Voice of Reason: Season Five: Arrival

Arrival

Overall

Although it started out with a jumpy recap, "Arrival" topped "Commencement" by a mile, and, impressively, made good its promise of bringing on everything we've wanted to see. Clark telling Chloe his secret, the building of the Fortress of Solitude - the writers managed to take a premise with great expectations necessarily attached, and come up with scenes that despite months of imagining and anticipating did not disappoint. In fact, the only places of disappointment were those where they did not have a tradition to live up to.

Motives for un-Future-related behavior, for example, were unestablished in this episode. We don't know exactly why Lex is still acting arbitrary and, well, villain-ish. We don't know why Clark, after finding the final element in Lex's vault, doesn't meet him in the barn with distrust, anger, or sorrow, but with calm glassy-eyed lies. And we definitely don't know why, after Martha and Jonathan said their last good-byes to Clark and prayed they would see him again ("Those meteor rocks can kill you!"), the first thing they say when they see him cleaning up is, "Look at our house!"

This episode was woven tightly when it came to the Fortress of Solitude and Chloe, but in other areas of the plot, namely the character-based action, some strands escaped, and others didn't seem to be connected at all. The fact that Clark and Chloe went through that conversation in the hospital was countered by the fact that Clark completely forgot about it afterwards. The fact that Lana's helicopter crashed was completely overshadowed by the fact that she limped all over town. The fact that Lionel's manic behavior should have stricken Lana with terror was completely reversed by the fact that she calmly approached him and staked her life on what he chanted. The fact that Clark has taken huge steps toward his Superman-dom was contradicted by the fact that, in lying easily to Lex and in breaking his word with Jor-El, he was farther than ever from Superman's integrity. And the fact that Kryptonians are virtually invincible and can be extremely dangerous was countered by the fact that Clark, young and green, merely caught them off guard and shoved them to win his victory. All the choices that the characters made were contrary to their nature and/or the laws of nature.

The solution? I think that this episode really should have been two hours long. There were many loose threads to weave in, and plotholes to fill, but there was no way the writers could have solved every problem given their time constraints. Although the plot wasn't developed to its full potential, they couldn't have shown any more than they did without taking focus away from other things that needed attention.

Given the writers' time constraints, this was an excellent episode. Yes, there were several wobbly lines that needed straightening; but they were minor glitches in a majorly fulfilling episode.9.7

Clark

Although Clark wasn't perfect in this episode, he finally got with it. He's told Chloe an abbreviated version of his secret (all he had time for was, essentially, "I'm an alien"), he's locked the two Kryptonians in the Phantom Zone, he's yet again lied to Lex without blinking an eye, he's given his real father his word and broken it, he's abandoned Chloe somewhere near the North Pole, and he's tickled that he's been drained of all his powers. Well, at least he's involved.

I think a factor in the disappointment I felt with Clark was the fact that when he discovered the caves, he spent hours there, trying to learn about his identity, to the point where it became a joke among friends and family - and a problem in school grades. This episode he discovered the most incredible, fulfilling "hang-out" he could have imagined, with far more to teach him than the caves, and a closer connection with his father - yet he gave it all up easily. I would like to see Clark's search for his identity continue with the Fortress, as it did in the caves in seasons two and three.

Also, Clark's lies contradicted his Superman identity, which is one of integrity and is known for truth-telling. (See Moments i.)

Lex

In the first three seasons, Lex was known for his twisted vulnerability. Yes, we all know that at some point he and Clark will become arch-enemies, but the reason, it has seemed, is because after Lionel twists and stretches Lex to the breaking point, Lex's vulnerability issues work against him, and he develops defense mechanisms. Ultimately he builds on Lionel's foundation, following in Lionel's footsteps and taking them a step or two further. Fear of Clark caused Lionel to turn against him: fear of Clark will cause Lex to turn against him. Right now, however, that is not Lex's problem. Currently he is locked into a crazed, villainous state he entered after touching Lionel and the stone, not feeling attacked on every side as in Season Three, but attacking everyone on every side himself

Compare this with Season Three. He was seen in a state of raw emotion after living for months on a deserted island and starting to go insane. You knew what he had experienced, so it was extremely compelling. You got into his head. This isn't raw emotion, the way he coolly looks at Lana as she falls down, or tells the Kryptonians, "Who wants to know?" It is a reappearance of the two-dimensional Alexander, who came out of nowhere the first time and comes out of nowhere now. Also, Michael Rosenbaum's acting was different in Season Three - his voice was shaking with emotion, he came across as a broken person. Now he is suddenly the hard-hearted villain, with no reason whatsoever. Lex is deeper and more complex than this.

