Crazy4Smallville's Weekly Review 5:22 Finale

Boy... they seemed to pull out all the stops, didn't they? I was on the edge of my seat the whole episode. With no word on next season's renewal yet, I'm not sure if I could live with that ending should it not be picked up. It just has to picked up!

I have to start off with Clark in the Phantom Zone - Has the boy not got super speed as one of his abilities? I suppose having it doesn't guarantee super reflexes. When it comes to Smallville, I think by this point in time no one should ever just stand and stare at any object. If you see a shiny thing in the sky... RUN! But, Clark hasn't been known to have super intelligence... yet.

So, how is Boy Wonder going to get himself out of this one? Will Daddy Dearest have to help him out again. For a dead man, Jor-El seems to be pretty handy. He might actually get to enjoy that eternal rest if his son would just learn to do what he tells him. Yet, I suppose that if Jor-El would speak a little plainer, Clark might understand. This time however, "Kill the Vessel" seemed pretty straight forward to me. It didn't sound like "Try to attack the Kryptonian computer that you've destroyed twice already... you never know... third time might be the charm." Oh, Clark's loyalties are so misguided.

Well, I'll admit that I was wrong about Lana. I had this small glimmer of hope that she had been using Lex, while all along still loving Clark, to find the answers that nobody wanted to give her. Instead, I get saddled with a misguided, selfish, moronic prude, who can't see farther than her own stuck up nose and has a huge memory problem. I'm asking the same thing, "How could she have ever loved Clark?" She's never loved herself. You can't love someone else unless you first love yourself. That's always been Lana's problem. She tries to find her identity by wrapping it up into someone else. She's dependent on the affections of others to validate her own. She's a mess and I'm glad Clark is finally moving on.

Okay... I know many of you are waiting for this part (Chloe & Clark). But, before I get into that, I have to express this one point.... THEY BETTER NOT KILL HER!!!! She's the best character on this show. She's the backbone of it... and if it weren't for her, our hero wouldn't look as good as he does. She's the most selfless character. I'll say, she's even the true hero. She's the model that Clark will use to shape his own super identity, because Chloe has spelled it all out for him. What to do, how to act, how to be selfless and diligent, how to sacrifice and serve, how to put your desires second to your call in life, how to be a hero. She doesn't have super strength in her hands, but she has strength of character. She's not faster than a speeding bullet, but have you seen anyone hack into security faster than her? She's not able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but she's able to make giant leaps into whatever she's put her mind to. She's not an alien from another world, but there's no one else just like her.

It's time for Chloe to become that catalyst... but, NOT YET! Give her just a little more time with Clark. Just one more moment - to hear that validation that her sacrifice wasn't for nothing. To hear the words that she's longed to hear for years. To see his eyes finally looking back at her -with no shadows of another woman. Even if it's just a short while... it would be justice. Isn't that what Clark is for.... truth & justice? Chloe deserves both. But, then she can't stick around too long or else she'll become the shadow of the other woman to Lois.

When Clark was walking away from Chloe and he hesitated, I screamed at my television for him to turn around and kiss her. Then, Chloe did it for me and he definitely kissed back and not because of a physical attraction - because of an emotional one. He loves her and always have. He's beginning to understand what love is - and it ain't Lana Lang.

I'm hoping that Jor-El will once again use Lionel to help save Chloe - because she's going to somehow help free Clark from the Phantom Zone. She knows how to use the cave to get to the Fortress of Solitude and she'll go get help from Jor-El. Her helping... will cost her dearly -as she mentioned.

I think Lionel will die by the hands of Lex/Zod.

Okay... now to the supervillian I've waited five years to see... Lex Luthor. This is the BEST version of Lex Luthor in the history of Lex Luthor's. This is the bar for everyone else to try and live up to, but I doubt that will happen. Probably, forever in my heart - Michael Rosenbaum's portrayal of Lex will be the true one for me. He does a fantastic job! How bad did Lex look on the rooftop of LuthorCorp? I know that right now he's Zod... but, before Zod took control, Lex showed his true colors. He finally let down his guard and revealed what I've known about him since the first episode. I knew his infatuation with Lana wasn't because he loved her and she fit into his profile... but that he desired her because she belonged to Clark. Lex has always wanted everything that Clark had, but he wasn't willing to be what Clark is to get it. Clark is so loved, because of the way that he loves. Lex doesn't know how to love, he knows how to take, manipulate and play mind games. You can't reap what you didn't sow. You can't have grapes if you've planted corn. It's soooo good to see him finally embracing his destiny. NOW, the story really starts.

