Season 5, Episode 13: Vengeance

"Vengeance"

Episode 13

Air Date: February 2nd, 2006

Ehhhhhh, this episode just left me.....emotionally drained and fearing one day the enormously torturous reality of losing a parent! That last scene with Martha watching an old home movie of Jonathan and a young Clark as Clark walks in and begins to break down with his mom consoling him.  I swear there is something about the WB era of shows that I'm noticing that had A LOT of heart. Not to say the CW shows of today don't, but I don't think an episode of say Arrow or even the Flash has left be feeling so hopeless and heartbroken as Clark crying in the arms of his mother after she sees him finally wearing his father's watch.  Smallville genuinely knew how to pull out the deepest of heartstrings out of viewers and no matter how bad the show could get, it was ALWAYS reliable when it came to drawing real emotions out of its views.  I dare you to even attempt not to shed a tear as the camera pans back after Jonathan says goodbye in the video and Martha just holding Clark as he lets go of all the anger and pain inside.....sigh....

The episode's main plot, outside of Clark's inner turmoil over his father's passing, is actually a great little precusor to the grander, comic book style the show will embrace by next season and beyond.  Also, the infamous Spirit of Vengeance is a cool foreshadowing of Clark's future as his own mysterious vigilante protecting the secrets of Metropolis in a few seasons.  Andrea makes for an interesting parallel to Clark; especially at this time in his life.  Both of them blessed with otherworldly abilities, both losing a parent that meant the world to them and both having serious issues with coping with said loss that they would resort to murder just to get justice.  It's a great exploration of Clark's morality now that Jonathan, who was the man who always calmed him down and kept him doing the right thing, is gone and Clark must make that choice on his own as the man his father raised him to be.  I'm glad Clark didn't do it (I mean I knew he wouldn't go that far! :) and embraced his father's spirit as he even says he heard him, which stopped him from doing so.  Too bad Andrea wasn't as self controlled as Clark and kills the thug who leads her to Lionel Luthor to seal her revenge.  Luckily, Clark is able to get there in time and try to sway her toward a life of true justice, NOT murder and rage like he has been feeling. While Clark manages to save Lionel, Andrea manages to escape and disappear.  It's a very solid story and I love how Chloe questions if Clark can do what she did....with Clark delivering a line that still makes sense for him in this part of his journey.

Clearly, Andrea's double identity life is inspiration for a future Man of Steel but shows that Clark will be a hero above them all as his sense of right and wrong will set him drastically apart from her by getting the superhero dual identity legend right! :)  Meanwhile, Lex and Lionel are fueding over Luthorcorp, this time with his Senate race campaign leaving the company so vulnerable that numerous shares of the company have been purchased.  It's always a marvelous series of events when both son and father clash but I was not expecting Lex to outdo his father this time by reminding him of him seeing Jonathan right before his death and threatening his relationship with Martha to get back his position and influence in the company.  Lex is starting to be more of a corporate tyrant than even Lionel can keep up with and it's remarkable to continue to see the uprising of Lex's greatness while Lionel begins his descent to being his son's way.....oh boy! O_O

Of course, Lana is still by Clark's side to be the supportive girlfriend since his father died but clearly her needs are still not being met; leaving Lex to once again come in when she's vulnerable and try to get close to her aka away from Clark. I swear he is only interested in her to spite Clark and take everything he's ever had as a way to make himself happy but....nope! We'll see Lex's desire to having what Clark has had continue to be his undoing and the reason he embraces his dark side even more.  But it's also nice to see Martha on her own and having to be strong without Jonathan by her side.  Annette is already doing a tremendous job but yet again, a Luthor seizes the opportunity to swoop in and try to get closer to the woman of his desire. Seriously! lol But Vengeance just works on so many levels for an episode following such a significant loss for not only the characters but the show itself.  Things are changing, getting more grim, more hopeless.... This season is such a downer as I'm re-watching it and it's making be uncomfortable. o_o You wouldn't expect a Superman story to be so dramatically dark and morbid; definitely a precursor also to Zack Snyder's DCEU version of Kryptonian savior! 

Final Kryptonite: A-