Smallville Season 8 Finale Review & Discussion
May 15, 2009 by Bruce SimmonsDiscuss whether Smallville ended this season on a high note… or was a bust.
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…
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
Around the web:
Loading ...
D/rew,
I agree that Smallville has veered way too far into soap opera territory. However, they seem to be slowly correcting that mistake. The series has placed a much greater emphasis on action in the past few seasons, and, as others have pointed out, the showrunners are actively trying to realign it with the mainstream Superman continuity.
Incidentally, I work at a High School in Nevada and the juniors and seniors at our school look decisively younger than Kristin Kruek (the actress who plays Lana) and they’re 17 and 18. I can undestand if you don’t like her as an actress or if you don’t like television’s fixation with sex, that’s your perogative, but there’s no way Kruek could realistically pass for a high school freshman even in the earlier seasons, yet alone a 13 year old.
in season 1 (or at least at the end of the season), Lana could drive. So she is not even supposed to be 13. She was supposed to look older.
I think she was supposed to be a Sophomore in Season One (a year older than Clark). In reality Kreuk was almost 19, which is pretty close to what she looked, definitely not 13 or 14.
i agree. Anyway, she definitely doesn’t look 13 now
Wow, an entire day with no comments. I think that’s the first time that’s happened.
2nd. haha
I know, I think that’s pretty impressive that we’ve kept this this going for, what, a month and a half after the season finale? Personally I’d like to see this thread stay active until the show returns in the fall, but I’m not sure how realistic that is.
Tell your friends… ask them to chime in… but then, if I get new info, we’ll be making new articles rather than setting up comments so you may have a point there.
Bruce
I had been thinking about how long this was going too. and how it’s not even about the finale anymore. it’s telling people stuff that they clearly missed. haha
also, if you’re telling your friends, tell them to watch smallville friday nights at 8 on the cw. i don’t want the show to be over just because of bad ratings.
Because if they have to end it they might rush everything to get it all in and i know how many people have a problem with things “seeming rushed”
They’ve already signed the cast for an entire season so I really doubt they’d cancel it midway through Season 9. Besides the CW is pretty good at letting their shows finish out their season even if the ratings are terrible (i.e. Reaper, Aliens in America). Remember, Smallville’s still one of their most watched shows, so if the ratings really start to drop off I think they’d most likely move it back to Thursdays to try to recoup their losses. At the worst, it’d just mean we wouldn’t get a Season 10.
i didn’t say they’d cancel it half way. people said this season finale was rushed. can you imagine if next season is the last
… and i want a season 10… and 11… i don’t want it to end
Foopher:
I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, or reality as it seems, but if you dwell on it –
Everything in Life is Temporary.
Hence, you must enjoy what it is you have, now. Looking ahead and behind detracts from the now. Don’t miss it!
I agree that the season 9 finale felt rushed in parts, but that was because of poor editing and the fact that they needed to set so much up for next season, not because they needed to wrap things up. I know that this season the studio let them know several months in advance that it might be their last, so they had time to write two different final story arcs (one to serve as a setup to Season 9 and one to serve as a series finale) and I’m sure they’ll probably take a similar route toward the end of next season.
Honestly, I think whether I’ll want a Season 10 or not is going to depend entirely on how season 9 goes. If they continue to do a good job of fleshing out the mythos, and I can see the characters progressing toward their future selves, then sure, I’d be willing to stick around for a season 10. However, if by midseason I feel like they’re just spinning their gears, then I’d rather just see them wrap it up. I want Smallville to stick around, but only as long as the characters are progressing, not just because it’s a cash cow for the CW.
I know the show has to end sometime. But i do hope it goes to season 10.
But yes, i agree. if there’s a season 10 will depend on how 9 goes.
But when they do end it, i want the show to go out with the biggest of bangs.
