Voice of Reason: Season Six: Nemesis




Nemesis Pictures courtesy of Devoted to Smallville Overall Not quite as flawless as it might have been, more wonderful than we had anticipated, and including one of the most beautiful sequences since the "Rosetta" teaser - somehow, you can't help but love "Nemesis". The premise was full of potential pitfalls. There was a danger that everyone who loved sweet, girl-next-door Lana would hate her dark side moments. There was a danger that everyone who loved evil supervillain mastermind Lex would hate the return of his vulnerable, needy side. And in an episode that delivered so many verbal answers, there was a danger that the dialogue could seem stilted and contrived for the purpose of getting to those answers. And, at times, the script started to slip into all three problems. We had to consciously suspend our disbelief when Lana pressed her thumb against the needle in Lionel's hand. We almost didn't believe it when Lex, filled with concern, pointed out Clark's bloody hand. And there was no doubt that the first quarter of the script was awkwardly talky, particularly with the uncompelling villain coldly delivering loads of expositional dialogue. But every time, the script recovered itself. Or rather, Caroline Dries recovered herself. She made us love the new Lana, wrenched our guts with the old Lex, and began curbing all the talk and punctuating it with action. And about midway through the episode, she hit her stride. Not only did she lead up to the best moments with straightforward dialogue that made us want to cheer (Lana: "What the h**'s going on?" Lex: "I saw what happened when I stabbed you with that chisel, Clark. It accordioned like it hit solid rock."), but she delivered an intense Lana-Lex scene so packed with subtext that she almost fully atoned for the first ten minutes. The Light Side of Caroline Dries returned. The episode addressed all the elephants in the room. It actually allowed Lana to confront Lionel and squeeze some information out of him. It actually let Clark and Lex talk, in a situation where neither could exactly storm out on the other. It dealt with the huge issue of Clark constantly shooting down Lex's advances when he's Superman, the one with faith in all humanity. It even worked out the issue of Martha's friendship with Lionel...and it dropped a mention of Chloe's feelings for Clark. So many problems were straightened out that we can now plunge into the final episodes of the season wholeheartedly, knowing for the first time since Season Four where the characters stand...in terms of their relationships, in terms of their psychology, and in terms of their goals. We've stepped out of a disorienting season into calm clarity. For the first time in years, I feel like I love "Smallville". I'm dying for the next episode, despite the bad promo. I'm looking forward to what the next few weeks bring. Because tonight, despite the beginning, straightened out the season. Whatever your stance on Lex, Lana, Clark, and Lionel - this episode will go down in history as forty minutes that define "Smallville". Verdict: 10 The successes by far outweighed the failures. Good/Bad Moments Lex walks through spookily abandoned tunnels in utter silence except for the sound of running water. He turns a corner and there's Lionel, leaning against the wall. They proceed to talk as if they're carrying on a conversation they'd taken a break from. This was a weird moment - shouldn't Lex have been at least startled, and then indignant that he was being spied on? Instead he calmly goes with the flow (so to speak), entering into the discussion without trying to turn it around on Lionel and his unexpected appearance. Maybe this was intended to show that Lex isn't out for a fight, but knows how to enigmatically deflect all the verbal darts sent his way. But somehow the moment came across as awkward, a little too easy a beginning for two characters with such a history of conflict. Lex and Lionel stride through the tunnels and quickly set up context. "What is it that you find so compelling about these tunnels, abandoned for decades?" This would have been a believable line without the "abandoned for decades," which turns it into an all-too-convenient explanation for the audience. "I'm spear-heading a water purification program. A little research would have assured you: it's public knowledge." "Please, spare me. How long have you been scouting the tunnels, months? There's something important down here to you, more important than the approval from a few eco-enthusiasts." This was a little better. While I never like dialogue that exists purely for the sake of setting up the story for the audience, this dialogue was at least well-written and characteristic. It would be just like Lionel to ambush Lex in a place where he can't deny his involvement, then try to "corner" him into telling the truth by blocking Lex's every lie with countering information. Lionel sees that an explosion is imminent, and his first reaction is to shout, "Lex!" and go running for Lex. This was an interesting moment, showing a Lionel who puts himself in harm's way for his son. Very different from the Lionel in "Jitters" who didn't mind closing the fire doors with Lex still trapped in LuthorCorp. But other than noting the contrast, there's little I can say. Since Lionel's character remains inscrutable, it's impossible to read into this moment without more context. Martha and Clark promptly show up at the hospital and walk supportively alongside Lionel. My first reaction was the familiar disbelief that Martha, Clark, and Lionel are willingly in such close proximity to each other. And, truth be told, I still think that Martha was a little too solicitous. But after seeing the concluding Martha-Clark scene, I understood this scene better. Clark and Martha were the sweet, supportive family who did the right thing by a man who didn't deserve it...just like they were the sweet, supportive family who did the right thing by that man's son when he didn't deserve it. The grace of the Kents, saving a Luthor. There was something almost symbolic about this scene, and the Lionel-Kent relationships, after all. As Clark bent over Lionel, the