I was wondering about that too.

Well that is possible. But how was it to throw us off if it showed Jonathan dead? And, asuming it was a cut scene, why would Clark take him to the Fortress? To argue with Jor-El perhaps?

That said, it's obvious Clark doesn't really care about dad. I say this because if it were Lana showing signs of a heart attack, he would have taken her at super speed to the hospital. When it was Pa, he just did the cliched bawl your eyes out and do nothing useful routine.

With regards to pics of Pa in the Fortress. The producers supposedly filmed and released pics of scenes that weren't real to throw off speculation about how or if he dies.

:mad:;)

And, I was wondering why there were so many bizarre things going on at the Planet...

Well, i've had so time to process and...not much has changed. All of the relief and exhilaration that I felt up until Lana died was quickly shot to hell once the Smallville Reset™ was hit and Paw keeled over. I'm sure no one noticed that Lionel was in the barn either...

While I didn't mind the cemetery sequence, i'm glad Lana wasn't the one to die since that opens up so many opportunities for Clark & Lana to spend the rest of the season looking longingly at each other. Now THAT'S drama, my friends. -ohbfrank-

Episode should have ended after the first 30 minutes.

This episode prooves that Superman is a dick. In fact, if they could, that website should use this episode as further proof. Clark decides to save Lana out of selfishness, and in that displays terrible judgment and completely ignores Jor El's warning that somebody else WILL DIE. Who did he think it was going to be? PETE????? Now his life is f'ed in the a, but I guess that is the way they want him to become Superman. I say that's a piss poor excuse, the Kents were alive and well in the Superman animated series and that worked wonderfully well.

So why did Pa Kent really die? Did Schneider want out of this series and not renew his contract?

I also agree that there was NO FREAKING REASON that Clark couldn't have revealed his secret to Lana after he saved her. So what she was with Lex? Who CARES??? He's a dick and a wimp.

Good ep, time travel thing sucked, but it's always sucked, it sucked in the movie. They always keep true to the Donner movie mythos rather than the current comic mythos, and in that, time travel ruins good stories and Pa dies.

Great ending, though.

And yeah, Clark should've told Lana next, and then we should have seen what was on Lionel's pic. But they have to save something for the next two years...

Lex will not get the seat
Ma Kent should get the Senate Chair now, that is kind of why I thought they may have shown Lionel behind her briefly at the funeral...now she has inherited the debt and the problem of whatever is in that picture
That could make for some interesting stor(ies) for a bit...

^Co-sign

I liked the episode, though I am pissed they killed anybody, that shit ain't right, oh well thats like.

The end was killing me, man I had to hold back some tears, especially when Lana held Clarks hand then let go, damn, I feel like a 9 year old girl that just fell off her bike and skinned her knee.....anybody want to cuddle with me???

Wow. Terrible episode, considering the build up and the importance of the events that transpired. The whole thing felt rushed, for one. The whole beginning "everything is beautiful" half hour was just to silly to be believed. Clark revealing his secret to Lana AND proposing AND Pa Kent winning the election in the course of 20 minutes was so off the mark you just knew it wasn't going to be "real".

To have any impact they should've made this a 2-hour episode or a two-parter, at least. They should've built up to Clark revealing his secret, the win, etc., then ended the episode with Lana 'dying'. Then part two is Clark demainding a re-do, then the replay of everything. It cheapened Jonathan's death to force it all into this. Just because it's the 100th? Who gives a crap?

And worst of all, the events don't even make sense. On the redo Clark is so worried about Lana going back to that road because Lex runs her off the road. Why didn't he just go to Lex's mansion and knock him the **** out for the night? He could've did everything else the exact same. Lex would've never called Lana that night, they'd still be together. Granted, his dad would still be dead, but he didn't know that. Besides, if Jonathan was fated to have a heart attack from a minor scrap it probably would have happened one way or another. But I guess that may depend on whether you read Jor-el's message as a threat or a prophecy.

I love how Clark knows there's a good chance that somebody's going to die and yet he just stays by Lois's side. Then at the end when Jonathan falls, Clark doesn't do anything.

I also hated the Groundhog Day moments. I loved those type of things on Tru Calling, but they were horrible here, especially since they were mainly there for Clark to prove it to Chloe. Hell, he could've used x-ray vision for the flowers and super hearing for the firing and uh... maybe super speed for the call. Super speed works in every situation.

This episode especially needs to be followed up next week, not some 2 weeks later FotW episode. If they had treated this as the first of a two parter and dug more into the issues and feelings following Jonathan's death, I might forgive the show. But as it looks from the spoilers, that won't be the case. -ohbfrank-

Nice line by Chloe as an homage to the Donner film.

