Sneeze

Overall

Every season follows the premiere with an obligatory Light Episode to launch the "real season". Serious "Exile" and "Phoenix" were followed by flirty "Extinction" and "Slumber," "Crusade" had its "Facade" and "Devoted," and in the fifth season "Arrival" had "Mortal" and "Hidden" had "Aqua". There has only been one Light Episode ("Heat") that I have ever liked. Until now.

This episode successfully avoided every pitfall I had expected. The writers employed hilarious deadpan wit, yet managed to escape the Light Episode's usual cheesy tone ("Aqua," anyone?). They balanced humor, seriousness, and inspiration so that all three complemented each other without conflict. We weren't frustrated by uncompelling characters or flat and obvious dialogue. They didn't sneak humor into moments where humor was out-of-place. They took what could be a very comic-booky power and turned into a serious tool for a serious good guy.

More than that, they created an episode that calmed my doubts about the season. Clark was actually responsible, the most likable he's been since the first three seasons. The writers developed the theme of his changing through suffering, the inspiring theme they promised at the end of "Hidden" last season and never followed through with. Lois's introduction to writing came from very characteristic motivation, from a very believable and fun circumstance, and in a very believable and fun way...without playing down the potential discomfort that her snooping could pose in the future. Even Jimmy's conspicuous absence reassured us that we weren't in for another cheesy triangle of jealousy and stiffness.

In the article "Why Smallville's Fourth Season Failed," I wrote, "The whole theme of Smallville is taking two friends - Lex and Clark - who both have the makings of a hero in them, and watching as the trials they undergo shape who they are destined to become." This episode showed Clark and Lex's innate similarities as they both tried to deal with the guilt of having unwittingly helped to destroy Metropolis, and stressed the idea of their futures being darkly and inextricably intertwined. That was a theme I haven't seen in a long time. Well done.

After "Zod," we needed the reassurance of this episode. Let's hope the characters stay characteristic and motivated.

Verdict: 9.75

Good/Bad Moments

1. "You've been out again all night, haven't you?" "Can't do what I need to do in the daylight." This new Clark was amazing. Serious, grown up, taking responsibility without whining. Just as seeing the S4 Clark lent an unsettling tone to the whole season, seeing this S6 Clark seems to fill this season with promise. It's far too soon to tell…but the writers were definitely heading in the right direction with this Clark.
2. "It's my mess, Mom, I need to clean it up." Wow. This was so much better than the patchwork, hesitating S5 Clark.
3. "Zod would not have been released, if for once in my life I had listened to Jor-El, and done what he asked me to do." So Clark is thinking about his father, and recognizing his authority. This was the perfect Episode 2 to S5's Episode 2, "Mortal," in which he went happily on his merry way and ignored the huge and portentous messages Jor-El had been sending him.
4. "I'm okay. Really, I'm fine." Subdued voice…this was great acting. He really seemed resigned to what he needed to do, yet his weariness and the fight to stay awake carried over. His mind was calm and his body was fighting. Perfect acting.
5. Nice effect as Clark drove the nails into the wood. And good touch that he had to try twice for that nail, showing that he wasn't at his peak and setting the stage for later inability.
6. It was a strange moment when the camera shot changed. One moment it was revolving around Clark at the workbench – next minute it was farther away and perfectly still. Awkward.
7. Very good setup music as Lois jogged down the road. The whole moment set the tone for the episode. Goofy, fun, with some serious implications.
8. "It was nice of you to offer me a room at the mansion. I don't know what I would have done." This dialogue seemed very contrived. Even if it had been worded a little bit differently, it would have been more natural: "Thank you again for letting me stay with you. I really don't know what I would have done." Even then, this is a momentous thing. Lana is moving in with Lex, someone she was witchy with for much of S5. It seems like for such an important and meaningful occasion, we should have seen Lex make the offer. If "Zod" had been split into two episodes (hint to the writers), the second episode could have ended with Lex asking Lana if she wanted to stay at the mansion. It would have been a cliffhanger.
