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.