But when they do end smallville they better be coming out with some bad @$$ superman movies
I guess we all like different things about this show. Some like the action and heroics with no relationships and some may, tho I doubt, like the opposite. I like a blend of the two- in equal parts- bringing the mythological story to life. Some well-placed humor (Tom and Michael’s comic timing is great) and you have a hit. I have enjoyed the many sides of Clark Kent, including “bad Clark” on red K (yum) as it reminds us to be thankful he was found by the Kents. My fav scenes from the entire series include the one with Christopher Reeve in Rosetta (goose bumps) and the loft scene with Martha in Memoria when Clark tells her about his biological mother putting him into the ship. In that same episode with Lex telling his father he didn’t kill his baby brother was amazing- this probably never happened in the comics, but I don’t care. Not that I don’t enjoy seeing Super Clark throwing bad guys around and shooting fire from his eyes. Standing up to the one who was supposed to kill him. Since I have never read a comic book, please tell me- have you guys ever gotten goose bumps from reading one?
If the Clark we saw in the finale was the Eradicator (which I don’t understand, since CK is not yet Superman, whom supposedly this event happened to- I thought, but what do I know about the mythology?)then my hope is that my sweet Clark won’t be away too long. He’s the one I’ve watched Smallville for all these years. The hero who uses his powers selflessly to help us. Please don’t throw up.
I know that the original creators, Gough & Millar, intended for Smallville to be about Clark Kent’s journey to becoming Superman, not SUPERMAN. So they said no tights, no flights. But they probably never imagined it would last this long- it may never have if they had stayed, which I am sure can be debated. But after all these years, it simply HAD to evolve into what it is now, moving it to CK in Metropolis and closer to Superman. A good move.
By the way, I don’t want to see the Eradicator fly- I want to see Clark fly. I THINK HE HAS TO FINISH HIS TRAINING WITH JOR EL BEFORE HE CAN FLY. His traing has always been interrupted, never completed. And remember, the Super Guy is afraid of heights, so maybe he has not had the will to do it yet. Or maybe as some of you have said, he flew and just didn’t realize it. However, when he came back in Season 4 as Kal El and flew, he later remembered flying. When his father asked him what it was like, he said. “Amazing. And scary.”
Foopher, I agree mostly with your take on Lana. I didn’t like her with Jason Teague (except when she channeled the witch) in season 4; and for a while hated her with Lex, until I saw the sacrifice she made by marrying the monster to protect Clark, her true love. That was heart-wrenching. I would be surprised if she ever comes back- too many fans can’t stand her, which I don’t understand. Don’t bother trying to explain it to me.
Correction, I said CK shoots “fire” from his eyes, but I do know it’s “heat.”
I watched the finale a second time, and though I ripped to pieces the flaws that ruined my first time seeing it, I got to watch it with a different set of eyes – those that you, the readers have given me.
It seemed a bit different and I have to say, in regards to the idea of Clark possibly being the Eradicator due to his fade out from the scene, I’m not going to argue against it, but the melodramatic music that was going on in the background made me feel that the scene editing was for dramatic emotional pause.
An almost artistic spin on the moment.
I agree with everyone else that says the Clark at the end of the episode is really the Eradicator (that one guy explained it pretty well), but I don’t think the fade out at the end really has anything to do with it. Like Bruce just said, I think that was an artistic choice and wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
To be honest I had really high expectations for this season, or did I? I mean, seriously, I was certain that Clark finally would put those damn tights on – and maybe, just maybe, start flying!
And the second thing, that’s even worse, I wanted Lois and Clark to be together at the end! Comon! Im a dude (and not gay), but wtf! They are ment for eachother! The episode when Lois was forced to say if she loved Clark or not, it really made me feel sick (I cried some, tbh).
But, the finale episode – it was a hole mess! There were so many things going on at the same time that it was just a big blury 40 min pain!
I just that we don’t have to wait until the end of season 9 to finally, FINALLY, see Lois and Clark together, and that he can fly (is that to much to ask?).
“I was certain that Clark finally would put those damn tights on”
I understand everyone wanting to see that, but for me, I will be completely surprised, shocked and what have you if they actually go that route with the tights.
Just sayin’!
Tricia, what you said about his training not being over; many people probably hadn’t thought of that (including myself). That is what very well could be why he hasn’t flown yet. Very good. You’re officially one of my favorite people.
