Loved It? Hated It? What did YOU think of "Reckoning?" [Archive] - Page 2

Gripp

01-31-2006, 12:42 AM

i loved it.

i think most people here are only peeved that they finally got what they wanted: Lana knowing Clarks secret, only to have it ripped away from them almost instantly.

i would agree that maybe it would have been nice to play with that a little longer, but it really wouldn't hold true to the premise of the show (Young Superman)

but getting passed this i think the amount the writers accomplished and the flair they did it with was excellent.
-how should clark's father pass away?
-how does clark finally become disenchanted in Lana?
-why would lana one day have a love for Clark and the once infatuated Clark not return it? even after she knows his secret?!
-if we know Jor-El can reverse time, raise the dead, etc. why doesn't he do it more often?
-why would Jor-El be so hell bent on "taking" one of Clark's loved ones?
-how does the future relationship between CK and Jor-El finally happen? what would make clark understand that his father isn't some kind of monster and is actually trying to help/guide him even after all the f***ed up things he's put him through?
-what kind of pain would CK had to have gone through to move away from home and friends (and lana) and bury himself in the hero role?
-how and why would CK and Lois ever start to come together?

i believe all of this was accomplished/answered in this episode, and yet it was still a heart-wrenching rollercoaster!

Because CK lost daddy and lost Lana’s love in order to save Lana's life (tho inadvertently) he is bound to resent, but not blame, Lana. This was possibly one of the only truly dramatic ways to create what they have for their future relationship. I really can't see CK just one day loosing interest in Lana... wouldn't be realistic; nor as exciting as what we had to go through....! so, something similar had to occur for their relationship to morph into what it is destined to be. why not exactly as the writers did it... or maybe we should have waited for Ma-Kent to go, eh?
i do still agree that it was briefly fun to finally see them together with nothing holding them back and would have to liked to play with that for a bit more, i still think the events as they played out in epi 100 were ultimately the best way to get both the clana thing straightened out and provide a dignified death for JK. and had they made this a two-part (or even a multipart) i think it would have lost its excitement/drama after a week of waiting. so, truly i think this was a good choice by the writers to get highest possible reaction out of the fans while setting this straight.

i noticed also that JK was hesitant in clarks telling lana his secret, meaning he thought it was a bad idea, but realized nothing could be done and took queue from Martha that he should just be happy for clark and hope for the best. now, on clarks second chance at things he basically took the advice of father and recognized that it was a bad idea; almost like a final lesson from his father. this was fitting for a good start to CK becoming the superman we all know as he should now be more likely to make decisions that JK would have made.. Thus also helping add closure and meaning to JK’s death; as Clark should no longer need JK around to help make these decisions. Better yet, its best he’s not around so that CK is forced into growing up.

another effect it had was to provide CK the understanding Jor-El had been trying to instill in him: they aren't gods, and even though they have the technology to do something there will be consequences. in doing this it became apparent to me that Jor-El didn't make the decision to "exchange" clark's life for a loved one, he merely warned clark of what the consequences are, and now clark understands them first hand and should, hopefully, understand that his father isn't the psycho he has made himself out to be and be able to start developing a more fulfilling relationship with him/it (AI).
While many of you have commented that the writers took the "easy way out" with the reset button, i think they just made it a lot harder for them to use it again in the future, because now it is understood that these things just can'tXX ney --really shouldn't-- be done as they have dire consequences. Clark will be more apprehensive in the future, meaning he won’t be able to simply watch the wrong doing/make a plan/reverse time/implement plan… so in a roundabout way something of this magnitude had to occur for him to realize this.

And to reverse analyze everything: had there been no crystal, or clark not chosen to grab it, not only would none of these things that drive the show to finally meet with the original superman would have occurred but we would have actually been a step in the other direction: Lana dead and JK alive. And, please, do remember that the very premise of this show is the “younger years of superman.” It only makes sense that in the end we have exactly the situations/characters that were of the original. So then, how about if Lana never died in the first place? Clark would have never learned his lesson about playing god; never understood Jor-El’s tendencies and likely couldn’t have formed a relationship with him otherwise – because now he would simply been the guy who took Clark’s father away from him “just because” kind of a hard thing to simply explain to a grief stricken son. Also, this wouldn’t have allowed for the Clana bit to progress and the writers would have been hard-pressed to come up with a good enough reason for their relation to change (see above) so the epi would have then only accomplished the death of his father. Seems kinda slow/lame.

So both sides of that coin aren’t nearly as fun as what we went through!

A side not about the crystal: tho I’m only speculating here, I believe the crystal was not the method in which he traveled time. I believe it only represented his choice to take that leap and that ultimately Jor-El was the one with the power to warp him. Then why only one you ask? Jor-El’s intention was to hammer the point home with Clark that some things are out of their control. Giving him this opportunity, only after he tried to explain that there would be consequences, posing the crystal as the true test as to whether or not Clark understood yet. Now, even still, if you were Clark would even want to try a third time? Now knowing that someone must die? At that point he would actually have to make the choice of who to let go. Yes, maybe had he known before the “warp” that his father would die by him going back, he would have chose to let Lana go. But going back a third time wholly knowing that someone must die he is more or less committing murder at that point: i.e. had he gone back with the decision that Lana was not worth his father, he would have had to re-live that whole day knowing that he is sentencing her to death and is chosen to not do anything to save her. I suppose they could have made a whole butterfly effect thing where he just keeps trying, but I think we all got the picture.

Sure, all of these things could have been accomplished independently, but never would I have guessed that the writers would have been able to fit so many pieces of a puzzle together with such splendor and perfection as that everything boils down to the choice CK made in grabbing that crystal. That one act pulled all of this together. Making each accomplishment seamlessly intertwined with the other. I feel this was such a better choice than to separate it all into individual choices. Making this a defining moment instead us one day looking back trying to figure out how we got to the end of superman’s childhood. For this very reason I think the writers did an excellent job.

Now, I am not without my gripes: while I just made this episode seem like the messiah of Superman shows, it was far from perfect. Namely, how would it ever be possible for Lana to have ended up almost getting into that wreck again?? She had a completely different conversation with Lex than the first time. And certainly couldn’t have accelerated/sped with the exactness of before. But barring that fate is fate and the math works out, why would she get into the wreck again? Clark didn’t tell her his secret. Hence his secret did not kill her, and actually had nothing to do with it. The only reason she lived this time was because Clark was privy to her demise. I can’t actually think of a good reason to have her in that situation again other than make the viewers hate the writers as they realize that Clark could have told her and would have at least retained that part of his life. The simple fact that she wasn’t there, nor the wreck, would’ve meant JK was still going to get all the way to the farm and still have the heart attack. There really just wasn’t a point in this. I think this may be a part of why there is such a general dislike of this episode.
Next, why wouldn’t Lana be there the second time to catch Lois when she fell?? It would actually seem that since she didn’t spend all that time with Clark at the FOS she would have gotten there earlier. And finding out your BF is a super-powered alien is likely a better reason to be to preoccupied to go than her breaking it off with him. I think it would have been better written had Clark simply spent all his time stalking Lana to ensure her safety only to find his inattention led to his fathers death. This could have played out well for the writers to revel things about lex and lana’s relationship and things they know/suspicions they have could have been a good way for them to incorporate more of the Lex Vs. Clark precursor.
I guess what it boils down to is that the second half did admittedly seem under-developed. As if the writers to merely trying to find filler for their otherwise great story.

Ok, time to go to bed… not sure hwy I wrote all this anyways, not like anyone will ever actually read it all, and if so, actually listen to any of it! lol

hakoreh

01-31-2006, 04:14 AM

from superman:the movie

"lois, i never lie."

if we're going to follow the movie and have JK die, we're going to have to stop the lie telling habbit of clark.

SilverK

01-31-2006, 04:31 AM

Hi All,

This is my first post, love the site.

I agree with the people that hated the second clana meeting. Clark was being so lame and watching it from Lana's point of view turned my stomach. But rather than being angry at the creators, i can't help but think it was genius that produced that feeling in me. Yeah, it really sucked. Being Clark sucks, and loving Clark sucks!

I forgive the time travel thing (not a great fan). Don't get me wrong, time travel is awesome where it fits, like in back to the future (LOVED the McFly reference). But it can so easily be used to trick a viewer and get out of impossible situations. That said, i forgive it here because how else would Clark truly know the consequences of telling Lana the secret? It was real, not a dream, and he saw what really happened.

Yeah, Chloe knows, but Lana is different. Villians would home in on her right away knowing she is the one he loves. Look at what happened with Lex. There's just no way it could work. And personally i think Chloe is stronger and more able to bear the burden of hiding the secret. Just my humble opinion.

Lastly, i can't stand the fact that Jonathan is dead. It's almost unbearable to me. I'll miss him so much. Again, right on target. I hated the episode so much that it's my favorite one by far.

Nate816

01-31-2006, 05:50 AM

-------------------------------------------------
I dont like how it ended up, i dont want john dead. It doesnt make sense for the series, maybe ma kent. BUT IMO it wasnt the right time for someone to die, if anyone should of died it should of been lois or sam. John was to important to kill off. Clark got nothing out of the deal hes now responsible for killing his father and breaking up with lana. Just tell her and to hell with the consequences, im sick of this teeder todder of love. Either hes with her or he isnt make a decision!

Im more pissed now, before i gave it 3 out of 5 now i give it a 2.
===========================
If you have ever seen any of the superman movies or read any of the comics, you will know that johnathan had to die first...before Ma kent, and Lois to die? what?? she will be one of the only charecters not to die... as far as lana goes...she should be alive as long as louis as well...she was in superman 3. But with all that aside, i sort of wish he did finally tell lana..im a bit upset she doesnt know anymore, so for that reason i give the episode a 3 out of a 5. couldnt have been much better and the hype for it was insane.

Flight_Without_Wings

01-31-2006, 05:58 AM

Originally posted by Gripp
i loved it.

The simple fact that she wasn’t there, nor the wreck, would’ve meant JK was still going to get all the way to the farm and still have the heart attack. There really just wasn’t a point in this. I think this may be a part of why there is such a general dislike of this episode.
Next, why wouldn’t Lana be there the second time to catch Lois when she fell?? It would actually seem that since she didn’t spend all that time with Clark at the FOS she would have gotten there earlier. And finding out your BF is a super-powered alien is likely a better reason to be to preoccupied to go than her breaking it off with him. I think it would have been better written had Clark simply spent all his time stalking Lana to ensure her safety only to find his inattention led to his fathers death. This could have played out well for the writers to revel things about lex and lana’s relationship and things they know/suspicions they have could have been a good way for them to incorporate more of the Lex Vs. Clark precursor.
I guess what it boils down to is that the second half did admittedly seem under-developed. As if the writers to merely trying to find filler for their otherwise great story.

One of my biggest gripes is that the Kent's farm is on the South West side of town and Lex's mansion is on the North East side of town. So why was JK going the wrong way on the wrong road to get to the Farm? This just goes to show how lame and careless the writers were. The writer's single most important factor of this show and JK's death was JK passing the accident scene and this just could not happen do the the locations of the farm and mansion. JK would have been many miles away in the opposite direction and would not have even heard the sirens of the emergency workers at scene.

Oh well just another total screw up on TPTB who really do not care about anything but trying to create drama without any regards to continuity.