9. Splitting "Zod" into two parts would also have let Lana's lack of trust (in the hospital scene) develop. In "Zod" she was wary, and Lex was trying to make it up to her. If it had ended with Lex offering Lana a room, we would have really wondered about her choice, because it would be a continuation of her trust vs. distrust theme. As it was, jumping straight to the fact that Lana now trusted Lex again, the viewer experienced a sense of anticlimax.
10. "Hi. You guys are not going to believe what just happened to me. I'm out there jogging along, minding my own business, when out of nowhere, a barn door comes falling from the clear blue sky and almost crushes me. How does that happen?" Good music. Clark looks at her blankly. "Maybe it fell from an airplane." That cracked me up. This was another scene that helped set up the ongoing "deadpan wit".
11. Lois knocks and doesn't wait for them to answer the door. Then she goes calmly to the refrigerator helps herself to a bottle of water. In S4 this was contrived, but by this time they've established a relationship, so her comfort in their home was less offensive and more homey.
12. "Good guess, but the only thing up there was a severely traumatized sparrow." Hilarious answer.
13. "Uh oh, does Clarky have the sniffles?" I wasn't sure to think about this line. My instincts told me to hate it, but somehow her delivery and Clark's reaction were ideal for the line, so it didn't grate on me too strongly. You could see them in an office, Clark wearing glasses, and Lois giving the exact same delivery and Clark receiving it with the same expression.
14. "Well lucky for you, I have the perfect remedy – honey and a little bit of cayenne pepper. First time it makes you sneeze a bunch of times, but then I swear, you're pretty much cured." Clark's eyes widen. He glances at Martha. "Lois, I'll pass." Martha, quickly: "I think we're all out of cayenne, Lois." Lois, triumphantly, "No you're not!" At this point I seriously thought Clark was going to have to suppress twelve sneezes, and I was rocking back and forth laughing. Then – saved by the barn door, or lack thereof. Lois completely forgets about the cayenne. This sequence of events, from Clark's look to Martha's quick protest to Lois's quicker answer to the gaping barn wall, led the viewer through a chain of emotions. It wasn't just a flippant and stagnant conversation, it went somewhere and it brought us through a miniature emotional journey. This is how scenes should be written.
15. "Where did the barn door go? It was here late last night when I came to drop off the documents, and now it's gone." This was a rather odd line. First, she points out the obvious (to us and to Clark) when she says, "It was here late last night." Maybe she thought Clark didn't know that, but it still sounded a bit contrived. "…and now it's gone." Now there was no excuse for that part. Also, just out of idle curiosity…what documents?
16. "Well, look at that. It is gone." Now, that deadpan was a bit too much.
17. Lois staring intently at the gaping hole. This was an interesting and foreboding camera shot. We could glimpse, from that shot, the future – Lois's dangerous, exciting curiosity, her insistence on letting people know, all the Lois-Lane-ish characteristics suddenly merging with what was once a very un-Lois-Lane-ish person. This was a picture worth a thousand words.
18. "I want this taken care of by any means necessary." The Luthor response. We've seen this outlook in the past, when Lex threatened to erase a man's identity, but we viewers didn't mind too much because he was protecting Clark. Now comes the natural next step. He's no longer protecting Clark, but he's using unethical means. Now it seems less defensible, it bothers us more – but it's a natural development of earlier vice.
19. "I had no idea I was moving into a fortress." Another tacit parallel between Clark and Lex. The similarity between hero and anti-hero makes for such poignancy…and such epic scope.
20. "I doubt I have to look much further than the lowest branch in the family tree…" Clever Lex line, intelligent and coolly contemptuous while still being cultured.
21. "After breaking every law imaginable while I was inhabited by Zod, I don't want to go anywhere near a badge. I can't trust anyone, not even my own security." This was good expositional dialogue. Lana brought up a natural question, and he gave her the answer as a caution not to call the police.