I stopped watching "Smallville" when it competed with "Lost".

Now I know that I chose wisely. Why, oh why did I start watching again? What a crappy episode. Only the last few scenes were any good - Jonathan's death and the funeral. Good choice of Peter Gabriel's "I Grieve" for the close. But that's it, really.

What a waste.

yes, it should have.

And I absolutely love Kristen Kreuk and hated the idea of Lana being killed. But that 1st half would've been perfect catalyst for the future of this series.

I knew they were gonna do some crazy shit with this episode when so much happened before the opening credits. The time travel was BS but I knew who was really going to die.

Even with knowing who was going to die for weeks I still wasn't prepared for it. There are very few shows I watch on TV but I really get into those I do watch regularly.

I am disappointed in this episode. Unbelievably disappointed.

I should have felt something. I really wanted to feel something..but because of the way they did this episode...I felt nothing when Lana or Pa Kent died. It seems like a shame, as if there was any time to truly get me emotionally involved this would have been it, but it was all too scripted and it was obvious how things would play out, especially after the time travel thing.


Ma Kent definitely did an excellent job acting.

Mark me down for the following:

1. The episode was too rushed and should have been a 2-parter;
2. Clark still should've told Lana at the end; and,
3. Tom Welling should be playing Superman in "Superman Returns"

The problem is that they cheapen Lana's death so much with the second chances plot device that Jonathan's death has no impact.

Well I could type what I feel but everybody's already hit the nail on the head.

Liked the episode until they pulled the "time reverse" trick. The funeral scene was extremely sad IMO.

I've learned though not to get my hopes too high for Smallville "surprises".

No, I have to read them afterwards. That's the problem. It's like a bunch of kids gossiping.

So we get Clark proposing and again they hit the reset button with Lana and Clark. Oh Brother.
Sad to see Jonathon go.
Terrence Stamp was in the credits so did I miss a scene?

John Scheneider didn't have a choice. In an interview with Gough he said they decided on the characters demise and informed the actor.

For awhile there I thought I was watching a new episode of Tru Calling. It was funny how Clark knew that his dad was going to win but that fact did not even seem to interest him the second time around.

When Jonathan collapsed, why did Clark just sit there like a bump on a log? Wouldn't he at least have whisked him to the hospital to see if they could jump-start his heart? He could have been there in like 1 second.

I was surprised he seemed so resigned to do nothing, after negotiating so hard for Lana's life.

How come Lex did not have a party on election night with his supporters? Were they all arrested last week? I thought it was weird he was just at home by himself. I would think he'd at least have a gathering among his campaign workers.

Lana finding out Clark's secret seemed like a big letdown, even before they hit the reset button.

First episode I like all season. Well Done.

Rest in Peace in PA Kent.

Well, Smallville has officially swung and missed 3 times for me. I tried to watch regularly during Season 3 and stopped when I saw the preview for the episode where people were racing with Krytonite fueled cars. Tried again for season 4 and got tired of the whole freak of the week thing. I made it through this whole season so far and was actually enjoying it since there was a sense of progression, but next week looks so lame. That and more B.S. between Clark and Lana. I'm out.

And Tom Welling while a fine Superboy, is no Superman. Maybe he's slightly altering his voice to sound younger, but when he talks, I don't hear Superman.

Terrance Stamp plays the voice of Jor-El. That's why he's in the credits.

As far as what Lionel still has on the Kents, remember that he's the one who helped them get fake adoption papers for Clark. Plus, I think the photo Lionel showed Jonathan was of Clark doing something super....

The funeral scene and use of Peter Gabriel made the episode for me, but if you're going to make fun of Superman - The Movie with the "axis" joke you shouldn't do almost the exact same thing. :rolleyes:

I don't think it was making fun of it as much as paying homage by bringing up the reference.

KRYPTONSITE: Was it always part of the plan to kill Jonathan Kent in the 100th episode?

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ALFRED GOUGH: It's part of the mythology. We had talked about other characters, but it just seemed that as we were going into Season Five, this is the year the boy becomes the man, so at some point the mentor/father figure has to die, in order for Clark to ultimately step up and really embrace his destiny. Nobody can buffer or shield him anymore from these things. He's got to take it on for himself.

K-SITE: Do you have any words to say about John Schneider and his performance as Jonathan Kent?

GOUGH: He's a terrific actor. He's a total TV star, of which there are very few. He's a guy we always wanted to cast on the show, the first time we came in and met him. I think he completely embodies the qualities of Jonathan Kent. The strengths, and a kindess, but there's a fight in him as well, and I think you can see all these things in Clark. And he's obviously a parent who, in his own life, deeply cares about his kids, and I think that translated onto the screen. He just brought a real warmth and authenticity to the role. And when we broke the news, he took it like a pro, and was very dignified, and he understood, and understands the nature of doing a television series, and he's a great guy, and I'm sure he will now go on and star in another hit show. Like I said, he's a complete TV star, and there are very few of them.