Cheers

Immrtal1

01-31-2006, 06:54 AM

I hate the fact they killed of JK but it was expected. I thought the first story line was pretty cool, I was not expecting it to be lana that died. When they did that back in time routine I was dissappointed, especially since Clark basically caused his Dad to die and Lex ends up with Lana.
Clark needs to quit with the schizo routine and either tell Lana or just move on to Lois. ;)

I think they killed JK off because he liked to voice his opinion about the direction of the show. He liked how it was a pretty clean show and fought to keep it that way, which probably ticked off some writers, producers, etc. Hopefully he will find something else to be a part of soon.

coasterprincess

01-31-2006, 01:00 PM

At it's best, Time Travel is barely tolerable. In general it's just annoying. I mean sure they said the crystal was a one-time thing, but what if in 5 episodes or so Clark brings Chloe to the FoS and says "Here Chloe didn't get to use a crystal yet. Here's her one time. Just start the day over, find me and give me an update so I don't make the same mistakes. That way we won't have a problem." It "technically" would go with the story, but just doesn't work.

Aside from my issues with the time-travel, the episode was okay. Not as good as all the hype, of course, but there was next to non chance that it would be. I really liked how they did JK's death. It was sad to see him go, but I couldn't plan a better last 5 minutes of his life. Punching out Lionel and dying with his family by his side. The scene with Martha and the pearl necklace was heart-breakingly good.

Hopefully they just won't mess with any time-travel stuff again, and I'll be happy.

dhacker615

01-31-2006, 01:17 PM

Originally posted by Gripp
... getting passed this i think the amount the writers accomplished and the flair they did it with was excellent.
-how should clark's father pass away?

I think that it has been fairly clear from the outset that 'Smallville' would honor the milestones from the Richard Donner film version of Superman. They've used it as an inspiration a lot. The secondary source has always been the Silver Age comics. In both, JK dies of a heart attack while Clark is fairly young. In the film, this leads indirectly to Clark becoming Superman. This is a theme that John Schneider says the producers intend to echo.

In other words, how JK died was never really in doubt. It has always been a question of when and the manner it was handled. That is what disappointed me about 'Reckoning'.

-how does clark finally become disenchanted in Lana?

Sure. That has been a huge issue looming over the series. The frustrating part of the back-and-forrth nature of the Clana was waiting the writers to get on with dramatizing it. The problem is that nothing in that regard changed with 'Reckoning'.

From very early on, Clark has been worried about the effect of knowing his secret on Lana's safety. They did a heart-breaking version of that in Season 3. The whole idea of 'Smallvile' is that he is supposed to learn something. As brutal as most of Season 4 was, it seemed to be about Clark learning that Lana was responsible for her own life and her own choices, just like Chloe. That freed him him to tell her the truth and make up her own mind. All 'Reckoning' did was reverse two and a half seasons of character development.

-why would lana one day have a love for Clark and the once infatuated Clark not return it? even after she knows his secret?!

That was what I had hoped they were finally getting to this year. Clark and Lana are not a perfect match. She is very needy and he a big-time withdraw-er. Good writting is they get together, he tells her everything, they are in love and it still doesn't work out.

Clark is literally going to have the weight of the world lain on his shoulders and he is the type of guy who accepts it. Lana is exactly the sort of person who that guy dates, tries to fix and ultimately breaks his heart in real life. That was part of what made 'Smallville' great. His Dad dying is the perfect moment to show why they wouldn't work as a couple. Instead, we get a bunch of time travel mumbo-jumbo.

-if we know Jor-El can reverse time, raise the dead, etc. why doesn't he do it more often?

More to the point, isn't Jor-El the real villian of the series so far? I mean, the whole taking Clarks powers, letting him die, trading the life a loved one for his, sending him back in time without cluing him in deal is all his doing. Jor-El just killed JK to teach Clark a lesson. He killed the fake Supergirl at the end of Season 3 for exactly the same reason. The guy is an all powerful murderer. How is this not a bigger problem for Clark?

-why would Jor-El be so hell bent on "taking" one of Clark's loved ones?

This was a stupid plot device, pure and simple. It was never remotely explained in any way that made any sense. It gave the episode some suspense, but if the character were named "Zod" instead of "Jor-El" the writers would have things going very differently.

-how does the future relationship between CK and Jor-El finally happen? what would make clark understand that his father isn't some kind of monster and is actually trying to help/guide him even after all the f***ed up things he's put him through?

I have no idea how they are going to address that. I am beginning to doubt that they will even try.

-what kind of pain would CK had to have gone through to move away from home and friends (and lana) and bury himself in the hero role?

I think we are going to see some of that next week. It looks awful, but at least it is the right theme.

-how and why would CK and Lois ever start to come together?

The introduction of Lois was a mistake. Erica Durance is a nice actress and she does a good Lois Lane, but she has nothing to do.

i believe all of this was accomplished/answered in this episode, and yet it was still a heart-wrenching rollercoaster!

The episode wasn't awful, but it killed the momentum that had been built this season. Maybe Al & Miles are too busy working the new Aquaman series, but someone needs to fix some of these problems before the show jumps the shark.

FozzyRock

01-31-2006, 01:36 PM

I just finished watching it and I don't think it was that bad, I liked it although the deaths were really brief, there was no reflection with the characters lying dead in their arms.

wantpowers

01-31-2006, 02:26 PM

:D as a fan of the show from the begining I have nothing but praise for the shows 100th

the act was perfect every actor was on there game, the fortress effects were perfectly set up and over all it was great

I will miss john kent but a story is a story good luck shnidy.

WeWantSuperman

01-31-2006, 04:28 PM

I have a lot I would like to say about this show
but I'll just say - how can Jonathan Kent teach Clark how to be a man and impart his ideals in his death when he did not succeed in his life? And how can we look to Clark as a hero when he sacrifices loved ones to meet his desires and infatuations?

I'd like to hear your arguments, but first, read what this writer has to say about the potential stories and character traits the writing team for the show rejected to go after other things, like ratings, this season. I think you may be surprised.

www.resurrectionpower.com/page667.htm

Trying to spur on a good debate,
Homer Schmidt

Lana Kent 2794

01-31-2006, 05:23 PM

Originally posted by MidgardDragon
Finally, someone else who loved the episode as much as I did! I screamed, crapped, cried, laughed, and cried some more. Great epi!
i totally agree!!!

one thing sucked about this episode was jk died and clana is dead!!!!!!!!!!!! lexana sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YA!!!!!

coletrickle90

01-31-2006, 08:58 PM

all in all, reckoning was good entertainment, and meets my expectations of what smallville can do. what I would like to see is MORE CORNY SETTINGS FOR LANA AND CLARK. I think this is the strongest part of the show. it really binds the mythology, action and characters. the chemistry of kristin and tom is what makes this show successful. everyone else is along for the ride. the funeral shots of lana and clark were kind of special, but they need to come up with more great scenes. they need to scan the classic hollywood romantic moments, lift them and litter them all over the rest of smallville episodes. COME ON!!!

JerryKing

02-01-2006, 03:20 AM

And it's climbing.

http://jumptheshark.com/s/smallville.htm

ckfan

02-01-2006, 06:59 AM

Originally posted by SilverK

Being Clark sucks, and loving Clark sucks!

I hated the episode so much that it's my favorite one by far.

Really interesting way to put it! I sort of agree with you. I can't decided if I hated it or loved it.

It is amazing to see the strong emotions that this episode brought out in fans. On one site, some people were saying that they actually threw up from watching it! Can you imagine a fictional TV show having that effect?

One thing can be said: Like it or not, the writers succeeded in creating something very powerful - bordering on emotional torture for the fans, you could say.

Johnny_Styles

02-01-2006, 11:01 AM

BEST SV EPISODE TO DATE.

Magus

02-01-2006, 12:14 PM

my favorite scene was the scene where lana died and JK held clark back. it was just so well done. and the funeral scene.

No-El

02-01-2006, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by Magus
my favorite scene was the scene where lana died and JK held clark back. it was just so well done. and the funeral scene.

That was one of the better scenes next to the Funeral scene!

Both were done well!

KRAM-el

02-01-2006, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by No-El
That was one of the better scenes next to the Funeral scene!

Both were done well!

It's almost like saying "the seasonings & the A-1 were tasty, but the steak tasted like shoe leather"... Not exactly a ringing endorsement. :mad:

MelanieMM

02-01-2006, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by KRAM-el
I voted ugly, but that really doesn't even scratch the surface. Writing at it's lowest level w/ no creativivity whatsoever -- no surprises, shock, or even redemption. But then bad writing shouldn't be a surprise to any of us here -- we've gotten used to terrible writing on a weekly basis for quite some time now. All in all, a HUGE disappointment. I was passionately mad at first, but that has ripened into a deep & sour depression. I really hope now there is no S6; heck, I'm even indifferent now to an ep 101. I hope Al/Miles are happy w/ what they've done, after all, they created (cough) it, so I guess they can rape & pillage it to their hearts content. Fact is, the true SV (& not just SM) fans are the losers. RIP. :( :( :( :( :( :(
May I ask why you're still hanging around ? If you really think all you've said you must really hate the show, so why watch? I personally think its great, and nothing like what you claim, but honestly there are shows i feel the same way about, and I just don't watch them. Why torture yourself?

No-El

02-01-2006, 01:58 PM

Originally posted by MelanieMM
May I ask why you're still hanging around ? If you really think all you've said you must really hate the show, so why watch? I personally think its great, and nothing like what you claim, but honestly there are shows i feel the same way about, and I just don't watch them. Why torture yourself?

Someone posted equating Smallville's and its lessor episodes to a fatal car crash(es):

To a bystander, it is horrible and tragic to turn away but, yet you can not help but stare! :(

KRAM-el

02-01-2006, 02:00 PM

Originally posted by MelanieMM
Why torture yourself?

Why do heroin addicts continue to pump poison into their veins, knowing it's physiological effects? Why does a smoker light up 15-20 times a day even though they know it's bound to kill them? It's the same principle. Besides, I'm a writer myself, and learning how NOT to write is sometimes a better education than learning WHAT to write. :mad: He who is without sin...

* Whack! Gets hit in side of head with stone *

BoSoxJim

02-01-2006, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Qwerty
I said "bad." It just had no creativity, it wasn't as surprising as we thought it would be. I've cooled off since last night, but I'm still mad that it was just so....blah. And now I have "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" stuck in my head.

*Hums* weeeoooeeeeoooo wah wah wah :P

i'll take that movie over ep 100 any day of the week. who knew the italians knew the US old west like that. :p

Originally posted by No-El
Someone posted equating Smallville's and its lessor episodes to a fatal car crash(es):

To a bystander, it is horrible and tragic to turn away but, yet you can not help but stare! :(

ep 100 is like when fonzie "jumped the shark". all we need is for jk to come to clark ala obi-wan to luke skywalker.

now when clark has to make a decision, he'll have angelic jk on one shoulder and the devil-like jor-el on the other.

KRAM-el

02-01-2006, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by BoSoxJim
all we need is for jk to come to clark ala obi-wan to luke skywalker.

now when clark has to make a decision, he'll have angelic jk on one shoulder and the devil-like jor-el on the other.

JK - Clark, refuse to give in the Dark Side...

JE - Kal-El, we can rule the Galaxy as Father & Son...

Now THAT'S good writing!!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

BoSoxJim

02-01-2006, 03:10 PM

Originally posted by KRAM-el
JK - Clark, refuse to give in the Dark Side...

JE - Kal-El, we can rule the Galaxy as Father & Son...

Now THAT'S good writing!!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

myownwoman

02-01-2006, 06:14 PM

I am wondering whether Clark will tell Lana now that she forgot, or hide it even more now that his father has passed. I am guessing that he will be even closer to his mother now and try to protect her and be there for her even more. He might hibernate in his home and not really go out, he might now answer phone calls or requests to go out with Chloe or Lana or hey even Lex. I have a feeling he might need to be with himself (and his mom too) for a while and think things through.

