After all the hype, Wrath is a good episode. It's my first review in a long time and there probably won't be much material to follow-up on. But the episode means to show how morally different Lana is from Clark as she deals with her superpowers, which she calls "a gift" (repeating what Lex says in Vessel verbatim). Her first instinct is to use them to find out secrets (or beat Lex up). The ways Lex, Clark, and Chloe react to her are also interesting. Parts of dialogue that strike me follow: first from character discussions on Lana, and then from the Lex/Lana and Clark/Lana exchanges.

Clark and Lionel on Lana

"She is not -- may not be the person you think she is." I'm unsure why Lionel changes his definite to uncertainty mid-sentence (clone theorists may take this seriously). Lionel has been markedly similar in his accusatory/direct approaches with Lex and Lana, but he's much more paternal and longsuffering with Clark so he may have been trying to ease into a description. He confesses that Lana was the one behind his kidnapping, but Clark denies the possibility. Lionel asks, "You sure? Have you allowed yourself to have an honest look at Lana? Have you?" Clark's defiance answers Lionel's question. Lionel reminds him that Samson's trust couldn't stop Delilah from betraying him. Clark seems affected by the warning and goes to find Lana. Lionel's allusion to Samson/Delilah is likely meant to be partnered with Chloe's explanation of Ra/Isis. More on this later.

Clark and Lex on Lana (x1)

Clark is looking for Lana at the Kent Farm and rummages through her purse. He doesn't notice Lex's entry, but Lex visits because he has just discovered Lana stole a hardrive from his safe. He and Clark banter about who knows what's going on for awhile. Clark says Lana has a lot of reason not to trust Lex (similar to what he tells Lex at the foot of the hill in Mortal). Lex says, "Funny, I was under the impression she moved on. . . . Revenge is like an addiction." Oh, Lex speaks as an authority on the matter. Although contrite, he's also baited Lana and Clark about her theft of $10 million on the very theme of this episode -- Clark's possible inability to accept her ethics. Clark claims Lex doesn't know Lana as well as he does. Don't ya just love dramatic irony? But Lex follows on to prove otherwise: "Let me guess, you were the last to know about her Isis Foundation. Stings, doesn't it?" Lex has appeared angry when delivering information about Lana in both Cure and Wrath, but he remains placid. He claims he's suspicious of Lana's agenda at the Foundation and he may indeed doubt her, given all she's done of late. Clark sneers, saying she wants to help people, but Lex questions her non-disclosure if that was the case. Lex says he sees Clark doesn't trust her as well and Clark's defense of Lana goes silent.

Clark and Lex on Lana (x2)

As the eppy winds to a close, Clark goes to Lex about Lana. Lex is still angry (and drinking!), and I'm unsure if he's more upset about Lana's thrashing or losing the sentient metal during the fracas at the lab. But Lex assures Clark he won't press charges.

"You'd never just let her walk away." On the surface, Clark voices his perception of Lex's obsessive behavior. But beyond that, it seems he remains oblivious about how Lana faked her death using a clone and was able to return (even though he may know about the fake baby since he tells Lionel that Lana would get over everything Lex did to her). With the exceptions of Kara and Fierce, Lex has not actively sought Lana out, which should show Clark he has let her walk away.

"Funny thing about obsession is it outlives everything, even love." AND "What do you think is stronger, Clark? Her hatred for me or her affection for you?" Lex is angry and again speaks from his own experience, but he seems to be speaking not just about himself and Lana. He's also references the clarity and blindness with which he, Lana, and Clark view each other. His mention of knowing that Lana still has feelings for him is a S7 retake of his confrontations with Clark in Hydro and Crimson. This time he's the one emotionally maneuvering an insecure Clark, and he takes a sip of his drink as he lets Clark ruminate on obsession's longevity. The reason his manipulations are often so effective is because he uses the truth to play on emotions already simmering. His perception of Lana is valid. He is the recipient of her rage right now, but her impassioned reaction to his misdeeds and response to his kiss emphasize that she has unfinished emotional, and maybe sexual, business with him. Whether or not he wants Lana back, Lex gets satisfaction knowing that this time she's the one who can't let him go and this emotionally empowers him. Seeing Clana self-destruct may be his ultimate revenge.

"I wasn't the first to teach her about betrayal. It's hard to face what you've created, isn't it?" Both Clark and Lex tampered with Lana's already damaged trust, and they've idealized her to a point where they may think they share blame for corrupting the "good" girl in their lives. Lex's "I wasn't the first" indicates he accepts partial responsibility. However, Lana had dark tendencies long before and only she must own how she chooses to respond to their actions. Despite any self-blame, Lex plays on Clark's sense of responsibility and Clark falls into the trap.

