SV: 8-11 "Legion" Review/Recap

This was an excellent episode... minus the Lana parts.

The episode had a fantastic balance of humor and seriousness. It reminds me of the earlier seasons.

The Legion was well cast. Garth especially was a riot to watch. He’s such a fan-boy with his enthusiasm over Clark’s Crows jacket and the baseball. Rokk was well played too. As the leader he sort of played straight man to Garth. Irma was the most drab. She meets Superman (who looks like Tom Welling!) and she goes on and on about Lana. Eh. I guess someone had to since Lana. Must. Be. Loved.

AM continues to amaze me. Chloiac had subtle Brainiac mannerisms and looked creepy as heck. Her scene with Davis at the Fortress was cleverly choreographed. These two actors work well together.

TW played Clark’s confusion, anger, and determination perfectly. "Chloe Sullivan does not die!" Very powerful. That’s who Superman is. He finds a solution when there appears to be no solution.

Lana walks around the aftermath of Doomsday’s rampage in the barn as somber music plays. She picks up Chloe’s bouquet. Clark whooshes over. He says he’s checked three time zones. There’s no sign of Chloe and the thing that took her. Geez, Clark, with all that speed and you only check three time zones?! And you have the nerve to say there’s not much more you can do! My hero. Lana wonders what took Chloe. Clark explains that Jor-El warned him of the ultimate destroyer from Krypton. Lana says that it should have been the happiest day of Chloe’s life. Clark replies that Lana should rest. Yes, Lana, don’t you worry your pretty little head about this. Lana says she’s going to Isis. Clark wants to go instead. Lana replies that she can help. She’s a different person now. Yes, Clark, she’s changed her and she’s wearing black (hairstyle (btw that style looks great on KK). They hug and Lana leaves.


A hole appears in the sky and a warrior with an axe materializes. Clark asks who he is. The guy swings his axe around embedding it in Clark’s side. The warrior removes the axe and kicks Clark out of the loft and down into the barn. He then puts his foot on Clark’s chest and is about to strike the fatal blow when his axe starts to glow. It flies out of his hands and into the hand of someone wearing a ring embossed with the letter "L". It’s a dark-haired guy with a beard. A blonde girl, wearing the same ring, appears to mind control the warrior. Finally a red-headed guy, also wearing a ring, zaps the warrior with electricity. The first guy removes a ring from the warrior’s hand and tells him to have a nice trip home. The warrior disappears.

Clark wants to know what’s going on. The dark-haired guy tells "Kal-El" that it’s an absolute honor and a privilege. The blonde explains that they are the Legion. The dark-haired guy adds that they’ve come from the 31st century. The red-head wants to know where Kal’s cape is. Hee.

Clark is bleeding from his wound. The blonde girl hands him a cloth and explains that the axe could split an atom; Clark will heal but not as fast. The dark-haired guy just wants to go. Clark asks why he should believe they’re from the 31st century. Red-headed guy says they know everything about him. He sounds like a real fan-boy. He starts to say that one day Clark will be known as "Su...". "Garth!" yells the dark-haired guy. Dark-haired guy says that it doesn’t matter what Clark believes they are leaving now. The blonde says that they are Clark’s friends. Dark-haired guy looks around and notices they’ve lost Garth.

Garth has opened the chest in the loft and is gawking at Clark’s Crows jacket. He’s only seen this at the museum, he gushes. Dark-haired guy, Rokk, angrily tells him to put it back and reminds him of the code: "Don’t touch anything". Clark asks why they are there. Rokk replies that they’re there to save him and now they are heading back. Clark asks who the psycho with the axe was. Rokk replies it’s against Legion code. Clark is pissed. He says he doesn’t care about their code or their Legion. His best friend is missing and he wants to find her. Rokk relents. He explains that the guy with the axe is the Persuader, part of the Human Supremacist Movement. Garth adds that they are xenophobes that would rather die than live in peace with aliens. They hate Clark. No kidding. Rokk says that they stole a Legion ring and broke into the Time Institute to go after Clark.