You guys are right and it's got me thinking. I have watched a lot of finales for shows, no show has ever elicited such strong emotions in me than Smallville. And, I'm comparing this to Friends! I LOVE Friends, yet their finales were not as powerful as Smallville.

Hate the Reckoning or love it, you have to agree on one thing...it was one phenomenal episode.

BoSoxJim

02-01-2006, 06:19 PM

Originally posted by JerryKing
And it's climbing.

http://jumptheshark.com/s/smallville.htm

i knew it! ;)

soupaman25

02-01-2006, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by Johnny_Styles
BEST SV EPISODE TO DATE.

^^^ agree 100%. of course like everyone else i was dissappointed at the time-reversal scheme but hey, there's a reason for everything. something that i think would've improved the burial was if they brought back Petey just for that scene. i dunno if anyone agrees with me on that one. let's just see what happens. CLANA's death :rotfl: LEXANA's birth:o it's about time

happycamper

02-01-2006, 11:57 PM

I loved it. It was moving, wonderfully filmed, and the results were necessary for Clark to become Superman.

Even though I'm a Clana fan (surprise, huh?), I understand that a Clark that is with Lana will never be Superman. He will be a local hero, and protect all that he knows and loves. But by staying with Lana, he will never protect the whole world, because he will be concentrating his thoughts and energy on her.

This is also why I never thought that the Clois in the movies was a good idea. Superman cannot devote himself to one individual at the expense of everyone else. I'm not saying this is a good thing - it isn't - but the choice to become the Superman of legend requires this sacrifice.

Its like an alternate reality: Clark with Lana is content, and lives a wonderfully happy life with her, his kids(?), and their friends. Without Lana he can become Superman.

My personal preference (as a viewer of this show) is for him to choose Lana and happiness, but we all know he ends up as Superman, instead.

jdot

02-02-2006, 08:58 AM

I see a lot of people saying we're back at square one with a lot of things in the series, especially the Lana/Clark relationship. I seriously beg to differ on this opinion.

Square one for Lana and Clark (and even most of the intermediary steps) was about Clark not being able to open up to Lana and thus pushing her away, and Lana pushing him to try to open up to be closer to her. While it is true that their current situation looks very similar on the surface, especially after the whirlwind that was the teaser for the episode, we have to take some very major statements by both characters into account.

Lana said, while talking to Lex, that they had their last fight. As far as she is concerned, she's done trying to be romantically involved with Clark. It's never going to happen, he's never going to open up to her, and she's ready to move on with her life. I don't think it means she's giving up on friendship with Clark, though. I think it means she's giving up on romance with him.

Clark said the same thing, with far fewer words and a lot more emotion, when he was time-warped back into the loft before their "mystery date". She asked him what could possibly be worse than losing the person he loved. He answered, quite simply, "Nothing". He did lose the girl he loved, and he knows it. She may not be dead this time around, but he knows he will never be as close to her again. Couple that loss with the loss of his father, and you have a Clark Kent who isn't going to be retreading the same ground any time soon, if ever. There's too much pain on that path.

The episode didn't end with a nice tidy bow sending us back into status quo land or into the shiny, soft-focus land of "everything turns out okay in Smallville". It ended with a gaping chest wound of doubt and grief as to the direction these character's lives are going to take. Saying we're back to square one at this point is not only a bit premature, it's also a very narrowminded view of the situation.

Sweetie

02-02-2006, 11:18 AM

It was an O.K episode.I think that the time reversal thing was the easy road for bringing back Lana.Can the guy who is faster than a speeding bullet be there in time to save his girlfriend?Jor-El said that they weren't gods.Well,I don't know alot of people who have this kind of power.I was scared for a moment,I thought that he would go rotate the earth on his opposite axe.Even,Chloé thought so too;)

Clark didn't seem to notice that he can fly.He flew to go on the top of the big iceberg.Apparently,he's not effraid of heights anymore.It would be totally awesome if we could see him fly on the last episode of the season:)

The good moments of the episode were:the great performances of: Michael Ronsenbaum who did a wonderful job,both scenes(present-past) seem really similar,John Glover was absolutly brilliant,he really put EVIL in the word:evilness and Annette O'Toole made her best performance yet.She was very touching and moving.

I'm really sad about Johnathan's death.I will miss him very much:(

oceansoul22

02-02-2006, 11:58 PM

I have been a HUGE Smallville fan from the very first day it aired. Now here we are at the 100th episode and I can only say the following. It was great, yet brutal all at the same time. The entire scenario where Clark is responsible for his father's death, I felt was well played and a lot of us are missing what was intended by it. Clark's actions, obviously, were not the right ones to make and Jor El did forewarn him that somehow fate would offset the change. I think the idea was that Clark had struggled with the Lana issue for so long, he just finally wanted something good to happen in his life. He's always been outcasted and has always had to lie or maneuver his way into society to be a normal person which he could never be. Finally he was willing to take a risk and he felt that leaving the responsibility of the truth on her shoulders he was responsible for her life. He knew someone close to him would be lost, but he didn't think it was right someone else should suffer for his actions. In a way he used his Superman complex of doing whatever he could to save her life. There was no way in the end that Clark could have known his father would die because of his actions. Not to defend him, not at all. Yes his actions were irresponsible, but at his age, he was finally starting to see good things happen, FINALLY, and slowly watched everything disappear. His actions were in his best interests yes and he was selfish, still he is naive to a lot of the things going on around him and only starting with Alicia he's had to deal with important losses. I just think that we shouldn't criticize his character so quickly. Just finishing high school, and finally after many years, he gets to be with Lana only to lose her the following day???

I HOWEVER AM ANNOYED WITH THIS EPISODE. Seriously, just ONCE, let something good happen to the kid. MY GOD!!!!!! I was glad this episode was coming because I assumed before the episode, he'd hook up with Lana but his father would pass away. This would at least give him someone to support him through his father's passing. He has his mom left now???? Who seems to be more a wreck than him!!!!! I am just annoyed that for once we might see something good happen, and he loses EVERYTHING instead. It is true, he's meant to be alone.

The episode was good, but seriously???? Why must he lose everything close to him???? Seriously they haven't honored all of the superman mythology, and I like this interpretation so far, but all of Clark's past couldn't have been all loss and death and doom.

Finally an episode I was excited for, only to be annoyed yet again!!!!!

:mad:

Gripp

02-05-2006, 12:42 AM

Originally posted by dhacker615
That was what I had hoped they were finally getting to this year. Clark and Lana are not a perfect match. She is very needy and he a big-time withdraw-er. Good writting is they get together, he tells her everything, they are in love and it still doesn't work out.

Clark is literally going to have the weight of the world lain on his shoulders and he is the type of guy who accepts it. Lana is exactly the sort of person who that guy dates, tries to fix and ultimately breaks his heart in real life. That was part of what made 'Smallville' great. His Dad dying is the perfect moment to show why they wouldn't work as a couple. Instead, we get a bunch of time travel mumbo-jumbo.

i think you missed the point. they DID accomplish this with this. Now that they capatilized on JK's death to achieve, while "heart wrenching" and dramatic wasn't really the most ethical thing to do, as i can from most posters.

as for your "not working out" bit... how would work? her destiny is to be in love with him, but CK only see her as a friend (like Chloe) if they're divorced, he'll see her as an ex-wife/baggage. plus that adds too big of an element to have not been originally explored in the movies.

i like it how it stands:
everytime CK sees Lana, he will see the choice he made, the loss of his father, and the loss of their love/future. he has no choice but to resent her; but no reason to hate her. to add to HER characters side, she'll never know any of this, and still have the same feelings for him as if nothing happened. even more, her love will drive her to forgive and console him with his father's death -- adding the perpetuation of her love. and thus you have the future of Clana.

It DID move the story forward.

Originally posted by myownwoman

.
.
You guys are right and it's got me thinking. I have watched a lot of finales for shows, no show has ever elicited such strong emotions in me than Smallville. And, I'm comparing this to Friends! I LOVE Friends, yet their finales were not as powerful as Smallville.

Hate the Reckoning or love it, you have to agree on one thing...it was one phenomenal episode.

that's my sentiments exactly!

if it weren't some smashing/riviting episode (aka, good writting) there wouldn't be so much to debate over!

Originally posted by dhacker615

.
.
More to the point, isn't Jor-El the real villian of the series so far? I mean, the whole taking Clarks powers, letting him die, trading the life a loved one for his, sending him back in time without cluing him in deal is all his doing. Jor-El just killed JK to teach Clark a lesson. He killed the fake Supergirl at the end of Season 3 for exactly the same reason. The guy is an all powerful murderer. How is this not a bigger problem for Clark?

This was a stupid plot device, pure and simple. It was never remotely explained in any way that made any sense. It gave the episode some suspense, but if the character were named "Zod" instead of "Jor-El" the writers would have things going very differently.
quote:-how does the future relationship between CK and Jor-El finally happen? what would make clark understand that his father isn't some kind of monster and is actually trying to help/guide him even after all the f***ed up things he's put him through?

-how does the future relationship between CK and Jor-El finally happen? what would make clark understand that his father isn't some kind of monster and is actually trying to help/guide him even after all the f***ed up things he's put him through

I have no idea how they are going to address that. I am beginning to doubt that they will even try.

i think you missed it again (sorry, i'm not picking on you...)
they DID address that in this epi:
up until now it seemed Jor-El was Mr Evil needlessly "killing" CK's loved ones, and even gave the promise that more were to come...
but this epi addresses this as Jor-El giving clark nothing more than a warning -- trying to teach him the extent of his powers, letting him know that he does have these options (time travel, raising the dead) but that they have consequences that he can do nothing about. JE was NOT killing these people, but only explaining how things work (fate and all).
--a warning that since he gave CK his life back, someone close to him would have to be traded..
--that going back changing things to save one person will ultimately result the lose of another (butterfly effect?)
and finally instead of trying to "explain it" which has only made him into the bad guy (i do have to agree that the AI of a superior race would have better communication skills...) he showed clark these consequences first-hand by allowing him to be the one who used the "toy." and allowing him to fight through the scenerio himself.

edit: with that said, i feel i should address why the show has already pointed at the fact that Jor-El is not evil (and thus to this point has been misunderstood by CK):
-when JE chose the clarks to be KC's parents he did so becuase he saw the kents as "good people" with the moral and stregth of the grandfather (whom helped him escape)
-when JE endowed JK with Super abilities he explained that calrk had passed his "test." Which was JE trying to convince him that he was to "Rule the World." Now if passing the test ment not wanting to rule the world, then JE's plans for CK had to have actually been in the other direction -- not ruling the world! But, yet, JE claims CK has a destiny/purpose for being there...
so JE did intend on clark using his powers for something.. if not ruling the world, then apperantly for good.

Watching Smallville

02-05-2006, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by dhacker615
From very early on, Clark has been worried about the effect of knowing his secret on Lana's safety. They did a heart-breaking version of that in Season 3. The whole idea of 'Smallvile' is that he is supposed to learn something. As brutal as most of Season 4 was, it seemed to be about Clark learning that Lana was responsible for her own life and her own choices, just like Chloe. That freed him him to tell her the truth and make up her own mind. All 'Reckoning' did was reverse two and a half seasons of character development.