Of course we know that Martha and Lois survive the plane - which is driven by Brainiac or is it? When Zod come through - doesn't Braniac disappear? If he does - who's flying the plane now? Hmmm? How they're going to get out of this one, I don't know. But, they must survive because of canon - unless they want to change cannon. (**Martha and Lois dies, Chloe assumes Lois' identity, etc, etc. ) Oops, sorry! Got a little carried away in land of wishful thinking.

So many questions left unanswered... and so much time to wait to find out the answers.

Well... here's to another agonizing summer of rolling theories and candid speculations.

Till next time,
T.L. Gray

Crazy4Smallville's Weekly Review 5:21 Oracle

**Rubs temples with eyes closed chanting to self**
"Do not think about the finale. Do not think about Lex Luthor having super powers. Do not think about General Zod. Do not think about the finale. Do not think about Lex Luthor having super powers. Do not think about General Zod. Do not think about..."

I think you get the picture.

This review isn't about the season finale, but about Oracle.

**Takes a deep breath and slowly exhales**

Okay...

Chloe Sullivan has the best lines, ever. I laughed so hard when she said something along the lines of "What, Hell froze over two hours ago and you're just now telling me?" at the sight of Clark and Lionel standing together with lots of papers written in Kryptonian, working together. When just a few hours before Clark was telling her that his dad wanted him to kill Lionel, and they suspected that Lionel was going to use Clark as a weapon. Which, BTW - Did Clark and Lionel talk about what Lionel planned to do concerning knowing Clark's secret, because Clark felt comfortable sharing what they knew about everything, when just a few hours before they had broken into Lionel's office. Lionel's not mad they were snooping through his things and their not even trying to hide the fact that they did? ODD. That was priceless. But, then when Chloe went to scan the documents to look for language patterns, I was confused. Wasn't Clark downloaded with the ability to read Kryptonian after he visited the caves back in Season 2? Why does he all of a sudden have Kryptonian illiteracy? I suppose that's one of those things the new writers forgot. Also, that Chloe line about putting on a cape and calling her "Horatio" was priceless too. Lois had a few good one-liners, as well. It must run in the family.

I knew that Jonathan was not Jonathan back at the graveyard, but I didn't think it was Milton Fine until the second appearance with Martha. Jonathan would never have been jealous like that and blaming Martha for having an inappropriate relationship with Lionel. My only question, or more-or-less comment about that scene, is that I wish that the love and adoration that she poured out concerning Jonathan would have effected Fine, visibly. He wouldn't let her touch him, but it would have been nice to see "love" being incomprehensible to a machine. By the time he showed up in the barn, I'd done made my mind up that Lionel is on the good side. I hadn't known for sure where his loyalties have lain, but by that point I knew that he's only been trying to help Clark, stop Lex and save the world. It wasn't his fault that Jonathan died, even if he played some part in it. It was essentially Jonathan's own stubborn pride that killed him. I have a feeling that Lionel will die in the next episode though - and by Lex's super-hand.

Ah, the Lex/Lana quandary. I do believe she's using the boy, masking her own feelings for Clark in order to work incognito to find out the truth about what's going on and the truth about Clark. She's still in love with Clark, she's not in love with Lex and when Lex finds out that he is yet betrayed by another brown-haired beauty, I think it will send him over the edge. I think Lana told Lois some of what she was doing, and that's why Lois was trying to talk to Clark. She wasn't really referring to Clark's emotional agenda (with the reference to motorcycles and Harley's) but to Lana's, referring to her plan of deception. But, I have a feeling that when the whole truth comes out, Clark will have really moved on and has embraced his destiny - and to go back to Lana would be to go backward.

So, Zod is coming. Well, he needs to hurry up and come on, because I'm ready to see another glimpse of my superhero. I'm getting tired of the boy. It's time he became a man. They've been talking about it all season, and especially since Jonathan died, but they've only given us small morsels. I want the whole cake (but, God please not a piece of Lois'!)

I really liked this episode and I'm really looking forward to next weeks. I don't look forward to a whole summer hanging onto another cliff hangar, but I'd be crazy to think they wouldn't do that. Especially, after the huge one with Supernatural.

There's lots more I could comment on about this episode, but I didn't want to write another book. LOL!

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Another Weird Dream

Last night I dreamt that I was visiting my agent in California and while there I met Allison Mack, Michael Rosenbaum, Tom Welling and Erica Durance. Now, as most of you who know me, know these names, because they are my favorite actors from Smallville.

Dreaming about them wasn't what was weird, it was what they were doing. There were also some other 'stars' there as well like Tara Reid and the guy from House.

Anyway, back to the dream. We were on a location for a movie in a small Mexican town. When I arrived, I was met by Allison and Erica and we had a blast riding around in a Jeep Wrangler with the top down, cruising the beach. We acted like three giddy high-school girls.