22. "Lex Luthor Donates Millions to Rebuild City." "How's this for a megadose of guilt money?" Chloe, he feels like he needs to atone for something that wasn't directly his fault…just like Clark. Aren't he and Clark doing the same thing, just in different ways? And isn't that what made this episode so fascinating?
23. "Well, uh, I've got bigger news." "What happened? Is everything all right?" "I sneezed." The confidential, self-conscious way he said this, looking around to make sure nobody was listening, was hilariously funny.
24. "Now she's on a one-woman crusade to find out what happened. You know her, she won't stop digging until she hits China." This painted such a delightful word picture, and it was perfectly natural in context. We could see that in Lois, and part of the fun was that he was remarking on something we knew existed but couldn't define. This was the brilliantly funny dialogue of the early seasons, natural and clever.
25. Clark inhales sharply, and Chloe dives for the folders. Clark pauses. "Just kidding." This was a good example of their close, affectionate friendship. Sometimes we need examples in a relationship to keep the relationship from warping.
26. Chloe rolls her eyes, but has to laugh. It was good to see this.
27. "If I were having you followed, son, you would never know it. I can guarantee you that." That was a good response, and very characteristic, but it should have been briefer and delivered quicker. We know Lionel so well that we could see it coming long before he'd gotten to the punchline.
28. "Elvis has left the building." This isn't the way Lex talks. It was strangely contradictory to hear him say this, especially with that righteous indignation.
29. Lionel's behavior was strange here. "If you want to find out who's stalking you, I suggest you concentrate on remembering every little minute detail of that horrific day!" He was practically spitting. Was this supposed to imply that they'd had this discussion before, and Lionel was sick of arguing and angry at Lex for being "stubborn"? Or was it supposed to imply that Zod's Kryptonian spirit of anger was affecting him?
30. "Well, I guess I should have kept a blog." Now that was funny. This was the right kind of incongruity, the businessman delivering that wry line.
31. Lionel jumping up, "Lex, please, let me help you!" Why the urgency, the panic? He's frantic. I found all this Lionel behavior to be bewildering.
32. During this LuthorCorp scene, there was very interesting lighting in this set. They're using a lot of neon lights these days. I wonder why.
33. "Lex, there are some adversaries that cannot be defeated alone!" He's almost shouting. Then, "Lex!" and he is shouting. Strange, strange moment.
34. Great production as Lex unknowingly headed for his captor. Great music, rhythmic elevator beeping, shot of the elevator descending…the flow of this episode was almost perfect.
35. "The bear is hibernating." Somehow this line seemed incredibly corny.
36. Great connection between Clark and Lex, as Lex inhales the gas and Clark inhales the steam. It functioned as an Indicator: Clark thinks they have nothing to do with each other, and recently they haven't had much to do with each other…but they share something in common, the quality of a legend, and their fates are inextricably intertwined.
37. "This is one part about being human I don’t envy." "It's not all that bad. You get to lie on the couch all day and watch DVDs." This was a great moment we could all identify with. Who doesn't associate sickness, bed, and Blockbusters?
38. "Lex. He's gone. I think he's been abducted." "Who do you think's behind it?" So Clark sees it as a problem to be investigated.
39. "You have to find him, Clark." "Why? Lex and I have nothing to do with each other any more." So Clark doesn't see it as a problem to be investigated. What? This was the worst line of the episode. Clark goes from being a world saver and rebuilder, cleaning up his own mess, responsible…to utter callousness. Almost unbelievable callousness. "Kidnapped? It's not my problem." "He could die? Well, we're not talking any more." This was a strange moment of cruelty.
40. "But you and Zod do." "He might remember it all. Whoever his captors are, if they put enough pressure on him, he could tell the truth…about you." This was another example of good expositional dialogue. It had a reasonable context – he needs to give Clark motivation to find Lex – and it was telling something that nobody present but Lionel knew. This is an angle we had never considered.
