UK Views...

[Krypto500]

Originally posted by psycosis
... it's a mix of Clark not fully trusting Lana, and worrying that if he did tell her she would blame him for her parent’s death. (He feels responsible for the meteor shower) ...

I agree with both those points, psycosis, but perhaps there's an even more obvious third point: Clark is AFRAID to tell Lana. He's afraid of her reaction - that she'll look at him like he's a freak, recoil in horror, and then run away screaming.

Well, maybe not that last bit , but fear that she'd never look at him the same way again. Which seems to be one of the criticisms levelled at "Reckoning" quite often - that Lana's acceptance of Clark was out of character.

Originally posted by psycosis
It seemed to me she wanted Lex dead because he had something on her that would put her in jail. (Though why this worried her since she could use the gem to convice the police otherwise - was never truely explained)

Yep, this is where the glaring plot holes in filler episodes get exposed. You put them under the slightest scrutiny and they fall apart, the poor things.

My guess is the same as yours - that Simone's original plan was to find out the truth about Clark, inform Lex, collect the money and run. Then, when she discovered how useful Clark could be to her, she figured she could turn on Lex and use Clark to kill him and erase the evidence against her.

That, and then move to California with the super-strong hunk who can bring her chocolate-covered strawberries ...

[Lex Dance]

Hello everyone! Please excuse the tardiness!!

I'm not sure what I think about this episode. I think it ranks above filler status due to the Fine/Lex and (hopefully) the end of Lana and Clark. But at the same time the hypnosis storyline seemed like a rehash of other mind control/altered states episodes. That said, the fact that Lex was behind it gets a big thumbs up! I've said it before but Michael Rosenbaum plays the mixture of Smallville Lex and comic book Lex to a tee. There was much in Hypnosis for me to like: more great scenes with Fine and Lex; evermore devious Lex; Kristin Kreuk showing proper anger and pushing on Lana's character development (I've never been a KK fan but she looked so real in that final scene at the mansion - something which I think Alison Mack does on a regular basis).
However I don't think the episode will rank that highly when I think back to my favourites as the season ends.

Lex investigated the car crash for years, and already has medical records of the Kents, but this (as far as I can recall) is the first time he's pursued Clark specifically rather than just an incident or phenomenon which Clark was connected to.

Hi Krypto! Your post got me thinking back to something that was alluded to in Mortal. Didn't Lex set up the freeing of the Belle Reve prisoners to lure Clark to Level 3 for a Candid Camera moment? As far as I can recall that was Lex's first attempt to snare Clark and prove the theories that he's been building over the last 5 seasons. Interestingly there's been some good discussion on other threads about Lex's "stupidity". I'd argue that the pre-Onyx Lex didn't dare to believe the evidence that was staring him the face (coupled with the fact that a big part of him has wanted to be a Kent). Whereas now, with any semblance of a friendship with Clark all but gone, it's no holds barred when it comes to finding out the truth.
It's been interesting to read discussion on Lex's line about Clark being hypnotised to explain away his ridiculous strength. Hearing that line really jarred - not because the words were so daft but because of the way they were delivered. I don't think Michael Rosenbaum has ever delivered a cheesy line in the history of Smallville so I refuse to take the words at face value. I don't know if anyone will agree (having read earlier posts!) but I think Lex was trying to prevent Clark from having his suspicion aroused even further - don't forget they've already come to blows (in Mortal) over Lex's 'investigation' into Clark's abilities.

And one more thing - why does Brainiac want samples of toxic blood? I'm assuming it's all to do with the ship........

[ramjeetp]

Hey Lex Dance, cool post!!!

I don't really know what Brainiac wants with the samples but it sure does seem like he has something big planned!!! I read on a post on another thread that he may be getting the toxic blood to somehow blackmail Clark to get Zod released. Also cloning himself so there is 4 of him?! All the clones seem to have the same powers too!

I wonder if the two aliens from Arrival will return, maybe in the season finale? We know they are not dead but can Brainiac release them and use them?

[Krypto500]

Originally posted by Lex Dance
Your post got me thinking back to something that was alluded to in Mortal. Didn't Lex set up the freeing of the Belle Reve prisoners to lure Clark to Level 3 for a Candid Camera moment?

Hi Lex Dance ... You're right, that example came to mind straight after I'd posted that reply. Doh!

Think perhaps one could still argue that the two situations were different in principle: with "Hidden", Lex's plan was 'Let's set up a situation and see how Clark reacts to it'. In "Hypnotic", it was more 'Let's send someone to Clark to extract information from him'.

Don't know if I'm talking rubbish, but that second one seems more defined in its goal. What do you think?

[psycosis]

Originally posted by Lex Dance
why does Brainiac want samples of toxic blood? I'm assuming it's all to do with the ship........

I'm not so sure - a lot of posters seem to think he needs the blood to create more clones - but I’m assuming how Fine came back to begin with was from the ship and I don't see why toxic blood would create clones since he's A.I.

I think the blood will have a much bigger part in Fine's plans - which will most likely involve the infamous Zod.

[Lex Dance]

I read on a post on another thread that he may be getting the toxic blood to somehow blackmail Clark to get Zod released.

Hi ramjeetp - I read that thread too. It sounds like a good storyline but maybe a bit too global for Smallville - more of a Superman story. I assume the thread was along the lines of what if.......? rather than stuff that's happened that we haven't seen yet?
I guess we have to assume too that if Brainiac manages to release Zod by the end of the series he'll be able to do the same for the 2 Kryptonians whose names I can never remember! By the way, are they supposed to be the same 2 from Superman II? It would be good to see more Kryptonians but then surely a young Clark Kent couldn't cope with 4 alien bad guys!!!
I agree with you psycosis, I don't think Fine/Brainiac needs the blood for cloning - if anything I think the ship caused the toxic blood. He and the ship are obviously very closely related, since they disappeared at exactly the same time. I guess we shall just have to wait and see - there are too many possibilities!

Think perhaps one could still argue that the two situations were different in principle: with "Hidden", Lex's plan was 'Let's set up a situation and see how Clark reacts to it'. In "Hypnotic", it was more 'Let's send someone to Clark to extract information from him'.

I take your point Krypto - Lex's latest cunning plan is certainly more information-driven. Simone could have potentially revealed that Clark is an alien and Lex's nemesis, while the previous plot might theoretically have revealed that Clark is nothing more than a meteor freak (and we know that Lex isn't overly concerned with them).

[Krypto500]

Originally posted by Lex Dance
I assume the thread was along the lines of what if.......? rather than stuff that's happened that we haven't seen yet?

Hey, Lex Dance! What you and ramjeetp have read is part spoiler, part preview, part speculation: some of it has been established by stuff that has already aired in the U.S., some is from the two- or three-line summaries published by the WB for the final two episodes, "Oracle" and "Vessel". The rest is fan theory and speculation.

... surely a young Clark Kent couldn't cope with 4 alien bad guys!!!

I'm stunned that Clark thinks he can even take Fine, to say nothing of the other two whose names no one can ever remember, and to say nothing of FOUR Fine's, and DEFINITELY to say nothing of Zod!

Put all of them together and Clark's a dead man!

[Lex Dance]

Hi Krypto - I hope those earlier posts haven't spoiled anything for anyone! I try and avoid those WB summaries - the only time I read one was for Splinter and it ruined the opening paranoia scenes. My own stupid fault really! Similarly I tried to avoid knowing who died in the 100th episode (even though I guessed it had to be Jonathon), only to see a picture of a grieving Martha and Clark on the Episode page!!! I read somewhere that Lex turns out to be Superman's arch-enemy in later life, and that he even falls in love with Lois Lane! Surely not!!

[Pesk]

Is there any reason why the ship was in hondouras? And how did it get there, did the ship create a fine, who then jumped into the cockpit and flew the ship to hondouras?

[Lex Dance]

Originally posted by Pesk
Is there any reason why the ship was in hondouras?

Yeah I wondered that too! It seemed like a strangely exotic location. Maybe it was to create confusion surrounding the origins of the virus - ie. did it come from the jungle, the ship or Fine himself?
There are some suggestions that Fine IS the ship, or at least its computer. That would make sense, seeing as they both disappeared together. I'm not really sure whether the ship intended to be in Honduras. Perhaps it malfunctioned somewhat after Fine was 'damaged' by Clark? Either way, Fine is using the situation to come up with a new way of freeing Zod and/or attacking Clark.

[dave73085]

Originally posted by psycosis
. Just remembered I forgot to mention Chloe’s understatement of the century; "We've all had the muti personality thing at one time or another, it's like a right of passage!"
Ironic in the fact she's the only ones who it's not really happened to.

I say not really because you could count the time when she became a FOTW and could make people tell the truth - but she wasn't really under another persons influence.

She was in a Red K like thrill seeking state in Rush...that definitely counts as a mindwhammy. And arguably the truth agent made her more demanding of the truth and uncaring about the consequences. But I'd agree they've probably done it to Chloe less than other characers...b/c she's usually the only one smart enough to figure out what has happened to someone to change their personality

Originally posted by Pesk
Is there any reason why the ship was in hondouras? And how did it get there, did the ship create a fine, who then jumped into the cockpit and flew the ship to hondouras?

Fine and the ship are one and the same. The ship doesn't need fine to fly it.