Collateral

DVD, Smallville S10 (Collateral)

When an episode ends with everyone unconscious I can't help but suspect the reality of the next episode, so it was no surprise to me to discover, and from Chloe no less, that they were indeed in a simulation. But I'm a sucker for false reality stories and this is one of those rare episodes where it works on all sides, both the 'cheap' dialogue and character scenes, and the expensive action ones (apart from the suspect CGI of Chloe walking through a wall!), creating what I can only assume was their tribute to 'The Matrix' - just look, we've got a computer simulation that our heroes are hooked up to, where if they die in there they'll die in the real world. But someone from the real world enters to bring them the truth, and she gets to wear a cool outfit, an all-white suit, while packing guns, taking out two enemies at the same time, having a kung fu fight where she can run up walls and even stop weapons that fly right at her face in mid-air… That's without even mentioning that the enemies in this virtual prison are the equivalent of Agents, computer programs designed to keep its security, and then we even get multiple Chloes at the end whom the hero escapes by flying away! If this wasn't a tribute to 'The Matrix' then we must all be living in some unreal world! My only regret is that once the others became aware of the truth of their reality that they didn't get to wear shades and sharp suits like they did in 'The Matrix' as an avatar choice, but it was so good anyway.

The big news is that Chloe Sullivan is back, not even for a guest appearance, she's in the main credits montage so I guess Allison Mack was only busy for a few months as it looks like the character's back to stay until the end. And it was a perfect way to use her character as she was the computer whizz, so what better reintroduction than having to save her buddies from the virtual pit they've been pushed into. Even better, we're left confused over what's really going on, an excellent device of showing Chloe as the one attaching Oliver, Clark and the others up to the machines, and because she has been gone so long we do wonder at her motives. Oh, I never thought she'd turned bad, at least not of her own accord, but there've been plenty of times when loyalty has been twisted, or minds wiped, or any number of other reasons for good characters doing bad things. We've even had our share of fake realities, but then show me a sci-fi/fantasy series that's lasted for years and hasn't done them! It's a staple of the genre, and thankfully, one of my favourites, and while I haven't been all that impressed with how they used Chloe through most of the series once they moved out of school, she was given her dues in full here.

It's refreshing for this series to give us a proper fight for once, even if it is short-lived. Usually it's a case of whack someone across the room or bash them with scenery, but here, thanks to 'The Matrix' influence Chloe gets to show off her artificial martial arts skills against Black Canary (who once saved and returned to the real world repays the favour by doing the acrobatics for real), a good use of her as a negative voice against Chloe's voice of reason. All the characters get to look cool for a change, even Deadshot, firing as he does, two bullets either side of Chloe's neck to take out her would-be executioners. Chloe herself is spitting out the old pop culture analogies like a good'un and it was genuinely lovely to have her back, and in a way that I don't think they could have done better. I'm still a little shady on why she had to go away (aside from what I assume were real world contractual issues or other jobs for Mack), but it was clear she came back on the advice of the special helmet of that guy… the one who could see the future… Yes, it's been a few weeks and already I'm forgetting the large collection of characters, but it didn't detract from the episode, and like her friends, it's not as important why she went away, why she strong-armed the Suicide Squad of Rick Flag and Deadshot into working for her, and what role she'll play now, as much as the fact that she is back. Once again I find myself thinking that if they can pull off this level of good storytelling, using the pieces of the series as well as they did here, this has a good chance of being one of the best seasons of the series.

They did miss a trick at one stage, I felt: the emphasis for the villains was all on keeping Clark locked up in his mental plane, and that's clearly because once he's out he could just dash round disarming all the VRA soldiers, knocking them out at super-speed and halting their plans in seconds, that's how dangerous an opponent he is. But we never see him wake up, we get the positive conclusion to his arc by him flying into the sky and taking Lois for a short 'Superman: The Movie' spin around the Metropolis skyline before speeding down into the exit point, whereas they could have added another level of drama by having everything about to go wrong in the real world just before he chooses to take the plunge. Then he could have saved all the other heroes in a sequence of impressive multiple split-second rescues. But in that case you couldn't have your cake and eat it, and at least the way it was done all the heroes get their moment of working together and showing their mettle, which is really what it's all about, and if Clark did all the work they wouldn't seem necessary. But like almost never before, the team (even without many of the main Justice League group), get to work together to win the day, and it impressed.

What most impressed, however, was the simple theme of trust: will Clark forgive Chloe for up and leaving without telling him, for keeping her secrets without confiding in him, as he was forced to do for much of his life to keep his own important secret? His life depends on it and I couldn't help seeing a Christian parallel (if 'The Matrix' idea of seeing the real world for something transitory before the real existence to come wasn't enough), with Clark having to come to a point where he could take a literal leap of faith, to 'lose his life in order to gain it,' if you will, and it is these kinds of inspiring themes and approach to drama that too often is missing, but here was powerful and a greatly satisfying use of Chloe's previous absence. I had it in the back of my mind that even Chloe could be a trick at first, but if Oliver could believe in her it set my mind at rest and we were just waiting for Clark to deal with his feeling of abandonment before he finally saw what was real.

Added to all the action, excitement and strong storytelling there's the necessary twinge of nostalgia for this stage of the series coming towards a conclusion, as we see several old photos of the past, and the setting of the glowing Kent house or barn reasserting the warm past that we've come from and that we've seen these characters periodically return to. Too often the series has turned cold and hard, harsh, violent, nasty and depressing, whether that's through family, friends or the outside world, but the warmth of the series has always been one of the biggest losses, so whenever that returns it puts the series right, inspires the audience and makes me, for one, anticipate the final half. I'm sure things will have to turn cold, dark and friendless before the end, but for now I'll take this oasis and be grateful. It even ends with Clark smiling in the glowing light, something which won't last, but for once it's a relief.

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