Lois

Lois was, appropriately, toned down in this episode, first because of the trauma and then because of her hoarse throat. It suddenly made her much closer to the Lois Lane of the future, and therefore much more exciting.

Lana

For much of the time, it was unclear what was going on with Lana. She was harboring secrets, and she's not the sort of character who does well with that role. Look at Season Four. It's hard to sympathize with her when she's holding back with that wide-eyed aloofness.

Chloe

Chloe was really, really good. Really good.

Good/Bad Moments

It startled me when the slab of ice floated out in front of Clark after all that stillness.
Beautiful, breathtaking shot of the Fortress of Solitude reflected in Chloe's eye.
Allison Mack's acting was superb. Her first triumph was the process of freezing in the Fortress of Solitude, then struggling to get words out through numb lips, without the viewer's belief wavering once.
Kristin Kreuk's handling of her injured leg was imperfect. It was hard to believe that it was actually injured and causing her pain: it merely looked like it had fallen asleep, and sometimes not even that.
Interesting moment when Lana collapsed and Lex stood watching her, unconcerned. This isn't the real Lex. The real Lex really did care.
"I think it's time to switch into SuperClark mode." "SuperClark mode? " "I know you run faster than a speeding bullet, Clark. Take me along for the ride." That was the ideal way to reveal Chloe's secret. They needed to be in some situation and time of need, where he had to use his powers, and she had to give him the freedom to use them. Excellent.
Allison Mack had another moment of glory when Clark told her that he was from another planet. "You mean you're…an…" She didn't have to say it. The shock, the first phase of which is always a blank lack of comprehension, was written across her face. And then the way you see that she knows she has to smile and say something reassuring, but really needs more time to process it.
Clark giving her a farewell look, then racing off – Chloe grabbing her drink, not used to it. "Whoa." And that joy in the room, as she looks after him and realizes that now he's not going to hide these things from her, the quick exits, the car-catching. I loved that moment.
The whole concept of Clark lying to Lex has been stretched in previous seasons, but in this episode it drew near the breaking point. He was lying with a straight face, and becoming disturbingly convincing at it, the whole time in the barn. It's Lex who is supposed to become the disturbingly convincing liar. Superman "always tells the truth".
Suddenly Jonathan knew a lot more about keeping secrets. "Listen, lady, I don't know what you're talking about…" That's far better than he did in "Commencement". It may be questioned why he approached them in the first place, but they didn't have signs labeled "Bad Guys" over their heads, and they were obviously on the wrong planet. In "Blank" if there had been a crash, as if someone had demonstrated strength, and Clark had been standing there, your first thought would be sympathetic: "Oh, no, he doesn't know what he's doing, he's going to hurt someone and give himself away." If that had been the case with these Kryptonians, Jonathan would have been the best person to welcome them while Clark was gone. That's probably more along the lines of what he had in mind. I like it that living with an alien has given Jonathan a certain boldness and openness of mind in the past few years. :)
"I know where Kal-El is. He's at the Luthor mansion…" Again, I couldn't find much sympathy for this mysterious Lana and her sudden way of appearing despite a limp, but I guess that's not really her fault. The first thought that came to mind, however, was not "kryptonite" but, "So is she going to point and Lionel and say, 'There he is'?" The writers needed to spend much more time establishing motive.
I liked it, Jor-El and Clark talking without so much restraint. Jor-El seems much more present in the Fortress of Solitude. Not a voice speaking out of the darkness or from beyond, but a presence.
Interesting expression on Lana's face as she reads the newspaper, with that indiscreet note (see Details). Her eyes are intense, her lips are pale and compressed, it's almost like a villain shot.
"No more secrets…no more lies." It's hard to sympathize with this Clark because it seems that much of his suffering is of his own choosing. Some of his secrets and lies are necessary, but others aren't, particularly his excessive defensiveness with Lex. Does this new "no more lies" mantra apply to Lex too, Clark?
The parents' reactions to seeing Clark alive were bewildering. They had a dramatic good-bye in "Commencement," knowing that they might never see him again, knowing that the kryptonite could kill him. I could understand it when Jonathan told Martha not to worry about Clark, and tried to remain cheerful, because she was still recovering and needed to be protected; but it was unbelievable when they saw Clark cleaning up and exclaimed, "Look at our house!" They clearly had not reunited earlier, because last time they'd spoken Clark had his powers, which had been gone ever since the day before. Even if they had, after the huge disasters and changes that they had gone through, there needed to be some reconnecting, a figurative joining of hands as they embarked on a very different life. Instead, when Clark told them that his powers were gone, they didn't react with support (he was the one making statements about adjusting) but with something almost like outrage. There was one camera shot as Clark and Martha walked on and Jonathan lingered behind that seemed to indicate that Jonathan "knew better," expected more to come, and this was worth elaborating on; but anything behind the surface was limited to that camera shot. It was almost as if the writers had a rule for themselves that all conversations must involve people with opposite points of view, so that if Clark was okay with it, the parents must object by default. However, such a rule is not practical: different opinions need not be directly opposed, particularly within a family like this.