Clark asks what a 31st century terrorist wants with him. Rokk says that Clark’s influence will go beyond Earth. It’s because of Clark (and Martha and Jonathan) that the world learns to welcome aliens. Clark asks what they know of aliens. Garth says that under his good looks he’s from a hunk of mud called Winath. Rokk and Irma are aliens too. Irma uses her telepathy to tell Clark that they’ve come from across the universe to form the Legion.

Rokk notices that the Phantom Zone crystal has been destroyed. It was the way Clark extracted Brainiac from whomever he possessed. Irma thinks that the Persuader didn’t come to kill Kal; he came to make sure Brainiac survives. Clark assures them that Brainiac is destroyed. Rokk replies that Brainiac hasn’t yet.


At the Fortress, Davis wakes up to see Chloe standing in her bloodied wedding dress in the shadows. Davis asks if she’s okay. Chloe grabs Davis’ face and looks him over. She notes that he looks undamaged. When Davis asks what happened to her, Chloe replies that Chloe Sullivan ceased to exist the minute she entered the Fortress. "I’m the Brain Interactive Construct", Chloiac informs him. Davis attempts to get Chloe to recognize him. Chloiac, however, informs him that he is not Davis Bloome and he is not human. He was hatched by Kryptonian geneticists; his DNA was designed to adapt to any world he inhabits. This scene is so perfectly shot. As Chloiac talks, she walks forward while Davis, horrified, walks backward. It’s downright sexy.

Chloiac informs Davis that he no longer needs his camouflage ability and the painful transformations are just the beginning of his metamorphosis. Davis thinks it’s insane. He tries to reach Chloe again by talking about his feelings for her. Chloiac dismisses his "feelings" as a program she was running to get him to her. Chloiac announces that it’s time for Davis to incubate in a Kryptonian chrysalis and emerge with absolute rage and unparalleled power. Davis wants nothing to do with that. Chloiac says that Davis is part of her directive and, once she has everything she needs, Davis will eradicate the other Kryptonian and then the planet. Davis insists he’s not hurting anyone. Chloiac replies that Davis has no free will. Twelve days in his chrysalis and Davis will emerge as Doomsday. Dun dun dun!!!

At the Kent home, Clark insists that Rokk has his timeline wrong because Brainiac has already been defeated. Rokk says that history is not wrong and it’s no coincidence that the Persuader showed up when he did. Clark looks over at a picture of Chloe (with Jimmy). Irma, reading Clark’s mind, asks why he believes that the girl, who was brutally taken away, has something to do with Brainiac. Rokk guesses that the girl is the host. Clark heads for the door holding his red jacket. He tells the Legion to go home, he’ll deal with Brainiac. Rokk replies that if Clark doesn’t defeat Brainiac today, they won’t have a future to go home to. Rokk reiterates that without the crystal, Clark doesn’t have a way to defeat Brainiac. Clark insists that there must be another way. Garth says that there is no way without killing the human host. Rokk says that if Clark knows who the host is, he must take their life. Irma, reading Clark’s mind, asks who Chloe Sullivan is.


Clark zips off and the Legion fly after him. Rokk asks why Clark left. Clark replies that he needs to do this his own way. Garth wants to know why they’re not having this conversation in the sky. Clark replies that he can’t fly. Garth is taken aback. Rokk tells him that Clark probably hasn’t learned yet. Hee. Rokk asks where Clark was going. Clark replies to the Fortress; Jor-El will help. Rokk tells Clark that while they’ve heard of Lois Lane, Lana Lang, and Jimmy Olsen, they’ve never heard of Chloe Sullivan. Hey, what about Lex Luthor? Clark replies that they don’t know him as well as they think. Irma guesses that she was lost in the annals of history. Garth bluntly says that Chloe is not known in the history books because she didn’t survive. Clark turns around angrily. He grabs Garth by the shoulders. "Chloe Sullivan doesn’t die, hear me?" he tells him. Clark zips off. Rokk tells Garth to take his AC foot out of his DC mouth or he’ll short-circuit. Ha. Garth, disillusioned, says that Clark is nothing like the Man of Steel – no glasses, no tights, no flight.

At Isis, Irma tries to convince Lana to talk to Clark about killing Chloe. She says that billions of lives are at stake. She also flatters Lana like crazy but I’m chalking it up to buttering Lana up so she’ll listen to her.


