10.21/22 'Finale' Review
I have been equally dreading and looking forward to this day and it's here. Not only is it here but it's over. Smallville is done. This is the last SV episode review I'll ever write. Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect with the finale but I've been crossing my fingers that they'll give us a great send off. Tom Welling praised it and while actors don't speak ill of their own shows, I trust him more than most people.
Before it aired here on the west coast, people who had seen it were telling me how much I'd love it so I grew more excited. So I watched, both emotional yet completed anticipating what was to come.
And it was EPIC! It was amazing. Just as wonderful as I hoped it would be. I just loved it, from the minute that it started. Hearing Michael Rosenbaum say the previously on and then Tom Welling announcing the Smallville finale was a dream come true! It was just perfect and felt right.
Were there a few issues? Sure, why not. But for me, everything that I wanted to happen did and there were so much WIN that I can't even bring myself to contemplate whatever problems there may have been. Though Tess dying? Made me sad as hell. I was worried about her so freaking much and I hated that it wasn't really acknowledged by everyone.
But onto the squee!
The Good:
Uh, everything? Okay. Seriously though. Let's start with my favorite character: Clark. Clark, OH CLARK. You amazing perfect person you. How are you so great? And heroic? Tom Welling, you are my Superman. Period. Clark Kent has grown so much over these past ten years and today, we saw the culmination of everything that he's been through. We didn't see the birth of a hero ... no, we saw the next step in his journey, because as far as I'm concerned, he's always been a hero, even without the suit. He was perfect in every scene. I love that he was afraid because as someone on Twitter said, 'courage is not the absence of fear'. I love that we saw him look back on his life and take that in. I love him faltering, almost falling, but getting back up and facing his future. Just ... wow. And he FLEW! All by himself, which was what I really wanted from the show. Plus he got the suit! I wish we had a clearer picture of him in it, but him saving the airplane was just epic! Also, I love the fact that he saw him in space too. And that final scene with him? I love that he was the last person we saw because that was what was right.
Clark's parents were also lovely. Martha and Jonathan! ♥ Oh, I've missed the Kent family dynamic. It was really the heart of the show. The first Clark & Martha conversation made me sad (I still think she should've been more clear about what she wanted them to do- Clark and Lois living at the farm at this stage in their lives is impractical) but I like how she pointed out that you don't have to hold on or let go. There's no need for extremes, which was nice. The hug in the barn was just wonderful. I like that it was Jonathan who gave Clark the suit.
Hell, even the Fortress was good for once! I like Clark's scenes with Jor-El, both after Darkseid punched him and afterwards. I have never made my dislike for his Arctic Fortress a secret but it actually was good in this episode. Just another winner for the finale!
And Clark's lady love was perfect too. Lois Lane, you HBIC you. She proved how much of a HBIC she is time and time again, never more so than this episode. I love that gorgeous BAMF. Erica Durance will always be my Lois Lane. There's no doubt about it. I love her and her insecurities and doubts. I love her strength. I love how HUMAN she is. She makes mistakes, she has fears but she overcomes them and fights for what she believes in, fights for what and WHO she loves. I love her knocking out that dumbass reporter and taking her place. I love her going up against all those politicians. Even they couldn't resist Lois Lane and caved! She was awesome in the present and great in the future too.
Though they were great separately, they were even better together. Clois, how are you so amazing and perfect? And meant to be? It's a shame we didn't see them get married but they were so wonderful that I couldn't be upset. Erica and Tom's chemistry is out of this world. I mean, they had a freaking door in between them and still managed to have chemistry! They don't even have to be in the same room for it to work! How fucking crazy is that? Wow. I love how Clark fought to save their relationship. Him being all "If you want to cancel the wedding, you'll have to leave me at the altar" (paraphrasing here), then putting on his glasses and walking out? What a BAMF! Then he walked her down the aisle and they played the song 'Breathe Again' by Sara Bareilles, which I love (and I thought of _touched here, because she was the reason I associate this song with Clois). Their wedding vows were lovely, and I loved them reading each other's. Lois's having spelling corrections was just too cute and Clark's made me tear up. And they KISSED before he left! Sparks LITERALLY flew, you guys! Then he saved the plane she was on and they shared a look. Plus, their scene in the future? WIN. The flirty little look he gave her and how she went "that's hot"? It was SO hot. They rule my heart and soul, I swear.
