SUPERMAN & LOIS 1.3

 

RECAP - SUPERMAN & LOIS  1.3:  "The Perks of Not Being A Wallflower"

Just when you think the Kents have made strides with the boys---something ELSE mucks up the family dynamic.  This time around, it's Clark's own powers and is overbearing parenting at times that gets him into trouble.  This week was no different, as he tries to let the boys be boys and find their own way, without having to be paranoid about Jordan's powers...limited as they may be.  And then there's Lois....hot on the trail of whatever it is Morgan Edge has in store for Smallville, and it's DEFINITELY getting her some unwanted trouble....but that's expected for the world's most intrepid reporter.  Also...we finally get the showdown between mother and daughter as Lana and Sarah finally hash it out with each other.  Just another fun day in the small Kansas town...

The episode started off nice enough...the Kents looking to paint the house, horsing around with each other until Clark hears some screams from far away, and then he's off like a shot as Superman.  The Man of Steel winds up in China, where a bridge is collapsing due to some earthly disturbance.  The Man of Might manages to save a fisherman from being squashed by part of the bridge, and saves the day yet again.  Later on at dinner, the boys ask their dad about how he hears things, and how he's learned to tune out all the sounds he doesn't need to hear.  They then tease him about whether or not he's misused his powers for....other things.  He teases them, and they all laugh about it.  But, in all seriousness, Clark does try to get the message across that it's about using his powers responsibly and learning how to control them. 

We finally get to delve more into the Cushing family and THEIR issues, as Lana and Kyle pick up Sarah from therapy, only to argue, and have Sarah completely sick of all of it.  As we've seen from the get-go...Lana and Kyle's marriage seems to be on extremely rocky terrain.  And with Sarah already having attempted suicide, the family dynamic sucks...especially with the younger daughter turning into something of a Mean Girl.  At school, Jordan was hoping to hang out with Sarah and talk, but she bolts off to be with her boyfriend before he gets the words out.  It goes from bad to worse for Jordan when her boyfriend and the rest of the football team pick on him, and look like they're about to beat him up.  Jonathan tries to stick up for his brother, but he's held back, as we see Jordan close to unleashing  his powers again.  Clark is at home when he hears this, and---fearing the worst---races to the high school, just to see what's going on, saving Jordan from himself.  But this doesn't sit well with him OR Jonathan, and they argue with Clark, with Jordan saying he liked it better when his dad wasn't around much.  

Lois is still chasing her story on Morgan Edge and his connection to Smallville and Carthidge, but she's meeting some resistance from her editor, Chrissy, who isn't used to this kind of story for the paper.  But before Chrissy can say more, a woman shows up whose son, Lawrence Powell, was one of the missing miners in Carthidge, and she wants to nail Edge to the wall.  So, Chrissy and Lois listen to her son's last message before he went missing....all the while, they're being watched by somebody...who more than likely works for Morgan Edge.  

Jordan is still being picked on, but then he overhears Sarah ending things with her boyfriend.  We later see her at cheer practice---where Lana happens to be the coach---and Sarah can't focus.  Lana wants to know what's wrong, but Sarah blows her off and quits the team.  Jordan, however, gets it in his head that he's going to join the football team with his brother, who thinks this is a bad idea.  Jordan, with a little help from his powers, manages to make quite the impression on his coach...who admonishes his brother for keeping him a secret.  This is NOT lost on Jonathan.  The boys and Sarah meet at the diner a little later after practice, and Jonathan wonders how long Jordan can keep this secret from their dad.  Sarah talks about her own mother being nosey, and---sure enough---Lana shows up, wondering what the issue with Sarah is.  But they argue in front of the boys, and then they take off.  Clark then shows up, and the boys play dumb for their dad.

Chrissy and Lois are still debating about the validity of the Powell woman's story, but Lois' gut feeling tells her there's a story here.  Before they can say more, they hear a loud noise, as Lois' car is blown up.  Now Lois knows FOR SURE there's something going on.  And again...the same guy spying on them earlier had something to do with the car.  Kyle comes to put out the car fire, but still isn't thrilled with Lois bashing Edge.  She knows he's dirty, but Kyle isn't buying it.  She later tells Clark about what happened, and he tells her that whatever happens, he'll be supportive of her.  The next day, Clark is in town, and he catches up with Lana...and she drops the bombshell about Jordan trying out for the football team.  This doesn't sit well with Clark who shows up to practice after Jordan goes through another practice, actually taking down Sarah's now ex-boyfriend.  However, he extends his hand and offers up an apology to him for having kissed Sarah.  They boys come to a mutual understanding, and practice ends.  When the Kents get home, Clark lectures the boys about Jordan using his powers irresponsibly, but Jordan reacts like a typical teen does, and then he's ordered up to his room.  Jonathan tries to side with his dad, but Clark sends him up too....for hiding it.  Lois and Clark talk about how he screwed up with his powers when he spied on Lois after he first arrived in Metropolis.  He said he was lucky, and that he almost lost her.  Lois assured him that she still loved him, but that he's got to adjust to letting the boys go through things on their own.  

