Season 9, Episode 18: Upgrade

"Upgrade"

Episode 18

Air Date: April 17th, 2010

A red K episode??! Clark realizing Zod has his powers!??? Metallo returns!??? Upgrade certainly has a lot happening in it and to look forward to, but to me, it's not nearly as amazing as Metallo was during the first half. Not to mention, for a Red K Clark episode, this doesn't have the usual fun and intensity of say Crimson or even Unsafe! O_O  But then you realize Clark has actually changed a lot since those days and is already exploring the darker side of his destiny this season, so it would make sense the Red K would stripped him of his inhibitions without becoming some aggressively dangerous bad boy.  Here, he's more focused and easily agitated, especially when finding out from Chloe about her secret stocking of kryptonite weapons all over the country in case Zod and the rest of the Kandorians DO get their powers. While Chloe may have a right to be paranoid and prepared for the possible apocalyptic future Clark told her about but it still the case of her knowing better but actually hiding things from him and backstabbing the hero of story once again. -_-  Honestly, I'm sick in tired of Chloe's holler than thou attitude all season and Clark snapping on her finally was overdo.  Tho the fact it was a Red K copout and Clark is forced to lay his head down by apologizing to the character who should be behind bars is INSANE! Runaway with Doomsday, splitting Doomsday from Davis without Clark there (once again ruining his damn plan! O_O), puts cameras all over the city, in her best friend's house and barn, her current boyfriend's belt buckle and STILL hasn't told him about the item that Jor-El left in his home.

All this distrust of Chloe and portraying her as sympathetic is soooo lost on me when she's the bad guy here.  Doesn't matter how essential her skills are when she needs to be paying the consequences for her actions WAYYYY.  Why is Clark always being made to look like the bad guy when his plans are smart, honest and do the right thing while Chloe is apparently being looked over, shut out and constantly hurt when all her plans have been diabolical at best! -_-  Whatever! This episode also sees some strange and unlikely alliances.  Chloe working with Tess in her destroyed lab to track down Red K Clark as well as chloroforming her cousin when trying to help Tess cover her tracks.....just keep making hate Chloe more show! I'm getting Season 2-3 flashbacks all over again! AOYYYY! *Head throbs* Then you have Clark, since on Red K, joining up with Zod after discovering his powers and destroying Chloe's arsenal of kryptonite weapons to ensure their people's survival.  While it's cool to see the iconic hero and villain team-up,  Zod seems a bit to easy going about Clark's change heart and I would have expected Red K Clark to be more mean and manipulative of his rival, but it's more about Clark deep down wanting this close, family bond with his people, now that all of his family is gone or dead.....  Yeah, that'd make me see Zod as a brother too! O_o Also, I wished they wrecked more havoc together instead of....Clark using his superbreath to make it snow in Seattle.....O_o  Truly Red K Clark is terrifying version of Clark this time!? -_-

I think what really holds this episode together a lot better for me is Lois teaming up with Corben, tho a part of me always wondering why she was so quick to trust and help give their history but I'd like to think Clark's softer side is definitely rubbing off on her.  Both Erica Durance and Brian Austin Green are sensational together in both the hilarious awkward nakedness moment and profound during their last scene together.  It was touching and sad all at the same time, but I love seeing Lois sticking by Clark so hard and knowing he's it for her even if Corben is desperate not to be a krypto cyborg all alone. Awwwwwwwww!!! I'm just glad Clark has a female in his life who isn't a conniving, backstabbing, secret keeping, pervert who feels she is doing more for the world by watching people through cameras that shouldn't be there than the actual heroes out there saving the world.  Checkmate, kidnap this woman again!!! -_- Also, Tess is becoming a mystery again.  Now she is trying cause an uprising in the Kandorians by having Zod believe there are many rebelling against him??? I'm guessing she's trying to pit them together so Clark can stop him or whatever, but it only leads to a startling conclusion when Zod returns to the Fortress of Solitude ready to give his soldiers their powers from his blood! Oh boy! The idea of that is just beyond awesome tho from a story point, making the episode really end on the ultimate high despite by problems with it. Upgrade is lacking in a lot of areas in terms of story even tho it moves it forward with even more excitement by the end.  I just wish Metallo's return played a grander part in the story but I love the idea of him being temporarily programmed to save Clark while having to deal with him and Zod at the Fortress.  I was a pretty awesome switching of roles with Metallo having to save the day and the effects for the confrontation, NOT battle were nicely done.  With this show, anything last more than a minute is golden fight scene! ;P

Final Kryptonite: B-