Speaking of OTPs, my other ones shone too. Thank you show, thank you SO much for treating Clark and Ollie with respect. Their relationship has had so many ups and downs but you have them such a good ending. Between Ollie talking to Clark in the graveyard, and Clark being the one to get Ollie to overcome the mark, it was perfect. And Ollie's smile at seeing Clark flying and saving the day? He didn't even seem surprised and it was so adorable. I was in shipper heaven. I adore Clois but you guys, Clark/Ollie BROUGHT ME TO FANDOM. I found LJ because I was looking for fic for these two. I started one so I could be apart of ollieville. I started writing fic because there wasn't enough Clark/Ollie fic for them. I met my beta, boltgirl426, one of my favorite people EVER, because of them. These two have broken and repaired my heart so many times over the past 4 years and I just, I can never describe in words how much they mean. To most of you, they're just a minor ship and a lot of you don't even like Ollie. And that's okay. But to me, well, they'll always be so special and so important.
Ollie alone was great too. I was confused at how the mark worked with him, since everyone else who had it just was pure evil and a lot of the time, Ollie came off just fine, but I don't care. My BAMF came back! He went after all those other minions and took them OUT! I love his line about having a cool friend. And he was cute with Chloe.
Which leads me to my next point. Chlollie! My ship! A lot of comic purists are probably upset and I do feel for you guys, I really do. But I'm a Chlollie shipper first and foremost and I'm SO happy. They got their happy ending. Come on, they couldn't have made it any more obvious that the kid was Ollie's, from the blond hair to the bag of bow & arrows sitting at the edge of the room. They were adorable in their church scene. I loved Chloe asking him if he would've still married her without the magical champagne and he said he would! And their adorable kisses were adorable. They got the happy ending they both deserve. I'm sure if I read the comics, I'd be upset, as Ollie does have other kids there, but I feel like this ending fits THEM, and who they are on the show. SV Ollie always wanted that family and whenever he has been a playboy, it's when he's not himself. True Ollie is monogamous, and it's canon that he's a girl when it comes to relationships (ex: 10.14 'Masquerade'). So I'm not going to apologize for being thrilled that they have a family and are happy together. :D
I loved Ollie but I also loved Chloe. Chloe, Chloe, Chloe ... we've had a lot of ups and downs over the years, haven't we? I know I've gone from loving to really disliking her but I'm glad that we ended on a good note here. She was great in the episode, from the way she stole Clark's speech to give to Lois and helped her overcome her fears. Chloe's teary smile as she watched Lois realize that walking the way wasn't the answer really touched my heart. I love her catching the ring and stopping Lois from slipping the gold k ring on Clark's finger. Nice one, Chloe! She saved the day. I ended up liking the story she was reading to her kid. And the whole little Justice League mobile in the room (or at least it looked like one) was very cute. I am happy with her ending.
And CHLO-LO! This episode really gave me everything I wanted. I loved Chloe helping Lois get over her fears and I love them talking on the phone at the end. My favorite cousins are still sweet together. I've always loved their relationship and I'm beyond ecstatic that they got some time in the finale.
I've waited long enough to mention him: LEX. Michael Rosenbaum, how freaking epic were you? Is it any wonder everyone hated all the clones? The original is the best. Accept no substitutes. He was flawless. I was blown away with every scene he was in. He IS Lex Luthor.
The Clark and Lex scene killed me. Tom and Michael have this natural chemistry. 3 years later and it's still there. Their whole scene tore me up. The part where Clark apologized for not being able to save Lex? Straight to my heart. That was worth the wait.
And the scene with Lex and Tess? Also quite made of WIN. I knew Cassidy and Michael would play off each other well and they so lived up to my expectations (and surpassed them really). I also knew that Lex would kill Tess, though I was hoping otherwise. But Tess taking away his memories? That I didn't see coming. Wow. It kind of made me sad that Lex lost all those memories, especially of him and Clark. Their past was supposed to shape their future and now it'll be like all other versions. Sad. Though he seemed rather calm for someone who just lost all his memories.
Tess alone was fabulous. I love the way she figured things out and kicked butt. Her shooting Lionel was so awesome. I hated that she died because I love her so much but I loved that she died a hero. She protected Clark even as she died and she is the example of kind of impact Clark can have on a person. I love that she proved that family doesn't define people and a last name is just a last name. Tess Mercer, I will always love you.
And AARON ASHMORE! OMG! Who saw that one coming? NOT ME! I was so angry that they killed off Jimmy and they found a way to redeem themselves. They made Aaron the older Jimmy! I accept this. I love that Lois said that he had big shoes to fill, since we haven't really heard her mentioning the first Jimmy. And I don't care that nobody mentions how alike they look. He was THERE! That's all that matters.