Lois gets a call from the Powell woman, and agrees to meet her and a few others who're looking to give statements to her about Edge's dirty dealings in Carthidge.  When she arrives in town, she goes to a motel, only to find it trashed, and meets Powell's assailant.  Lois tries to buy time until Superman arrives, which he does.  He battles this big man, and soon discovers he's got super powers.  He's a bit of a handful, as the Last Son of Krypton has to work overtime to take him down.  Meanwhile, Lois looks after the Powell woman, who is alive, albeit barely.  Superman manages to defeat the assailant by freezing him with super breath, than punching him out a few dozen times before the man is incapacitated.  Lois calls to him, and has him take the Powell woman to the hospital.  

Lana goes to see her daughter at home, and tries to get Sarah to open up.  Lana admits that...because how SHE was raised...that she always must put on the best face possible in public.  She says she's the most full of crap woman in Smallville, and feels she has to hide her pain and sadness to the rest of the town.  Lana is worried about losing her, but Sarah says that she's figuring it out, and that she's much better than she was.  The two hug it out, and it seems that they've reached a mutual understanding.  

We later see Clark and Jordan talk, and Clark discusses how his father never let him play sports because of his powers.  Clark doesn't want Jordan to miss out on that opportunity, but he's going to be there to help him out to control his powers.  So, he's now the assistant coach of the football team.  Clark does his clumsy Clark routine in front of Sarah for Jordan's sake, and Sarah seems like she'll stick around for Jordan's game.  But now we can see father and son bonding a bit more.  

Lois and Chrissy are at the Gazette discussing what happened to the Powell woman and Lois, and it looks like she's been busy while Lois was out:  she's picked up some evidence about the stalker they had, and now realize that they are most definitely onto something with Morgan Edge.  Lois wonders WHY he would need a super powered guy in his employ, though.  The episode ends as the man is driving when we catch up to a mysterious woman named Leslie Larr...who's in the middle of the road late at night.  She ends up frying the guy with heat vision, and then calls Edge to inform him that the job is done.  

Another solid episode, as we got to peel back some more layers to our happenings in Smallville, and just what the hell is going on with Morgan Edge.  The Luthor story took a back seat, which was nice, so that we could see Lois in full investigator mode, while Clark continues to try and build a better bond with the boys.  We see some Superman action this week, but it wasn't overwrought with it.  A nice balance, considering that the big story is how the World's Greatest Superhero deals with being a parent.  While he's still struggling trying to connect with Jordan, we have seen some great strides the first few episodes.  It also looks like it's possible for Lana and Sarah to get back on track with each other...though Lana STILL needs to sort out her marriage to Kyle...it seems that it's hit the rocks, and not sure what it will take--if ANYTHING--to save it.  Kyle is still hard-headed about the whole Edge thing with Lois, because he doesn't quite see the big picture of what Edge can and will do.  On the surface, he looks like the town savior, but Lois knows better...and come Hell or high water...Lois will expose the truth.  

Jordan seems to be coming out of his shell more, and maybe the football thing will work for him.  But I wonder what that will do with Jonathan and HIS dreams of being a football star?  So far, he's a benchwarmer, and hasn't made ANY impact whatsoever.  So, I'm curious how long it will be before the jealousy REALLY kicks in?  As close as they are right now....this COULD be the one thing to fracture the brotherly relationship.  

And what DOES Morgan Edge need with super powered people?  Who is this guy that got fried by Leslie Larr...and just WHO is SHE anyway?  Hopefully, more answers on the way.  I'm loving how the relationships are developing on this show, and we see that EVERYONE has flaws...but that's what makes it interesting.  And I'm curious how Superman will deal with these other-worldly threats down the road...especially the Luthor one.  I feel he and the General's relationship is going to be severely tested as well as the season goes on.  And how long before Lois stands her ground with her dad about Clark and the family?  The General has ALWAYS been a military man FIRST, and a father SECOND.  And we KNOW his relationship with Lois treads water at best.  But when push comes to shove, I don't think the General can dodge the barrage that is Lois Lane Kent.  

How did YOU all feel about this week's installment?  Who are YOUR favorite characters on this show thus far?  What are YOUR theories on these superpowered villains, and their connection to Morgan Edge?  Subscribe and toss your ideas at me below.

Until next time.....Up, up, and away!

THE FLASH 7.2

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.2:  "The Speed of Thought"

One step forward.....two steps back.  That seems to be the motto for Team Flash in critical situations when a supervillain is about to pull off their master stroke.  And this week was no different, as Flash and his cohorts tried to find a way to rescue Iris, Kamilla, and Singh from the Mirrorverse, while Eva pondered her own sense of self, as well as try to finish off her husband's gang, and destroy his weapons.  What resulted in happening was---well....putting it mildly---highly illogical.  Let's break down what happened, and the shocking little twist at the end of the episode, and the ramifications THAT will have on the future of the team.  

