After six years, the relationship between Lois and Clark has reached a point that took the comics 60-odd years to reach. More on that later.

So with “Isis,” we get a mixture of humor and heart: Lois rehearsing how she is going to tell Clark she knows his secret, Clark deciding to tell his secret. Oliver has to deal with becoming a caricature of himself and Tess embraces her role as a “mother.” The myth of Isis and Osiris that was introduced in the second episode ,”Shield,” returns along with Cat Grant.

There are some nice moments of bickering between Cat and Lois that puts Clark in the middle of things and at times playing peace keeper. Both women have opposing views on the superheroes and both try to have Clark back them up. These scenes are excellent examples of the comedic abilities the actors have shown in the past; it was nice to see them exercised again.

Lois becomes possessed by the spirit of Isis, whom Carther Hall/Hawkman told her about in “Shield.” Isis must resurrect her dead love, Osiris, and she selects Clark as the perfect candidate to return Osiris to life. Not only that; doing so would raise the army that inhabits the underworld. One thing that I have noticed is the producers have no trouble having Erica Durance, Lois, dress up in some sexy outfits that do not hide how amazing she looks. I’m not complaining about that but this episode takes the cake with her Isis getup. Of course it was one she was going to wear to an event that exhibited the artifacts the Isis necklace was with. While Lois is possessed, Clark and Oliver come to the conclusion that neither of them know anything about Egyptian mythology or how to stop Isis so they reluctantly turn to Tess, who has a vast amount of information available to her thanks to Lex’s archeological excavations. It is she who discovers how to stop Isis and passes that knowledge on to Clark. After the defeat, Oliver and Clark offer Tess the opportunity to run Watchtower, the hub where all the heroes connect to work together. Tess is surprised by this in such a way that she cries, unused to both of them placing that much trust on her. Cassidy Freeman gives such a moving performance as Tess in this scene.

Along with humor came the subject of love. Tess is the focal point here. She had taken in a clone of Lex Luthor, who is a child in the season premiere. She has him tested and watched over by doctors, trying to determine if his rapid growth is a warning that he might be unstable. What that means we don’t know. What we do know is that after she is accepted by Oliver and Clark, earning their trust, she is moved to keep the young boy, called Alexander, against a doctors advice. She reads to him, as she reads she tears at the idea of loving the boy as her own, to perhaps change things and give this version of Lex something the original didn’t, true parental love.

Isis touches on love throughout the episode too: what a person would do for true love and what the consequences can be when all inhibitions are gone. I must note there is no mention of the dark force or Clark’s destiny. It was a fun episode and I’m glad to have seen the trust placed in Tess, who has worked hard to earn it.

And finally yes, Clark tells Lois he is the Blur; she jumps up and kisses him, asking what took him so long to tell her. Six years in the making and I’m sure it’s what readers felt when Clark told her in the comics.

A hero is made in the moment, not from questioning the past or fearing what’s to come. In this episode of “Smallville,” James Marsters returns as Brainiac; not as a villain but as Brainiac 5 from the 31st century and a member of the Legion of Super-heroes. Brainiac’s purpose is to help Clark get on the hero’s path Jor-El envisioned by showing him the past and taking him into the future.

This episode tugs at the heartstrings of any long time “Smallville” fan. We see what has become of The Torch and The Wall of Weird. During the festivities, Brainiac 5 and Clark travel through time, visiting certain points in Clark’s past.

Choice.

Brainiac tells Clark that both of them were created by Jor-El for a greater good. However, there is a downside: neither of them are immune to corruption. As an AI being, it was a small nanite that corrupted Brainiac; for Clark it was the death of his father, Jonathan Kent. They view his funeral, something that still causes Clark some discomfort because Clark blames himself. He altered time and fate, resulting in his father’s death. Brainiac asks him,”Are you sure?” He then takes Clark to the moment his father dies, and they watch as Jonathan beats Lionel Luthor for attempted blackmail. Along with the anger comes a heart attack.