And I heard Perry! I love him yelling and being all iconic, even if we couldn't see him. That whole future scene was just great and it looked just like Clark's dream in 9.22 'Salvation'. Intentional yes but totally perfect.
All the acting was awesome. Even John Glover was great. He's just a wonderful actor and he appropriately creeped me out as Lionel and then managed to be different when Darkseid possessed him. That whole ripping out the heart scene was a bit gross but other than that, it was all good. The woman who plays Granny Goodness once again stood out. She really does know how to be creepy. I was genuinely freaked out by her and really wanted to get her away from Tess in mansion scene. Really good casting there.
And the scene with all the flashbacks? That was lovely. So beautifully shot and edited too. I was as riveted as Clark was. I loved that they found a way to replay all those big moments on the show. Absolutely stunning.
The Bad:
Only a few things here because I don't really want to get nitpicky. I'm sad that they didn't mention Tess's death. I get why they didn't but I wanted something, at least from Clark, if not anyone else.
The Clark-Darkseid fight wasn't overly impressive, though I liked that the way he floated and came down to kick his ass. Then again, how Darkseid has been handled this entire season has been kind of 'meh' so I'm just glad that it wasn't as awful as 'Doomsday', lol.
It's weird that Clark and Lois weren't married after 7 years. I'm surprised that after all that time that they didn't find a moment to make it official. I get what they were going for but it felt strange. Just my two cents.
Also, what happened to Chloe after she left Oliver in the present? That confused me. It seemed, from the look on their faces, that she slipped something in Clark's pocket after they hugged but it never amounted to anything. IDK. I was puzzled.
Overall:
I am happy. More than that, I'm overwhelmed with joy! As well as other emotions. I wanted 3 things from the finale: Clois getting married, Clark flying and putting on the suit. Not necessarily in that order. Sure, Clois didn't get married but I got the other two and Clois was epic enough in the episode that I didn't care if they were married or not! I ended up getting a whole lot more and all in all, I'm more than satisfied. I wanted Smallville to go out with a bang and as far as I'm concerned, it did.
It took me forever to write this review, because I just kept stopping. It was too much. I didn't want to wait though and hopefully I didn't miss anything. If I did, well, it's because I'm a little emotional right now so forgive me. :D
As always, feel free to share your thoughts!
Before it aired here on the west coast, people who had seen it were telling me how much I'd love it so I grew more excited. So I watched, both emotional yet completed anticipating what was to come.
And it was EPIC! It was amazing. Just as wonderful as I hoped it would be. I just loved it, from the minute that it started. Hearing Michael Rosenbaum say the previously on and then Tom Welling announcing the Smallville finale was a dream come true! It was just perfect and felt right.
Were there a few issues? Sure, why not. But for me, everything that I wanted to happen did and there were so much WIN that I can't even bring myself to contemplate whatever problems there may have been. Though Tess dying? Made me sad as hell. I was worried about her so freaking much and I hated that it wasn't really acknowledged by everyone.
But onto the squee!
The Good:
Uh, everything? Okay. Seriously though. Let's start with my favorite character: Clark. Clark, OH CLARK. You amazing perfect person you. How are you so great? And heroic? Tom Welling, you are my Superman. Period. Clark Kent has grown so much over these past ten years and today, we saw the culmination of everything that he's been through. We didn't see the birth of a hero ... no, we saw the next step in his journey, because as far as I'm concerned, he's always been a hero, even without the suit. He was perfect in every scene. I love that he was afraid because as someone on Twitter said, 'courage is not the absence of fear'. I love that we saw him look back on his life and take that in. I love him faltering, almost falling, but getting back up and facing his future. Just ... wow. And he FLEW! All by himself, which was what I really wanted from the show. Plus he got the suit! I wish we had a clearer picture of him in it, but him saving the airplane was just epic! Also, I love the fact that he saw him in space too. And that final scene with him? I love that he was the last person we saw because that was what was right.
Clark's parents were also lovely. Martha and Jonathan! ♥ Oh, I've missed the Kent family dynamic. It was really the heart of the show. The first Clark & Martha conversation made me sad (I still think she should've been more clear about what she wanted them to do- Clark and Lois living at the farm at this stage in their lives is impractical) but I like how she pointed out that you don't have to hold on or let go. There's no need for extremes, which was nice. The hug in the barn was just wonderful. I like that it was Jonathan who gave Clark the suit.
