Season 10, Episode 20: Prophecy

"Prophecy"

Episode 20

Air Date: May 6th, 2011

WOW! The final episode of the series before the two part finale! :(  It has been an overwhelming nostalgic moment for better or for worse re-watching the series I grew up with from my pre-teen years to the year I graduated college!  Smallville was never the perfect series, giving us A LOT to hate about it just as much to LOVE.  But when it came to Clark's story progression (especially the early high school years and the final three seasons), his relationship with Lois, the growing superhero community Clark helped to save, not to mention the truly emotional rewarding character dynamics made it definitely a memorable Superman property that has even recently found a resurgence since the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced many out of jobs and quarantined; leaving them to discover or rediscover shows like this on streaming services.  But unfortunately, I can't say the penultimate episode of not only the season, but the series as a whole was the best preparation for the final episodes! O_O  If anything, Prophecy gets more wrong than it does right, spoiling a solid run of strong episodes by disappointing us literally right before the finale?!!?  Seriously!??? O_O

The idea of Lois Lane being given Clark's power temporarily is nothing new, especially in the comics when she takes over for him briefly as Superwoman (sharing the title with Lana if you can believe it! O_O) and I honestly don't mind it here with Jor-El wanting Lois to literally feels like to walk a mile in Clark's shoes when Clark brings her to the Fortress for his blessing for the wedding.  I didn't even know Jor-El and Clark were on speaking terms again!!?? WTF!??? O_O  Of course, the writers have some genuine fun with the concept; reminding me of that episode of Lois and Clark when Lois is given Superman's powers and has to be Ultrawoman in the meantime.  We even get a scene very similar to one in that episode as Clark teaches Lois how to hone his superhearing during a stakeout for an investigation they are on.  It was one of rare brilliant and well realized moments from the episode with Lois discovering how Clark must prioritize the people he saves despite hearing dozens of outcries of help.  It shows you just how much responsibility Clark has on his shoulders as well as immense patience to do what he does as his strength of character and heart determines how to save the day powers or not! :)

But honestly, the whole plot with Marionette Ventures and the Starro device doesn't go anywhere literally! O_O  All this set up for the Legion of Doom and while it's awesome to see infamous team of villains going after their respective hero counterpart is exciting, it's highly unnecessary and fan service; setting up something we'll NEVER see because the show is ending after the series finale! O_O  WTF!???  Why even bring Courtney/Stargirl back for what is essential a meaningless cameo!???  Also, once Lois superspeeds over to confront Toyman, who is apparently the leader of this scheme, the episode falls apart immensely.  Lois is all confident and able to use Clark's powers well enough to be in control of the situation but as soon as Toyman mentions that he sent his team of villains to kill Clark......it's like all common sense leaves the building aka the show! -_-  Lois stole his phone with her superspeed and could have easily sped back to Watchower in mere seconds to see if Clark was alright or warn him even!??? O_o  I get the point of Lois making a hilariously dumb decision because her emotions aka love for Clark made her so weak and vulnerable that she wasn't thinking straight but all seemed like unnecessary drama for drama's sake! -_-

And of course, Clark has to try to talk Lois out of killing him before the sun goes down in seconds and he gets his powers back. Ummm, what with all the yelling from Tess to stall Lois!??? Get a piece of kryptonite and weaken her until sunset! Did everyone suddenly become incredibly vacant in the brain this episode???  Yeah, Clark was able to stall Lois for a second but clearly she could have still killed him right when the powers go back to Clark. -_-  *HEAD TRASHCAN* Yeah it was nice to see Clark confront Toyman after and Supermanly tell him he's done as well as he'll be ready to stop his team of villains was all nicely done.  He even destroys the phone....which Lois could have done while warning Clark but......!!!! AH!!! Then suddenly Clark goes to the Fortress to shut Jor-El off after a rousing speech of no longer needing guidance another from both his fathers.  That's once again all nice and well....but you're telling me Clark could have just shut off Jor-El at ANY time???!! Since when?!! O_O  This Jor-El A.I. has all these numerous functions that inable him to perform things like time travel, stripping or giving powers to someone, transport people from location, etc. on top of having all the knowledge of various galaxies......but it can just be turned off when Clark feels "Yeah, I'm done with my trials Dad. Off switch!" .........It doesn't even BEGIN to make a like of sense.  Unless Jor-El once again is making Clark believe he has the power to shut him off but who knows at this point, it's the last season with two episodes left.  No time to not make things abundantly clear writers!

But like I said there was some good, even great here in this episode during Oliver's solo expedition to a cave in Ireland where he runs into Kara, who's been trapped there for the past three weeks.  Guess since she's Kryptonian she didn't need food? Or to go to the bathroom???  Not only was it awesome to see Oliver and Kara finally interact with each other, but the dynamic they formed while hunting for the Bow of Orion was nicely done! It was also much appreciated to get some much needed backstory on Darkseid's origins as well as the Bow's.  They incorporate the Apokoliptian lore by making Darkseid's arrival on Earth an apocalyptic event that has been foretold for centuries and needs to be stopped.  Too bad as the story here with the two after bow was getting better and better, Jor-El once again intervenes and suddenly tells Kara her destiny is else and she needs to leave Clark behind to face this threat alone since he is ready. That's all nice and well, but it feels like more harsh manipulation from Jor-El, mind you Kara has been on a mission to save Clark as well as the world from Darkseid because of you, now all of sudden you're telling her leave her cousin just so Clark can fight this evil alone???  Seriously, WTF!?? -_-  And Kara just chooses to take the Legion ring and travel to the future to join the Legion.  Yes, Kara has joined the Legion in the comics to be a significant member, but the way they are writing her off the show without even saying goodbye to Clark like this is beyond BULL! O_O *Breathes*  But luckily we get other awesome moment of the episode where Oliver finds the bow but Granny Goodness comes out of nowhere to stop.  Once again, this version of Granny is so scary and appropriately sinister, with Christine Willes knocking it out of the park.  I'm glad this random plot device that will destroy Darkseid is out of the way and using the mark to keep track of Oliver to discover it so they could destroy was actually a brilliant move.  Seriously, I wish we had more time with Darkseid's prophets this season, they have been severely underused after their individual introduction episodes in favor of lots of episodic detours in the other ongoing stories of the season. 

Sigh.... after all that, the episode ends with possibly one of the most frustrating cliffhangers of the show as after Lois discovers how weak she was in having Clark's powers for day, she feels she's a dangerous liability to him and will stop him from saving all those lives he usually ignores because of her!!! Because....even after everything they both have faced this season and what Lois has done to prove her loyalty to Clark as his superhero ride or die, she can't handle being "selfish" apparently by taking away from his destiny and him being too focused on her. Oh my god.....SMDH! Prophecy should have been an exciting and powerful pre-finale appetizer before the 10 long wait of Clark's final step toward becoming Superman in the series finale.  Now, we're left feeling like why through this crap at us for the sake of needless conflict when the finale should be relentless ride of Clark's rise to superhero glory. Sigh......either way, it's time for the end of Smallville folks! :( *Sadness finally hits*

Final Kryptonite: C-