Season 2, Episode 1: Vortex

 

"Vortex"

Episode 1

Air Date: September 24, 2002

It's ALWAYS gonna be hard following up a series of cliffhangers, especially after such a terrifying conclusion to last season's finale.  So many people left in peril with seemingly not enough time to catch up with all of it to properly wrap all of them up.  Yet..."Vortex" manages to do so before the opening credits begin.  I will always love that epic shot of the spaceship frantically flying toward the gigantic twister rampaging through Smallville.  Seriously, the effects once again maybe a bit dodgy, but my goodness did the WB have massive budget for their shows.  Watching Clark save Lana in the tornado is still suspense and intense beyond words, especially Clark covering her as the truck is ripped apart with in the storm.  Back at the Luthor mansion, Lex finally decides to help his father as more rumble crashes onto of them and he screams for his father in the howling terror of the storm.  We then cut to Jonathan after Nixon and seemingly about to beat the crap out of him until a flying home heads down on them.  Luckily, Jonathan thinks fast and manages to save them before being crushed but they end up trapped underground an abandoned church. Lastly, we see terribly disheveled Clark over an unconscious Lana as the tornado finally dissipates while leaving miles of damage in its wake.  WOW!!! Simply wow!!! O_O

After that, we go back to a pretty standard Smallville episode while the town frantically tries to recover after the storm leaves hundreds hurt and injured while Clark rushes around to get Lana to the hospital as well as check the farm to see if he's parents are ok....only to find the ship is gone and his father missing.  I love how this episode is structured with Clark searching for his father, first with Lex and then with Chloe and Pete when Lex gives him a map of the town grid to accurately find him among the chaos of the aftermath of the storm.  Of course, Chloe has to have a moment of complete transparency by making the situation about Clark leaving her at the Formal to go off and save someone while his father is missing!!! -_-  Omg!!! I get she acknowledges how terrible she's being but nope, soon Pete comes by to comfort her and make her feel better...I mean...EHHHWWWW!! I absolutely hate her character during these first few seasons, so insufferably overdramatic and playing the victim when there are more, WAY more important things going on than borderline infatuation with Clark. And no, I'm not being too harsh because when Clark apologizes and tries to save the potential of them having a romantic relationship, she quickly deflects and says they should be friends.  Only I HATE how it's played with Chloe looking sooo hurt that Clark agreed with her when I'm sure he's hurt and conflicted too, you blonde and bitter teenaged pain in the....ANYWAY!!! O_o 

I'm just gonna ignore Chloe's scene with Lana in the hospital cause once again, Lana was only saved by Clark, he was saving a friend, but it comes off like Chloe is so hurt and resentful that he went after her when she could have potentially died.  Seriously, this character is unlawfully selfish! But what starts out here is something of a bit of another annoyance down the line, Lana being suspicious of Clark after saving her from the twister and constantly confronting him about the truth...only for Clark to lie worse than a politician to keep his secret safe.  That last scene between them is fine, for now, but these secrets and lies scenes will become so infamous on this show that a scene like that is incredibly nothing in comparison.  I did enjoy the scene between Lana and Martha as she recalls the day of the meteor shower when little Lana granted her a wish and seemingly bringing Clark back into their lives.  Just scenes like that are more natural and great to watch than the force drama of these teens' hidden affections for each other or say, anything having to do with Chloe outside the Torch! O_o

But two seriously awesome plots here are Nixon and Jonathan's scenes together while trapped in the basement of the church.  Their dialogue and acting by both actors is exceptional; especially going from scenes of equal antagonism to Jonathan actually opening up to Nixon about Clark and almost bringing him to the hospital to be tested because of his abilities.  Each scene is just spot on with Nixon making some very sadistic but tempting reasons for Clark's secret to be exposed while Jonathan stands firms by his morals and unwavering will to protect his son.  Seriously, John Schnieder is GREAT!!! WOW! On the other side of the story spectrum, we have Lex dealing with a potential fallout between him and Clark when he finds out Lex in fact knew Nixon after lying to him.  Lex plays it off smooth despite being so guilty, once again telling Clark just enough of the truth to get him to want his help finding his father with the map grid but not telling his the complete truth to spare rejection from him.  Ewwwww!!! Seriously, the Clark/Lex dynamic on this show never misses a bit....or hasn't so far! O_o Also, Lionel is seriously injured and Lex must make the difficult choice of rushing him to surgery or potential having him die while they wait for an alternative.  Once again, the Lex/Lionel dilemma is brilliant and its chilling when half conscious Lionel tells Lex he saw in his eyes he wanted him dead.  Ouch! To make matter worse, even after the surgery, the tragic discovery of Lionel being blind is effortlessly played and scored.  Lex pulling away from his father as Lionel desperately calls out his name as he can't see anymore.  WOW!!!! Also, the climatic showdown is different this time around with Jonathan having to save Clark from Nixon who weakens Clark with kryptonite...only for Lex to come out of nowhere and kill Nixon to save Jonathan.  Seriously, amazing plot twist there.  Especially the look on LEx's face when he realizes he just killed someone.  Eerie and telling of the man is to become. ;) Of course, this gives us the first scene between Jonathan and Lex that has them finally finding camaraderie even tho Jonathan is a little bit skeptical of Lex's innocence when it comes to working with Nixon.

But outside the infuriating Chloe bits (Another scene of her crying off whether delete or save something??? Ewwww!!! -_-), "Vortex" pretty superbly ties up the loose ends of last season's climatic cliffhangers to manage to tell some great stories here with some phenomenal moments of the potential of the show's future.  Clark apparently felt like he was flying toward Lana's truck in the twister??? *GASP* Oh and the spaceship in now somewhere in the cornfield....but who will discover it first!!?? O_O

Final Kryptonite: A-