Hell, even the Fortress was good for once! I like Clark's scenes with Jor-El, both after Darkseid punched him and afterwards. I have never made my dislike for his Arctic Fortress a secret but it actually was good in this episode. Just another winner for the finale!
And Clark's lady love was perfect too. Lois Lane, you HBIC you. She proved how much of a HBIC she is time and time again, never more so than this episode. I love that gorgeous BAMF. Erica Durance will always be my Lois Lane. There's no doubt about it. I love her and her insecurities and doubts. I love her strength. I love how HUMAN she is. She makes mistakes, she has fears but she overcomes them and fights for what she believes in, fights for what and WHO she loves. I love her knocking out that dumbass reporter and taking her place. I love her going up against all those politicians. Even they couldn't resist Lois Lane and caved! She was awesome in the present and great in the future too.
Though they were great separately, they were even better together. Clois, how are you so amazing and perfect? And meant to be? It's a shame we didn't see them get married but they were so wonderful that I couldn't be upset. Erica and Tom's chemistry is out of this world. I mean, they had a freaking door in between them and still managed to have chemistry! They don't even have to be in the same room for it to work! How fucking crazy is that? Wow. I love how Clark fought to save their relationship. Him being all "If you want to cancel the wedding, you'll have to leave me at the altar" (paraphrasing here), then putting on his glasses and walking out? What a BAMF! Then he walked her down the aisle and they played the song 'Breathe Again' by Sara Bareilles, which I love (and I thought of _touched here, because she was the reason I associate this song with Clois). Their wedding vows were lovely, and I loved them reading each other's. Lois's having spelling corrections was just too cute and Clark's made me tear up. And they KISSED before he left! Sparks LITERALLY flew, you guys! Then he saved the plane she was on and they shared a look. Plus, their scene in the future? WIN. The flirty little look he gave her and how she went "that's hot"? It was SO hot. They rule my heart and soul, I swear.
Speaking of OTPs, my other ones shone too. Thank you show, thank you SO much for treating Clark and Ollie with respect. Their relationship has had so many ups and downs but you have them such a good ending. Between Ollie talking to Clark in the graveyard, and Clark being the one to get Ollie to overcome the mark, it was perfect. And Ollie's smile at seeing Clark flying and saving the day? He didn't even seem surprised and it was so adorable. I was in shipper heaven. I adore Clois but you guys, Clark/Ollie BROUGHT ME TO FANDOM. I found LJ because I was looking for fic for these two. I started one so I could be apart of ollieville. I started writing fic because there wasn't enough Clark/Ollie fic for them. I met my beta, boltgirl426, one of my favorite people EVER, because of them. These two have broken and repaired my heart so many times over the past 4 years and I just, I can never describe in words how much they mean. To most of you, they're just a minor ship and a lot of you don't even like Ollie. And that's okay. But to me, well, they'll always be so special and so important.
Ollie alone was great too. I was confused at how the mark worked with him, since everyone else who had it just was pure evil and a lot of the time, Ollie came off just fine, but I don't care. My BAMF came back! He went after all those other minions and took them OUT! I love his line about having a cool friend. And he was cute with Chloe.
Which leads me to my next point. Chlollie! My ship! A lot of comic purists are probably upset and I do feel for you guys, I really do. But I'm a Chlollie shipper first and foremost and I'm SO happy. They got their happy ending. Come on, they couldn't have made it any more obvious that the kid was Ollie's, from the blond hair to the bag of bow & arrows sitting at the edge of the room. They were adorable in their church scene. I loved Chloe asking him if he would've still married her without the magical champagne and he said he would! And their adorable kisses were adorable. They got the happy ending they both deserve. I'm sure if I read the comics, I'd be upset, as Ollie does have other kids there, but I feel like this ending fits THEM, and who they are on the show. SV Ollie always wanted that family and whenever he has been a playboy, it's when he's not himself. True Ollie is monogamous, and it's canon that he's a girl when it comes to relationships (ex: 10.14 'Masquerade'). So I'm not going to apologize for being thrilled that they have a family and are happy together. :D
I loved Ollie but I also loved Chloe. Chloe, Chloe, Chloe ... we've had a lot of ups and downs over the years, haven't we? I know I've gone from loving to really disliking her but I'm glad that we ended on a good note here. She was great in the episode, from the way she stole Clark's speech to give to Lois and helped her overcome her fears. Chloe's teary smile as she watched Lois realize that walking the way wasn't the answer really touched my heart. I love her catching the ring and stopping Lois from slipping the gold k ring on Clark's finger. Nice one, Chloe! She saved the day. I ended up liking the story she was reading to her kid. And the whole little Justice League mobile in the room (or at least it looked like one) was very cute. I am happy with her ending.