At the Talon apartment, Rokk lifts a laptop up and looks underneath it. Garth thinks they need to go after Clark. Rokk says that they need to know more about Chloe Sullivan. Garth picks up a Wall of Weird/Torch/Isis scrapbook. Oh, my. It’s from season 1 – vintage-Chloe! Garth is impressed. Chloe has a lot of information on super-humans and the Isis Foundation. Rokk recognizes the Isis Foundation as something Lana started to help people embrace their powers. Rokk theorizes that maybe Chloe was helping Kal embrace his abilities. Garth posits that maybe Kal wanted Chloe to go under a different name when he started to fly to protect her. The Chlois Theory lives! Rokk guesses that maybe Chloe’s death inspired Kal to take flight. If Chloe’s death inspired Clark, Clark would make sure that history remembers who Chloe Sullivan is.


At the darkened Fortress, Clark yells for Jor-El. Chloiac informs him that Jor-El is gone and the knowledge of the Fortress now belongs to her. Clark tells Brainiac to let Chloe go. He has what he wants. Chloiac says that knowledge is what fuels her and human knowledge is exceptionally rich. Chloiac informs Clark that once she drains the planet of human information, Doomsday will annihilate what’s left. Clark grabs Chloiac by the shoulders. "You brought that thing here" he says. Clark looks at the crystals behind Chloiac. Chloiac glances back and dares Clark to kill her. Clark lets her go. She gloats that she knew Clark wouldn’t harm Chloe; that’s why she chose her. Chloiac picks Clark up and does the patented Kryptonian thirty foot throw. She zips off. When Clark is on the ground, his hair is mussed and when he gets up his hair is perfect. Stupid editing. Clark zips off too. In a different part of the Fortress, Davis lies frozen in his chrysalis.

Rokk, Garth, and Irma walk in Metropolis. Garth complains about the air quality. Irma thinks they should protect the humans because without their incredible spirit, Kal-El would never have become the hero he was. Garth says that everything they know about Kal is from data files; maybe the person they’ve looked up to is more legend than Legion. Rokk is sure Clark is no fraud. Irma says they have to stop Brainiac. Garth adds that they’ll have to kill Chloe Sullivan themselves.

Clark zips over to Isis. The pink cabinets make me cringe. Lana says she’s searching for power surges to find Brainiac. Lana mentions what Irma told her about killing the host. Clark says that he’s always put his loved ones first but he’s putting Chloe ahead of billions of people. Lana says that the Clark she knows would never doubt himself. Is she sure she’s talking about Clark and not Bizarro. She believes that the Clark she knows would insist that he could save Chloe’s life and the world. I am so sick of Lana.

At the DP a man tumbles down the stairs. Chloiac stands at the top of the staircase. She zips to the central hub and starts to absorb the knowledge contained in the computers. One by one each computer displays Brainiac’s 3-orb-symbol and the people looking at the computer become mesmerized.

At Isis, Clark and Lana track the power surge to the Daily Planet. The display changes to Brainiac’s symbol and Lana stares blankly at the screen. I know, I know. How do I see the difference with normal Lana?

At the DP, Irma tries to stop Chloiac with her telepathic powers. Chloiac retaliates and Irma is knocked to the ground. Irma informs Chloiac that her defeat is legendary. "Well history is about to get a rewrite" answers Chloiac. Chloiac is knocked out by the combined powers of Rokk and Garth. Irma checks on Chloiac. She says she’s picking up low level brain activity; they don’t have much time. Garth asks what Brainiac was doing. Rokk, looking at all the blank faces, says that he’s downloading every last byte of the world’s knowledge one mind at a time.


Irma clears a desk and Rokk lays Chloiac on it. Garth holds a knife. Rokk offers to do it. Garth says that when he joined the Legion he pledged to do whatever it took. He wants to honor that. He holds the knife over Chloiac but is unable to kill her. Rokk takes the knife from Garth. He’s about to skewer Chloiac when Clark stops him. Clark holds Chloiac’s shoulders. He tells Rokk not to touch her. Irma assures him that Chloe is gone. Rokk insists that to get rid of Brainiac the host has to die. Clark tells Rokk that if he had anything to do with their code rule #1 would be "Do not kill... ever". Clark begs Rokk to help him. "There’s a human being inside there" he tells them. Together he believes they can help Chloe. Irma bends over Chloiac. She says that Kal is right. Chloe is still there. She can hear her.