While the team held a memorial for the lost Nash Wells (and, therefore, ALL the Wells from the other worlds), Iris was on the hunt for Kamilla, now that she's been able to adapt to using the Mirrorverse to her advantage.  It was great to FINALLY get Cisco back from his trip to Atlantis (as I had mentioned last week, he was looking for tech to help get their friends out of the Mirrorverse), and Caitlin, who returned from working with her mom in getting treatment (for Frost as well), but Chunk was absent this week....family issues.  But the core of the original team was intact, and they were trying to find a way to get their friends out of this other world.  

Sadly, the tech Cisco obtained from Atlantis wasn't up to snuff, and the team tried to brainstorm a way to get it to work.  Cisco had an idea how, but before he could finish his thought out on one of the boards, Barry had logically deduced everything Cisco was going to write down.  We soon discover that Barry has developed a new power:  speed thought.  Barry was able to use his superspeed cognitively to put together a plan to retrieve Iris, Kamilla, and Singh.  It was around this same time that Allegra, mourning the loss of Nash herself, and had the picture of him and her doppleganger from his world, was at the Gazette office when she saw and email from Iris to Kamilla, saying she was going to the hospital to look for Singh, and get to the Lab in the Mirrorverse.  Upon showing this to the team, that's when they theorized how to get their friends out.  

Eva, meanwhile, is contemplating upon the revelation that SHE is the mirror duplicate and NOT the real Eva McCulloch.  She asks Sunshine, one of the new villains in her employ, if she noticed anything different about her, and Sunshine didn't. But she informs her boss about the latest Carver Tech being moved, and Eva says she's going out to destroy it---flex her muscles, so-to-speak.  So, the team is alerted, and Cisco joins Flash and Frost, as they try to absorb some of Eva's energy to help power the machine to get their friends back.  Flash takes the hit, but he's able to absorb her power.  Frost provides a distraction while he does it, but she ends up getting hit when they're pinned down.  Instead of rescuing her immediately, however, Flash hesitates.  Turns out that in getting his speed back from the artificial Speed Force, Barry's cognitive powers have a negative effect:  he's using all logic for his solutions, and not basing anything on emotion.  So, now the team is concerned with Barry becoming more Mr. Spock-like, and less human.  

We got a nice calm interlude between Cecile and Allegra, as they discuss their lives.  We learned a few things from Allegra, such as her father abandoning her as a kid, and we learn from Cecile about her family's legacy of being in the military...and she went against the grain to become a lawyer.  Cecile tells Allegra that only SHE can carry on the memory of Nash, and it's up to her if she wants to.  

Eva is being interviewed on TV about the future of her company, and what her plans are.  Barry manages to hack into McCulloch's computer system to discover the video of her dying the night of the Particle Accelerator exploding.  Barry than makes a brash move, and hacks into the TV feed to show the video to the viewers and the host, causing them to question Eva.  This sets Eva off, and she bails, all the while Sunshine is watching from behind the curtain.  The team then realizes that Barry's logical outcomes are coming without thought of consequence, and lack the emotional input.  It really hits the fan when Barry decides to go into the Mirrorverse to rescue Iris....and Iris ONLY.  He theorizes that the ONLY logical outcome is to rescue HER, because she has the most knowledge of Eva, and it will be effective in stopping her, but the decision would cost two lives:  Kamilla and Singh.  The team isn't having it, and they try to stop Barry from carrying out this plan, even so much as attacking him, with Frost even using Velocity 9 to try and bait him into a surprise attack, and subdue him long enough to shut down the Artificial Speed Force.  Sadly, their plan backfires, and they're taken out, as Flash's speed thinking calculated all outcomes before they could attack.  With them incapacitated, Flash executed his plan to save Iris.

Meanwhile, Iris DOES find Kamilla, and they both head to the Lab in their universe, and they eventually find Singh.  But things go from bad to worse, when BOTH Kamilla and Singh start suffering from the dissonance from the long term exposure to the Mirrorverse.  With them in danger, their at risk of dying.  It is just then that Flash appears, trying to get Iris OUT of the Mirrorverse.  When she realizes that Barry isn't QUITE Barry, she resists him as long as she could, using the powers she's getting from the universe to try and stop him from taking her without their friends.  However, Barry's increasing the power on his end, and she can no longer resist.  Iris is pulled through, and Barry succeeds in rescuing her.  She then begins to convulse, and Barry finally realizes what he's done...so he eventually shuts off the Artificial Speed Force, and gets hit with a blast of energy.  Everyone is still out on the team.  Iris is back...but she's in danger.  Barry just shut his speed off, and now the team has to start back from the beginning.  Cisco realized that when Thawne powered his Negative Speed Force, he was using his emotional response to his hatred of Flash and everything related to Team Flash...and when they created THIS Speed Force....it was made with inert energy---no emotion driving it.  So, until they can figure THAT out...they are back to Square One.  And now Iris' life hangs in the balance...as does Singh's and Kamilla's in the Mirrorverse.