Clark still blames himself, arguing that his father didn’t have a choice. Brainiac counters that everyone has a choice. His father chose to raise him, protect him, and do what is best for him, just as Clark chose to be Earth’s protector. No one forced either of them into such actions. Here Clark is told to let go of the past he holds onto, the sins and mistakes. It is something that he carries into his relationship with Oliver, who needs some support in the aftermath of his revelation that he is Green Arrow. Clark didn’t realize that he still holds Oliver’s mistakes against him and that he needs a friend. This is something that many people can relate to; there are things that we hold onto but the key is to let go. We can accept that mistakes were made, learn from them and move on toward the future.

Moving Forward.

With a twist of the Legion ring, Clark arrives in the future; 2017 to be exact. Here he runs into a Lois that knows his secret and protects it. He also runs into his future self, glasses and all. “Future Clark” tells him of an impending explosio and needs Clark on the rooftop of the Daily Planet. When an explosion goes off in the city, “future Clark” zooms by a window in a red blur, flies toward the fireball and creates a vacuum by speeding around it to control the aftermath. On the roof, Clark stops a helicopter that loses power from falling. In the helicopter, future Lois knocks out the pilot to protect his secret. They kiss and she leaves, reminding him of dinner, and Brainiac arrives.

The future can be bright and full of what we want as long as we are not afraid to face it. Not everyone gets to know what it holds but as long as we let go of the bad things and move forward, it can be what we want it to be.

This was such a wonderful episode. There were nods back toward the past, acknowledging where it’s been and alluding to where it’s going. Not many shows have the privilege to know they are ending and so far “Smallville” has not disappointed. They are using the time they have to address themes that will push Clark toward who he is supposed to be. He will need to be the supportive friend Oliver needs in order to address questions from a cynical reporter about why he does what he does. He will need to face his father’s grave, knowing he will carry the memories and what he was taught, but to also say good-bye in order to become the man his father always knew he would be. And he will be able to finally realize he can be a hero and still have Lois in his life as his love, his confidante, his rock.

As a longtime “Smallville” fan, I really loved this episode, and considering how long this show has been around, it’s comforting to know they can still move their audience.

As the title states, Supergirl, aka Kara Zor-El aka Laura Vandervoort, returns to Smallville and she has a mission. She must make herself public and stop the dark force that is floating around Metropolis in the form of Gordon Godfrey, who is possessed and rallies the people through radio and books against the heroes who work in secret, in order to create doubt and fear so as to lose the hope people have invested in them. When he threatens to expose Oliver Queen as Green Arrow, Lois goes to great lengths to stop him from doing it. When he threatens to kill her, Kara and Clark confront him, and Kara manages to repel the dark force from Godfrey.

This episode introduces the threat that is the dark force, Darkseid to some, and demonstrates how he can see into the hearts and minds of people and play with their fears and doubts. It is something Darkseid has done in the comics before resorting to physical attacks and was done nicely for the first time we see him, at least in human form. I was happy to see the show went with what Grant Morrison did in the comics when it comes to the New Gods; that was to make them possess humans. As much as I would like to see Darkseid in his true form I can see how unpractical and time consuming it can be for a show to produce that kind of makeup job.

Now how awesome was it to see Laura Vandervoort return as Kara? She appears in a prototype of her costume, a blue shirt and red skirt, no “S” shield and no cape. I was hoping to see the new color scheme, blue shirt and blue skirt but seeing how the show carries the spirit of the previous film, including Supergirl, I can’t say that it’s a bad choice. She saves people from a falling billboard and flies off. Her mission is from Jor-El, to expose herself around Metropolis, to give people an idea of who the heroes are because Jor-El has lost faith that Clark can stop the dark force. When Clark gets angry at this Kara replies that he can’t even fly.

Now this was fun to watch because Clark attempts to fly again. He has tried in the past and here he is somewhat successful until he loses focus and falls, crashing through the barn. Laughter on my part ensued but there was also an undertone that Clark is doubting himself more, making him prime for possession by the darkness, something that almost happens if not for the intervention of Kara.

When she plans to leave, Clark comments on her ability to repel the dark force, that she must be pure. She replies that she has her own issues, that when faced with failure it is how a person overcomes it that defines them. This is an echo of what Jonathon Kent told Clark in the season premiere, that one must face the challenge and overcome any doubt. It is a lesson Clark continues to learn and one that will later come to define him as a hero. Kara leaves, now donning a brunette wig and glasses to maintain some sort of privacy. The dark force is looking for a new host, and she claims they must leave it to her. An indication she will return? Hopefully.

