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episode review: smallville

sv - insurgence

I'm hoping in the future, Lex gets a better class of subordinates.

*sighs* This is the reason I love Smallville.

I loved this episode. It is so damn good I wonder if this was slipped in by accident.

Okay, anytime Lex gets to be actively Lex? Always good. So what if every DAMN time he gets to do anything, it has to be a bad thing or a questionable thing or a shooting thing. Which, if next week is any indiction, the show is going to do something as bizarre as possible, so I'll just stick with this.

Lex has GOT to get himself a good minion.

Seriously here. His biggest pitfall right now is that he's just not naturally very good at picking reliable hired muscle and criminals. It's frustrating. He's smart, he has money, nad the boy has absolutely NO instincts on how to pick people who would be scared to death to cross you. *sighs* Poor baby.

So lo, Martha stood up for herself. I liked it. Jonathan was an ass. Everything was going pretty much like one might expect. God, it was nice to see Martha stand up for herself.

I do like how Jonathan never apologizes or really backs down, though. He just looked mildly abashed every time he behaved like an ass. Can the man apologize? Or is that unmanly in some way?

Minimal Lana. YAY!

Okay, I'll be far more coherent, but the Lex woobieness is kiling me. He gave up Jonathan beautifully, in a way I hope will haunt Jonathan in later years. He's about on the edge of giving up on everything, including himself, and that end scene of him actaully brought tears to my eyes.

It's so--he's just not naturally GOOD at this sort of thing. All along, there's the genrealized feel that he's fighting destiny, of becoming his father. This is the first time it's occurred to me he's actually being dragged AWAY from his destiny of being a good and great man and instead forced into the dark by pure pressure. Which is--a very different way of looking at things. Because he jsut isn't GOOD at it. It's not just his age, either, or his impetuousness--he's simply not wired that way.

I'm thinking he's going to be rewiring himself very soon so he can. *sighs*

Lex, when you go dark, it's almost going to be a relief. Just so he won't hurt anymore.

*sniffles*

I'll be relatively analytical later, but damn. I'm utterly beside myself with sheer excitement.

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>Lex has GOT to get himself a good minion.<

See, I think his problem is, now that Hamilton and Nixon are dead, he really has no minions left. (Even if those two sucked.) These guys were more Rent-a-Minion, so he didn't have their complete loyalty which is why it major-league-screwed-up.

See, I think his problem is, now that Hamilton and Nixon are dead, he really has no minions left. (Even if those two sucked.) These guys were more Rent-a-Minion, so he didn't have their complete loyalty which is why it major-league-screwed-up.

*shakes head* It's AMAZING how bad his taste is. Hamilton was just plain crazy, and well, Nixon was--dumb. It's like he picks his minions for idiocy.

*giggles* Rent-a-Minions. Love. It.

I'm saying, Lex is NOT meant to be a criminal mastermind. Though at this point, I really think he should enroll in some classes.

Yes, this episode rocked. The music actually didn't suck too much. Lex and angry music go together sooo well. I *howled* with laughter when Lex said that big daddy was listening. He made it sound bitterly suggestive. I like angry Lex. Which is good, because the anger management classes do not seem to be working.
Which brings me to my next point. Where was Helen? We have this big long forced speech about Helen climbing the fortess of Lex's heart, and then when he really needs someone, she's not there. I think that's why their relationship feels so forced to me, aside from the zero additional character development. She *could* have been a cool character. Also, somehow I don't believe that she turned down Lionel's offer.
It's unlike Lionel to implicate himself by giving someone 100 grand without getting anything in return.

If Lex is going to keep spying on people, he either needs to take stalking lessons from Clark or hire people on full time. Hope and Mercy kick so much butt. I would watch just to see them. They could call it the Hope and Mercy show.
(sigh)
Jonathan, who started out as a reasonably sympathetic character for me is rapidly becoming very irritating. I just walked away from that episode thinking "Man, Martha could do so much better." At the same time, I think it helped me understand why she loves Jonathan so much. His honesty and simplemindedness shone through at the end of the show.
Emphasis on the simplemindedness.

There was a definate theme in this show of losing a potential daddy. Lex got burned by Jonathan one too many times and Lana learns that her biological father is a flake. Finally, at the end of the episode, Lex doesn't even have a father pretending to care about him. He's probably not going to be spending as much time with Clark anymore either if Jonathan is pissing him off this much. :-( Right. Or a wild twist of fate and acid in the water at Warner Brothers studios will cause the writers to make Clark go over to Lex's house and console him after telling his father off for being an ass. Someone should tell Jonathan he's being an ass. Lex should so have not let him have that chopper. It's not like Jonathan was doing one bit of good in Metropolis anyway. Yes, I know it was a show of decency. Which was utterly wasted on Jonathan who immediately accuses Lex of being in collusion with the kidnappers.
-Silverkyst

Yes, I know it was a show of decency. Which was utterly wasted on Jonathan who immediately accuses Lex of being in collusion with the kidnappers.

You know, Jonathan has been unreasonable in the past, but overhearing Lex *giving orders to the kidnappers* and then jumping to the conclusion that Lex actually had some connection to them? That's about the most reasonable conclusion Jonathan's ever jumped to. How would Lex even have the phone number of the people inside the building if he wasn't connected with them in some way? *snort* Lex totally knew he was caught; he didn't even try to deny it. It's too bad, too; they'd really been kind of okay with each other this season, but now Lex is burning his bridges all over the place. *sniffle*

Well, the kidnappers could have just as easily forced Lex's number out of Lionel and called him for private ransom demands when they weren't getting anywhere with the police.

That's what I thought.

Actually, I believe Lex did ask to take part in negotiations, which were taking place since the guy was demending a helicopter. And "Don't hurt them" sounds a lot more like something you'd hear in negotiations than an order to people you hired. I doubt Jonathan would've jumped to the same conclusion if he overheard anyone else saying it.

See, this is where I'm going to have to disagree. From the outside it seemed a lot more ambiguous to me than to Jonathan. It's a pretty big leap to make to say that just because Lex had figured out who was kidnapping Martha and Lionel that he was somehow in collusion with them. Lionel's got enemies, and it's not unreasonable to think Lex might know them. It would be very like Lex to attempt his own negotiations at the same time the police were attempting theirs.
IMHO, the man who burned the most bridges in this episode was Lionel. Hitting on your personal assistant and bugging your son's house is not a good way to make friends. I see the main reason Lex bugged his father's office is that if he had not done it, it would have been a sign of weakness to his father who would have done something else in return. Not to mention the fact that if Lionel was engaging in espionage against him he needed to know what that action was.
-Silverkyst

I have to agree here. Whether or not Jonathan was right is irrelevant to the point--he did not have anywhere near enough information to make that jump to conclusions. He said that because it was LEX, the Luthor, etc etc etc, which pretty much dovetails with his other actions in this ep.

Deadlychameleon said, "Lionel's got enemies, and it's not unreasonable to think Lex might know them."

Yes, LuthorCorp has enemies-- about a million of them. It is extremely unlikely that Lex could have tracked down the one specific guy who hired the intruders, since nobody knew their names, what they were after, etc. (And if he had done that, why not turn that man over to the police? And even if he *had* tracked down the man who hired the intruders, why would that man give him the cell phone number? It doesn't make any sense.)

Jenn: Whether or not Jonathan was right is irrelevant to the point--he did not have anywhere near enough information to make that jump to conclusions.

I disagree. On the outside of the building, nobody knew that these intruders had originally been hired to bug Lionel's office. As far as Jonathan and the police knew, they were a gang of independent thieves who'd gotten interrupted on their way to rob the safe Lionel's office. Nobody had a reason to think the intruders were being controlled by anyone from the outside, which is why it was so suspicious when someone turned out to be in communication with them.

We have to look at what Jonathan knows. He knows that Lionel recently bugged Lex's office. He knows that Lex hasn't always been trustworthy, even in his relationship withe Kents and Clark.

When he overheards Lex talking to the people on the inside, first he demands to know what's going on. Lex could have lied, there-- he could have offered all the excuses you guys have come up with. He didn't even try. He knows Jonathan's not jumping to an unreasonable conclusion. He doesn't look offended-- he looks guilty. He got caught.

So he tells the truth, but not all of the truth, which is his constant pattern, and basically says, "Whatever I'm doing, I'm doing for the best interests of Martha and Lionel."

Jonathan *knows* he's being stonewalled, and he knows he's not getting the entire truth. So he says "*If* I find out you had anything to do with this--"

Not, "I knew it was your fault all along." He *doesn't* jump to the conclusion that Lex did it all, just from overhearing part of the one conversation. He jumps to the conclusion that since Lex is *talking to* the bad guys when he should, logically, have no reason to *be* talking to them, and since Lex *has no good explanation* for how he can be talking to them-- that he might have had something to do with it, and *if* Jonathan finds out that's definitively the case, he's gonna be pissed.

You're saying he didn't have enough information to jump to the conclusion that he jumped to, but he did.

(1) Lex has the intruders' cell number.
(2) There's really no likely way for Lex to have that number unless he if he had it before the incident occurred. If the intruders had wanted to negotiate with Lex instead of the police, why wouldn't they have just demanded that the police put *Lex on the phone?*
(3) Lex *has no* explanation. Don't tell me "Oh, Jonathan wouldn't have listened." If Lex had said "They called me, jackass," that would have been a perfectly good explanation. But he offers nothing. No defense. He has no defense.

If it had been "any other character" on the phone, Jonathan might not have reacted the same way, but it wasn't any other character, it was Lex-- who hasn't always been trustworthy and aboveboard in his dealings with the Kents, who's put Clark in danger before thanks to his actions. Jonathan has no reason to give him the benefit of the doubt; he knows Lex well enough to judge his behavior accurately, which is *what he did.*

Part of this may be my interpretation of my gut reaction to the scene, which was that Jonathan's accusation was sudden, if explainable by mistrust and adrenaline.

Yes, LuthorCorp has enemies-- about a million of them.
There are always enemies mor e currently irritated than others.
(And if he had done that, why not turn that man over to the police? And even if he *had* tracked down the man who hired the intruders, why would that man give him the cell phone number? It doesn't make any sense.)
Now we're totally off in theory land, about a what if of a what if. Just for giggles though, the enemy he found could have been the man in the building himself, not a hiree. And how would Jonathan know what Lex has and has not told the police? The pol ice aren't talking to Jonathan. Only to Lex.

We have to look at what Jonathan knows. He knows that Lionel recently bugged Lex's office.
Does he? I need to rewatch this episode, but I think Jonathan cut Clark off when he was trying to tell him abo ut it.

1) Lex has the intruders' cell number.
I don't think Jonathan saw Lex dial the cellphone or pick it up, Lex is probably savvy enough to do that out of sight of Jonathan. And there was way too much noise to prove or disprove that the phone ra ng.
(2) There's really no likely way for Lex to have that number unless he if he had it before the incident occurred. If the intruders had wanted to negotiate with Lex instead of the police, why wouldn't they have just demanded that the police put * Lex on the phone?*
They didn't want whatever they said to Lex to be recorded by the police. Calling him on his cell allows them a possible escape from the police, and money. Had they survived, they could have gotten 2 million dollars out of that p ho ne call.
(3) Lex *has no* explanation. Don't tell me "Oh, Jonathan wouldn't have listened." If Lex had said "They called me, jackass," that would have been a perfectly good explanation. But he offers nothing. No defense. He has no defense.

Le x * can't* tell Jonathan the truth. For a lot of reasons.

Did Jonathan judge Lex's behavior accurately? I think not. I don't know what Jonathan thought Lex's connection to the kidnappers was, but I sure don't think he thought it was a bug planting missio n gone bad. What really bothers me about J is that even had he known, he wouldn't have cared. He can see shades of gray when asking his son to break into medical labs, but not when trying to save the jobs and mortgages of Smallville. If he he knew the tru th, h e would still be pissed at Lex for endangering his wife, as if breaking into medical facilities and damaging test equipment couldn't have had pretty serious repurcussions. What if someone's cancer tests had been damaged or something? What if Clark h ad had to knock out someone and had knocked them a little too hard?

The Kents and the Luthors are both constantly lying to one another, not to mention breaking the law.

Clark does understand and accept Lex's actions, but Jonathan doesn't try. Jonathan's distrust is pulling Lex and Clark apart, which irritates me.
-Silverkyst

>I'm saying, Lex is NOT meant to be a criminal mastermind. Though at this point, I really think he should enroll in some classes. <

Oh I definitly don't think he gets much better in the future either. I mean, come on. The guy who ruins all his plans is *Clark*?! Clark the flying squirell-boy whose back-up plan of going through the sewers is to jump off a million-story building with no knowledge as to if he can make it and no plan on what to do once he does? Lex's plans can't be all that great if *Clark* can figure out how to stop them, ya know? ;)

Lex, when you go dark, it's almost going to be a relief. Just so he won't hurt anymore.

I know what you mean, my dear! I find myself actually hurting, just *aching* for Lex in so many of these scenes -- you know he <>could be good, you know he may even want to be good, but... *sigh*, and then with the doubting over the past season(s), and the blaming, and the let's-all-hug-and-leave-Lex-in-the-proverbial-cold moments -- well, it's enough to make me cry. after all, hot gay man!love will only make up for so much...

In summary: GREAT episode, muchly enjoyed, but with a melancholy aftertaste.

I know what you mean, my dear! I find myself actually hurting, just *aching* for Lex in so many of these scenes -- you know he <>could be good, you know he may even want to be good, but... *sigh*, and then with the doubting over the past season(s), and the blaming, and the let's-all-hug-and-leave-Lex-in-the-proverbial-cold moments -- well, it's enough to make me cry. after all, hot gay man!love will only make up for so much...

God, yes. Tara LJC was right--this is like Jitters to the nth power. God, he needs a family like no one's business. *sighs*

In summary: GREAT episode, muchly enjoyed, but with a melancholy aftertaste.

Yeah, i'll be weeks getting over this one. Maybe longer. Dear God.

On the minion front, I think I'm about ready for Lex to meet Hope and Mercy. And I'm about ready for them to train him to kick ass the way they do in your Human!Clark series. Good for his self-esteem. And I love your take on Lex losing his true destiny of being a good man by the sheer exertion of outside pressure. That's new, and Clark's culpability in Lex's fall is interesting. I still see slashy potential in the guilt that would eventually engender in Clark. Still sad, though. Lex is so doomed, and I just love him too much to watch him go over the edge. (sigh)

And I love your take on Lex losing his true destiny of being a good man by the sheer exertion of outside pressure. That's new, and Clark's culpability in Lex's fall is interesting. I still see slashy potential in the guilt that would eventually engender in Clark.

It's almost frightening. Honestly, I'm beginning to question free will in this completely. I have never seen a character this utterly--squashed.

Dear God, finding out about Lucas is going to wreck him. Completely.

Yes, and that's coming soon. I've read spoilers, and I think I remember something about Lucus being a real jerk. "A character this utterly squashed." Deprived of "free will." It's heartbreaking. I'm beginning to feel really, really grateful that Lex isn't real. Not that it helps much, though, when we've all invested so much in caring about him. This whole fandom thing gets pretty emotionally tricky for us sometimes, I guess (speaking as a rookie).

Yes, and that's coming soon. I've read spoilers, and I think I remember something about Lucus being a real jerk.

I'm avoiding them like the plague. They'll only stress me. Gah.

"A character this utterly squashed." Deprived of "free will." It's heartbreaking. I'm beginning to feel really, really grateful that Lex isn't real. Not that it helps much, though, when we've all invested so much in caring about him. This whole fandom thing gets pretty emotionally tricky for us sometimes, I guess (speaking as a rookie).

Speaking as one on her third fandom, I dont' remember EVER tensing myself out this badly before, during, AND after an episode. I almost look forward to hiatus, when there's a breather.

Wow, that is soo fangirly. *blinks*

Lex, when you go dark, it's almost going to be a relief. Just so he won't hurt anymore.

Amen! That way we don't have it hanging over our heads like the world's ugliest anvil. I rarely use the word but - Woobie!

Minions - Lex needs to look up Tony Soprano and find out how it's done. I believe Furio is free, just don't leave Clark alone around him.

No joke!

*pets Lex* You will SO have better minions in the future, I promise.

Lex needs to recruit Clark as his minion! That way, Clark would be there to make sure his not-too-nefarious plans go well, and distract him from the too-nefarious ones. I mean...if Martha's going to keep working for Lionel to keep an eye on him... I mean... I'm just saying...

And that last scene! Didn't that just rip your heart out by the major vessels? Poor woobie!

Just so he won't hurt anymore.
Angst is no respecter of darkness. He'll still hurt. He'll just be more shielded and cynical about it. And he'll still be gorgeous in his pain.

And that last scene! Didn't that just rip your heart out by the major vessels? Poor woobie!

I was revoltingly sentimental and had tears in my eyes.

*sighs*

Angst is no respecter of darkness. He'll still hurt. He'll just be more shielded and cynical about it. And he'll still be gorgeous in his pain.

Without expecting himself to be better, without wanting others to respect him for himself, he'll lose half his angst. Most of his hurt now comes from rejection by people he wnats to be accepted by. When he gets past wanting that so desperately--it'll be easier.

Okay, it STILL hurts to think in these terms. God.

Lex, when you go dark, it's almost going to be a relief. Just so he won't hurt anymore.

Oh, absolutely. You read my mind. I keep telling him to cross over, we will treat him much better than some people... I will not go into rant over the Clark's line in next week's prevew... I will not... *deep breath*

He gave up Jonathan beautifully, in a way I hope will haunt Jonathan in later years.

As painful as it was, I know I cheered. It's about damn time Lex stood up for himself there.

Oh, absolutely. You read my mind. I keep telling him to cross over, we will treat him much better than some people... I will not go into rant over the Clark's line in next week's prevew... I will not... *deep breath*

Breathe, chica. It's what we are all doing.

And you know Clark won't ever apologize. because he learned from his dad that Real Men Don't.

*grrr*

As painful as it was, I know I cheered. It's about damn time Lex stood up for himself there.

God, yes. Yes yes yes.

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