In the end...we see Eva curled up by the big mirror in her office....rocking back and forth, telling herself that this isn't her world.   But then she stops....looks at the mirror....and theorizes that it COULD be...thus putting Eva on the fast track to her new master plan.  But NOHTING prepared us for the shocker in the final scene---where we got a flashback of Eobard Thawne killing the original Harrison Wells....and taking over his identity.  We saw where Thawne had buried the body of Wells...and for some reason, after Barry had shut down the Artificial Speed Force...it appears that SOME neural energy got out...and reconstituted right at the burial site of the original Harrison Wells...and now he's BACK!  OR...is he?  What does this mean?

This episode moved very quickly it seemed, and we got a team that acted out of desperation...and for Barry....the price of having a brand new power---the loss of humanity within himself.  Now with this revelation....will he sulk and blame himself for everything, or will the team realize it was a collaborative mistake when they though this whole plan through in getting him his powers back?  Barry is NOTORIOUS for shouldering the blame...as the hero always does....but this time around...I think the team can share SOME of the heat for Barry's actions.  Look, I know it's not a popular opinion, but it's fact.  But we KNOW Barry is going to feel the WORST about it....because HE was the one that committed the act.  And now....Iris' life hangs in the balance.  

Eva's been exposed as a fraud, and that is NOT good news for Central City.  This is a woman whose own employees, as well as Sunshine and any OTHER minions she may have will now question her, and will it lead to them attacking HER instead?  There's nothing more dangerous than when a villain has their back against the wall.  And what HER game-changing plan is will spell disaster now that Team Flash put the truth out there.  To reshape the real world in her own image...she's already beginning, by putting out a mirror image of a female cop...looking to make EVERYONE into a duplicate...and eliminating the REAL people.  We've now reached the apex of this story, and the resolution has to come quick.  

And WHAT THE HELL?!!!  The ORIGINAL Harrison Wells is BACK?!!  Or is this Eobard Thawne?  THIS has become an interesting development.

Overall, another enjoyable episode...with us getting some more insight into Cecile and Allegra's background (and it was cool that Allegra had Nash's bandolier on her to honor Nash.  Eva's in total maniacal villain mode, and Team Flash's back is against the wall.  Going to be an interesting couple of episodes to get to the end of this arc.  What did YOU all think of this week's installment?  Subscribe and comment below....would love to hear YOUR theories!

Until next time...Keep on running! 

 

BLACK LIGHTNING 4.5

 

RECAP - BLACK LIGHTNING  4.5:  "The Book of Ruin - Chapter One:  Picking Up the Pieces"

We begin the next book of our final journey with the Pierce Family this week with family and TC trying to save Jennifer from completely dissipating into space.  While they try to figure out what to do....IF they can do it...Jefferson still can FEEL her, and won't give up on her, even when everyone else seems like all hope is lost.  Jefferson and Lynn argue about how everyone knew that Jen was absorbing too much ionic energy, and they haven't hashed things out yet.  But Jefferson suggests that he can absorb Jen's energy, and if they can contain it, they can somehow reconstitute her.  Gambi says they'd need a particle condenser to attempt this feat, and the only place that would have one is STAR Labs.  Jefferson says he has a friend that can get it to him "in a flash".  So, sure enough, Barry raced the device over to Jefferson, and they set it up, as Anissa comments that it's nice to have "powerful friends".  So, Jefferson suits up, and heads up into the ionosphere.

Once up there, he manages to find Jen's particles, and absorbs them, even though it comes as a great risk because he's never absorbed that much power before.  He succeeds and gets back to The Sanctum, where they get Jen into a pod, and then the long wait begins for Jen to be reconstituted.  Over the course of the episode, we see TC taking the majority of the guilt trip here, as he felt he should've said something, even though he warned her about what she was doing.  Anissa reassures him that he did what he could, and not to blame himself for what happened.  Everyone seems to want to point fingers, while Anissa feels kind of lost without her sister...and shutting out Grace in the process.  That issues manifests as she keeps ignoring Grace's calls until she goes home, and Grace confronts her about it.  And as much as Anissa tries to get Grace to give her time, Grace tells her that it's not about HER anymore...but THEM.  So...eventually, Anissa tells Grace about Jen, and finally takes her to the Sanctum....after all, she IS family now.  Anissa also took this time to reconnect with Lynn, as they both talked about how much the missed the warning signs about Jen.  

Jefferson, having had words with Lynn about knowing what Jen was up to, needed to vent this episode....so he did...by busting up Lala's underground fight cage.  But he and Lala have a chat, and they discuss what's going down, what with the DEG guns the cops will have, Chief Lopez now hunting down metas, and looking to take his organization down.  He says, for what it's worth, that he's glad to see Black Lightning back...but he's not going to give up what he's worked for, and it seems that he and Jefferson have to have this uneasy alliance.  So, Lala is going after Chief Lopez to take HER down once and for all.  But before that happens, he gets a call from Destiny, whom suggests a cease-fire of hostilities until they resolve the issue with the cops.  Lala lies to her and says that yeah, he's willing to talk, KNOWING it'll be a setup.  

