SV: Covenant

[serafina20]

Overall, I think I enjoyed the episode. Yes, it dragged in places. I didn't dislike Kara or think the actress was bad, but that whole part just seemed a little flat. And the revelation about the pact Jonathan made with Jor-El ... not all that surprising, really. Or horrifying, except for the fact it takes Clark's choice away, but whatever. It was within Jor-El's character to demand it, and although I think it's stupid for Jonathan to be whining about not having a choice, I'll let it go.

What made this episode, like most this season, interesting, was the characters and their interactions. Lionel's confession to Lex about his liver disease was beautiful on so many levels. First was just the aesthetic level. The white, white, white of the room contrasted on Lex's black. The soft lens or whatever it was as the focused on him after Lionel told him. Lionel continuing to look like a man slowly wasting away. Then Lex's expression. There was this part of me that was almost proud of him for wanting to forgive his father, but even more happy when he *didn't*. He would have been justified not to just because of the way Lionel treated him during his life, but the past few months, with Asylum and the ECT, there was no way Lionel should have been forgiven.

What made his refusal to help his father even stronger to me was the realization that Lex just doesn't fight for himself. He did in Shattered, but I'm talking about when people verbally attack him. He just takes it. Look how long it took him to stand up to Jonathan. I'm only bringing this up because in the fight scene with Clark, there was so much more to say. Much more ... anger and frustration and fear Lex could have brought into the conversation, even after Clark's dialogue lamed out and he fell back onto the, "you're just like your father," argument. But he didn't, he just let Clark leave just like he *always* let's Clark leave. It's frustrating because I want Lex to stand up for himself, to really fight. If they're going to Rift, I want things to be said on both sides that hurt and tear. I don't want Clark to always have the last word.

I do, however, think Clark was very justifiably angry over the room. And he was justified in calling the friendship off. Even with him keeping secrets and lying to Lex, and getting angry and having lapses of faith, he has pretty much stuck by Lex from the beginning. He's never really bad-mouthed Lex to anyone else, let others talk badly about Lex. He risked so much in trying to save Lex from Lionel in Shattered and Asylum, all the while believing that Lex had kept his promise and stopped investigating him. Naive, yes, but he did believe in Lex. And to have his faith shattered like that. To see one of his greatest fears (being put on the wall, studied, have his life and inner self exposed) ... what Lex did was almost no different than Clark being thrown into the tank at Summerholt. Not exactly the same, no, but the violation is there.

However. I think that scene would have been more poignant and powerful had it not been a repeat of about half of the conversations they've had since they met. Clark has shown faith and trust for Lex to everyone in the world *except* Lex. And, no, I wouldn't have blamed Lex for calling it quits before now, and I do agree that, in about half the times, Clark's fear/anger wasn't justified, but only because he didn't have the facts the audience had. In the other half, it was, but, still ....

There are a great many flaws in this show, and the worst is the poor way they handled the Clark/Lex friendship. They've shown us the decline of it well. But, because we never really got the deep, abiding love (brotherly, friendly, whatever) the Rift hurts only because fans have done a fantastic job of convincing me of the friendship.

I *hope* that next season shows a rebuild of some sort of friendship/love between them. There will never be trust, but I hope that something can be salvaged, but I still feel it's too soon for the "real" rift. The final break, I mean.

I don't think Lex went to Lana as a way to get back at Clark. I don’t think the only way he'll ever go for her is because Clark wants her. He'd just broken up with his best friend, and he needed to make contact with the one person who he feels has treated him well since the very beginning. He seemed a little vulnerable in that scene, and I think his offer to meet Lana in Paris wasn't necessarily romantic, but out of his need to know that he'll be welcomed somewhere. He's been through and is still in hell. He's just lost one of the people he's been living for since his "death", and he needs something--someone to make him feel like he's still worth something.

Not too thrilled with Clark in the wall. I, like others, hope this isn't how he "becomes" Superman, because ... gee, I saw this movie. It was boring. I like watching superheroes becoming, and that's what I signed on for.

The end montage was beautiful. Lionel no longer looks sick without his hair. I knew the house was going to explode with Chloe in it because ... duh. I pray to God she's not dead, and I've checked spoilers. Did Lionel supposedly light the fire or was that Jor-El? Poor Lex. That's all.

It's going to be a long ass summer.

Comments

[phinjay.livejournal.com]

It's going to be a long ass summer.
Oh, you hit the nail on the head there!

I have a question, what was your take on Lionel shaving his head?

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

I have a question, what was your take on Lionel shaving his head?

He's not bothering to hide himself beneath the veneer of civilization. He's returning to his roots as a street thug and ready to do battle as one. The hair was his disguise. Yes, it made him stand out in polite society, but it also gave him a kind of grace and masculine beauty. But without it ... He was freaky, man. Like I said when he fought with Jonathan a few episodes ago: Lionel's the thuggiest thug to ever thug. Now he looks like it.