Lana and Chloe on Lana

"I didn't know Big Sister was watching." Chloe's entry into Lana's lair at the Isis Foundation is very similar to Lana's entry on Lex at the end of Sneeze, which continues the theme of Lana being a female version of Lex. Most of Lana's secrets are out, but Chloe wants to address what she's learnt about the young woman she not only called her best friend, but also her sister.

"After everything he's done, I have a right to protect myself." I appreciate Lana's argument of self-protection. Lex messed with her mind and body beyond reason. She has a right to her anger, yet the way she's handled finding out about Clark's secrets and the faux-baby is just as morally repulsive as what he has done. If she was so hell-bent on protecting herself and exposing Lex, why fake her death? (I'm asking the EPs and the writers this). Why not stay in the marriage just a little longer and weed out every single shred of evidence she could take and then put the screws to him? Instead she chooses to break several laws not only faking her death, but also breaking into his security surveillance. Why go through all that trouble? There is a right way to do everything, but anger clouds her judgment.

"It would have been nice to know about the impressive operation you're running." I agree with Chloe. Since Bizarro I've said Lana would be more empowered had she decided to work with Clark, Chloe and Lois. Her actions satisfy her need to physically hurt Lex or Lionel, but she's also emotionally damaging Clark and Chloe who were not only previously plunged into grief by her fake death, but led to believe she trusted them. More than that, she's also misrepresented herself to the meteor-infected people who came to her foundation for help. Lana says she didn't want to tell them because she didn't think they'd understand the picture. Understand what? Her methods or her clear fascination with a man she knows they'd say she's crazy to be fascinated by? Maybe both.

"I want Clark to have that kind of loyalty in his life. But I'm just not sure it's from you." Chloe calls Lana out as a friend, particularly as Clark's friend. She wants to believe Lana won't intentionally hurt Clark, but there are problematic points in Lana's morality (she earlier describes Lana's surveillance as "depraved"). After seeing Lana readily misuse and abuse these acquired super-powers, Chloe realizes Lana is capable of any kind of betrayal. She puts Lana on notice about hurting Clark, the same way she put Lex on notice in Fragile about hurting Lana. (They're really hammering home the Lana/Lex parallels and reversals.)

"What the textbook left out is that Isis is also the goddess of the Underworld. She's responsible for bringing the great god, Ra, to his knees." I didn't expect this continued explanation of the Egyptian mythos, but I'm happy with it. Juxtaposed with Lionel's Delilah/Samson parallel, Chloe's recount of Isis's dual role as protector of the weak and instigator of Ra's disempowerment may indicate Lana's current and future characterization in relation to Clark. We'll see.

Lex and Lana on each other
"I told you I don't have anything to hide." Giving Lana the password to Project Scion's details is meant to prove Lex's transparency and she's upset when she discovers he's tracking aliens. To me, she seems more upset about him lying about it (while they were still married I suppose) than about him tracking aliens. He says, "There's a reason why everything's happened. Don't you see? My miraculous rescue from the river, the spacecrafts, those cruisers that landed with the meteors ...." Similar to what he tells Kara in Fierce about his salvation from the water, he tells Lana he doesn't believe these incidents are coincidences. But Lana deflects, blaming his power trip for the messes he gets into.  (Strange argument premise.)

"There's a reason why you came to me and not Clark. You trusted me...." To this, Lana claims it's all over. But Lex continues: "Is it? Then why have you been trailing me, spying on me, stalking every move that I make?" After their meeting about her divorce settlement in Fierce, Lex has done what he's promised he would do in Kara -- let her live her life the way she wants. But she has surreptitiously continued her interest in his life, which proves to him that he still matters to her even if she's using punishment and leverage as her reasons. Strikingly, although he knows about her activities, he does not immediately cut off her surveillance feed.

"I'm trying to save people. We started this together." Lex is earnest, even honest, here! The majority of extraterrestrial sojourners Lex has met haven't been friendly. He wishes those he suspects (Clark and Kara) would trust him enough to explain their purpose on earth. Since they've continued to be evasive, he expects the worst and he wants to be the one to save the world (a.k.a. Lex's hero complex). He reminds Lana of the research partnership that instigated their romantic relationship (Splinter, Lockdown, Oracle, Vessel, Arrow, Static). She now distances herself from that and mocks his self-placement as the "prophet of the alien invasion." Ironically, she shared his belief that aliens and "meteor freaks" were dangerous until she suspected Clark was one (ref. Static, Freak). I still think her quick acceptance of Clark's alien status is out-of-character. Lex likens his epiphany to Paul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. He seems to be very well-behaved lately, but Lana disbelieves him and promises earlier to dig up every track he's hidden.

