Season 10, Episode 4: Homecoming

"Homecoming"

Episode 4

Air Date: October 15th, 2010

 

200 episodes is something not many series can say they have achieved! But here we are as Smallville celebrates yet another numerical milestone in its overall episode count of the series. Reckoning was a pivotal and powerful moment in the show's history as the 100th episode saw Clark having to deal with the shocking death of his father Jonathan.  Apocalypse, the misguided 150th episode, suffered mostly from being purely fan service without any cohesion or emotional resonance to make it as memorable the writers had hoped.  But Homecoming, the show's 200th celebration, maybe be the undisputed champion of the series' milestone episodes. How ironic that the writers once again take a tried and used plot device from popular film and literature, this time Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and actually manage to make it work in the show's favor marvelously instead of looking cheap and uninspired. After last episode has left Clark giving up his heroic duties as the Blur, here comes Lois to be his light at the end of the tunnel by encouraging him to cheer up, especially when she mentions their Smallville High reunion.  Honestly, the high school reunion concept is the perfect central piece of the show's bicentennial as it's been 5 years since Clark graduated but during the final season, it's significance becomes more poignant as it forces Clark to look back at where his journey started to reflect and help him realize how much he's change as well as mature into an incredible man since then. :)

Outside that bizarre crazy school counselor bit at the beginning of the episode with the hilariously over the top Clark doll (Seriously! LOL), the high school sequences are beautiful shot and written, especially Lois trying desperately to get alums to remember she went to school there when it was only for 5 days! Love the writers for remembering that! :) But also we get moments of Clark reminiscing about moments from the Pilot episode like when he fell in front of Lana because of her kryptonite necklace and going back to the Torch to remember when Chloe showed him the Wall of Weird for the first time.  These moments only die hard fans that have been following show since the beginning can truly appreciate and the quick flashbacks are so seamlessly edited into the story. Omg, the new editors of the Torch tho are a bit much! O_o Also, the deadpan shot of Clark being so embarrassed and miserable during the school's celebratory homecoming King and Queen moment since winning that state championship back in Season 4 was perfection! But even by then the episode's story has just begun as Brainiac 5 appears and begins the timeless journey through Clark's past, present and future to finally tell him what the hell this "darkness within him" crap is all about.  Honestly after the end of last season, you'd think Clark would be more than ready to put on that suit and take flight but Homecoming makes an incredible valid point about why Clark is still not ready.  Through bring Clark to the past and showing him his father's funeral as well as his fight with Lionel that night, Clark learns he began blaming himself for everything, especially when it came to his father's death.

It honestly IS something Clark needs to cope with and let go of as he's always reminding people since that day that he is to blame for his father's death.  Even last season, he told Zod he killed his own father but Brainiac reminds Clark that it was his fate and not Clark's actions that caused his death but Jonathan's own will to protect his son even in the end.  I love how a major defining moment in Clark's overall progression was looked back on in 100th episode so it can finally be resolved in 200th one! It's brilliant and full circle! Seriously, who wants Superman who secretly and openly blaming himself all the time?! So bravo on that.  Then we see the present where Oliver is dealing with the fallout of his reveal and I get why Oliver would look to Clark for strength during this moment.  He needs reassurance from his closest friends and fellow heroes that they back his decision for better or for worse as Clark's doubts have seemingly left him to fend for himself than be there inspire Oliver to face the public he has revealed himself too.  I even loved at the end when Clark shows up during Oliver's very well written monologue about being a real hero unlike people on the internet who just criticism but never make a difference like he does.  The best line for me is "You're damn right I'm a hero and I'm not doing it alone" as Clark looks at him proudly after Oliver is so inspired by his trusted friend. WOW!

But even after all that, nothing beats when Clark accidentally sends himself to the future by interfering with Brainiac 5's Legion ring. Seeing Clark exploring the year 2017 where he stumbles upon a future Lois who knows his secret and won't stop reminding him to wear his glasses is beyond amazing.  Erica Durance kills every scene she's in, especially the office scene where Clark is beyond baffled that she knows so much about him. Then if that wasn't awesome enough, we get a shocking meeting between 2010 Clark and his future self, all decked out in glasses, suit and coat.  Welling really does fine work here portraying the two Clarks interacting and it really makes you realize even tho Clark has come far, he's still has a ways to go to become Man of Steel we finally see in the flesh.  I love the dual save sequences of Superman saving the city from a nuclear explosion while Clark goes to the stop of the Daily Planet to save Lois in a helicopter sequence straight of the 1978 classic film. Homecoming is one hell of a treasure of an episode that is more than just the show commemorating such a tremendous occasion but giving long term fans of the show and Superman fans an emotionally rewarding tribute to what came before as well as what to look forward to by the end of the series. From Clark making peace with his father's death at his grave to having a moment of Chloe messaging the new generation of the Torch to that unbelievable last scene Clark and Lois telling each other they love each other for the first time as Clark begins float around is just......*tears coming down* When Smallville gets it write, it gets it so right! :_)

Final Kryptonite: A+(++++)