Details

What happened to Jason? I kept expecting them to find him, first when Jonathan and Lois were looking for Martha, then when Clark was cleaning up the house…but apparently they didn't actually find him. At any rate, all you hear about it is in a headline at least half fictionalized. Even if Jensen Ackles was unavailable, they could have shown his hand in the rubble, still holding loosely to the gun. It would have been dramatic, slightly disturbing, and would have left that plot with more finality. As it is, there is a nagging suspicion that they might attempt to bring him back.
Lana injured her leg, but during this episode she must have walked several miles: from the field to Lex's car, from the mansion to the hospital, and from the hospital to the mansion again. That's serious pain.
The symbols with which Jor-El "taught" Clark were merely the alphabet. The two rows read:
H I J K L M A B C D
VWXY Z N O P Q R
It was unwise to give the new Kryptonians the ability to resist kryptonite, at least to such an extent. When Clark is exposed, most of the time at least, he can barely move. Perhaps these new Kryptonians should have been reduced to the power of sick human beings, instead of being able to lift and maneuver heavy objects with a pained expression. It seemed too convenient.
If Lana was so terrified and shaken by the Kryptonians when she first saw them, and was trying to run from them on foot while injured, why would she choose to confront them? A) Lionel isn't acting particularly stable, so he isn't the most reliable source, B) assuming Lionel to be reliable, he knows more about it than she does, so Lana would probably help Lionel to confront them himself, not fly solo, and C) considering the fear that was driving her, it seems impossible that she wouldn't just slip a piece of kryptonite into her pocket for insurance. Even perhaps confront them with that, instead of her more risky and circuitous, not to mention hard-on-the-injured-leg, method of entrapment.
Lionel was seen scratching a kryptonian symbol into the floor – then he disappeared and so, apparently, did the symbol. Was this intentional or just bad planning?
If the pull of the Phantom Zone was almost stronger than Clark, wouldn't the force of the Phantom Zone pulling Clark pulling the floor pipe just pull the pipe apart? (Say that three times quickly.) Even when Clark was pressing it with his fingertips, a pipe he could have easily bent or broken, it didn't budge.
Although all characters hopefully develop and mature over four years, I thought Clark's reaction to losing his powers was much more lifelike in "Leech". (Not to mention more powerful.) His reaction was almost as if he expected it to happen and was waiting for it. Or, less hopefully, like he had received brain damage from the shock. Clark started out in the series as a human dealing with himself and his past. Now, judging by the fourth season and the way he is dealing with his loss, he is merely a really self-centered alien. His loss of power could cost peoples' lives, his family needs his help, they're going to have to hire farm hands and a construction crew, not to mention that last time he saw Chloe she was in the Arctic, but all he's thinking about is how much easier life will be for him. Part of his journey to Superman has to be developing a heart for helping people, and right now he's farther from that than he ever was before.
Was Jor-El really the one who took Clark's power? If he did, it was a bit counterproductive. How does he expect Clark to reach him now? Guess it's "Like father, like son."
It was strangely indiscreet, not to mention strangely unpretentious, of Lex to send that note in Lana's paper. That kind of thing could work against him, particularly with that arrow pointing to the headline so there'd be no mistake. Take away the arrow and at least he'd have a defense.




