The Relevance and Meanings of Episode Titles

[smallvilleck]

Hi i am not sure if this should be in the episodes bit but it general aswell........

i was wondering if any one has noticed that the episodes titles have been mentioned in the actual episode, (in some sort of way)

off the top of my head,
Krypto - was mentioned
Ryan - Was mentioned
x-ray - was mentioned
Heat - was mentioned

Ok some of these are obvious... but can u name a episode where the title isnt in the episode...

like ,
Rogue..

[ClanaFan2005]

Reckoning..

Pilot

MEtaphorphosis

Hothead

Hour Glass

Slumber

Craving

Leech..

The list is endless..

[MarkAllan22]

Rosetta

[UpandAtom]

The obvious ones:

X-Ray
Zero
Nicodemus
Heat
Red
Ryan
Skinwalker
Perry
Krypto
Lucy



The non-obvious ones:

Jitters
Stray
Drone
Suspect
Rush
Prodigal
Rosetta
Exile
Phoenix
Slumber
Magnetic
Asylum
Truth
Covenent
Crusade
Gone
Facade
Devoted
Run
Transference
Jinx
Spell
Recruit
Spirit
Forever
Exposed
Splinter
Solitude
Vengeance

[ryb]

I like how many of the episode titles have double meanings, such as Obsession, Splinter, Transference, Exile, Phoenix, etc.

The writing pair of Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer frequently use episode titles in following episodes. For example, in Solitude, the word "shattered" is used by Lionel to describe Lex's behavior. In "Asylum", Eric uses the term "leech" to describe his kryptonite power trade with Clark, etc.

[UpandAtom]

I like how Chloe uses the episode titles to give moral lessons in the yearly issues of the Torch.

[smallvilleck]

lol yeah it usually chloe or johnaton who says the title

[Melon_kryptonegg]

i just watched rosetta they did say the title it was in the caves with Lionel i believe he said it something or other about it not being the rosetta stone he was looking for.

[Watching Smallville]

It's something I watch for every week. They always bury the episode title in the dialogue. Pretty cool.

[UpandAtom]

Does it count if someone stems the episode title? Like if Sasha says "drones" or Lex says "accelerated"

[SuperDub2]

some people have too much time on their hands........:D

[smallvilleck]

yes.. it does count if Does it count if someone stems the episode title? Like if Sasha says "drones" or Lex says "accelerated

[photogirl]

It bugs me that Onyx is called onyx, they should have titled it split or something...

[UpandAtom]

There are some episode titles that have nothing to do with the show like "Precipice" or "Witness"

[Tara-L]

Originally posted by photogirl
It bugs me that Onyx is called onyx, they should have titled it split or something...
Onyx was the color of black Kryptonite..also the stone "onyx" is a rock of multilayers of different colors.... so there was a symbolism in the meaning.
*i.e. the multilayers of Lex's personality and psyche.

[ScrappyTheOwl]

Originally posted by UpandAtom
There are some episode titles that have nothing to do with the show like "Precipice" or "Witness"

A possible definition for "precipice": The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation: on the precipice of defeat. (Dictionary.com)

I loved that title, and I think it worked.

I think 'Witness' was titled as such because Clark is a witness at a couple bad events. Clark saw the guys taunting Lana and he saw the guys melting the kryptonite--he was able to use this information to get one arrested.

The only episode title I don't really understand in Hidden: could it be alluding to the way Jor-El was "hidden" inside Lionel?

[ARealClarkKent]

Facade, by Lois.

[smallvillerox05]

Originally posted by Melon_kryptonegg
i just watched rosetta they did say the title it was in the caves with Lionel i believe he said it something or other about it not being the rosetta stone he was looking for.
Just splitting hairs, but Lex says that to Dr. Walden in the mansion.

"Witness" not only refers to Clark witnessing the guys steal the Kryptonite, but it also refers to Lana "witnessing" Jennifer kiss her divorce attorney.

[Ra's Al Ghul]

Originally posted by MarkAllan22
Rosetta

if you are implying that rosetta was not said in this episode you are wrong if not then nevermind.

anyways... the line was "He just might be the rosetta stone we are looking for" as said by lex.

[ginnyfan]

I think Hourglass is one of the best episodes of Smallville ever. I just watched it recently.

Anyway the obvious title references is that the show is an hour and Cassandra dies at the end so perhaps the sands of time running out on her life...

Also the show ends with Martha and the freak-of-the-week in... I'm not sure what it's called but grain rains down on them like sand...

