Monsters of Television

“It’s not the place that makes the home.”

Smallville has been quite nostalgic lately. Last week they re-aired the 2001 pilot episode. This week both Clark and the audience were treated to reminders of the past. “Kent” was an episode about moving forward, remembering the past to influence the future. This final season has done a lot of looking back. Brainiac 5 gave us some looks back (and forward) and things that are going to help shape Clark as he continues his transformation into the iconic superhero we already know he will become. The past is important. You don’t have to be defined by it, it can be a weapon when wielded correctly. Now that Clark knows he doesn’t have to let go of it, that it keeps living on inside of him, he can use that power. And boy is it going to come in handy.

Everyone had a lot of moving on to do. Clark and Lois had to sell the farm, the grounding point for the both of them through a lot of their lives. It was home to them in every sense of the word. Clark feared they would be lost without that place to return to what the episode showed him was that it wasn’t the physical place that made it so important. It was the people, the memories. Seeing his father in the other universe reminded him of the lessons he had learned from him, lessons that he still uses. It really drove home the point that Clark is who he is because of his upbringing. His potential as a savior was always there (as is evidenced by Clark Luthor’s turn at the end of the episode and Connor’s ability to change) but it took the moral compass that was instilled in him by the Kents.That, allied with the love and support of Lois and Oliver and Chloe, are what have shaped him into the hero he is.

Tess had to confront her villainous past, fight temptation, to resist helping Clark Luthor find Lionel to kill him and start a brand new reign of terror in our universe. (Am I still writing about Smallville? Feels a lot like Fringe.) Time and time again she has to to prove herself one of the good guys now and it seems to finally be sinking in. Emil understands the struggles she has to deal with. He believes she is the good guy he sees when he looks at her. The only standing in the way of becoming that ideal is her. Is there room for a romance there in these last 4 episodes of the show? I hope so. I want Tess to be happy.

So let’s discuss the endgame a bit. There is a lot that is set t happen in these last 4 episodes. Kara will be back. Lex will be back. Darkseid will hopefully truly manifest so we don’t get an ending like this piece of shit gave us. I have faith. The final battle should be glorious. If the finale promos are any indicators, there are massive amounts of epicness coming our way. I enjoyed this week’s appreciation for the past, but I’m ready to hit the sky flying at super speed towards our endgame.

In the more immediate future, next week gives us an episode (penned by Geoff Johns and directed by Tom Welling) looking at fan favorite heroes Booster Gold and Blue Beetle. I have a lot to say on these characters, especially Blue Beetle who holds a special place in my heart (I worked for modern incarnation creator Cully Hamner), and a lot of theories as to what their inclusions into Smallville means for the mythology of the show as well as for potential future superhero television shows. But I’ll save those for next week.

Final Thoughts:

• It was nice seeing John Schneider again. Guess they want to bring him back in this final season as much as possible.
• Cassidy Freeman crushed it in that purple dress.
• Seriously though, how much was your heart pounding during those great teaser promos for the finale?
• Emil’s consistently growing presence on the team and in the show in general make me very happy.