Episode 918 - Upgrade Review




"Upgrade" 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.

"Upgrade" resumed the storyline with Zod as Clark's principle enemy (among others), except that it seems he and Clark actually become friends. The episode is strongly connected to both "Metallo," the pivotal episode, "Pandora," and even harkens back to "Rosetta" in Season Two.

Tom's Performance: It was worth putting up "Upgrade's" frustrating character development, or devolution, just to see Tom's magnificent performance this week. He was masterful and mesmerizing. Some of Tom's best work is playing Clark when "he's not himself." Of course, when Tom plays Clark, his performance is always brilliant. The romantic Clark, for example, waking up Lois with light kisses was so sexy and endearing, and it got the episode off to a good start, but we were in for one of Tom's rare performances as "red k-altered Clark" when he confronted Chloe for stockpiling kryptonite weapons. He was in control, but he made you feel his anger seething just below the surface. Eyes blazing, teeth bared, upper lip in the hint of a snarl, he shoved her to the ground, and demanded to know why she would do this, "In case I turned on you?" (Uh, case in point, Clark.) Whoa, he may have used his heat vision to burn his crest on the wall, but after that, Tom could practically shoot fire from his eyes without any special effects. That's great acting. It was a riveting performance that made me catch my breath.

In the scene where red k-Clark and Zod forge an alliance, I found myself studying Tom's facial expressions very closely. It was, of course, Tom's (stunningly beautiful) face, and yet, it was like he could simply don another persona, another character's mask. As red k-Clark, Tom puts on facial expressions that Clark doesn't use. He smirks in a way that Clark doesn't smirk. His eyes seem menacing as Clark's seem kind. There was an unmistakable touch of arrogance in his look at Zod when declared he has no equal; we don't see that look on Clark. Tom gave an all around outstanding performance.

The Good

Clark and Zod: The conversation in which red k-Clark and Zod struck an alliance was pregnant with one of the underlying themes of the whole SV series. Zod practically tempts a red k juiced up Clark with being a "god who rips decisions out of the hands of fate," whose symbol is already being "worshipped" by mere mortals. Once they take out Chloe's arsenal, he says, nothing can stop them. Clark's destiny is the underlying question of the series: Will he become a savior of humanity, the suffering servant who dedicates his life to their common good, or will he become the "god among men" who conquers humanity?

This episode harkens as far back as the "Rosetta" episode in Season Two, when Clark and Jonathan discover the message in the spaceship from Jor-el (then accurately referred to as "my biological father"): "You will be a god among men. They are a flawed race. Rule them with strength, my son, that is where your greatness lies."

Back then Clark was much more disturbed by the thought of conquering Earth, of what kind of biological father he had, of what kind of person he could become. But Jonathan had the answer to all of Clark's fears: YOU decide who you want to become, not your biological father, not anyone else. Granted, in this situation with Zod, Clark was mentally altered, and Zod was only trying to use him for his own plans of conquest.

The Bad

Poor Script: It is exceedingly painful to watch a poorly written Clark: Not only is Clark regularly salaaming to Chloe, apologizing for imaginary offenses, and flagellating himself with utterly baseless guilt, now Clark is being written as 1) overly suggestible and 2) whiney about needing to be understood.

Clark Is Too Suggestible: Even though he was mentally altered by red kryptonite, Clark still proved to be readily susceptible to suggestion, and Zod pulled out all the stops to convince red k-Clark to come over to the dark side: He tried several effective strategies to coax him. First Zod tried to undermine Clark's values by implying he was a hypocrite to serve humanity, yet deceiving those he cared for most. (That's not true!) Next, Zod tried to convince Clark that his friends fear him enough to stockpile kryptonite weapons against him, thereby trying to turn Clark away from them and toward Zod.

Then, he made a lame attempt at solidarity and bonding, citing their forlorn alien status, without a home, having common decisions and struggling with the same dilemmas. (However lame it was, it was working.). Zod continued by invoking fond memories of his dearly departed (biological) father, Jor-el. Finally, he played the guilt card, reminding Clark he had just saved his life. (No, he didn't!) The coup de grace came as the simple appeal to Clark's new emotional need to be understood: "Your closest friends fear you because they will never understand you." Who will Clark join: his friends who stockpile kryptonite weapons or someone who really understands him? And Clark fell for it!! Even when Clark was freed from the affects of the red kryptonite, he still fell for it!

New Character Flaw: Clark's peevish "need to be understood" came up about three times in this episode. Even though he was seething with anger at the time, it made Clark look pathetic and childish when he told Chloe that he was a fool to think that she "could ever understand him." He saw the world come to an end (in "Pandora"), and that's his complaint? "Poor me, no one understands me?" Oh, grow up!! At the end of the episode, Clark says it again, that Zod understands him; he understands their common isolation and burdens, etc. I barely feel the need to respond to this schlock writing, and to state the painfully obvious, but nevertheless here goes: Zod understands absolutely nothing about Clark and never will!! They are from two different worlds! How can (unaltered) Clark be so blind to that? And I am too revolted to even dignify the schlockiest writing with a response - that Clark thinks of Zod as the "closest thing to a brother that I may ever know," and that "family is something I don't have much of any more."

Clark knows what kind of a Kryptonian Zod is; he knows that Zod is an innate liar and can never ever be trusted. Clark saw the horrific and hellish future Zod will cause humanity when he violently conquers the Earth (in "Pandora"). Zod has already acquired superpowers. Why is Clark befriending him??? This is to write Clark as a weak character. To write Clark's character as "suggestible" means that Clark sways to arguments that appeal to his emotional need, rather than stand firm with what he knows to be the truth, namely, that Zod has evil intentions. Unless Clark is written standing for something (truth, justice, goodness, altruism, etc.), he will fall for anything.

Clark can find the fulfillment of his need to be understood deep within him. Jonathan understood him and loved him more than life. When Clark was troubled by the fact that he had enough power to conquer a planet and what kind of a person he could thereby possibly become, his father assured him of his freedom to become whomever he decides. His father spoke with conviction that he was here "to be a force for good, not a force for evil." How could Jonathan be so sure? "Because I am your father. I raised you and I know you better than anyone" ("Rosetta"). Clark should visit his mother. I'm certain she understands him too. And if these mere mortals could indeed understand him, isn't it possible that others who truly love him will too?

Clark confessed to Chloe that while he was altered with red k, his time with Zod was somewhat of "a wish fulfillment thing." Even if the misbehavior that comes out while Clark is mentally altered really resides inside of him, he's still innately good because when he is free, his will is good. It is Clark's free choices to be good that make him good. He freely chooses not to think, not to act, not to be red k-Clark. Unless Clark is really free to say "no" to being good, his "yes" is meaningless.

Chloe: Clark had to be saved yet again, this time from an accidental red k poisoning. Chloe was portrayed as the hero yet again. She brilliantly sent John Corben (who no longer seems to have a grudge against the Blur) to the Fortress of Solitude equipped with kryptonite to fight and subdue Clark, and neutralize the red k right out of him. Not only is Clark not the hero, he doesn't learn anything from his ordeal, and makes Zod his best bud.

Clois Kissing Scenes: Would it kill anyone to write a couple of good kissing scenes? Preferably with an unaltered Clark? In years gone by, we used to get some of the most amazing and heart-stopping kissing scenes, like Clark's "Red" kiss with Lana, for example. Why were Clark and Lois interrupted before they could kiss in the opening scene of the episode? I am by no means asking for full consummation, but don't dating couples make-out any more?

Rating: I give "Upgrade" 2.5 stars out of 5.

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