Episode 703 - Fierce Review




"Fierce" Review

Written by Babaluwee

DISCLAIMER - Please remember that this review does not represent the opinions/viewpoints of everyone; it is the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Thank you.

"Fierce" revisited of many of the familiar themes associated with Smallville over last six years. In some ways the episode combined the best and the worst of Smallville. It waxed brilliantly when it dealt with themes such as: finding a way for a Kryptonian to "fit in" the human community; protecting the secret; learning to use super powers; and the nature of "Kryptonian humanity." The episode waned tediously when it rehashed tiresome scenes of Clana "starting over" and of Lex's quest to discover the truth about a Kent family member who ripped open the roof of his car and saved him from a watery death.

THE GOOD

Tom's Performance: Tom's performance was delightful, even if somewhat subdued, in portraying a responsible and genuinely caring mentor for Kara. No regular viewer could have watched this episode and not have seen Jonathan. Clark was protective of Kara and concerned about her learning to control and use her super powers properly. He did not assume a parental role, however. He was more of a mentor. Kara didn't need a father figure; her parents already raised her. But she certainly needed the guidance of a role model for how to behave on her new home planet. Although this kind of pedagogy has been a traditional theme in Smallville, it was a new experience for Clark, and Tom portrayed it wonderfully.

Clark and Kara: The scenes in which Clark and Kara discussed how to live among humans were well done and were a redeeming feature of this episode's plot. Kara has not developed a sense of belonging among humans yet, and she told Clark he's "not one of them." It was so gratifying to see Clark answer her assertively: he knows who he is and where he belongs. He and the audience know that "humanity is more than biology." He even seemed to have come to terms with "hiding" his identity. As he told Lana, it's not "hiding" who he really is; it's "adjusting." He finally seemed comfortable in his own skin. It will be interesting to watch the unfolding of these humanity issues with newcomer Kara and a more self-assured Clark.

Chloe and Jimmy: A brief and foreboding scene between Chloe and Jimmy alluded to Chloe's yet unexplored meteor power, and raised the question of whether all meteor-empowered people eventually "snap" and become murderous criminals. (Of course, Chloe's power of healing is not consistent with murder nor with criminality.)

THE BAD

The Beauty Contest: It didn't take the writers long to contrive the plot device of an inane beauty contest in order to showcase Laura Vandervoort in a skimpy bikini...twice. Clark was right about the inconsistency of Kara's trying to "fit in" among humans by entering a contest in which human women put themselves on display in order to "stand out." Kara's comparison of the contest to Clark's quarterback days did not apply because Clark's intention was neither to fit in nor to hide. He joined the team for the same reason anyone does: for the love of the game; he simply wanted to play. After wasting years in a "cryogenic coffin," the real reason for Kara's entering the contest was that she was hungry for attention. (Perhaps the attention of a certain young photographer?)

Clana: Clark and Lana decided "to start over" in this episode. Reprising this storyline would be an colossal and irreparable mistake for the show, because this relationship has been inconsistently written, convoluted, agonizing, disordered, unresolved, angst-ridden, ill-fated, tiresome, and doomed, especially since the viewers already know it is simply not destined to last. Rather than restarting the romance, Clark and Lana should be allowed to develop a true and enduring friendship.

Lex: Like the Clana redux, Lex's new project of investigating his latest savior, Kara, is beginning to sound like a broken record. (My apologies to those who are too young get the allusion to the vinyl album and turntable, but I don't know any other way to describe more accurately my irritation with all this pointless repetition.) No one believes for a second that Lex views his latest rescue as being "saved from drowning in the evil of my ways."

Kara: This young woman was exasperating at times: it seemed as if Clark couldn't tell her anything. He was right to try to help her learn to control her powers. He was very understanding to concede that Kara was willful and would do whatever she wanted. So he went about helping her in a kind and friendly way. She was unfair to characterize it as "patronizing watermelon tutorials." Her hypersensitivity was incomprehensible. She also did Clark an injustice by accusing him of "reprimanding" her and of "general disinterest" in everything she's done. None of this is true! (Not to mention the fact that "disinterested" does not mean "uninterested" or lacking interest or concern, indifferent. It means "impartial" or "unbiased." Work on the human language, Ms. Know-It-All.) Kara was given to exaggeration, calling what little time she spent conscious on this planet "suffocating repression." Oh grow up! Clark was proven right about being concerned that someone might have seen Kara use her super powers. But did she apologize? No. Instead, Clark wrongly backed down on this issue at the end of the episode, saying, "I know you need to use your abilities your own way." Give me a break. Clark did not become all that he is on his own. His parents were essential in helping him find the balance between maintaining the privacy of his super powers and using them properly. How could she be so resistant to all that Clark has to offer?

Rating: I give "Fierce" 3 and ½ stars out of 5.

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