(S01E18) So what did we learn tonight? We learned that Davis Bloome had a pretty crappy childhood. We learned that Doomsday is the Judas to Clark's Jesus. We learned yet again that the cops in Metropolis suck (why can Clark solve mysteries that they can't?). We learned that being an unstoppable monster doesn't necessarily preclude a person from using emotional blackmail to get his way. It's a good thing Davis is unaware of Chloe's link to the Justice League, or I doubt she'd still be breathing.The episode started very retro with glimpses from the pilot. It was good to see Martha, Jonathan and Lionel again as a reminder of how things were.
What was that slime that formed young Mr. Bloome? I'm going to geek out for a moment and guess it was a biological weapon sent by Jor-El's enemies to snuff out his progeny. The weapon adapted to the planet it was on much like Clark did, which is why it seemed to know English instantly. These are the sorts of things I have to explain to myself when the writers of a teen angst science-fiction drama can't.
I have come to the conclusion that Chloe is 1/2 Buffy (which may have been intentional from the beginning). She's blonde and has the snappy, pop-culture patter down. She's just missing the kick-ass fighting skills. It is somewhat creepy that she knew Davis Bloome's license plate number off the top of her head.
Veritas' military squad has horrible timing or are just generally lousy at what they do. They literally just missed Clark being taken away by the Kents. Shouldn't they have noticed the couple walking away with a young boy wrapped in a blanket (they couldn't drive away as the car was wrecked)?
They managed to guest-star Lex without Michael Rosenbaum. The same actor who played young Lex in previous seasons appeared again a mere days after the meteor shower. Could Lex's and Davis' childhood friendship have led to his later obsession with Clark? Food for thought.
Kryptonite makes Davis stronger? Oh crap. On the other hand, it was easy to figure out that he wouldn't die in this episode. He needs a big, budget-breaking slug-fest with Clark to go out in a satisfactory manner.
I don't think Davis actually tried to kill himself at any point. It's more likely he fed that story to Chloe to get stronger. More likely he enjoyed what he was doing (appeasing his baser instincts).
If Tess Mercer wanted proof of Clark's secret so bad, why didn't she just blow up Clark's truck rather than Davis'? It would have been more direct, Perhaps that is too direct for this show, since everyone has an indirect, master plan like any good comic book villain (they also tend to pontificate on their plans to anybody who will listen).
How come Tess figured out what Davis was and Lex didn't? Someone needs to explain that to me.
This was an enjoyable episode (backstory episodes usually are), although there were a few holes in the writing that needed better explanation. I think having only four characters carry the entire hour also made things a little difficult. See you in a few weeks for the final four.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-03-2009 @ 8:12AM
Flutter said...
Brad, you didn't watch the episodes close enough!
We know what Davis is : he was created by General Zod and his wife Faora. They did genetic experiments because they couldn't have a child of their own. When Krypton was about to be destroyed, they sent their "baby" to kill Jor-El's son.
And Davis really did die from Kryptonite poisoning. He resurrected and is now invulnerable to Kryptonite. Just as he became invulnerable earlier this season when his mother's spirit (inside Lois' body) killed him with a metal tube. This is quite like in the comic books actually.
Tess Mercer didn't need proof of Clark's power. She already knows. Actually, she knows absolutely everything there is to know. She explained why she figured it out in the episodes : she wasn't blinded by the prophecy. She never thought it applied to her, which is why she could work it out.
I really think it was a good episode : tied up quite nicely with previous episodes, was steady... Good thing there wasn't more characters in this episode. I didn't miss Lois, Jimmy or Oliver one bit.
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4-03-2009 @ 8:57AM
Bob Crain said...
Once again, this Brad dude doesn't watch all of the episodes and doesn't do his research.
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4-03-2009 @ 10:09AM
Jables said...
"Once again, this Brad dude doesn't watch all of the episodes and doesn't do his research."
QFT
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4-03-2009 @ 10:11AM
Grover said...
I dont think Davis and Lex had any interaction... He came after Lex froze/died/became nearly vegetated
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4-03-2009 @ 12:20PM
Robert said...
You didn't see Lex and Davis sword fighting?