Chief Lopez assigns Detective Shakur to the Metahuman Taskforce in the wake of her press conference, where she accuses Lightning of killing the Mayor.  Shakur really isn't on board with it, but she gives him no option.  She's looking to take all the metas out, and show who is in charge of the law and order around Freeland.  So, Lala goes to meet Destiny in order to talk truce with the Kobra Kartel, only to find out it was an ambush.  In the gunfight that follows, Lala is shot, and presumed killed, while Devante tries to get away, but he's unable to breathe, and Detective Shakur arrests him.  Only to have Lala reawaken, take down a few cops, and disappear.  Meanwhile, in the background, we have Destiny putting in a call to Lady Eve, where she says they'll need an assassin who can take down metas...as she sees Lala's powers at work. 

Jefferson talks with Gambi about Jen, and a memory he had when she was younger.  Gambi reminds him that they'll get her back, but he's also got to let Henderson go....the city NEEDS Black Lightning....he's been gone long enough.  Jefferson and Lynn also apologize for how they've been acting, and the family seems to be getting back on track as they keep hoping for Jen to reassemble.  As they all gather in the Sanctum, it looks like the machine worked, and Jen is back in one piece.  There's just ONE problem:   she doesn't LOOK like Jen anymore!  

And while ALL this is going down----Tobias continues to play his own game of chess....using hidden cameras to discover where the Sanctum is, and still working on his own projects.  

The first chapter of the new book starts off with the family coming to grips with their grief over the possibility of losing Jen, NOT being there to stop her from doing what she was doing, and coming to grips with their own anxieties and grievances....especially Jefferson and Lynn...who have been the two main combatants in this story thus far.  As parents, they've NOT been on the same page, and that's been damaging to the family.  Jefferson has needed to work through his grief, but in the wake of all that's going down, he also cannot avoid who and what he is:  Black Lightning.  Like it or not---he's needed.  And thankfully, Gambi was able to get through to him this time.  Having him and Lynn on the same page again will hopefully right the ship, and get the family focused on the true target:  Tobias.  Tobias has been teflon so far, and he continues to be a step ahead of everyone.   He's now got Chief Lopez against the metahumans----especially Lightning.  And now assigning Detective Shakur to the Task Force puts him in direct conflict with Black Lightning...which sucks for him.  We'll see how THAT plays out.  

Couple of things to note for this episode:  THANK YOU to the writers for giving us what I had HOPED for in this show:  An Arrowverse reference!  Thank you for the STAR Labs mention and the "off camera" appearance of The Flash.  It's cool to know that Jefferson and Barry have kept contact.  So, who KNOWS what kinds of adventures these heroes are having off camera.  We may NOT get a true crossover this year due to COVID restrictions, but any MENTION of it puts a smile on my face.  So, that was MY big highlight of the episode.  

Number Two:  Last episode was the final appearance of actress China Anne McClain in the role of Jennifer Pierce, as she departs the show for other ventures.  Jennifer was easily one of my favorite characters on the show, and I was amazed at how great her character development occurred during the 3 and a quarter seasons that she was on the show.  Jennifer...to ME, anyway...has been the lynchpin of the family.  With new actress Laura Kariuki assuming the role, I'm curious to see what she'll bring to the role as Jennifer.  But kudos to China and all she accomplished on the show, and we wish her the best of luck.

What did YOU guys think of this week's show?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.

Until NEXT time.....the Power is OFF!   

SUPERMAN & LOIS 1.2

 

RECAP - SUPERMAN & LOIS  1.2:  "Heritage"  

The Kents have moved back to Smallville....but sadly, they're NOT endearing themselvs to the townsfolk since they've arrived.  Jordan and Jonathan have already gotten in trouble with Sarah Cushing's boyfriend because Jordan made a pass at her, not knowing she was taken.  On top of that, Lois is in full reporter mode since finding out Morgan Edge has interest in opening up the coalmines in the town, knowing HIS checkered past.  She's meeting resistance from Lana Lang Cushing's husband, as well as Edge himself.  Clark, however, has TWO problems:  trying to be a better father to BOTH his boys...and dealing with this new threat as Superman.  This week....things intensify.  