"From guilt? I think I'll get over it." Ah, this is where Lana says it and it's in response to Lex's efforts to stall his electrocution. He tries to help her realize she'll be the only one to suffer if she kills him. I doubt she'll "get over it" as she claims. Because she has a dependent personality, killing him will launch her into a different psychosis or maybe depression. If she really believes killing Lex would save the world, then why didn't she take her shot in Kara? He gave her the perfect opportunity and she didn't do it. Superpowers give her a feeling of invincibility, yes, but the point of her anger with Lex is no different now than it was then. I stand by what I wrote in my Cure/Action review at Unbound -- I don't believe Lana hates Lex as much as some think, but I do think she hates the things he's done to her. If she hated him, then shooting him in Kara would have been easy and she wouldn't have dilly-dallied in Wrath. Hate would likely have desensitized her, causing her to dispatch her decision quickly. But her delay in Kara and her torture approach in Wrath seems to imply she cared deeply for him and, ironically, may still care for him.

"From knowing Clark will never look at you the same way again. Clark isn't like us, Lana. You may not want to admit it, but we understand each other. We understand doing whatever it takes to survive." Lex continues to lobby for his freedom, but he again speaks truth. He repeats two key things that he has been telling her since Kara and Fierce: (1.) despite being the recipient of her anger, he admires her machinations because he understands the survivalist instinct that motivates her cruelty, and (2.) Clark will be unable to appreciate her deviousness the way he does. Truly, they are alike. Their rages, skepticism/paranoia, fear of external threats and fear of a loss of control help to make their relationship both workable and toxic.

The kiss. Lex comments on their mutual survivalist instinct just before kissing Lana, so the kiss can either be read as a distraction ploy to buy himself time or as confirmation of his continued attracted to her. Maybe it's a lot of both. Lana wipes the kiss off afterwards, possibly because she doesn't want to indulge in whatever she feels in that moment. But she dropped the livewire and made no immediate effort to push him away during the kiss. To me, her response to the kiss itself speaks far more than what she says/does before and after it.
"You can't kill me Lana, you'd lose Clark forever." Again, he uses Clark as a means of stalling her. But Lana remains unfazed during his warnings. Maybe she's so involved in her attack that her love for Clark is secondary in the moment. Or maybe she already decided that she'll spin her agenda with Clark later.

Clark and Lana on each other
"I have to take care of your unfinished business." Lana tells Clark this when he interrupts her second attempt to kill Lex. Their disagreement about vigilantism is only an example of their intrinsic moral divide. She repeats what other friends and opponents have told Clark, "You can do anything, but all you do is hide out in a barn." (You'd think Clark would get the message by now!) Lex is named because he's their immediate subject of argument, but I take her reference quite generally and what she basically tells Clark is that he's a coward to leave guilty persons unpunished.

"I wish you didn't look at me as if you hadn't seen before." Lana is contemplative when she and Clark meet later in the loft. Earlier, she receives a powerful reminder of her metamorphosis when she sees herself in a broken mirror, knowing she's no longer the girl in the picture Clark had of her. Everything is distorted and she sees the look of disappointment she feared, the look Lex and Lionel predicted (ref. Fierce, Action, Wrath).

"I guess I'm just trying to find a part of you I recognize" AND "Even before you had the powers, Lana, you kidnapped Lionel." Clark tried to see the good in Lex during S1 and he's done the same for others sometimes, so it's in-character for him to mention that her actions led them to discover Lex tracking Kryptonians. Nevertheless, he points out her powers cannot be blamed when she kidnapped Lionel. She uses protecting Clark as a justification for doing things she knows isn't right, which means she knows what acceptable moral behavior is. She simply chooses not to follow this code probably because she feels restrained by normal methods of punishment for Lex and Lionel.

"You sound like Lex." Clark has had enough conversations with Lex about similar subjects to recognize Lex's voice, and she does sound like Lex in her effort to justify her motives and lack of remorse. Her line of reasoning is similar to Lex in that they both tell themselves the desired end (self-protection/community protection) justifies the means. Clark may also be referencing his first view of her "Lair of Lex", which I'm sure he immediately found disturbingly reminiscent of Lex's room dedicated to researching him. This room was Clark's deal-breaker in Season 3 and he ended his friendship with Lex over it.

