baby. Which ties in with her going to Chloe, and not telling Lex, and keeping more secrets of her own.

I have to admit, given Lana's strange reaction to Clark when he came to the mansion, I did find myself wondering how long, exactly, have they been broken up? We know It's been six weeks since "Zod," and no time passed between seasons... I'm probably just buying trouble... since it wouldn't be counting back to the breakup, but all the way back to when he got his powers back. Which was... Mortal? Yeah. Too long. I just talked myself out of it. ;-) (Couldn't help it, the non-traditional splitting headache symptom made me suspicious!)

[juxtoppozed.livejournal.com]

I actually thought Lana's reactions made sense as a progression. From her wording at the beginning, my impression was that Lex had told her to go and pick one of his charities to work on — I don't know why I got that impression... my memory is that she said something like, "I found the one I want to work on...," and that she found the brochure in his house indicated to her that it was one of his charities, and so fair game. And then Lex told her that she couldn't do that one, because it was too dangerous — essentially denying her permission, which is a bit... dicy, in a couple. Given that Lana had already expressed fear that she might lose her identity by becoming involved with Lex, her "it's not about what you want, it's about what I want" was, to me, her fighting the purse strings being the determining factor in what she does with her life. Which isn't to say that Lex shouldn't have say, as the one funding the project, but I don't think her response was irrational, because the reason he gave her was sort of half-assed (and a bit condescending, essentially saying, "you can't handle that one," and as it turned out, dishonest — care for her safety was not the reason he didn't want her near that project). From her POV, it may have seemed like he was acting like, well... holding out a handful of jelly beans. "Take one. No, not that one. Take another one. No, not that one..." and wrapping her in cotton, which she's always said she hates.

I completely agree with this. Surprisingly enough, and this is a lot coming from someone usually critical of Lana, lately I think they've shown some really strong reasons for Lana to be testy with Lex. I'm noticing a chauvenistic streak lately with him-- all but flat out telling her she can't go out late at night in the last episode, the "safety" excuse he used after apparantly telling her to choose a charity she wanted and just the general dismissiveness there. I mean, yeah, it's his choice? But I expected more of an adult conversation where he hears her out a little more, not that sense of finality and dismissiveness we got from Lex as if she's some child that can't handle getting involved in a half way house. Especially after all that crap he used to say about her being "strong".

It seems like once Lex "won" Lana, he's scaled back and treated her like a kid, but with more condescention that that actually. Why *not* tell her that he started working with the government? He's told her more sensitive information than that. Maybe Lana was right, once he got what he wanted he lost interest in Lana herself, now she's just one of his possessions and he sure is treating her tht way.

I have to admit, given Lana's strange reaction to Clark when he came to the mansion

How did you read that? The last two Clana scenes have me confused. She seems more tolerant of Clark's presence lately but I can't read anything beyond that in spite of KK's improved acting.

Also..
Did either of you (Norwich, Huzz) understand Lex's involvement with that scientist's murder? I'm not sure I understood that. He got that halfwayhouse kid to kill her and stole the vials? Chloe and Clark seem to think he's behind it. If so I'm kind of surprised and a little disappointed Clark didn't confront Lex about it. And how convenient that Lana didn't want to hear about anything Lex-- will Chloe tell her or worry about the effect on her emotional state?

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, I hadn't even thought of the possibility of the baby being Clark's! I just assume the headaches were a fakeout so we wouldn't at first be thinking pregnancy. (I can't decide if I'm happy or not to have been spoiled by the pregnancy--I'm probably glad to have been able to be with the shock in advance, but it might have been fun to wonder if Lana was actually dying).

You make a good argument about that opening Lexana scene--if he *did* tell her to pick a charity to support and then got all controlling, that makes more sense to me that she would feel upset. (And honestly, her distress about the pregnancy *after* that conversation made a lot of sense to me--though I wasn't thrilled that her immediate reaction was to not want to hear anything bad about Lex, because that bodes very ill if she does stay in the relationship with him).

