So now Rick Flagg is a stooge of Chloe

[Bizarrolover]

Well, if you look when I posted that, it was midway into the episode before that final scene, which did end up really pissing me off.

If Clark is fine with it, then he is severely flawed and nothing like the Clark Kent of the comics who refuses to believe that the ends justify the means. After all, Flagg & Deadshot killed people to save Chloe. This wasn't like Lex shooting Roger Nixon to save Jonathan at the spur of the moment. This was something that was premeditated where secrets were kept when they didn't have to be & people died. Plus Clark never found out about Lex's true relationship with Nixon & if he would have, you could believe that their friendship would have ended right then & there.

A scene like this where Clark/Superman is kept in the dark about things & ends up in some Matrix-wannabe program only for someone else who had been keeping secrets from him to break him free while Clark/Superman turns a blind eye to the tactics used (which would have fatalities) would never ever happen in the comics. It makes me sick watching a character who's supposed to be this show's version of Superman involved in such a disgusting plot.

This season has butchered Clark in several aspects. He got rid of Slade by sending him to the Phantom Zone, then he says 'good' when Chloe so nonchalantly tells him that she has all the VRA guards plugged to the virtual realty to protect his secret. I wonder how long can that last and how long Clark will be OK with it. It will probably be forgotten by the next episode and those guards will lay comatose forever.

I don't know much about Comic book Clark, but season 9 Clark wouldn't have approved of that. I hate that Clark's beliefs about people's integrity had been lowered to Chloe's who is an end justify the means character. I think the problem is, the writers had screwed up this so much, so many of the bad guys are aware now of Clark's identity, that it can't be fixed without a massive mindwipe. And then we will be faced with the moral dilemma: is it OK to selectively erase people's memories even if the intentions are good? It has been done more than once on this show. I know TPTB are expecting us to forget about this VRA people that already know about him as the season progresses, but as I won't forget, this will always be a major plothole for me.

[The Governor]

It would have been cool to see Clark (Superman) working with Oliver, Black Canary, Flag and Deadshot to bring down Trotter and her bad guys!! The writers made an error in not allowing Clark to jump off the Daily Planet with Oliver and Chloe. The plot gave me the impression that Clark had darkness in his heart because he was living in the past and not in the present (Brainac 5's piece of advice to Clark in Homecoming).

If the writers brought Clark into the real world very quickly to help out the Suicide Squad, Oliver and Chloe, I would love to have seen how Clark would lead the band of superheroes by getting the Suicide Squad and the Justice League to work as a team. As Martian Manhunter said in Season 8 and 9, Superman is suppose to unite all forces who want to achieve justice to work as a team!!

THE GOV

[BadToad]

This season has butchered Clark in several aspects. He got rid of Slade by sending him to the Phantom Zone, then he says 'good' when Chloe so nonchalantly tells him that she has all the VRA guards plugged to the virtual realty to protect his secret. I wonder how long can that last and how long Clark will be OK with it. It will probably be forgotten by the next episode and those guards will lay comatose forever.

Just wanted to repost that, because I think it raises a rather excellent observation, and how screwed up the message on this show gets when morality becomes too inconvenient. The type of strong morality we should be seeing from Clark.

So, if any of these VRA folks die in the VR, as we were told they surely could, then that will be OK because they needed to be put out of the way, and prevented from revealing Clark's secret? Really? Thats the message the show wants to go with?

Well, OK, I guess it was much more important for the show to end with things like Chloe being MOH.

[~*Lois & Clark Fan*~]

If Clark is fine with it, then he is severely flawed and nothing like the Clark Kent of the comics who refuses to believe that the ends justify the means

When has this Clark ever been like Clark from the comics? I doubt Clark from the comics would have deliberately taken Red K then went around robbing and stealing, like this Clark did in Season 3

Clark is never in character when it comes to Chloe

[MrT]

It seems to me that the best fighting scenes are the ones Clark is not involve in.

Maybe SVU is trying to make their own Earth version of Superman.

So what number is next in line..... 52 ?

SVU = Earth 52, Where Clark is bumbling boob who can't fly, always gets bailed out by his friends and is always whipped by his gfs.

[umm]

I'm okay with it, I was thrilled Chloe could pull something like that off.

Me too!

[Kneel before Zod]

I'm fine with Chloe's arrangement with the Suicide Squad. Sure, I think its a bit implausible that she managed to recruit them, but she did put on the Fate helmet. I suppose she used some of the knowledge she acquired to co-opt them into her service.

As long as this plot is heading somewhere interesting I have no reason to be upset about it.

[SVFancross]

I understand what you're saying but this is the show that had Lex survive a direct shot to the head and had him back up walking by the end. Again, unless we saw actual confirmation that those who were shot died (burning bodies, etc), I think the show leaves itself a loophole. I'm not saying that's good story-telling (I think the director just wanted a cool fight scene) but I don't think we're meant to assume a bloodbath occurred either.

In SV, no funeral with the dirt sprinkle, no death. There was no pool of blood -- I think a fanwanked "non-lethal" is warranted. No headshots (certainly within the skillset of Flagg and Deadshot too).

Re-watching, did Chloe put them in or did Tess. "Watchtower" gave the report.

Not that it mattered BTW -- the morality stinks.

[Connor_Kent]

In SV, no funeral with the dirt sprinkle, no death. There was no pool of blood -- I think a fanwanked "non-lethal" is warranted. No headshots (certainly within the skillset of Flagg and Deadshot too).

Re-watching, did Chloe put them in or did Tess. "Watchtower" gave the report.

Not that it mattered BTW -- the morality stinks.

Lois said "Watchtower, I mean Tess, ......" So it was Tess.

[Bizarrolover]

In SV, no funeral with the dirt sprinkle, no death. There was no pool of blood -- I think a fanwanked "non-lethal" is warranted. No headshots (certainly within the skillset of Flagg and Deadshot too).

Re-watching, did Chloe put them in or did Tess. "Watchtower" gave the report.

Not that it mattered BTW -- the morality stinks.

Yes it stinks, and what stinks the most is that Clark didn't object, he just nodded and said 'good'. Clark is supposed to be above that, he should have objected. I hate that the show is giving up everything his character stands for, his beliefs and strong morality to serve some crappy Chloe is badass plot.

Also, I don't believe in the non funeral, no death thing. Those guards were shot, period. Maybe they died, maybe the didn't, but they were shot anyway. And when someone is shot, there can be severe injuries, even amputations. I didn't like how the whole thing was handled and how the 'heroes' were so OK with this.

[Connor_Kent]

Yes it stinks, and what stinks the most is that Clark didn't object, he just nodded and said 'good'. Clark is supposed to be above that, he should have objected. I hate that the show is giving up everything his character means, his beliefs and strong morality to serve some crappy Chloe is badass plot.

Also, I don't believe in the non funeral, no death thing. Those guards were shot, period. Maybe they died, maybe the didn't, but they were shot anyway. And when someone is shot, there can be severe injuries, even amputations. I didn't like how the whole thing was handled and how the 'heroes' were so OK with this.

I agree with everything you're saying but in regards to serious injuries, it was self defense and they would've been killed. Clark has more than once done something that should mortally wound someone such as strangling someone, throwing, punching, or slapping someone halfway across the room into walls, tables, etc.

[Bizarrolover]

I agree with everything you're saying but in regards to serious injuries, it was self defense and they would've been killed. Clark has more than once done something that should mortally wound someone such as strangling someone, throwing, punching, or slapping someone halfway across the room into walls, tables, etc.

Yeah, you are right. I don't like how Clark is always punching people and throwing them across the room either. One day he'll break someone's neck. As for being self defence, does self defence apply when you are intruding someone's property (a government facility, btw) and they are shooting at you because you are actually committing a crime?

[LoD]

In SV, no funeral with the dirt sprinkle, no death. There was no pool of blood -- I think a fanwanked "non-lethal" is warranted. No headshots (certainly within the skillset of Flagg and Deadshot too).

Sad, but very likely true.

Re-watching, did Chloe put them in or did Tess. "Watchtower" gave the report.

Lois said "Watchtower" then corrected herself and said "Tess." I'm assuming it was Tess.

Not that it mattered BTW -- the morality stinks.

What's worse is that I don't even think it is intentional. I think, as BadToad suggested, they just find the morality inconvenient or that they just don't stop to think things through. They don't pay enough attention to logic or significance, only whether or not it looks "cool."

[Bizarrolover]

What's worse is that I don't even think it is intentional. I think, as BadToad suggested, they just find the morality inconvenient or that they just don't stop to think things through. They don't pay enough attention to logic or significance, only whether or not it looks "cool."

But since TW is so protective (that's what TPTB usually say) of his character and his journey, I can't believe HE didn't object to Clark passively nodding and saying 'good' to having those guys plugged indefenitely to a VR machine. I don't mind other characters have this shady kind of morality as long as Clark/Superman remains true to himself. But, I know that if Clark would have objected that, it would have ruined the mood for the whole 'be my maid of honor' stuff, which is so important for these writers. I wish Clark and Lois would have remained blissfully oblivious the guards situation. They could have handled it in a different way, with Chloe and Tess (and oliver maybe) doing it behind Clark's back, like when they did with the weapons, but that would have clouded Chloe's returning arc with more secrets and lies, and we know how the show likes to validate her actions. I wish they didn't use clark for that.

[LoD]

Yeah, but what they actually say about the VRA is so incredibly vague, especially when you take into account the euphemistic way Chloe and Lois talk anyway. I don't think they thought anyone would take it as Clark putting the VRA soldiers on ice. They just wanted a quick way to wrap it up and show why our heroes aren't more concerned for their lives in the next episode.

It is like when the government agents tell Indiana Jones that "top men" are researching the Ark, only here the script and direction are sloppy. A stronger script would have said less and shown more.

Example:

Chloe - "You don't have to worry about the VRA, Lois."

Cut to quick scene of Tess releasing the VRA agents from pods with them having no idea how they got there or what they have been doing the last six months. Cut back to Chloe smiling at the Kent farm.

Or whatever. To me, it reads like technical errors in plot construction rather than intentional attempts at being morally ambiguous. I'm not saying your interpretation is wrong or anything. I think the shoddy craftsmanship leaves them open to that kind of interpretation. I just don't think it is what they wanted to convey on screen.