#sv 4x17

[fairyroses]

I’m sorry... it wasn’t me. Are you sure?

SMALLVILLE — 1.15 / 2.04 / 4.17  ↳ dark!Clexana ‘expressing certain desires’ to each other 👀

[lexkent]

is there a specific episode of smallville you can point to where things all went to hell storyline wise for smallville? or a stopping point throughout the show where one could peacefully make sense of it as an elseworlds arc instead of the ten season contradiction it became?

so I usually recommend stopping at Onyx (4x17) because I think it's the last enjoyable episode before things turn to shit. But be sure to stop before the last Lex and Lionel scene(last 5 minutes or so of the episode) because who wants to end their watch on a ~Luthor's are inherently Evil~ note

but I've started to think maybe it's better to stop sooner because there really are so many awful episodes in s4 before we get to 4x17. like the garbage that was Lionel being transformed Good because Clark's soul was inside of him(4x06). when the writers thought they could just switch Lex and Lionel's roles and that would be cool somehow, it was over.

So that makes me want to recommend stopping at 3x22 right after the scene where Clark agrees to testify against Lionel. Because Hey, Clark & Lex are finally teaming up to take down the true evil force of the show and it's looking hopeful. That seems like a good stopping point. But be sure to stop right there or you'll face the scene where Clark finds Lex's Room and ends the friendship.

But then I think about how at that point in the series we've already watched Clark abandon Lex to rot in Belle Reve and then lie to him about it and deliberately hide what happened despite it putting Lex deeper into danger. That's the point Smallville officially soured actually. Maybe we avoid that.

So I think the most galaxy brain point to stop is probably in "Asylum" when Clark FINALLY breaks in to rescue Lex, and Lex says, "I knew you'd come." And Clark says "Let's get you out of here" and Lex says "All this time, I was right about you" and gives Clark that look of absolute wonder 🛑turn off the tv right at that moment to be happy and free🛑

basically I'd say if you primarily care about getting as much of Lex in as you can, he's reasonably in character up through 4x17 and that there are some episodes up to that point worth watching for him. if you care more about Clex and/or want to avoid seeing Lex treated like absolute garbage by everyone, the best point to stop is probably where I described in 3x09

[lexkent]

I stopped watching sv at episode 4x15 and don’t really plan on continuing after seeing the direction they were taking it, but I was curious if there are any episodes you feel are a “Must watch” or your personal favorites that you would still recommend seeing?

so I think 4x17 is the last good episode of Smallville and a really good stopping point. I'd just skip the last 5 minutes or so (scene between Lex and Lionel) because dumb things are implied that kind of ruin the episode imo

beyond 4x17, every decent episode is still kind of awful to me because despite some great moments they end up being meaningless every time. The reset button is hit at the end of every episode, and there's no amount of good Lex can do to avoid being treated like scum by the "good guys"

that being said, my list of possibly worthwhile episodes would be: Lockdown, Lexmas, Nemesis, and Fracture