I also like your explanation about not wanting Lex to know until she's made a decision, but unfortunately I do think that given the politics of the show, abortion is unlikely to even be considered.
(Apparently birth control is even too radical for this show!)

[juxtoppozed.livejournal.com]

Forgot to say...adding to the chauvenistic!Lex we've been seeing...all his snide comments about Chloe "finally" nabbing a boyfriend or, last season, saying he can see why she doesn't have one. I wonder if all this is deliberate.

[latxcvi.livejournal.com]

I did find myself wondering how long, exactly, have they been broken up? We know It's been six weeks since "Zod," and no time passed between seasons... I'm probably just buying trouble... since it wouldn't be counting back to the breakup, but all the way back to when he got his powers back. Which was... Mortal?

*g* Yeah, I knew where you were headed with this, but no. Clark's not the father of Lana's kid. They stopped actually having sex way back after the events of Hidden (when he got his powers back) and that was approximately a year ago.

I read Lana's reactions in the Clana scene at the mansion this week as tying into her whole "Oh, noes, I am now trapped!" mindset because she's probably feeling like she'd actually be happy about this news is this were her baby with Clark (and she and Clark were still in their relationship). I read her "do you ever wish you could go back in time and do things differently" as being a combination, in that moment of Clark standing in front of her, of both her rethinking the decision to hook up with Lex and also possibly regretting not fighting harder for her relationship with Clark? I don't really know. That scene was weird to me.

[preciosatt.livejournal.com]

Lana's probably one of those "life is precious, I can never kill my baby" kind of girls. Abortion?!? Nevah!!!! ith that aid though, you'd think that she wouldn't let Lex hit it raw.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if she is--small town Kansas girl and all--but to be fair, birth control methods can fail.

[theclexfactor.livejournal.com]

See, what you just said? That's how I feel about the Lexana. I don't support it for the sake of Lexana, but for the sake of how it will further their characterizations. I'm glad I knew about the pregnancy, because otherwise I would've been all "MURDER DEATH KILL", but because of the previous episode, and knowing how much Lex is manipulating and controlling Lana even in the subtle hints they gave us earlier (now more blatant), and because I know of another spoiler that I won't go into, then it doesn't bother me as much. I think it's the fact that Lex isn't as "in love" as they (and Lana) would have us believe, so I can buy into it more and I can watch their scenes without cringing and wishing for the Clex days of Yore...besides I got a bit of that last night with the whole Clark about to TOAST Oliver had Lex actually died.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I can totally see the perspective of enjoying the fact that Lex isn't actually in love with Lana, whether you hate that relationship because of loyalty to Clex, or dislike of Lana, or not wanting Lex to be pining. But to be honest, as I said to ferdalump above, if we're going to see manipulative Lex, I want him to be enjoying it a little more, or something. More obviously playing her, or at least appearing to *get* something out of the relationship. At this moment, I can't figure out why either one of them is sticking in the relationship.

Oh, the Clexy moment was great--I can't believe I forgot to mention it in my review. It was awesome how angry Clark was at Ollie in that scene.

[allzugern.livejournal.com]

The show has gone AU with the characters. Period.

Still, I have always had so much love for that icon. Oh, such a pimpdaddy!

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Well, yes and no. I mean, the Lana stuff seems like we missed a pivotal scene between "Reunion" and "Fallout" that explained how the Lexana went from all lovey-dovey to controlling and estranged. There was Lana's ultimatum, of course, but really they seemed to shift gears pretty quickly.

But if you're talking about Lionel at the Thanksgiving table--well, that weirdness is at least in continuity with the last two seasons. It's true it seems like they've decided to ignore seasons 1-3, at least when it comes to Lionel, but really Chloe and Clark both worked with Lionel in season 5; Martha was clearly leaning on him after Jonathan's death, and he's been helping her out; and he did save Chloe's life in "Vessel" (which I guess we're supposed to think makes up for trying to have her killed?)

The icon is by puppetoflove, and it is definitely my favorite.

[mskatej.livejournal.com]

I love the pregnancy! It's HILARIOUS.

I'm praying for an abortion SO HARD.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

The fictional possibilities for the pregnancy are really almost countless. Here are a few that occurred to me already:

--Kryptonian gametes can act as eggs or sperm, and can lay dormant for months, so Lex has actually reproduced with Clark, and Lana is just the carrier
--It's really Zod's superhuman alien baby; Lana just doesn't remember sleeping with him because she got hit in the head so many times
--Lana dies in childbirth, and Lex and Clark raise the baby together
--Lana pulls a Lillian, and kills the baby after it is born to "save" it from Lex. Lex has her killed as a consequence.
--Lana doesn't actually kill the baby, but Lex has nightmares that she does for months before the baby is actually born, so as soon as the birth he ditches Lana and runs away with the baby. Clark tracks him down but gets persuaded to stay with Lex and the baby.

Etc. etc. etc.

[latxcvi.livejournal.com]

I also think regardless of how much or little sympathy you have for Lana these days, you have to admit KK has really been excellent, recently. I am actually finding myself sympathetic to how trapped Lana is feeling, even though *rationally* I don't agree that I should feel sympathetic, just because KK was really *on* tonight, especially in those last three scenes.

That's exactly where I am: rationally, I'm not particularly sympathetic to Lana feeling all trapped by the relationship with Lex. Because honestly, she's known for a long time that Lex was a shady mofo. She may not have known the depth of it, but she's *known* it. Their entire dynamic in the first third of S5 was predicated on Lana (a) thinking Lex was a shady mofo, and (b) not particularly trusting him because of it. Clark warned her. *Chloe* warned her. And this is *on top of her already knowing he was shady*.

So I'm not really feeling her "Oh, noes! Lex is *really* shady!" trauma. Particularly since, as I said elsewhere in the thread, the series hasn't even presented it as though she *can't* walk out of the relationship. She hasn't tried yet (and it doesn't look like she's going to) only to be thwarted, so I'm not going to just assume that she can't. I'm especially not going to make that assumption when *Lex*, as a character, has gotten to the point that he's no longer bothering with begging people to love/care about him. I actually think that if Lana broke up with him, he might not be happy about, but he wouldn't try to block her because he's not particularly interested any more in people who aren't as invested in him as he believes himself to be in them.

I do think KK did a great job of *selling* the idea that Lana feels trapped and desperate. But that's different from the *series* actually successfully laying out that argument; I don't think it has.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I do think KK did a great job of *selling* the idea that Lana feels trapped and desperate. But that's different from the *series* actually successfully laying out that argument; I don't think it has.

Yes, it's too much shorthand, as usual. Especially since at this moment, it doesn't seem to me that Lex really cares about Lana.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

dammit, I want them to at least get to make out before they pull the plug on this relationship.
Yeah, that's only fair! I had the same with my treasured Oliver/Lois and I GOT THE SNOGGING! *dances*

yes, it boggles my mind that even as a polite guest Chloe would agree to sit next to the man who tried to have her dad and her killed, I was *still* happy we didn't have a Clark explosion. I actually loved that little speech he made at Thanksgiving; it made me a little teary-eyed.
Totally! I had to repress all my issues with the insane implausability but Clarky came to my rescue with his adorable speech!

Does Oliver really have to leave? Can't he just stay on the show? Because I really love the Lois/Oliver relationship--he's always fun to watch and he definitely brings out the best in her. Plus I love all his scenes with Clark, the way they both push each other to do the right thing.
I know! They're all three so great together!! He needs to stay! *clings*

already acting like a good trophy wife--so why does she think he has no say in it, if he's the one funding it? They're not married, so it actually is his money and his decision.
Hee. Ok, yeah, good call. This is classic Lana territory. She's been blind to the fact she's been living off Lex for YEARS NOW.