"I sound like you. You can't tell me that you haven't crossed the moral line in order to save somebody." Her attempt to align Clark's behavior with hers shows how distorted her moral lens has become because, for her, the only thing that mattered is salvation. But lines like this cannot be so rigidly drawn if she's using Clark as a model. Clark has indeed crossed moral lines within a crisis and he's wanted to pummel people in anger, but I don't recall him premeditatedly or maliciously planning to hurt or kill in the name of protecting her or anyone else. Lana's deliberateness again places her far from Clark's approach and closer to Lex's.

"But I guess that's my fault. I didn't trust you years ago and now, for some reason, you can't trust me." AND "Lana, I can live with you changing. I just need to accept the fact that I'm responsible for it." Clark was doing well until here. Can he really live with her changing? The moment he decided Lex had betrayed him, he quickly gave up on him. Would Lana be different? Taking responsibility for Lana's inability to trust him means he'll give her another chance to climb up from this moral precipice. However, will he truly be able to ignore his own moral code in order to keep her in his life?

"I have to live with the decisions that I've made. I just need to know that you love me, no matter what." Lana's ownership of her behavior is something I've waited for and I'm glad she does it, albeit with preliminary excuses. For her, Clark is a stark contrast to Lex. Yet, she's been always been more emotionally transparent with Lex and I think that scares her senseless. The things Lex does and makes her feel -- good and bad -- releases a mixture of coping skills she's recognized since S2's Precipice. There's a schism between the person she is and the person she wishes to be; she knows she's not the girl Clark's put up on a pedestal (ref. Accelerate, Fierce). She tries to convince him he isn't to blame for her inability to live up to his illusions, but I dare say she's wanted and still wants to live on that pedestal. She wants the safety and importance his love promises. But her scenes with Lex and Clark are admissions that her fascination and conflict with Lex consume her to the point she fears she cannot redeem herself. Similar to Lex who believed Clark's friendship was a healthy influence on his destructive moral view, she wants Clark to give her hope that she can be better, that he won't vilify her in spite of their moral differences. (Yes, we get it -- Lana is the girly version of Lex.)

What will happen?
I'm an L/Ler who wants Clark and Lana as friends, and the EPs should have launched them into a friendship during S6 instead of resurrecting their romance. There would have been far more potential for Lana's maturation if she could have loved Clark as a friend, loved Lex as a boyfriend/husband, and be torn by their moral antagonism. But here we are in storytelling hell. Regardless, I think the L/L in Wrath was really good. Some think Lana is redeemable. Although the Isis references imply otherwise, maybe that's what the EPs want for her. While I think Clark's silence makes a difference in the long-term, he'll keep trying to believe in Lana during the short-term and give her the chance he didn't give Lex. Right now he'll slowly process the shattering of his illusions until they both realize they are just too emotionally and morally distant to make their relationship work. I'm done for now. Call me when Lex and Lana get to kissing again (if they're ever allowed to kiss again).

Upon reflection of the L/L's quasi-scene within Cure's closure, document what you think about any of these qustions:

01/First take. What was your first reaction to Lana spying on Lex via camera surveillance and Lex keeping Lana's wedding picture in his office?

02/Fill in the blanks. In whatever voice you choose -- humorous, sarcastic, or otherwise -- put to words what Lana may have been thinking as she ponders the monitors.

03/Moral coding. What interesting details or shifts have you noticed in Lana's apparent current moral code in relation to Clark's moral code and Lex's moral code? As much as possible, avoid thinking like an L/Ler. Think in terms of character development rather than pairing compatibility.

04/Missy Higgin's "Where I Stood." The song is primarily Chloe and Jimmy's break-up song. But some of the lyrics are used for Lex and Lana. Two lines accompanying Lana's entry into her secret lair say*:

There were sounds in my head, a little voice is whispering,
That I should go and this should end, but then I found myself listening.

Another two lines covering Lana's viewing of Lex on the monitors say:

'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you.
All I know is that I should.

As problematic as Smallville's continuity, editing and plotting issues are, some textual and music cues are often very deliberate. Share your interpretation of these lyrics in relation to L/L's current interplay. 

05/Color analysis: Black and white. In Lex and Lana are both wearing black jackets and white shirt/top beneath. What's your take on what these color choices possibly infer?

*Credit to firefly at DTS for providing the lyrics that covered Lana's entry.