three of them were illuminated in a golden light. I don't know if it was intentional, but it made for a great shot. "I got notice four months ago that Wes died when his chopper was shot down in Afghanistan. I knew in my heart it wasn't true." This dialogue could have been rephrased and made more relevant to the situation. Jodi started to sound as if she were storytelling: instead, she could have said, "Four months ago, I got notice that my husband's helicopter had been shot down in Afghanistan. That's not true." This would be more stubborn and accusing. "It's hard to accept, but the heart sometimes lies." Now, this was a Lex-line. The delivery here was perfect - a tinge of dryness, but still serious in keeping with the situation. Kudos to Dries and Rosenbaum. "When you love somebody - really love them - you know when you've lost them." Nice foreshadowing here. It was appropriate to the situation, and it set the stage for the showdown between Lex and Lana at the end, where Lex loves and has lost Lana. "There was no chopper crash that day. In fact, there were no chopper crashes reported that entire month. And then the military failed to produce his body." She's looking at a pile of papers in her hands. Maybe it was the papers that made this feel like Chloe-exposition. It didn't feel personal at all. "You don't leave the service without learning a thing or two about reconnaissance. I used every source I had until they came up with this. Tell me, Mr. Luthor, what does a Fortune 500 company want with a Green Beret?" Jodi is speaking exactly like every other indignant Luthor-protester speaks. Her lines definitely needed to be personalized. Something like, "Don't lie to me! My husband is in LuthorCorp's files, and I want to know why!" "Where did you get that?" she punches him* "Tell me!" She's been through a lot - she should be like Gabriel in "Hidden," a lost and twisted soul screaming for help. Not a generic Chloe-type figure trying to trap Lex with her words. Yes, perhaps being in the service taught her this cold self-control...except for what she says in Moments (m). "Except schematics for these tunnels don't exist in any city blueprints. And I've rigged all five miles with C-4." Even more expositional dialogue. The poor woman barely got anything else. Ending the scene with a long camera shot zooming out, showing the tunnels rigged with explosives, would have been far more effective. "You see, I learned how to be all I could be in explosives ordinance control. Discharged for having a short fuse." Except she doesn't seem to have a short fuse right now. We've been waiting for her to lose control, to get upset, to punch Lex in the stomach, to raise her voice, anything. But the woman with the short fuse isn't acting that angry. Jodi, on her way out, turns back and says, "What's wrong, Mr. Luthor? Haven't you ever done anything crazy for love?" This was unrealistic. I can't see any reason why she would say this. Since Lionel had already told Clark that the tunnels were clogged with debris and that nobody but Clark would be able to find Lex...it was repetitive to have Clark and Chloe rehashing and verifying that same information. This scene could have been completely removed without anyone noticing, instead showing Clark entering the tunnels - or, in order to keep Chloe's take on Lex, it could have been shortened by several lines. "That could take forever. Lionel said these tunnels are endless!" "So Lionel was right, Lex could die if I don't go down there." Despite the unnecessary dialogue, I was pleasantly surprised that Clark sounded so reasonable and serious and non-defensive/ resentful/angry. Now it doesn't appear to have crossed his mind that Lex getting buried without hope of human rescue works for the Clark Agenda. Which is great. Clark is thinking about someone other than himself. A few weeks ago, he would have been grumbling, familiar arrogant look and all, about how Lex has ruined his life, etc., etc. Now he has a job to do. This moment was well-handled. "Well, don't look to me for encouragement. After what Lex did to my mom, I don't mind the idea of him cohabitating with the rats for all of eternity." Chloe provided the perfect balance to Clark's new perspective. She was completely justified in feeling this way, after what she has been through. This reaction - and a delightfully blunt delivery - brought realism and dimension to the situation. She and Clark completed each other in this scene. "Besides, whatever's in those tunnels may be the first step in taking Lex down." This moment was a bit awkward. Clark shouldn't have had to feel like he had to justify himself. Interpreted: "It's okay to save his life, because I might be able to trap him in the process." Chloe had already acknowledged that Clark needed to save Lex's life because he was Clark. He didn't need another reason. "Then I suggest you beat the bomb squad to the entrance and human-wrecking-ball your way in before anyone can see you." Another notably extraneous line. Great, Superman-ish music as Clark heads for the tunnel entrance and Lex struggles to free himself. "The phones won't work this deep in the tunnel system." "Mine will." This was the perfect setup. It was completely, unavoidably relevant to the situation, and it was mentioned just long enough that when Chloe couldn't reach Clark, you knew why. "Take it." Lex hesitates. "Take it!" For the first time, we see her agitation. This was belated, but better late than never. "Without Wes, my life is over." Why is she saying this now? There was no motivation for her to launch into her speech right then. "When you meet someone who can pull you out of the trenches, you don't just give up on them!" Again, why does she feel the need to justify her desire to speak with her husband? This was contrived for the double-application. "It's not that easy." Lex is referring to the matter of Wes, but the dialogue also applies to his relationship with Clark, who figuratively had the power to pull him out of the darkness and confusion. This line could be interpreted as, "Sometimes you have to give up on them." This, and Jodi's line above, would have made for a good exchange if the placement weren't so