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
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Well Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern are all part of the Justice League so there’s no way we’re going to see the whole team.
I think it’s cool their bringing in Metallo, he was always on of my favs in the comics. For superheros I think Green Lantern was probably the one I wanted to see the most. But if they can’t use him I’d say maybe Blue Beetle or Dr. Fate. It’d be sweet to see Doom Patrol show up for an episode like The Legion did but I don’t know how well they’d fit with the show.
By “whole team” i meant all the current members on the show. i know they’re not allowed using GM, WW, or GL. (which, if you ask me, is a big pile of poopy)
I mean bring cyborg back.
he was sweet in previous seasons.
“Hawk Woman” or whatever the fooph her name was. As much as i hope they include most of the JL members, i really really REALLY hope they leave her out.
She has wings and a club. Look out!
I must be the only fan who liked Stiletto. Lois made a connection with the Super Hero because he let her. It was funny and a break from the over-shadowing Doom that was approaching. She suggested that he get a new nickname- WILL HE BECOME “SUPERMAN?” in season 9? That is if he’s not dead, as many of you seem to be hoping for (I don’t get it).
AS for my least favorite season, it was #7. Lana finally learns the truth about CK, which explains so much to her and then she has to be “dark.” Yes, I get it, the writers could never let them be happy together for very long. I’m glad she came back last season and their relationship was wrapped up in a decent, if far-fetched way. I can finally see Lois and Clark together. Looking forward to season 9 and the flight.
Also in Stiletto CK shows that he really cares about Lois and not just physically attracted to her. Now I wonder, will she still be attracted to Clark, or too infatuated with the Hero?
Ok I realized that these comments are supposed to be about the finale. I thought it was ok. I was relieved that the fight between CK and Doomsday was “only 2 or 3 hits” because I didn’t want to see him die. He had to do something quickly to put the monster away, thus shortening the fight. Clark could not have sustained too many blows. And what about the witnesses there would have been? His secret would have been out. I think the important thing is that he was willing to face Doomsday even tho he had been told that he would be killed. What I didn’t like about the ep was at the end when he tells Chloe that Clark Kent is dead and walks out after all she has sacrificed for him. I think you guys are right- that was not the Clark we all know and love.
At least the ending gave us something to speculate about until the new season starts. And you guys have great ideas- maybe the writers will use some of them! I wonder if Tom and the other cast members have input for their characters and the story that the writers and producers actually use?
I agree with you 100%, Season 7 was by far my least favorite as well. With my favorites being 5 & 6. Season 8, was very much a mixed bag for me with some episodes being amazing and others being pretty terrible, however you’re right, if nothing else they did an amazing job of giving us so many things to speculate on and try to predict about next season.
I’m sure many of the principal cast members do have some sort of creative say. For instance, Tom Welling and Allison Mack have both directed episodes, so they were obviously calling the shots on those. In a more general sense though, I’d imagine that in order to keep those two onboard the series for as long as they have, they must let them have some sort of creative input.
Hey Tricia, i’ve missed you.
I liked Stiletto too.
(When she jumps down through the glass and super kicks that guy i was just thinking… “haha that was sweet”
I do agree that season 7 was the worst one, but i must say i loved the whole Veritas angle. i thought that was pretty clever. I still liked it though. That must show how great the other seasons are.
I think the episode of season 8 that i disliked the most is INSTINCT. i mean it was alright and it introduced “Maxima” (or however you spell it), but she just got sucked away and there was no mention of her at all in later episodes.
Did it seem to anyone else that the promos for the next episodes made the episodes seem like they were going to be something totally different than what they were?
I mean, take the promo for PREY for example. IT was like “his transformation has begun” and all that stuff, and then it turned out to be “some kind of shadow creature” as jimmy with his oh so catchy diologue said. haha oooooh jimmy. And TURBULANCE. “Prepare for emergeny flight”. i thought he was going to fly, but he just “jumped” out of the plane with Tess. I was yelling “rats!” (as my girlfriend gave me weird looks like i was crazy)
just stuff like that.
over all…. Season 8 (for me) = good (3/5 stars)
How could Lois time-travel with the ring?
Clark said he had destroyed it???!
They brought him a new one because time travel rings are all the rage, some-when else in time.
Uhm… did you miss that whole first scene?
Happy 4th O’ July everybody
ok. so we have Metallo cast. Zod cast. Have we found out who that Mason guy is yet?
Foopher…
You can stop now.
Let’s keep the questions relevant to the post that chats about them.
Keep folk on track!
Thanks bud! LOL.. admirable goal, but lofty indeed!
Entertainment Weekly has already revealed that “Mason” was just a nickname being used for Zod during the casting process.
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/07/ask-ausiello-spoilers-on-lost-house-24-and-more.html
Also, I’m guessing I might have missed something, but I wasn’t quite sure which comment that last one was referring too. Are there other threads where we should be discussing some of these questions instead?
I was just curious. All the other articles haven’t had hits in days. i thought i could get some info form this one.
LOL – I know what you’re doin’, Mr. “452 comments” guy!
well… that too. but i really was curious about the whole “Mason” deal.
well… that too. but i really was curious about the whole “Mason” deal.
whoa! sorry ’bout that
no worries, just havin’ some fun fooph.
are they casting anymore Super dudes? Or just villians?
“Let’s keep the questions relevant to the post that chats about them”
I still haven’t gotten any feedback on this… What was going on with Black Canary’s hair? It was like a combo of dreadlocks and cornrows (dreadrows). i understand she had long hair in the comics and they were probably trying to get into that, but why dreadrows? it looked so funny.
Foopher- I tried finding some reason for the dreadrows, but could not. Practically, I’d imagine it’s easier to hide and pin under the black wig when she is Dinah (without having to get a skullcap involved).
Checked out Kryptonsite- Lois is back in Episode 1 of Season 9, so hopefully the “Where’d she go?” mystery will be solved then.
I was hoping they wouldn’t leave that a mystery for a couple episodes. haha.
just thought it looked really funny. (her hair)
Personally, I would’ve liked Lois to stay missing for a couple of episodes. She’s one of my favorite characters on the show, but they don’t need to answer everything in the Season Premiere.
I’ve been watching a lot of episodes from previous seasons, and I think the premieres tend to be the best of their respective seasons, more so than the finales at least, those are usually just massive teases to make sure you come back. The premieres are our payoff for months of waiting, and they *typically* tend to be worth it, even if the rest of the season disappoints.
Maybe having Lois “lost in time” for a couple of episodes would be good. oh i don’t know. we’ll see i guess
Personally, I think that it would be a great idea to have Lois lost in time for a large portion of the season. This could lead Clark to finally understand his feelings towards her by having her missing from his life. I think that if they brought her back during lets say winter sweeps (midseason aprox) it would be a very good idea because in teh first half the primary objective for clark could be to stop Zod and introduce new foes and put the nail in the coffin with teh whole Lana thing and in the second part we coudl plunge into the Lois and Clark aspect of the show, giving fans what they want.
Knowing the network though I bet that they will bring Lois back after the first or second episode because in every season premiere they generally put an end the what happened last season and close that chapter. Then teh second/thrid episodes deal with the plot of the present season.
We’ll see what happens