Season 9, Episode 20: Sacrifice

"Sacrifice"

Episode 20

Air Date: April 30th, 2010

......Jesus, where did ALL OF THIS come from!??? O_O  Not that I mind at all and welcomed such an ambitious, elaborate script that manages to bring all the ongoing stories of the season together for one juggernaut of an entry for the season. Apparently Justin Hartley helped penned this episode with two writers of the show and it shows as some of the dialogue feels even more aggressively surreal and intense than usual for this show.  The point of this episode was clear: Stakes!!! The major escalation of the season's overarching threat coming ahead and preparing us for the conclusion of the season.  Who would have thought putting Chloe together with Tess in a lock-down situation would be so entertaining but it's some of the best back and forth interaction we've seen all season.  I like how the episode opens like any other night as Chloe walks toward Watchtower; only to arrive and realize she's been infiltrated by Tess and during their fight are trapped inside Watchtower that has initiated a containment mode that will quickly leave them without air.  We get some gruesome unforeseen plot twists like the device Checkmate put inside her borrowing deeper in Tess' body when Chloe tries to cut it out as well as some incredible mature, touching moments of Tess and Chloe being completely honest about their relationships with Oliver, not to mention how it differs for the both them.  Not to mention, I loved Tess's line about Chloe trapping herself in Watchtower cause she didn't want anyone coming in aka isolating herself from the world and simply watching it like some depraved loser who got her ex-husband killed. Ok, I'll let it go!

But I loved how they managed to work together and found a way to escape Watchtower even if it left the mainframe completely fried.  But then I was glad as it seems like it was building up all season with Chloe losing all the work she put into Watchtower.  If that wasn't shocking enough, Stewart (remember tech guy!? :P) returns as an agent of Checkmate after Tess by tracking the device that's in her.  It leads to one of the most surprising death sequences with Chloe having to temporarily kill Tess to go off of Checkmate's radar.  That needle in the chest to bring her back to life.....ummmm OUCH! and AHHHH! Meanwhile, Clark is on a mission to get the remaining Kandorians to defer from Zod's leadership since he has his powers and only wants to live life on Earth for malicious reasons.  I loved seeing Clark interacting with the Kandorian people again like Vala and especially Faora.  We haven't gotten enough scenes with the Kandorians expressing their views on whether to live among humans as Clark protects them as their leader or go with Zod's continued efforts to become Gods among mortals to protect themselves from humanity.  Once again, Sharon Taylor is phenomenal in the role, especially when Clark shows how the future Zod destroyed Krypton and revealing shockingly that she's pregnant.  There's definitely a quiet strength and overwhelming emotional resonance she cares with the character....especially in the end when Zod kidnaps her and confronts her about what side she's on.

I must say this episode truly solidified this season's overall success in this version of a young Zod as we see fate being inevitable as he gives into his inner nature for power and retribution as the Kandorians are being hunted by Checkmate and he will stop at nothing to make sure they know their place. Callum Blue really deserves an award for his season long excellent performance of the infamous Superman villain as it plays like a prequel to how he went from a desperate Major trying to lead his people to the powerful General who's overpowering presence can't be denied.  Seriously, the greatest scene if after his small confrontation between him and Clark, he brings Faora to a place to discuss her loyalties....only to murder her and his unborn child! Never has a scene from Smallville been so chilling and cold truly showing Zod descend into complete maniacal evil as he listens to his unborn child's final heartbeats.  WOW! O_O Bravo!  It was also awesome to see Oliver step up and let Clark take the lead in handling Zod but managing to show he's still a skilled badass who is able to still shot Zod with a kryptonite dart even after Zod supercharges him in the blink of an eye!  Too bad he didn't keep his eye on him long enough before Zod escapes and nearly burns him to death. Damn! Well he's not gonna be shirtless for a while! :P

But like I said Sacrifice brings all the storylines together so neatly and nicely as Checkmate finally confronts the Kandorians and nearly kills half of them if not for Clark coming in to save Vala and the others.  But even in the end, Zod proves too much for the calculating organization as after Waller return to headquarters, Zod has already littered the halls with dead bodies of Checkmate Agents and sets his sights on killing Waller and Stewart.  Man what a incredible sequence and it leaves Checkmate's headquarters completely destroyed as well as the menacing government organization.  For now anyway...... Honestly, all of this and the final scene is a definitive turning point in the season's story reach limitless heights as Zod filled with madness convinces the rest of the Kandorians that the humans that attacked them killed Faora and his unborn child as Clark superspeeds into to set the story straight as Zod lies through his teeth to deceive his people into falling him.  It is an awesome stand off between Clark and Zod as both try to convince their people to join their side but they already choosing their newly appointed General Zod before kneeling before him. Never has Smallville felt so increasingly ready for the ultimate showdown as Zod and his people eagerly show Clark that they all have powers and won't be able to stop them as they fly out of the Fortress.......  AMAZING! No words! This is the perfect set-up for the finale yet we have one more episode to go??? O_O  Either way, Sacrifice is an unstoppable episode of mayhem, madness and preparation for Zod's takeover of Earth while not even Checkmate or the future Man of Steel able to stand in his way.  Applause to everyone involved with this one!

Final Krytonite: A+(++)