Smallville 6.12: "Labyrinth"

Written by Al Septein and Turi Meyer
Directed by Whitney Ransick

Coming into this episode, I was expecting a retread of the sixth season “Buffy” episode “Normal Again”. After all, the general premise was almost exactly the same: the hero is fooled into believing that the unusual events of the past several years have been the result of delusion and mental illness. In fact, the premise is so similar that many felt that the episode was a complete rip-off of the “Buffy” episode. That ignores, of course, the long history of the plot device.

What made the “Buffy” episode work so well was the logic behind the concept. The writers managed to construct a new “reality” that fit the facts and felt like a viable possibility. This is where the concept often breaks down. Many shows will attempt to use the plot device, but they never manage to develop a strong alternate reality. The writers feel as though the inherent recognition on the part of the audience, that the “normal reality” must be false, is reason enough to skip the notion.

That is an error in judgment, however, because the entire point of placing a character in such a state is exploration of his or her mental state. The alternate reality must be compelling enough to convince the character that there is the possibility of its pertinence. In “Normal Again”, Buffy became convinced that her years as the Slayer were false because the alternative was far more pleasant and attractive. In fact, the alternate reality was so consistent and logical that many fans believed that it could have been used as a series finale as a final, crushing twist.

Without a doubt, the writers have taken a very similar approach. Clark is being attacked mentally, and within the resulting twisted reality, acceptance of his “illness” is a metaphor for submission to the true attack. Working from such a simple plot device, the quality of the episode is dependent on the depth of the illusion. From that standpoint, this episode succeeds without reservation. Clark is run through a gauntlet of his own making, as his hopes, desires, and fears meld within the notion of paranoid delusion.

I found myself wishing that this was a longer episode. In the previous episode, I was wishing for more time to realize the “Justice League” concept with more complexity. This time, it would have been fun to see some of the concepts play out longer. What little was seen in this episode gave some interesting insight into the darker side of Clark’s personality. The negative emotions heightened by red kryptonite aren’t buried so deeply as Clark would like to think.

From the standpoint of character exploration, Clark has always demonstrated a paternalistic streak, and he never seems to recognize the arrogance of his philosophy. Most of his history with Lana has been about doing things “for her own good”, dismissing her own desires and preferences. For that matter, Clark is so sure of what the right thing must be that he’s blind to his own hubris, which has been the source of much of his heartache over the past several years.

This episode seems to reveal the obvious. Clark realizes that he still wants Lana, and in his own mind, he sees her as a starry-eyed woman waiting for him to come back and reward her unending loyalty. Clark realizes that Chloe is possibly the best friend he could ever have, even as he treats her poorly for keeping everyone’s secrets with equal protection. He even realizes that his mother and Lionel Luthor are growing closer, even if he despises the idea.

Striking at the heart of the mythos, Clark also realizes, to a certain degree, that his fractured relationship with Lex is largely his own fault. While Lex and his troubled upbringing are a fundamental part of his desire for power and control, Clark has let that fester into personal resentment. Lana is at the center of that, and both men are treating her as an object to be won. Looking back on the series to date, it’s not hard to see where Clark’s choices contributed to Lex and his downfall. If Clark retains this ability to see past his own blinders when it comes to Lex, it could add a poignant element to their future conflict. Clark, as Superman, would feel a measure of responsibility for every act of villainy committed by Lex Luthor.

The episode is marred, ever so slightly, by the possible return of the Clark/Lana dynamic. This is a tired concept, and one that should be avoided. For better or worse, Lana has allowed herself to be the prize between Clark and Lex. That position is inevitably one of tragedy. However it plays out, Lana’s death would now have a more profound effect than anything else done with the character. Leaving Clark in relative isolation until that point would be the more interesting dramatic choice.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10