Also I've been thinking that this show sort of sets up the story arc for the entire series. We see Lex's destiny we see Clark's destiny and Cassandra cautions Clark to seize his destiny rather than run from it while Lex is determined to make his own destiny...ignoring the chilling signs that he may be on the wrong path... So maybe this sets up a huge 7-year glass on Lex and Clark reaching their destinies!!! hahaha :)

[Nospam]

Originally posted by Tara-L
Onyx was the color of black Kryptonite..also the stone "onyx" is a rock of multilayers of different colors.... so there was a symbolism in the meaning.
*i.e. the multilayers of Lex's personality and psyche.

That's the way I interpreted the title as well. "Split" just doesn't have the poetry and symbology that "Onyx" has.

I find the episode titles are often quite insightful, and the multiple layers of meaning will come to you after some reflection, usually immediately after an episode. Unfortunately, for some episodes a clever title is all they have going for them (Nocturne, Forever and Ageless immediately spring to mind). Of course, not all of the episode titles have multiple meanings. Ryan, for example. I would think that it must be getting difficult to find good episode titles given all the great titles we've had in the past.

And it seems that Chloe or Lionel are most often called upon to fit the episode titles into their dialogue. Speaking of Chloe, I do miss Chloe's year-end Torch article that incorporates all of the previous episode titles into a "lessons I learned this year" article. The Torch was a lot of fun, especially when you could go on-line and read the article that was the subject of that week's episode. Ah, the memories.


Originally posted by ginnyfan
I think Hourglass is one of the best episodes of Smallville ever. I just watched it recently.

Anyway the obvious title references is that the show is an hour and Cassandra dies at the end so perhaps the sands of time running out on her life...

Also the show ends with Martha and the freak-of-the-week in... I'm not sure what it's called but grain rains down on them like sand...

Also I've been thinking that this show sort of sets up the story arc for the entire series. We see Lex's destiny we see Clark's destiny and Cassandra cautions Clark to seize his destiny rather than run from it while Lex is determined to make his own destiny...ignoring the chilling signs that he may be on the wrong path... So maybe this sets up a huge 7-year glass on Lex and Clark reaching their destinies!!! hahaha :)

It was a grain silo and it never occured to me that the scene might fit into episode title. Very perceptive. :) Now, here is something you might not know, but Cassandra, the elderly lady with the power to see the future, is the name given in Greek mythology to one of the daughters of the King of Troy. The god Apollo was so entranced by her beauty that he granted her the gift of foresight. When she did not return his love, Apollo cast a curse upon her that none would believe her prophecies (sound familiar?). Hourglass is one of my favorite episodes as are all of the episodes from season one. You're also not the first one to suggest that there might be hints to future episodes in Cassandra's visions in Hourglass (although I think you're giving TPTB far too much credit, as cool an idea as that is).

[ShySoul]

Precipice - That was the one where Lex went after Helen's old boyfriend, right? In that case, the title could refer to the way Lex was on the precipice, or on the edge, of killing him. He was close to doing something the "evil" Lex of the future will have no trouble doing. But at that point in time he couldn't, showing that he was still good, and ultimately giving us a glimpse into his future.

Commencement is a clever one. It refers not only to the graduation ceremony, but to the end of one era (high school) and the start of another (Metropolis).

I love figuring out the episode titles. I also love how they are always one word titles, makes them seem more dramatic.

[Routh]

I also think that episodes like Ryan, Perry, and Lucy are especially uninventive, at least title wise.

I do wish Pilot was given an actual title, though. Most shows don't give a title to their pilots, but some do go back and give names to them. I would've given Arrival to the Pilot, but then I wouldn't know what to call 5.01.

[ginnyfan]

Originally posted by Nospam
Now, here is something you might not know, but Cassandra, the elderly lady with the power to see the future, is the name given in Greek mythology to one of the daughters of the King of Troy. The god Apollo was so entranced by her beauty that he granted her the gift of foresight. When she did not return his love, Apollo cast a curse upon her that none would believe her prophecies (sound familiar?). Hourglass is one of my favorite episodes as are all of the episodes from season one. You're also not the first one to suggest that there might be hints to future episodes in Cassandra's visions in Hourglass (although I think you're giving TPTB far too much credit, as cool an idea as that is).

Very cool! Thanks for posting that! :)

[LionelLuthor]

Originally posted by ScrappyTheOwl
The only episode title I don't really understand in Hidden: could it be alluding to the way Jor-El was "hidden" inside Lionel?

Other things that were hidden in the episode:
Gabriel in one of the silos.
Clark had to hide his powers from Lana again at the end of the episode.
I'm sure there are more!

[Shadowlord367]

rosetta- not pointless at all to the episodes, seeing as i studied it quite a bit in my history class last year. very relevant to the episode.

reckoning means an accounting, as for things received or done. so yeah the episode titlse arent pointless, ya just gotta use a dictionary