Arrival Overall Although it started out with a jumpy recap, "Arrival" topped "Commencement" by a mile, and, impressively, made good its promise of bringing on everything we've wanted to see. Clark telling Chloe his secret, the building of the Fortress of Solitude - the writers managed to take a premise with great expectations necessarily attached, and come up with scenes that despite months of imagining and anticipating did not disappoint. In fact, the only places of disappointment were those where they did not have a tradition to live up to. Motives for un-Future-related behavior, for example, were unestablished in this episode. We don't know exactly why Lex is still acting arbitrary and, well, villain-ish. We don't know why Clark, after finding the final element in Lex's vault, doesn't meet him in the barn with distrust, anger, or sorrow, but with calm glassy-eyed lies. And we definitely don't know why, after Martha and Jonathan said their last good-byes to Clark and prayed they would see him again ("Those meteor rocks can kill you!"), the first thing they say when they see him cleaning up is, "Look at our house!" This episode was woven tightly when it came to the Fortress of Solitude and Chloe, but in other areas of the plot, namely the character-based action, some strands escaped, and others didn't seem to be connected at all. The fact that Clark and Chloe went through that conversation in the hospital was countered by the fact that Clark completely forgot about it afterwards. The fact that Lana's helicopter crashed was completely overshadowed by the fact that she limped all over town. The fact that Lionel's manic behavior should have stricken Lana with terror was completely reversed by the fact that she calmly approached him and staked her life on what he chanted. The fact that Clark has taken huge steps toward his Superman-dom was contradicted by the fact that, in lying easily to Lex and in breaking his word with Jor-El, he was farther than ever from Superman's integrity. And the fact that Kryptonians are virtually invincible and can be extremely dangerous was countered by the fact that Clark, young and green, merely caught them off guard and shoved them to win his victory. All the choices that the characters made were contrary to their nature and/or the laws of nature. The solution? I think that this episode really should have been two hours long. There were many loose threads to weave in, and plotholes to fill, but there was no way the writers could have solved every problem given their time constraints. Although the plot wasn't developed to its full potential, they couldn't have shown any more than they did without taking focus away from other things that needed attention. Given the writers' time constraints, this was an excellent episode. Yes, there were several wobbly lines that needed straightening; but they were minor glitches in a majorly fulfilling episode.9.7 Clark Although Clark wasn't perfect in this episode, he finally got with it. He's told Chloe an abbreviated version of his secret (all he had time for was, essentially, "I'm an alien"), he's locked the two Kryptonians in the Phantom Zone, he's yet again lied to Lex without blinking an eye, he's given his real father his word and broken it, he's abandoned Chloe somewhere near the North Pole, and he's tickled that he's been drained of all his powers. Well, at least he's involved. I think a factor in the disappointment I felt with Clark was the fact that when he discovered the caves, he spent hours there, trying to learn about his identity, to the point where it became a joke among friends and family - and a problem in school grades. This episode he discovered the most incredible, fulfilling "hang-out" he could have imagined, with far more to teach him than the caves, and a closer connection with his father - yet he gave it all up easily. I would like to see Clark's search for his identity continue with the Fortress, as it did in the caves in seasons two and three. Also, Clark's lies contradicted his Superman identity, which is one of integrity and is known for truth-telling. (See Moments i.) Lex In the first three seasons, Lex was known for his twisted vulnerability. Yes, we all know that at some point he and Clark will become arch-enemies, but the reason, it has seemed, is because after Lionel twists and stretches Lex to the breaking point, Lex's vulnerability issues work against him, and he develops defense mechanisms. Ultimately he builds on Lionel's foundation, following in Lionel's footsteps and taking them a step or two further. Fear of Clark caused Lionel to turn against him: fear of Clark will cause Lex to turn against him. Right now, however, that is not Lex's problem. Currently he is locked into a crazed, villainous state he entered after touching Lionel and the stone, not feeling attacked on every side as in Season Three, but attacking everyone on every side himself Compare this with Season Three. He was seen in a state of raw emotion after living for months on a deserted island and starting to go insane. You knew what he had experienced, so it was extremely compelling. You got into his head. This isn't raw emotion, the way he coolly looks at Lana as she falls down, or tells