Clark Kent’s last year of high school, the meeting of his
future love, a teaser into his greatest ability, and an all too familiar
disaster for the people of Smallville. Season Four may be the greatest season
of them all. It’s sad to believe that the memorable “high school” moments and
storylines disappear after this year, unfortunately declining the likeness of
the show. This season produced so many great episodes that I had trouble
narrowing it down to only five. These may not be your favorite shows of the
season, but they are mine and hopefully my little analysis of each will change
your mind. (Spoilers of episodes follow)
5. Transference
Most comic book shows
feature an episode that involves the hero and the villain transferring minds.
It gives us a break from all the seriousness of usual storylines and allows the
writers to have some creative fun, showing us what each character would do in
the other’s body if they had their life, or in Clark’s case, their powers!
While Lionel transfers into Clark’s body, Clark is left in prison in Lionel’s
“shoes”. It was interesting to see each actor act like the other’s character,
but when it was all over I was glad to see everyone back to normal. Not an
overly important episode to the story arc of the season, but a much-needed
break from serious stories previously told before it.
Favorite Moment: Jonathan asks Clark (Lionel) to lift a tractor above his
head in order for Jonathan to fix it. Lionel appears amazed at his newfound
strength, along with the shock that Clark Kent is no ordinary farm boy.
4. Crusade
Kryptonian crystals
have been scattered around the world and are said to have unlimited power when
combined together. Lex is already on the hunt while his father sits in a jail
cell after his arrest last season; an overly large cell, even if he’s rich.
Clark meets Lois Lane in an awkward moment out in a cornfield. After three
months of “fulfilling his destiny” for Jor-el, Clark returns home, but as
Kal-el, an emotionless, heartless person with only the hunt for the crystals on
his mind. It is in this form when Clark, or Kal-el. Flies for the very first
time of the series in a spectacular scene that just sends chills down any true
Superman fan’s spine every time they watch it. The season premiere also guest
stars Margot Kidder as well as black kryptonite.
Favorite Moment: After declaring that Clark Kent is dead, Kal-el shoves his
adoptive earth mother to the ground as he slowly builds force beneath his feet,
lifting him up into the sky, flying at incredible speeds. Unfortunately this is
something we would not see again until the last season.
3. Onyx
You ever notice how
it’s sometimes hard to tell whether Lex is telling the truth or not? Is his
plan for good or for evil? Is he being a good friend or is he just benefiting
himself? Well in Onyx, black kryptonite returns and separates Lex into two
people, a good, descent friend and an evil mastermind bent on complete control
of anything he wants. This episode gives us the very first, official Clark vs.
Lex showdown. Lex also discovers Clark’s origins and his weakness, almost
killing him with a kryptonite ring. Luckily Clark gets aid from the “good” Lex
and eventually the two are put back together again. Clark fears he may never
trust Lex again after seeing what he truly is deep down.
Favorite Moment: Wearing a classic kryptonite ring, Lex defeats Clark,
threatens the Kent family and declares his main objective of control, the
world!
2. Run
My personal favorite
of the entire series, most likely because the Flash is my favorite superhero
(sorry Bats, your second). Bart Allen guests stars as a young Flash and
represents the first superhero guest star of the series. He proves to Clark
that their powers are gifts, not curses and that they should enjoy them. While
trying to teach Clark this lesson, Bart steals from Lex, makes a dangerous deal
with criminals and puts Clark’s life in danger. At the end of it all they
become friends with Bart declaring he’ll find others out in the world like them
to “start up a club or a league or something.”
Favorite Moment: Clark asks Bart to stay in Smallville, as Bart says that if
he can catch him he’ll think about it. As Clark runs as fast as he can, Bart
runs backwards at the same speed, then turns as a flash of light erupts around
him and with a sonic boom, he runs out of sight (you got to see it, I’m not
great at explaining every detail of the scene).
1. Commencement:
Just as the series
started, it’s greatest season ends: with a meteor shower. On Clark’s graduation
day, the military arrives and begins evacuating the town as Clark combines the
three crystals forming one blue crystal. The meteors destroy the town as Lana’s
helicopter is crashed. The season finale ends with great cliffhangers:
- Lana injured and in view of a large,
crashed spaceship that begins to open right before her eyes.
- Lois watches as smoke clears to
reveal the fatal destruction of Smallville
- The Kent farm is hit with a large meteor,
one of which hits the house with Jonathan and Martha in it.
- And Clark, teleported to the arctic,
tosses the blue crystal into the screen, concluding the season.
Favorite Moment: As the meteors plummet upon the cars trying to evacuate the
town, one small boy is stuck in the crossfire of a meteor until Clark jumps in
front and protects the child as the meteor shatters behind him.
No comments:
Post a Comment