That was what I had hoped they were finally getting to this year. Clark and Lana are not a perfect match. She is very needy and he a big-time withdraw-er. Good writting is they get together, he tells her everything, they are in love and it still doesn't work out.
Sums up one of the biggest problems I had with this episode. And after watching Vengeance, I feel just as strong about this point. Right now, Clark and Lana's relationship seems artificially strained and artifically stalled -- as you said, time-warped back to Season 3. Perhaps TPTB are not ready to put a legitimate nail in that coffin -- no disrepect to JK. :)

dhacker615

02-05-2006, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by Gripp
i think you missed the point. they DID accomplish this with this. Now that they capatilized on JK's death to achieve, while "heart wrenching" and dramatic wasn't really the most ethical thing to do, as i can from most posters.

as for your "not working out" bit... how would work? her destiny is to be in love with him, but CK only see her as a friend (like Chloe) if they're divorced, he'll see her as an ex-wife/baggage. plus that adds too big of an element to have not been originally explored in the movies.

i like it how it stands:
everytime CK sees Lana, he will see the choice he made, the loss of his father, and the loss of their love/future. he has no choice but to resent her; but no reason to hate her. to add to HER characters side, she'll never know any of this, and still have the same feelings for him as if nothing happened. even more, her love will drive her to forgive and console him with his father's death -- adding the perpetuation of her love. and thus you have the future of Clana.

It DID move the story forward.

I guess we just have different ideas about how they should be doing this. Look, I am a Superman fan. I have read the comics, watched both the prior TV shows and watched the movies. I know where Lana tends to fit in his life. However, I don't want to feel like that is the cold hand of destiny causing everything in 'Smallville'.

The writers have been really good with character so far. Clark in Season 2 & 3 wanted to treat Lana like the little Princess he remembered from childhood. She resented it for a variety of reasons. It made the stop-start nature of their relationship make some sense. You could see why it was going to fail and why they couldn't leave each other alone. Season 4 with Jason and all the witch nonsense was about showing Clark (over and over) that Lana was not going to break. That led to Clark finally trusting her with his secret and letting make up her own mind about the risks of being with him.

When Clark went back in time in 'Reckoning', he didn't just save Lana. He reversed his decision to trust her. There was no real reason to do that. She still wound up on the same road, at the same time and looking at the same truck. Clark just knew what would happen so he moved a little quicker. The decision to keep his identity from her the second time around had almost nothing to do with her safety. Clark just decided she was too weak to handle the truth after all.

Leaving aside the end-point that we all assume is coming, how is that not a terrible decision? In the first half of the episode, Lana was happy. She was willing to start a life with Clark and protect his secret. Based on nothing but the actions of Lex, Clark decided to "protect" her secretly and against her wishes. That is exactly the sort of thing were supposed to have grown beyond. That is why the time travel device was so painful.

To send Clark back in time to move his character forward, while everyone else remains the same is one thing. This was exactly the opposite of that. This was a case of the writers advancing the plot and characters to a point that the did not (or could not) take them. Therefore, Clark lives out the plot line, but reverts to an earlier state do to a sci-fi device. That is exactly what 'Smallville' routinely does badly.

Originally posted by Gripp
i think you missed it again (sorry, i'm not picking on you...)
they DID address that in this epi:
up until now it seemed Jor-El was Mr Evil needlessly "killing" CK's loved ones, and even gave the promise that more were to come...
but this epi addresses this as Jor-El giving clark nothing more than a warning -- trying to teach him the extent of his powers, letting him know that he does have these options (time travel, raising the dead) but that they have consequences that he can do nothing about. JE was NOT killing these people, but only explaining how things work (fate and all).
--a warning that since he gave CK his life back, someone close to him would have to be traded..
--that going back changing things to save one person will ultimately result the lose of another (butterfly effect?)
and finally instead of trying to "explain it" which has only made him into the bad guy (i do have to agree that the AI of a superior race would have better communication skills...) he showed clark these consequences first-hand by allowing him to be the one who used the "toy." and allowing him to fight through the scenerio himself.

edit: with that said, i feel i should address why the show has already pointed at the fact that Jor-El is not evil (and thus to this point has been misunderstood by CK):
-when JE chose the clarks to be KC's parents he did so becuase he saw the kents as "good people" with the moral and stregth of the grandfather (whom helped him escape)
-when JE endowed JK with Super abilities he explained that calrk had passed his "test." Which was JE trying to convince him that he was to "Rule the World." Now if passing the test ment not wanting to rule the world, then JE's plans for CK had to have actually been in the other direction -- not ruling the world! But, yet, JE claims CK has a destiny/purpose for being there...
so JE did intend on clark using his powers for something.. if not ruling the world, then apperantly for good.

I don't feel picked on at all. I love a good message board debate.

First, I am fine with Jor-El proving to be a bad guy. It is a different version of the character, but I never mistook the comics for a documentary. Sometimes changing things are an improvement. You never know until you try.

However, I don't think that is where they are trying to go with Jor-El in this version. "Smallville" has quoted the first two films a lot, so I guess that we are to assume that this Jor-El is more or less similar to the Brando Jor-El. The Brando Jor-El wasn't just good, he was a borderline deity. In that case, they have a lot of explaining to do.

I am sorry, but I don't buy the notion that they have already explained the awful things Jor-El has done. The Season 2 Jor-El said he wanted Clark to rule the planet. Now, maybe that was his "first test", but they sure didn't mention it. Instead, Clark blew up the spaceship and ran away. Jor-El then struck a bargain with Jonathan Kent that eventually cost JK his life (remember that is the source of the heart condition). If that was a test, then it was a stupid one. He certainly never explained what he was trying to accomplish to Clark.

In Season 3, Jor-El returned with a semi-Supergirl in tow. His goal was to get Clark into the cave wall. Maybe this is a minor point to you, but in the process he murdered someone (namely the semi-Kara character). Again, maybe this was all a test, but what did it really show? That Clark is way too trusting? Remember, he went into the wall to save JK, but Jor-El left the guy brain dead for 3 months. Moreover, he wiped all of Clarks memories away totally removing his personality.

At this point, all Clark knows Jor-El is cruel, ruthless and a liar. When Jor-El pops up again at the end of Season 4 telling Clark that he needs to come with him again, or something bad will happen, why would Clark trust him? With Jor-El, something bad happens no matter what Clark does. Clark goes to the Fortress in an attempt to stop the meteor shower, but Jor-El doesn't hold up his end of the bargain. The Zod disciples come anyway and start killing people while Clark is in the Fortress. This is 100% consistent everything Jor-El has done to date. He is a bad, bad guy.

However, the spring that set this season in motion was the decision by Clark to be tardy in his appointment with Jor-El. Somehow, this makes Clark culpable in his getting shot and requiring a life to 'balance' things. Ummmmmm ..... How exactly?

In four and half seasons, whenever Jor-El shows up bad things happen to the Kent family. In fact, it is usually JK who takes the brunt of it. No matter what Clark does, Jor-El is bad news. So, how are any of these events 'tests'? They seem more like random acts of cruelty by someone that is nearly all powerful. Since Jor-El is a liar, we have no way of knowing if the crystal would only work once or a half dozen times. Since Jor-El is cruel, we have no idea if a life was really needed to balance things, or if he just wanted JK out of the way.

The only way to read Jor-El as a semi-good guy is to read stuff from outside the series into his character. That is just bad writting.

ProudPenny

02-05-2006, 11:13 AM

The whole "You missed the point. You missed it again" thing stops now. Just because someone thinks you're totally wrong doesn't mean they're too stupid to understand what you're trying to say. It just means they disagree. A lot of people in this thread - in this entire episode forum, really - need to click on that shiny new SITE RULES button at the top of this page and do some reading.

Gripp

02-05-2006, 11:43 AM

sorry, i'll be more carefull with my words.. i wasn't trying to insult him in anyway, my intent was more that i concluded from his reply to my first post that he misunderstood what i was saying.. which could easily mean that i didn't say it well enough... i was merely trying to clarify.

i will be more mindfull in the future and i appologize if I offended anyone

dhacker615

02-05-2006, 11:52 AM

Originally posted by Gripp
sorry, i'll be more carefull with my words.. i wasn't trying to insult him in anyway, my intent was more that i concluded from his reply to my first post that he misunderstood what i was saying.. which could easily mean that i didn't say it well enough... i was merely trying to clarify.

i will be more mindfull in the future and i appologize if I offended anyone

You didn't offend me at all. I just thought we were exchanging opinions.

Gripp

02-05-2006, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by dhacker615

.
.
When Clark went back in time in 'Reckoning', he didn't just save Lana. He reversed his decision to trust her. There was no real reason to do that. She still wound up on the same road, at the same time and looking at the same truck. Clark just knew what would happen so he moved a little quicker. The decision to keep his identity from her the second time around had almost nothing to do with her safety. Clark just decided she was too weak to handle the truth after all.

Leaving aside the end-point that we all assume is coming, how is that not a terrible decision? In the first half of the episode, Lana was happy. She was willing to start a life with Clark and protect his secret. Based on nothing but the actions of Lex, Clark decided to "protect" her secretly and against her wishes. That is exactly the sort of thing were supposed to have grown beyond. That is why the time travel device was so painful. I completely agree with you on this one. Moreover, the fact that he recognized that she will still die if he doesn't save her (fate or not) says he knew form the beggining that her death wasn't cuased by him! becuase otherwise the mere action of not telling her should have been the life saving moment..

this didn't make much sense... and i was a bit peeved that she would go there in the first place (unthoughtful -- she also should have been more pre-occupied with what she'd just learned about Clark to even have time to think twice about Lex...)

but beyond these glaring holes (which maybe should have been a little better thought out) the main events I wouldn't change.
the Clana portion - she should have still died (differently tho) his poor descision, and than on the back she shouldn't have needed saving, they could have distracted CK in any number of ways.. (i think they were trying too hard to force the lexanna hints in...) then Pa Kent still dying.. same effect; less holes!

EDIT: oh, forgot the Jor-El part... getting tired.

sure they still a way to go to correct his character, but at the least this epi moved him away from the "bad guy" status. to maybe more misunderstood. -- in CK's eyes.
actually i haven't the S3 cave one.. only started this season (though i have seen many re-runs via TiVo)
which brings me to personal point, the only real thing that finally atracted me to this show was that it seemed they were at that stage where they now had to squirm their way out the Smallville CK into the superman CK (and all the other characters too) and i'm i was interested in seeing how they might pull this one off. But i have to admit, its now one of my favorite shows!
guess i had too much of a "oh god, another after-school-special type program that's popular these days" view to give it a chance...

jdot

02-05-2006, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by dhacker615
When Clark went back in time in 'Reckoning', he didn't just save Lana. He reversed his decision to trust her.

No he didn't. He did trust Lana. The reason he didn't tell her is because he was fully convinced that his decision to tell her is what got her killed in the first place. Trust had nothing to do with it. He knows she didn't betray his secret to Lex. He knows she never would. But he also knows that knowing his secret is incredibly dangerous for people in his immediate orbit.

Pete got more than one severe beating/near fatal encounter, the first of which was within a day of Clark telling him the secret. The second of which is what prompted Pete to leave Smallville entirely. The first happened because of a slip on Pete's part, but the second was because he was clearly identified as Clark Kent's best friend.

Lana got killed in less than one day after knowing Clark's secret. Not because she told anyone, but because she was so close to him that a man who was investigating him had no choice but to believe she must know his secret now. And it's not like this is the first time that Lex has gone borderline psycho on her. He flipped out on her at the end of Commencement, after all.

SpecKay11

02-05-2006, 05:24 PM

*Sobs* y???????? the clana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!
i cant beleive she went over to lexs! sooooo angry, grrrrrr

Conner

02-07-2006, 11:28 AM

I just wanted to say that for a hyped up episode it definitely held it's own. I got off work at 4 in the morning and stayed glued to the set watching the tape. I give it a 4 out of 5. I just wish they would let Clark REALLY tell her, just without the marriage proposal.

