Did "Reckoning" live up to the hype?

[Mr. Spoiler]

There is certainly an enormous amount of hype around this episode. Many have seen pictures a few people possibly biting the dust. What really shocked you? Any disappointments?

[EVILDREAMZ420]

As this episode comes to an end.....They really took the short route on this one.....I personally hated it..Clark bawls his eyes out when lana dies, but just kinda stands there at the funeral for JK.....They dropped the ball on this one......A few other elements werent too bad, The ring formation, The clark and Lana engagement that ended so quickly....but the time warp lana doesnt know the secret nonsense.....thats a cop out and a half....

[nyczwillz]

I almost punched a hole in my wall. This episode was one of the most horrible one ever. They decided the death and everything else so patheticly! Killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Clana and JK. Ratings are going to shooot through the ground, not roof.

[liana]

I agree. Much ado about nothing. TW said they never hinted the death, which is so not true. Gough said we would like they way the person dies. Please. Why would anyone like JK dying of a heart attack? At least they could have given him a hero death, but no, just a plain, stupid and meaniless death. Which, by the way, is totally Clark's fault. At least, TW didn't lie when he said it wasn't Lex's fault, because it was Clark's.

[ZIPBAGS]

Lame...Great acting and filmed well. But, an F for story. First of all...no surprise who dies. They have been airing scenes of Lana's car crash for the last week or so. So you knew it wouldn't last. They took the easy way out by killing Jonathan. The Lana character has to go for the story to move on. One of the best things changed in the Superman comics in his 80's retcon is that Jonathan is still alive. He gives Clark a base to go back to when life as the most powerful person in the world becomes too much.

[myankskent]

The death is meaningless unless clark and lana end up together, plain and simple. If Clark and Lana don't end up together, Jonathan died for no reason.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

All good observations people.....I just felt ripped off.....This ep in my mind correct me if im wrong....was the most hyped ep in Smallville history....I would have liked it a tad more has they not show all the spoiler videos with lana's crash.....I felt as if when that had already done the time warp and lana still ended up on the road driving with lex...that this ep had a chance....had she still died....it would have been as clarks been told before he cant always save everyone, and or attemp to stop the flow of fate....But in the end JK dies....And lana is still around....From what Ive heard John Said on his official website that his character was the one to go...now thats been proven true....Makes him look upset that his role is over...unlike what al/miles clamied saying the actor/actress made a Graceful exit...

[myankskent]

The death is meaningless unless clark and lana end up together, plain and simple. If Clark and Lana don't end up together, Jonathan died for no reason.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

I agree its a meanlingless death, in this context....Had Jk died from this heart attack in a regular unhyped ep, then It would have been a major Event..Everyone knows Lana and clark do not end up together...Ill give them a few points for witty lines in the ep...Chloe when faced with clark tellin her about the time warp askes him "if he spun the earth backwords on its axis" obviously referring to what he did in the movie...Another good line I liked was when Lois proclamined she would be lucky to end up with someone as noble as clark (forgive me if its not exactly the wording) I found that amusing for we all know Lois lane and clark become and item and get married....at least in that superman world.....Lets see what next week brings!...

[Rafael122]

It was well produced, beautifully done, I liked everything about it except the story.

I had my thoughts about the show from the beginning because everything was going so well you just knew something wrong was going to happen, and it was the time reversal.

You have to wonder though, those pics with Jonathan in the FOS...were they fake the whole time?

[KkLana1]

i agree with you all. I just hate the timereversal thing. Now we are back to square one with clana. JK death was very bad. I think the whole episode was rushed. Overall i think it was a great episode, just hate the fact that lana doesnt know clark secrect and we are back to square one.

[insp henderson]

Originally posted by nyczwillz
I almost punched a hole in my wall. This episode was one of the most horrible one ever. They decided the death and everything else so patheticly! Killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Clana and JK. Ratings are going to shooot through the ground, not roof.

I agree. It was rushed and a bummer in whole but the beginning was great and the scene at the cemetary was a masterpiece of filming.

[watcher4]

This episode was terrible! I know that I will never watch Smallville again! Al and Miles don't need to be anywhere near this show! The writers need to go back to school!!

[EVILDREAMZ420]

To me the episode seemed cut...as in it could have been a 90 minute special....Scenes jumped very quick to the next....seems like parts were missing...When lex didnt kiss lana at his mansion before she died, i knew at that point they were going with the time travel option, and it would happen later...The best parts of the episode for me was clark creating the diamond out of goal...props to who mentioed that as an idea yesterday on here...I liked the opening fotress scene....The whole thing....I feel as if clark flew with lana more then jumped....but everyone has their own opinon....it wasnt the full superman flight, but it seemed as though he landed very softly....rather then a super being would if he jumped that height and landed...Everything about the ep was great except for the key element the STORY..

[I am the Superman]

Do y9ou think there is any chance that the writers will have clark end up with lana in this series???? That would atleast make johns death meaningful.

[muffinpeddler]

Man, can they rally do that?! Just play with our heads and render half in episode obsolete?! Back in time, my ass.

[Quadrotriticale]

The most predictable ep yet. They should of had Lionel die instead but let's face it, the writing has never been good here.

[nyczwillz]

Yeah, They should've tried to extend the episode to two hours. Everything was unorganized. They tried stuffing too much into the turkey. All I can say is, that episode was just....%($*%(*(#$!

[kf6tac]

Argh, this whole episode pained me to watch... it was tremendously unoriginal from start to finish. The diamond from coal thing... right out of Superman III. The time reversal... right out of Superman. They even acknowledged, to some extent, how lame the idea is when Chloe asked if he spun the world backwards on its axis. It just shouldn't have been done. The whole thing with Jor-El is really turning into a fanciful deus ex machina trick... "Oh look Kal-El, I just happen to have this magic crystal that lets you repeat the day." The funeral scene was well-filmed, but that's about all that was GOOD about this episode. And even then, the scene was somewhat unoriginal, more or less being a cut-and-paste job of Whitney's dad's funeral.

[MBCorp]

I was really disappointed by this episode too. What a freakin' overhyped rip-off. It was incredibly predictable and overly rushed. The episode went exactly like all of the spoilers said it would and the only surprise was Clark flying at the beginning. That's the only time I felt surprised and happy about this episode. The rest of the time I was like, "Oh, this will be where Lois will give Lana advice about accepting Clark" and, "this will be where Clark pleads for Lana's life and we have the lame time reversel" "This will be where Jonathan dies" etc. Anybody who read any of the spoilers on the spoiler board could predict practically every single second of this episode.

And what's up with making Lex such a lame, pathetic loser? Damn, I thought he was going to be a cool villain this season but they made him look so pathetic in Reckoning that I think I've lost all interest in the character. :(

And you know what the worse thing about this episode is? There was no real progression. JK died, and that was about it. Every thing else is the same exact damn way it was in the episode before this episode and I honestly have no desire to watch next week's episode at all. :(

[Happy Random]

Originally posted by KkLana1
i agree with you all. I just hate the timereversal thing. Now we are back to square one with clana. JK death was very bad. I think the whole episode was rushed. Overall i think it was a great episode, just hate the fact that lana doesnt know clark secrect and we are back to square one.

I know! Is that like some unwritten rule in the Superman universe that whenever the girl that he is currently in love with finds his secret out, either mind wipe her with a super kiss or use that stupid time reversal thingy?!?! :mad: I am amazed that Chloe has lasted as long as she has! Everyone else is either hanged or a victim of time reversal. :\

[myankskent]

This was like being tortured if you are a Clana fan. Come on writers, you say that Clark and lana will be done this season and you can't even give us some happy moments, you have to pull this trash? Have Lana find out, what's the big deal. Chloe has known since last year and has she even broken a nail over it? Totally unbelievable.

[iloveit]

uhg i HATE time reversal! im going to frusterated about this like forever. i agree with KkLana1, its all the way back to the beginning with the clana. GAH i wished she still knew his secret! like come on, have a fit or hate him or watever, but still KNOW!
but ya the acting and shots and stuff were good tho. but gah.

[LuckyKrypto]

Originally posted by Happy Random
I know! Is that like some unwritten rule in the Superman universe that whenever the girl that he is currently in love with finds his secret out, either mind wipe her with a super kiss or use that stupid time reversal thingy?!?! :mad: I am amazed that Chloe has lasted as long as she has! Everyone else is either hanged or a victim of time reversal. :\


Exactly my thoughts!!
Why are we back to square one with Lana?! (No wonder so many are tired of the Clana!!:\ I am pretty much there!)

[myankskent]

This was like being tortured if you are a Clana fan. Come on writers, you say that Clark and lana will be done this season and you can't even give us some happy moments, you have to pull this trash? Have Lana find out, what's the big deal. Chloe has known since last year and has she even broken a nail over it? Totally unbelievable.

[hakoreh]

no substance, it felt like a 20 minute episode

[Lois Sullivan]

Okay. Am I the only one that loved this episode? Yes, they resorted to time reversal. And they did it in the most convincing way ever. Time Travel on Smallville was handled PERFECTLY. From the moment the episode opened, all the points where fate was changed, even before the time travel was introduced. Lois falling off the chair, Lana caught her cause she was there to talk about Clark. Second time around, Lana wasn't there, Lois fell. Resulting in Clark taking his eyes off Lana when he notices Lois is missing. Perfectly executed, still manages to save BOTH lives (Lois and Lana) and by doing so, Jonathan, who stopped at the accident the first time, kept driving to his eventual fate.

And the death scene wasn't a cop out. It wasn't pointless. If it hadn't happened there, it would have happened the next time he saw Lionel, because he still would have gotten into that fight, and still died. That fight happened over the photo, and Jonathan protecting his family, it was an entirely nobel death. And the fact that he dies in Clark's arms, with Martha standing over him, in the EXACT spot where he dies in the movie, was just so fitting.

[MBCorp]

I hated it. One of the worst SV episodes I have ever seen in my life. I even knew about the time reversal beforehand and I still hated it.

[PETER WEST]

This has got to be the most ****ed up Episode ever on smallville .

[Happy Random]

Originally posted by Lois Sullivan
Okay. Am I the only one that loved this episode? Yes, they resorted to time reversal. And they did it in the most convincing way ever. Time Travel on Smallville was handled PERFECTLY. From the moment the episode opened, all the points where fate was changed, even before the time travel was introduced. Lois falling off the chair, Lana caught her cause she was there to talk about Clark. Second time around, Lana wasn't there, Lois fell. Resulting in Clark taking his eyes off Lana when he notices Lois is missing. Perfectly executed, still manages to save BOTH lives (Lois and Lana) and by doing so, Jonathan, who stopped at the accident the first time, kept driving to his eventual fate.

And the death scene wasn't a cop out. It wasn't pointless. If it hadn't happened there, it would have happened the next time he saw Lionel, because he still would have gotten into that fight, and still died. That fight happened over the photo, and Jonathan protecting his family, it was an entirely nobel death. And the fact that he dies in Clark's arms, with Martha standing over him, in the EXACT spot where he dies in the movie, was just so fitting.

I actually did think that it was a very good episode, the whole time reversal thing just ticked me off. I just don't understand why Lana can't know!! You make some good points about JK's death though. Even if Lana had died, he would've gone eventually. :( It was a no win situation.

[Little Ricky]

Talk about a tough lesson learned.

He can't save everyone and it's forbidden to mess with human history. Hello!!! Just like in the movie!

Stop with the JK died for nothing non-sense!!!

Clark embracing his destiny and becoming Superman is the reason JK died. He did all he had to do to help Clark become a man. He needs to make him proud now. I think Martha gave him a good lecture.

I almost cried. :(

[EVILDREAMZ420]

Thats deff not a bad outlook on the episode at all.....It wasnt as bad as alot of us had made it out to be....I really did think for a brief moment that Lana might it fact die again on the highway in the same accident again...proving clark can not save everyone, and control destiny....It would have been a an interesting plot twist....But I guess in reality Pa Kent had to die of his heart attack sooner rather then later.....I just wish John didnt tell us his characters demise on his website...That was the one thing that always made me think he would be the one to go....I dont think the time travel was handled bad just explained poorly....how did jor-el have this crystal....with no explanation...here clark use this....this is the last one....seemed off to me....

[jmf1]

This episode showed that Clark really loves Lana. Clark loves her so much that he gave her up - the ultimate sacrifice. He'd rather see her alive and well without him then with him in danger or dead. Lana will always love him and it will haunt her because Clark doesn't let her in. She knows he loves her but she doesn't have the patience to accept him for who he is - secrets and all.

Lana ends up with Pete and they both have one thing in common. They both care about Clark a lot and can't be with him because of it. Pete may never tell Lana because he may not want Lana to have to carry the burden of Clark's secret. Plus, Lana's too close to Lex. Pete and Clark both know Lex would be dangerous and get his secret from Lana sooner or later.

[Nocturnal]

I just can't take it anymore.
She knows, she doesn't know, she thinks she knows, she knows, she forgets.

What would have been great, is had they kept her dead (let it be known I *was* a Clana shipper). But they didn't. She's alive and we have to go around this crap again.

BRING ON LOIS. Screw the regulations. He needs to leave his high school girlfriend and start on Lois and Superman and the Daily Planet.

If at the very least, this is the way they can break up Clark and Lana for good then giver!!!!

[jmf1]

This episode showed that Clark really loves Lana. Clark loves her so much that he gave her up - the ultimate sacrifice. He'd rather see her alive and well without him then with him in danger or dead. Lana will always love him and it will haunt her because Clark doesn't let her in. She knows he loves her but she doesn't have the patience to accept him for who he is - secrets and all.

Lana ends up with Pete and they both have one thing in common. They both care about Clark a lot and can't be with him because of it. Pete may never tell Lana because he may not want Lana to have to carry the burden of Clark's secret. Plus, Lana's too close to Lex. Pete and Clark both know Lex would be dangerous and get his secret from Lana sooner or later.