the Kryptonians, "Who wants to know?" It is a reappearance of the two-dimensional Alexander, who came out of nowhere the first time and comes out of nowhere now. Also, Michael Rosenbaum's acting was different in Season Three - his voice was shaking with emotion, he came across as a broken person. Now he is suddenly the hard-hearted villain, with no reason whatsoever. Lex is deeper and more complex than this. Lois Lois was, appropriately, toned down in this episode, first because of the trauma and then because of her hoarse throat. It suddenly made her much closer to the Lois Lane of the future, and therefore much more exciting. Lana For much of the time, it was unclear what was going on with Lana. She was harboring secrets, and she's not the sort of character who does well with that role. Look at Season Four. It's hard to sympathize with her when she's holding back with that wide-eyed aloofness. Chloe Chloe was really, really good. Really good. Good/Bad Moments It startled me when the slab of ice floated out in front of Clark after all that stillness. Beautiful, breathtaking shot of the Fortress of Solitude reflected in Chloe's eye. Allison Mack's acting was superb. Her first triumph was the process of freezing in the Fortress of Solitude, then struggling to get words out through numb lips, without the viewer's belief wavering once. Kristin Kreuk's handling of her injured leg was imperfect. It was hard to believe that it was actually injured and causing her pain: it merely looked like it had fallen asleep, and sometimes not even that. Interesting moment when Lana collapsed and Lex stood watching her, unconcerned. This isn't the real Lex. The real Lex really did care. "I think it's time to switch into SuperClark mode." "SuperClark mode? " "I know you run faster than a speeding bullet, Clark. Take me along for the ride." That was the ideal way to reveal Chloe's secret. They needed to be in some situation and time of need, where he had to use his powers, and she had to give him the freedom to use them. Excellent. Allison Mack had another moment of glory when Clark told her that he was from another planet. "You mean you're…an…" She didn't have to say it. The shock, the first phase of which is always a blank lack of comprehension, was written across her face. And then the way you see that she knows she has to smile and say something reassuring, but really needs more time to process it. Clark giving her a farewell look, then racing off – Chloe grabbing her drink, not used to it. "Whoa." And that joy in the room, as she looks after him and realizes that now he's not going to hide these things from her, the quick exits, the car-catching. I loved that moment. The whole concept of Clark lying to Lex has been stretched in previous seasons, but in this episode it drew near the breaking point. He was lying with a straight face, and becoming disturbingly convincing at it, the whole time in the barn. It's Lex who is supposed to become the disturbingly convincing liar. Superman "always tells the truth". Suddenly Jonathan knew a lot more about keeping secrets. "Listen, lady, I don't know what you're talking about…" That's far better than he did in "Commencement". It may be questioned why he approached them in the first place, but they didn't have signs labeled "Bad Guys" over their heads, and they were obviously on the wrong planet. In "Blank" if there had been a crash, as if someone had demonstrated strength, and Clark had been standing there, your first thought would be sympathetic: "Oh, no, he doesn't know what he's doing, he's going to hurt someone and give himself away." If that had been the case with these Kryptonians, Jonathan would have been the best person to welcome them while Clark was gone. That's probably more along the lines of what he had in mind. I like it that living with an alien has given Jonathan a certain boldness and openness of mind in the past few years. :) "I know where Kal-El is. He's at the Luthor mansion…" Again, I couldn't find much sympathy for this mysterious Lana and her sudden way of appearing despite a limp, but I guess that's not really her fault. The first thought that came to mind, however, was not "kryptonite" but, "So is she going to point and Lionel and say, 'There he is'?" The writers needed to spend much more time establishing motive. I liked it, Jor-El and Clark talking without so much restraint. Jor-El seems much more present in the Fortress of Solitude. Not a voice speaking out of the darkness or from beyond, but a presence. Interesting expression on Lana's face as she reads the newspaper, with that indiscreet note (see Details). Her eyes are intense, her lips are pale and compressed, it's almost like a villain shot. "No more secrets…no more lies." It's hard to sympathize with this Clark because it seems that much of his suffering is of his own choosing. Some of his secrets and lies are necessary, but others aren't, particularly his excessive defensiveness with Lex. Does this new "no more lies" mantra apply to Lex too, Clark? The parents' reactions to seeing Clark alive were bewildering. They had a dramatic good-bye in "Commencement," knowing that they might never see him again, knowing that the kryptonite could kill him. I could