President_Luthor

02-07-2006, 07:22 PM

I liked it. I didn't read any spoilers, so the proposal to Lana was a big surprise to me. I figured that JK was the Number One candidate to die (since he also dies in Superman canon), but the way it happened was interesting.

Again, Clark comes off as self-absorbed at best -- and selfish at worst. Without thinking, and fueled by raw emotion, he makes a hasty decision to save the woman he loves, only to sacrifice someone else.

I was about to say 'unknowingly sacrifice', but that's not entirely true, is it? Jor-El told him one life is to be exchanged. Clark has known that was always a possibility. When Clark demanded to rewrite fate after Lana's death, Jor-El warned him -again- that the action he takes to alter history has consequences. (Don't mess with the time-space line, people ;) ) He didn't think it through -not surprisingly he was blinded by grief- and he now has to face the consequences.

Clark's on-going problem has been that he is reactive, not proactive. Something has to happen before he takes action. I feel bad for Clark, of course, because JK didn't have to die ... and Lionel the MB aggravated the situation. But, I simply cannot give any Kent a free pass this time, after all that has occurred during the previous 99 episodes.

Jonathan cut a deal, betrayed the Rosses for temporary gain and wanted to claim the moral high ground? Where was this high ground when the Rosses were still deliberating whether or not to sell their family business? Martha cut the campaign financing deal with Lionel, under duress, but knowing that JK would have rather lost the election than owe Lionel a dime.

I could go on about Clark's dithering and lacklustre decision-making skills, but there are far too many examples to cite. It's his do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do behaviour and his endless need to wriggle out of arrangements he's made for his benefit with his alien father (who, I should add, is an "alien" who isn't bound by our human codes of behaviour). He's not Lex Luthor-selfish, but 'this' Clark's actions aren't always done for the greater good. Some of his actions are, in a word, selfish. He wanted to save Lana, and recklessly put another's life in peril because of that spontaneous decision. He knew the risk, took it ... and lost.

It's more complicated than "It's Lionel's fault" or "Jor-El is to blame". Is Lionel a snake? Yes. Snakes slither, it's his nature. JK knew that, and wilfully turned a blind eye to it in the past when he arranged the shady adoption. It's hardly a surprise to him, though Lionel was at his MB best to attempt to exert his influence the day of JK's election win(!) JK taking off his jacket for one, last Duke boy dust-up was priceless! Lionel is one harsh dude, and he didn't exactly call 911 either. (To be fair, he just got his butt handed to him, Hazzard County-style :D)

JK's death, while tragic, was probably a necessary step for Clark's journey as a hero. Sometimes, a hero must make sacrifices that leave a bitter taste. He made his choice, and he may never know if it was the choice he was supposed to make. That's the true tragedy: that even a superhero cannot control the destiny or fate of others. Time waits for no one.

[On another note, I loved the ep.'s travel-through-time angle and Chloe's remark about making the earth spin on its axis: a nod to a great, classic Superman movie moment (if you remember what that big scene was!)]

#100 was a great ride, and left me with the only question that mattered this ep.: "What IF?"

TW1977

02-08-2006, 12:29 PM

It was nice to see Clark so happy at the show's start. It was a sad ending to say the least. Breaks my heart that Clark cannot be happy and marry the girl of his dreams.
The ending was powerful with the music and the snow. Very emotional. Made me cry.

mallory

02-19-2006, 09:45 AM

The best single episode I've ever seen.

Gabi

02-22-2006, 10:03 AM

I watched it yesterday (WB Brasil) and i loved it, it was great. I loved Chloe's quotes, the way Martha reacted to the death, it was sad, but emotional. I laugh and I cryed.

kate123349

03-04-2006, 02:26 PM

I think it was pretty good but it wasnt the best one! I think its really sad and the way they did the ending almost made me cry! Since i only like happy endings this episode didnt appeal to me! But its making the rest of the season more interesting.

mario masta

03-05-2006, 06:16 PM

I wasn't really impressed at all. The beginning (or rather, the whole episode) was waaaaay too rushed, and I would have preferred if Clark had told Lana the whole truth (about Krypton and the meteor shower killing her parents.)
Basically, the only thing that happened in the huge 100th Episode was Jonathan's death, nothing more; the whole "Lana and Lex knowing about Clark" was a big waste of time because of the time traveling, Clark didn't fly or gain new powers or anything, and we still don't know a thing about Lionel, Brainiac, or heck, even Jor-El.

The only scene I found that was really well done was everything from the beginning of the Peter Gabriel song up until the end. I did find Jonathan's funeral very emotional.

While I didn't hate it, considering it was the 100th Episode, I was sorely disappointed. :\

Why did it take me over a month to write a review (or even post in this forum?) Umm, I dunno. :p

McKeznak

03-08-2006, 11:23 AM

I think that was the best episode yet! Seriously the acting was incredible the musical choices superb the twist with the back in time crystal, although perhaps unbeleivable, was still really good. 5 stars outta five

Angels4BobSeger

03-10-2006, 09:29 AM

My favorite tv actor is John. And since I have not been watching the show until season five. I am disapointed they killed off
Johnathan. I hope he returns to the show. As who he was or even someone else. Would anyone know if that could happen?

sheltiemom

03-10-2006, 04:10 PM

If you go to the spoiler/speculation thread, look for subject" Ask Auriello", he is a columinist form tv guide and he has some answers. THere are also other subject t hreads which will answer you. Or e-mail me privately and I'll let you know.

supergirl_1095

03-23-2006, 06:16 PM

It was UGLY!!! I hated Jonathan;s death I wish I could change that! The scene with Lana was just horrible!! I wish that he did tell her his secret and that she wouldn't die if she knew!!! Oh how I hate that episode!! Why does it have to be on tonight???WHY WHY WHY??!!!

Angels4BobSeger

03-23-2006, 09:16 PM

They just showed that again a little while ago.
I don't care for that one either. Johnathan was my hero on the show besides Clark. I hope they bring him back on next season. I recorded this show Reckoning tonight.

The_Duchess

03-24-2006, 08:23 AM

I was very disappointed...I am not going to ask for Lana to be dead because I am realistic as far as the love triangle the show needs in order to make the dynamics of the season work....

And we all know that Jonathan HAD to go at one point or another...

but...

I didnt care for the way they played Clark's character...I dont see him wanting to turn back time for Lana's sake...I dont buy him marrying at 19...I dont believe it and I do not think is believable...not nowadays and certainly not coming from Clark.

A lot of things seemed far fetched and even though it was very nicely shot and cast acted beautifully almost all scenes I didnt care for it.

There was no closure...and no real purpose...

watcher4

03-24-2006, 05:51 PM

Even the second time around, I still hated that Clark telling Lana his secret was so rushed! I mean-that has been something that so many fans have been waiting for...and I felt that it was treated like an after-thought.

Also, I hated that Jonathan died. I think that even with the movie coming out, Jonathan could have lived closer to the end of the series.

love_sv

03-30-2006, 02:14 AM

I am very, very sad that Jonathan died but I think this episode was good. The funeral scene and the scene with Clark and Martha at the end, both were moving for me.

I must admit, the first half with Clark proposing to Lana and everything made me tear my hair out!! I was wondering, 'is this a dream??'.

But yes, it lived up to the hype for me. But Jonathan will always live in my heart! Sorry for the cliche.

Craig_445

04-01-2006, 01:07 PM

ok , so im posting late but it just aired over here in Ireland.

I actually cried and i have no qualms about admitting that. That funeral scene and Clarks and Martha's discussion got me reaching for the tissue......

Polymancp1

04-03-2006, 03:37 PM

Alright, I dont usually post on any of these sights but this is the episode that has caused my die hard love of the show to fall off the map. Now I don't really care about where the show is going or whether or not I actually see anymore of the episodes (even though i will watch if im home). When I first started watching this show all i could think was this is everything that happens to him before he becomes one of our favorite comic book characters. So I have religiously followed the show knowing that Chloe have to die because she has never been in the Comic books and that Lana and Clark would be a couple her actually being the first to find out about the secret because that is how it all happened long ago. I have been able to live with the fact that Lana hasn't found out yet and that Pete found out when he shouldn't have because he has as of recently discovered the secret in the books.

My one hope however was that they would not follow in the line of the old Superman movies (nothing against Christopher Reeves He was a great superman) but the problem with the old movies was that they had it completely wrong and he doesn't become superman because his father dies. His parents already died and he decides to become superman because of their sacrifice for him and because he believed that with his powers he had to do something. Which is also the reason why Lana splits with him, because it would be selfish of he to keep him to herself and because they both knew it was bigger than both of them.

I don't Think anyone who watches the show gets the fact that Jonathan Kent is still alive in the Comic books has never died and is still seen in the books from time to time. So the fact that they just killed him off, which is the reason I DO NOT watch the old movies and am unexcited about the new movie coming out, has made the show about half as good as it should have been. I wished we could have left the old movies behind for once(sort of like Batman did). But it can never be done now he's dead and the show has lost the feel that it once had through the other seasons. I know you all don't feel the same way but no one has mentioned that fact and i thought it should be out there before i hear another person say that he had to die eventually. He absolutely did not.

Bottom line I was absolutely disappionted in the episode and in the show.

Mon-Ell

04-03-2006, 04:10 PM

I didn't enjoy JK's death, but I don't agree that SV should follow the comics word for word, esp. where Chloe is concerned. Just because she isn't mentioned she shouldn't be consigned to comic limbo. maybe she's left the DP and gone on to bigger and better things, who knows?

Polymancp1

04-03-2006, 07:03 PM

I realize they cant follow the comic book word for word but to kill a character that isn't dead should not happen. There is a big difference between word for word and killing an established character. Ok so don't kill Chloe, fine. She will have to go somewhere sometime however because all she is at this point is the Lois substitute until he puts on the suit. And like i said i was alright with the whole telling Pete the secret thing and having him and Lex be best friends. Now if they add her to the comicbook like i have heard might happen, then ok shes cool with me.

I am just incredibly sick of everyone baseing everything on the old Supes movies when they are extremely out of date and cheesy, as far as story and special effects, not to mention that they don't hold up well at all with the mythology.

As far as SV before killing JK, they were doing a very good job of introducing characters from the DCU, villians and heroes, which followed the comics, not word for word, but the characters do end up out there eventually. And believe me i have watched since then but the feel that the show had is now lost.

Spirit Detective

05-14-2006, 07:51 PM

The best part of Reckoning was the first half and all of the happiness Clark and viewers like ourselves experienced when Lana accepted Clark and married him. After the reversal of time, the only thing I looked forward to was Lionel's beating.

As far as Lexana goes - just say NO!

InAFlash

05-31-2006, 07:50 PM

I agree the first half of this episode was well done. After that much of what happens is just strange even for Smallville. It seemed like everyone was behaving out of character, but I guess this is just bad writing. Why would Lana leave the celebration to see Lex? Why would JK leave his own celebration to confront Lionel? Could'nt he have done this later? Why would'nt Clark watch Lana more closely during the second time line? And why would Lex be getting drunk in his mansion when the election results came in? Should'nt he have been surrounded by his supporters? He was'nt even in a suit and tie. These are just a few things that bothered me about this episode.

Fly by guy

06-03-2006, 09:37 AM

If the episode had ended at the election party when Clark and Lana showed the Kents the ring, that would have been enough. They should have filled the time with more dialogue between Lana and Clark about the past 4.5 years and not jump right into Lana going to see Lex. Just dreadful writing.

msw44

07-08-2006, 02:54 PM

I've heard a lot of people say that Reckoning was a terrible episode, but I personally liked it. Do I think it lived up to all the hype? No.