[parrotjoe]

Well, I was half right in my thoughts - but I thought Lionel was going to go too. For a second it looked like he might. But, he slithers on. I don't know what his role is now except to hover around Martha (which he was doing at the funeral).

The episode was beautifully done and I know they could have gone in several directions. I don't know if I would have done it the way they did. But, I don't think JK died in vain. I think the implication is that JK would have died of a heart attack anyway. In that sense, Clark did the right thing (whether he realizes it or not), saving a young person in his pace. JK would've liked that.

But, where are we now? Martha and Chloe are the only ones who know everything. Lionel appears to know something very heavy and Lex gets closer and closer. Lana???? Where is Lana now? Do we possibly have to endure Lexana while Clark longingly looks on? I mean, I like Lexana, but the way this is getting set up I don't like.

And sometime the rest of this season Lois has to really emerge. She's still sort of on the fringe of things.

I guess one thing this episode did do was throw everything up in the air again. :)

[Happy Random]

Originally posted by Nocturnal
BRING ON LOIS. Screw the regulations. He needs to leave his high school girlfriend and start on Lois and Superman and the Daily Planet.


Amen to that!! :D

[chaplainfci]

The first half of the show was great. Lana accepted it all. She needed time to process it, but she was able to make sense of it all. As a romantic, I loved the idea of making a diamond and setting it like CK did. I liked it all. TW and JK did a great job with the death of Lana, then it all blew up. Lana's death would have been the huge wedge to get Clark and Lex to start hating/fighting each other.
Then the stupid time reverse. Why did he not tell Lana his secret then tell her not to go see Lex? She accepted he was an alien, she would accept his ability to know the future. Have several episodes where the are together and Lana's life is in danger because of her knowledge with Lex behind it all. They both decide to break-up for her safety and she goes away. JK died for nothing. When he was having the heart attack, couldn't Clark superspeed to the hospital?!?! I am so angry that I can't think straight. I am 45 years old and should not let a TV show make me the mad but this is the show that my daughter and I watch together. I have watched every episode from the pilot to the 100th but I don't know if I can watch anymore. They have screwed up a good show. I can't stand it!! When can we storm the gates?!?!

[Qwerty]

Oh, my gosh!! What in the name of my great-aunt Violet was THAT?!??! Urgh! "Everything you wanted to see"? Ok, I will admit, I wanted to see Lana die, but the point was for her to STAY DEAD!!! And time reversal?!?!? Come on! I've read better fanfics than this episode. Clark sacrificed his dad for his freaking girlfriend. This is the boy who will become Superman, the Poster Boy of Goodness, Selflessness, and Right? God help us all.

[MissSullivan]

Yeah this episode did not live up to my expectations at all. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but whatever load of garbage I was watching tonight was not it.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

To me it seemed like a few things were missing...i would have like to seen lex earlier in brief scenes where hes watching the election results...possibly showing him starting to drink....Ive deff seen way worse episodes of Smallville...but those werent hyped up eps...Just typical freak of the week or crazy Lana witch craft eps.....Al/Miles said we would like how the character dies.....if were talking that he died basically the same way as in the movie and in the same place...ok maybe....but it seems to me they liked how the character died...lol....This was a good up in reality if the eps that follow start a chain of events that amounts to a great Season Finale.....Thats when we really can judge what they did or didnt do and who they killed or didnt kill in this ep....

Ps. Thanks for all of the responses to this thread....Ive been a fan of the site forever but just joined the board yesterday....This was my first thread ever...Thanks guys and gals!

Chris

[j-kent]

wow that was just stupid. i'm a big fan of smallville and superman (original) mythology so j. kent going was not what i wanted. see if I were clark with those superpowers...i would fly into space and then come hurling down earth pissed off. I basically did do that after watching this so called "reckoning" . Such a valuable character lost. The producers should be careful, who knows, but this may cause ratings to flop now...

[abarsami]

Way way overhyped. Turned out with to be such dissapointment. I don't want another season after this.

I hope the writers have the grapefruits to have Clark tell Lana and not timewarp before the show ends.

[kf6tac]

In my mind, the episode ended at the half-hour mark with Lana lying dead in a pile of glass, metal, and blood.

And then I looked and realized they were falling back on the time reversal trick. And I shouted at Jor-El, "HOW COULD YOU TAKE LANA'S DEATH AWAY FROM ME?!?!?!?!"

[F-Stop Blues]

I dont think he will ever tell her. Why would he now? He's too afraid.

[Emerald Dragen]

This was an excellent show. It brought a new element to the entire series through exploring the details of an event from the original cannon. If the show had not taken the 4 and a half seasons to let the audience know who Jonathan Kent was this episode would have meant a lot less. Because we have become so attached to the characters that we see something like this and rage about it or feel compassion about it should tell the writers that even through the questionable episodes, they've done their jobs well.

Thank you for such a riveting story and allowing us to experience something that the movies and the comics have not spent much time on. Seeing the events leading up to this and knowing the result had a huge impact on all the viewers even if they are criticizing it.

The episode made me cry, feel shock, and compassion, and anger; this is what it truly means to write captivating stories. Smallville definitely ranks with the shows of the new age that actually have meaning to them like Farscape, Stargate, Battle Star Galactica, and so on.

I'm glad they did all the things in the episode they had done including the time issue. It's a classic choice this character has had to make over and over and this was a great way to get that across without being blatant about it. Drawing the audience along like that showing them little things like because Clark saved Lana Jonathan was actually driving to meet Lionel and wasn't trying to follow Clark, amazing!

I look forward to more even though I'm going to miss the character, and the actor. I really hope that this isn't the end for John Schneider, he's very talented and I hope to see him again.

My only issue with this episode... Shows often make a big deal about their little anniversaries or landmarks, they go out of their way to write these over the top scripts and blow the views away. Why then don't they pay the same attention and care to ALL the other episodes to make the show go from great to simply fantastic. Each week I can't wait to see Smallville, I hate the breaks. But I much more anticipate a show that give super compelling and shocking stories consistently. Not that Smallville can't deliver on that, but I don't feel they do it as often as they could. This season so far has been stellar, but after seeing this episode, I totally will be expecting more of an equal treatment to all the episodes following. (Even though I know it won't happen). This show definitely deserves it.

[lazlojones]

Biggest waste of not only an episode, but the end of the series IMO

Ratings will be hitting all time lows after this, and at a critical time.

I doubt we will see a season 6 now

[KRAM-el]

The hype & the reward for this episode (choke) are about as distant as the peak of Mt Whitney to the depths of the Titanic. Absolutely NO creativity here, in fact, maybe a vacuum of creativity, if there is such a thing. God forbid we break the mold of the mythos & "Boldly go where no writing team has before"!!! Instead, we just sink back into how it's all been played out before, just w/ new faces. Tremendously disappointing. :( There was so much potential to bring in new & exciting plotlines, conflicts, etc. Instead we got an even more whiny Clark than ever before, depression, sadness & angst, but w/ no payoff now or in the potential future. How can Clark EVER look at Pinkie again w/o getting mopey? I just don't see it. Sorry guys, I realize it's after-the-fact and all, and I'm not on the writing team, but you blew it worse than the writers & director of 'Ishtar'... that was Acadamy Award material compared to what we just had to suffer (and painfully so) through. All you wanted to see? BUNK. Shocking death? About as shocking as seeing Divine in Drag. My grade (which has little merit) F-. You couldn't have done worse.
:mad: :( :mad: :( :mad: :( :mad: :( :mad: :( :mad: :( :mad:

* picks up Baretta & fires maniacally (empties clip) at the TV *

[EVILDREAMZ420]

I think by seeing a little bit of next weeks ep on the commercial we will begin to see the fallout from this 100th episode...How Lana and clark act around each other plus if she eventully starts to move onto lex in some way...Plus the return of Brainiac forthcoming.....I think once the Season Finale rolls around it will be a very good episode...as with a few of the others on the way..

[KRAM-el]

(had to edit as it posted twice) But I thought I'd use this opportunity to apologize for my rants, but I'm so infuriated I can't see straight. I just can't tolerate bad writing, and that's all this was -- pure and simple. BAD.

:mad: :( :mad:

* nurse Cratchet steps in w/ sedatives * * Ahhhhhhhh *

[abarsami]

AMEN... the writers screwed up bigtime

[artiist1284]

Yes very dissapointing, I can't believe they were making such a big deal over this. Did they actually take pride and Joy in this. TPTB has got some major freakken issues.

This was absolutely nothing that I waited to see, a few things I like and I think they did the funeral well, but other then that it was crap!

And is it me or did Clark actually looked more devestated when Lana died then when his dad?

[KkLana1]

Hey on the flip side, the acting was supurb from every single characters. I really love the scene when JK was holding Clark back at the accident scene. I never seen Clark that emotional before this scene. He did a great job.

[Shinzon2004]

With Jonathan Kent s death,is there a point of the show?
Frankly,I love Smallville,and its true that CKs parents die eventually,but does this means that Jhon Schneider is out of Smallville for good????What the???

Besides Clark Kent,Jonathan Kent was my favorite character of the series and I got sick of the Lana and Clark lame romance.
What a shame.RIP JK,the best dad of Smallville!!

[j-kent]

hard to say where ratings will go now...it's either way now...honestly i am pissed but this was actually a smart move...the episode was done poorly given that this was so much into one episode...but it probably is the much better move though it doesn't follow traditional mythology. This is clark's turn -around...i think we all have been getting tired watching him for four seasons as superboy (or the producers feel this way), and are ready for a superman (in a way). Very smart, but I am still throwing things around. We all saw it coming...anybody else dying other than Jk would have been life altering for CK for like a minute...it all makes sense right? We just don't want to believe it.

[Emerald Dragen]

That was just you. Clarks demenour reflected the guilt and shredding of his heart and soul over his choice that lead to Jonathan's death. Well played and well acted.

[KRAM-el]

Originally posted by KkLana1
Hey on the flip side, the acting was supurb from every single characters. I really love the scene when JK was holding Clark back at the accident scene. I never seen Clark that emotional before this scene. He did a great job.

I know a lot of you are going to hate me for this, but AM carried the ep (her facial expressions were no less than pure acting perfection), albeit it STILL couldn't redeem what the writers puked up. Long live CHLOE!!!!!!!! :cool: :) :cool:

[KRAM-el]

Originally posted by KkLana1
Hey on the flip side, the acting was supurb from every single characters. I really love the scene when JK was holding Clark back at the accident scene. I never seen Clark that emotional before this scene. He did a great job.

I know a lot of you are going to hate me for this, but AM carried the ep (her facial expressions were no less than pure acting perfection), albeit it STILL couldn't redeem what the writers puked up. Long live CHLOE!!!!!!!! :cool: :) :cool:

[Toppa]

I am stinking mad. Why? Why? Why? How was this EVER "everything we've been waiting to see???" Good lord man!

I could get over the fact that his father died, I'd been expecting it, but Lana should have at least still known about Clark's secret. He could have gone back to the point in time AFTER she already knows. Now we have to suffer through the Lana/Clark "angst" for another season and a half.

P.S. I can't believe that they're setting the stage for a Lana/Lex romance. That's so incredibly stupid.

[wyrm11]

I'm disappointed that the writers had the chance to take this show to another level, but didn't have the guts to do it.

With Lana finally knowing Clark's secret, they could have finally had a real relationship (not the weak stuff they've had this season), actually working together to keep it away from Lex. Lex in contrast would have rejuvinated his efforts to find the truth as a way to focus his energy after the lost election.

It would have been the perfect way to actually advance this show, and give Lex a chance to be a real villain.

So much potential...such a shame that when it's all said and done, none of us fans are really certain what this means for the Smallville Universe.

[KkLana1]

I know. I'm a clana fan but this clark wimping out everytime he about to tell her is getting freaking old. we been going through this sh1t for 5 years man. enough is enough. Damn the writers, Damn them to hell. On another flip side, the music team always do a great job with the songs. I love that song James Blunt - you are beautiful. HOrray to the Music team, BOOos to the writing staff.

[Best Episode - 321]

Originally posted by F-Stop Blues
I dont think he will ever tell her. Why would he now? He's too afraid.

I thought they were trying to explain why Clark and Lana would never be together. If they are back together though, then I'm lost and it was stupid.

[wyrm11]

I really doubt that they'll never be together. That would kill the show. In fact, I really think that Lana taking Clark's hand was symbolic of the possibility in the future.

[j-kent]

Originally posted by Emerald Dragen
That was just you. Clarks demenour reflected the guilt and shredding of his heart and soul over his choice that lead to Jonathan's death. Well played and well acted.

i didn't ask you for your lil wit. theres always one with a witty reply without looking into context. obviously i was referring to "not believing" for those like me who are so use to traditional mythology. If you read it I said it was smart and well-played but i think there are many (if you read) that are mad about JK's death.

[Best Episode - 321]

Everyones pissed off over the time reversal, the Clana, and JK dying. You'll get over it. Think of where the show can go now.

1. Who takes the Senate seat?

2. Clark realizing he has no future with Lana? (Hopefully)

3. What information does Lionel have?

4. How will Lex and Clark get along when Lana starts getting closer to Lex?

Theres many more, but thats off the top of my head.

Look at the bigger picture is what I'm trying to say.

[Best Episode - 321]

Originally posted by wyrm11
I really doubt that they'll never be together. That would kill the show. In fact, I really think that Lana taking Clark's hand was symbolic of the possibility in the future.

I'm hoping it was just a symbol of friendship. They have been real close and I know they still love each other, but you can love someone and not be with them.

You do know that Clark and Lana don't end up together? Right?

[wyrm11]

You do know that Clark and Lana don't end up together? Right?

WHAT?!?!? Where's the spoiler alert!? ;)

Of course I know how things end up, but I just can't see Clark and Lana not at least trying to work things out again for the duration of this show.

This show is BUILT on Clark and Lana. It's lived on Clark and Lana for 5 years. Despite the frustration of a lot of fellow fans, I really think it's the strength of the show. Clark's love for Lana is what makes Superman human. Unless they plan to bring Clark and Lois together soon (which would serve to canibalize Lana's character), I can't see them just doing away with the Clark-Lana relationship completely.

Do you think they'll just start to focus on Lois and Clark?

[KryptonzGirl]

We all guessed, but hoped JK wouldn't die in the series, but he did. And in exchange for LANA!!!! UGHH! If they were trying to make him out to be some sort of hero, they didn't.

Everything was going fine until Clark went back in time, then it just seemed stupid. Lana's death was well done, all the acting, everything. I am so glad Clana is over with, she seems nothing like a spoiled brat now.

However, if she is going to be alive, I want to see her with Lex, not some other kryptonite freak of a boyfriend.

-*-I Love you Pa Kent!!! They didn't do you justice.-*-

[Best Episode - 321]

They won't start focusing on Lois and Clark, that down the line in Metropolis, but I'm hoping that the Clark and Lana romantic relationship is over. What you said about the 5 years is correct, thats why its time to change. The show can no longer be about that. Clark shows no development towards becoming Superman when he's with her. Personally, I think this development could be a huge step in the right direction for the show, but we are all entitled to our own opinion.

Thyr won't start focusing on Lois and Clark, but I'm hoping that the Clark and Lana romantic relationship is over. What you said about the 5 years is correct, thats why its time to change. The show can no longer be about that. Clark shows no development towards becoming Superman when he's with her. Personally, I think this development could be a huge step in the right direction for the show, but we are all entitled to our own opinion.

Thyr won't start focusing on Lois and Clark, but I'm hoping that the Clark and Lana romantic relationship is over. What you said about the 5 years is correct, thats why its time to change. The show can no longer be about that. Clark shows no development towards becoming Superman when he's with her. Personally, I think this development could be a huge step in the right direction for the show, but we are all entitled to our own opinion.

[Yuui]

Simply: Horrible and meaningless.

[souv]

Smallville is officially the new The Young and the Restless.


1 step forward, 1 step backward, 1 step forward, 1 step backward, 1 step forward, 1 step backward...

You get the idea...



That episode pissed me off ALMOST as much as the last episode of Enterprise. :mad:


If Smallville is cut from the CW, I won't be part in this "Save the show" crusade.

[Yuui]

I am very disappointed in what the writers and Smallville PTB (AlMiles) have stuffed in our feeding tube, and because of this I am righteously gorged and enraged over this brainless garbage they have spilled upon our laps.

Firstly and most foremost, Jonathan Kent's death was worthless.

It neither furthered the story, in any regard, nor enhanced anything. Sure, it introduces a few new plot ideas (i.e., Angry Clark, a possible Lionel/Martha affair, Clark being even more distant to Lana), but really, and simply, the way it occurred was very short-sighted and amateurish. It does not even matter what will be later revealed amongst the crumbled paper. Clark's secret, or a heart-condition, it is now irrelevant to the story.

My primary grievance is how they chose to kill off Jonathan Kent. He could have died saving a primary character or protecting Clark's secret. He could have died by the hands of Lex in the presence of Clark, thusly heating that storyline to a much needed degree. He could have died in a much grander, nobler, and more dramatic fashion. I cannot emphasize how disenchanted and annoyed I am with "Reckoning."

However, amongst the dark and dull, shown Annette O'Toole's marvelous acting prowess. Her performance was the only saving grace of this episode.

[wyrm11]

But where can they go w/o Lana? This show can't be just an action oriented show. That's never been its strong suit (ie the lame fight between Clark and the Kryptonians) and it just doesn't have the budget to pull it off well.

And I don't think that's where its strength is either. Most people I know were sick of Clark fighting all the "meteor freaks" week after week.

The great thing about Smallville is that it focuses on the human element of Clark, and his love for Lana is a major part of that. The fact that we have this SUPERMAN who has incredible powers but can't get what he really wants is what lets us sympathize with his character. It's what the show can pull off that the comics can't (b/c who wants to read comics about love).

Without love...what are they going to focus on? I just can't see where they can go.

[Best Episode - 321]

We don't know what the picture is of. Maybe he was protecting Clarks secret, or maybe not. TPTB may not know, but I still love this show and still think it will be the best season ever.

[Yuui]

Originally posted by souv
Smallville is officially the new The Young and the Restless.


1 step forward, 1 step backward, 1 step forward, 1 step backward, 1 step forward, 1 step backward...

You get the idea...



That episode pissed me off ALMOST as much as the last episode of Enterprise. :mad:


If Smallville is cut from the CW, I won't be part in this "Save the show" crusade.

I concur. I was very active during the "Save Angel" campaign, but will not do a thing to save this disgrace of a show.

If there was ever a time to use "jump the shark", now is the time.

I still cannot believe that AlMillar guides their 100th episode in such an amateur and poor fashion.

How disappointing.

[KRAM-el]

Originally posted by abarsami
AMEN... the writers screwed up bigtime

Writers..? What WRITERS??? Plagiarists, maybe, but in no-uncertain-terms WRITERS. :mad: My grammar school 6th grade play (written by the students) had more drama, and LOT more creativity than this! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

[GuitaristX]

I don't see why the heck everyone is so pissed off? You all KNEW JK was going to die. It's woven into the fabric of the mythos. Only people who have grown up on the animated series or later comics are used to seeing an old ma and pa kent. I applaud TPTB for staying as close to the context of the Superman lore, even though DC has given them creative license. Clark must go through this crisis at this point in his life, and the time travel, as much as everyone hates it, makes his decision more torturous. These are the choices that make the boy a man. They are teaching Clark not to act on impulse, and to weigh out all possibilities of the choices he will make as Superman. Get over it, people. JK is gone, and you all know that Clark and Lana don't end up together, but she is destined to be his friend and find out his secret anyway. Stop whining and complaining, and enjoy the series for the sci-fi escapism that it is, and enjoy the maturation of the boy of steel.

[Reign]

My gripe about this episode is that it did very little in furthering the development of Clark into Superman. Sure, Lana is not in his love life. Sure, Jonathan died like in the movies. However, we knew Lana isn't part of his future. We also know that Jonathan's death isn't important to the character, since he's alive in other incarnations of Superman including Byrne's rewrite.

All this episode does is set up a stupid FOTW episode for next week (if you caught the scenes from next week, you know what i mean)

Did episode did NOTHING to fulfill Clark's destiny

[S0n0fKrypT0n007]

Originally posted by Lois Sullivan
Okay. Am I the only one that loved this episode? Yes, they resorted to time reversal. And they did it in the most convincing way ever. Time Travel on Smallville was handled PERFECTLY. From the moment the episode opened, all the points where fate was changed, even before the time travel was introduced. Lois falling off the chair, Lana caught her cause she was there to talk about Clark. Second time around, Lana wasn't there, Lois fell. Resulting in Clark taking his eyes off Lana when he notices Lois is missing. Perfectly executed, still manages to save BOTH lives (Lois and Lana) and by doing so, Jonathan, who stopped at the accident the first time, kept driving to his eventual fate.

And the death scene wasn't a cop out. It wasn't pointless. If it hadn't happened there, it would have happened the next time he saw Lionel, because he still would have gotten into that fight, and still died. That fight happened over the photo, and Jonathan protecting his family, it was an entirely nobel death. And the fact that he dies in Clark's arms, with Martha standing over him, in the EXACT spot where he dies in the movie, was just so fitting.

You know, going against popular opinion, I gotta totally agree. My whole family cried while watching. That. never. happens.

EVER.

And for the record, some bozo thought him using super-strength to turn the coal into diamond was some transformation power or somethin.. what an idiot. :p
and althought the super-jump seemed like flying, since he was jumping upwards, his landing could be soft no matter what, as if we were jumping from the ground onto a platform. :)

[Best Episode - 321]

Originally posted by wyrm11
But where can they go w/o Lana? This show can't be just an action oriented show. That's never been its strong suit (ie the lame fight between Clark and the Kryptonians) and it just doesn't have the budget to pull it off well.

And I don't think that's where its strength is either. Most people I know were sick of Clark fighting all the "meteor freaks" week after week.

The great thing about Smallville is that it focuses on the human element of Clark, and his love for Lana is a major part of that. The fact that we have this SUPERMAN who has incredible powers but can't get what he really wants is what lets us sympathize with his character. It's what the show can pull off that the comics can't (b/c who wants to read comics about love).

Without love...what are they going to focus on? I just can't see where they can go.

I know what you're saying and I agree with you that the human part of the show is what makes it good. Lana is still important to the show. I have no doubt that Clark still loves Lana, but I think the show is goingwith of acceptance of responsibility, and learning that everything you do has consequences. It is trying to get away from the love part of the show.


Side Note:

JK isn't there to save Clark and look out for him. He must do it himself.

There was a line in next weeks trailer, don't know if you saw it, but I think Clark said something like "Why are people like you allowed to live, but my dad is dead."

The death will be what sets him on his path toward his destiny. Just like it sent him to the fortress in the movie, it will help to embrace it in Smallville.

Obviously, thats only all my opinion though.

[copperpot]

i agree that the show excels when focusing on the human side of clark, but i fear where that'll go without Jonathan Kent.

the first season (and into the second), while focusing on meteor freaks, had a pretty pure, goodhearted, albeit impatient CK, often tempered by his dad (and mom). Seasons 3 and 4 just featured an angry CK, and worthless (in the grand scheme/furthering the actual development of CK into superman, selfless hero of the world) drama about keeping secrets from Lana and side quests about destiny and crystals and magical tattoos. I'll trust in the producers, but I think without a Pa Kent, AND without even settling things with Lana (sorta annoyed with the reset here), I don't see a real direction in getting current Clark into a man ready to wear the superman suit. I just see a lot of room for an angry/vengeful/depressed/moody Clark, a supportive-but-ultimately-not-going-to-be-part-of-the-story Chloe, a heartbroken/vulnerable Martha, and a confused/angry/moody/clueless Lana. I know they have a lot of wiggle room and only use the movies as a template, but they really took the destiny stuff, a very minor point in the movies, and made a season plus out of it, while not really showing him grow out of the moody Lana-obsessed teenager phase and into responsible thoughtful young man. plus, like the poster above said, this will probably drive him to the fortress, but smallville has made jor-el a lot more controlling/domineering than the movie counterpart, who seemed less intense.

The Clana stuff was cute for the first season or so, but he needs to grow up at some point. From what I remember, in the comic version, Lana loved Clark, then he, as a mature young man, reveals himself to her, shows off his powers, then with her support leaves to make his mark on the world. I don't really see how we're going to get from point A to point B here, but we'll have to see.

[wyrm11]

I'm sure you're right that Clark having to make the tough decisions himself will be the focus for a while. But that can only go so far.

I wonder what they have planned with Lois. Like you said, the love doesn't happen until much later, but then again, he isn't supposed to meet Lois until much later either. Clearly they're not quite in line with the other Superman storylines.

Seems like it's a waste to introduce Lois into the show if they're not going to do anything with her.

I think they should start introducing SOME kind of potential relationship between Lois and Clark. Kind of like how they alluded to it tonight, when Lois said she'd be happy to "end up" with someone as honorable as Clark. I thought that was great...

[Reign]

Originally posted by wyrm11
But where can they go w/o Lana? This show can't be just an action oriented show. Without love...what are they going to focus on? I just can't see where they can go.

Whoa whoa whoa... there's more to Superman than just action. I think that it's when he has his fully developed powers and alternate persona that he becomes more human.

Think of it like you can't have light without darkness. I think the more he understands his powers and his role as Superman, the more he learns to appreciate his humanity. I think for now, Clark is realizing that he can't take his humanity for granted... he'll learn more so later on.

Superman is about how a God can empathize and cope with the human condition. There's a lot more to life than romantic love. Superman is about love for the human race. I think there's lots more interesting storylines to develop.

There's his quest for knowledge for the world around him... his quest for peace... his quest to rid of evil and corruption... it doesn't all have to be action.

There's also his development into a reporter... why did he want to become one? I think there's more than just, "Oh, I want to be where I have access to the news."

There's his developing romance with Lois, if you want to focus on love.

There's more to being human than loving Lana. One potential plus about tonight's episode is that writer's might explore how Clark deals with mortality.. not his own, but the knowledge that he may outlive everyone. The writers could explore the depths of pai and remorse of a psyche who believes he was born to save and protect everyone.

Most importantly, there's the story of how Superman finds a place that he belongs... how he makes the Earth his home... and his decisions NOT to rule it or conquer it or abuse it

[S0n0fKrypT0n007]

Originally posted by Best Episode - 321
We don't know what the picture is of. Maybe he was protecting Clarks secret, or maybe not. TPTB may not know, but I still love this show and still think it will be the best season ever.
Ditto.

[ZeoVGM]

I think they're going to kill Lois off and Chloe will change her name to Lois to honor her. ;]

Well, not really, but how nuts would that be?

[wyrm11]

Originally posted by Reign
Whoa whoa whoa... there's more to Superman than just action. I think that it's when he has his fully developed powers and alternate persona that he becomes more human.

Think of it like you can't have light without darkness. I think the more he understands his powers and his role as Superman, the more he learns to appreciate his humanity. I think for now, Clark is realizing that he can't take his humanity for granted... he'll learn more so later on.

Superman is about how a God can empathize and cope with the human condition. There's a lot more to life than romantic love. Superman is about love for the human race. I think there's lots more interesting storylines to develop.

There's his quest for knowledge for the world around him... his quest for peace... his quest to rid of evil and corruption... it doesn't all have to be action.

There's also his development into a reporter... why did he want to become one? I think there's more than just, "Oh, I want to be where I have access to the news."

There's his developing romance with Lois, if you want to focus on love.