Lois and Clark have decided early on in this episode that Jordan isn't ready to go to school until they find a way to help him control his powers.  So, the family has to cover for him, while Clark files him out to the Fortress of Solitude to have Jordan tested by his grandfather, Jor-El.  Jordan is in awe of his Kryptonian heritage, and learns about Krypton up until its explosion.  He DOES end up getting tested, but it turns out that his powers will NEVER be at the level of Kal-El's.  Jor-El emphatically tells his son that Jordan will always have limited powers, and they will never develop past what they are.  Jordan is obviously upset by this, and doesn't take it well.  Jonathan, on the other hand, has to get used to going to a new high school, and making the football team.  He's a little too cocky this episode about having knowledge of the playbook, even though he didn't get it on time, and pays the price for it by getting drilled by the team, as well as Sarah's boyfriend.  Jonathan isn't happy about it, nor is he all that thrilled about the fact that Clark is spending more time with Jordan, and getting Jordan in touch with his Kryptonian roots.  Clark is obviously just as disappointed in the fact hat Jordan will NOT be able to continue Clark's legacy, but whatever fence-mending he had with Jordan, dissipated rather quick.  Jordan's human DNA prevents him from being what his father is, but I have a feeling Clark won't give up.  Jordan however, IS allowed to go back to school at the end of the episode, because Clark gives him an alert, allowing him to contact his father should there be trouble.  In the end, however, both Lois and Clark feel that they've made progress with the boys.  

Clark, however, also faces his problem with this alien threat that knows WHO he is, and says that he is destined to destroy the world.  Sam and Superman continue to confer on who this threat is, and he makes yet another move to obtain Kryptonite in order to destroy The Man of Steel.  This Luthor makes an attack on General Lane and the DOD.  He manages to get to Sam, and tries to warn him that Superman is NOT who he seems, and that he will destroy the planet.  Superman DOES arrive in time to save the General, and takes down Luthor....only to discover that it's a robot that this Luthor sent in his place.  Superman and General Lane have more questions than answers after this, but it's clear of ONE thing:  this Luthor is planting the seeds of doubt in General Lane's mind about Kal-El.  It also hasn't helped that General Lane is NOT happy that Lois and Clark told the boys about Clark's life as Superman.  He feels that Clark has endangered his own sons, and STILL wonders why Lois has endured what Clark does all these years.  We then learn at the end of this episode that THIS Luthor is from another world...another universe where HE and General Lane were soldiers, and Superman was the evil rogue who killed everyone, and that General Lane from THAT world gave this Luthor a dogtag necklace with Superman's logo on it.  So, we get more clarity as to WHY this Luthor is here, and what HIS purpose is.  And as much as his ship's computer told him that this version of Superman seems like a hero, Luthor isn't convinced...saying that THIS Superman isn't evil....yet.  Because Superman DID save the town from destruction, as he went after Luthor's ship, who sacrificed it in order to have Superman make a choice.  Superman made the right one.  

Lois and Clark were invited to the Cushing's BBQ, and Lois and Tyler get into it again about Morgan Edge.  Seems that Tyler is happy thinking that Edge is giving Smallville a leg up with the mines opening up again, and people getting work...even if it is at a lower wage.  This conversation happens because Lois attended the town hall meeting the night before, where Morgan Edge DID show up to talk about his plans for Smallville.  But Lois---being the intrepid reporter that she is....wondered about Edge's plans considering the last town he tried to uplift--Carthage--suffered at his hands.  Edge compliments Lois on her tenacity, and then says that he TRIED to give the townsfolk of Carthage a chance, but never PROMISED anything.  Then, he decides that maybe he'll rethink what he does with Smallville.  This doesn't go over well with the townsfolk, but it DOES get the attention of the reporter from the Smallville Gazette, who is all-too familiar with Lois' work.  But her and Tyler continue to butt heads on the Morgan Edge matter.  Later on, she tells Clark what she found out, and as much as Clark is hesitant about it....he knows that she won't let it go.  So, he gives her his blessing.  

Lois isn't thrilled when she finds out, however, that Edge had her story re-written for the Daily Planet, and she's pissed off about it.  Lois, in her career, has NEVER been re-written.  Edge ordered the re-write, saying that it was a smear piece, and he won't have it for the paper.  Then, Lois decides to leave the one thing she's loved more than anything....she quits the Daily Planet.  We then see Lois going to the Smallville Gazette...where she meets up with the reporter---who also happens to be the editor and everything else.  Lois asks if she'd like a reporter, and she asks when Lois can start.  

The drama was dripping this episode, and it seems like Clark's second go around back home is going to be a rougher road than what it was when he was growing up.  His mother is gone, so he has no guidance from her as a parent....so he and Lois have to lean on each other MORE to get the parenting thing right...and it's been  A LOT of hit-and-miss thus far.  Jordan feels even MORESO like an outsider now that he finds out that--due--to his human DNA, he'll NEVER have the level of powers that his father has.  Even Jonathan felt a bit jealous this episode because Jordan was getting some on-on-one time with their Dad, and he felt a little left out.  I do like the boys, but I do think they might be a bit TOO angsty.  If they dial it back A LITTLE, I wouldn't mind.  Lois is the anchor here, desperate to keep her family together.  But Lois is also dealing with the fact that she isn't getting the chance to be what she CAN be---Lois Lane.  Having to quit The Planet was tough for her...leaving all that she loved behind.  But in the end, we see that Lois doesn't regret her decision.  Despite all that she and Clark face---she's putting family first.  It's a new side to Lois Lane that we have never gotten to see, because she's been the top notch, fierce reporter who has no fear when it comes to the danger that comes with following a juicy story.  