What I liked:
-Jonathan's funeral. The music, the shots, and the people were all beautiful. It definitely made me cry.
-That it was Jonathan that died. As much as I like him, he had to be the one to go. He went out as a hero.
-The "What? Did you spin the earth backwards on it's axis" line by Chloe. Fantastic Superman reference. :)
-Lionel causing Jonathan's death (sort of). I. Love. Lionel.

What I didn't like
-The "back in time" storyline. I thought it was dumb. I thought Clark asking Lana to marry him was dumb. Too predictable and too cliche.
-Lexana. Yick. Predictable and forced.
-The close up of Lana when she's talking about "breaking through that armor." I don't know why, but I hate how she delivers that set of lines.

Overall, I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite episode. Good, not great.

jay dante

07-24-2006, 03:37 PM

Really angry that JK died instead of Lana. I'm pretty sure that many of you agree with me on this.

Originally posted by InAFlash
I agree the first half of this episode was well done. After that much of what happens is just strange even for Smallville. It seemed like everyone was behaving out of character, but I guess this is just bad writing. Why would Lana leave the celebration to see Lex? Why would JK leave his own celebration to confront Lionel? Could'nt he have done this later? Why would'nt Clark watch Lana more closely during the second time line? And why would Lex be getting drunk in his mansion when the election results came in? Should'nt he have been surrounded by his supporters? He was'nt even in a suit and tie. These are just a few things that bothered me about this episode.

What's strange? Would seem strange if Lana refused meet Lex after all the times he's helped her. You should know by know that JK's first priority is his Clark's safety, if Lionel knew something he had to find out. Everything else comes second. Remember JK running after Nixon during a tornado? Lex feels weak cause he lost the election. Hes suppose to be in control with power. He doesnt want ppl to see him like that except for Lana because he has feelings for her.

Villesmall

08-08-2006, 12:20 PM

I loved this episode!! It was pretty sad though. First, they are going to get married, so then of corse Lana had to die. Second when he went back in time instead of him proposing to her they break up. And then his father dies instead. One happy even after another. But it was an awesome episode

ginnyfan

08-17-2006, 08:48 PM

I really liked this episode.

I liked the have your cake and eat it too... Although I am not Clana, I'm starting to appreciate it and the proposal was to-die-for! I liked all of the cheating death...

The only thing I didn't like was Jonathan dying... but it was a matter of time.

skully

09-09-2006, 04:53 AM

Loved it. Sort of momentarily settled all the "Clark, I just want you to be honest" sooking by Lana, but then of course had to be ripped away to ensure faithfulness to the mythology of Superman. Can't have Lana marrying Clark can we. :rolleyes:

gj430

09-12-2006, 08:29 PM

I would have been pretty much ok with the way everything played out in Reckoning except I was just watching it again and rembered something I've have thought since I saw it the night it aired. Lex only figured out Lana knew Clark's secret because of the engagement ring. So instead of Lana saying she didn't know how he knew she knew she could of told Clark he saw the ring and said she wouldn't have said yes with all her doubts, he had no clue until she walked up to him and he saw it. So even if they did they reset I still think Clark should have known it was the ring and not the secret that was the problem, and I know that the TPTB have a certain story they plan on doing so I know they wanted him to not tell Lana they second time around but at least figure out a way to do it better, because like Chloe said he could have warned her so there has to be a better reason not to tell her, with his reasoning he couldn't ever be with anyone.

enamored

09-12-2006, 08:51 PM

Originally posted by gj430
Lex only figured out Lana knew Clark's secret because of the engagement ring... So even if they did they reset I still think Clark should have known it was the ring and not the secret that was the problem... because like Chloe said he could have warned her so there has to be a better reason not to tell her, with his reasoning he couldn't ever be with anyone.

It's more than just the ring. I understand your thinking but Lana had complained to Lex about Clark keeping secrets from her on many occasions. Lex also knew that Lana would never committ herself to Clark unless he came clean with her. Yes, Clark could have probably kept on with the dating without taking it to the next level and told her the secret and Lex might not have been any the wiser but the minute their relationship became more serious Lex would know that Lana knows Clark's secret.

With some other girl, Clark could share the secret and Lex might never realize it because he will not have had the "I can't be with somebody who tells me lies" conversation with that girl. That situation was unique to Lana.

gj430

09-13-2006, 06:38 AM

I see what your saying

BobWille

09-21-2006, 11:39 PM

Clark having to sacrifice his father in order to save his loved Lana, who is then lost to his enemy, and by this, as a human being, is truly captivating great epic storytelling, in sync with classic Greek tragedy, making episode 100 Reckoning, the best ever.

rockchick900

11-09-2006, 02:47 PM

this is the first eppy of smallville i watched

Laguine

11-09-2006, 03:57 PM

Welcome into the addiction of Smallville!

Mr. Mxyll32

12-31-2006, 07:26 AM

This is my fav ep. It has beauty, splender and Lana knows the truth about Clark. They get together, finally of course we know the truth that Lana is not to be with Clark. For the 1st half hour I love it. The 2nd half I knew what was coming. Season five is my second best season only s2 is first.

cloisinmyheart

01-14-2007, 12:44 PM

AMAZING EPISODE...but its one of those eps i cant bear to watch again cuz it just tore at my heart too much

A MAN OF REASON!

01-14-2007, 04:04 PM

This was one of the best,if not THE BEST episode yet. I think this episode teaches Clark one of his most important lessons he'll ever learn. No matter how many powers he has,no matter how much strength he has. He still has limits!
From this point on, he'll begin to fully understand that every choice,every decision,comes with consequences.

tibbit78

02-08-2007, 05:53 PM

What did I think of Reckoning? I loved the beginning of it when Clark takes her to the caves, he opens it up with a key, and they're transported to the Fortress of Solitude. Clark is nervous, then he explains to Lana that he's from a planet called Krypton, he shows off some of his abilities (flying with her at the top of the Fortress, "heat vision"). After Clark puts Lana down, she says to him, "This isn't the first time you've done that, is it? How many times have you been there when I didn't know it, saving me?" He told her there were so many days he wanted to tell her. She says, "What makes today any different?" He's on his knees, shows her a diamond ring and says, "Will you marry me?"
Clark tell his parents that he told Lana everything and proposed to her. Clark's parents tell him that they're proud of him. Clark tells Chloe about it. As they go into Chloe's office, a woman screams when someone sends her flowers. Chloe's boss fires someone and the man who's fired says, "You can't fire me, I quit!" The telephone rings. Wrong number. Chinese take out. Lana gets a telephone call from Lex. She goes over his house. He sees the engagement ring on her telling her, "After all the lies he's told you, you still chose him. Lana, you wouldn't have chosen him with all the doubts you have about him." Lana says, "Clark isn't hiding anything, Lex." Lex: "You know, don't you. And you won't tell me!" She splashes water at him and runs to her car. She calls Clark and tells Clark that she doesn't know how Lex knows, but "He knows I know your secret, Clark. I don't know how he knows. He's chasing me on route 40." Clark says he's on his way. Then a school bus comes along, and Lana crashes into it. This accident was terrible! I never saw poor Clark so devastated! Clark goes to his Father Jor-El, and tells him, there has to be a way to fix this. Jor-El turns back the hands of time and gives Clark one last chance. The same scene plays over again and Clark tells Chloe about it (Lana knowing his secret and him proposing to her, Jor-El turning back the hands of time, and the girl receiving flowers, Chloe's boss firing someone and the Chinese take-out). Chloe: "You want me to watch Lana so that fate doesn't get another chance!" Lana still goes to visit Lex, and the accident scene almost happens (Clark runs so fast and stops the bus completely as Lana just misses it). Jonathan Kent got a phone call from Lionel; Lionel shows Jonathan a picture that upsets him. He says, "I won't let you destroy my family!" Then he has a heart attack. I'd like to know what that picture was (something to do with Clark's secret)?
Poor Clark (he doesn't win either way. Someone close to him dies (flashback: I remember watching Hourglass and Cassandra Carver saying to Clark: "Someone close to you is going to die soon"). Is this what she meant? I don't know if there is a connection. Martha has a good conversation with Clark telling him it wasn't his fault. She tells him "a heart beats only so many times in a life. Your father used his more than anyone I know." They tell each other they love each other and hug. Then you see a cemetary with Martha, Clark, Lex, Lana, Chloe and Lois, Lionel Luthor and a few other people. That was the end of the story.
This was the saddest story I have ever seen. It's a tear-jerking episode. (I also cried when I saw the end of Vengeance where Clark breaks down and is sobbing over the loss of his father Jonathan. He buried his eyes in his mother's shoulders/chest). I have never seen Tom cry before except in Reckoning and Vengeance. Reckoning will be an episode I'll never forget!

KryptonX81

02-26-2007, 04:44 PM

Hres how I saw Reckoning.

The show opens with 5 minutes of Clark explaining his secret to Lana. Thes fivemminutes showcase some of the most bland, lifeless acting I have ever seen come out of Kristin or Tom. Kristin barely seems to be fazed by what Tom is telling her, and who could balme her considering that Tom is saying it in such a strightforward, undramatic way.

After about 20 minutes of everyone congratulating eachother on how happy they are and how nothing bad could happen to tehm now ( boy, this is genius), something bad happens. Lana goes to Lex's house, and Lex, drunk after having lost, assaults Lana after being angered by the fact that she knows Clark's secret and wont tell him. lex chases after her in his car to apologize, but unfortunatly, the eternaly cursed students of Smallville high hit her car and dies.

At this point, im tinking to myself "Yay! No Lana anymore, finally clark's charachter can move on from this whiney girl whos actions occasionally border on those of a sociopath".

But no, Clark goes to big bad daddy, who at this point is posessing a cave. He gives clark the great crystal of plot convenience (aka. the writers wrote themselves into a hole and the only way to dig themselves out of it was through a magic rock they pulles out of thier @$$). Now Smallville has alwasy been a tad on the impossible side, but atleast all of it ddi work within the explanations they gave on the show. Clark has powers becuase the sun energizes him. The caves have kryptonian symbols on them becuase the kryptonians have apparently been visiting earth for years. but not once has it ever resorted to using flat out magic. Stupid writers.

so teh day plays out as it did before, except this time, he doest tell Lana the secret and she breaks up with him for the first out of 5 times that season.

But now, it all happens again. Lana goes to Lex's house and almost gets hit again (man, the students of smallville high just can't cut a break in this crazy, mixed up town), but thankfully clark comes in to save the day with no one on the bus questining why that guy on the football team that graduated last year just lifted thier bus up a foot off the ground.

Now it has been proven that Lana's survival is not dependant on her knowuing Clark's secret, but instead, Clark chooses not to tell her, making us suffer through another 2 years of this back and forth crap between them. As Clark explains it "shel be too dangerous knowing the secret". Clark, wake up here pal. Lana is a magnet for danger, it her thing. Perhaps its god's way of saying that its meant to be. I mean, he can only hold off on natural selection for so long. Shel be in danger regardelss of her knowing your secret or not, and her knowing it isnt gonna increase that. Infact, you pulling those crappy ecscuses all the time just drove her away from you, so now youl be losing too people today. Maybe it was best just to let her go.

As if this wasnt bad enough, we had to watch Clark save Lois from almost certain death ( ..if only) and a scene you could see coming 20 minutes earlier with Clark proving to chloe that he now become a time traveler by pointing out some unusualy loud extras and predicting thier actions. Yea like when this scene first occured the first time, we wouldn't think an extra storming out and loudly declaring "I QUIT!!" would somehow be signifigant.