There's more to being human than loving Lana. One potential plus about tonight's episode is that writer's might explore how Clark deals with mortality.. not his own, but the knowledge that he may outlive everyone. The writers could explore the depths of pai and remorse of a psyche who believes he was born to save and protect everyone.

Most importantly, there's the story of how Superman finds a place that he belongs... how he makes the Earth his home... and his decisions NOT to rule it or conquer it or abuse it

More importantly, how will Clark deal with the disappearance of the WB and the move to CW!?? :p

[Best Episode - 321]

The more Lois the better in my book.

I'm all for them starting to introduce that relationship, like the early stages where they get along, but both think each other are crazy kinda thing.

I loved what she said to Lana tonight. It was great. I love those sorta foreshadowing and ironic comments.

[KrissO]

I agree going back to the past was ridiculous.
This is an episode a lot of people will remember very much for the disappointment :/
I mean, we've all seen enough "hapilly ever after" stuff on TV.
But this is too much of the opposite.

The thing that kind of irritates me is that Clark's confession was kinda so fake anyway. It all just happened in a rush. So if they were to stay in the present, they should have done that part in a different way imo. Was too spontaneous.

As for Lex, he's going psycho. He's always wanted the truth out of people when they necessarily don't want anything back. He's given up on Clark, now he's going after Lana.
As for Lana, you can't blame her for wanting the truth.
So I fully agree with the latest comments. A lot of *****ing here imo.

Rest in peace Jonathan :(

[constancelight]

This episode didn't live up to its hype. It was too predictable. The death of JK was pretty lame. The story was like a bad rehash of Ground Hog's Day.

The only thing good was the way it was filmed and the cast was on top of their game.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

First off I want everyone to read Reigns last post..beautifully written....and touched on a varitey of issues and subjects....Excellent post....Its funny after watching the episode 3 more times, Ive really come to realize it actually a good episode...Had they not show all the commercials with Lana's accident.....I think i would have liked it alot better....We all forshadowed Pa Kents Death....But had we seen this ep without the Elaborate Spolier Commercials....I think his death would have come as more as a surprise even if for a little while....After watching it again.....I really like TW's Acting in the Scene when Lana is Dead on the ground....His crying and sadness seemed alot better than I really expected....

I also have to again say thank you to everyone who is posting in this thread....I didnt think my first thread would generate any Intrest...Thank You

Chris

[God-Man]

The funny thing was that my worst fear for this episode came true.

The last thing I wanted was for Lana to not know the secret by episode's end. I didn't mind if Clark and Lana were broken up,so long as she knew. But she doesn't. Oh well.

My other fear was that Clark would reveal everything to Lana and then it would be taken back and by episode's end it would have never happened. Someone theorized that Clark would reveal the secret to Lana, but when Lana died Clark would go back in time and undo everything he did. I was like "They better not do that."

They so did.

[j-kent]

Originally posted by GuitaristX
I don't see why the heck everyone is so pissed off? Stop whining and complaining, and enjoy the series for the sci-fi escapism that it is, and enjoy the maturation of the boy of steel.

well obviously we know all or some of us know the different traditional mythologies of superman...but you can't sway people's feeling toward something...obviously those use to or just wanting the "happy mytho" are gonna say they're mad about JK dying, and then there's another side who says go with this "tragedic mytho". Don't flame ppl for wanting to say what they want to. ppl can make A BIG DEAL out of anything here- that's what it's a smallville F-O-R-U-M.

[Lustaf]

Originally posted by God-Man
The funny thing was that my worst fear for this episode came true.

The last thing I wanted was for Lana to not know the secret by episode's end. I didn't mind if Clark and Lana were broken up,so long as she knew. But she doesn't. Oh well.

My other fear was that Clark would reveal everything to Lana and then it would be taken back and by episode's end it would have never happened. Someone theorized that Clark would reveal the secret to Lana, but when Lana died Clark would go back in time and undo everything he did. I was like "They better not do that."

They so did. I to would have been very happy with the episode if Lana at least knew the truth at episodes end. It's very frustrating to be a viewer of this show from the begining to see the writers constantly having Clark come up with some new excuse not to tell Lana.

[God-Man]

Originally posted by Lustaf
I to would have been very happy with the episode if Lana at least knew the truth at episodes end. It's very frustrating to be a viewer of this show from the begining to see the writers constantly having Clark come up with some new excuse not to tell Lana.

Don't I know it. :(

[KrissO]

Agree :(

[EVILDREAMZ420]

Thats one of my real true problems with the episode...The fact Lana knows nothing of Clarks secret....It would have made for Intresting Tv to see how she would handle knowing the truth but yet keeping it from the person that wants to know Clarks secret the most....LEX

I thought possibly That Lex may think Clark is just a meteor freak....but with the spaceship and The kryptonians that got out of it....I wonder exactly how much Lex really does know....I think hes Figured out something major is going on with Clark....And I would say except for the fact that Clarks from another planet....But I wonder if Lex questions even that....since the ship landed in smallville....

[Lustaf]

Heck, if he told her and she freaked out and some how hated him, that would have been more satisfying then having the truth come out only to take it back.

I don't care if these two characters are together now or in the future. Either have Clark tell Lana the truth and have it stick or don't. Why tease everyone for 5mins with her knowing and then take it back... ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[KrissO]

I know Lustaf, it totally sucks :/

Let's hope Clark tells her the next episode. Now that they have a break he might make himself think again what he thought in the start of this episode.

That he'll never get her back otherwise and that he can't lose something he (at the moment) doesn't have.

Wonder if Jonathan's death will affect their relationship at all.
I think this might bring Lana and Martha even closer together, which then might make it easier for Clark to confess to Lana.

Think this is all wishfull thinking, but hope not.

[Lois Sullivan]

Originally posted by Yuui
Firstly and most foremost, Jonathan Kent's death was worthless.

It neither furthered the story, in any regard, nor enhanced anything. Sure, it introduces a few new plot ideas (i.e., Angry Clark, a possible Lionel/Martha affair, Clark being even more distant to Lana), but really, and simply, the way it occurred was very short-sighted and amateurish. It does not even matter what will be later revealed amongst the crumbled paper. Clark's secret, or a heart-condition, it is now irrelevant to the story.

My primary grievance is how they chose to kill off Jonathan Kent. He could have died saving a primary character or protecting Clark's secret. He could have died by the hands of Lex in the presence of Clark, thusly heating that storyline to a much needed degree. He could have died in a much grander, nobler, and more dramatic fashion. I cannot emphasize how disenchanted and annoyed I am with "Reckoning."

Um, okay, let me point out that first of all, his death was noble. He died protecting those he loved, most likely Clark's secret, because I don't think ANYTHING on that photo would have gotten him that heated, and that upset. And the fact that the only time he's ever uttered those words before "I will not let you/him/her destroy our/my family" Was in regards to the secret. He did it with the reporter that was about to reveal the secret, I think he said it about the cop that knew the secret. He's said it at least one other time. Which means that no matter what, even if Lana hadn't died the first time. Jonathan's fate was that arguement with Jor-El. If Lana had stayed dead, Jonathan would have stayed by his son's side. The Funeral would have happened. and then a week later, Oh Look here's Lionel, and it would have happened again. Jonathan's destiny was to die from the heart attack, plain and simple. The fact that they choose to make it tonight, doesn't make it any less noble. What makes it noble is that he died protecting Clark (if that's what the photo was, and personally it's the only believable thing it could possibly be). He didn't step into a bullet for Lana, he didn't give up his life force willing to spare Lana. He died protecting his family. That is the definition of a noble death.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

Very well written and compelling look at it.....Thats what ive been coming to realize as of late...had clark not taken the crystal....Lana would have been dead, and very shortly after so would Jk from the heart attack..Clark taking the time warp crystal made JK's inveitable death happen a little sooner then planned....JK died because of the pact with Jor-el in reality to protect his family....and yes that is extremly noble

[ProdigyLover83]

Yeah, this eppy sure packed an emotional wallop--but they pulled a couple of cheap tricks to do it. And I'm not sure those parts worked.

The cheap trick that bugged me most was the whole time-travel bit. As kf6tac put it, Jor-El has basically become a deus ex machina crutch the writers are leaning on. Now he can turn back time? But only once? Maybe the worst part was that, as crazy as that part was, I sorta saw it coming anyway. I mean, obviously Lana is not going to die. I guess they were trying to "fake us out" by foreshadowing Jonathan's death, then "oh no, it's going to be lana!" and then "oh yeah, it's jonathan again." Meh.

And of course, there was also the oldest, most tired trick in the book, "Let's bring Clark and Lana together...then tear them apart again...brilliant!" I know it's supposedly a "tried and true" formula...but here's an idea: be creative. Come on writers, you can do better than this same old schtick.

Also, shouldn't they address the fact that since Jor-El took Jonathan's life as "compensation," Clark shouldn't be nearly as afraid to tell Lana anymore? As mentioned in a previous thread of mine, this was neglected during that Rationale scene with Chloe.

I actually didn't have a problem with the way Jonathan died. I'm sorta glad it wasn't something "generically heroic" like stepping in front of a bullet or whatnot. I think, however, it might have been nice to have Jonathan survive in this incarnation of Superman. We've all had enough of the Joseph Campbell "One-or-both-parents-has-to-die" routine for a while. Why not try something new? Besides, Clark has already met that "qualification" since his biological parents were killed on Krypton.

The acting was great all-around. AOT gets special props of course. The last scene looked lovely, with the whole white and green palette instead of the less imaginative heavy blue-filtering of the crush funeral.

I also liked the general thematic content of this eppy. That is, the devastating self-sacrifices the hero has to make for the benefit of mankind. He has all these incredible abilities, but must deny himself some basic human desires (love, romance, etc.). It was an important point to underscore from a mythological perspective, imo.

Overall, Reckoning was well-executed with a well-underscored, important theme--but the way they achieved it was pretty darn annoying.

[xthricex]

I thought this episode was fantastic. A lot of people complain about the writing on this show but the fact of the matter is those people are here week after week after week......and i could go on... There is a reason why you keep watching Smallville...because it is an amazing television show.

Yes...this episode was predictable but it still didn't make it bad or even "horrible" which some of you say. It was a fantastic rendition of one of clark's most important moments of his life. Anyone who watched the Superman movies knew that JK was going to die and that lana will never ever know clark's secret. Yes i am aware there are different versions of Superman but the fact is the one version that people know are the Chris Reeve movie ones and it seems more and more to me that the parallels between this Clark and other Clarks, whether it be in movies or comics are derrived from the 70's, 80's Superman films.

This wasn't good TV? Man...i'm a 20 year old guy and i like to think i am macho but this episode managed to kick my butt sideways even though i knew what was coming, that to me is great TV and only smallville delivers.

I guess the ONLY thing that really troubles me is not having John Schneider on the show anymore. That idea is gut wrenching but that's how it goes. Kudos to Smallville and everyone involved in it.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

That an excellent take one things....I really Did enjoy alot of the acting in this ep...I may not have been in love with the way the story played out....But the acting was great....Annette is fantastic as always....The episode was well shot as well....Excellent Camera work lighting and sound.....

[Poweranimals]

Wow! I've just seen the episode and was amazed. A little annoyed at first that they were going with the time reversal on Clark and Lana, but this paralleled the movie very well. There was definitely a lot of drama and curiousity emerged from this episode. An emotional experience for any diehard fan of the show. I applaud them for including so much into an hour. It really felt like more.

I'm just not sure why everyone's so upset? I anticipated that there would be a few people upset by John's death, but the reactions towards this episode seem rather scornful.

Is it because of the time reversal? I really enjoyed how the events actually weren't meaningless. We all know Clark and Lana won't end up together, but a reflection of how much Clark tries, he can't change his destiny.

Are people really this mad over the death of Jonathan Kent? I mean yeah it would've been a big deal no matter who died, but people really do understand that changes must happen in a show in order for it to evolve.

[ProdigyLover83]

Originally posted by xthricex I thought this episode was fantastic. A lot of people complain about the writing on this show but the fact of the matter is those people are here week after week after week......and i could go on... There is a reason why you keep watching Smallville...because it is an amazing television show.

I don't know about that. This is like saying Ashley Simpson or whoever is a talented musician because she sold a lot of records. I mean, as we all know, a bad show or movie or album is often very popular.

Anyways, I think a lot of people keep watching Smallville despite heavy complaints because:

1) We're Superman fans and thus have an inherent interest in the show and want it to get better. Properly voicing our complaints is part of this process.

2) People think KK or TW or whomever is hot and will tune in to watch them.

3) Smallville, unlike movies or music, is "free" so to speak (being on non-cable tv) and so people will watch it out of boredom. For example, say, you've got two hours to kill and you don't like American Idol or whatnot.

4) Some people have an undeveloped taste for tv and think this is as good as it gets.


That said, I think Smallville has had its moments. Then again, writing has always been inconsistent at best and relies on a lot of cheap crutches.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

To me its like this....Ive never been the Huge SUPERMAN fan that many of you have been in the past....Until I watched this show...And I saw how Human Clark can really be and how much substance he has to him other just being A super being....and having powers....I peronally think the Emotion makes this show amazing!....I do admit the freaks of the week and crazy unexplained things....they are a bit off at times....But still Smallville is Fantastic!

[Superman/Clark Kent]

Originally posted by liana
Why would anyone like JK dying of a heart attack? At least they could have given him a hero death, but no, just a plain, stupid and meaniless death.That is EXACTLY how he died in the movie.

[EVILDREAMZ420]

They kept very proper and exact with his death....its idenitcal almost to the movie....

[ljkkjlcm9]

you people all have to realize what Clark is thinking now. Lana had died, and if she had died, he still would have had his father and his family, and she would have died a very happy person. BUT, due to his decisions, his father died, and there is no chance in hell he's going to be with Lana, so he ended up alone, and even worse off. It's suppose to show him that he can't save everyone, and it's not right to screw with how things already happened.

I also believe that now they're going to play up Lex and Lana, Lionel and Martha, an of course, Clark feeling all alone in the world...

[Kreukie]

This episode was a great disappointment.

They need to stop playing with the viewers.

[RedDwarfette]

Pathetic, predictable tripe packaged as something fresh and original. What a crock of.... I'm so cheesed off right now. If the writers think they are going to keep let alone gain fans by maintaining the status quo week after week [or weak after weak, really] they're in for a rude awakening. If it doesn't pick up, people will bail and head for better shows. Oh well.

The ONLY good thing about this episode has been the hilarious posts it inspired which have had me both crying from laughter and nodding in agreement.

[hakoreh]

hope the producers are reading this now since we seem to have so many interviews from them maybe theyll take a peek

[vyperman7]

I was very dissapointed.

In my opinion, it did not live up to the hype.

Everytime they promise one of these huge episodes, everything always ends up going back to the way it was.

While it is true that JK died, nothing else really changed at all.

There was supposedly a scene with Clark and Johnathan in the FOS, which should have been shown, especially since JK was leaving the show.

The bit with Lex seeing Clark superspeed was another wasted moment because it did not amount to anything. We got to see Lex gasp and that was it. They should have at least had Lex say something before time was reversed.

The time reversal in general. The episode should have had Lana be the one to pass away. It would have been the most shocking, and shown the fans that the writers are actually willing to shake things up and make changes.

This episode was just a total letdown, and I don't think I have ever been this dissapointed after an episode of Smallville.

Do the writers even know who Clark Kent is, and is supposed to become? The next episode has him acting like a vigilante. He is not Batman damnit!!

[~*Lois & Clark Fan*~]

Originally posted by F-Stop Blues
I dont think he will ever tell her. Why would he now? He's too afraid.

Of course he won't. Cause then they can't do Lexana if she knows the secret, they live for angst :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Lois Sullivan
Um, okay, let me point out that first of all, his death was noble. He died protecting those he loved, most likely Clark's secret, because I don't think ANYTHING on that photo would have gotten him that heated, and that upset. And the fact that the only time he's ever uttered those words before "I will not let you/him/her destroy our/my family" Was in regards to the secret. He did it with the reporter that was about to reveal the secret, I think he said it about the cop that knew the secret. He's said it at least one other time. Which means that no matter what, even if Lana hadn't died the first time. Jonathan's fate was that arguement with Jor-El. If Lana had stayed dead, Jonathan would have stayed by his son's side. The Funeral would have happened. and then a week later, Oh Look here's Lionel, and it would have happened again. Jonathan's destiny was to die from the heart attack, plain and simple. The fact that they choose to make it tonight, doesn't make it any less noble. What makes it noble is that he died protecting Clark (if that's what the photo was, and personally it's the only believable thing it could possibly be). He didn't step into a bullet for Lana, he didn't give up his life force willing to spare Lana. He died protecting his family. That is the definition of a noble death.


His death noble??!!? His death was nothing but a waste. He was sacrificed so that Lana could live nothing more.

[Quadrotriticale]

I've seen pornos better written then this.

[The_Duchess]

Leaving aside all preferences and from an objective stand point this episode messed with all the parameters that should be (SHOULD) be left alone.

First lets go with the easy one. Clark and Lana are 19 (20 maybe) and they are talking marriage?
Yes I know that some of us marry young and are lucky to find the perfect partner to share our lives with early on but here we have 'All American, Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year wannabe' aka Lana Lang, trying to be independent and your strong poster woman, going for marriage at 19! Doesnt fit her profile...It would have fit the original 'countryside/small town' Lana but not this Smallville character they developed.

Second. Clark has proved to be as selfish and manipulative as Lex. He was willing to sacrifice his father for a girl (remember he s only 19) that he has supposedly 'loved' from afar for a long time. He is willing to mess with 'destiny' to save Lana even if that means sacrificing a parent. It goes against the principle of selfishness and heroism that Superman has.
Of course that we can accept he is imperfect...but not to this extent. I can agree that he can make his mistakes but to the point of killing off Pa Kent for a chick....c'mon!

And finally, Jor El. Is he God or something? I dont like this almighty, powerful and onmipotent Jor El. Way off and very unbelievable.

We all knew that Johnathan had to die. Even though we didnt want him to...we knew it. It had to be done. However, the way they achieved this, they way they made 'it' happen was terribly wrong setting Clark on a moral level paired up with Lex.

Disappointing and predictable.

[thewisewatcher]

Never read spoilers for episodes so JK's death did come as a surprise to me. The episode's acting was great

BUT

as nice as the first 29 min. were, by the 30th where Lana dies, you knew there was going to be a time reversal. now not only are you back at the beginning, your back at season 1 because apparently this is where the love triangle starts.....................

as much as i like the idea of that, it should never have started after seeing all of those things before the reversal of time

HUGE COP OUT

[Quadrotriticale]

Very Disappointing. I hate the way they've portrayed this Clark Kent as a selfish liar. This show has turned into a waste of time and I only hope the movie can salvage something of the superman story.

If they even play the Lionel and Martha card I'm going to puke.

[Happy Random]

Look at it this way peoples, the end of the Clana had to come at some point, because she is not who he ends up with, that is Lois. So look at it as they are setting the stage for some Clois!! (Sorry all you Clana fans) I actually thought that it was a good episode (with the exception of the whole time reversal thingy:mad: ) and it's like Kram-el said, at least it wasn't Chloe!! :D

[KryptoKnight]

I had to come out of retirement from the forum after seeing Reckoning because of the mixed feelings I had for this epsiode AND for the series.

I was both disappointed and pleased with this episode.
I loved:
1)Clark's proposal scene, for everything involved in making this scene
2)Acting throughout the episode(Everyone has greatly improved over the few years Smallville has been around)
3)Emotion throughout the episode(Annette O'Toole especially performed so beautifully). I felt all the heart tugs when I was supposed to feel them.
4)Beautiful scenery
5)Chloe and her charming one-liners(referencing comments on Ken and Barbie, ET, spinning the Earth backwards on its axis - Superman did that to revive Lois in the movie - and calling Clark "McFly" from Back to the Future
6)Background music played very well with every scene

I detested:
1)The writer's easy-out reversal of Lana's death. The trickery involved is not appreciated. I am glad Lana is alive but not happy with the time travel theme.
2)The series' inexcusable lack of commitment to character development. The writer's and/or TPTB apparently cannot decide if Lionel is the "bad guy" or the "bad guy gone good" - an obvious lack of respect for the loyal fans who have stuck around for 5 seasons following the characters from youth to adulthood. Rather than altering events or tweaking personalities for their own purpose, they could try adding more quality conversation. It may make the episodes longer, but hey, two part episodes are not always a bad thing.

All-in-all, I can forgive the weak points and I probably always will. As it is, I loved the episode but I do wish the Clana had continued in marital happiness, at least for awhile. :)

[HalJordan4184]

One, i don't understand this contention Jonathon would have died anyway. Just because a person has a heart attack doing something once, doesn't mean it's a forgone conclusion if they were to avoid that first one, they will have one the next time they do something. It was blatantly stressed in the episode, it was the universe finding balance, plain and simple. He wouldn't have died, as there would not have been a need for it. That's the only reason he died this time. His bad heart, was just what the cosmic forces *groan* used to balance the universal death/life scale.

Two, this episode, was woefully inadequate. Nothing was gained, an in fact, judging from next weeks trailer, Clark will be further regressing, becoming the atypical, angry, vengeance driven scary vigilante, that is everything he's not supposed to be. Oh wait, that's right, he's not Superman yet, so nothing he does affects his future, or in any way lends any evidence to how he will react to things later in life. :rolleyes:

Also, the entire Clana thing, and the death, and all of it, was pointless. Jonathon's death was truly meaningless. Because the death of his parent, or parents, has never been what spurred him to become Superman. That's not in character or part of any story at all. In the movie, it made him think it was time to leave the farm, but then again, a lot of that was Marlon Brando's ego too.

Also, why go out of the way to mirror the movie, when the creators keep specifically saying, SMallville is NOT CONNECTED TO THE MOVIE. It's stupid. Plain and Simple. They aren't original or creative on this show. I can't find one original or creative thing they've done. They borrow from other people's work, throw in some Marvel characterizations, and then people praise them for their genius, this episode definately showed me how woefully unprepared these guys were to make this series, something i've said since season two.

[MBCorp]

HalJordan I agree with your post 100%. Jonathan's death was meaningless and Clark will be regressing. Nothing was gained form this episode, it was pointless.

[muffinpeddler]

Best episode ever...until that damn time reversal. I hope you're burning in Hell Jor-El! The time reversal made it seem like a big joke! It turned it into a second Lexmas in my opinion. We've been waiting so long for clark to tell Lana, and now we finally get it and they snatch it right back, giving rise to the same lies, the same "Stop lying to me" speech we've been hearing since season 1, and, God help us all, Lexana. *shivers* And even the Clana bashers, no doubt overjoyed at first, have had their prize reclaimed. Nobody won with this episode. Jor-El is not a god, and Clark is a moron! (Just tell her, but don't prepose, or, here's an idea, SKIP THE PHOTOS AND STAY WITH YOUR FIANCEE YA BIG DUMB ALIEN! Also, I was overjoyed that Lex knew the secret...which never amounted to ANYTHING! Time travel my ass! Johnathan should have had SOME sort of parting words to Clark, of encouragement and strength. Instead he rolls back his head and dies. And to all those who shout: "How dare Clark switch Lana for JK! He's no better than Lex!" Well, to all of you, what would YOU do in that situation? I will point out that Jor-El did not say :"If you save the girl, I kill your Dad." Clark was overcome with grief, and would have done anything to save her, and I probably would have done the same thing. If that makes me as bad as Lex, than so be it. The episode was a major disappointment, but we can't do anything about it now, cause Jor-El said he only had ONE crystal. If we did have one, we could all go back and protest! Here's a better idea: same as before, but when Clark stops the bus...Lana's car is hit by Johnathan's truck!

[tomwelingishot]

i was sooooooooooooooooooo................. mad after I saw the eppisode WHY COULDENT LANA HAVE STAYED DEAD

[Nerial]

This was the weirdest episode of the entire series. I can't really express how thoroughly disappointed I am. It felt like I was watching a 2 hour epic that got stuck on fast-forward, and wound up at 40 minutes.

There are some things I liked, so I'll be nice and point them out:

1) The teleporting scene was amazing.
2) Seeing the grand-scale of the Fortress took my breath away.
3) The coal-into-diamond effect, especially with the glow in his hands, was highly impressive.
4) Chloe's "turn the Earth backwards on its axis" line
5) Clark's reaction at the crash scene with Lana and Pa Kent

Then, we skip WAY ahead...

6) The funeral. I know some didn't like it, but the necklace scene with Ma, the music, and the snow were stunning.

Now, the CRAP!

1) The beginning left NO room for Lana to process squat. It was like, "here's a teleporter....I'm an alien...I can fly...look! heat vision...will you marry me?" All in, what, a two minute time frame?

2) Lana's reaction. (please refer to CRAP #1): Um, I'm happy about the idea that Lana would accept Clark, and maybe eventually agree to marriage, but, OMG! It's, "Let's see, I know nothing about his alien heritage, his super-natural abilities, how he came to Earth, why he's here--oh, yeah, there's that whole meteor shower-thing--, he won't have sex, he hasn't even sorted most of this stuff out himself--YEAH, sure--I'll marry him!" WTF?

3) Going to Lex while the guy's drunk. WITH HER RING! Look, I'm a girl, and I know that if I'm going to go to a guy-friend's home who has had such a miserable day he's gotten happy with the good-Scotch, and HE'S IN LOVE WITH ME--that perhaps TAKING OFF THE RING before entering the room, might be a smart move. Especially when that guy has been obsessed with the guy I'm going to marry for five years. Uh, duh!

4) Two words: TIME WARP

5) Emphasize: TIME WARP! What the hell were they thinking? Maybe it's just a personal pet-peeve of mine--I hate time travel. Nine times out of ten, it's a cop-out because a real resolution of the story cannot be found. Something similar to, say, a god-like being entering the story right as the hero's to the brink of death, and pulls them back. Oh wait! They did that, too.

6) What was up with the Final Destination nonsense? Lois' life-scare in her apartment? I can rent that movie--I don't need to see Smallville squeezing it out.

7) I'm not so much upset about Pa Kent. I knew it was coming, and like I said, I thought the funeral scene was beautiful. But, now Clark has to live with the fact that a decision he made caused this death. True, if he hadn't made that decision, it would have been Lana...but once again Clark is put into a no-win situation where he gets screwed no matter which side he picks.

This episode was JS's last, and it was so overly-complicated, rushed, and odd, I could hardly get into the realm of believing it. All I can hope for now is that the NEXT episode pushes with how Clark and Martha are doing with their lives.

Two magical-time-warp-crystals out of five for me.

[ST6 BAM]

I have watched smallville since the very first episode with the bumbling goofy clark and watched him change over the past 5 years into whatever he is now. I enjoy smallville because I am a HUGE fan of superman. I have all the superman movies all the cartoon shows all the lois and clarks and all the smallvilles 2 date. But questions about the show seem to be growing more and more and I may just stop watching for peace of mind. Like Clark doesnt wear glasses so how is Lex and Lois and everyone else not going to recognize him when he actually puts on the tights. I mean just about EVERYONE in smallville suspects something of him now and in what i guess 3 to 4 years he goes to metropolis and becomes the man of steel and the creators think that lex and everyone is just going to forget? I have enjoyed smallville so much for the past 4 years except for last season but there was a couple of cool episodes and this year I just thought man here we go its finally going to happen. And this season has been great with bringing in brianiac and the fortress and so much Superman mythology I really looked forward to every thursday but never as much as I looked forward to this one. This was suppose to be the episode that EVERYTHING CHANGED and if they would have left it alone in the first 30 it would have with Lana finding out FINALLY and then passing on and Lex seeing Clark superspeed in. That would have changed everything Lex finally knowing and Lana passing would have made Clark think things over drastically almost every show has been about Clark wondering about his feelings for Lana and her finding out his secret and pretty much just centered on Clark and Lana almost every decision Clark has made including this episode has been for the sake of Lana so if they would have taken her out of the equation I believe there would have been a huge change. But of course they screwed it up and like everyone has been saying we are back to square one minus Jonathan Kent. I believe after last night's bombshell this will be the last season for smallville. They had the ratings up and everyones attention and then they just found a way to crush everything they had worked for so far this season. Al and Miles should forget about stupid aquaman and remember who is the greatest superhero of all time I will be VERY surprised if aquaman even gets a full season out it looks like its going to be another birds of prey to me. After everything the WB does with the new superman movie coming out in June (which don't even get me started on I mean I am pumped about it but no Tom? no Micheal? really?) and the previous batman movies (minus Batman Begins which was GREAT) you think someone on there staff would understand superhero's and what the fans really want to see. Did Pa Kent have to die well yea in most superman mythology he did pass on when Clark got out of high school but smallville isnt really going by those rules they make up there own which is sometimes cool and sometimes not so much. All I can say is thanks for the 4 and a half years of memories Smallville and maybe one day when I am older I will pick up the Season 5 dvd set and finish the season but after all the hype and the excitement and then the letdown you gave me last night I am done with you. Maybe Dancing with the Stars will fulfill my superhero desires lol probably not but smallville is over for me. Thanks

[bkzcici]

i LOVE the beginning. PERFEEEEECT! until the timereverse thing.. then all those ironies..

Lana: What can possibly be worse than losing someone you love?
Clark: nothing..

poor Clark :( he did kinda/almost lose someone he loves.

Okay, my answer to this thread. No it did not live up to the hype. I expected a lot better. i wish i cried. i was showered with joy.. shocked.. but not emotional breakdown! I really hope smallville will pick it up..

[Morbo]

Smallville : Everything you wanted to see will happen.
.
.
.
.
.
.
and then we yank it away with a cheesy timereversal

[Kryptomaniac]

You think maybe they underestimated the popularity of Jonathan Kent? Bet TPTB are thinking, "The fans just don't get it!" We get it; it's all about Lana. Lana, Lana, Lana!

[watcher4]

Too much to squeeze into an hour + commercials. Made for too many plotholes. "All we waited to see" really does not describe this episode in my opinion. Definitely did not live up to all the hype for me. I feel that TPTB missed the mark and underestimated the intelligence of the Smallville fans. Of course, I think that in all too many instances TPTB underestimate the intelligence of the Smallville fans and lean too heavily on their own obsession with Lana.

[Lex Luthor XLII]

Am I the only one delighted that Mr. Kent is finally dead?

[gloria]

i loved the way it started...thought the confession was a bit rushed but whatever and least its been finally done...

what made me hate this epi and make it for me the worst epi ever in smallville was not the fact they turned back time....

...BUT not have clark tell the secret to lana again but just warn her not to go to lex...am clana shipper and its like i been waiting for 5 YEARS for clark to tell lana but then they had to take it away :( ...i thought i'd never say this but am kinda getting sick of clana...even though i knew they wouldnt be together in the future and least i know they had good memroies in smallville (ALL I WANTED WAS ONE SEASON ONE! FULL SEASON WHERE CLANA WHERE TOGETHER) but nope they had to bring in lois and all this secret keeping crap has taken us back to S1..

they still could have done alot with the story if lana still knew the secret..

1. they could have made lana not die be in a coma or something
2. clark could have then decided that they shouldnt get married anymore
3. thats when MAYBE lana can turn to lex (doubtful, though i HATE lexana)
4. also how would clark explain his superspeed to lex?

so many possibites...now its like i have nothing to look forward to (apart from knowing the zod people and brainic are gonna come back *not a spoiler,just my opinion cause its so obvious*)

...its REALLY like starting all over again


yea JK would have died but...aghhh whatever...it doesnt matter now whats done is done...

[huckman]

OK...the "Big Event" is over. Let's discuss, shall we. My wife and I had a bet who would die. Mine was Jonathan for all the obvious historical reasons, even though his character is currently alive in the comics as he was in "Lois and Clark". She guessed Cloe for similar reasons...she doesn't exist in the comics and no one would expect it. Here's why that would have been great. Cloe dies. Lois freaks and begins her venture into reporting to find out CS's death and it puts her on the path to become the great reporter she is. BUT, it's not about moitivating that character yet. How about actually killing Lana and sticking with it. It doesn't exist that way in the comics and the show is already taking great liberties that I agree with. That would have been the boldest move EVER!! This would motivate almost ever character. Lana dies. Clark and Lex's riff begin it's historical journey as CK will blame LL (and himself). The female void of Lana opens for the Lois and CK story line to begin. Toss in JK's inevitable death and kill Lionel just to mess with Lex even more and you have elements that the show could really utilize for two or more years. Now that would be a BOLD retelling of the story.

Be careful producers. You have already fallen into the on-again / off-again trap. It's tired and played out. Let Lana know the secret already, she'll move on and Clark can fall for Lois. Get it moving already. As you can hear from all these fans, we don't want to sit through two more years of this see-saw. Wrap it up or the fans will just give up on you. Oh yea, let Clark fly already. We need something new and fresh. Thanks.

[gloria]

yea i agree lana dying would have made much more sence...

but would clark become superman if lana died?...cause obviously he would blame him self for her death

[Sharingan]

They tried to do another TEMPUS.. but fell flat on their faces and might have screwed the entire rest of smallville in a 2hour story condensed into 40minutes..

[gloria]

you know what?...i dont think i can ever watch this epi again when i get the dvd..once is enough...the more i think about it the more angry i get...

and i think your right Sharingan...and i really hate to say this but i personally think they've messed up smallville from now on..:\

[Welling_is_pretty]

No, I don't think this lived up to the hype. Simply because no matter what happened it couldn't! So many people wanted different things to happen that someone was bound to be disappointed. And as for the whole "everything you've been waiting to see" well, it did give us some/most of that then pulled a Bobby Ewing on us (which I thought al and miles said they wouldn't do.)
So no, I don't think it lived up.

[FallenStar]

I think it was a wonderful episode. . .but we, being slightly obsessive, were spoiled and over hyped and expecting much more. For the rest of the viewers, I'd say it was great

[wetworks]

Live up to the hype? Yes and no. This was easily the best half-episode ever.

If I'd stopped watching it at the halfway point and never watched the show again I could have been content. I could have left JK's fate, and everyone else's, up to Superman lore or to my imagination.

It was the perfectly written culmination of all the things I'd wanted out of the show...and then came the timewarp and back to the mega-frustrations of Clana secrets.

[No-El]

I of course voted Excellent!:D

[gloria]

yea it was excellent till clark decided not to tell lana the truth...AGAIN ¬.¬

[Flight_Without_Wings]

This episode was just a cheap total copout. It could have been a real series saver, but just started us over at season 1 without JK. It was my understanding that Clark was afraid Lana would not accept him when she new the truth, so why not work on that and have a rerun episode where Clark is detailing the truth through flashback of the previous season and let us see Lana's reaction to the fact that "Everything is my fault! The meteor shower, death of her parents and every other weird thing that goes on in Smallville.” Let him explain about the red, green and silver Kryptonite and its effect on him. After this, JK still has time to die and they can drag the Lana accepting the truth through a whole season if they want. Then she can elect to leave as per the Superman mythos or she can stay per the new SV mythos. Final few minutes of the episode should have been Lex calling from his campaign headquarters to congratulate JK. The fight with Lionel and Lionel being knocked out, Clark and Martha arrive to find JK dying and rush him to the hospital, Lana arriving and finding the picture and realizing what a great burden Clark has been carrying. Then close with the graveyard scene. No cheap turn back the time nonsense or now she’s dead; now she’s alive death scene need happen and we have pushed the story line in Leaps and Bounds and everybody’s happy.

Oh well, just my thoughts on the subject.

Cheers

[muffinpeddler]

Originally posted by Morbo
Smallville : Everything you wanted to see will happen.
.
.
.
.
.
.
and then we yank it away with a cheesy timereversal

SO TRUE!

[TECHWON]

THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD EPISODE

[Synergy]

I agree with all of you wholeheartedly. Jonathan's death really is for nothing if Lana and Clark don't get together. Reckoning was the worst episode ever. We were lied to, manipulated and jerked around one more time. "Everything we've waited to see will happen" What a joke! I feel like I've been slapped in the face. The show that had it all now has nothing.

[BucketButt]

I really wanted to vote "Excellent" for the quality of the actors' performances and the writers' dialog, but I couldn't; the "do over" felt like a cheat that the writers didn't have to use.

I have an alternative idea that would avoid either tampering with time or making Jor-El seem all-powerful. I'll post it in another thread.

[ryb]

I think this poll is proof that this is a love it or hate it episode with little room in the middle.

I've said enough about this episode in the review thread, so I'll just say this: I liked it.

[Mr. Spoiler]

I was truly disappointed with how the story unfolded. I don't have a problem with JK dying because that is consistent with the comics. But the story just sucked! The last episode of the season is going to have to be great.

Who knows, may be if they hadn't hyped the episode so much I may have thought more about the episode..... Then again I doubt it. I've seen some pretty good episodes and this just was not one.

It would have been nice to see Clark do the time reversal in a different episode and that way we could have seen how Lex would have treated Clark and we could have seen more of Lana responding to Clark's abilities.

Maybe Clark can do the time reversal now and we can redo the entire episode this week, except it will be much better.

[lanaiskillingtheshow]

I think this show will be over soon. Episode 100 was a let down. JK's death was very badly done. Clana is boring.

[SamBanksJLA]

Well, Clana is over, JK is dead, and the show is going to have to go in a new direction now. MK is becoming a Senator. Lex will have to find something else to do. Lana will move on from Clark. Chloe has her Planet thing, and Lois will have to find some other interesting storylines. Hopefully we will see some Lexana and Clois, and maybe Jimmy Olsen will come around the Planet so Chloe has something to do. And we always have Lioned lurking around the corner and I'm sure we'll get some LL/MK confrontations.

So to say the show won't be on very much longer is a little harsh. I think it has a few more seasons in it after this one. If done right. But I wouldn't bet money that TPTB will handle everything correctly.

[MNbrowns]

Am I the only one who is getting really sick of how they keep finding ways of keeping Lana out of the loop?

I could have sworn that the creators said there wouldn't be a "Patrick Duffy" type of ending was incorrect. That was totally a cop-out. I think they've beat us down with this story line of "Clark can't tell her his secret." Either get rid of her and focus on Louis or have them tell her and get with better story lines.


Very tired of this stuff.

[warriorrenegade]

I believe I was hoodwinked. Lana dying... please what a jip. If they were straight with us from the beginning i.e. having JK die, I believe they could've avoided some of the " angry " critizism surrounding the episode. Also if they used the whole time thing a little better like have Clark use it to attempt a rescue of his father only to fail because " you can't cheat fate" or so I've been told.

[angelfire east]

In a word no

[Gripp]

i think they accomplished one of the best written episodes of any series i've ever seen! (go ahead... flame me! i dont care!)

they set the stage for a slew of things all while making the epi very heart wrenching. the mere fact that its being discussed with such fever on these boards is proof enough.

i've always wondered how they would get themselve4s out of the Clana hole:

CK, as we know him to be in adulthood, loves LL, but for some strange reason is a wuss about telling her. Lana on the other hand has this love for CK/SM and knows CK's secret but the love isn't returned by CK.... now---how were the writers to create a situation that would cause CK to longer love her regardless of her finally learning his secret and her love for him????! i've been curious how they'de pull this off ever since they created CK's infatuation with Lana -- up until now!

And frankly I think they found an astounding way for this relationship to exist: what better way than have Clark resent, but not blame, Lana for the death of his father, and her never knowing or understanding what he went through for her. It’s perfect!
while this did overshadow his death, JK had to die for the show to be consistent with what we know of the grown superman. I think it was genius that the writers managed to use one to accomplish the other!

and even further; the big thing with the time travel!!! -- o`crap
was that just some lame cheap trick?!
i mean seriously; couldn't they have thought of something better?!!! or maybe -- was it that they were trying to accomplish something with that as well? seems to me that we have already had the knowledge that SM can reverse time on a whim -- so why doesn't he??? he could never loose! just hang out in the background watching and planning how to win something, then once he knows simply make the earth spin backwards, or whatever, and act out his plan! nothing could ever go wrong!

welll.... then maybe i'm just a smart...whip but it seems that Jor-el has tried to explain to him, on a couple of occasions now, that there are consequences to doing such things and finally gave him the choice of learning them on his own!
in and of that we now have an understanding that yes he can reverse time, but doesn't for good reason. and even more that Jor-el wasn't the vindictive weirdo forcing Clark to lose a loved one for own pleasure after all! he merely warned him of the consequences that are out of his control. and, if i did read into this correctly, CK will now understand this and be able to further his relationship with his father.

so much laid out in such a short period of time, and yet an emotional rollercoaster at the same time! i really dont see how people are bashing this one so much!

10/10

[Eh,Man?You-El?]

Like many others, I won't be watching "Smallville" much any more and, sadly, I really don't see much reason to continue browsing the boards much after Reckoning.

Now I understand a lot of people liked the episode and will continue to enjoy "Smallville". More power to you.

I have also read a lot of posts from people like me who have been disappointed by Smallville for several seasons and have decided "Reckoning" is the bellweather indicating the frustrating mediocrity is not going to change from now right up until the series finale. Many of us are simply giving up. Giving up being frustrated by putting little or no further effort to watch the show but also giving up even trying to express the frustration.

[cooper2000]

No, I dont think it did live up to the hype. Great first half hour. If they had kept it at that I would have loved the show but they hit the reset button again and everything in that first half hour was UNDONE. This was a cop out!
Now we'll be back to the same old thing each week. Lana and Clark tormented loves. Puhleeze.

[BunnyHops]

OK. This is my first time to post, but I just had to on this one.

When viewing this episode, I went through every emotional spectrum. When Clark told Lana his "secret" and proposed marriage, it was like all my wishes had been granted. Life was good! Engagement, Senatorship, nothing could be better. Then they took Lana and sent her off to Lex's place??? What gives? That was the stupidest thing that they could have ever done. Then the whole car crash and Lana death thing... (btw, woo-hoo's all around for Tom's acting at that scene :eek: )

So now we're faced with Jorel and his amazing abilities to transport Clark back through time, all this while actually dead. Amazing what the writers can do with pen and ink, eh?

Now we have the "alternate" ending where the old school Clark and Lana comes out and he is once again keeping secrets and Lana knows it... blah, blah, blah!

My initial reaction to this episode was, "What the....!" But after pondering over the situation, I had to come to a realization about the story line. Sure, seeing Lana know everything and she and Clark live happily ever after is definetly the story tale ending. However, we know that the mythos is completely down a different path here. He never marries and spends the rest of his life with Lana... cue Lois. Plus, Jonathan Kent unfortunately dies while Clark is still young. All true to the mythos. No matter how much I'd like to see it go the other direction, it just can't.

BUT, the apparent possible path they are taking in sending Lana into the arms of Lex is just plain wrong! That part I definetly do not like and will be very disappointed if that is what they do.

I am a "since the first episode" Smallville fan and will continue to watch because I love it, no matter what. What a joy to see it evolve over the past 5 years.

So overall, it was a good episode in that they gave us a glimpse of what things could have been. Cheers to John Schnider for all the many wonderful years... and you will be greatly missed.

[Flight_Without_Wings]

Originally posted by Gripp
i think they accomplished one of the best written episodes of any series i've ever seen! (go ahead... flame me! i dont care!)


so much laid out in such a short period of time, and yet an emotional rollercoaster at the same time! i really dont see how people are bashing this one so much!

10/10

I think the problem most people had with this episode is the writing and how the characters ended up in the situations that led to the deaths. Most annoying were having the characters doing stupid and unacceptable things just to get them in the bad situation. Lana leaving the party. JK leaving the party at its peak. Lex alone and sulking over his defeat. Clark not using superspeed to save Lana the first time. JK and Lana on the same road when they should have been miles apart. Clark acting too quickly to change the future. Lana dying only because she knew Clark's secret. Using the time travel card.

All of these unforgivable events that made for a most unsatisfactory show to those of us who want a legitimate storyline to go along with the good acting and great technical quality. Sadly, most of these could have been easily avoided with a minimum of thought. For instance, just have Lex leave his campaign headquarters and arrive to congratulate JK in person on his victory. This would have been the natural and in character thing for Lex to do. While there he could meet Lana and congratulate her and Clark on their engagement. Later on that night he can show up at Lana’s and demand to know Clark’s secret. She escapes and heads to Clark’s. Meanwhile Lionel has called to set up a meeting with JK at the barn. Lana calls Clark just as she hits a deer or runs off the road at the farm or just loses control , which stops JK from entering the barn to meet Lionel and wakes Clark up. (I don’t like this part as there is no real way around Clark’s superspeed, but to get him there, this is the only way for her to die in his arms.) We can get the same basic death scene and great acting with a legitimate story. Now is where I totally disagree with the story, but if TPTB want to use the time travel crystal, we have the same scene over again, except Clark doesn’t fess up ( I really can’t stand him looking like an idiot and being this stupid, but that is just my personal opinion). So when Lex shows up to congratulate JK, he talks to Lana and finds out about their "last fight". He shows up later that night to go through with the kiss scene. Clark has been watching all along to protect her from death and witnesses the scene. Lana notices Clark just as he leaves and rushes after him. Clark arrives in time to move the obstacle from Lana’s path (deer etc.) so he saves her, meanwhile JK meets with Lionel and has the fight. Clark arrives back at the scene to catch JK, call for mom and have the same death scene.

This is just one way to include all TPTB wanted with a more plausible and realistic way for it to happen without everyone looking stupid or doing unrealistic things just to have the work as they wanted it to. I still do not agree with the loser time travel trick ( for the proper use of time travel, see Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure). I would have had Clark be a man and fess up long ago so we could move on. But once again, just my view on the subject.

[BucketButt]

Originally posted by Gripp
i think they accomplished one of the best written episodes of any series i've ever seen! (go ahead... flame me! i dont care!)

No flames from me, just an honest disagreement.

The entire "lana dies/Lana lives" portion of the episode did almost nothing to advance the series' storyline. Clark could have learned the same lesson in a nightmare (we'd only need to see a few seconds of it). The writers could have come up with a more believable scenario that would still end in Lana and Clark breaking up -- minus the proposal, diamond-making, car chase and all the rest.

I have a real problem with Jor-El (who is DEAD, people) having seemingly limitless power. Now he's turning back time to give Clark a do-over? Come on -- the time-reversal gimmick was unbelievable when Superman did it in the movie, and it's still unbelievable when Jor-El does it for Clark. I've posted an alternative scenario that would avoid the time-reversal and tone down Jor-El's power a bit; if I can think of it, a professional scriptwriter should be able to do far better.

Actually, I think the producers/writers painted themselves into a corner with the Clark-Lana relationship and were forced to "cheat" their way out of it. Had Clana been handled better earlier in the series, none of this would have been necessary. Oh, well, what's done is done; I just hope the writers do something worthwhile with the situation they now have -- like having Clark finally get over Lana and move on with his life.

Jonathan's death was well done, and believable. Jor-El had already said someone Clark loved would die in exchange for Clark's resurrection; he never said he would personally take that life. IMHO Jonathan had been living on borrowed time since the first heart attack; and after a heart attack and near-death coma, his fragile health is believable.

Going on the the next episode, the official WB description indicates that Clark continues to grieve. I see this as a major improvement over the way he bounced back almost instantly following Alicia's death. Let him be stoic, if that's how he deals with it -- but at least let us see that he is still grieving.

[ckfan]

Originally posted by Eh,Man?You-El?
Like many others, I won't be watching "Smallville" much any more and, sadly, I really don't see much reason to continue browsing the boards much after Reckoning.



How fitting that you just reached your 1000th post before you "retire" from the boards. You hit a milestone at the same time that Smallville did.

[Flight_Without_Wings]

Originally posted by BucketButt
No flames from me, just an honest disagreement.


I have a real problem with Jor-El (who is DEAD, people) having seemingly limitless power. Now he's turning back time to give Clark a do-over? Come on -- the time-reversal gimmick was unbelievable when Superman did it in the movie, and it's still unbelievable when Jor-El does it for Clark. I've posted an alternative scenario that would avoid the time-reversal and tone down Jor-El's power a bit; if I can think of it, a professional scriptwriter should be able to do far better.

Actually, I think the producers/writers painted themselves into a corner with the Clark-Lana relationship and were forced to "cheat" their way out of it. Had Clana been handled better earlier in the series, none of this would have been necessary. Oh, well, what's done is done; I just hope the writers do something worthwhile with the situation they now have -- like having Clark finally get over Lana and move on with his life.

BucketButt, I agree totally with the whole Jor-El thing. Having him have control everything has gotten out of hand and why many people were upset with this episode and the direction the has been heading. At best he should be giving advice and knowledge to Clark. Otherwise, why doesn't he save/takeover the world himself and get it over with? He seems to have that much power.

I also agree with the way TPTB had written the Clana relatioship with no real way out. The show has always been about that relationship with the FOTW's thrown in and Buddy Lex to help out everytime he couldn't do something by himself. After 4.5 years later of this, it is kinda of hard to chop it off especially after the mortal relationship. They had a good chance to end it when Lana went to Paris, but they had to bring her back for more and make for a much closer relationship than ever that should have ended in much the same manner as the Reckoning opened somewhere along the line. Unfortunately, by trying to stay within the Superman boundaries, they have stepped out of what had been the key to Smallville.

As for new episodes, I think I will spend my time elsewhere and catch them on video. At least then I can fast forward to a new episode when the writing gets too foolish. Or not if the story line contiues to decline or remain the same as it always has.

Goodluck and keep up the good posts

Originally posted by BunnyHops
OK.

My initial reaction to this episode was, "What the....!" But after pondering over the situation, I had to come to a realization about the story line. Sure, seeing Lana know everything and she and Clark live happily ever after is definetly the story tale ending. However, we know that the mythos is completely down a different path here.

BunnyHops

Always remember, your initial reactions are almost always correct and especially so in this case. I like your stating the obivious: Sure, seeing Lana know everything and she and Clark live happily ever after is definetly the story tale ending. This is stating it perfectly. For 4.5 years we have been watching the story of Smallville and not Superman. This would of/should of been the final conclusion of the this show as written thus far and is why most have been so interested in the show to see this happening.

However: The looming doom of the original Superman is the only reason (well this and ratings of course) that TPTB did not give us a complete story, but truncated one story off to meet the boundaries of another. Funny how they fall back on the Mythos to defend anything they do when they want to and then claim leadway when they change something.

Oh well, personal opinion: either they write Superman or they Write Smallville. For 4.5 years they have been writing Smallville. What next? Personally I do not care as that was The final episode of Smallville. In that, TPTB did succeed. They need only follow through with a new story line until it comes time to truncate it off due to the all powerful Superman mythos.

Enjoy

[CheckIt!]

Loved the first half. Was disappointed with the second half.

I think they should have actually used the footage of Clark, in desperation, take his father to the fortress only to have him have to carry his Dad back to his Mother looking helpless. As it happened Clark was wailing at Lana's death and quite stoic at the sight of his fathers.

[JLA]

There have been many comments made about how implausible it is that Jor-El has powers that extend from the grave. I don't see it that way. The power to reverse time did not come from Jor-El, it came from the crystal. The reason Clark could use this only once is because there was only one crystal having that power.

Just a thought.

[BrodaMunschki]

The three main women are Lana, Chloe and Lois. If tptb stay true and wait until metropolis until Clois happens, then if lana dies, the only other woman is chloe. and we all know how clark really feels about her: she is a friend. remember how quick he was to agree to be just friends in S2 E1.

if lana dies, then they could focus on clark and lex and their storyline and character development. but if this show is going until season seven or more, then constantly seeing two guys duelling it out on screen over some random **** they'd have to make up every week for two plus years would bore me... even though it may add greatly to story development. but its not only hardcore fans that watch the show, but also people who want to see women in their shows, hot ones (chloe did clean up real nice this season). so keeping lana in the picture, at the moment, is not a bad thing.

people critize, and it's fine, but thinking how it would be otherwise can sometimes be worse.

I think lexana will be good for a while, it can give more insight into the already lacking character lana, since perhaps she will open up more with lex... reveal stuff to him that she would not to clark, even if they were together. when she said to lex in the real storyline how she had hoped that if she was patient enough he (clark) woudl let her in, it seemed to me that it was not sincere it all. she was just a lot smoother than others in trying to pry through clark's armor: his love for her.

so lexana might be a fresh change, for a while.

[myownwoman]

I wouldn't want to, but they might.

[BucketButt]

Originally posted by JLA
There have been many comments made about how implausible it is that Jor-El has powers that extend from the grave. I don't see it that way. The power to reverse time did not come from Jor-El, it came from the crystal. The reason Clark could use this only once is because there was only one crystal having that power.

Just a thought.

In a very real sense, Jor-El is the crystal; in fact, he is the entire Fortress Of Solitude. IIRC Jor-El told Clark in one of his early "apperances" that the actual Jor-El was dead, but his intelligence survived through technology and was here to instruct Clark. That would make "Jor-El" what we would thnk of as an Artificial Intelligence computer program based on Jor-El's actual memories, intelligence and personality; I usually refer to this as Jor-AI.

Granted, a computer using Kryptonian technology and equipped with the proper Kryptonian-technology peripherals probably could do things that a flesh-and-blood Kryptonian like Clark can do. But could even the most advanced Kryptonian technology reverse time or resurrect the dead? That's just a little too much for me to swallow. I don't want Kryptonians to be more powerful in death than they are in life; I can't stretch my suspension of disbelief that far comfortably.

Jor-AI told Clark that "we are not gods", while exhibiting the power to send Clark back in time and let him change what had just happened. That just seems self-contradictory. Jor-El survived his own death, turned three arther small Kryptonian artifacts in what Chloe once called a "forty story igloo", raised Clark from the dead, and sent Clark back in time so he can change history by saving Lana's life -- if those aren't the powers of gods, what are?

[Fly by guy]

Reckoning had to follow what as a Clana fan were three tough episodes to swallow. Then finally a resolution to the dog tired question of will Lana accept Clark only to be kneed in the gut with time reversal and unacceptance of a romance. I should have just stuck to my original plan of saying two words: Unbelievably disappointing.:(

[my3cats]

I'm predicting now, that Reconning will mark the fatal sharkjump after which ratings and interest in the show go straight down and never recover.

It wasn't even bad in execution ( meaning Spell style cringeworthy) just because the Glorification of Lana, which surpassed Unintentional Self Parody, some time ago, has with episode, reach such a no-words-exist-to-describe-it level of absurdity, that noone can expect to ever take the show seriously again, and more importantly, expect the shows focus and screentime to ever again be used for advancing more interesting and worthy characters/storylines.

Seriously, if THIS is what TPTB consider the shows highpoint,it's over.

