Smallville Finale - A Goodbye that Lasts Forever

Any (tumblr) Smallville fan out there would tell you that anticipation for May 13th 2011 has been something of a rollercoaster of emotions that we can't seem to bottle up inside, hence the constant blogging and reblogging of posts that try to convey what we really feel inside. And yet, we all know that no words would truly sum up feelings we have after being witness to Clark Kent's final journey and Superman's reinvented introduction to the world in this, the final episode of our beloved television show.

Below is not a review of the episode, it is a simple thanks.

The moment the finale started I knew that I was going to be in for a really great ride - and I wasn't disappointed. Smallville sure delivered and it packed the first punch in the "previously on". It was such a great treat seeing all the super moments that led to this finale. And then we see Chloe reading a (of all things) DC COMIC BOOK entitled "Smallville" to her young son. Cut to "SEVEN YEARS EARLIER" subtitle and a shot of what looked to be like the sun hurtling towards Earth, and we're off! Cue Smallville theme song.

Credits included Allison Mack - that made me very happy!

And thank you, Smallville for bringing back Jimmy's brother in the form of Aaron Ashmore =) Very poignant.


Chloe Sullivan - Queen and Oliver Queen / Chlollie

I admit that I wasn't a Chloe fan when Smallville debuted back in 2001, but Allison Mack's performance endeared this character to me very much; and I absolutely adore the actress! And so it is with great appreciation that I give Al, Turi, Kelly and Brian a tip of the hat and a warm embrace for giving my Chloe a truly fantastic goodbye. Speculation of whether the boy in the promos was her son should have been certainty because it was pretty obvious he shared her and Oliver's genes =) The moments she had with Oliver were all blissful, especially the the-world-is-ending-again kiss they shared. The last hug she had with Clark had me hugging my own pillow and muffling my sobs because it was just too damn heartbreaking.

Oliver overcoming the darkness with Clark's help proved just how deep their friendship has become and how much they both value the relationship. For a character that's well-known for smart-ass quips and one-liners, Oliver is very much the consummate best friend/best man/hero/go-to guy - and he's the best at it =) I actually loved the character development of Oliver Queen and how it played into his future with Chloe and Clark, even Tess and Lois. It's very admirable to play a hero without superpowers alongside the most powerful and well-known and beloved heroes of all time and still be meaningful. What Justin Hartley did with Oliver Queen as the invisible yet omnipresent friend has always been underrated but has forever been appreciated and loved and in this finale, his star definitely shone bright.

Tess Mercer/Lutessa Luthor

I actually gasped when she died. I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING! I thought the promos were misleading! I thought she'd have her happy ending too! But I understood now. Smallville wouldn't be Smallville without heart-wrenching scenes like this. Cassidy Freeman acted her heart out - and I have to say, what a way to go! To die in the arms of Michael Fucking Rosenbaum - wow. The last words Tess uttered were just a beautiful tribute to Clark; she'll always love him, whether romantically or as a friend, I don't really care at this point. I just know that because of Clark, she was a better person and I'm glad she went out guns blazing (i.e. her final payback - giving Lex a complete memory makeover). She was the best BAMF introduced to the show and in a weird way, I loved her death because it was so poetic. In my world, Clark and Tess have dozens of flying babies and live happily ever after =)

Lois Lane / Clois

If you've seen my blog, you would know right away that I am not a huge Lois Lane fan. But given that this was the finale, I gave her a chance =) The parts that stood out for me were the door scene, the aisle scene and the Air Force One scene. First things first: that door scene could have gone so wrong and so cheesy, but Tom and Erica made it work and I thank them for that. And then there was the walk down the aisle scene. It's beginning to be one of my most favorite moments in Smallville ever and it's partly because of the song used: Sara Bareilles' Breathe Again. It's a song I associated with another tv show, but now I will forever remember Smallville by. Right from the moment the music started and Clark touched and held Lois's hand and then they started walking down the aisle together, I was a miserable, watery, bloodshot eyes mess. By the time the camera showed Pa Kent, I literally lost it and started really sobbing then. Thank God I was in my bedroom because if somebody saw me, they would think I was crying over someone in my family dying. And lastly, the sweet scene of Lois pressed against the airplane window seeing Clark FLYING in the suit for the first time and Clark coming over and they share a smile. Sweetest. scene. ever.

Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover

I admit I wasn't expecting Lionel 2.0 to be back but I was glad he was there for the end. I've never loved and hated a character as much as Lionel and it was fitting that he ushered back Lex from the dead and be the body that Darkseid possesses. That scene with Clark in the barn was just unbelievably phenomenal!!! I loved every second of it!



As for Rosie, well, the hype for his return did not eclipse the actual return, so I'm happy about that too =) All of his scenes were of course standouts! My favorite part would have to be his very cleverly quipped remark to his nemesis when Clark said his name: "You still say it the same way: astonishment, with a hint of dread, yet... with a hopeful finish." Whoever wrote that line is now my favorite person after Tom Welling. Clark and Lex facing off again and Clark saying sorry for not being able to save Lex (sob!) and Lex calling Tess "sis" were just wish dreams that have come true! Rosie and Cassidy were both so AMAZING in their scene together; they had the right combination of scary, pitiful, loving, evil and vengefulness. Cassidy held her own with Michael and that was something to see, I loved every second of the short time they were together on screen. And even though it was at Tess's demise that Lex rises again, it's OK. Rosenbaum's return really solidified him as THE Lex Luthor of our time. Thank you, Rosie.

The Kents (Jonathan and Martha)

And now I will try my best not to cry my eyes out while writing this part. For someone who values family above all, I have to say that The Kents have been one of, if not the, best written parents on TV in a very long time. The primary reason I started to regularly watch Smallville was not because of Clana at all. Surprisingly, even for me, it was because of Clark and his relationship with HIS PARENTS. It was a relationship that went beyond blood and that's really special. The scene with Martha and Clark in the Kent house started the ball rolling for me... and my tears. Everything Martha said was right, and I did take offense when Clark refused to budge. I couldn't believe that he actually wanted to go through with selling the farm. Maybe it was the sentimental part of me screaming then, trying to shout sense into him. Then there was the walk down the aisle again and a reveal of Jonathan standing beside Martha. Right then, I doubled over with sobs, it was ugly. The scene in the barn with all 3 of them was my favorite because it didn't look like Clark was going nuts, it looked right - it felt safe. It was home. When they embraced and the camera showed the 3 of them huddled together by the window... that was perfect. And when Jonathan said "It's time", I broke down again and tried not to hyperventilate (I have asthma).



The love of a mother and father is the one constant thing that I treasure: it is unconditional. These two people, who were destined to be the parents of the greatest hero the world has ever known, will always be my Ma and Pa Kent - the best thing that could have happened to Clark.

Clark Kent

Being that he is my favorite character in the show, I kinda feel pressure in making this last entry as awesome as he is - but I won't. I'll just tell the truth and write from the heart; so here goes.



Everybody keeps talking about what Smallville was NEVER about: that it was not about Clana or Clois, Chlark or Chlollie, Cless or Clex; or it wasn't about Superman. Let me just say what Smallville actually IS about: Clark Kent. We always have to remember that Smallville was and is an origins show, it always has been. It's about the last son of Krypton sent to Earth by his parents to be saved from extinction and be raised by humans. It's about Clark fulfilling the destiny encapsulated in the crystals that came with his space ship - a destiny that was even drawn on cave walls. It's about Clark discovering that being righteous and just and kind are all the things he would need to fulfill his destiny and find his path; that being raised by human parents made him as much of a hero as it did having superpowers, like what his father Jor-El said.



I've already said everything I could about Tom Welling in my previous blog, but his performance in tonight's finale deserves praise and commendation. Having played Clark Kent for so long can be monotonous and the audience can take you for granted for it since they see you in every single episode. I don't know what it is, maybe it's his charisma, but Tom seems to keep it fresh and look new each and every time he's on screen. The little nuances he's developed and perfected works to his advantage and it endears him even more to the audience. That's why when he stepped onto the rooftop of the Planet and started to take off this shirt to reveal that iconic suit underneath, we cheered, we screamed, we cried.

The Clark-centric scenes that stood out the most for me are a combination of the obvious and obscure, maybe even underrated:

1. Of course I have to go with the shirt rip!
2. The Clois airplane moment. SO SWEET!
3. The walk down the aisle
4. The Kents in the barn
5. Clark and Lex reunion
6. Chlark embrace
7. Clois door moment
8. Clark and Oliver fight
9. Clark and Jonathan in the cemetery
10. Martha and Clark in, what could be called, an argument
11. Bumbling Clark
12. Clark LEVITATING and FINALLY FLYING OUT OF THE FORTRESS! and the quick change!!! yey!
13. Clark's memories/trials in the Fortress
14. Clark and Darkseid!Lionel fight

In the end for me, it comes down to the song that was played several times in the show, Sara Bareilles' "Breathe Again". The way the song starts off, and after seeing how it was used in the finale, I now firmly believe it was made to rip your heart out of your chest while you're choking on tears and bawling your eyes out:

"car is parked, bags are packed but what kind of heart doesn't look back at the comfortable glow from the porch, the one i will still call yours?"

IMO, Smallville producers picked the song, not just for Clois, but as a goodbye FOR THE FANS. The lyrics but what kind of heart doesn't look back I think is the producers' way of saying thank you to the fans, looking back on the memories, looking back to the people who loved the show before they move on. I thought it was a beautiful tribute and while I was writing this, I got choked up again and am now fighting back tears because I'm afraid that I'll get sick after crying so much.

As I myself try to move on from 10 years of watching the best show on television, I am also looking back. I look back at myself, then a 19 year old college student just doing my thing, not a care in the world, not knowing that something as simple as a TV show would change my life forever. A decade later, I still feel the 19 year-old in me. She's older now, hopefully wiser, and yet the wonder of that night in October 2001 still lives in her memory, triggered by the final scenes of a beloved show. Smallville, you've been my life, you've been my crutch. This blog entry may end but in my heart, I will always say a goodbye to you that lasts forever. Thank you for the memories and I'll see you around.

the death of a terrorist

i awoke to notification on (of all places) tumblr saying that osama bin laden was dead. like everybody else, i thought it was another false alarm since there wasn't any announcement from the president or pictures backing up said claim. but then obama came on tv and proclaimed that special ops agents did indeed kill bin laden and (at that time) had his body at a nearby u.s. airbase in pakistan. below is obama's historical speech:

"Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
"It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
"And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
"On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbours a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
"We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda - an organisation headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against Al-Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies."Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defence. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and Al-Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of Al-Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
"Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.
"And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against Al-Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.
"Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.
"For over two decades, bin Laden has been Al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat Al-Qaeda.
"Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that Al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will - remain vigilant at home and abroad.
"As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, Al-Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.
"Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
"Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.
"The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.
"So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defence of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to Al-Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.
"Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.
"We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.
"Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
"And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.
"The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
"Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
"Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America."

i've watched and rewatched this 5 times already and each time i always say "thank you, mr. president." i don't need pictures to prove that osama's dead. just like bin laden's death not being able to bring back the victims of september 11th, a photograph of a dead bin laden will not bring back the dead or change the past. it's just true confirmation that he was killed. i still have faith in the goodness of people, i still have faith in a man's word - in this case, obama's word. his speech said everything; he wouldn't have said all of those things were they not true. why would he fabricate something like this especially now?

despite what conspiracy theorists, critics or cynics say, i am just thankful that justice was finally served. it may have been a long time coming, but it's here nonetheless. i hope that this is the start of PEACE, not more war. God knows we need more of the first.