You’r right. The sacrifice Lana made to save clark was great. I just watched every episode from the beginning (i have them all on dvd) and i just finished season 6. So i am currently up to date on the lana/lex relationship. I know that she loves clark and i’m fine with that. The Lana that came back in season 8 i liked and disliked. I liked how she wasn’t the annoying drama queen she was in season 6, but i disliked how she’s still out to get lex.
I ralize that she has reason to, but if you’re gonna break beds with superman, you’d better have some morals (or does it have 2 r’s?)
“…to be about Clark Kent’s journey to becoming Superman, not SUPERMAN.” What do you mean by that? haha. i’m a little confused
Bruce, that’s how i felt the 2nd time i watched it. The first time i did like it, but i thought it was weird. it didn’t seem like a finale. But i watched it a second time and caught things i didn’t the first time, and found myself really liking the episode and thinking that it was really one of the better ones from the season. (Note that i’m not saying it was fantastic)
And yes tricia, Isabelle Theroux was very kick @$$ in season 4.
Also, Lois and Clark together; according to Clark he still loves lana, so maybe he’ll start to drift away from that. But He has been gah gah for lana for 8 seasons. For him to switch to “i heart lois mode”, that’ll take time. (hopefully a couple more seasons
)
The writers know that he has to love lois eventually, they always have. I know that by the time the show is through, we will have fireworks going off in clarks head for lois, he seemed like he was beginning to head for the cliff in BRIDE, but not fall for her just yet.
Yeah, I too was realy, REALLY hoping that Clark would finally put on the suit this season, because after Season 7 I was just about done with the series. I’m not get my hopes up again (in that regard) for next season though. I’ve come to accept that we probably won’t see thst until the series finale. I mean we sure as heck won’t be seeing it this year if they’re planning a Season 10. Which, I think I’m finally okay with. As long as we see Clark travelling further down the road to becoming Superman (i.e. starting to wear the glasses, Perry White taking over the Daily Planet, him doing even more vigilante action) I’d be okay with waiting one more year.
As for Clark and Lois, I’m honestly not sure why the put so much focus on their relationship this year because I think it’s just going to set people up for disappointment. I mean Clark was Superman for years and years before Lois found out his secret identity, not to mention them actually hooking up. I really don’t think it’s going to happen on this series, either that or they’ll undo it in the end with a mindwipe/time travel.
I do agree with Foopher though, the more I watch the Season 8 finale the more I like it (I’ve watched it three times now).
The thing is, Lois doesn’t like Clark, she likes Superman. Clark likes her. That’s what they need to start doing. Having him get over Lana will make me enjoy the show so much more.
As for the whole more action and flight topic; i think that they should intruduce another big bad guy (i think they’re going to) and have him kill chloe. Don’t get me wrong, Chloe is like my 3rd favorite character (lex-1st, Lois-2nd. I do like clark, but Lex was amazing and Lois cracks me up) and i’d hate to see her go. Anyway, Clark finds her body, goes into a fit of extreme rage, starts screaming and yelling, slowly starts to rise from the ground, and then just launch at the bad guy and beat the living snot out of him. But then again, that’s just me fantasizing.
Also about the suit; he has gotten in his head that he needs a dual identity already (one’s Clark, one’s the Red-Blue Blur). So we know he’s not against being superman. (Note that he told Lois she could pick a shorter name). It’s just a matter of when he gets the suit.
I think he’s going to realize he can’t just keep wearing the red jacket that he wears all the time (or at least used to) without people figuring it out. Jimmy… oops, i mean Henry… did. So he’s going to want want something that nobody in their right mind would suspect anyone to wear. (Crazy blue tights)
I just hope they will go the hole way, and not just stay in the path (before he went to be superman). Because I want the hole story, with Lois and Clark together, his alter ego Superman in action etc.
Though I think the finale episode was a dissapointment, my expectations for season 9 has got to the roof!
Lois loves Clark, but her interest in “The Red Blue Blurb” rises more and more. In the real story Clark doesn’t show Lois his secret in a long time, and im just scared that he won’t show her in Smallville.
I think it’s just heart-breaking when Lois cries, really! I feel sorry for her, though it’s not real. Haha, omg im pathetic ;(