4-03-2009 @ 10:42AM
Edward said...
At the end, Clark had Oliver take care of Doomsday. What happened?
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4-03-2009 @ 12:26PM
keriah100 said...
I thought this episode was amazing, everything was spectacular.
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4-03-2009 @ 2:51PM
ac said...
Finally 3 good episodes (Yes i count Turbulence as a good episode) in a row. Although Stilleto looks rather stupid by the previews. Lois is about to make herself look like an idiot.
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4-03-2009 @ 3:43PM
Ryan said...
"Lois is about to make herself look like an idiot."
In stelletos. Personally, I'm waiting for the episode where Erica Durance watches paint dry.
4-04-2009 @ 1:45PM
joe said...
IT WAS A INTERESTING WAY OF HOW THEY HAD CHOLE SLOWLY PUT US ON ABOUT WILL SHE STAY WITH DAVIS. THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE MAKE ME WONDER DOES SHE STAY BECAUSE SHE ASSUME SHE CAN PREVENT DAVIS FROM BEING DOOMDAY AND PREVENT HIM FROM FINAL MEETING WITH CLARK. BUT WE KNOW THEY WILL HAVE TO, IT THE ONLY WAY THIS SHOW WILL CLIMATE TO ANY GOOD FINAL. BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPEN NEXT.
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4-04-2009 @ 4:12PM
joe said...
My real thought about all this is that clark will be looking for chloe and a set up for the show down with doomday and then with chole being a part of watch tower and the Justice League,They join the hunt for her as well. which will bring us to writers of the show have to answer to many story lines and how davis escape from oliver and come back unnotice,and what happen to oliver as well.
well, sorry for long run on but just wonering if anyone see it like that. thank you .
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4-04-2009 @ 10:21PM
Dan K said...
well being a Superman fan of years and years and owning hundreds of issues of Superman and read each one I feel robbed because we have a Superman one Smallville who does not fly. 8 seasons and no flight. Not consistant with the comic. He flew at 18 in Superboy comics. Superman used flight to fight doomsday in Superman comics. I feel robbed.
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4-08-2009 @ 8:50AM
Joel said...
Flutter is absolutely correct with every observation made. Doomsday in the comic book, started out as protoplasm, gained form, and was destroyed hundreds of thousands of times until he had evolved into the form most people have now seen on the Show. In "Superman Hunter/Prey" this form is called by the Kryptonian scientist who created him "The Ultimate". The rules for Doomsday's evolution was simple, put him through test after test killing him with each test, take the remains, clone and repeat, until three hundred years later Doomsday had adapted genetically into the Ultimate form. It evolved to where, genetically it could not be destroyed in the same manner twice. That was how he was set up in the comic. The spin on the show, I actually like. I have liked the ties of Spinning that origin and making it "Smallville."
Flutter's explanation of how Tess figured everything out is sound and makes sense given the context of the show. The thing that always does Lex in, in the comics and the show ultimately is being blinded by vanity, perception and ultimately obsession. Obsession keeps you from seeing the larger picture. The best example written was a single issue story in the comic. Lex had spent a large portion of money on a Super computer to try to figure out Superman's identity. Using clues from previous encounters The computer coldly calculated the data and determined Clark Kent was Superman. Lex dismissed the computer, buying into his own vanity, perception, and obsession that Superman would never disguise himself as a "lesser being" since he was a God. The show handled this take very very well through out the seasons, especially in the first four Seasons. In the show's case Tess is the computer. There is no emotional ties, blinding the issues, there is only the obvious. Tieing the legends in the Kawatche caves, finally pays off in a big way. I intially thought that part of the Smallville folklore was stupid, and resented the caves and the pictographs for the longest time in seasons 2 and 3. Season 4 changed it because at least it showed a housing for the Crystal of Knowledge in the "crystal saga" Now it actually pays it off in a way that makes sense and ties everything together.
Regarding what Dan K said, Yes in the comic books Superboy was already flying. But in the original two Superman comics Action and Superman, it wasn't until the forties before Superman could fly. He leaped, like he annoyingly has been doing on the show. I'm waiting for flight to finally happen to, and glad they at least showed it in Crusade.
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