41. Good closeup shot of Lex and his bonds, establishing how he will be freed later.
42. Block made everything sound trivial. His exaggerated head motions, raised eyebrow, and his smart jock way of talking reduced it to a TV show moment.
43. "It's called a microburst…It's actually not that unheard of in the Midwest." This was a good scene for covering all the bases. If it were taken out, the story would be incomplete – Lois must be published in the Inquisitor, so she must go to Chloe first (who would go to the Inquisitor before going to a cousin at the Daily Planet?), so she must tell Chloe her tale. Since the story had to include Lois telling Chloe the story, the writers did a great job of covering all the character-bases in this scene. Lois tells Chloe, who has already come up with a reasonable explanation to cover for Clark. Very characteristic. Lois tries to penetrate Chloe's apparent skepticism and points out that Chloe is the creator of the Wall of Weird. Chloe then has to come up with an explanation as to why this particular incident is exempt from Weirdness. This wasn't just an expositional scene – it was full of conflicting motives and subtle clashes. Great job, writers.
44. The only thing I would change about this scene is the predictable end. The camera shots told us that the barn door would fall long before it fell.
45. "I'm an entre- (pause) –preneur, okay?" Weird delivery.
46. "Not only is it an expose on the paranormal, it's a story of human triumph over adversity. That barn door could have chopped me in half. Read it." Not only was this funny without being dumb, it showed that Lois knew how to market a story…if not accurately. Good moment.
47. "Funny, I don't remember there being an 'e' in 'tornado'." Nice touch that Lois's spelling is dismal, a precursor of later misspellings.
48. Interesting concept, having Lana gently, tunelessly plunking the piano keys. Was this to show her vague worry? There was something strangely disturbing about the tunelessness.
49. "Actually, I'm living here now. If you're looking for Lex, he's not here." Doesn't look at him. This was good directing. It would have been a bit…well, disgusting…if she had looked at him triumphantly and announced it. It was natural that she would avoid eye contact.
50. "I think he may have been kidnapped." Pause, Lana reacts. "Has he mentioned any recent threats against him?" Silence, confusion. "Lana, if you have any information that could help me find him – " "I don't understand, Clark." Clark and Lana have had confrontations galore, but this has been perhaps the second or third convincing one. It wasn't a back-and-forth verbal punch ("You're lying." "Well, but you're lying too." "I never knew you…"), it wasn't an imperial disdain ("Well, if you don't trust me!"). It was the tension not only of two people, but of two peoples' inner conflicts. Lana dealing with her former feelings, her trust, her concern for Lex, her wonder about Clark – Clark dealing with his former feelings, his need for reticence, his conflicted feelings about Lex. They weren't just trying to bully each other into telling their secrets. When they faced each other, they were facing themselves.
51. "Lana, no matter what my differences are with Lex, I don't want to see him get hurt." That should have been his original reaction, but after seeing his heartless reaction earlier, this came across as sickeningly hypocritical.
52. "Or maybe you have your own reasons? Clark, how did you know that Lex was going to be transformed into that monster before anyone else?" The music, the camera shots, and Lana's new voice created an almost palpable tension in this scene.
53. "Did you tell Lex about this?" "Not yet." This delivery was perfect. It wasn't a threat, it wasn't a self-conscious withholding…it just showed that she was in conflict. She didn't know whether she wanted to betray her ex-boyfriend's small secret to her current boyfriend. Until the fourth season, Lana's character was marked by this complexity, this quiet confusion. It was great and realistic to bring that back.