But that isnt the worst part. Now, to wrap it up, we have Lionel getting into a fight with Johnathan. This causes Johnatahn to have a heart attack and die while Lionel sneaks off. Perfect. Not only did we lose the only chance at Clark finally getting over Lana, but the glue that was desperatly trying to hold this rickety series that is showing its age together has now been eliminated for god knows what reason.

Even the most elementary look at Smallville would show you that the was a vital part to the show. Were the producers actually expecting to boost ratings with this insane plot tiwst? Its is essentially the cinematic equivilant of shopoting yourself in the foot. Possibly they thought that many people would tune int to see the smallville producers commit suicide. Then again, these are the same producers that brought teh green arrwo to smallville. I wonder what that conversation was like. "You know what Smallville needs? More archery!"

Now that John is gone, Clark has no one to keep him in line, he has not matured or changed in the slightest bit, he still pines over Lana, and Martha, who has essentially been written to be nothing more than Johnathan's sidekick, has apsolutly nothing to do and you can see that the writers have strained to give her the minimal screentime she has. Great job writers.

But the apsolute worst part, is that after this he dumps Lana. How dumb. Now im no Lana supporter, but he essentially killed his dad to save Lana. So doesnt he owe it to his dad to make the most out of that relationship conidering he paid the ultimate price for it? Nope, instead he dumps her, and as we all know, he wont give 2 s&^ts about her 10 years from now. So he essentailly killed his dad for nothing.

Then again, maybe John was the lucky one, atleast he got to jump ship before this trainwreck of a series inevitably crashes.

RIP John Kent.
The first casualty of Clana.

smlgrl1547

08-05-2007, 02:29 AM

I thought it was great

Pimson

10-17-2007, 08:40 AM

I loved this episode. Everything started so good. Clark finally revealing his secret to Lana, and being 100% honest with her. Jonathan winning the state senate race, and everything like that.

And when Lana dies, Clark only wants to save her, and when he manages to save her in the second timeline, Jonathan. The scene where Jonathan gets his heart attack and dies is so sad!

The funeral scene is one of the few scenes that made me cry, and not many other things do.

A memorable quote is when Martha says: "A heart beats only so many times in a life. Your father used his more than anyone I know."

Great but sad episode

ClanaDestinyObsession

11-02-2007, 05:50 PM

oooh clana was ll thaaat close!! one of my top 5 for sure!!

__________________________________________________ && i just wanna run around in a feild with <you> as the rain comes pouring down.
We'll fall down on the muddy ground and get lost in each other's eyes, and /IF/ this moment of ~forever~ /must/ end, we'll finish the night with one
/AMAZING/ *kiss* in the raining, moonlit sky.
~*cLaNa*~

SMALLVILLE.<3

01-30-2008, 06:50 PM

i cried, a lot. ;'(

lana and clark being engaged made me so happy!
and then lana had to die : ( i dislike jor-el a lot.

& poor jonathan kent :'(
but i think it was better that lana stayed.

SECOND FAVORITE EPISODE. next to hidden ; )

Jaderoyale

02-02-2008, 08:04 AM

Without a doubt, everytime i watch this episode.
I cry.
I loved that Lana and Clark got engaged; then she died. The way Clark didn't care about who saw his abilities, ie; Lex, just to get to Lana. I think Tom was superb the way he handled it. It was really heartbreaking.
Then he changed it all, and Jonathon died. That was too hard to handle. Lol. I'm always a wreck after this episode.

Darkcook

03-16-2008, 08:15 AM

I just rewatched Reckoning...

I didn't remember it was SO good. As a writer, I absolutely loved what Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders did. Everything is great. Great writing, great directing (The last Greg Beeman episode!!! That's why we keep such a fantastic memory of him, he left after Commencement and Reckoning, hell! What a legend!), great parallel structure, great cliffhanger, this is the kind of thing you would like to write! Very sad and shocking episode, one of the greatest ever. The snow, all the details making sense in the two parts (The game with the James Blunt music was very cool! And I don't know if the clock heard at the Mansion was intentional, but it was very symbolical in such a time-travel episode) oh and the Mc Fly mention by Chloe was funny too!

John Schneider did great in his final scene (I don't count Void and Oracle) I'm curious about what he thought of it.

Flowergirl123

04-10-2008, 12:08 PM

I loved it. It was so sad when his dad died.

Bilza

11-19-2008, 10:14 PM

ok I've not analysed some previous episodes because I've been busy with other things. I will go back to analyse them later

After watching smallville seasons several times, this episode for me had everything. It's probably my favourite episode of season 5 and one of the best all time. I return to express my views on this brilliant episode. Just to remind you this is my favourite season..as this is the season that got me addicted to the show. Reckoning is one of those episodes that got me addicted. It's not my favourite but is one episode I always look back on and never getting enough of it. Certainly a very emotional episode.

To sum up this episode it's a tragedy particularly for Clark. Clark went to save one life he deeply cares about, only to lose someone he cares about more. Tragic! Clark went back to a certain moment before he told Lana the truth about him because people like Lex could quite easily see through her as we saw later on. He wants everyone to be happy and now one person who worked so tirelessly to protect him has gone and with tragic twist to this brilliant story. I would like pay tribute to John Schneider's portrayal of Jonathan Kent..so heart felt throughout the series his relationship with his son the more you watch it several times. Watching the series several times, I realise how much it's a bigger tragedy than people realise. MR's briliant portrayal of my favourite character in Lex Luthor is perhaps a greater tragedy. But this Jonathan character was a tragedy in how much he gave to protect Clark and his family until his heart gave out. Even if Clark believes that he was to blame for his father's death (after he went awol in metropolis) but I guess Jonathan has always had this nature inside him as a protective father who went through life or death situations to protect his son. To see Jonathan die with tragic consequences, not necessarily for not being able to celebrate being state senate but the fact he can't witness his sone fullfil his destiny with his beloved wife Martha is very sad. I got emotional after witnessing his death and that emotional scene at his funeral put everything into perspective what he and his family went through.

I dont think his heart gave out after that encounter with Lionel. I thought it was a number of things that caused a collapse in his condition. Jor El obviously warned Clark that he would lose someone he loves but I think it's more complicated than that. Because he gave so much to protect his son, his heart perhaps could take much more. Maybe if Lana died, Jonathan might have had some extra lives in him but it makes more sense that it was his character that should get killed off. I will deeply miss Jonathan Kent and John Schneider. He's added so much family love and what families go through to protect their children. In some ways he'll be deeply missed on the show but it makes sense to kill the character off for the sake of this brilliant storyline no matter how tragic it may seem.

I think Jonathan should have gave Lionel a chance to explain since he was Jor El's vessel used to protect Clark but knowing Lionel's history it was understandable that he lost it. The picture was obviously to do with Clark using his powers. If Lionel was to blame, I think he should have spoken to Jonathan in a more direct way but he made it sound as if he was going to exploit Clark's secret and Jonathan's state senate win. That's what probably made Jonathan so angry.

The Lex scenes were yet again great. MR playing a drunk Lex superbly. Before Clark went back in time, a drunken Lex was after Lana to learn Clark's secret. Such as the tragedy of his character, I think he was misunderstood of his motives. As much as he was desperate to learn Clark's secret from Lana, he would never harm her and the bigger question even if he knew about Clark, what would he be capable of doing? Ok a drunken Lex might have done something more drastic with the way he grabbed Lana but I think deep down there was still some good in Lex. He continues to dream of his friendship with Clark even if there were doubts between them. Was Lex honestly trying to kill Lana as he was chasing her. Look at his reaction... he was devastated as much as Clark. I think what triggered a drunken Lex angry reaction to Lana's lies, as that sense of betrayal yet again from a close friend. After losing the state senate race, he learns news that further compounds his misery by the love of his life accepting Clark's engagement. Ok you may think Lex has just gone into a jealous rage but such as the tragedy he went through in his life I genuinly felt for him because he felt he was losing someone special in his life with the thought he was about to get more lonely. See it's these kind of things that compounds his misery and sucks the soul out of him. He tried to be good but soo many tragic things that happen in his life that allows him to turn to the dark side. Despite being drunk and showing a frightening expression, I felt he was right to show some anger towards Lana's dishonesty even though she was doing the right thing in protecting Clark. However, it's true what he says: "After everything I've done for you, how could you lie to me?!" To some extent there's an element of honesty and truth behind that. He has done much to support Lana and at times saved her life even if you may think he has ulterior motives...so in a way he kinda feels betrayed and hurt by Lana's lies. If there was one person he could confide in it was Lana so it's too painful for Lex to take with everyone else continuelly lying to him and mistrusting him.

After Clark went back in time, we saw a somewhat similar Lex behaviour i.e. being drunk but this time learning Clana was on the verge of breakdown. A normal Lex would probably exploited that anyway but not to the degree this drunk lex did by kissing her and telling her not to trust Clark anymore. He showed that same reaction when Lana turned him down. Again because he feels he cant win anything in life. He felt guilty about what he's done in life and now what he just did to Lana so he started to feel sory for himself and I feel his pain and frustration. He did apologize later on. Clark over heard them and Jonathan saw it too. Got the feeling Jonathan didn't look too pleased and Lana looked kind of embarrassed as if she had something to hide. Is it guilt? Likely, but what if there are genuine growing feelings towards Lex. Again, who did she run to in a moment of weakness? Lex again.

I think after watching smallville series several times, I realise now how much Lana has been a *****. I do have sympathy with what she's been through and about Clark's lies. Lex's frustration with Clark was understandable but with Lana it's much bigger surprise, at times annoying. She has never been the right girl for Clark. Clark may not have been honest with her but he's done nothing but be a good friend to her and always protected her. Lana I got the sense, as kind and as generous as she can be, never tried hard enough to understand Clark and his secrets. Over the years, she keeps accusing clark of being dishonest but when she lies about spaceship, goes out with dangerous people when Clark warns her not to, instead she throws back at Clark giving that impression she doesn't need him, almost as an act of revenge because of the idea that Clark is continuelly hurting her. It's becoming too much of an obssession for her about Clark's dishonesty, whining all the time, it's come to the point annoyance and I can see how eventually Clark never thought she was the right girl. I will explain more in "Hypnotic" discussion. Lana's character might have been loved at first but more and more throughout the series her actions and behaviour have to be called to question. After learning Clark's secret..why she run off to Lex? Ok Lex needed her at that moment and she felt she had to because of how much Lex has supported her over the years but knowing how much Clark feels about Lex, she didn't try hard enough to hide that engagement ring never mind Clark's secret. She should have let things settle down, learn more about what Clark has to say about his secrets and how she should be careful of Lex. She didn't think it through. She just falls too easily for "heroes", not fully knowing what they're about.

Anyway a very emotional episode! I just want to say one final thing. Some of you who have issues about this episode are incredibly naive. Dont you realise it's all part of the entertainment of what we witnessed in this episode, it's all part of the story. You too easily pick out the negatives and pick at little straws, little plot holes not fully understanding the meaning behind each scene or each plot. It's always the same people that are complaining. If you're not getting it, then I suggest you stop watching. What really annoys me with some of the stupid comments is that you never fully explain why you hate a certain episode and why you call it boring. You just blab on about how much you wanted this or that. Everyone has the right to an opinion about certain episodes but your arguments are so vague, I dont think you're fully understanding what's going on.

I'm no fan of superman, the movies and I've never read the comics but this Show has changed the face of Television simply because of the brilliantly executed storyline with some superb actors peforming intense and intriguing scenes throughout...great character development. If you can't see that then you'll never enjoy anything in life. Stop being a miserable bunch and try and understand the story behind it. Dont jump to conclusions. I advise you to watch the whole series again. I get more intrigued the more I watch it.

Love this show!