inappropriate. "Dial - the d*** - phone!" "He's dead!" Lex shouts it, and Jodi blinks. We see her whole being shocked by the news. This was good acting. I wish they had cut some of the early expositional dialogue and made her more passionate, so that we could really feel for her here. Lex rushes at Jodi and grabs the gun. The gun goes off, and she sinks back, bleeding. Lex points the gun at her, but his words are gentle. "Deactivate the explosives. Let's both get out of here alive." She picks up the control and detonates one set of explosives. During the first viewing, when I didn't know what was going to happen, I wondered why Lex didn't shoot her before she turned the control. He had plenty of opportunity. But on a second viewing, it's clear that Lex feels guilty. He's just delivered a staggering blow, a lie, and his conscience keeps him from pulling the trigger. He was probably intending to have her treated by his personal doctors at his expense, then give her enough money to live a comfortable life. It's easy to see how Lex deceives himself in this moment...wonderfully done. Sweet Martha: "I know it will mean a lot to Lionel that you're here." This was slightly hilarious, on a second viewing. The irony was brilliant. It's interesting that we can root for both caring Martha and vengeful Lana, one helping and one hurting. We didn't mind seeing Martha's motherly self there, and we didn't mind Lana manipulating her away. The acting and the script handled both characters well. The lighting in the hospital was magic. The images were all slightly fuzzy with radiance; Lionel's bandage glowed. It gave a strangely ironic, celestial beauty to the scene. Lana works herself up to a worried, agitated state, blinking and face-twitching, before going up to the doctors. Wow. This moment was a great, subtle look at her devious side. "I want to see him. You don't understand. My husband is missing, and Lionel is the last person who saw him alive. Doctor, if my husband doesn't survive, the man lying in that room is the only family I have left. Please. Just one minute." Lana makes her first Great Emotional Plea, all of it a complete lie. This was so shocking. Not only did she completely abandon herself to the moment, passionately tying herself to Lionel as a relative, but her facial expressions were full of conviction. Great moment. (Kristin Kreuk's acting has been much better this season, beginning with "Sneeze" - her "fake" conviction here was more moving than her real conviction in Season Four. Of course, it helps that now Lana is highly motivated in a compelling, complex story.) Lana slides her hand over Lionel's. Quietly, "I understand you're in a lot of pain." Lionel moans a reply. The camera zooms into her face. "Good." Great escalation of emotions conveyed here. Her thumb presses down on the needle, hard. I had a hard time believing this - threats I can easily believe, even passively allowing Lex to die, but physically hurting someone helpless...this was the one Lana moment that stretched my credulity. Lana spells out exactly what Lex did to her, but we don't mind: in this case, her explicit detail deliberately forestalls any of Lionel's waffling. "I didn't know then what Lex - " So...Lionel messed up. Whatever his motivation, he wasn't intentionally putting Lana in living hell. "With Lex missing, it turns out I'm in charge of all your medical decisions today." Her ironic expression here, her courteous smile, her whole delivery was perfect. The line was flawlessly written, concluding with "today" like a waitress or flight attendant, yet so obviously un-serving in nature. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's trapped. Why did you threaten to use Clark's weakness against him if I didn't marry Lex?" She goes straight to the point, something rarely done on a show where "Why didn't s/he just say..." reigns. We inwardly cheer. Lana leans forward, her face lit up with harsh light. "Tell me." She takes the IV line in her fingers, and - like everything else that falls in the bright light - both line and liquid seem to glow. Everything in the light seems to have a slight, austere touch of the divine, life-giving and life-taking. The DP and gaffer came through again. "If I killed you right now, I'd be free. Give me one reason why I shouldn't." "I'm protecting Clark." Information is always prized when it's bought or forced. The lengths to which Lana went, squeezing this out of Lionel, made even this small piece of information immensely fulfilling. Although when you look at it in context of the season, it's just as enigmatic as a number of other little things Lionel has said and done. But the story was set up so well to stress this moment that we can overlook that. Kristin Kreuk proves she has comedic timing as well as passionate drama. Officer #1 to Officer #2, holding up the briefcase: "We found this in the trunk. It might hold some answers." Lana sweeps up and calmly takes the briefcase. "Thank you, officer." As a matter of course. Officer #1, taken aback: "Ma'am, that's part of a crime scene." Officer #2: "We need to take that case as evidence." Lana, smiling: "Of course." Her expression becomes cheerful. "As soon as I see your warrant to search my husband's vehicle." Viewers start laughing. "Please, call me as soon as you have any news." She walks away triumphantly. What can I say but, Go Lana. Kristin played the scene beautifully. "Lex? Lex!" Clark finds him and gingerly tosses the debris aside. Lex slowly rises, his voice and face full of fear. "Clark?" He is so genuinely frightened that the stakes automatically went up. The self-composed Lex Luthor is scared, and the powerful Clark is weak. Suddenly this isn't just another near-death experience: it matters. Great way to turn up the feeling of pressure. They speak seriously, man to man, for once. "What are you doing here?" "Your dad sent me." "He's alive?" Clark nods. They have bigger things to think of than their personal gripes with each other, and that absolutely works. "And you got through when nobody else could." "Nobody else is trying, Lex." This is such a poignant moment. Clark sounds disappointed, like he hates to say it. The line conveyed both the