Clark has the hardest road:  trying to be there for his boys, but also trying to balance his life as Superman.  It was EASIER for him when it was just he and Lois---but with two teenage boys---ONE of which with social anxiety issues, trying to be the best father he can be, and also be the superhero everyone looks up to is becoming TWO full time jobs.  And he's struggling to find that balance.  And with this new Luthor threat...who knows all about him...he's going to have to work overtime to reign it all in.  

But THIS is why we watch...

I DO have ONE bummer out of this, though:  it's the recasting of Morgan Edge.  When last WE saw Morgan Edge in the Arrowverse, he was played by Adrian Pasdar.  NOW, we have a new guy in the role, and he's got an accent.  I don't know if this was just something that slipped through the cracks, but it's inconsistent with what we've known previously.  Unless, in this Post-CRISIS world....THIS Morgan Edge is the one that's existed all along, and they couldn't get Adrian Pasdar back.  So...that's the ONE thing I was no right about this episode.  

We're learning to grow with The Kents, and we'll see how they face each new challenge as a family going forward.  How long before Superman's problem hits close to home?  And then when will General Lane start to question Clark and his motives MORESO?  And will he try to convince Lois that being with Clark is a bad idea, and that she---AND the boys---would be better off without him.  That his ONLY life should be that of Superman?  These are things pondering my mind as we go forward.  Overall, a good episode, and I'm awaiting to see what happens next....like all of you.

What did all of YOU think of this installment?  Subscribe to the blog and leave YOUR theories below.

Until next time....Up, up, and away!

THE FLASH 7.1

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.1:  "All's Well That Ends Wells"  

Welcome back to Central City!  When we last visited, The Fastest Man Alive had come out of the CRISIS, only to be faced with a brand new version of the Mirror Master.  If he only knew how bad things would get, as his beloved Iris was lost inside the Mirrorverse, trapped with seemingly NO chance to escape....as well as Chief Singh and Kamilla. Cisco was traversing the new world, cataloguing the new threats, Frost and Caitlin suffered an injury that's caused their powers to go bad, and Ralph Dibny was trying to save Sue Dearbon from the Black Hole Gang and Eva McCulloch's husband, William Carver.  Carver is now dead, thanks to Eva, but Sue is on the hook for it.  So, now we join Team Flash at a critical juncture---as they try to get their friends back, and stop Eva from making Central City her own funhouse of mirrors...

This season premiere gave us a couple of big shockers, as well as some new surprises.  We start this season picking up where we left off---with Team Flash working on getting Barry his speed back, as well as trying to find a way to rescue Iris, Singh, and Kamilla out of the Mirrorverse.  Barry's speed has been ebbing away, and he's now relegated to going to some kind of chamber build for him to keep him stable and preserve what little speed he has left---which is about 1% at the beginning of the show.  Chester is on monitor duty, what with Caitlin/Frost still being treated for her injury by her mother, and Cisco is off somewhere, Atlantis, I believe, trying to find a way to save his friends on his end, and Ralph & Sue are off the grid, due to Sue being accused of killing Carver.  Chester gets an alert that Eva is on the move, looking to destroy more of Black Hole's technology.  Barry is awakened, and he's off (I do like the new speed force mask that just automatically comes over his face), and he's off, chasing her all over the city.  He catches up to her, and she tries to tell him that they're on the same side, but Flash isn't buying it, and if she was on HIS side, she'd give him Iris back.  He attacks, and she dodges, knowing his speed is waning.  She knocks him out, and she's off to go destroy the latest shipment of Black Hole tech being moved by the original Mirror Master, Sam Scudder, and his partner, Rosa Dillon.  Eva kills Scudder, and informs Dillon that she created him, and that he was her first creation.  Eva destroys the tech, and is off.  

Dillon was captured, and Cecile and Joe and discussing the recent happenings (and thus catching US up on what's going on).  With Black Hole's tech still all over the place, Joe needs to find out where the next shipment will be.  Cecile takes on this one, as she has a discussion with Dillion about where the shipment is.  Dillon says that SHE was actually the brains, and Scudder just did her bidding.  She then demonstrates to Cecile her powers, by saying that Cecile holds back on hers, and Dillon says she can control people, cause vertigo, and manipulate them like a top (hence her name).  She also reveals that she's been working with Eva all along, and that Eva has given her vision.  However, we get a brand new surprise when Cecile returns later, and tells Dillon that she HAS been afraid to open up her empath powers, because she was afraid of becoming Dillon...but then she realized that she can focus it and turn it on her...which she does.  Cecile causes panic in Dillon, and she coughs up Eva's plan to destroy the latest Black Hole tech:  a bomb attached to a plane coming in through Central City tonight.  She warns Joe about Eva's plan. 

