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Friday, 02 November 2007 |
By John Keegan
Visit Critical Myth for an archive of John's TV Review archives, with more than 1100 entries.
I mentioned previously that giving both Lana and Kara sinister undercurrents would work wonders for this season. That wish has been partially fulfilled, thanks to a more interesting subplot for Lana and her new organization, but the jury is still out on Kara. This episode would appear to remove any chance of a hidden agenda. Instead, Clark is sent into an unexpectedly questionable direction.
This episode is chock full of Superman mythology, and it would take someone with far more knowledge of the comic book canon to discern the divergences from expectation. For my part, Kara’s memories help to make sense of some material from earlier in the series and also serve to lay the foundation for a more complete accounting. The series itself has never explained the fascination with Earth from the Kryptonian point of view, and if this season is about Clark’s struggle to understand his legacy, that should be included.
Kara’s plot thread makes a certain amount of sense, but now that it’s clear that she had been manipulated by her father, it leaves her own purpose somewhat obscure. Part of her motivation will be to uncover her father’s true purposes and her role on Earth. Clark’s possession of her ship’s crystal could lead to more conflict, but that would say more about Clark than Kara herself. What I would like to see, as I’ve said with just about every character at some time or another, is a distinct sense of direction based on a relatable psychological basis.
As an example, I could point to Lana, who finally seems to be getting a purpose of her own. I was intrigued by the idea in the sixth season that Lana would ally herself with Lex for the purposes of saving others from the fallout of the meteor showers and Kryptonian interventions. That has evolved for both characters to one extent or another, and for Lana, that means development of an organization that can counter the negative effects of Lex’s black projects. Her methods and machinations, if they remain dark, could revitalize interest in the character.
Speaking of Lex, while he continues to obsess over Kryptonian technology and characters like Lionel refer to his immoral decisions, it would be interesting to see his motivations crystallize in a more focused manner in the wake of Project 33.1. However poorly implemented, that idea had the potential to give Lex and his activities scope and meaning. This is a recurring desire, however, and one that may never come to fruition.
This is a huge episode for Clark, because he does something out of character by stealing Kara’s crystal and keeping his possession of it from her. The question is whether or not that apparent misstep is intentional. I believe Clark’s actions are a direct result of experiencing Kara’s memories and a desire to know and understand his mother. He’s not thinking properly or acting normal because this knowledge is a shock to his system.
If nothing else, Kara managed to act as a conduit between Clark and a tangible aspect of his Kryptonian legacy. Hopefully the character can gain a clear direction of her own, but for now, the earlier missteps with her introduction are under repair. I still have concerns about the actress and how well she fits the part, but other aspects of the show are making up for some of the shortcomings. There’s plenty of room for improvement, but this seems to bring the season back on track.
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