hopelessness of their situation and Lex's tragic isolation. "Come on." Lex stops short, and the camera pans to the blood running down Clark's hand. Lex looks on in shocked concern. "Clark." As Clark groans and looks at the wound, Lex stares and swallows, upset. This was such a great moment. Lex has almost never seen Clark vulnerable in any way: now the one who is apt to appear as a rescuer is disabled. It's like watching the henchman beat up Superman in "Superman Returns" - it's hard to accept, and it gives you a certain cringing, disturbed feeling in your stomach. You can see Lex's confusion and alarm. Great moment, perfectly acted. Lana strides in and turns on music at full blast to cover the sound of gunshots. She fires at the briefcase locks, the music swelling behind her. The music is amped up as she finds the "ARES" cd. This was a great concept, but somehow it seemed like the wrong music. Although that might just be because I associate that piece with Bugs Bunny in yellow braids singing to Elmer Fudd... Lana reacts in confusion and amusement to the movie of the phantom, starting off with the Australian woman. Her expression here matches ours..."What on earth?!" Nice touch that Lana is able to appreciate the strangely ludicrous. She's not worrying about either Luthor. "I saw what happened when I stabbed you with that chisel, Clark. The thing accordioned like it hit solid rock." I almost fell out of my chair. Wow! And...wow! The writers just redeemed themselves from all those fourth- and fifth-season episodes with forgotten cliffhangers and ignored attention-getters. Not only did the writers follow through with something we'd dismissed as a gimmick (the continuity points for this season keep getting higher), but they passed on giving Lex a Deep Dark Secret scene, studying the chisel in some abandoned building. Instead, Lex - and the writers - is willing to make things a little messy in order to get answers. He's willing to let Clark know what he knows, instead of carefully hiding the Luthor hand. This catches us completely off guard. This was so overt that it may have even topped Lana's discovery of the necklace in "Trespass". "'Cause nothing's ever good enough for you, Lex." "Yeah, well the truth would have been!" Lex raises his voice in frustration. But we're still sitting here smiling. The chisel has returned, and Clark and Lex are having a heated discussion, and it has nothing to do with Lana. They've gotten past that facade, which never had anything to do with their mutual dislike, and are moving closer to the heart of the matter. Good stuff. "You may be flesh and blood, but you've been hiding secrets from me since we met. You never trusted me!" Lex always brings it back to the issue of trust (an issue that Martha later resolves in her first good conversation with Clark this season). We can see why Clark wouldn't want to trust Lex, as Lex emotionally invests so much in getting Clark's trust. There's something unstable about this compulsive need for peoples' confidence. But we also are moved to pity Lex, who is still haunted by events from years before. Lex ties the bandage tightly, causing Clark to wince. Clark gets angry. I understand that you hate risking your life to rescue someone who then vehemently reproaches you, Clark, but notice - he is bandaging your arm. "What are you really doing down here anyway, Lex? Trying to find new ways to exploit the people with different abilities than you?" This was rather tactless. Lex expresses exasperation with Clark's lack of trust, and Clark immediately reacts by asking if he was down here exploiting people. But still, there are points in this moment's favor. It's another continuity moment, this time referencing Lex's long-forgotten Freak ability for survival and good health. And for the sake of that same continuity, and the addressing of elephants in the room, one could argue that this line had to be said. Someone had to use this powerful wording, deliberately classifying Lex with the people he captured. Clark was one of the few people who knew about Lex's ability - he's the only one who can say this. Not my favorite Clark moment, but forgivable under the circumstances. The following few lines do spell the issue out a little too overtly. "There's no grey area with you, is there, Clark? It's either all good or all evil. Did you ever even try to see my humanity before you decided I had none?" This sounds a little as if Lex has been sitting back watching their saga play out on TV. "I did, Lex. And look where we are." Where are they? As far as Clark knew, the tunnels had nothing to do with Lex's humanity or inhumanity. This line didn't seem to make sense. Lex sees an opening and hastens toward it. "Clark, come on." He climbs through - more brilliant usage of harsh light in a shadowy set - then turns around and waits for Clark. "Come on! What are you waiting for? Let's go!" The cave is falling down around them, but Lex still waits as Clark, with painful slowness, worms his way through the opening. He pulls Clark through as debris crashes down around them. There was something epic about this quiet moment. It reminded me of the ending of "Hug," when he told Clark that their friendship would be the stuff of legend. There's a spark in "Smallville" when these two share scenes. "Hey, Clark, it's me...again. Where are you? I feel like your stalker ex-girlfriend - uh, even though I was ever your girlfriend, it was just an analogy, a bad one. I'm sorry, this is awkward, okay - uh, call me. 