Smallville Recap 04.13.06: Fragile
Posted by James Thomlison on 04.14.2006
Some little girl goes all Carrie on glass, Clark saves... nobody?, Chloe finally breaks a story she wishes she hadn't, Lois gets a new job, and Lex and Lana grow "closer"!
5. Will Lionel reveal to Clark or Martha that he knows?
The Show
Tonight's Smallville featured the directorial debut of Tom Welling. Show kicks off and one of Martha's aides is wrapping up a phone call and having dinner. Her daughter (Mattie) doesn't want to eat. She wants to draw. Mom begins to take her pad, Mattie gets angry and a glass pitcher shatters. Mom didn't know about this! Mattie tries to calm her down, but Mom sends her away. She is pissed. Shes trying to control it, but random windows are shattering. Every window now blows out. Mom is getting hacked to bits. Mattie cries (under her bed). Mom has some cuts but is okay. There is a large mirror still left unbroken. Mattie is now trying to break it (with her mind, from her room). Mom is dead.
Opening credits. Commercial break.
We're back and at the Kent's where apparently Mattie has been brought for the meantime. Martha thanks the officers. "No problem, Senator" (haha sometimes it just hasn't sunk in yet). Mom was apparently named Naomi, and she was actually Martha's Chief of Staff. Clark notices Mattie hasn't spoken. She hasn't spoken since she was three, and has been in and out of foster homes. Martha needs to notify Lionel because Naomi used to run his children's foundation. Clark tries to stop her, but doesn't mention what he knows. She leaves and Clark talks a little with Mattie (she does not), and he makes a couple of jokes about drawing, even making a stick figure of her, which draws a mild smile from her.
To Lana's dorm where she and Lex have returned from some business dinner. Lex apparently knows Japanese. Lana is worried about keeping some files for Lex, but he trusts her completely and can't trust them with anyone else. They give each other "the look", and Chloe walks in. She's a little weirded out, but nothing happened. She immediately leaves, so she doesn't know that.
Back to the farm where Clark is showing her the barn. He has her turn around so he can superspeedily build her a haystack to jump in. She's afraid of heights though (he's guessing), and he can relate (ehehe). He tells her he was also an orphan, and enter Krypto, who brings a smile to her and she immediately warms to him. She whispers "good dog" in his ear. Clark does some more convincing her to talk, and yes! We have words! She asks "what's up there" (to his loft). They hang out for a little more and have some conversation. But! Lois shows, and she stops talking. She's a bit shy, and Lois has brought crayons and a coloring book. Lois senses she wants to be alone, but persists. Mattie gets a little freaked and some bulbs in the loft blow.
Clark finds her in his house, and tries to explain that it's okay to have abilities. He convinces her to trust him, and she spills the beans. Ever since she was little, she could break glass, but when she's upset, she can't control her. Clark asks about Naomi, but Mattie persists it wasn't her. She was in her room, and can't do anything through walls. Lois interrupts and gets him in the other room. She wants to call the cops, but Clark begs for an hour to find out what happened. He leaves Lois to babysit.
Commercial break.
We're back and at the Planet, where Chloe has looked into Mattie's file. Clark is trying to convince Chloe of Mattie's innocence, but Chloe has facts that say otherwise, including that eyewitnesses saw her mother's windshield freakishly explode before the crash that killed her.
Back to the Kent farm, where Lois and Mattie are somewhat on speaking terms. Lois is taking her on a picnic… in a field… far far from anything breakable. Lois begins to set the blanket, but Mattie runs off and back into the barn, which is full of glass. Lois pleads with her to leave, but the Child Services man shows up; Lois explains, but he isn't buying any of it. He wants to take Mattie back to the foster home, but she doesn't want to go.
To the Luthor mansion, where Lex is watching a video of …something. Chloe shows up to give Lex a bitching about him and Lana. They trade witty banters, and it all ends with Chloe promising him that if he hurts her, there will be consequences (if Clark Kent was my boy, I would talk massive shit as well. Oh yes).
Kent farm, where the man is putting her in the car, Lois tries to warn him, but no good. Mattie spots a mysterious man behind the car, freaks, and there go all the windows. He gets in the car and drives off, leaving Lois on the ground with glass stuck in her shoulder.
Commercial break.
We're back and at the hospital. Lois explains what happened, and describes the kidnapper to Clark.
To a random store, where Mattie is trying to call Clark. Kidnapper finds her. He is her Dad, and has been locked up for years. He killed some man. He killed her mother. He killed Naomi. He gives her a glass butterfly, we all know what happened next. Holy shit! He can not just break glass, he can completely manipulate it! She restores the glass butterfly to full form.
Back to the Planet, where Chloe has discovered that her dad just spent twelve years in Belle Rieve for the ability to control glass. She has an address of his last residence.
To that residence, where Clark explains to Tyler's mother that she has a granddaughter. She shows him a piece of glasswork that he did years ago. Clark recognizes it. There's one similarly at the Talon, only surprise!
