Season 3, Episode 21: Forsaken

 

"Forsaken"

Episode 21

Air Date: May 12th, 2004

For a penultimate episode, "Forsaken" spends too much time stalling instead of eagerly setting things up for the finale.  While there is set up after the main plot is pretty much wrapped up, it's unfortunate that the more interesting things going on that set up said finale are only just sub-plots to a main story that sees Lana the damsel in distress again with yet another meteor freak after her. Sigh....well, it's not really another meteor freak but Emily Dinsmore returning to kidnap Lana before she ever makes it to Paris by keeping her in Smallville.  This time do to her ability she can now phase through walls and has aged into a teenager since the last time we saw her.  Amber Rothwell does a fine job in continuing where little Jodelle Ferland left off.  She's creepy, menacing and even shares mannerisms that feel like Emily would do but STILL, this feels more like a mishap, inconvenience, not to mention distraction from the real issues going on around it. Lionel finally discovers Lex has been working with the F.B.I. and to an even more shocking extent, has managed to get the same FBI agent working for Lex to work for him instead to find out more about Clark.  Unfortunately, it leads to Pete being a target and Lex having to save him last minute.  Honestly, I couldn't feel more bad for Pete. The beginning of the episode seemed so hopeful after he finally tells Clark about his parent's divorce and manages to have enough strength to stay in Smallville for their senior year.  But by episode end, Pete has to not only sacrifice his friendship with Clark but move away with his mother to Wichita with his mom so he doesn't end up telling anyone his secret.

But Pete's sudden departure is more than just a powerful goodbye scene and exit for Sam Jones III, but as a plot point for Clark to once again keep his secret.....oh boy....from Lana to keep her to stay in Smallville.  I mean I understand Clark wanting to not tell her after losing his best friend over it but it just feels like more of the yo-yoing between Clark and Lana's relationship drama that has already reached its pinnacle of exhaustion.  I just wish the writers would have just made up their minds and kept them as a couple and just break them up to move on to other relationship possibilities for Clark before Lois shows up in his life.  But you can't change the past and here we are, only 4 more seasons to go with these two and their angst insanity of trust, lies and protecting each other! AHHHHHHH! ....I'm ok. 0_0 lol  But it's nice to finally bring up Lionel's murderous past again and having both Chloe and especially Lex finding the strength to take his father down.  Nice to know that confession from Lionel wasn't completely erased and we're finally going to see big daddy Luthor pay for his crimes.  But given that chilling biblical reference Lionel deliver in Lex's ear with such cavalier being taken away just spell more trouble for the people who have now got him convicted. Yikes! The finale has a nice set up here but still, it would have been nice if the entire episode focused on this.

Forsaken isn't entirely disposable as the plot has been moved excellently with Lionel heading to court and paying for his misdeeds as well as terrifying villainy all season.  Things did feel like they did in fact come to a close like Pete's short lived (painfully underutilized) arc on the show, Lana moving toward her own future beyond Clark's indecisiveness and Lex finally triumphing over his father....for the time being anyway.  It's just bringing back Emily Dinsmore and her obsession with Lana was weak and grossly unneeded at this phase of the season.  Could have been a story to be wrapped up earlier in the year instead of getting in the way of what's been making this the most superb and suspenseful season of the show yet.  Oh well, finale time!

Final Kryptonite: C-