Smallville 11-05-02 Question and new ep. (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

In all the areas I've seen, Supermans Kryptonian Parents have been killed. Movie, The Animated series, both dead. Anyone know if that was the same in the original comics?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Yup.

 

[Kenneth Cummings]

Can't watch this episode yet until Sunday, due to a blasted NBA game on the channel Smallville airs on.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

You know the woman in tonight's episode isn't going to be his Kryptonian parent, right? She's just a scammer, but still dangerous since a DNA sample of Clark Kent is, well, dangerous.

 

[Mike St.Louis]

Good episode with some interesting revelations about the relationship between Lionel Luthor and Jonathan Kent.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The Pete Ross DNA swap out was so stupid. It would have been better if they got some of Jonathan's DNA to replace Clark's.

What I like about Smallville is that it's able to use soap opera cliches and integrate them seamlessly into the Superman-Smallville mythos, and turn the cliche inside out while making the parents tragic figures all for the sake of protecting Clark's secret.

 

[Mike St.Louis]

I like the fact that Clark's parents in Smallville are more flawed than they were in the comics. Of course they're good people but they seem to have more issues and secrets.

His parents are very important in that they shape Clark's character which makes him the hero he is and will be.

Lex on the other hand does not have a good role model in his father. In this version though, Clark and his parents are offsetting Lionel's influence. Maybe in this reality Lex will escape his destiny and become a good person. I think the friendship of Clark and Lex is the most intersting part of the show.

I will really hate it when they become enemies. Maybe the producers have something else in mind!

 

[florence franks]

Aye Mike, I really hope so. No need in this version for Lex become worlds greatest super evil. Nor any Lois Lane etc, way too much chemistry between them(Lana and Clark). This makes smallville quite interesting with approach.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The Kents are tortured souls, having to do the devil's bidding in order to keep Clark.

I thought it was funny to see baby Clark trying to rub Lex's bald head in the truck.

 

[Shaun]

How were they able to get a DNA sample from Clark if his skin is supposed to be invulnerable?

 

[Tom Keels]

They swabbed the inside of his cheek. Standard way of gathering DNA.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Was Clark really able to restore the metal door of the DNA sample holding enclosure to pristine condition after he bent it open? Hmm...

 

[Ken Chan]

The Pete Ross DNA swap out was so stupid. It would have been better if they got some of Jonathan's DNA to replace Clark's.

Not that there was any preplanning involved, but maybe it's a good idea to avoid using the DNA from someone in his family. Some situation might arise in the future, and if they were to cross-check Jonathan's DNA, they might find out that it's exactly the same as Clark's, which would raise all sorts of questions.

Of course, the same goes for using a friend's, but the odds are probably lower. It would have been better if he knew some more white males, in this particular situation.

I liked how Lana's maybe-father is one of the "Smallville Smalls" (also not from the comics?). Reminds me of Otisburg. And whats-her-name apparently doesn't mind doing some house cleaning, going after Lex with the axe (but then, she's nuts).

Good acting by Allison Mack. Better episode than last week.

//Ken

 

[Jacinto]

Patrick-

Not only did Clark bend the hell out of that door, he did it with no gloves on! And I agree with using Pete for the DNA swab; that was just outright dumb. "Well, according to our DNA tests, Clark is not this lady's son. Strangely though, he is a black man..."

Other than those two minor gripes, I really enjoyed this episode.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Of course, the same goes for using a friend's, but the odds are probably lower. It would have been better if he knew some more white males, in this particular situation.

Trust me, race doesn't make a difference in this case. They have to sift through millions of genes, so they're only looking for the specific sequences that have proven to be connected to heredity. Sure, we probably know what gene determines race, but the labs wouldn't waste the time (and money) to check it out. And it wouldn't have made sense to use Jonathan's DNA since Clark was publically adopted.

 

[Rex Bachmann]

Adam Lenhardt wrote:

I got the impression that somehow this was on purpose. I wondered whether the writers were setting up the test results for outright ridicule. ("I was born a poor black child . . . .")

 

[Rex Bachmann]

Adam Lenhardt wrote:

No, "we" don't. In order to do that, we would have to be able to define "race", which so far has eluded "Western science". The traits involved are all gradations, and not absolutes,---some, like eye color, are polygenetic (i.e., have more than one gene involved)---which means they generally pop up in various degrees in many human populations, crossing what are generally accepted (phenotypic) "racial" boundaries.

 

[Gary_E]

Lineage was a good episode and I put it in my top five along with:
The Pilot
Tempest
Nicodemus
and
Duplicity
Once again this week, SMALLVILLE looked outstanding in HD.
-Gary

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

No, "we" don't. In order to do that, we would have to be able to define "race", which so far has eluded "Western science".

Well then, doesn't my point still stand? I'm not sure on the working practicalities of DNA testing. I do know that we have created enzymes which cut out short sections of DNA which provide a record of heredity but are apparently otherwise useful. This is replicated and the put on a gel. The gel is charged by electricity and the fragments move through the gel, the larger ones faster than the small one. This creates a pattern that can be recorded and compared to other patterns for a match. This is of course oversimplified but it's the basics. But the sequences of DNA that the restriction enzymes "snip out" are, for all intents and purposes seperate from whatever genes are involved in determining racial makeup. I suppose some patterns are more common in whites than blacks and so on, but I still don't see a reason why it would matter weither Clark's DNA replacement came from a black guy or a white guy.

 

[Rollie]

Well Clark couldn't have used his dad's DNA because he's adopted! It wouldn't make much sense if they had the same DNA.

Suprisingly, something that has gone unmentioned, Lionel Luthor's scene at the end...

The kid in the locket was obviously not Lex. So that would mean that Lucas is still alive. I wonder how this will figure into Lex's future.