And if she's so unsure about the relationship that a pregnancy causes her to freak out so much, why was she already acting like his wife at the beginning of the episode?
Ok, no, those are two completely different things to me. Lana's totally committed to the relationship but not to hacing a child. I would freak out that much too! And I'm dating a nice lad, not a Lex Luthor! Lana's freaking out because she is SO not ready to be a mother, and also because it's potentially entrapping. And yes, within SV universe it is entrapping--it was foreshadowed in Ageless that motherhood could trap Lana in Smallville forever.

So, abortion doesn't exist in the SV verse?
I don't think that's clear. Personally I could go either way at this point--Lana may get an abortion on her own with Chloe's help. That was one possibility I was definitely thinking of. Or she could leave him and have the kid on her own. So I really didn't have the same reaction as you that the episode was telling us she was trapped in a relationship with Lex. To me it's clear that Lana herself is trying to decide whether she stays or goes, but for now she's with him. That's not a decision you rush.

unhouse mirror version of "Lexmas" that's being set up here. Lex, already in this episode, is depicted as being very concerned about Lana's safety--in refusing to allow her to be free he thinks he's preventing the loss he saw in Lexmas, but of course he'll just recreate the freak show that was his parents' marriage. Maybe it will even have the same "Medea"-esque conclusion, with Lana killing the baby to save it from Lex!
Ah ha. That's the part of this plot that is working for me from a Lex perspective. But it's a lot of effort for a poor pay-off as far as I'm concerned. A reversal of Lexmas? Yeah, ok, we get it... but that doesn't explore a lot of territory as far as Lex is concerned. Or perhaps they're just not painting his side of things very well any more. I'm not sure... regardless it's not doing a lot for me from a Lex perspective yet.

am actually finding myself sympathetic to how trapped Lana is feeling, even though *rationally* I don't agree that I should feel sympathetic, just because KK was really *on* tonight, especially in those last three scenes.
HA! I'm so won over to her that I was blind to how sympathetic I was! She's doing very well.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Ok, no, those are two completely different things to me. Lana's totally committed to the relationship but not to hacing a child. I would freak out that much too! And I'm dating a nice lad, not a Lex Luthor! Lana's freaking out because she is SO not ready to be a mother, and also because it's potentially entrapping. And yes, within SV universe it is entrapping--it was foreshadowed in Ageless that motherhood could trap Lana in Smallville forever.


Ok, that is actually a good point. And I definitely sympathize with her feeling trapped--she is very young, still (20? 21?), so this would be very overwhelming.

I do think, though, that it is extremely unlikely that abortion will even be acknowledged as a possibility.

My dream scenario is actually Lana and Chloe running off together (with or without baby). I really loved all their interactions in this episode. I didn't used to like Chlana, when I was a Lana hater, but now that I like Lana I think she and Chloe would be really cute together.

[anoel.livejournal.com]

OMG I totally freaked out during the first Mionel scene. I couldn't believe it was happening, they were so *close*. Sooo much love for them. I loved how happy Martha was to see him and the little Lillian comment and the great sexual tension. I just hope that "not ready" means eventually going to happen because they really need to have chance if only for an episode or two. And I loved the Thanksgiving scene too, it was wonderful to see Clark accepting it and not being annoyed about it or anything. Yay writers!

I liked the Lois/Oliver storyline as well. That's one of the things I've been really happy with lately with Smallville. Great commentary on superheroes and I loved Lois standing up for Oliver as well. I hate pregnancy plots so I'm not happy about the development (although I read a spoiler so I was prepared) but I doubt anything will happen with it as well.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I think you are more hopeful than I am about the Mionel plot. My guess is that they are unlikely to even get to kiss, especially with recent developments (which I won't specify, since it sounds like maybe you're behind on episodes, if you're commenting on this now?)