K-SITE: Some photos had leaked a few weeks ago of Clark taking a dead Jonathan's body to the Fortress of Solitude, but that scene was absent from the final cut. What happened there?

GOUGH: We just felt it was too much. It was something that sounded great on paper, but ultimately it seemed a little awkward and a little morbid. It felt like a little bit of a stutter step in the episode. You'd already seen it once when he brought Lana, and it's not like he brought Lana's body there. I think some of it was the staging, and some of it was just - you didn't need to see that scene again.

See, I felt that the reason Clark doesn't rush Jonathan to the hospital is that when he sees his father in pain, it finally clicks in with him what he has done. Earlier, he is reckless when going back in time to save Lana, not caring that the balance must be maintained (he thinks some stranger is going to bite it)...but at the moment he sees Jonathan stumbling, he realizes that his father's life is the one that will be taken...and since the balance WILL be maintained, rushing him anywhere is futile... add in the SHOCK of it all, and that is why Clark fails to act.

Also, his failure to act is something that is going to haunt him, which is why he tries to place the blame somewhere else so aggressively in the inevitable "REVENGE" episode. While I thought the reboot was a cop out and really wish Clark had told Lana his secret anyhow, I thought the last few scenes were excellent...especially the Martha and Clark scene... So a very decent episode, even if it was somewhat disappointing.

MATT
and I hope that Jonathan in the fortress scene makes the DVD.

I didn't like the episode to begin with but the more I think about the more I despise it.

Jor-El says: "You're powers are exceptional but we are not gods". Yeah, he only brought Clark back to life after being shot & killed, turned back time, bringing Lana back to life, and altered history so Pa Kent would die.

The whole "A life will be exchanged for Clark's" throws me off too. Did Jor-El cause the car accident & the heart attack? If history was to change so that Lana didn't die, why did Clark have to stop the bus? Maybe Pa Kent would've died anyway had time not been reversed, Clark didn't go far enough ahead to find out the first time. Johnathan got the call and was driving to the barn the first time so presumably he would have had the confrontation with Lionel anyway.

Way too much thinking about a show not worthy of another minute of my time. Argh.

The east coast isn't the world. :D

I guess it's fitting the last episode I watch of this show is the 100th. Just finished watching it, and what complete and utter bullshit. I have no problem with killing Pa Kent off. But after having this show dragged through the mud because the writers dick around the Clark and Lana relationship for five years, and then finally having them resolve it. Only to kill Lana, causing Clark to go back in time and erase everything just to kill someone else off and leave their relationship as stuck in limbo as ever.

I mean really. Their relationship has been on-again and off-again so many times, that for them to do it yet AGAIN. Either keep Lana dead or simply never kill her off and have them get married. Since killing Pa Kent goes totally against the comic-universe, I really don't give a damn about the Lois-Clark relationship. But the writers having to almost intentionally give a finger to the fans bitching about the Clark/Lana relationship being ridiculously overdrawn...

I'm just not going to stick around and waste my time watching more tension and drama as Lana falls for someone else now that she's finally "over" Clark and his secrets! How many times has that been done now? There was the crazy guy (Adam?), the guy on Supernatural, and Whitney. Wow, now it's Lex. Fourth times a charm? Pathetic.

Obviously not, but what I never understood was why people who haven't watched a show, and who will be pissed by having it spoiled, bother to read threads about said show???

^ Agreed. I'll check out a thread in the morning of an episode, but I'll ignore it from there on until I've watched it. :shrug:

WOW.

I am mixed over this episode. It was quite moving. The scene with Ma Kent and Clark talking and necklace fitting thru the end of the funeral was very sad, you can only feel for Martha Kent going forward alone.

However, we were ripped off, as many said, killing Lana and moving her out of the way would have allowed this series to move forward. Now we will still be stuck on the Lana/Clark train for 10 minutes or more every episode and we don't have the benefit of the Pa Kent segments for those 10 minutes!

Hopefully next weeks revenge episode will be action packed and help move it in a new direction.

With all that said, I still enjoyed the episode, just not the result.

I thought the same thought about Tru Calling - it was like the writers had a Tru Calling DVD marathon. It played out exactly the same way as a TC episode.

I had the same exact thoughts - he seemed to accept Jonathan's death all too well, when compared to Lana.

Loner Lex made so sense either.

Fucking reset button - AGAIN. -ohbfrank- Someone please explain to me how this was the episode that was supposed to change everything?