Lois tells Oliver his secret is safe. He expresses that along with the secret he carries there has been loss, his relationships with Chloe, Lois, Tess, and so much more. He calls a press conference and reveals he is Green Arrow. You didn’t misread that; he chose to reveal himself, to put a real face to the vigilantes who are operating in the city, so people know they do not have any agenda and that the safety of the public has always been the goal. How this will play out, I don’t know, but I can say that it’s big since in the past Oliver felt working in secret was the best thing and that Clark should be the first to show his face, but circumstances have forced him into a risky situation.

All in all this episode had a darker feel to it (excuse the pun), a bit soon but felt right because if the dark force is going to be a threat we need to know what it is, what it’s capable of, and how Clark will move further into the blue suit. He flew for only a moment but he flew and knows how to do it. The question is whether he is will do it again.

Battlestar Galactica fans set your DVRs or TiVos for the ninth episode of “Smallville” set to air on November 19 Entitled “Patriot”. This episode will introduce mercenary Slade “Deathstroke” Wilson played by none other than Michael Hogan, Colonel Saul Tigh from Battlestar Galactica. Known as Deathstroke the Terminator in the comics, he underwent an army experiment that granted him with enhance reflexes, senses, and the strength of ten men. Known as the worlds greatest mercenary he eventually becomes archenemy to the Teen Titans. It should be noted that his look consist of white hair and an eye patch over his right eye which he lost to a bullet. I can’t help but smile at this but its not known if Hogan will don another patch again. Tune in and see.

Warning! This article contains a SPOILERY recap of the entire episode.

With “Shield,” we are introduced to a new Cat Grant and Deadshot, Lois meets Hawkman and The Suicide Squad make a move.

The episode takes us to Africa, where Lois is looking for Perry White but runs into Carter Hall at an archeological dig. Carter, played by SG1′s Michael Shanks, is Hawkman, and was asked by Clark to keep an eye on Lois so that she remains safe. Lois unloads her thoughts about Clark and the hero he can be to Hall, prompting him to reveal he knows about Clark and proceeds to tell her about the story of Isis and the Sun God Ra, that they were star-crossed lovers. This conversation leads to talk about destiny, how Lois can be the one to help Clark become the hero he can be, that it requires strength. The final scene between these two induces chills: Carter tells Lois he intends to embrace his own destiny as a hero, discussing how Nietzsche stated to live for the present, not the future. A person who would embrace the life they were given and make it better was an “Übermensch,” and Lois states, a “Superman.”

While this is going on, Deadshot, a man with impossible accuracy when it comes to assassinations, is hired to go after what seems to be a new Cat Grant, Clark’s new partner at the Daily Planet. She has some conservative ideals when it comes to the vigilantes that are supported by a radio personality, Gordon Godfrey. The twist is that her real name is Mary Louise Shroger and she is hiding from her child’s father. As the Deadshot continues after her she expresses her frustrations to Clark, who points out she has more in common with the vigilantes than she thought. With Tess’ help, Clark discovers Deadshot is actually after Clark, not Cat. In the final confrontation, Clark stops him but not before he gets a shot off at Cat. Clark blocks the bullet, which leaves an impression of a death head in his skin. He takes the bullet and places it on the bullet proof vest Cat had on. When she talks to Clark she mentions she doesn’t need a hero in the shadows when Clark is one who is not in hiding, that perhaps the vigilantes should step into the light.

Oliver is looking for any leads on Chloe and in his search he comes across Cat, who accuses him of torture at an old brewer. When he goes there he finds the man who tortured him, Rick Flagg, head of the Suicide Squad, a group of people who work covertly within the government to keep the heroes in hiding. In fact, the death head on Clark and the one left on Carter when he splashed water on his face are a means to track them. Flagg informs Oliver that Chloe died during her torture session, which later turns out to be false. Flagg offers Oliver membership to the Suicide Squad, but he declines. When Oliver and Clark talk about the new revelation with Chloe they both agree that something has to change; they both lost too much.

