The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for "Quest," the nineteenth episode of the seventh season of The CW?s "Smallville."
For every beacon of light in the universe, there is a pit of darkness. And with Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) now firmly placed in his own shadow, he's tiptoeing a little bit closer to Clark?s (Tom Welling) secret.
Furthering the recently developed Veritas myth-arc, ?Quest? sees Clark come closer to uncovering the truth regarding the secret cabal and also to revealing his own secret. The episode is filled with explanations and hints to the old cave paintings and also the events of the fourth season, providing a larger significance to the hidden treasures throughout the globe that eventually revealed the Fortress of Solitude. Unfortunately however, the process contains a few more niggling plot-holes and continuity errors, the likes of which are becoming commonplace on the series.
Discussions of a enigmatic clock maker pointing the way to the Fortress and private commissions from Veritas carried hints of the Rambaldi saga from ?Alias? without any of the eloquent and mystifying charm, but did lead to an interesting sacrifice and a slightly different take on the Kryptonian people.
It may be the next step in the Veritas story, but on a whole serves only as a prelude to a much bigger adventure.
What Worked
?Battlestar Galactica?s? Doc. Cottle (Don Rhodes) as a Russian antiquities dealer, the Kryptonian sacrifice and a bizarre exploding clock are among the episodes highlights, but the real gem is the continuation of Lex?s dark obsession. As he saves Milash, he takes another life and takes one more step into the darkness of his own soul. Without little Alexander at the back of his mind, nothing can stop Lex from becoming the villain he is destined to become.
Had it not been for Christopher Reeve?s earlier participation in the series, the mentions of Virgil Swann wouldn?t have carried the same weight on the show. He may not have been involved with the series in four years, but still Reeve?s contribution to the Superman story is being felt and has now become integral to ?Smallville.? Too bad Edward Teague (Robert Picardo) didn?t command the same authority.
What Didn?t Work
Robert Picardo?s appearance on ?Smallville? should have been cause for celebration on the series, but he is hardly the wealthy philanthropist that would have married the sinister Genevieve Teague and ally himself with the Swann and Queen camps. Making him a noble monk worshipping the arrival of Kal-El was an even more disappointing position. Instead, another billionaire with an unhealthy obsession would have gone down a treat and could have served to send Lex further into the all-consuming darkness he is now totally engulfed in.
The ease with which the bank manager from Zurich made it to the United States and into the Luthor manor was more than a little unbelievable, and after seven years of similar incidents you can?t help but wonder why Lex doesn?t have better security. At each step of the way Lex is met with the same problems he has encountered when trying to uncover the mystery of Clark Kent ? he may have attended a fancy private school but it looks like Mr. Luthor doesn?t have the smarts to put two and two together.
There was also the added disappointment of Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore) going solo as a story-hungry journalist, and his personal mission just doesn?t have the same appeal without the sassy Lois Lane (Erica Durance) pushing him every step of the way.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
"Smallville" stars Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack, Erica Durance, Aaron Ashmore and Laura Vandervoort, and airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. on The CW. ?Quest? was written by Holly Harold, and was directed by Kenneth Biller.
Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor for Airlock Alpha and its sister site Rabid Doll. He is currently studying for a diploma in freelance journalism and can be reached at anytime at ablair@airlockalpha.com.
Hear Michael Hinman on SyFy Radio every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/SyFyRadio.
About the Author:
Alan Stanley Blair is the news editor for Airlock Alpha and assistant news editor for its sister site, Inside Blip. Contributing from his home in Scotland, he is currently studying for a diploma in freelance journalism and feature writing.
