Smallville 5.2: "Mortal"
Written by Steven S. DeNight
Directed by Terrence O’Hara
In which Clark revels in the opportunity to live as a normal human being and give Lana his all, but when a few meteor freaks come calling for payback, he must use his cunning to win the day…
The producers and promotional people keep telling us that this is the season where “everything we’ve been waiting for” will finally happen, and I suppose they’re following through. It makes me believe that this is the final season, but one cannot deny that it gives the storytelling a bit of a jolt. Clark finally has to come face to face, so to speak, with his legacy and all the choices that come with it. And making him fully human, however short-lived it might ultimately be, is an important part of that.
In essence, the way I see it, for Clark to appreciate what he really has to offer for Earth and the human race, he must see the strengths and weaknesses of those he must protect. He must also recognize that he cannot be human to fulfill the role he needs to take. One thing that is interesting about Superman as a concept is that, even as the ideal hero, he stands apart and largely solitary from those under his protection. (And of course, it also gives scope to his growing rift with Lex, which takes a major step in this episode.)
But it’s Clark’s connection to humanity and his appreciation of human emotions that keeps him from taking on a superiority complex. Clark has been given the chance to live as a human for most of his life, using his abilities to facilitate human goals and societal needs. He’s learned the pitfalls of placing his own needs above those of others, and his moral foundation is a human one. Had he come to Earth fully Kryptonian, he might not have taken consideration of humanity.
Still, Clark has never been able to live as a simple human being. He’s emulated human life, but he’s always had those abilities to fall back on. Now, he must live as a human being in full, with all the ups and downs. And of course, that means recognizing that humans can’t readily defend themselves against super-powered villains. Intellectually, he knew that already, but now he knows it more personally.
In short, the strength of this episode is not the moment where Clark and Lana finally get together. Sure, that’s a satisfying moment for fans of the series, but if anything, it’s actually a mistake. Clark ought to know by now that he cannot simply put his past on the shelf and move on. The way I see it, this will only serve to lay the foundation for a final, horrific separation at the end of the season/series. When Clark regains his power (and of course he will), he will have to go right back to keeping secrets. It’s going to be painfully fun to watch!
Anyway, I feel the strength is in the lesson that Clark begins to learn. Clark gets to be human so that when he regains his power, he appreciates it more. Clark is getting to learn how much he takes for granted, and how much he still has to learn. He’s been learning that along the way, but I think that’s one major theme for the season. Like on “Buffy”, the transition from high school to young adult life is a good metaphor for recognizing all the things that are so transparent during those teenage years. (And this is why I hope the series, which is doing very well against horrible competition, continues after this season.)
Dare I say that it continues to be so with his relationship to Chloe. As one smitten by Allison and the character of Chloe (the hottest one in the opening credits!), I can’t see how Clark can be so ignorant of her feelings. But that’s part of the lesson, too, because Chloe continually places herself in the line of fire to prove herself. I hate to say it, but I fear she may be a victim of her unrequited love before the series ends.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Directed by Terrence O’Hara
In which Clark revels in the opportunity to live as a normal human being and give Lana his all, but when a few meteor freaks come calling for payback, he must use his cunning to win the day…
The producers and promotional people keep telling us that this is the season where “everything we’ve been waiting for” will finally happen, and I suppose they’re following through. It makes me believe that this is the final season, but one cannot deny that it gives the storytelling a bit of a jolt. Clark finally has to come face to face, so to speak, with his legacy and all the choices that come with it. And making him fully human, however short-lived it might ultimately be, is an important part of that.
In essence, the way I see it, for Clark to appreciate what he really has to offer for Earth and the human race, he must see the strengths and weaknesses of those he must protect. He must also recognize that he cannot be human to fulfill the role he needs to take. One thing that is interesting about Superman as a concept is that, even as the ideal hero, he stands apart and largely solitary from those under his protection. (And of course, it also gives scope to his growing rift with Lex, which takes a major step in this episode.)
But it’s Clark’s connection to humanity and his appreciation of human emotions that keeps him from taking on a superiority complex. Clark has been given the chance to live as a human for most of his life, using his abilities to facilitate human goals and societal needs. He’s learned the pitfalls of placing his own needs above those of others, and his moral foundation is a human one. Had he come to Earth fully Kryptonian, he might not have taken consideration of humanity.
Still, Clark has never been able to live as a simple human being. He’s emulated human life, but he’s always had those abilities to fall back on. Now, he must live as a human being in full, with all the ups and downs. And of course, that means recognizing that humans can’t readily defend themselves against super-powered villains. Intellectually, he knew that already, but now he knows it more personally.
In short, the strength of this episode is not the moment where Clark and Lana finally get together. Sure, that’s a satisfying moment for fans of the series, but if anything, it’s actually a mistake. Clark ought to know by now that he cannot simply put his past on the shelf and move on. The way I see it, this will only serve to lay the foundation for a final, horrific separation at the end of the season/series. When Clark regains his power (and of course he will), he will have to go right back to keeping secrets. It’s going to be painfully fun to watch!
Anyway, I feel the strength is in the lesson that Clark begins to learn. Clark gets to be human so that when he regains his power, he appreciates it more. Clark is getting to learn how much he takes for granted, and how much he still has to learn. He’s been learning that along the way, but I think that’s one major theme for the season. Like on “Buffy”, the transition from high school to young adult life is a good metaphor for recognizing all the things that are so transparent during those teenage years. (And this is why I hope the series, which is doing very well against horrible competition, continues after this season.)
Dare I say that it continues to be so with his relationship to Chloe. As one smitten by Allison and the character of Chloe (the hottest one in the opening credits!), I can’t see how Clark can be so ignorant of her feelings. But that’s part of the lesson, too, because Chloe continually places herself in the line of fire to prove herself. I hate to say it, but I fear she may be a victim of her unrequited love before the series ends.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
posted by John Keegan | 07:18
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