Episode 811 - Legion Review




"Legion" Review

Written by Scarlett

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.

Expectations were high among Superman fans for this episode, primarily because comics writer Geoff Johns wrote it. But, this episode was a disappointment overall, and didn't live up to the hype. Once again, Smallville lost sight of the purpose of this show. Although Clark did save the day, this episode focused way too much on Chloe Sullivan and Lana Lang. Thus, I found myself looking at the clock mid-way through the episode. There needed to be more scenes with Clark and the Legion, and more focus on Clark's story.

The Good:

Tom's Performance: Tom did a great job as usual, and he looked very Supermanly throughout the episode. However, even though I'm a huge Tom Welling fan, he seemed bored during most of this episode. Perhaps he realized that this episode wasn't really about Clark after all?

Clark Kent: Clark was the one who proactively took the lead in saving Chloe and stopping Brainiac. It was a nice touch that the Legion members were clearly awestruck at meeting their idol, before he became Superman. Specifically, the Legion told Clark that he would have great impact on both the world and the galaxy, as well as pave the way for other "aliens" to come to Earth. It was nice to have them acknowledge their respect and admiration for Clark. Rokk: "Your influence will reach far beyond this galaxy."

Clark and Legion Scenes: Most of the interaction between Clark and the Legion members was cute and was clearly slanted to appeal to comics book fans. It was also a nice touch that the Legion gave Clark a flight ring, so that he could visit them in the future. And, it was also a relief that Clark did NOT fly using the flight ring either. Clark needs to learn to fly totally on his own!

Superman/Legion References: There were several shout-outs to both Superman and Legion comic book fans. These included a reference to Clark's cape; the flight ring; time travel, the Persuader; Brainiac 5; and the Time Institute. Rokk told Garth that he was acting like a "Sub", which was a reference to the "Legion of Substitute Heroes; and, the comment: "Put your AC foot in your DC mouth" was also aimed at comics fans.

Continuity: There were pictures in Clark's barn; a reference to Jonathan and Clark's baseball; Clark's high school jacket; and even a photo of Alicia in Chloe's journal. It was also stated that Brainiac had been running a program to bring Doomsday to him, which helped to clarify some events from earlier episodes.

Special Effects/Lighting: It was cool watching Clark sign his name using his heat vision, and the Doomsday special effects at the end of the episode was well done. The lighting helped to set the various moods also, especially in the FOS.

Mixed Reactions:

Protect Life at All Costs: It was good that this episode reinforced a basic Superman core value: protect life at all costs. But if Superman was really the Legion's idol, wouldn't they already know this about him? Regardless, hopefully the Smallville writers will make a note of this important basic fact about Superman.

Legion Guest Stars: Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl did a good job as guest stars, but it just wasn't that important, because the episode wasn't focused on Clark. So, their visit to Clark seemed insignificant, as if something was missing.

No Record of Chloe Sullivan: This statement by the Legion seemed a little odd, since Chloe has been Clark's best friend for several seasons on the show. And, also odd, was the remark that "maybe Chloe's death is what inspires Clark to fly". Even if that happens (hopefully not), then wouldn't there still be some record of Chloe? Even though Allison Mack usually does a good job, she seemed a little stiff in her performance as Brainiac. It was like watching a bad horror flick in some scenes.

The Bad:

Legion Flying, but Not Clark: Enough already! This viewer is sick of seeing all these lesser heroes fly, when Clark Kent, future Superman, is not allowed to do so. The little remarks about Clark not flying yet got old back in season five.

Destiny Quote: There was an important quote about destiny. Unfortunately, Johns chose to let Lana say it instead of Clark: "Our destiny's not written in some book in the future, we write it ourselves, everyday." We choose our own destiny, and Clark needs to choose his own, himself, in his own time, and not based on 'advice' or 'guidance' from any supporting character!

Chloe Losing/Regaining Her Memory: This plotline seemed pointless, and was just glossed over in this episode. Chloe magically regained her memory, and yet she and Clark didn't even discuss her losing it in the first place? This made no sense, and was handled poorly.

Davis Transforming into Doomsday: Was Davis/Doomsday in the FOS for 12 days? Or, did Davis immediately transform into Doomsday, when Brainac was destroyed? Doomsday shouldn't need to be placed into the FOS to turn into his true self. Smallville's approach to try to make every villain a poor victim got old back in season three with Lex Luthor. And, why was the FOS still black, if Brainiac had been contained in that ball?

Chloe's Exorcism: This was so cheesy, and added to the feeling of watching a cheap horror movie. Why not let Clark figure out a way to save Chloe all by himself?

The Persuader: This was anti-climatic, and was a waste of time. Why wasn't Clark able to get away without being slashed by his axe?

Sarcastic comments or nod to viewers : There were several off-the-cuff remarks in this episode that simply fell flat. Were they meant to be sarcastic remarks aimed at the fans, or a nod to viewers to show that the writers are listening? These comments included: "no flights, no tights"; Clark "doesn't resemble the Man of Steel"; "Clark hasn't learned to fly yet"; "Do we have the wrong person"; "Do your destiny in your own time Clark"; and of course, the over-the-top Lana drama. If "Action" was a jab at some Smallville fans, then these comments were a slap in the face! Has Johns been reading the online fan sites? It was difficult to determine his intent with some of these comments, all mostly at Clark's expense.

Lana Drama: Lana really had no purpose in this episode, and it seemed as though she was forced into the storyline just to meet Kristin's contract requirements. It was so annoying to have several characters try to convince viewers that Lana is important. The fact is that Lana Lang has always been a supporting character in the Superman story, and is simply not relevant at this point in Clark's life. And, it was nauseating to have her "destiny" talked about more in this episode than Clark's destiny. When a supporting character or a guest star's storyline is given priority over the main character, the episode always suffers! And, the photos of Lana spread across the Kent farm was ridiculous. It felt like a time warp back to season two, rather than a season eight episode.

I give Legion 2.5 out of 5 stars.

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