Our primary focus this week was on Nash Wells---who has been housing the Council of Wells in his head.  As the team is trying to work on the Speed Force Generator, the Council comes to the conclusion that their energy channeled through Nash as the focal point, can help power the generator, and help Flash get his powers back.  Nash, however, is NOT happy about it.  So, he's mulling over all the research he can trying to find another way, when Allegra meets up with him.  He figures that if he has Allegra channel HER powers into him, then he can draw the Wells energy out of HIM, and into the generator....all without dying.  So, they make the attempt, but Allega can't control the energy, and Barry saves her from the backlash, but the Wells energy ends up inside Barry.  Now, all the past Wells are inside his head, and we see Barry manifest each of them.  But Barry ends up passing out, and the team realizes that only his powers is keeping him alive.  If his powers fail, Barry will die from the energy of the Wells.  Nash ends up admitting that he did what he did because he isn't ready to die, which--once again--makes him look awful in the eyes of Allegra.  

While Allegra and Chunk (as she now calls him...FINALLY....his nickname comes out!), work on a way to help Barry, Nash ends up talking to Harry...who occupies Barry's mind at the moment, and he discusses how he worked for Zoom when he first arrived to Team Flash.  He urges Nash to find the hero within.  Things pick up pace for the team, when they get word about the plane carrying the Black Hole tech headed to Central City with a bomb attatched to it.  They then have Allegra once again use her powers to transfer the Wells energy back into Nash, thus bringing Barry back.  Chunk warns them of the plane, and Barry says they need a plan...but it turns out that they need the Flash, as Nash attaches himself to the generator.  Barry doesn't want him risking his life, but Nash says that---for once---he feels pride and honor.  We then get every other Wells giving Barry a farewell....telling him to run.  As Nash slowly dissipates into the generator, Barry takes off.  The generator is full, and the energy strikes Barry....thus giving him his powers back.  Barry then races out as The Flash, and manages to avert disaster by swatting the bomb off the plane, where it explodes harmlessly in the sky.  Flash returns to find that Nash is gone.  The team mourns his loss, and Allegra wishes she had gotten to know him more, but in the end, Chunk says that he made the sacrifice so that Barry could keep moving forward...and to save their friends.  

Our other business this week has to do with Iris, as she is still trapped in the Mirrorverse.  At first, she's imagining having dinner with Barry, but it turns out it's just her imagination.  She then starts seeing past versions of herself, telling her that she's losing her grip on her sanity.  At frist, Iris runs in fear, but then she stops, and focuses.  And then realizes that it's just Eva who is trying to drive her insane.  But Iris says it won't work, and that she's getting close to getting out.  Iris then notices the mirrors fluxuating.  Iris was later on the laptop trying to work when the surface of the screen ripples.  It seems that she's starting to gain control of her realm.  

Not so for Eva, however, who is STILL haunted by her late husband, who won't leave her thoughts.  She comes across a video of the night the Particle Accelerator exploded, and she went into the Mirrorverse---but upon looking at the video in her office.  She realizes that she never went INTO the mirror...she bounce OFF of it.  We see Carver in the video calling for help, as Eva finally realizes that she died.  And that SHE...the current version of Eva....is the mirror duplicate.  

Admittedly, this episode would've had more punch had it happened as originally planned last season....but for what it's worth, it STILL got to me when Nash was sacrificing himself, and we got to see all the other previous Wells give a final farewell to Barry.  Now, I am not sure at this juncture if this is the LAST time we get a Wells character from Tom Cavanaugh, but it was a very heartfelt sendoff to the Wells of the past.  Now...here's ANOTHER thing to think about:  Barry wondered what the team would do WITHOUT a Wells.  What if---and I know this has been bandied about by a few in the community---that everytime we "see" a representation of this new Speed Force....it's Wells instead of Barry's mother, Nora?  It WOULD be a way to keep the Wells legacy alive, and allow Cavanaugh to have continued appearances on the show....even if only part time.  Also....the impact of the loss of Wells would've been BETTER felt if the rest of the team had been there.  Even if that only meant Joe and Cecile.  

Cecile showing a new way to use her powers was awesome!  It shows considerable growth for Cecile and her character, and that's going to be an asset down the road for the team as well.  We also bid farewell to Rosa Dillon's partner in crime, Sam Scudder...the original Mirror Master, as he's wiped off the canvas thanks to Eva.  So...in much like their comics counterparts, the new Mirror Master takes over for the old.  

Iris is closer to getting out, as she managed to work past Eva's mind games, and figure out that he has the power to manipulate reflective surfaces.  Now, we just have to see if she can find Kamilla and Singh, and get out of there.  

All in all, not a bad way to start the season off.  Got some surprises, and some heartfelt moments...but glad they didn't drag out Barry getting his speed back.  Now, the final chapters of THIS particular story are about to be written.  So....did this episode get you back into the flow of the show?  Did it satisfy the long wait?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.

Until next time....Keep on running!