We arrived on the lot and I was taken to my trailer - that I was to share with my agent. She wasn't there. Obviously she was off signing some big deal with one of her other clients. Anyway, I made myself at home and was invited out to eat with the cast and crew. I changed into my favorite pair of jeans and tee-shirt, pulled my hair into a pony tail and was ready to go. I met up with everyone outside of my trailer and they were all dressed semi-casual, some with coats and ties. I felt way underdressed, but no one seemed to notice except Michael, who leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I was going to go for grundge look to, but they wouldn't let me." I laughed. He made me feel comfortable.

We are seated at the restaurant and the Hispanic waiter makes his way around the table taking everyone's order. I couldn't find anything I liked on the menu and instead of looking for something, I kept watching the waiter struggle with everyone's English. When he got to me, I simply folded my menu and began speaking to him in Spanish. "Buenos dias, Senior. Mucho Gusto....." I ordered grilled chicken w/asparagus spears and steamed rice. Everyone was speechless and impressed with my Spanish. The waiter smiled a smile of relief and walked away.

Dinner was fun, but the evening was cut short and we all returned back to our trailers. Allison, Erica, Tara and Tom came to visit me and we played a game of poker. Michael stayed in the back bedroom, studying math for his biology class he was taking. What does math have to do with biology? I don't know, you'll have to speak to the dream fairies about that. I tried to invite him to the game, but he said he really needed to study. He looked sort of depressed.

Anyway, during our poker game Tara asked what our plans were for dinner the next night, because she had to leave and wanted to catch back up. No one knew the plan and she said she'd call later, wished everyone a good night and left. Michael had walked into the room when she left and stood by the door. Tom asked Michael what he thought about Tara and he said, "Man, she's hot." Everyone laughed. I looked over to Tom and said, "Call me later and tell me what he says about me after you both leave." Everyone laughed.

Then Allison mimicked Tara about her choice in foods to eat, saying that she's just about allergic to every kind of green vegetable and is a pain to take out. I made a comment about the importance of green vegetables, backed up by our biologist in training - Michael. I told them that I loved cooking and so I ended up volunteering to cook lots of green vegetables for dinner the next night. We never spoke about it, but I'm assuming Tara wouldn't be there.

The next day at the filming location, they were shooting a water stunt. I watched Tom jump off this huge pier into this river of cold water. He had to do it several times. By lunchtime, he was exhausted I didn't blame him. He made the comment, "Some people think I'm Superman, but I'm just a regular guy." Wow, I wonder where that came from??? LOL!

Back at the trailer I had found this frilly, dazzling and fluffy pink skirt and gave it Allison. She went nuts over it, saying that she's been looking for that particular skirt for years. Erica scrunched her nose and shook her head, sticking out her tongue behind her. I'm sure she meant that she would drop dead before she was ever caught wearing it.

I gave Tom a directing job, because apparently I was the Executive Producer/Writer of this movie that was based on one of my books. (Don't know which one, but I'll keep my eyes open for diving into rivers while in Mexico scenes.

I asked Michael why he wanted to be a biologist and he said he wanted to have something to fall back on if this acting thing didn't work out. He asked me why I wanted to be a writer and I told him, "Why do you breathe? It's just what I am and comes natural to me."

Anyway, that was my dream in a nutshell. It's not supposed to make sense and I don't know if there was a point to it. Perhaps some of my Fruedian friends could figure it out for me. I just thought it was interesting and wanted to share it with you while it was still fresh on my mind.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

The Gunslinger Series by Stephen King

I've just completed book four Wizard & Glass in this series and I have to tell you, it's the best so far. I loved going back and revisiting Roland Deschain's past, learning about when he first became a gunslinger and experiancing his first love and loss, Susan & his mother.

I think this book was written better than the first three combined. It was more engaging and the pacing much better.

One of the things I've notice about Stephen King, is he likes to insert every little detail. I think the man has controls issues. He wants to guide your every step, create the picture for you and let you sit back and try to soak it all in. However, most of us retain more when we feel we are a part of something - not on the outside looking in. I like to form my own pictures - as the artist paints - not having him describe it to me afterwards. Anyway - this book drew me more into the story - it made me fall in love with Roland, Cuthbert and Alain. I was able to sympathize with Susan and learned to detest those who were against Roland and his ka-tet.

In the earlier books, I related more to Roland's new Ka-tet, than I did with Roland. I was drawn into the characters of Odetta/Detta/Susannah, Eddie, Jake and Oy - but Roland was hard to identify with. He was this hard edge character that kept himself closed off from the rest. But, in Wizard and Glass - he opened up and we got to finally meet the man beneath the guns.

I loved the way this story also overlapped with The Stand and the Wizard of Oz. King is a mastermind when it comes to layering a story. Though, I still think he could cut back on some of the details. I found myself skimming - and I hate to skim over anything.

Well, I'll start book five - Calla sometime this week.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray