Time to fly!
The end is here! Clark’s battle with the Kryptonians opened a gateway to a darkness, and now Darkseid’s evil is upon Earth. As Clark (Tom Welling) tries to find his destiny, heroes will fall, old faces will return, and Clark will have to decide between Lois (Erica Durance) and his future. The battle will be great but Clark has a large support network…Will it be enough to stop Apokolips?
The tenth and final season of the WB’s long running Smallville aired from September 24, 2010 to May 13, 2011 and wrapped up the storylines that were ten years in the making. With ten seasons, Smallville also became the longest running science-fiction/fantasy television series of all time by beating out Stargate SG-1. It has also continued in DC’s Smallville—Season 11 comic book.
Smallville continues to impress in the season with the ability to bring superheroes you never expected to see in a live-action show. It was very brave to do the whole New Gods thing (though I wish we had seen Orion, All-Father, etc. instead of just hearing them mentioned). Desaad (Steve Byers), Granny Goodness (Christine Willes), and Glorious Godfrey (Michael Daingerfield) all made the rounds (along with Granny Goodness’ Female Furies), but Darkseid was more of a force than a real character. I would have loved to see a real throwdown between Clark and Darkseid (and he scares off the whole planet of Apokolips rather easily too). The New Gods are so rich that a whole series could pop-up around them so it feels like a bit of a waste to have them used so lightly.
Oh yeah! It’s Booster time!
This season also saw the appearance of Cat Grant (Keri Lynn Pratt), the Suicide Squad with Rick Flag (Ted Whittall) and Deadshot (Bradley Stryker), Brainiac-5 (which was a bit of a cheat since it was just James Marsters again who played Brainiac), General Slade Wilson (Michael Hogan) aka Deathstroke (and apparently the Battlestar Galactica has trouble keeping his eye), Isis (which was just Lois), Mera (Elena Satine), Superboy (the previous Alexander Luthor played by Lucas Grabeel), Booster Gold (Eric Martsolf), and Blue Beetle (Jaren Brandt Bartlett)…plus cameos in “Prophecy” by Captain Cold, Black Manta, and Solomon Grundy. It is pretty amazing to see this geeky of a show make air…much less last ten years.
Heroes will fall!
The season also did a great job bringing back all of the regular players for at least cameos. Much of the Justice League was missing in action and “pictures” of them served as cameos. Martha Kent (Annette O’Toole) and Jonathan Kent (Tom Schneider) both show up, but Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) was surprisingly absent except archival footage in the “Homecoming” episode. Chloe (Allison Mack) was off-and-on all season, but of course there for Clark in the end. Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) continues to be an important player, and Lionel Luthor (John Glover) is resurrected along with Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) stops by for the finale with Aaron Ashmore playing Jimmy Olsen’s younger brother. Callum Blue returns as Zod and Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort) gets to fly. It is great fun to see them and more back, plus I love how through all the seasons, they managed to bring in previous Superman alumni including Teri Hatcher this season as Lois’ mother.
It’s a hot day in Metropolis!
As a whole the last season was good, but there were some bad moments including a few rip-off episodes. “Fortune” was Smallville meets The Hangover and didn’t work. Another rip off episode was “Dominion” aka the trip to the Phantom Zone (which didn’t make sense to begin with) and Clark and Oliver decided to play Sparticus: Blood and Sand with slow-motion fighting at all. The Village also got a taste of Smallville with the incredibly boring “Harvest” which could have been a great episode with Clark finally having admitted his identity…instead we’re treated to an Amish village in the desert. I could see how some could hate the Booster Gold/Blue Beetle episode because it seemed out of left field for so late in a series (it felt like it was bucking for spin-off), but I liked it simply because I like Booster (the Reyes’ Blue Beetle not so much).
Will they or won’t they?
The final episode was a big build up for not much. I wanted more Lex…and didn’t get it. The final battle with Darkseid was as I mentioned not very difficult, and I still don’t really understand how Clark…or at this point Superman…got rid of Apokolips. I also found the weak “let’s take a trip down memory lane” portion in the Fortress of Solitude a bit forced in an attempt to show clips of the past seasons…I wanted Clark to get to the fight. The Green Arrow aspect didn’t make much sense either. Much of the season was about how hard it was (or impossible) to defeat the darkness, then Oliver does it in a couple of minutes (and takes out Desaad, Granny Goodness, and Godfrey in a quick triple shot). There was too much crammed into two hours that could have been expanded. The seven years later aspect also felt like it should have been a whole episode or something instead of a quick epilogue.