The snowy graveyard was very well done however.

Loved the last 10 min of the show, hated that they killed Lana/brought Lana back to life and then did not tell her about himself.

I could really fell the emotions from everyone: Martha was perfect, Clark somber, everyone else showed the pain they had for the Kent's loss.

:lol:

Perhaps, but he stopped the truck and got out to console Clark, pulling him away from Lana's body. I can't imagine him leaving Clark's side at that point to keep his appt with Lionel. If he went anywhere, it would likely be to go and get Ma Kent after Clark vanished to the FOS.

That still doesn't preclude him from having a heart attack when he eventually did meet up with Lionel, however. So, your point is well taken. Then again, you seem to be thinking about this much more than the Smallville writers did. They aren't that forward thinking! -cracker-

They can also add the Clash episode from season 4 of Justice League :)

http://jl.toonzone.net/shazam/013.jpg


Which didn't quite work out as it should have since Captain Marvel kicks Supes ass in the comics :up:

The major downfall of all this is they've killed off one of the best characters on the show. Sure Pa Kent was a bit preachy at times, but I always bought into it and it was a nice play on the Lionel/Lex relationship. Now one of the major anchors of the show is gone. Martha is a good character, and no fault of O'Tooles, but she's been underutilized throughout the whole series IMHO. Martha and Clark did have a very touching scene with Clark putting the pearl necklace (don't any of you even think about it!) on her. O'Toole is a very good actress and pulled off the pain of Martha beautifully.

Even if they were going to go through with this story exactly the same, it should of at the very least had been a two parter. But when Clark tells Lana his secret and proposes and cures cancer and finds the lost city of Atlantis in the first 15 minutes? You know something is up. It probably would have been more powerful to have Clark propose to Lana and tell her his secret 4 or 5 episodes ago, having them plan their (winter) wedding during the episodes after only for her to die in the 100th.

Whatever, who isn't used to this show dropping the ball?

Link

By Rick Porter
Friday, January 27, 2006
12:00 AM PT

NOTE: This story contains a major revelation about the Thursday, Jan. 26 episode of "Smallville." If you don't want to know about it, click away.


John Schneider says he and his wife were looking at new cars when he got word that his character on "Smallville" was not long for the world.

"So I bought two," he says with a smile.


That was during production of The WB show's ninth episode this season. During the 12th -- and the 100th for the series, which aired Thursday (Jan. 26) -- Jonathan Kent suffers a heart attack and dies on the night he's elected to the Kansas state senate.

"It was bittersweet, but it was so necessary," Schneider says of his character's demise. "It seems to me that it's fairly obvious that the passing of Jonathan Kent may very well be the impetus for Clark to become Superman."

Jonathan's death is an especially cruel blow to Clark (Tom Welling) because he's reliving the day to save his true love, Lana (Kristin Kreuk). After witnessing her death midway through the episode, Clark pleads with his Kryptonian father, Jor-El, to have the day back so he can save her. He's able to do that, but he can't bring Jonathan back.

"There are consequences, which is great because that's one of the messages Jonathan has taught Clark from the beginning: There are consequences to your actions," Schneider says. "There are things beyond your control, no matter how strong you are."

Schneider says he was grateful for the advance notice the "Smallville" producers gave him, as it allowed him to field projects for next season through his production company, Johnenelly. But it also meant he had to keep Jonathan's death secret from the rest of the cast, who didn't find out about it until shortly before Thursday's episode began filming.

And even he was a little bit surprised when he read the script.

"As you read it, Lana dies [first]," he says. "They even fooled us. I started reading and thought, These guys have been full of crap. Look at them -- it's not me, it's Lana, for crying out -- oh, wait a minute. Oh."

Knowing his character's fate didn't make it any harder for Schneider to play Jonathan in his final few episodes, which lead up to the senatorial election. In fact, he says, the opposite is true: "It really did help me be more that non-plaid-wearing guy that these three shows have."

As on-screen deaths go, Jonathan's is not the most operatic or protracted. But his passing is likely to be felt on "Smallville" for a long time to come.

"We know he's strong, we know he's fast, we know he's moral," Schneider says of Clark. "But what is it beyond that that makes him want to do the right thing, so viciously want to do the right thing? I think it's because Jonathan put that in him, and Jonathan's no longer around. Clark in many respects has to become Jonathan."

While Schneider will gladly take the time he now has to be with his wife and three children, he says he'll most miss working with Welling, who has gone from relative unknown to certifiable star in "Smallville's" five seasons.

"We have a really remarkable relationship with regard to the father-son thing," Schneider says. "We're peers in many respects, but when you really get down to it, the relationship you see on 'Smallville' is very much like the relationship we have."


Chris