I love episodes like this one. When I first heard that this was going to be a Valentine’s Day episode of Smallville, where Lois turns into Donna Reed, I thought it would just be filler fun. But if the writers need to invent yet another kind of kryptonite to push Clark into action, I am all for it.
Because as fun as they were, “Disciple”, “Absolute Justice” and “Warrior” did nothing to push the story along. Oliver and Chloe might have had some character progression, and we met some new faces in the DC Universe, but was anyone talking about what happened in “Kandor” and “Pandora”? You know, where Jor-El was murdered? You know, when the world is flipped on its lid from the red sun giving Zod and the Kandorians their powers? In fact, this is the first time that Chloe has mentioned anything about her time running out as a living, breathing member of society. And the towers that spelled everyone’s doom were being built very quickly by RAO INC, Zod’s cover company.
Lois and Clark were investigating RAO’s nighttime projects when we took a quick detour into hilarity by the couple getting pixie dust blown in their faces. This gives Clark the power of persuasion, a strange path to take since we already did a limited-time-only power earlier this season in “Echo”. Clark tells Lois that he wants more of a traditional relationship from her, so she quits her job and tries her best at playing Ma Kent. This was a bit strange, but we did talk last week about how much Lois lies to play dress-up. She announces she is moving in and she’s waiting for him to pop the question, much to Clark’s surprise as the Smallville score takes on the Jaws theme. You’re gonna need a bigger boat, Clark.
Meanwhile, Tess is trying to enjoy a bit of bubbly in the bubble bath when Zod stops by to tell her how much smarter he is than her. Clark has been giving the Kandorians new identities so they can live freely, and Zod does not like this. He also tells Tess he knows she wants to give his people powers to save the Earth, but only with Clark as the leader and not him. Tess is still trying the best she can to gain the upper hand, but I do not see her living much longer.
Chloe was also set on a path of doing whatever Clark wished when he told her she needed to focus on watching his back. Boy, was Chloe focused! First, she berates Lois for even considering settling down with Clark, and then she goes after Tess. At the same time, Clark has figured out where he got his new power from. “Meteor rock…” Even he was rolling his eyes a little. Of course. Meteor rock. But after he forces Dr. Hamilton to chill-lax, he realizes the one person he should have been using the power on.
Unfortunately, Clark must not have realized that his new power would work on a fellow Kryptonian much like the ancient metaphysical science of “I’m rubber, you’re glue.” Although, at the time, Zod sincerely believed that Tess was the only person who could have killed Jor-El, he still somehow persuaded Clark to go take care of her.
By the time Clark burst in, Chloe was about to be executed by Tess. But when Clark tosses his favorite female punching bag into the gravel and surrounds her with flame, Chloe saves her life by pulling out her trusty green kryptonite. Tess had admitted her allegiance to Clark, and swore that not only did she not kill Jor-El, but she did not know that the red sun would deplete Clark of his powers. I think I’d like to echo Clark and Chloe’s unspoken “DUH!”
Zod’s brand of justice had already been served though. Alia confessed to killing Jor-El and was subsequently executed by Zod. Clark protests against his actions, but Zod tells him that he is too weak to make the tough decisions and carry out justice. After a quick talk with Chloe about how Chloe’s future killer’s death might mean that the future is changed, Clark realizes it isn’t enough and rains down fire upon the two towers. Thank you for coming to your senses, Clark. But I’m afraid Zod is a much better politician than you, and he is going to use this destruction to break the Kandorians confidence in you.
One last brief note to mention that, yes, I saw the scene where Lois was dancing around in the wedding dress. Now it wasn’t as ridiculous as Spider-Man 3’s emo Peter Parker dance, but it bordering on it. Perhaps Erica Durance has an easier time winning me over than Tobey Maguire. I could be playing favorites.
