This season of Smallville was better than the last few – and yet the last few episodes were starting to force me to extend my patience bubble farther out than normal. Stilletto? It felt like it was trying to fall apart for me to some degree, yet I suppose what can you expect from a fantasy show that has inexplicable superpowered aliens?
This reflection on the Smallville season finale will have spoilers…
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The Smallville season finale brought closure to some story lines, had some oddball hanging logic at spots, fulfilled some past tidbits on who was going to die and set us up for the next season.
Though I’m not sure what they intend to do with next season or if after this episode, they’ll have viewers coming back. I’ve already seen some comments about this finale and they haven’t been pretty.
Clark, You Are Going To Die
The episode starts out with Clark learning from Cosmic Boy that he’s going to die tomorrow. Cosmis Boy also gives Clark another time travel ring, asking Clark that he send Doomsday to their time where they are prepared to deal with him.
Meanwhile, back at the super large mansion, Tess Mercer loses her Kandor Orb. Here’s the issue with the Orb… if Doomsday dies, something worse is released from the Orb.
Clark’s big plan is to bury Doomsday but the Justice League double crosses Clark and dupes him into a trap where Green Arrow plugs Clark with a green arrow… really… a kyrptonite laced arrow. It really was green.
The Justice League Thinks They Can Take Doomsday
Then the Justice League of mortals (Note the fragility of that word?) goes off to do kill the invincible Doomsday. They walk away leaving Clark to lie in the street, subdued. Nice, real nice, and real odd.
The Justice League actually captures Davis but as they prepare to off him, Chloe gets in the way AGAIN and thrusts the black kryptonite at Davis, splitting him and Doomsday apart. It’s amazing how stupid this girl acts, and I mean it with the best intentions.
At one point Lois is snooping around Mercer’s mansion. How the hell do people keep getting in this place? Later on Mercer confronts Lois at the Daily Planet and accuses Lois of stealing her Orb.
They get into a cat fight. (This was probably the best part of the episode folks.) Finally Lois clocks Tess out cold. As this scuffle comes to an end, Clark’s time travel ring that he left on his desk, falls off his desk and as Lois picks it up, she vanishes in a flash. Obviously to the future.
The near iconic character of Jimmie Olsen finds Clark and pulls the arrow from his back. Suddenly it all begins to make sense as he pulls the arrow out of his back and watches Clark heal. Jimmie is cool with Clark’s secret.
Clark locates the Justice League battered and bruised by what was Doomsday, which really, they seemed less worse for wear considering they just went up against an unbridled, pissed off Kryptonian killing machine that had no human control.
It’s back to the original plan and Clark engages Doomsday.
As they come together, Doomsday clocks Clark, sending him flying through several buildings. As Doomsday comes after him, Clark does a leaping tackle where they land at the refinery where Clark had left the Justice League. As they land there, it would seem that Clark packed Doomsday in one of the tunnels that he had first planned to put him in, where then Black Canary would set off this multitude of explosions to bury Doomsday. There are big explosions but in no way were we shown that they were set off by Canary.
The next morning, Jimmy and Chloe have taken the humanity known as Davis to this loft Jimmy bought as a wedding present way back when. As Jimmy and Chloe start to make amends, the jealous Davis stabs Jimmy with a pipe. As Davis goes after Chloe in a jealous angry rage, Jimmy uses his last bit of energy to shove Davis into more pipes, killing him. Jimmy dies. JIMMY OLSEN DIES (what?). So the monster was Davis. Great.
After the funeral Clark and Chloe talk. Clark doesn’t know how he survived the explosion or seemingly what happened to Doomsday. Clark is mad at himself for not seeing that Oliver was right about killing Doomsday.
Clark said he tries to forget he’s an alien and yet, it’s his human side that makes poor decisions based on emotion. He decides that he is no longer going to be Clark Kent and declares that Clark Kent is dead and walks away.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion the Kandor Orb shows up and hatches a man on the front lawn, carving out a big Z in the grass. Zod, has returned.
Where Do I Begin?
This episode had so many oddball illogical scenes that happenstance seemed more like logic than the situations that took place here.
Leaving a time travel ring on your desk at work. Fine. Clark has a lot on his mind.
A batch of humans with some powers, looking to take on Doomsday. Fine. They have to. Right?
The fight between Clark and Doomsday was incredibly short and lame. Two hits. Three at the most? This should have been the payoff for this whole season of waiting. And it was two hits. Gimme a break folks.
At Jimmy’s funeral, we find out that his middle name is Jimmy. Jimmy is not his real name. Chloe gives “Jimmies” camera to his younger brother. Head slap. So Jimmy Olsen did not die. Just a guy whose middle name was Jimmy.
Clark saying that Clark Kent is dead – Is this what the showrunners meant when they tried to tease the viewers into any sort of anticipation about character deaths and the season finale? You’ve lost your credibility with this critic because that was a hollow lie. On both counts. If it’s not really Jimmy, then you’ve lied to us all along. Clark “dies” by a decision. I’m so over this it’s not even funny.