IHeartClois

04-17-2009, 01:24 AM

Good episode but honestly I would've preferred it if Lana died. I know Jonathan had to die...(poor guy, was a great character and I loved all the father/son chats)but knowing that Lana was saved and he died is just a tad annoying.

Plus time travel and living over stuff again just creeps me out, every movie/show I see with this concept just kinda gives me the chills...so this epi was ok for me, not great.

BigTownsOveratted

05-15-2009, 10:24 AM

Mos Def one of the best episodes in Smallville history

lois346

06-18-2009, 12:13 PM

I loved it.

9-SOSIHTWB

08-17-2009, 09:55 AM

It was a brilliant episode, I cried when it was Jonathan funeral!
I keep rewatching the scene when Lana crashes because I like Clarks reaction when he finds her lying on the road, not because Lana died!!

6157

09-04-2009, 01:21 AM

Edit: Guess I shouldn't trust IMDB for all the up-to-date info.

Looks like we'll only make it to episode 196 this season. So we better hope for a tenth season if episode 200 is going to top episode 100.

Ron Paul

09-17-2009, 09:58 PM

funny how people like it after the wounds from the horrible story and JK death have healed. I just saw it for the first time and hated it. It reminds me of a generic star trek episode.

MjLaDy08

09-20-2009, 11:37 PM

All I hate is the part Clark going back to save Lana... It's a childish thing to do,,,, He didn't think of any consequences...

But when he picked up Lois when she was nearly electricuted... the look on Clark face was awesome... It was like he was thinking why it was lois who is goingto die after changing time... that's the big question mark his asking his self... WHY LOIS?!!!... What is she with him?....

Elacey

12-16-2009, 06:00 PM

Imo Lana was always meant to die young.We saw it in this ep and a few others that hinted around to it.The fact that Clark went to save her made sense because that's just who he is but, then again Jor-el had warned him and he didn't listen and what happened? JK died instead.I'm sorry but,wouldn't Clark rather have his dad still alive than Lana? I mean I would.That sounded harsh.I didn't mean for it to sound like that,lol!

Nimkong

02-28-2010, 05:15 PM

Its a good episode, but not on my top.Liked how lana died,and it seems like if clark dident go back in time lex would be evil as crap.But the plot was somewhat boring compared to what i thought.

QueenClana

06-22-2010, 01:28 PM

I loved it. But, I would've changed so much and I am in my new fic, Conquering All. Clana fans, check it out.

SGuthrie27

08-22-2010, 12:43 PM

I really, really, REALLY enjoyed "Reckoning." In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed re-watching it after not having seen it for several years. I was even MORE shocked to note that I actually... really briefly, mind you... found myself happy for Clana, and then feeling sorry for them when Clark went back and changed everything. That being said, I still remember that I was incredibly relieved when Lana was initially killed off (as I'd been predicting that my favorite tiny blonde was going to bite the big one), and then felt cheated when Clark went back in time and saved her, but still... that was just the diehard Chlarker in me, I guess. I'm glad Lana lived through it, even if it did mean, as heartbreaking as it is, that Jonathan had to die in her place. It was an intense and powerful episode that taught Clark some really tough but important lessons, and had me guessing and sitting on the edge of my seat. This definitely ranks up there for me as one of the finest episodes of the season -- 9 time/reality-changing crystals out of 10 for such a pivotal episode!

Lonnietoons

08-22-2010, 03:35 PM

I get teary eyed every time I see the end damnit! Arrrg!
Man, when I watch later seasons I just miss Jonathan lol. WHY do I end up with favorite characters that dies all the time? Huh? Someone tell me why! Lol. Oh well Lois' still alive, but... anyway it's a real sad episode obviously.
R.I.P Jonathan :'(
A little bittersweet thing I noticed though was all the bloody hugs he (Jon) got through the episode. I was like "Yeah, can you make it more obvious who's gonna go?" XD

Cloisdestined

10-12-2010, 01:04 AM

Worst episode ever and truly encapsulates the stupidity of Clark Kent.

Komsomolets

10-18-2010, 10:01 AM

EPIC. Best episode of the lot for my money, and I'm counting up to Season 10 Episode 4

shaun0207

10-19-2010, 02:56 PM

Damn it. Just left a tear in my eye again. Then watching episode 13 where they are watching the video of Johnathon and Clark on tracker and he says goodbye to them...wow

vantheman77

12-27-2010, 09:26 PM

This is the episode where they destroyed Clark and killed off Jonathan for the wrong reasons. Clark sacrificed everything for Lana when he should've left things as they were. From this episode until Homecoming, we saw Clark blaming himself which was getting tiresome. I was more concerned about what happens with Clark afterwards and we got our answer that was not satisfying.

hadezown

03-31-2011, 10:23 PM

I don't know how to feel about this ep. It was edge of your seat stuff but I think the timing of death in the series was wrong. As much as I despised pa kent, he shouldn't have died in this one. I wish they went with the first half, it's sad that Lana would die but the scene just hits you like a ton of bricks. But oh wait, time travelling crystal! Should have seen it coming the second Lex saw speedy Clark.

Simba_Muffy

04-06-2011, 03:29 AM

A waste of time and money.

Simba_Muffy

04-06-2011, 04:25 AM

Oh boy! I'm probably not going to get a lot of sympathy with this review, but I have to be honest about what I thought and most of it wasn't good. There were some brilliant parts and some brilliant acting, but there were also some very frustrating parts as well.

So here goes...

Clark finally opens up and tells Lana the truth, takes her to the fortress of solitude, proposes to her and she accepts.... why? Why would she do that and then turn around that very evening to sneak out of the Talon and visit with Lex? Because he called, he was depressed, he needed her? So what! She just made a decision to spend the rest of her life with Clark, who she now knows is a superman and she doesn't even tell him where she's going, discuss with him who called or ask him to go with her. Now who's keeping secrets and lies? Where was her confession of the secrets she's been withholding from him about her killing Genevieve and Lex covering it up for her and the other stuff? I was very disappointed in her. No matter what kind of friend she considers Lex, she had no business sneaking off to see him. That was the lowest thing she's ever done. I'm not even considering the fact that it was what got her killed, the act alone is what angered me. Where was her loyalty to Clark and the Kents? I mean, afterall, Jonathan Kent just won an election and his son's finance is sneaking off to console his rival.

At first I wondered why Jonathan Kent was at the crash scene and then I remembered that he had gotten a phone call while he was at the Talon, which we all know by now that it was Lionel. I think Jonathan Kent was meant to die all along that night, that HE was the life close to Clark that was to be sacrificed for his disobedience. However, I also think that Jonathan knew he was going to die soon - anyway, because of the deal he made with Jor-El earlier. I think Lana's death was a consequence of her own making and purely conincedental, yet because it happened and Jonathan stopped to console his son - he missed his own date with destiny. So, that would make the second time around, after Clark's intereference no longer the result of destiny, but the result of Lana & Clark's decisions and both are responsible.

Look, many of you know how I feel about Lana's character. It's not Lana that I hate, but what she makes my superhero out to be. No longer will Lana be the girl that Clark outgrows, but the one who got away. Lois can never be the love of Clark's life - because Lana will always be the one he wanted. Lois has been dwindled down to the consolation prize - the one he settles with. Also, Clark's reasons for not telling Lana the second time are unfounded. How much more in danger is Lana knowing the truth as Chloe? Clark's enemies will use his best friend as much as his girlfriend against him, so what makes it more dangerous for one to know over the other? Clark knows that Lana would accept him, knowing the truth and it wasn't her knowledge of the truth that got her killed, but her reckless behavior. I don't think Clark is being honest with himself when it comes to the reasons he didn't tell her the second time. I think it was because he couldn't trust her like he had hoped. She still stole away to see Lex without him. Who knows... maybe he still has a chance to grow out of his obsession?

But, another point about this whole new angle is that it also pits Lana in the middle of Clark and Lex. I'm sure Clark will hold Lex more responsible than Lana for his father's death. Had Lex never called Lana and caused her accident, she wouldn't have died, he wouldn't have had to go back in time to save her, lose her and then lose his father as the life in exchange for hers. Now, she's not only been elevated to the status of being the love of Clark's life, but the very reason for their ultimate rivalry. No longer can the tale of Superman be a story of mere good vs. evil on moral alone - no - now their fight will be over a woman and it just happens that one is on the good side and one is on the bad side. Though Lana lived, I think Clark will still blame Lex for her initial death. I'm not sure he'll be able to get over that, because he lived through it, though no one else did.

But, not all was a total loss in this episode. I thought that Martha was wonderful. She really portrayed a good version of a woman who lost a well loved and well respected man. Her speech to Clark was priceless. Now, if he'll just listen to it.

I thought Jonathan's death scene was in good taste. I was sitting there, almost begging for him to be able to say one last 'I love you" or "good-bye", but was glad when nothing was said. He said everything with his eyes. Also, it made it more realistic. Many times people don't get the chance to say 'good-bye' and John Schnieder did an excellent job with it. I also love the fact that he went out a hero - defending his family like he has always done. I'm frustrated that they didn't show us what was in the picture. (BTW-that's two pictures now we haven't seen. The first one was when Lionel burned that picture from Lex's hired man and now this one. WHAT IS IN THOSE PHOTOS?)

Chloe get's the best lines in this show. When she mentioned Clark spinning the world backwards on its axis, I nearly choked on my drink. I should learn by now not to be drinking anything when Chloe's on the scene. I also loved her reaction when she asked about her reaction the first time Clark told her about the engagement. It showed that she's trying to very considerate of Clark and not reveal to much of her own feelings. She's a hero in her own right by the support she gives her insensitive friend. She believes in him when he doesn't even believe in himself. I think the look that she gave him at the funeral was of pure compassion, because she alone understands what Clark had given up. I'm sure she noticed Lana reach for his hand, but he didn't return the affection. He stood alone, though he was surrounded by those who loved him. He didn't reach back for Lana and drew away from him - he let her go and only Chloe knows why. I think she saw how much her friend was hurting and she felt extreme compassion for him.

What I found interesting was that Lois had much the same look, but her compassion doesn't come from knowing his sacrifice, but out of her own hidden affections for him. She cares and loves Clark just as deeply as Chloe, but she also much like her cousin in keeping her feelings in check.

I also found it interesting that Lionel and Lex were at the funeral. I understand Lex being there, because no matter how much Jonathan was his political rival, he has a lot of love and respect for him. He's always desired to have a father like Jonathan Kent and on many occassions had tried to latch himself to that family. They represent what is good in the world and he see's Jonathan as the father he always wanted to have. But, Lionel's presence there makes absolutely no sense. Martha would have never invited him, Clark would have never accepted his condolences - so why was he there. I think it also showed him like a roaring lion prowling around his food of prey (Martha). I don't know what Lionel is up to and I hope we find out soon.

I did find it a bit ironic that it was while Clark was saving Lois that Lana almost met her fate again. I mean, come on... if Clark was so adamant about keeping Lana from repeating history - he wouldn't have let her out of his sights for one moment. He knew she was going to get a phone call from Lex, yet he wasn't watching her like a hawk. He could have supersped to save Lois, but he didn't have to stick around to make sure she was alright and to listen to her chide about it. Maybe Lana isn't such a priority to Clark if he was so easily able to completely forget about her while he was saving Lois?

Maybe this epidode was more revealing than I initially thought?

Bottom line: It was a good episode, but very disappointing. The previews for next week leaves me with a disgusted feeling. I don't want to go through another episode of 'rebellious' Clark. I'm ready for him to grow up and get over himself. I was hoping this father's death would have done that for him, but it looks like he's still got a little bit more childishness to get out.

Till next time!

It proved what you knew all along, but it was badly executed.:mad: