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Smallville season 6 (1 Viewer)

JediFonger

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well, just the show in general. lots of fans liked the prospect of clark kent in the high school years learning about how to be man and now as clark is discovering how to be superman, perhaps people feel it's just not as exciting as it should be? i dunno. just wondering.
 

Gary Seven

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This show is a guilty pleasure for me. While I enjoy it (for the most part), I treat it as an elseworlds type of story as the long drawn out story line makes little sense considering what the outcome will be in relation to the Superman comics mythology and the stories from before that support it. I think they have gone too far in bringing in all characters from Metropolis that now meet and get to know him in Smallville, thus losing much of the dynamic that was established in the mythology from before. Now there bringing in Jimmy Olson? I think that now covers everyone.

That said, I do enjoy the Lionel aspect of the story and look forward to see his involvement of Clark's journey to Superman.

However, they should start developing Clark's "myopia" and mild manner-ness as it becomes further ridiculous that this would happen over night, when so many people will now know him and how he truly is.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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I treat Smallville as if this was the very first time that this story has been told to me, I just take what i'm shown and just go along with it, which is the primary reason I enjoy it so much I think.

Yes, it is a bit early for Lois and Jimmy to be in Clark's life, but I just trust that everyone will eventually wind up where they're supposed to be in the end, and if some of those characters and relationships are altered a little that's okay with me. For instance, as i've stated many times, in this particular incarnation of the story I would like to see Clark wind up with Chloe rather than Lois.

I just feel that it's wrong to expect Clark to end up with Lois simply because that's the way it's always been, if they have no chemistry as a couple on Smallville and he and Chloe do, than I don't want Clark and Lois together simply because "that's the way it was in the comics".

And as of this writing, Clark has world's more chemistry with Chloe than with Lios i'm sorry to say, I don't know if it was written that way on purpose or if the casting for Lois was wrong and Erica Durance just has no spark with Tom Welling, but for whatever reason, I don't see a romance with Lois happening.

I also love that other characters from the DC universe are popping up, it adds just the right balance of sci-fi into a mainly dramatic show, although a show about a young man from another planet that posses super powers already did that, introducing other future superheros just makes it extra fun to me. :emoji_thumbsup:

In the end, the focus of the show is what makes a young boy who lives on a farm in Kansas decide to become the ultimate symbol of strength and justice? What happens to him for that to happen? Like I said, I think that the show is doing a wonderful job at showing us how the Man of Steel came into being...one experience and one lesson at a time.

I just plain love all things Superman and I just throw up my hands and accept and enjoy everything that Smallville shows me. :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Greg_S_H

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He is definitely meant to be with Lois in the future in this incarnation. They've gotten quite heavy-handed about it, in fact. Too often, there is dialog meant for us, like with Lois saying, "One day, I hope I'll find a man like Clark," and stuff like that. I figure all of that will happen after the show is over, so it doesn't really matter if it makes sense. No way on earth do I believe this Lex won't recognize this Clark as Superman, but it's an issue that will never have to be dealt with. As for Clark needing to become "mild-mannered" and "myopic," I think Welling's portrayal is in line with almost every Clark depicted except for Reeve's, and Reeve's was a pretty terrible Clark really. I don't want to see Clark change his personality to form a disguise. That's the way Tarantino sees the character, but I don't. I think Clark's the real guy, and Superman's just a role he plays. It becomes more than that, but not to the point where what makes Clark Clark is lost.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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What you said about Clark and Lois, Greg, may be true, but i'm just not feeling it as they say. To me, Clark and Lois are more like a bickering brother and sister more than anything else.

If they're designing the relationship to find it's conclusion after the show ends, than that's fine, but I don't see anything so far that leads me to believe that these two will eventually involve themselves in one of the great romances of the comic book world, and it's getting late in the game, the show has maybe two seasons left if we're lucky, they'd better get crackin' on the Clark and Lois romance ASAP.

I agree with you about Clark not changing himself radically into the bumbling nerd that we've seen before, I mean if he's going to be working with the people that he knows right now when he goes to work at the Daily Planet than he can't possibly do that without people saying "What the hell is wrong with Clark all of a sudden? He's wearing glasses and tripping over things?"

I think that he'll remain the same, just pretend to have a little sight loss so that he can plausably wear the glasses and of coures he'll be wearing a business suit as well, but Clark himself will probably not change much in this incarnation.

Of course, this is all stuff that we won't get to see since the show will end before he even get's to Metropolis, so this is all speculation.
 

Greg_S_H

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Yeah, but remember that for a long time, Lois tolerated Clark but loved Superman. I could see that springing out of the brotherly thing. Of course, again, it no longer makes sense--if it ever did--for Lois to not *know* that that's Clark. I guess you can believe it if Superman's already on the scene before Lois meets Clark, but knowing him for years? I'll be interested to see if they can tackle the dual identity thing or if they'll just ignore it.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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That's right, Lois does fall in love with Superman before Clark, hmmm, that may indeed hold the answer to this dilemma, great point, although I should be ashamed of myself for not seeing that before. :b

As for Lois knowing or not knowing that Clark is Superman, I think that they'll stick with the great tradition of having her not know simply because Clark wears glasses, in short, they'll probably ignor it. ;)

But I also think that, as Superman, Clark will be noble enough and carry himself different enough to throw her off, Clark may not change in this story, but there are things that he can alter about himself when he's Superman. He still may be able to fool Lois but because, as Clark Kent, he isn't as bumbling as before, he'll need to work extra hard at it I think.
 

Greg_S_H

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Since most of the participants in this thread also watch Supernatural, which are you most anticipating? It doesn't really have to be a competition since they debut back to back, but I'd say I'm more interested in Supernatural at this point. I still am looking forward to Smallville, but the finale didn't really grab me. I'm hoping they sew it up quick and start pushing faster towards Clark doning the uniform.
 

JediFonger

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i don't watch supernatural... so of course i'm looking forward to smallville =).

regardless of chemistry, erica is HOT HOT HOT :P
 

Gary Seven

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The comparison is inappropriate since Reeve's Clark Kent was based mostly on the Silver Age representation whereby Clark Kent IS his disguise. Smallville, while being a conglomeration of all ages of comics is mostly geared toward John Byrnes' reboot where Superman was the disguise.

The former actually makes more sense since Clark Kent doen't need glasses nor does he need to stoop. These are done to perpetuate the illusion of two people.
 

Sean Bryan

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I suppose I really don't care for the "Silver Age" interpretation because it just seems WAY too simplistic (just focusing on the "now" and not acknowledging the past).

In my opinion, Superman is the public/Earth/protector persona, Clark Kent is the real person/identity, and Kal-El is who he would have been had he not been sent to Earth (and Krypton had not been destroyed). He wouldn't have been "Superman" at all if Krypton hadn't exploded and he lived his life there.

But as things turned out, this boy was raised as a human by human parents. He grew up from the very early years as Clark Kent, and his "inner identity" is likely to be just that.

He, of course, learned that he was different. And after many years learned about why he was different and where he was originally from, who his birth parents were, what his birth name was, etc....

And since he couldn't protect the world 24 hours a day and wanted to protect those he loves from the enemies he would undoubtedly make, he had to adopt a persona when revealing himself to the world, which was Superman (and keep his true identity a secret).

Of course, he chose to do this with his face unmasked, so he likely decided to alter his appearance (and demeanor in some interpretations) somewhat when he is himself (Clark). This is backwards compared to the way this would typically be done, but it is the Superman mythos and it is what it is.

But when someone is adopted by the Jones family and raised as Fred Jones he doesn't start thinking of himself as a "Charlie Smith" when at 18 he learns that his birth parents (The Smiths) named him Charlie.

Saying "Clark Kent is just the disguise and Superman is the real guy" seems weird because that makes it seem like Superman just "came into existence" when he appeared in Metropolis and he just "made up" this identity of Clark Kent. Which isn't right at all. Saying that gives the impression that he never was raised as Clark Kent, by the wonderful Kents, over all of those years...which made him the good man that he is (which allows he to be the "Superman" we know).

Yes, Clark alters his appearance (and demeanor in some interpretations) for the sake of protecting his secret, but Clark is still the real person.

Still, knowing the person that Clark is, many fans may not like to see him portrayed as a bumbling boob because that kind of takes away from the good man that he is who deserves respect. They would prefer to see him as the "mild mannered reporter" and not the "awkward bumbling goofball".

While Routh very much emulated Chris Reeve in Superman Returns, I think that his Clark Kent was portrayed not so much as a bumbling goof but more a nice, average guy (which I prefer).
 

Greg_S_H

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Good post, Sean. That's about what I was trying to say. I want to make it clear that I like the first two Superman movies, in spite of not liking the way Clark was portrayed so much. I do think Reeve did the best job of disguising himself. I can truly believe people would be fooled, thinking there's no way this oaf could be Superman. But, is that really the way Silver Age Superman was depicted in the comics? I've read a handful, and he didn't seem like a bumbling fool. Certainly, George Reeves and Kirk Alyn didn't play him that way. Reeve's interpretation seems fairly unique.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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I agree also, Sean, it's almost wrong for Clark to become Superman and then decide that "THIS is who I really am, Clark will be just a disguise." It's pissing on Jonathan's memory and shunning his family IMO.

Superman is the disguise, Clark Kent is who he really is.

As for Supernatural and Smallville, i'm also looking foreward to both equally. :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Gary Seven

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I too like the fact that Clark is really the man and Superman is the disguise as its more interesting, even heartfelt. But even the TV show with George Reeves tells you in the beginning (paraphrased), "... and who disguised as Clark Kent, battles truth, justice...".

The movies, when made, focused more on the Silver Age, adding it's own spin on the story (no Superboy, for example). In the comics of that time, Clark was portrayed as a weak stomach, milk toast if you will. This can be seen if you read the Curt Swan/Elliot Maggin years which is around the late sixties and early seventies. Clark was the butt of many jokes by Steve Lombard, a character they introduced as a sports caster. Reeves took that Clark Kent and exaggerated it a bit for effect but the results were achieved that you believed they were two separate people... something that was never done in any previous incarnation.

This the main reason I treat Smallville as an elseworlds kind of story as the beginning of his journey and the ultimate end make no sense. By now in the Smallville universe, Clark is well known and has made the heroic aspect of his character also well known, which was never done in any previous incarnation. He is now an adult by definition, so the ability to have "a secret identity" is now essentially gone. Therefore it is illogical to reach the point that is portrayed in the comics. To carry this storyline further into its logical conclusion will require that the mythos change where he has no secret identity and Lex and Clark are enemies rather Superman and Lex.

As I said, I like the Smallville spin on the mythos but its a whole new universe now and not one that can logically match up to the end we have all come to know and love.
 

Greg_S_H

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It's true that there's no amount of hairstyling that will disguise this Clark from all of the important characters. That's why I'm guessing they'll just end the show without addressing it at all. I would still hope for a finale that has Clark in the suit doing some heroic deeds, though.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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Me too, but not likely, it just wouldn't fit this shows style to show him running and flying around in the suit, it'd be giving us too much of what we've been waiting for.

No, it'll be simpler I think, if at all, just a few seconds, some flashes of red and blue, a close up of his ear as he hears someone miles away scream for help and then a shot of him flying at the speed of sound towards Metropolis...fade to black and roll credits...THE END.

I'd much rather have that. :emoji_thumbsup:

As for his disguise issue, let's break down who knows about him so far...

Chloe, but she'll never say anything to anyone, she'll take his secret to her grave.

Martha, ditto.

Jonathan :frowning:.

Pete, but he's long gone, and even when he see's on the news that there's a man in a red cape flying around saving people, he may realize that it's his old friend Clark, but he won't say anything.

Lionel, but I don't see him surviving to tell anyone, it's only a matter of time now before he and Lex have it out once and for all.

The meteor freaks in Bellreeve that Clark put away, but everyone will just think they're crazy if they tell.

Bart, but he's trustworthy enough because he's got a secret of his own to protect.

Lex suspects something about Clark and I honestly don't know where that's going to go.

So, were left with Lex, if the show remains vague enough where's he's concerned, they can conceivably still have him never catch on that Clark and Superman are one and the same.

The possibility of Clark having his duel identities is still very much a possibility and to have it be believed by the other characters is also still a possibility IMO.

All isn't lost yet.
 

Sean Bryan

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I know most people would roll their eyes at this, but I like to think that part of the reason Superman is not recognized as Clark Kent is attributed to a power of his (which I just made up). Though more of a "Professor X" type of power.

You know how there is an area of the brain responsible for human face recognition? People who have this area of the brain damaged cannot recognize even their closest loved ones (they'd still recognize their voice, but they just can't put any face with anyone they know).

So I like to think that Superman can (through a power of will) slightly affect this part of the brains of anyone he is near. Just enough so that they wouldn't make an easy connection between him and Clark. Clark wears the glasses to help this along, and also to keep some difference between their appearances in photographs (which this made up power of mine wouldn't affect).

Silly, stretching it, yes. But is it so much more far fetched than other "powers" that have been demonstrated by various superheros over the years? Not really. So I kinda use this idea for myself to just buy the Superman mythos of Clark only needing to wear glasses to hide his secret.

And hey if you buy that he can wipe Lois's memory by kissing her, then I guess eye rolling wouldn't really be justified after all! ;)
 

Andres Munoz

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Sean, that's an interesting theory but I haven't read anything in the comics that would support that so "officially" (given that the comics are the "official" source for Superman), I don't think that's the case. But if that helps you buy the whole Superman story, more power to ya. :)

Wiping Lois' memory with a kiss, in the movie...well...I think we can all agree that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Just like the turning back the clock by making Earth spin the other way. :)
 

Inspector Hammer!

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This sort of reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's theory about Superman having "super humor" lol.

If Superman's entire genetic make-up is effected by our yellow sun, than it would stand to reason that his brain functions would also be heightened along with his muscles, thus allowing him to use a mild form of telepathy on people.

Makes sense to me, i'll buy that before I buy that he can tear a transparent S from his chest and throw it at someone and have it vanish. ;) What the hell was that he threw at Non anyway? :confused: It did nothing at all lol.
 

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