'Bye." 1) While a mention of Chloe's Clark-feelings was a nice touch, this went on too long - it began to look comedic, at a time when outright comedy didn't work. 2) At first I thought that Chloe should know that Clark wouldn't get reception in the tunnels. But then I realized that her message came from sometimes-unreasonable motherly/sisterly worry...and that this worry turned out to be justified when she found the kryptonite dust. Since Martha obviously wasn't being kept up-to-date on the situation, someone needed to be the paranoid woman. Clark sinks down, panting and groaning. "You know we don't have time for that." Lex's glance flickers around the tunnel, for a brief moment, almost like he's trying to figure out why Clark is so weak. This could be a panic reflex, looking for an escape, but it was an interesting moment. "Something tells me no one else knows about these tunnels." "By 'no one,' you mean Lana. I'm sorry, but I don't bore her with the daily minutiae of my work." I'm still trying to figure out how Lex got "Lana" from that. "You mean you don't trust her?" "I know that's what you've always wanted to believe. But Lana's the first person in my life I actually do trust." We can see that Lex believes it. He honestly things that he trusts Lana. But we have seen him offered the chance to disclose secret after secret to Lana over the past few months, and each time he has chosen to lie. His perfect conviction here made for a good snapshot of the Lex Luthor character. Somehow he will always be living two separate lives. "Then why'd you do it, Lex?" "Do what?" "Why'd you force her to marry you?" Lex's brows contract, he swallows, he leans forward, and he starts breathing heavier. We see the confusion and panic beginning to build. A few drum taps in the background accent the critical moment. This was great acting. Unfortunately, this moment was countered by the spiteful delivery of Clark's line - "I saw Lana the day of the wedding. And she was going to leave you." There's a snarl in Clark's face, and his voice is full of malice. Rewind this moment and listen to it without looking at him. This is Clark at his ugliest. He's not saying this to protect the innocent. He's saying this to hurt. Granted, we the audience know more than Clark does. We know that Lex had nothing to do with Lana's last-minute change of plans: Clark doesn't. So we can't blame Clark for confronting Lex with Lana's intentions. But surely Clark can see what we see now - that Lex is stricken, that his breathing is heavier, that for a moment his face has the blankness of despair. He can stop himself now. Come on, Clark. But Clark keeps going, still with that glare, still with that snarl. "What'd you do to her?" The question needed to be asked, but the delivery needed to be very different. Michael Rosenbaum delivers a stunning, subtle performance. "I don't know." He was stricken, but now he gathers himself together and gives an emotional outpouring. "The answer must have gotten lost in the dark abyss we call my soul." He sounds as if this is the closest to crying that he will ever get. "And what do I know about holding my breath in front of the congregation, praying that the love of my life wouldn't leave me at the altar?" He turns and faces Clark. "Not being sure that day was the hardest thing I've ever had to endure. You can believe that or not. I stopped expecting you to act like a friend a long time ago." This has to be one of the most powerful Lex scenes in the history of "Smallville" - confession of neediness in "Truth" and recovered memories in "Shattered" included. (The "dark abyss" line pushed our credibility, but the great delivery and the rest of the dialogue pulled back.) Clark leans his head back, wearily. We get the impression that he doesn't know what to believe any more. Truth and lies, justification and guilt, have all been jumbled together. He asks, still with that challenge in his voice, "Were we ever really friends, Lex?" Now he's not only questioning the validity of the present confession, he's questioning the past. Lex gives the best answer he could possibly give, in another blow to the "Why didn't s/he just say..." issue. "I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. You're the only real friend I've ever had, Clark." The expression on Clark's face changes. He lowers his eyes. Something's finally getting through. "But somewhere along the way, you saw me as your nemesis. Turned your back on me." The ceiling collapses, Clark asks for help - then, as Lex pauses, becomes suspicious and says, "Lex, don't leave me here." Lex looks at him and an odd smile flits across his face. And then again - same smile. There's something about the situation that Lex likes. Since he just finished the phrase "turned your back on me," at first we believe that he appreciates the chance to turn his back on Clark. But on second viewing, when we know that he has gone to get a large pipe for leverage, a different interpretation comes to mind. Maybe Lex is liking the fact that, for once, he gets to save Clark, a symbolic gesture, reclaiming his dignity. Lex is the type of person who would think that one gesture like that would free him from a dozen misdemeanors. "Lana, Clark went down into those tunnels a little while ago, and I haven't heard from him since." Lana rises slowly, trying to read Chloe. "Clark's down there?" "He went down to help, and now even the bomb squad can't find a way in." Lana thinks Chloe is putting up a front. She smiles slightly, says confidentially, "But he'll be okay, right?" She says it with a slight "finish-my-sentence" nod. Chloe, honestly: "I don't know." Lana looks at her, then says slowly and significantly, with another "finish-my-sentence" nod, "But he's..." Chloe doesn't finish the sentence. "I mean, he's Clark." This was another one of those great Lana-Chloe moments where a mention of Clark's secret triggers a careful dance of evasion and confidentiality. They share Clark's secret without sharing Clark's secret. We understand the motivation behind every seemingly harmless line. Subtext abounds. Now for the really interesting part. Lana starts - "Chloe, it's - " but Chloe interrupts her. "Lana, whatever it is you know or you think you know about Clark, he's not invincible. He has a - " "Weakness." First, what was Lana going to say? It seems like she was about to spill what she knew about Clark. Second, Chloe just basically disclosed that one might think Clark was invincible and that he had a weakness. Someone who didn't know anything about Clark would gather a lot from that. Chloe is trusting to the fact that Lana already knew a lot. Interesting moment. Lana confidently brings up the blueprints. Lest anyone underestimate the persistance and pure guile that this entails, Chloe points it out. The revelation of Lana's new character is laid out clearly. First, Lana: "I think I know another