54. "Clark, I want an answer. You can't keep secrets when Lex's life is in danger." "If I had all the answers, I wouldn't be here, Lana." This dialogue was more obscure, slightly weakening the moment. Once I examined it, it made sense; but it was perhaps too abstract to disentangle onscreen. At first I thought, "Why can't Clark keep secrets when Lex's life is in danger?" It seemed that Lana was trying to twist the situation to her advantage by using any excuse to ask about Clark's secret. My concept of Clark's secret was his real secret. I also thought, "Why does Clark say he doesn't have all the answers? He has the one she wants." It seemed like avoidance of the real question. But then I realized that Lana's concept of Clark's secret was different – she thought Lex's kidnapping might have something to do with Zod or another Kryptonian ship. She was appealing to Clark because Clark knew Lex's future last time – can't he tell her what he knows this time? And Clark replies, No, because he doesn't have the answers. He doesn't know what's happening to Lex. Now it makes sense.
55. "Then do it." Do what? Odd, meaningless line. Did they take a line out?
56. "Don't pretend you're doing it for him." Good point. I wanted to tell Clark this, myself.
57. I found it interesting that, during this Clark-Lana scene, Clark's longer hair is reminiscent of Kal. He seemed familiar but distant and older. That added another fascinating dynamic to the discourse.
58. Good music as Lana discovers the security tapes. Her confusion, her grief, gulping. More perfect directing, acting, and production.
59. I found it odd that Lana didn't tell Clark about Pontius. She's accustomed to looking at him as a savior (in "Mortal" she assured Martha that Clark always found a way) and just last episode, she went looking for Clark for help. Perhaps the circumstances are different now, since last week she knew that Clark had foreknowledge of Lex's transformation, and this week Clark doesn't know anything about it. Still, I would have found willingness to accept Clark's help more realistic than a nighttime trip alone to an abandoned warehouse.
60. Lionel visits the Green Arrow, looks at the picture of him as a child with smiling parents. Lionel smiles and shakes his head. Fascinating moment. Did Lionel know and like Oliver's parents before they died? Or did he rather like Oliver and was amused by the picture of him as a baby? It seemed like an uncharacteristic reaction for Lionel.
61. I was unsure what to think about Oliver Queen, since the context demanded that he be unreadable by Lionel and his subordinate. It was impossible to tell whether his immense distance from the audience was because of the necessary distance from Lionel and his subordinate. Brief, curt, dismissive. Unreadable. Cynical. Those were my first impressions.
62. "Well. How could you resist these views. Not to mention the crisp Midwestern air." This line, for example. Was it supposed to sound so forced?
63. "How is old Lex doing, by the way?" Did they mean for the term "old Lex" to sound that stiff?
64. "You know what, Lionel, you've inspired me. I'm going to give him a call, yeah… I'll call him today." Again, the many possible interpretations of his delivery leave me baffled. And in a way, that could be a good thing. The trouble with Cyborg is that he had no mystery. Perhaps Green Arrow is Cyborg's opposite.
65. "He's been abducted. My God." Now that was definitely supposed to sound like that, and it was so ironically spoken that I found myself smiling wryly.
66. "I remember in the Excelsior school plays you were always so good, so convincing." This seemed to hint that Oliver's part was an act, which we had gathered – but to what extent was it an act? Interesting grounds for conjecture…was Oliver truly this cold and dark? And if Oliver were a born actor, wouldn't he play his part with less irony and more convincing tones?
67. "Lionel, I am involved in a lot of business ventures, as you know…but I can assure you," shuffles forward awkwardly, "kidnapping is not one of them." This moment came across as very awkward, as if Oliver were standing on his tiptoes, or somehow wasn't comfortable moving forward.
68. "I remember you have an unpleasant history with my son. And I know Queen Industries had the only working satellite on Dark Thursday." Again, this was good expository dialogue. This would have been dull repetition if we'd known it before, but since it was news to us, the exposition impacted our perception of Oliver, as well as caused Oliver to react and hide his reaction.
