Man, there was a lot going on in this week’s episode of Smallville, considering it’s the next to last episode! I really would have preferred that they had ditched last week’s Zod/Phantom Zone episode and let this one have a little more breathing room because now it feels like they’re trying to cram as many characters into the show before the finale whether we need to see them again or not. Honestly, did we need another look at Zod? Nothing against Callum Blue‘s performance, but that episode really didn’t do anything to forward the story … except set up Oliver’s quest for the Bow of Orion.
This week we had the return of Kara but, like Zod, she really didn’t have much to do with advancing the plot except to help Oliver open the Inner Sanctum where the Bow was stored. She didn’t even get to say goodbye to Clark after Jor-El told her she had to let him find his own destiny. And poor Oliver. His quest led him to the Bow but — SURPRISE! — Granny Goodness showed up and vaporized it then told Oliver the wonderful news that he’s been working for Darkseid since he was marked and that they have bigger plans for him (including getting his hands on some gold kryptonite). Is there any redemption on the horizon for Oliver?
If all of this wasn’t enough, Stargirl turned up under some kind of mind control — by Winslow Schott aka The Toyman, whom we haven’t seen since 2009 when he repaired Metallo‘s mechanical heart — but luckily, Tess was able to remove and deactivate the device controlling her. Then in another turn of events, Clark took Lois to announce their impending nuptials to Jor-El … who promptly removed Clark’s powers and gave them to Lois. But for what reason? To give her a chance to see what it was like to be in Clark’s shoes or for him to see what it’s like to be human?
Once it was discovered that Winslow was behind the mind control, a newly-empowered Lois raced to his cell to confront him, but Winslow is a sneaky devil and loves to play (mind) games. He told Lois he had a team of minions on their way to kill The Blur/Clark but he’d stop them if she put on a mind control device. She did and then he honored his deal, and then decided he would make Lois kill Clark. And if all this wasn’t enough, we got a brief glimpse at Winslow’s team at Marionette Ventures, which I assume is going to become the Legion of Doom. The members of the group include a few names — if not faces since they were all in shadow — that have been to Smallville in the past: Dark Archer, Roulette and Metallo. Other members in attendance included Manta (or Black Manta), Captain Cold and Solomon Grundy. Part of their plot is to control the water rights in Metropolis, and they all have targets — Watchtower, Green Arrow, Kara, Aquaman (according to his dossier he weighs 325 lbs!), Impulse (The Flash) and Black Canary. But what connection do the Toyman and his Legion have to Darkseid?
With so much happening this week — and I enjoyed the episode because I wanted more — and all of these new and returning characters, not to mention the return of Lex next week (and – spoiler alert – Chloe!), how on earth can they wrap this up to everyone’s satisfaction, especially after the downer of an ending? I guess I knew that Lois and Clark wouldn’t get married, but man was that a heart-wrenching scene. My head is still spinning from this episode because it was so jam-packed with information and characters that I’m sure anyone who has followed the comics can appreciate much more than I. Even with too much plot crammed in, this episode more than made up for last week’s and I am chomping at the bit for the season … I mean series (sniff) finale.
Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on May 07, 2011 @ 04:36 EST5EDT