Smallville was a fun, if not sometime unbalanced series. The show had its ups-and-downs and probably could have continued longer if it had wanted to. I liked what it did and what it attempted but didn’t always like the execution. Still, it would have been a dream to have this series when I was young and the idea of big budget super-hero TV was quite rare. Long live Smallville, and fly high on what you accomplished!
Smallville—Season 10 Complete Episode Guide:
“Lazarus”
10.1 Lazarus Airdate: 09/24/10
Clark (Tom Welling) finds himself teetering between life and death after his battle with the Candorians and learns from Jor-El that there is a greater threat to Earth that might be Lex Luthor. Lois (Erica Durance) saves Clark but decides she has to keep that she’s discovered his identity from him. Chloe (Alison Mack) makes a desperate attempt to find Oliver (Justin Hartley) by using Fate’s helmet. Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) finds herself alive in Cadmus labs and learns Cadmus is hiding a secret. When Tess accidentally unleashes Lex’s clones, Lois could be in danger. A darkness arrives on Earth that could mean death.
“Shield”
10.2 Shield Airdate: 10/01/10
As Lois works with Carter Hall (aka Hawkman) (Michael Shanks) on a dig in Africa, Clark finds a new partner in Cat Grant (Keri Lynn Pratt) who believes the speeches of Gordon Godfrey (Michael Daingerfield). Clark finds himself targeted by an assassin named Deadshot (Bradley Stryker). Oliver searches for Chloe and learns Chloe has made a decision without him as he deals with Rick Flag (Ted Whittall) and his Suicide Squad.
“Supergirl”
10.3 Supergirl Airdate: 10/08/10
Godfrey is working under the darkness of Darkseid and targeting all superheroes. Lois returns home from Africa, and Lois and Clark find Clark’s cousin Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort) has made a very public return. Lois finds herself racing against time to stop Godfrey when he threatens to expose Oliver as the Green Arrow. Kara tries to get Clark to tap into the powers he hasn’t used.
“Homecoming”
10.4 Homecoming Airdate: 10/15/10
It’s class reunion for Smallville High and Lois and Clark and headed back. Unfortunately, Brainiac (James Marsters) is also joining the party. When Clark is pulled out of the past by Brainiac, he learns that Brainiac-5 might not be the being he remembers. When Clark interferes with the tour of his past, Clark finds himself in the future. Oliver copes with his decision to make his secret identity public.
“Isis”
10.5 Isis Airdate: 10/22/10
Lois and Clark debate telling each other about Clark’s secret but are faced with the return of Cat Grant. When Lois discovers an amulet from her Egyptian dig, she is possessed by the goddess Isis. When Cat sees Lois as Isis, she sets out to prove that Lois is the Blur.
“Harvest”
10.6 Harvest Airdate: 10/29/10
Lois and Clark try to connect after Clark tells her his secret. Lois and Clark find themselves in a odd sect who have absorbed Blue Kryptonite and Clark discovers he’s powerless. Tess tries to raise the young Lex clone and learns that he possesses all of Lex’s memories as he rapidly ages.
“Ambush”
10.7 Ambush Airdate: 11/05/10
It’s Thanksgiving and General Sam Lane (Michael Ironside) and Lucy Lane (Peyton List) have stopped by the farm unexpectedly. As Clark butts heads with Lane’s father, Oliver learns that he’s been targeted by Rick Flagg and Suicide Squad. General Lane’s support of a vigilante registration act causes problems between Clark and Lois.
“Abandoned”
10.8 Abandoned Airdate: 11/12/10
An old music box is delivered to Tess and sparks memories of a past she had forgotten plus a woman named Granny Goodness (Christine Willes). Lois finds a box of tapes from her deceased mother (Teri Hatcher) and tries to face her mother’s death. When Tess and Clark visit Granny’s orphanage, they discover a warrior training plan that creates Female Furies, and Tess learns about her past. Lois makes a trip to the Fortress of Solitude to mend Clark’s differences with Jor-El (Julian Sands) and Lara (Helen Slater).
“Patriot”
10.9 Patriot Airdate: 11/19/10
The registration act has been passed with General Slade Wilson (Michael Hogan) in charge of bringing in the superheroes. When Aquaman (Alan Ritchson) and his wife Mera (Elena Satine) go on the offensive, the government decides to crack down. Oliver decides to test the government’s plan for the registration by going forward with registration. When Lois and Aquaman uncover government detention cells meant to hold super-humans, Green Arrow must be rescued.
“Luthor”
10.10 Luthor Airdate: 12/03/10
Clark learns Tess is hiding Alexander and discovers a Kryptonian device in Tess’s possession that shifts him into an alternate world where he’s a Luthor. As Clark finds himself Tess’s brother and the son of Lionel Luthor (John Glover), he tries to find a way home. When the alternate world Clark Luthor is in Metropolis, Lois and Tess must try to stop him.