Clark carries an unconscious Chloiac to the barn. Rokk asks what they are doing here. Clark replies that if Brainiac reboots, he doesn’t want him near any computer networks. Way to be smart, Clark! He places Chloe on a desk. He tells Irma that he wants to connect to Chloe. Clark then tells Rokk and Garth that they can neutralize Brainiac. Garth replies that an electro-magnetic blast only lasts so long. Clark says that Brainiac is a computer; probably made of metal. Rokk says that he can magnetically try to extract the nanites. Garth says he’ll short-circuit him with a static attack. Irma says that Chloe is asking for Clark. Clark tells Chloe that they are going to try and get rid of Brainiac. He tells her to hang on. Irma says that Brainiac is coming online now! Irma and Clark hold Chloiac while Rokk and Garth perform a techno-exorcism.



After the exorcism, Rokk is left holding a big metal ball; Davis is freed from his chrysalis; and Lana and the others come out of their trances. Clark hovers over Chloe until she regains consciousness. He asks if she’s okay. Chloe smiles and says she’s fine but she feels a whole lot dumber. Woohoo! Chloe’s back!

At the Talon apartment, Chloe packs some things in a bag. Clark comes in. He says that it’s nice to see "the kinder, gentler" Chloe. Ha. Chloe says that nothing like getting a bad guy cleansed from her system to bring the spring back in her step. Chloe says that she’s heading to Star City to see her husband. Chloe says that from what she hears Jimmy was lucky to be alive. Clark asks about Chloe’s memory. Feeling a tad guilty there, Clark? Chloe replies that it’s fine up until Here Comes the Bride. Clark asks if Chloe remembers anything unusual about him. Chloe is confused. She asks what in the world would make her forget Clark’s secret. Oh. Let’s say a dumb alien and his computer father? Clark says that Chloe’s been through a lot. Chloe says that it would take more that Brainiac to wipe that from her memory. Yeah, Clark, you mind-wiping dummy. Chloe thanks Clark for not giving up on her. Clark smiles. He says he’d never give up on Chloe. Chloe tells Clark that if there was no choice, Clark would choose to do the right thing – to do what’s best for the world and not her. Clark assures Chloe that as long as he’s around it’s never going to happen.


Clark looks around the restored barn while Rokk uses his power to push two nails into the railing. Suddenly Garth is super excited. He is holding a baseball. Rokk says it’s one of the artifacts they could never find. It’s the first baseball Clark ever hit... clear across Smallville. Clark says that Jonathan spent hours looking for it. He finally found it on the other side of town. Garth asks if he can keep it as a souvenir. He’s such a fan-boy. Clark says sure. Garth asks if Clark can sign it. Rokk tell Garth that he’s acting like a sub. Garth says that it’s for his sister. Clark smiles. He etches CK with his heat vision on the ball. Irma comes into the barn. She’s impressed by the work they did on the barn. Clark, seeing the Brainiac ball she’s holding, asks if they are sure they want to take it with them. Rokk thinks they can reprogram what’s left of Brainiac into something useful. Irma hopes Brainiac 5 is a little more friendly. Rokk apologizes for doubting Clark. He says that the number one rule of the Legion code will be to "Preserve life at all costs". He shakes Clark’s hand. Rokk hands Clark a Legion ring in case he wants to meet the rest of the Legion. He adds that he’s reprogrammed it for time-travel; no flights... not yet. Garth jokes that Clark will have to learn to fly without training wheels. Before leaving, Rokk warns Clark to be careful in the days ahead.

Clark is standing on the porch of the Kent home when Lana comes out. It is such a beautiful scene with all the flowers and colors around. They discuss destinies. Lana concludes by saying their destiny is not written in some book in the future, they write it themselves every day.

In the Arctic, Doomsday stands outside the Fortress...