Zod is back. Cool. Sure. Why not bring Darkseid in the action as some sort of midget horticulturist while you’re at it.
Did I forget something? I’m sure I did. Are you as agitated as I am? As a show goes and if you’ve put on a thick skin of anti-logic, the episode was fine but the convenient scenarios and situations that led to some of the story closures felt contrived. Did someone quit and you had to get a fill-in writer?
I liked the premise that Jimmy found out Clark’s secret. Learning that information made a lot of things make sense to Jimmy and why he could start to forgive Chloe. In fact, the forgiving had started and bam! OK, you had me there. Watching someone in a passionate make up kiss and hearing the shthunk sound of pipe going through their torso sucked.
Smallville Season 9 Spoilers
Erica Durance will be back for Season 9. Sam Witwer may be continuing with the show as he might be playing Zod. It’s noted that Faora did say that Davis Bloome resembled his father.
Your Turn
Ok folks. It’s your turn. You can either back me up and show me more moments of “huh?” or tell me why you thought this was OK in your book. I’m totally open to any thoughts.
Now gang, I’ve asked for opinions on both sides, so this is my fault if you see things you don’t like. Don’t take it out on each other. This is a safe place to express your thoughts.
Images and Season 9 Info Source: Krypton Site
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496 Comments
Have you watched the show. The entire season finale was to try to please the fans and line stuff up with the comics. Same withh all the little gags with clark in glasses and hints at other supermanish things throughout the show. So yeah. Sorry to burst your bubble of disappointment
Not sure if that was directed at me, as I do watch and rewatch the show alot. I am not disappointed in anything Smallville wise- I just would like, if they are going to focus on Oliver this season, to see Green Arrow and Black Canary get together, and lay off the Lois/Ollie thing. It would be an added bonus if Lois could see the future Daily Planet with real Jimmy Olsen and Perry White.
New spoilers on Kryptonsite- fingers crossed for a Michael Rosenbaum return.
no that was for tasouli
I love smallville it’s my favorite show but I am very disappointed with how s8 ended & the still no flying thing. There is so much they could do with this show they should never have to do the stupid episodes like “stiletto” or other filler eps. It’s about time Clark start to act like a hero & quit whinning to chloe all the time. & the whole thing with kryptonite being all over the place & every bad guy has some jewelry convienently made of a rare meteor is really old. Come writers this is a genre full of great storys. AND PLEASE LET CLARK FLY!!!!!
Smallville is one of my favorite shows. I am 58 and have been part of the DC universe since I was 5. The best episode was the legion. It was Pre Superman , very bold for the writers, and yet, I always had a feeling the writers would someday do it. It is the best kind of Smallville episode , because it stays with the original concept. Clark meeting Lois, Jimmy, and some of the other charactors before he becomes Superman is strange, but the writers dealt pretty well with things, I myself like the epic moments like fist meetings with other DC People and all. I hope they include some fantasy episodes where Clark goes into the future and sees himself as Superman, I hope also other members of the JLA make appearences too. And some others like the challengers, naybe Adam Strange, and where Clark finds himself in other universe’s and on other worlds. These kind of things to me are better then a whole year of a boring love triangle. Lets see more of Krypton, and finally see Jor El,and please if we go to Krypton, make it more then a world of ice castles. Fire falls, The Scarlet Jungle, ect. If done right Smallville could easily go a few more seasons.
Clark never officially went through his Kryptonian training, did he? I remember he was going to do that in Season 6, but he had to capture all the phantoms first. Then in Season 7, Jor El told him his training would begin with him watching over Kara. So if my memory serves correct, Clark has not had his training. Does he need to have that before he can officially become Superman?
I agree with person who set this up whole heartedly. Im a big superman fan so naturally ima big smallville fan and overall i love the show though if like me you know about superman i mean really know about the comics not jus liking the character this show spits in your face repeatedly. Between fighting and killing all his famous enemies which inturn made him famous before he puts on the suit. wrong origin stories for almost all characters and way to much kryptonite. The problems of the show were exceptable but the season 8 finale i couldnt take i agree with you a 100% doomsday’s origin was garbage. the show built up this whole clash of the titans feel, the whole draw of the season without lex luther making you cant wait to see the fight and the fight was 25 secs they spit in our face with jimmy olsen if that wasn’t the real jimmy then he shouldn’t have been in the show especially for mulitple seasons that was poor writting and really smallville didnt show how doomsday got beat. i know what was suppose to happen clark was to put him at the bottom of that like 3 mile hole and then explode it an leave him down there but as soon as he grabbed him an took him there the buildin exploded, with the explosions going on as soon as he got there he couldnt have got him all the way down there if by some bs he did how did clark get out it makes no since that finale was sad to say jus trash
mhmm. yeah. about the hole with doomsday and “with the explosions going on as soon as he got there he couldnt have got him all the way down there”…. gravity. the explosions just sealed the hole. gravity got him to the bottom.