way in." Ominous music, and we realize...if she knew another way in, why was she silent? She opens the laptop and with an air of experience types in the password. "Exactly when did you learn how to pole-vault over Lex's firewall?" "I figured if Lex was going to be looking over my shoulder, it was time for me to start looking over his." She opens the file and the blueprints pop up. The camera shows Chloe's growing shock. "Are those the blueprints for the tunnels?" Deep, ominous music. Lana lifts her chin. Chloe looks at her in disbelief, as if she's seeing a completely different person. "You've been sitting on the Holy Grail all morning, and you didn't tell anyone?" The camera zooms in on each of them. "I thought you said there wasn't much time." This was flawlessly conveyed. Lex frees Clark...and we see that he has the same odd smile. He pants, almost triumphantly, "Did you really think I was going to let you die alone down here, Clark? Guess you never knew me at all." This is a moment of fulfillment for Lex Luthor. He's earning Clark's respect, and he's doing the right thing. We see that Lex is unstable, here in his subtlety far more than in his aboveground rages. We see that Clark and Lex both want to be friends. And we see that they can never be. As Clark sits there looking up at him mutely, his chest heaving, there is a poignancy to the whole situation that is absolutely gutwrenching. Scenes with Clark and Lex together and Lana absent are epic. Lex helps Clark to his feet, then puts his arm around him and holds him up as they stagger down the tunnel. The image is heartbreaking. They climb up the ladder, both weak. Lex slips, and Clark grabs onto his hand. For a moment, we wonder how Clark will manage. And then we remember, once again, "Jitters" - a tortured Clark gripping the railing with one green-veined hand, and hauling two men up with the other. Just as we remember that moment, Clark manages to pull Lex up enough so that he can grip the ladder. This moment seemed carefully crafted to suggest "Jitters" to old viewers. If that was intentional...that was awesome. "Nemesis" "Jitters" The escalating music and the countdown literally made my heart pound. Clark can't open the vent on his own. Neither can Lex. They look at each other for a moment as they lift it up, realizing for a brief, passing instant that neither one could have escaped without the other. This was played just right, not cheesed up or dwelled-on, not going over anyone's head. The flame erupts out of the tunnel, scorching Clark's legs as they both tumble away. While we're still reeling from that effect, Clark rolls onto his back and looks up at the sky. Continuing the theme of bright light, the sun glows through radiant clouds. The camera zooms in on Clark, who breathes deeply, with a look of intense relief, savoring his healing. Clark is wordlessly linked to the universe and to a higher power...without once using the word "destiny," we are reminded that there are plans for Clark greater than he knows. Wow. In one of the most beautiful montages in "Smallville," Lana and Chloe get out of the car as the rescue squad pulls up. Lana has led them to Clark. Clark, healed, rises from the ground. Lana runs forward to him, leaving Chloe watching them with the wind blowing in her hair. The sound of rescuers' voices and sirens fades into silence as Clark and Lana see each other. Clark is overwhelmed as Lana makes her way to him and stands in front of him, very close. She looks at him, wordlessly expressing how worried she was. The music is unbelievably beautiful. Lana sees Clark's bandage and gently touches his healed arm. His big hand slides over hers and holds it. She draws closer. He leans forward and presses his lips against her hair, eyes closed. She rests her head on his chest, drawing silent comfort from his presence. It is a highly emotional, slightly sensual, completely compelling moment. She opens her eyes before Lex is even visible, to see his form emerging from the smoke. Immediately, she walks toward him, sliding her hand along Clark's chest in a silent farewell. We can see where she wants to be. She approaches Lex with a smile of apparent happiness, and he greets her with a smile of apparent happiness. But as they embrace, we see in Lex's expression what she doesn't - the realization that he has lost her. This is the first time he has seen her since Clark's tunnel revelation. He hugs her, knowing that he needs her, and she does not need him. Lana hugs him, feeling trapped with him, hating him, crying softly. Lex looks over her at Clark. His lip twitches. We don't know everything he's thinking. There is a trio of complex emotions, Clark watching Lex the friend and Lana the loved, Lana feeling cornered, Lex feeling abandoned. The montage ends with that image. "You must be thrilled. Both the Luthors, alive and well." "I didn't come here to talk about Lex. What I want right now are answers." Lana closes the door, once again cutting to the chase. "First you tell me you're going to Clark if I don't marry Lex, and now you're telling me you're protecting him? What the h**'s going on?" Lana is so blunt, and after literally months of Lionel's secrets - which borders on absurd - we're cheering Lana. "I don't understand. What harm? What's Lex doing, and why am I a part of it?" All the immediate questions in Details G that we were bursting to ask, she asks. This was so...perfect. I'd like to see smart characters more often. Lionel, enigmatically: "You must trust me, Lana. Because Clark's life depends on it." He believes that the name of Clark works like magic - Lana will accept it and move on. Instead, Lana moves closer. "I wonder how Martha Kent would handle hearing that you used her son as a bargaining chip. Tell me what you know." And Lionel speaks the word in all our minds: "Wow." I have to say again...Go Lana. "I guess I had it all wrong." To repeat Lionel - wow. Clark is growing up. Usually recap dialogue comes across as...well, recap dialogue. Dialogue there for the purpose of reiterating something that the attentive viewer knows well. I don't know if it was the beautiful light, the camerawork, or the good music, but the Clark-Chloe exchange, instead