69. "I know, I know, Oliver. You've suffered through a lot in your young life, but if you have so much as laid a hand on Lex, the word 'suffer' will take on a whole new meaning to you." What has Oliver suffered? Since I'm not a comic book reader, I wouldn't know…but this little meaty bit of expository dialogue told us a lot. Oliver is complex and troubled and shaped by adversity. Lionel is familiar with Oliver's past and even sympathizes with him to an extent. And Oliver's history with Lex was so full of conflict that Lionel finds it possible that he might have harmed Lex. Yet Lionel speaks to Oliver with a degree of kindness at first. This gave us enough to sketch out context, and not so much that it was spelled out for us. It was intriguing.
70. "Hey. I never thought I'd utter these words, but you don't look so hot." Chloe said this with so much concern that it didn't sound flirtatious or romantic. Interesting to note that she acknowledges a longtime admiration of his features, and he doesn't seem affected at all. Nor does she expect him to be affected. Is the almost-romance a closed issue now?
71. "But if you feel even the slightest inkling of a sneeze, you cover your face and Ziploc it shut, okay?" Concerned, gentle, mothering him a bit. Good to see Chloe's instinctive reaction here.
72. "I went to Lex's mansion. I saw Lana." "So you know about their new domestic partnership." "It's like we don't even know each other any more." Great music here. Somehow this exchange didn't seem trite or overused, even though the last line might have been predicted. Part of it was the music; part of it was, I think, that their deliveries of the lines seemed so unconscious of self that, watching them, the viewer became immersed. There is a world of difference between this sort of acting and the "Zod" sort of acting.
73. "When you escaped from the Kryptonian land of the lost, I bet you didn't think that you'd be rewarded by having to save Lex Luthor while battling a raging head cold, huh?" "Not exactly the goodbye gift I was expecting, no." Their playful exchange showed that they understood each other. Chloe's sympathy and Clark's dry answer played off each other beautifully.
74. "I guess heroes don't get sick days." Clark thinks about it for a moment, sighs. Twists his mouth wryly. "They also don't put the world in jeopardy on an annual basis. I'm no hero, Chloe." Dismissing it quickly, "There it is. 515 Grant Street…" This was an interesting exchange. Any time the word "hero" or "destiny" is mentioned, the conversation tends to get platitudinous and bewildering; but this was pretty straightforward. Clark not only didn't consider himself a hero, but he wasn't thinking much about himself at all; he was more interested in the address. (Of course, that selfless Superman-ish attitude crumbles if the reason he was interested in the address was because he wanted to get Lex and protect his secret.)
75. The writers came up with the perfect reason for Clark to need Chloe. It was fun in "Mortal" to see them work together, and this teamwork brought back memories of earlier and more innocent seasons when they sneaked around together. It also made sense that Clark would never have thought of superbreath without Chloe – it's a rather odd concept, but such strange speculation is right down Chloe's alley.
76. "What about a sneeze?" "What about it?" " Clark, if your sneeze could blow a barn door seven miles across Smallville, I'll bet you anything you could take that out, no problem." "Chloe, I can't force it." "Why not? You can do anything." "Except sneeze on command. It's a reflex, not a circus trick." Clark's incredulous look, Chloe's gentle relentlessness – the emotions and flow played very well in this scene. These were realistic reactions, and somehow added a humorous dimension to the scene.
77. "Then blow. I'm not kidding." Very characteristic. The superbreath concept itself does tend to raise some eyebrows, so this was a good way to deal with skepticism, by making Clark himself the skeptic. The writers anticipated popular reaction, I think. If they had built it up to a dramatic moment like the giant leap in "Insurgence," we would have been laughing in a less supportive way.
78. "Huff, puff, and blow this door down!" That could have been a really cheesy line, but her delivery made it work. I think it, again, had something to do with the actors' lack of self-consciousness.
79. "Good thing you didn't have garlic today." It's such a pity the momentous moment, the beautiful music, had to clash with this corny line.