“Icarus”
10.11 Icarus Airdate: 12/10/10
As pressure against superhumans rises in Metropolis, Clark pops the question to Lois. When Clark, Black Canary (Alaina Huffman), Stargirl (Britt Irvin), and Hawkman are forced to go underground, Lois, Tess, and Dr. Emil Hamilton (Alessandro Juliani) are brought in by the government. When Lois is in danger, a hero must fall to save her.
“Collateral”
10.12 Collateral Airdate: 02/04/11
Clark and Lois find themselves freed after the attack at Carter’s funeral, and Clark learns that he’s lost his powers along with the other team members. When it appears that Chloe has returned as a traitor, Chloe reveals that they are pawns in a virtual reality world.
“Beacon”
10.13 Beacon Airdate: 02/11/11
The Lionel Luthor from the alternate world has returned and going after Lionel’s old holdings including the Daily Planet. When Martha Kent protests the superhero registration, she makes herself a target of Alexander Luthor (Lucas Grabeel). As Lex and Lionel target the Kents, the superhero registration act goes up for a vote by the country.
“Masquerade”
10.14 Masquerade Airdate: 02/18/11
With superheroes free to fight again, Clark finds his identity threatened as he begins taking his crime fighting around the world. Chloe and Oliver impersonate a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Jones, but become the targets of a serial killer who think they are the real Mr. and Mrs. Jones. When Mr. and Mrs. Jones are exposed as FBI agents, Chloe and Oliver find links to a club owned by a man called Desaad (Steve Byers) and the Omega marks
“Fortune”
10.15 Fortune Airdate: 02/25/11
Lois, Clark, and their friends head out for a double bachelor/bachelorette party. When Clark and Chloe wake-up in the morning and realize that wine spiked by Zatanna caused them to black out, they learn they might be married and that seek out their friends to find out what happened the night before. Chloe makes a big decision about her future.
“Scion”
10.16 Scion Airdate: 03/04/11
Clark learns that Alexander Luthor has his DNA with Lex’s and amnesia. When Tess fakes Alexander’s death to keep Lionel away, Tess moves Alexander to the Kent farm under the name of Connor. When Lionel finds out, Lionel corrupts Connor with Red Kryptonite. Tess and Lois work together to prove Lionel is a fraud.
“Kent”
10.17 Kent Airdate: 04/15/11
Lois and Clark debate selling the farm, but the sale is put on hold when the alternate world Clark Luthor returns to Earth. With Clark Kent banished in the alternate world with no way to get home, Lois and Tess must find a way to stop Clark Luthor.
“Booster”
10.18 Booster Airdate: 04/22/11
Clark tries to change his image but there is a new hero in Metropolis in Booster Gold (Eric Martsolf). As Booster tries to make a name for himself, a kid named Jaime Reyes (Jaren Brandt Bartlett) has an encounter with a scarab from Kord Industries which transforms him into the Blue Beetle.
“Dominion”
10.19 Dominion Airdate: 04/29/11
Slade Wilson returns from the Phantom Zone and Clark questions how he escaped the Phantom Zone. When Clark and Oliver decide to enter the Phantom Zone to investigate how Slade escaped, Clark and Oliver find they are trapped with General Zod (Callum Blue). Oliver learns that Darkseid’s darkness might be around him.
“Prophecy”
10.20 Prophecy Airdate: 05/06/11
The wedding is coming and Clark and Lois are getting ready. When Lois and Clark go to ask permission from Jor-El about the marriage, Lois finds herself granted with Clark’s powers so she can understand him. Clark and Lois investigate a big purchase being led by the Toyman (Winslow Schott) and other villains. Oliver searches for the Bow of Orion to combat Darkseid and the darkness within himself and finds Kara trapped. As Oliver seeks the bow, Kara finds herself summoned by Jor-El to make a big choice.
“Finale”
20.21 Finale Airdate: 05/13/11
Double-Episode. It is Lois and Clark’s big day, but Lois doesn’t want to go through with it to distract Clark from his true goal as Earth’s hero. Tess learns from Granny Goodness that Apokolips is coming to Earth and that it cannot be stopped. Martha learns Clark is selling the farm and tells him that he must reconcile his past with his future. Darkseid’s control over Oliver goes into effect as Oliver threatens to rob Clark of his powers with Gold Kryptonite. Lionel Luthor makes his last desperate plea to restore Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) to life. When Apokolips arrives on Earth, Clark will need all the strength he can get to save the world and stop Darkseid once and for all…he might even need to become a superman!
Related Links:
Smallville—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
