Rcwilkinson123

Anyone who is emotionally involved with the characters of this show will definitely feel those strings being pulled as they watch this episode of the eighth season. Clark and Lana both enjoy the opportunity to defend Metropolis together, as superpowered beings, one natural and the other surgical. At the same time, a surprising merger between LuthorCorp. led by Tess Mercer, and Queen Industries, headed by Oliver Queen, begins to be shaken from its outset by the mysterious Toyman. These developments lead to a confrontation of the two super-beings with the very villain behind the terrorist act itself, behind the Toyman's doings: Lex Luthor. As the episode's end proves, only Lex could pull a manueveur to separate Clark and Lana forever despite the fact that they share such a bond and secret with their abilities. Though many may have believe that the Clark/Lana relationship, something explored off-and-on with the show since season 2, ended fine at season 7's end, the way this separation developed is only more powerful, because it was severed by the very nemesis of not just Clark, but Lana as well, by this point. At the same time, the viewers can see the direction that Oliver Queen is going to, and probably already has, taken in his obsession with ensuring Lex's demise, especially since learning this season about the Luthors being behind the death of his parents. This is a shift, especially in the light of Tess Mercer lighting herself up since learning that she was a pawn in Lex's bloody hand. This episode acquires a 10 through its acting and emotional pull, but there should never be any way that any media whatsoever portrays Superman, or the one-to-be, as a fornicator, as he has been both on this episode, a season 5 episode, and a brief arc in season 4, not to mention Superman Returns with the hero's connection to the boy Jason. It's for this reason that a scene of that nature bumps the episode slightly lower than it might have been, not to mention the glaring question of why Chloe isn't more concerned about her fiancée, who has been in critical condition; lastly, who gave the Kryptonian knowledge crystal back to Clark, and how the sender was able to obtain it.

From all of my readings on the fan message boards, this was an extremely controversial episode, due to the fact that the writers are once again exploring the Clark-Lana relationship. This time, it's being done through a portrayal of Lana's serach for Lex Luthor's and possible revenge, versus the truth that Lana wants to hold the same powers as Clark to do equally good in the world. I, myself, feel that though exploring that relationship is beating an old horse to death, there are some added interesting elements this time that didn't exist when Clark and Lana were portrayed in being together before- particularly the third point of the triange in Lois Lane. There's also the mystery of knowing if Lana truly did acquire these powers through "Project Promethus" only to improve herself invincible and save the world, or if she will use the powers to avenge Lex's wrongdoings. It's good to see that a particular season can't truly be judged on one episode however, because despite common dislike of the episode, the plot did reveal a side of Lana not yet seen that may have not been explored before.

Though critics are right in the fact that not much of the season plot moved forward in this episode, the show did serve to reveal more about the overall storyarc, and establish more of Clark's morals. Clark makes an investigation of who might of shot the Martian Manhunter by posing as a cop, only to learn that oftentime the police force has been jealous of the crimefighting pursuits of not just the Green Arrow, but the "red-blue" blur. Clark has the opportunity to see how outsiders occasionally view superheroes. Addiontionlly, Tess Mercer's heart is shattered when she has been used by Lex ever since her life had been spared by him in South America, probably not coincidentally around the first time BrainIAC surfaced on the Earth in a mortal body. The importance of the episode is for Clark to understands more what the world thinks of him and others who possess other meta-physical beings, and to establish the truth of what Lex is using Tess for.