80. "Taxi's leaving. Let's roll." "You're not rolling anywhere." Chloe does a double-take, and so do we. It's unlike Clark to be this protective. "In my condition, I can't guarantee your safety." "I don't want a guarantee, Clark, I want to help." "Then go back to the Daily Planet, wait for me there." Clark is firm. We're surprised. Chloe's frustrated. "Clark, I don't – " Clark dashes out, leaving her with no choice. This was a surprisingly touching moment. This episode showed a lot of dimensions of the Clark-Chloe relationship, and Clark's protection and worry over Chloe here, to the point that he would gather himself up to run despite his cold, was almost poignant. Sweet moment, in a very different way.
81. "Lex, Lex, what have they done to you?" This moment was a little corny.
82. "Hey. I brought something for us to do in case the lake's too cold to swim in. And the great thing is, we don't need to wait for it to get windy." Chloe hands Clark the diamond-shaped red kite, and he holds it across his chest. "Gee thanks?" That was so subtle, and understandable, and delightful. Everyone laughed.
83. "Come on, doesn't it make you wonder what else the possibilities are? I mean, Clark Kent Airlines, nonstop to Metropolis." It was fun to see them have fun. And not stilted fun, as it was in "Aqua," but just enjoying each other.
84. "Global Warming or Alien Invasion?" "I don't know how I feel about the alien angle, but…" I liked this allusion to Clark's roots…and Chloe's smiling concealment of the truth.
85. "Yeah, I wasn't too crazy about the E.T. spin either, but my editor insisted it'd help sell papers, so…" "Well, let's hear it for journalistic integrity." This moment was priceless. Clark's expression, Chloe's laughter, Lois embarrassed…this episode had such glowing character. This was character-chemistry.
86. "Look, I swear you guys, I don't know…I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. The thrill of discovery, the clacking of keys, the scent of fresh ink…Yeah, I think I've finally found my calling." They look at her with tolerant skepticism. This dialogue somehow seemed uncharacteristic. Lois's dialogue morphs with each season, so I wasn't sure if this flight of fancy was too much, or if it was just a subtle step in the right direction. On reflection, I'm inclined to think the latter. It is about time Lois had some sensitivity, whether it's to a person, an issue, or a typewriter.
87. "Hey, how about you come join us at the lake. We can celebrate your first article with a splash." I liked this line because it showed that Clark and Chloe's outing wasn't a flirty, isolated thing. It's fun to see a friendship where there's such innocent comfort with each other. It seemed to carry on last episode's brief idea of finding solace in each other's company.
88. "Have you looked up in the sky lately?" Hilarious double-meaning.
89. Charming moment. Cute music, Clark and Chloe look at each other, smiling, Clark nodding to her as he inhales. Though this was what marked it undoubtedly as a Light Episode, I'd take this ending over a "Slumber" ending any day.
90. Interesting, Lois noting the change in weather. This was like the shot of Lois staring at the hole in the barn…one wonders what will come of it.
91. Camera rising above the spidery glass windows…great establishing shot. Great music again. Is this the new Green Arrow theme?
92. "I thought I made myself clear. You were only to use violence if you were in danger." We see Oliver Queen in a new character. Interesting to see him dark and intimidating. There's still a wall, but a different kind of wall.
93. "Whatever powers he had are clearly gone. But sir, there was someone else in the warehouse. Someone who seems to have other abilities." "Find him." Great way to end, but I'm glad they kept going after that with the final line…
94. "How about… Borneo." Arrow spirals up toward the moon, then ducks down and plunges toward the globe. Straight into Borneo. Great hook. This is the one and only guest superhero who has hooked my attention. It will be interesting to see if his character remains intriguing once more of it has emerged from the shadow into the light.

Details

1. The woman on channel two had a very unprofessional voice.
2. The "Dark Thursday" appellation was a wonderful touch, for two reasons. One, it's real life. Just as September 11, 2001 became nine-eleven, days like that tend to be named by the media for convenience and drama alike. Two, the name "Dark Thursday" reemphasized the Biblical symbolism of the events Clark went through – it paralleled Black Friday.