Shield has two meanings here: a number of people protecting in the name of what they believe is good, and the other is the last shot of Clark. Taking Cat’s words of how there should be a hero who is not afraid of the light he decides to use his old colors again, red and blue, leaving the black outfit he used behind. This time its a prototype version, a red leather jacket with the “S” shield on it, separated by a zipper with a blue shirt underneath. Hair slicked back he stands on top of the Daily Planet, one step closer. Overall a good episode with more nods toward the comics.

I personally look forward to the development of Rick Flagg and the Suicide Squad.

The season premiere of Smallville had one simple theme in it, hope. It’s safe to say when Jonathan Kent died in season five the show lost a bit of that, but there are two signs in this episode that bring that feeling back. The first is the red and blue suit. At the end of season nine Clark’s mother, Martha, sent him a package which turned out to contain the classic suit he will wear, interestingly enough its the one Brandon Routh wore in Superman Returns. The other is Jonathan Kent returning from the dead to speak to Clark. We’ll get to that in a minute.

Clark is on the street with a blue Kryptonite knife in his side, Lois finds him, hoping he does not die. In fact he is in limbo, in a corn field where he finds two things, a scarecrow post and a head stone with his name on it. Jor-El, his father, tells him after he dies the head stone will be the only thing left, sacrificing himself will not stop the greater evil that is coming, not even the team of heroes can stop it. Clark has now accepted he is the symbol of hope for the rest, that he must be the first to step into the light, he can be the hero. Clark is shown what appears to be Lex Luthor, before confirming it he’s pulled out when Lois removes the knife, hides and watches in awe as he stands, heals, and speeds off.

Edited to Remy Zero’s “Save Me” the credits have always had scenes from past and future episodes accompany the actors introductions. Here the producers added more from Clarks past adventures, from the pilot to a current scene of him holding the Daily Planet globe as he raises it. It’s fun to watch because it acknowledges that Clark and crew have come a long way, gone through much and they are still fighting the good fight. On a different level it tells the audience it has been ten years, they are moving forward but not forgetting where the show started.

Meanwhile, Chloe is doing what she can to find Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, obtaining the glasses he wore to see footage of a man warning that they are coming for all of them. Who they are, what they want and how they are strong is not revealed. She is surprised to see Clark still on Earth but any celebrating has to be put aside since he is determined to find Lex. Chloe discovers Cadmus Labs, a facility where Tess Mercer finds herself in, alive and healed, with clones of Lex who were used to heal him. She accidentally releases one that is 20 years older who kidnaps Lois and puts Clark in a familiar situation, save the woman he loves or save the people, in this instance from a falling Daily Planet Globe that was rigged to explode. Not only does he save Lois, who was strung up like a scarecrow with an “S” on her chest like Clark was when he was a freshman and Lex first saved him, he pushes himself that when he races into Metropolis and leaps to catch the globe, he felt as if he flew for a moment. Something he tells Jor-El before his father berates him for his arrogance and for almost taking Lex’s life, that Clark can never be the hero he was meant to be against the coming darkness.

Back at the farm Clark reads a letter from Lois who says she went to Africa to work with Perry White, that she couldn’t pass it up. Feeling lost and alone Clark sees Jonathan Kent, the man who raised him, working on his fence. Near tears Clark hugs him, telling him how he failed him as a son, that he is not the man Jonathan raised him to be. Jonathan tells him that not only is Clark capable of being the hero he is destined to be, but he also is more of a man he ever wanted Clark to be and he can prove Jor-El wrong. Jonathan confirms that there is darkness coming and before Clark can find out more Jonathan is gone. We see where the Kryptonians left Earth black smoke emerge, coming together to form a rock life form that is Darkseid.

This was a fantastic first episode, it set up the tone of the season, that from the dark times Clark has found himself in there is light, hope that not everything will end in tragedy. Clark can be the hero he is destined to be but does not have to go about it the way Jor-El has been telling him to, like Clark has always said, there is another way. The confrontation between Clark and the older Lex was fun to see, two men now certain about what they believe is right and wrong, and sets the stage of the relationship these two will always have. The clone does die which leaves the question as to how Lex, clone or otherwise, will return. Chloe being taken away in exchange for Oliver was a twist that sets up a mission for him to find her. When she put on the helmet of Dr. Fate to find him she emerged with a sense of calm, not only did she see what had to be done but saw Clark as he will be, no longer wearing black but a different suit, the same suit that is now in The Fortress until it is time to use it and that time will be soon when hope must fly.