To the Talen where Tyler and Mattie are there, and there were seven diamonds (which he went to jail / BR for) hidden in the glasswork. He tries to give them to her, but she doesn't want them. They're stolen. Clark arrives and Tyler tries to glass attack him, but Clark is too fast, and quickly incapacitates him and saves the day.
Back to the Planet, where Lana has arrived to bitch out Chloe for bitching out Lex. Lana – like Lex – is proclaiming them to be friends. They have some words, and she leaves. It appears to me that 1. Chloe is on to something, 2. Lana is in denial, and 3. Lex is being Lex.
We're at Lois' apartment, where Clark has brought her home. She feels guilty about how she had Mattie pegged as a murderer. Mattie is going to be living with her grandmother. Martha arrives and offers Lois a position as Chief of Staff. Clark is hesitant, but Lois accepts.
To the hospital elevator, where Tyler is being escorted out by the cops. One problem, the officer is wearing glasses. As the elevator opens on the ground floor, officer is dead, and Tyler is a free man.
Commercial break.
We're back and at the Kent farm, where Mattie is visiting and – ironically – cleaning the windows. She is happy, and talking, and Martha is so proud of how Clark is with her (and kids in general).
Mattie: Clark, did you ever meet your real dad?
Clark: Sort of.
Mattie Was he bad like my dad was?
Clark: Maybe worse. But just because me life, that doesn't mean that I'm anything like him.
After the foot-in-mouth by Clark, they have a little happy moment, reminiscing about his "real dad", Jonathan. Mattie wants to live with him, but Clark insists on the grandmother. Glass starts to rattle, but she manages to settle herself down; she's getting it under control. Later that evening, and Clark comes downstairs to get some cards, but Martha is gone and the glass on the front door is shattered.
He finds her in the barn, where Martha is up against the wall, and Tyler has a piece of glass resting on her neck and ready to strike (it's floating). Tyler demands Clark goes to get Mattie. He shoots a quick burst of heat vision, knocking the glass away, Martha runs, and now - it's on. You know, I love it when Clark and [bad guy] always have the standoff before something happens, and the [bad guy] gets this smug grin on his face like "oh, you're fucked"… cracks me up.
Tyler amasses multiple broken pieces of glass behind him, and sends them all Clark's way at lightning speed. They swirl around Clark but then form into little packs of glass …"weapons" and head back towards Tyler, where they stopped, aimed at him. Clark gets a "tha fuck" look on his face, but it's Mattie! She is standing behind him and tells him that she won't let Tyler hurt him (ehehehe). She is in full control of the glass, and is about to kill him, but Clark tries to talk her down. She doesn't want him to hurt anymore people. Tyler pleads with her, and Clark continues to talk her down. She finally let's the glass drop. Clark and Mattie embrace, and Tyler weeps.
Commercial break.
We're back and at the Kent Farm. Her grandmother is there to pick her up. Mattie is nervous, but her grandmother is so enthusiastic to have her. Clark and Mattie say their tearful goodbyes (…how big can Smallville possibly be?), and she gives him the picture back he drew of her, only she has completely colored it in (it's sappy, want a description, watch it). They leave.
Back to the Planet, where Chloe is semi-scolding Clark for not telling his mom about Lionel. He brings up Lana, and she gets pissed about him not calling her and expecting her (Chloe) to fill him in on things. She does not mention Lex.
To the Luthor mansion, where Lana has arrived. She is there to set the record straight, but there is no need. Lex understands they are friends, and he's sorry if he gave her the wrong impression. They talk about it some more, and they kiss. She is a little freaked, but then embraces him for much more passionate kissing! She then runs off.
Fade to black. End credits.
Things to look for next week: Episode 19 - Mercy
1. Well, the Lex / Lana saga has finally started, which leads me question: We already know why Lex and "Superman"/Clark Kent hate each other in all the other tellings of the story; will this be the Smallville version of friends becoming enemies?
2. How long can Chloe keep her "hunch" to herself.
3. Lois as Chief of Staff – Will it work?
4. The hunt for Brainiac is still on, where is he and will they find him?
5. Like last week, will Clark tell Martha that Lionel knows?
BONUS QUESTION!
6. Lana was HEAVILY depraved of the cock by Clark; will Lana / Lex become a non-stop bash fest?
The 411: Well, apparently the teaser I saw last week giving me the impression this week's episode would kick ass was in fact the trailer for next week, so yay. I had a talk with Cook, and decided that if Smallville wants to tell their version of the story with Lois, I should accept it. The fact is that Erica Durance plays the character so "Lois Lane-sey", I can no longer knock her. This was definitely a filler episode minus the Lex / Lana thing. I'm going to cut them a break this week because with only a couple of episodes left, you have to save it all for the last two or three. The story wasn't bad and further showed how Clark is growing into an amazing "leader" if you will. The hunt for Brainiac is interesting, and I think the break from Lionel this episode was good, especially setting up next week (for those who saw the preview). What can I say. Nothing amazingly good; nothing horribly bad. A "right there in the middle" decent episode; the best since Jonathan died I think.