3. "Yeah. Well, I don't need a lot, it's only temporary." Lana's just staying there for a while, or so she thinks. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.
4. Somehow Lana seems taller than usual. In the car scene, it's as if she's sitting on a pillow, or Lex is in a shorter seat. It works, though. It's hard to think of Lana as a woman, with her dramatic valley/queen speak (phrase of my own coining), but making her seem taller and more womanly helped her make a better and more believable impression.
5. "Lex, if you're not okay with this and having second thoughts, then let's talk." Lana is using her voice in a completely different way this episode. It's not very convincing, but it's far and away more convincing than last episode's dramatic emphasis. I wonder what made Kristin Kreuk change it.
6. "By who?" Technically, that should be "by whom". (I think in S1 she would have said it the right way, but that's just conjecture…)
7. "Considering what he stole from the Pentagon, my initial reaction was, uh…the government." So it's common knowledge that Zod stole…what? The satellites that started to reshape the earth's crust?
8. After Block shot Lex, the closed captions read, "The next bullet goes into your brain. Now start talking." I thought that was more convincing than Block standing there shaking his head jovially.
9. The laughable beginning of Lois's article read, "Wild Wheather Hits Freakville. A daily jog turned into a near-death experience for this Smallville resident, as a massive barn door fell from the clear sky landing mere inches from this would-be human target. Obviously the question is: how did a barn door fall from the sky on a day when the weathher was perfectly sunny and clear? Resident experts have been consulted and theories placed on the table such as a 'microburst' - being almost like a mini-tornadoe."
10. There is fresh ice on the wine table when Lana calls Pontius. Lex has been missing for hours, since Lionel had time to drive from Metropolis to Smallville. Is Lana requesting fresh ice and drinking, or was the fresh ice an oversight by props?
11. When the answering machine said, "You've reached Robert Pontius," the closed captions said, "You've reached Pontius Security."
12. "Have a pleasant stay in Metropolis, Oliver, however brief it is." With this foreshadowing that the Green Arrow will not stay too long, it will be interesting to see what precipitates his departure.
13. The writers came up for the perfect reason to use superbreath – physical weakness. But while I can understand Clark's batteries running low during a cold, it seems strange that his arm-muscle "batteries" would run low but his diaphragm and lungs would still be strong.
14. Swinging lights, chaos… Clark won't be able to use this power too much, will he? Only in wide-open spaces, it seems.
15. We are to assume the serum was a poison, because a) Lex kept it locked up and coded, b) he was willing to give it to Block, c) he didn't want them to inject it into Lana, and d) when he plunged it into Block's neck, Block's mouth foamed and he passed out or died. Which begs the question…why does Lex have killer poison locked away?
16. "In case this stuff really does turn you into some kind of superchick…" I know this was supposed to be a reference to Superman, but the first thing I pictured was the band Superchic[k].
17. "Wait. It won't work on her. This serum was tailored to my blood chemistry." "Lex, no." Was it obvious to everyone but Block that this was poison? (See Details O.) Block went ahead and tried to inject the unknown substance into Lex. If he had killed Lex, he would never have learned the truth. This was a rather giant leap (unless we're just supposed to assume Block was intellectually impaired, which isn't too unreasonable an assumption).
18. How would the subordinate know that someone with powers was there? Are we to infer that he stayed to make sure Lex and Lana were killed, or stayed to try to save them?
19. "Lex, the cameras go or I do." Why would she want fewer cameras after the cameras were the only way she located him? Naturally the bedroom cameras needed to go…but the others? Lex was just kidnapped, proof that he needed them.
20. "I guess I'm going to have to be more careful as to who I trust. Speaking of which, how's my old buddy Lex doing?" Interesting comment. He trusted Lex, and Lex betrayed him? And why does he continue to refer to Lex in these cozy terms ("old Lex") even in front of a subordinate?