"Who I am Without You" Confessions

Posted by Daisy @ 10/24/2007 12:47 PM PDT

1. I first thought to myself what the heck is Lana doing. I couldn't understand why she would still want to be involved with Lex after everything that has happened. Didn't she want him out of her life? I was thinking Lana is seriously asking for trouble by spying on Lex. I actually missed seeing Lana's wedding picture while I was watching the show the first time around. I didn't notice it until I saw the screen caps. I was shocked and surprised but then happy that they decided to show just how much Lex still loves Lana. It really melted my heart seeing that picture of her there after what she did to him:(.

2. After everything that you've put me through I still can't deny these feelings I have for you.

3. I think Lana is definitely starting to show her true colors. I always knew Lana had a dark side which Lex helped bring out. Lana committed some serious crimes which thanks to Lex were easily forgotten. She lied to Clark about the money and is now spying on Lex. She says she wants to start a good relationship with Clark but she is now doing something's that Clark would not approve of. I think she is not afraid of doing certain things anymore but will eventually get herself into a lot of trouble.

4. Umm I don't really know what to say about the lyrics. I thought it was an interesting song choice to play during that scene. I guess I interpret it to mean that Lana knows what she is doing is wrong but she can't help herself. I think Lana is a lot like Lex and is starting to realize that more now that she doesn't have him around. I think she is realizing that the only person she could really be her true self is around with Lex.

5.I'm not really good with this color analysis stuff, so I don't really know what the colors might signify. I guess it could mean goodness and darkness.

Posted by Jac @ 11/22/2007 12:19 AM PST

01/First take. || My first thougths about Lana's surveillance and Lex's wedding photo ran along the lines of "What exactly do they want me to think?" Lana's motives in putting up the surveillance are comprehensible enough, but the zoom-in on Lex's face is what got my attention, as it did for many others. From that point, her infiltration of his security system didn't seem like a primarily fact-finding mission. There admittedly seemed to be more. As for Lex's picture of Lana (especially in comparison with Clark's picture of her), it may reveal the Lana he will always idealize and love.

03/Moral coding. || The most visible shift I've seen in Lana's current moral code is her willingness to commit crimes in the name of "poetic justice." She doesn't seem have a clear idea of how deep her anger goes so she may not know where her limits are. Not knowing these limits may result in her becoming scared once her conscience kicks in (probably explaining her hesitance to pull the trigger on Lex in Kara). The fact that she uses subterfuge and doesn't want Clark to know of her activities means she has a very clear sense of morality. In other words, she knows what she's doing is wrong. But she CHOOSES to sacrifice her morality in punishing the Luthor men because she may feel they require a justice that goes beyond moral confines, and she will try to play their game the way they play to find justice for herself. She's not meant to be as morally adrift as Lex is, but they are sharing certain moral philosophies. Similarly, Lex rationalizes his efforts as good-will and justice but he often excutes these efforts far outside the moral box. For he and Lana, the ends justify the means. However, Lana's apparent purpose is opposite to Clark's developing belief that, though vigilante-justice is understandable, it is not necessarily moral or just.

04/Missy Higgin's "Where I Stood." || I'm still trying to properly express my interpretation and hopefully I do a satisfactory job. But if the lyrics are to help Lana speak, then the lines covering her entry may indicate she knows she should just let better judgment prevail and let go her anger, her suspicion. She wanted to get out of the marriage when she found out Clark's secret and especially after finding out about the faux baby. And she's gotten what she wanted; her marriage to Lex is over. But who he is and what he's done consumes her. Then, the first two lines of the refrain that cover her viewing of the monitors may reveal that everything they've been through together -- shootings, assassins, Zod, commitment questions, a pregnancy, a proposal, a non-pregnancy -- left its mark on her psyche and has branded her a Luthor. Twisted as it may be, the powerful, manipulative qualities that Lana fears and loathes in Lex may be the very same qualities she finds fascinating and/or attractive.

05/Color analysis: Black and white. || The white shirt/top may indicate their good intent within Cure while the black jackets covering them may reveal they are still "cloaked" by negativity as seen in their methods (trickery, deceit). Lana's interest in watching Lex with the intent of finding incriminating information to save others from him may be genuine. But she chooses to accomplish this mission illegally and surreptitiously, thus "cloaking" herself darkly. Simultaneously, Lex has been trying to present an image of propriety and redemption since being saved from drowning. He says he wants to do the right thing and his intents may be good with 33.1 patients, since he was worried for their well-being in Knox's care. But the fact remains that he used unethical procedures not only to research these meteor-infected people, but also to secretly remove memory of any assocation with him.