They did the thing with jimmy so that people like you who know the comics would be satisfied with his age.
They actually explain that everything they did in the finale was to line it up with the comics to please all the comic fans.
Smallville is a rethinking of an american classic. RETHINKING
Yes, Smallville is a rethinking of a classic. Its a ballsy and totally different way to go about this but thats also exactly why we cant all expect this show to happen like in the comics. This is their own version. To SSF: I think you’re right! I never thought about it that way. So Clark better hurry up and get his training! To Jim Spector: I also think that bringing in classic DC characters would be fantastic. The little hints at Clark being Superman are great but also meeting characters we’ve grown up with would be fantastic.
Oh and my fingers are also crossed for a Mike Rosenbaum reappearance! Even if it was just one episode, my world would be a little better for it! C=
Holy Crap!!! A post! lol.
Yes just say Lex is wearing a wig. Whatever it takes. Just get Michael back on the show. He’s awesomeeeeeeeee!!!
Okay so I have read the Death of Superman story arc and can I tell you I was stoked for Doomsday in this season. I mean that’s a huge story in the Superman lore and what do the writers of Smallville do? They minimize the story so much that I can’t think straight. Who hired these people?
If you decide to bring up the character of Doomsday, fine, but Superman has to die while in combat with him and then be resurrected. Yes, I understand that they did the same thing without the whole dying thing… At least as far as we know. After a whole 22 episodes of waiting we don’t even get to see one of the biggest bads in the universe get killed?
All of that makes me think that Doomsday isn’t dead. It is too convenient to have him go away and Clark not knowing what exactly happened. I’m sorry but the writers aren’t good enough for me not to expect any more from them.
I did like the idea of Clark now being disillusioned with humanity. It is nice to see the boy in blue going through some more character development.
Also I just want to say that I really appreciate that the creators of this show have not used Batman. To ruin the mythos of Bruce Wayne by trying to make him a teenager or a twenty something that would associate with any of the other characters on this show would be beyond anyone’s ability to forgive. But I digress.
Season 8, not a good season. Let’s hope that season 9 is the end of our pain. Either in that the season is actually good, or it is the final death rattle of this god forsaken series.
Doomsday isn’t dead. Clark knew that. He’s just trapped underground.
up until season 8 i have been really happy with smallville.. now im not as educated with the comics as most of you but i do know the mythology of superman and i do know about doomsday. i have watched every episode of smallville and listen for the most part season 8 was fine. the ending was not. the episode titled doomsday was a disgrace.. i do understand budget issues but what the hell were the writers thinking? i wonder if the really crap[ ending had anyhting to do with the absence of the shows original creators?
i liked what they did with doomsday, smallville has always done things there own way thats fine. the fight though, man that was really disappointing, i mean so disppointing that i dont know if im going to watch it again. you build an entire season up to this moment and its impotent and thats being nice.. the jimmy thing, ok i get it his brother is the REAL jimmy olsen, cool. the death or the burial of doomsday i dont get and i dont know if anyone picked this up but how the hell did the JLA get out of there and clark getting out of there without a scratch huh? what about it being his greatest battle ie myhtology? and clark saying before he loses faith in humanity that Oliver and the rest didnt make it out yet he must of saw them at the funeral? and yes clark should of died, that would of been the proper ending to smallville season 8, season 9 then could of delved a little deeper into the mythology, .. instead we have Zod again? didnt this guy get banished to the phantom zone for good? all in all i would love to know what drugs the writers are on, i guess it was to good to last..
Foopher,
I realize that you are way more into this whole comic book/sci-fi/Superman/Smallville thing than I am. I wanted to thank you for letting me rant about my disappointments with season 8 back on June 24, 2009. Your opinion and views are valued since you are obviously such an intelligent man and never look past the obvious for the absurd. Your tolerance of other people’s views speak well to your humility, keeping in mind that your thoughts on any subject are perfect and with out contest, which all of us are keenly aware of. Yet you still let us speak without judgment or and without being condescending. How nice of you.
I’m sorry for wanting something different than you from the series. How stupid of me to express free will and personal thought. My arrogance does get the best of me at times. I will be careful to keep my silence around such a great man like you, so perfect and sound in all things. Clearly, I was wrong for not only expressing that thought but for thinking it too. How foolish. I hope you can overlook my shame.
I have to end this now. You see, I have a life. I wish I didn’t so that I could be more like you but I just can’t bring myself to to your level of existence. The thought alone is terrifying to say the least. I wish you well in your blogs and hope that you continue to enrich the rest of humanity with your deep insights. I will continue to read them for the same the reason that I read Far Side comics… They are just so amusing and delightful.
ok- so I want this to make it to 500 comments, so let me share with y’all a dream I had inspired by the finale.
I had a dream about the Doomsday/Superman fight, but Doomsday was a short dude who looked like a turkey and had little needly things protruding from his face. And he basically tried to slap Superman until Superman said “Stop It.”
Digging Season 9 so far.
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