of feeling recappish, actually seemed to serve a purpose. It built up a sense of anticipation. "Lex said nobody knew about those tunnels, not even - " Chloe, significantly: "Lana?" Later, Chloe: "Don't give up on your hunch just yet, Clark. Lana knew* about the other entrance to those tunnels the whole time, but it wasn't until she heard you were down there that she magically produced them." Clark, in disbelief: "Lana was going to let Lex die down there." "I think the Luthor mansion has a lot more secrets than we realize." Not only did that moment serve as a nice anticipation-builder, but it also made for a great transition to a very dark establishing shot of the Luthor mansion, and an intense scene full of Luthor deceit. A sweet, smiling Lana gives Lex the briefcase, locks shot off. "The police found this. I guess they really wanted to get into it. I took it away from them as fast as I could." She seems to be insinuating herself into his good graces here, portraying herself as the ally who protects his secrets. Does this have anything to do with her conversation with Lionel? "Well, I'm going to cuddle up with a movie. Any genre preference?" This pretence of normalcy jarred so strongly with both their true emotions. Great line. "I think I'll pass." "Okay." Lana smilingly walks away. She's almost to the door, when Lex suddenly, bluntly comes out with: "Did you see Clark on our wedding day and tell him you didn't want to marry me?" Lana freezes. For at least the third time this episode, my jaw drops. This took me completely by surprise. Once again, Lex is choosing not to go the circuitous, secret-laden route and is instead bringing an ugly unresolved issue up to the light. Direct conflict. Wow. Wow. Lana turns around and faces him, and we see the panic in her eyes. She's a deer in the headlights. (What did she and Lionel talk about?) For a moment, we think she'll deny it. Lex: "Did you?" Lana, breathing faster: "Yes." Wow. I didn't think she'd say it. Lex slowly looks away, and we see the intensity of his agitation, though he tries to hide it. Lana: "But only because I needed someone to talk to." And, to our astonishment, Lana launches into her second Great Emotional Plea. And this time, not only is all of it a lie, but she turns it around on Lex, in apparent humility and brokenness challenging Lex to expose his lies. "I knew there was something wrong with the baby: I could feel it. I thought you wouldn't love me, and I didn't want to lie." Lex is unreadable - his face is stone. Lana draws close to him, with a new inspiration. "I wanted to say something. I did. But you loved our baby so much. Just one look at her nursery, and I knew that you had an entire life planned. School...play dates." Lex can't take it any more. He turns around at looks at her, his eyes searching hers, his lips trembling as if he is about to speak. "We were going to be the best parents in the world." He opens his mouth, he's about to say something. With astonishing, almost repulsive earnestness, she keeps going. "How could I stand at that altar, in front of all those people, and say that everything was going to be okay when I knew that something was seriously wrong? What kind of a person would lie like that?" Wow. Lex stares at her as if seeing her for the first time. The lights and shadows flicker and dance on the walls behind him. He draws close to her and says all the right things. "Nothing could have stopped me from loving you. Nothing." Their faces are inches away from each other, and the tension is palpable. Lana smiles through her tears. "That's why I married you." She grows serious again. "I wish I was that strong. If someone lied to me like that, they would lose my love forever." She is virtually telling him that he has lost her. He can never tell her the truth, and he will always be in fear that she will find out. With complete earnestness, she whispers, "I don't know what I did to deserve you." Lex hugs her, as effectively as if he were in a different room. We see Lana trying to calm herself. This has to be the absolute best Lex-Lana scene in all six seasons of "Smallville". Michael Rosenbaum had a complete conversation just with facial expressions. Lana had subtle, brilliant lines. Unbelievably good scene. Beautiful establishing shot of the Kent farm. Clark pores over charts and data for hours. "It just doesn't add up. I mean, we have budgets, funding, plans, construction..." He didn't ask Chloe to evaluate everything for him, he did it himself. Great choice, writers. This was actually a nice, subtle nod to the teaching of Milton Fine, as Milton showed him how to investigate issues like these and examine the evidence. But more importantly, it showed an intelligent Clark. I hate to use this word again, but...wow. "It's almost as if Lex was..." "Building a water-purification system." Annette O' Toole nailed this line. And then the moment that, for some reason, gives me chills every time. "Clark...what really happened down there?" A camera shot of Clark from the back. He is surrounded by darkness, his shirt appears dark, his hair appears black. Ominous, dark music plays. He turns his head to the side, somehow giving us a profile of a new Superman, someone we've never seen before. Then the next shot is from a 3/4 angle. In the dark loft, Clark's face is barely illuminated with a cold blue light. Somehow there's something celestial about it. His face is full of something we've rarely seen - confusion, uncertainty, searching. If only for a moment, he's a dark, broken soul who's looking for answers. "When Lex pulled me out of that rubble, I saw a glimpse of something I hadn't seen in years...my friend." In that moment, for the first time since Season Four Clark started playing football, I loved Clark. "I know you two have been through a lot together. But so much has happened. Sometimes, as hard as it is, you have to let go." Caroline Dries must read the message boards and reviews, because she did justice to both sides of this issue, exploring both perspectives before coming to a point that everyone could agree on. Clark: "But you didn't. After everything that Lionel's done, you stood by him today." Great point. Surprisingly great point. "That doesn't mean I trust him. I wish I could." This is the most thought-provoking, meaningful conversation Clark and Martha have had in years. "But even though I believe he's honestly made an effort...no one can completely change who they are." I'm frankly baffled by the second half of this sentence. I keep getting a picture in my head of a random three-dimensional shape, changing but not completely changing. Except when it's finished, then what it "is" is something different. So then it changes some more, but doesn't completely change, except now it's a new shape that can go on to change more. At what point does "who someone is" partially change, and at what point does "who someone is" completely change? And where do you draw the line between what's "changed" and what's just "who someone is"? "But at least you gave him that chance. Mom, what if part of who Lex is...is because of me? What if I gave up on him too soon?" Tom Welling gives the performance of his life in this scene. Clark breaks out of a three- or four-year pattern and honestly seems to care about someone and blame himself and worry about what he's done in a completely new way. This whole experience has left Clark shaken. And that's a good way for him to be. "You'll never give up on anyone, Clark. Because your greatest strength might also be your greatest weakness: your hope." So many have told this to Clark, Kryptonians as well as humans. I hope that this is the way "Smallville" will choose to characterize Clark in the future. Lex’s dark side comes through again, with the revelation of the living experiment Wes Keenan. We knew he was lying when he told Jodi that Wes had died, but the juxtaposition of his needy, silently pleading self with his relentless dark side made this final revelation shocking anyway. The writers have returned Lex to the point where he is living two very different lives - both in his life, and in his head. I hope they keep him that way. A Note on the Cinematography The theme of darkness and bright light was played beautifully throughout the episode, from the hospital scenes to Clark's healing. What's particularly interesting is that, as Clark and Lex wrestled emotionally in the tunnels, Lex wore light clothes and was frequently seen standing in or entering the light...while Clark wore dark clothes and was hidden in the shadows. Was this a symbolic use of light and darkness? While Lex was with Clark and felt Clark could save him, he was illuminated in a bright glow. Then as he realized that he had lost Lana in the mansion, the wall behind him flickered with restless shadows and lights. Finally in the tag scene, he stood in blue darkness. Check out the noticable contrast between Lex's lighting and Clark's. Whether that symbolism was intentional or not, the theme of bright light in darkness, and calm amid conflict, was clear. Kudos to the DP, gaffer, and everyone else involved in this fantastic cinematography. Details Lionel sounded like he was trying to sound like he was having a hard time speaking. (Read that again if you have to.) But he got so many lines out, and so promptly, that his dialogue here didn't sound as painful and laborious as it should. "You've got to find him, Clark. He's put something terrible into motion down there. Lex is the only one who can stop it." Interesting. What was the "it" that Lex had to stop? Was it the explosion, meaning that Lex's only hope at escape was returning Wes to his wife? Or was it the enhancement of Wes, which only Lex had the power to stop? I'm tempted to think the second. If it was the first, then Lionel would basically saying, "You have to save Lex, because Lex is the only one who can save Lex!" But if it was the second, then Lionel would be saying, "You have to save Lex, because Lex is the only one who can stop them from unleashing this Prototype on the world!" I'm going with that interpretation. Clark is capable of staggering around, even crawling through kryptonite, even though last week it just took one rock in his jacket to completely disable him. You could attribute this to the comparitive purity of the kryptonite. Or you could hypothesize that the kryptonite in the closet was for the purpose of disabling Clark and had been picked up from the surface of the ground, its strength undiminished, while for meteorites to sink so far below ground they must have been weathered and worn and ground up and scattered... Or this could just be bad continuity. Martha doesn't wait with Chloe outside the tunnel entrance or show up with Lana at the other tunnel entrance. Why does Chloe neglect to tell her what's going on, when she has the time to call Clark's cellphone numerous times and drive to the mansion to talk to Lana? And does this mean that while Clark is battling death, Martha is sitting in the hospital waiting for Lionel's surgery to finish? That's a distasteful picture. "But somewhere along the way, you saw me as your nemesis. Turned your back on me." Springy foam "debris" falls on Clark. (Play this in slow-motion, and you'll see it bounce.) In TV-life, though, why doesn't Clark's skull cave in? "You know, Clark is a very lucky young man to have someone who loves him the way you do." Why is he lucky, if you're separating them, Lionel? Odd moment. "Your love is the only thing I could use to keep Clark out of harm's way and you close to Lex." This doesn't tell us anything new, except that in addition to protecting Clark, Lionel thought it would be good for Lana and Lex to be in close proximity. Why would he want that? Does he want Lana to help him take Lex down? And what kind of person would bully people into marrying for the sake of getting inside information? "Reeves Dam" seems to be a nice tribute to Christopher Reeve. "...but if Lex was willing to go up against Tomb Raider for [these tunnels], I can't retire my reporter's notebook just yet." She makes it sound as if Lex and Jodi were fighting for possession of the tunnels, instead of Jodi kidnapping Lex and insisting she get a phone call from Wes. What was that about? When Martha comes up to the loft, Clark's hair isn't as wavy as usual. It's straight, resulting in a very Clark Kent look. © Voice of Reason, 2007