[Gripp]

Originally posted by BucketButt
No flames from me, just an honest disagreement.
.
.
Actually, I think the producers/writers painted themselves into a corner with the Clark-Lana relationship and were forced to "cheat" their way out of it. Had Clana been handled better earlier in the series, none of this would have been necessary. Oh, well, what's done is done; I just hope the writers do something worthwhile with the situation they now have -- like having Clark finally get over Lana and move on with his life.



that was actually par tof my point. they DID paint them selves into a corner from the very beggining. but they couldn't have her stay in paris or die....
she is to be a part of his "Superman" role; she is to be in love with him/know his secret -- and yet get nothing in return from him...
how would they take their relationship (moreover, clarks feelings toward her) in such a polar direction??

a dream wouldn't cut it... he would have no longer made that choice (unknowingly) to trade her for his father. but now everytime he looks at her he is going to be reminded of he did, and wonder whether he would have made the same choice.

but he can't be mad at her, she didn't do anything wrong. but he'll have to resent her. so there you have the future Clana... as it was originally written

which brings me to a point, if anything this part isn't bad becuase of this episode, but more becuase of the relationship the writters formed from the very beggining. but honestly i can't think of any better way they could have written this episode -- in regard to forming this relationship with CK/Lana.

Originally posted by BucketButt
In a very real sense, Jor-El is the crystal; in fact, he is the entire Fortress Of Solitude. IIRC Jor-El told Clark in one of his early "apperances" that the actual Jor-El was dead, but his intelligence survived through technology and was here to instruct Clark. That would make "Jor-El" what we would thnk of as an Artificial Intelligence computer program based on Jor-El's actual memories, intelligence and personality; I usually refer to this as Jor-AI.

Granted, a computer using Kryptonian technology and equipped with the proper Kryptonian-technology peripherals probably could do things that a flesh-and-blood Kryptonian like Clark can do. But could even the most advanced Kryptonian technology reverse time or resurrect the dead? That's just a little too much for me to swallow. I don't want Kryptonians to be more powerful in death than they are in life; I can't stretch my suspension of disbelief that far comfortably.

Jor-AI told Clark that "we are not gods", while exhibiting the power to send Clark back in time and let him change what had just happened. That just seems self-contradictory. Jor-El survived his own death, turned three arther small Kryptonian artifacts in what Chloe once called a "forty story igloo", raised Clark from the dead, and sent Clark back in time so he can change history by saving Lana's life -- if those aren't the powers of gods, what are?

again... we see eye-to-eye! only lacking in the outcomes of our opinions...

the crystal had to have been only a symbol. the represntation of CK's choice. Kryptons are supposed to have technology to do these things.... a rock with such powers that is so rare there is only one sounds too... magical/mystical for the mantra of Superman. and besides, if he went back in time wouldn't the crystal still be there?? or atleast the past version of it?

no, it makes more since that Jor-El/Krypton has (had?) the technology to reverse time. which isn't really that far fetched. In all actuality the more our RL physics/maths evolve the more we have that our laws do indeed point to the possibilty of time travel/alternate universes. but we dont need to get into that. Point being, Jor-El has indicated that playing with such things has consequences, and even warned him in this episode. yet clark still insisted - so he gave the option for CK to see for himself, Jor-El knowing that one chance is all that is needed.

why one? well, as i said before, had clark gone back a third time he would have been faced with the knowledge that he HAS to choose -- and thus knowingly send one of them to death.

Now, even if CK were dense enough to want to go ahead and try again, Jor-El would have no reason to let him; the purpose was to make him understand these consequences first hand and obviously it didn't work.. so why keep dealing with it? saying there was only one "crystal" was a good way for Jor-El to aviod having to tell his son "tuff sh!t" and yet again being the bad guy...



Edit: as for the option to simply have lana/clark break it off...: had this happened and she fell into Lex's arms, CK would have reason to dislike her/distrust her... created a new challange for melding there relationship into what i described above. or, had they broke it off and just left it at that, when clark's father had died they would have gotten back together. again, not accomplishing the goal.
how i'm certain they would have gotten back together:
several years ago i was trying to build the strength to call my then girlfriend and break it off over something.. petty. however, before i could do so, i got a call from her crying in histeria as she had just found her home broken into. no door to lock, no personal effects left. Needless to say i didn't break it off, and actually married her about a year later. We've been married for just over three years now, and i'm always thankfull that she was robbed... (ya, ...)

that was the robery of a girl i'de only dated a few months, i can't imagine that the history/love between Clana would endure a Death in any other way.

[Shinzon2004]

Right,Jonathan Kent dies but he survived in the TV series
LOIS AND CLARK:THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN???

[kkjdt]

:( :mad: I found myself mad and sad at the sam etime.. I was very frustrated so was my entire family! Back in time stuff really frustrated me........ plus I really like Jonanthon Kent and did not want to see him die... Iloved the interaction between clark and his dad. To me some of the best stuff... other than Chloe.. well this is my humble opinion... but all 8 of us agree on this in our household.

[BucketButt]

Originally posted by Gripp
that was actually par tof my point. they DID paint them selves into a corner from the very beggining. but they couldn't have her stay in paris or die....
she is to be a part of his "Superman" role; she is to be in love with him/know his secret -- and yet get nothing in return from him...
how would they take their relationship (moreover, clarks feelings toward her) in such a polar direction??

Lana probably is a part of Clark's future life as Superman ... but that's not guaranteed. Smallville usually follows the general path of the comics, but it can deviate because it isn't closely tied to the comics. While I doubt DC Comics would allow AlMiles to kill Lana, she could always move away and stay apart from Clark for several years before meeting him again in Metropolis after he's become involved romantically with Lois. (For that matter, there's no guarantee on Smallville that Lois and Clark will ever become romantically involved, although that's the most likely course for them.)

The payoff from "Reckoning" won't be Clark resenting Lana (at least not permanently), but rather his seeing things a bit more objectively. He was so self-absorbed that he begged Jor-El to bring Lana back to life and never considered the possible consequences. Jor-El even warned him that the universe would seek balance, which he should have realized meant losing someone else who is dear to him; but Clark didn't stop to think about that. Now the lesson has been driven home, and he isn't likely to forget it. He now knows that there are some things he can do with his incredible powers (and those of the Fortress) that he doesn't have a right to do.

Clark isn't over Lana yet, and he may never get completely over her. But if he maintains the separation between them, it may be awhile before he lets himself come that close to anyone else. (That doesn't sound good for Chlark, I know.)

which brings me to a point, if anything this part isn't bad becuase of this episode, but more becuase of the relationship the writters formed from the very beggining. but honestly i can't think of any better way they could have written this episode -- in regard to forming this relationship with CK/Lana.

Lana was Clark's first love, the girl he'd always imagined spending his life with. Now he has a chance to back off and view things from a more objective position. Most of us do not marry our childhood sweethearts, and most of the time that's probably a good thing. Lana isn't the emotional weakling some people seem to think she is, but neither is she as strong, bold and independent as Lois is/will be ... and someone with Clark's destiny can only feel comfortable in a lifelong relationship with someone who doesn't think she needs a man -- some man, almost any man -- to complete her life.

the crystal had to have been only a symbol. the represntation of CK's choice. Kryptons are supposed to have technology to do these things.... a rock with such powers that is so rare there is only one sounds too... magical/mystical for the mantra of Superman. and besides, if he went back in time wouldn't the crystal still be there?? or atleast the past version of it?

I'm just not comfortable with the idea of a time-machine being available to Clark so he can go back in time and change history. In fact, that's the only thing that ever bothered me about the Legion of Super-Heroes: they presumably changed history just by becoming public knowledge (pre-Crisis at least) in our time, not to mention the changes they caused by acting in our present, which is their past.

As for the time-reversal crystal still existing in Clark's past, I seen no benefit to that for Clark. He used the crystal to go back in time so he could save Lana's life, but that was the only time it could be used. If, instead of saving Lana he used it to go back in time, get the "past" crystal and bring it to the present, Lana would have died. The "present" crystal would be used up, and he'd have to use the "past" version to go back in time again and save Lana ... at which time it would also be used up. And that's assuming Clark could bring the "past" version of the crystal into the present in the first place, which sounds paradoxical to me.

Time travel is possible -- we do it now, but forward only, at the rate of one second per second. Physically traveling into the past implies making changes in the past which change the course of events leading to our present. (Merely viewing the past is far less problematic.) If our present is changed, then it isn't the same present that we were in at the time we went into the past -- and we can't accurately predict how much things will change because of our tampering with the past, but we can be sure that we can't return to [I[our[/I] present because it will no long exist.

If we ever learn how to travel in time, I think the laws of the universe will limit us to going ahead (never back) in time. That means such trips will be one-way -- we can't change what has already happened in our present. If primitive 21st Century people find a way to travel to the 22nd Century, whatever we do there won't affect the 21st Century; it will only affect our own futures, beginning with the moment we make those changes. And we can never return to our original time, because that would require going back in time.

[QUOTE]Edit: as for the option to simply have lana/clark break it off...: had this happened and she fell into Lex's arms, CK would have reason to dislike her/distrust her... created a new challange for melding there relationship into what i described above. or, had they broke it off and just left it at that, when clark's father had died they would have gotten back together. again, not accomplishing the goal. [QUOTE]

I don't see Lana ever just falling into Lex's arms. What I do see as a possibility is Clark more or less driving Lana to Lex, since Lex is the only other man in her life at this time. The end result is the same: Lana becomes the wedge that splits Clark and Lex apart permanently, and no matter what Lana may do later the bad feelings between the two men will have already escalated to the point where they can never heal the rift and become friends again. Nor can Clark ever again have the same feelings for Lana once they make a permanent split.

[supercatmom]

The show was a big disappointment. After all the hype, I was expecting something much better.

Jonathan dies - Big surprise - Everyone has been expecting that since his heart attack during season 3.

And O by the way, why did Jonathan make a pack with the devil(jor el) and ruin his health to bring Clark back from Metropolis. Why not just use green kryptonite to weaken Clark and take the red K ring off him like he did in "Red".

And finally, two weeks ago, Dad Kent was beaten up and hung from the rafters in the barn without given him a heart attack. Now he has a fight with Linonal and kneels over. Talk about it being your time to go.

Now to the reset button. Clark tells Lana his secret and asks her to marry him. She says yes without any pause to the fact that she has said she would be freaked out by an alien and also that the meteor showers that came to Earth with Clark, killed her parents. And then she dies.

But wait, Clark gets a Way Back Crystal from the FOS, goes back in time, saves Lana but she no longer knows his secret. RESET BUTTON.

And now the scene is set for Lana & Lex and Lional & Martha.

And this is everyting we have waited 5 years to see.

[Conner]

First off, there is a lot of talk about Lois and Clark. Smallville has its own continuity, and its own fan base. Different generations and such. The movies did not follow the comics, Lois and Clark did not follow the movies, and Smallville is not necessarily a prequel to Lois and Clark. Let's face it. Smallville is a RE-WRITING of the original superhero, not everyone is going to be happy.

I think that the episode, while kind of sloppy, was done well considering the episode length. About the only way to cram that much stuff into that amount of time is to be a little sloppy. As for Johnathan Kent dying, he died in the movie continuity as well. As for Superman Returns Lois Lane is engaged to someone else. You all want to talk purity, but none of the Superman mythos is the same as when it was created. I really do respect this incarnation of our beloved Kryptonian and I hope we at least get one more season out of it.

[supercatmom]

You can't have it both ways. TPTB said that Jonathan Kent dies because it is part of the Superman Mythos. Which Mythos?

He dies in the Superman Movie. If Smallville is following that Mythos, Why are there native american caves,fotws, and Lex and Lois living in Smallville. And now we have Lex Luthor in love with Lana Lang.

AG/MM can't pull out that card to justify "Reckoning".

[greggbray]

I hate time travel as a plot device. In certain movies, or television shows, where time travel is part of the fabric of the story--I can go along with it.

But in general it ticks me off. I don't mind that JK died instead of Lana, but the crystal should have sent him back to the bus, and he saves the day. Lana still knows, they're still engaged, the story is STILL moving forward.

But, that had to be taken away...for what? More Clana wheel-spinning. The writers really wrote themselves into a corner here. I just want Clana to end, and I want Lana to know. Move the damn story forward, for crying out loud!!!

[Mrs Kent]

I like it. Even though if they had to kill off Johnathan it shouldn't have been involved in the choice that Clark made. Or Lana shouldn't have been in this episode, they mixed it up too much for me.

[clana_never_give_up]

I thought it was excellent until Lana died. After that it basically sucked. I mean Clark could of still told Lana his secret and asked her to marry him. He would have just had to tell her about Lex and to not go to his house. Then she would still be alive. They just made it worse when Clark didn't tell Lana his secret the second time around.

I think Smallville should follow its own path and not the superman path. Lois isn't supposed to be here yet. Clark in superman doesn't meet her until he becomes a reported. So they are already on there own path. He should just end up with Lana and not Lois!!!!:D :D

Thats how it should of been. If this episode was supposed to be the best episode then the rest are probably going to suck. If Al Gough and Miles Millar don't get their act together, they will lose a ton of viewers and ratings because I think they get more ratings when Clark and Lana are together!!! Not when Lana and Lex are together.:mad:

[softballqueen]

I think that it was good because I wish that lana and clark would of stayed together and when clark went back to make sure that lana would not die why didn't he tell her again and make sure that the bus did not hit her? It was kind of dissapointing when lana was mad at clark when he went back in time. But i guess that is how the season went owell!!!

[disc33]

Lana acted so badly towards Clark l8r...i was lmao when Clark superspeeds rite in front of Lex..so much for keeping ur secret..I loved the part where Clark made the diamond ring for lana!!!Overall, the whole episode was pretty good, mostly cuz of the special effects!

[Kyogre]

awfull episode
why did they have to have jk die
i was totally fine with lana

[Tom&ClanaAddictOfGaia]

Amazing episode!

it sucks that clana didnt work out:mad: but otherwise they did really well. this will go down as one of the best smallville episodes in the series:D

[SacredK]

That episode was a masterpiece. One of my top episodes.

[JFalcon]

Clark should have told Lana his secret. Then take Lana and hid in the cave for a week.