understand it when Jonathan told Martha not to worry about Clark, and tried to remain cheerful, because she was still recovering and needed to be protected; but it was unbelievable when they saw Clark cleaning up and exclaimed, "Look at our house!" They clearly had not reunited earlier, because last time they'd spoken Clark had his powers, which had been gone ever since the day before. Even if they had, after the huge disasters and changes that they had gone through, there needed to be some reconnecting, a figurative joining of hands as they embarked on a very different life. Instead, when Clark told them that his powers were gone, they didn't react with support (he was the one making statements about adjusting) but with something almost like outrage. There was one camera shot as Clark and Martha walked on and Jonathan lingered behind that seemed to indicate that Jonathan "knew better," expected more to come, and this was worth elaborating on; but anything behind the surface was limited to that camera shot. It was almost as if the writers had a rule for themselves that all conversations must involve people with opposite points of view, so that if Clark was okay with it, the parents must object by default. However, such a rule is not practical: different opinions need not be directly opposed, particularly within a family like this. Details What happened to Jason? I kept expecting them to find him, first when Jonathan and Lois were looking for Martha, then when Clark was cleaning up the house…but apparently they didn't actually find him. At any rate, all you hear about it is in a headline at least half fictionalized. Even if Jensen Ackles was unavailable, they could have shown his hand in the rubble, still holding loosely to the gun. It would have been dramatic, slightly disturbing, and would have left that plot with more finality. As it is, there is a nagging suspicion that they might attempt to bring him back. Lana injured her leg, but during this episode she must have walked several miles: from the field to Lex's car, from the mansion to the hospital, and from the hospital to the mansion again. That's serious pain. The symbols with which Jor-El "taught" Clark were merely the alphabet. The two rows read: H I J K L M A B C D VWXY Z N O P Q R It was unwise to give the new Kryptonians the ability to resist kryptonite, at least to such an extent. When Clark is exposed, most of the time at least, he can barely move. Perhaps these new Kryptonians should have been reduced to the power of sick human beings, instead of being able to lift and maneuver heavy objects with a pained expression. It seemed too convenient. If Lana was so terrified and shaken by the Kryptonians when she first saw them, and was trying to run from them on foot while injured, why would she choose to confront them? A) Lionel isn't acting particularly stable, so he isn't the most reliable source, B) assuming Lionel to be reliable, he knows more about it than she does, so Lana would probably help Lionel to confront them himself, not fly solo, and C) considering the fear that was driving her, it seems impossible that she wouldn't just slip a piece of kryptonite into her pocket for insurance. Even perhaps confront them with that, instead of her more risky and circuitous, not to mention hard-on-the-injured-leg, method of entrapment. Lionel was seen scratching a kryptonian symbol into the floor – then he disappeared and so, apparently, did the symbol. Was this intentional or just bad planning? If the pull of the Phantom Zone was almost stronger than Clark, wouldn't the force of the Phantom Zone pulling Clark pulling the floor pipe just pull the pipe apart? (Say that three times quickly.) Even when Clark was pressing it with his fingertips, a pipe he could have easily bent or broken, it didn't budge. Although all characters hopefully develop and mature over four years, I thought Clark's reaction to losing his powers was much more lifelike in "Leech". (Not to mention more powerful.) His reaction was almost as if he expected it to happen and was waiting for it. Or, less hopefully, like he had received brain damage from the shock. Clark started out in the series as a human dealing with himself and his past. Now, judging by the fourth season and the way he is dealing with his loss, he is merely a really self-centered alien. His loss of power could cost peoples' lives, his family needs his help, they're going to have to hire farm hands and a construction crew, not to mention that last time he saw Chloe she was in the Arctic, but all he's thinking about is how much easier life will be for him. Part of his journey to Superman has to be developing a heart for helping people, and right now he's farther from that than he ever was before. Was Jor-El really the one who took Clark's power? If he did, it was a bit counterproductive. How does he expect Clark to reach him now? Guess it's "Like father, like son." It was strangely indiscreet, not to mention strangely unpretentious, of Lex to send that note in Lana's paper. That kind of thing could work against him, particularly with that arrow pointing to the headline so there'd be no mistake. Take away the arrow and at least he'd have a defense. © Voice of Reason, 2007