And CHLO-LO! This episode really gave me everything I wanted. I loved Chloe helping Lois get over her fears and I love them talking on the phone at the end. My favorite cousins are still sweet together. I've always loved their relationship and I'm beyond ecstatic that they got some time in the finale.
I've waited long enough to mention him: LEX. Michael Rosenbaum, how freaking epic were you? Is it any wonder everyone hated all the clones? The original is the best. Accept no substitutes. He was flawless. I was blown away with every scene he was in. He IS Lex Luthor.
The Clark and Lex scene killed me. Tom and Michael have this natural chemistry. 3 years later and it's still there. Their whole scene tore me up. The part where Clark apologized for not being able to save Lex? Straight to my heart. That was worth the wait.
And the scene with Lex and Tess? Also quite made of WIN. I knew Cassidy and Michael would play off each other well and they so lived up to my expectations (and surpassed them really). I also knew that Lex would kill Tess, though I was hoping otherwise. But Tess taking away his memories? That I didn't see coming. Wow. It kind of made me sad that Lex lost all those memories, especially of him and Clark. Their past was supposed to shape their future and now it'll be like all other versions. Sad. Though he seemed rather calm for someone who just lost all his memories.
Tess alone was fabulous. I love the way she figured things out and kicked butt. Her shooting Lionel was so awesome. I hated that she died because I love her so much but I loved that she died a hero. She protected Clark even as she died and she is the example of kind of impact Clark can have on a person. I love that she proved that family doesn't define people and a last name is just a last name. Tess Mercer, I will always love you.
And AARON ASHMORE! OMG! Who saw that one coming? NOT ME! I was so angry that they killed off Jimmy and they found a way to redeem themselves. They made Aaron the older Jimmy! I accept this. I love that Lois said that he had big shoes to fill, since we haven't really heard her mentioning the first Jimmy. And I don't care that nobody mentions how alike they look. He was THERE! That's all that matters.
And I heard Perry! I love him yelling and being all iconic, even if we couldn't see him. That whole future scene was just great and it looked just like Clark's dream in 9.22 'Salvation'. Intentional yes but totally perfect.
All the acting was awesome. Even John Glover was great. He's just a wonderful actor and he appropriately creeped me out as Lionel and then managed to be different when Darkseid possessed him. That whole ripping out the heart scene was a bit gross but other than that, it was all good. The woman who plays Granny Goodness once again stood out. She really does know how to be creepy. I was genuinely freaked out by her and really wanted to get her away from Tess in mansion scene. Really good casting there.
And the scene with all the flashbacks? That was lovely. So beautifully shot and edited too. I was as riveted as Clark was. I loved that they found a way to replay all those big moments on the show. Absolutely stunning.
The Bad:
Only a few things here because I don't really want to get nitpicky. I'm sad that they didn't mention Tess's death. I get why they didn't but I wanted something, at least from Clark, if not anyone else.
The Clark-Darkseid fight wasn't overly impressive, though I liked that the way he floated and came down to kick his ass. Then again, how Darkseid has been handled this entire season has been kind of 'meh' so I'm just glad that it wasn't as awful as 'Doomsday', lol.
It's weird that Clark and Lois weren't married after 7 years. I'm surprised that after all that time that they didn't find a moment to make it official. I get what they were going for but it felt strange. Just my two cents.
Also, what happened to Chloe after she left Oliver in the present? That confused me. It seemed, from the look on their faces, that she slipped something in Clark's pocket after they hugged but it never amounted to anything. IDK. I was puzzled.
Overall:
I am happy. More than that, I'm overwhelmed with joy! As well as other emotions. I wanted 3 things from the finale: Clois getting married, Clark flying and putting on the suit. Not necessarily in that order. Sure, Clois didn't get married but I got the other two and Clois was epic enough in the episode that I didn't care if they were married or not! I ended up getting a whole lot more and all in all, I'm more than satisfied. I wanted Smallville to go out with a bang and as far as I'm concerned, it did.
It took me forever to write this review, because I just kept stopping. It was too much. I didn't want to wait though and hopefully I didn't miss anything. If I did, well, it's because I'm a little emotional right now so forgive me. :D
As always, feel free to share your thoughts!