#5. Clark rushes into a tornado to save Lana
In Season One finale, “Tempest” a tornado warning is issued throughout Smallville while there is a dance going on that Clark is attending with Chloe. Lana Lang is driving back from dropping off her boyfriend Whitney at the bus depot as he head off to basic training for the Marines. In typical form for any female with the initials L.L. in the Superman world, she pulls over her truck, spots Clark as he rushed to save her and watches the vehicle get pulled into the twister. Knowing what he has to do Clark rushes in after her.

The first season of Smallville was very “freak of the week” where Clark would have to stop a new Kryptonite infected foe who threatened life in Smallville while trying to maintain some normality along with his powers. This moment epitomizes all that Clark had learned in the season, to save the people he loves he is willing to do whatever it takes.

#4. Clark saves his family without powers
In the fifth season episode, “Mortal”, Clark no longer has his abilities, taken away from him by his father Jor-El, who is in the Fortress of Solitude. He took them away as a punishment for not returning in time to complete his training. Looking forward to living a normal life Clark is helping rebuild his house after a meteor shower (more on that later) when his mother, father, and Lana are taken hostage by three men who want Clark to steal a formula that gives them their own powers, believing Clark still has his. The moment comes when Clark cannot get his hands on the serum so instead he places a flash bang in a briefcase that stuns the foe and with some ingenuity, Clark is able to not only cut his source of power, electricity he harnessed, but to knock him unconscious. Even without his abilities Clark was still able to use his head in order to save those he loves, something that he will rely upon in his future whenever his abilities are lost or when the mind is more powerful than might.

#3. Clark leaps, a step toward flight
The episode that came next in season five, “Hidden”, Clark had his powers return. A former high school classmate broke into a hidden ICBM silo and aims it at Smallville with the intention of killing at the “meteor freaks” that live there. Clark and Chloe try to persuade him to call it off but the classmate is so determined he shoots Clark, killing him. At that moment Lionel Luthor, Lex’s father, is awakened from his “possessed” state and takes Clark to the Fortress where Clark is resurrected and given his powers back. Jor-El made Lionel a vessel that he could inhabit whenever Clark truly needed help. With his powers back, Clark rushes towards the silo and leaped in a single bound onto the missile, pulled out the nuclear core and falls back to Earth, returning home in burned clothing but otherwise in good shape. Here Clark did not necessarily want his powers back because there will be a price to pay for it but despite any reservations he knew what he had to do whether he had powers or not, he saw the bigger picture in the end.

#2. Clark saves a boy from a meteor
In Season Four’s “Commencement” there is a massive meteor shower made of Kryptonite headed towards Smallville, this one hiding a ship in it that holds two of Zod’s disciples and Brainiac. The main course of action is Clark must find the Kryptonian crystal that will bring to fruition the Fortress of Solitude. While he does this he comes across a little boy who got separated from his father and is in the path of a meteor, Clark gets him out of the way and protects the boy from the blast with his body. Clark returns him to his father, enough said.

#1. Clark evaporates a river to save 2 lives
In the 7th season premiere “Bizarro” Clark is in the middle of fighting his doppelganger who is made strong by Kryptonite and has a warped sense of what is right and wrong. During their fight the shock waves destroys a dam, unleashing the river behind it, heading towards a father and son fishing. When the father trips and knocks himself out the boy cries out for him to wake up and that’s when Clark arrives to use his heat vision to evaporate the river heading towards them. When it’s gone he looks at the boy, gives him a nod and disappears. This is #1 because in the middle of a fight he doesn’t forget to help those who get caught in the middle and when the boy looks at him he gives him the nod that Christopher Reeves would give in the Superman films.

There you go folks, the top five moments in Smallville that showcase the qualities that will make Clark Superman as he continues his journey and with the 10th season I’m sure there will be more.

Smallville premieres its final season September 24 on The CW. Laura returns to Smallville in the October 8 episode, so tune in to find out all ABOOT where she’s been!

The final season of Smallville is approaching and the CW has released this great promo that spans memorable moments from all 9 previous seasons and sets us up for the 10th.

The final season premieres September 24 on the CW.