Action

Season 7, Episode 5, Aired
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Episode Summary

When a movie is shot in Smallville, Clark is forced to secretly use his powers to save someone from a runaway car... but somebody is looking and becomes Clark's biggest fan. Meanwhile, Lionel's fate is revealed.
9.2
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Fan Episode Reviews (35)

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  • Finally a decent episode

    10
    "Perfect"
    By scillaward, Sep 11, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode was refreshing. Finally a good episode. Even though this story was speaking about Dark Warrior, it was also about Smallville also and How Clark must forfull his destiny and become the man that we all know and love. Also how a superhero can't have a girlfriend if he wants to save the world. Lana is holding Clark back from protecting the world. I hope sooner or later he realizes that and kick her to the curve because she's starting to get annoying. I love the gift that Rachel gave Clark. The red cape that the further superman will wear.moreless

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  • A different plot that actually has people pushing Clark to embrace his destiny...even if it isn't the traditional pep-talk that he always gets.

    8.9
    "Great"
    By thunderknight73, Jun 05, 2010 Report Abuse
    Wow, I was amazed by how great "Action" was. To be honest, when I watched the preview for the episode, I wasn't intending for this to be an episode that I'd list in my Top 25 episodes, but it obviously surpassed that. Christina Milian did a great job with Rachel Davenport's character and I feel like I could actually sense her feeling in the role.

    Lois' plot wasn't really that groundbreaking, but it was nice to see her disguise that she used. Ben was also a neat villain IMO. He wasn't a meteor freak which was great, but at the same time, he wasn't as boring as some other villains who don't have powers and are trying to defeat Clark. The fact that he was "trying" to push Clark towards his destiny was neat and I liked how his plans started to intensify as the episode moved through. His final plot of throwing Lana off the building was a nice idea since it helped Clark do one of the most iconic things in S7 (doing a superjump to save Lana).

    Kristin Kreuk really made me love Lana even more (even though I've been loving Lana ever since she came back in Fierce). The fact that she was behind the whole Marilyn thing was awesome and the way that it was written made you think that she wasn't behind it until we actually saw her on-screen with Marilyn. I also love Lionel/Lana scenes. They (KK and JG) always show how devoted they are to the roles and the one-liners that they both get are always amazing. I loved Lionel's, "You may have lost the Luthor name, but it's the Luthor instincts that keep those claws of yours sharp." and Lana's, "I would never be involved in something like that."

    The fact that Lana also tried to push Clark towards his destiny made the episode even better. Despite the fact that Clark said he woudn't, I still like how Lana said that they could look up to Clark. *props to Rachel for giving Clark a cape*
    I'll easily watch this episode in a heartbeat once I get my DVD.moreless

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  • As a film crew works on the Kent farm, someone attempts to murder the star. The perpetrator detects Clark's rescue, and tries to force Clark to be a public super-hero.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By cxtasy, Jun 05, 2010 Report Abuse
    Except for the cast, much of the opening scene of the film crew and equipment probably is what is actually used for Smallville episodes.

    A slimmed-down Chloe tells Clark that she has completed creating a family identity for Kara to help hide her other-worldly origins. Movie lead Rachel Davenport (Cristina Milian) is played to exaggeration of movie-star stereotypes, all pouty and pampered and tripping over her own fame. Chloe would like an interview - "God, an exclusive with her would definitely put a snap back into my editor's suspenders."

    Rachel is filmed driving off in a booby-trapped Jaguar XJ sedan, but Clark detects the danger, pulling her from the car as it flips through the air in one of the most realistic FX scenes ever seen on Smallville. "So you just totally saved my life. You're amazing," she says in her best Valley-speak. Clark gets an unwanted load of news publicity for the rescue, and an investigation shows the car was sabotaged.

    Over at the Daily Planet, Lois tells Grant that Lex has bought 100 acres "a mile from the dam where Lex is building his toy soldiers." However, in a slight gaffe, the one-page deed lists only five acres in Lowell County sold for $50,000. About Lex she says, "Besides, orphanages, hospitals, nobody wakes up Satan and goes to bed Oprah." Grant quashes her plan for an investigative report on the land and the cabin on it, but Lois heads to the woods anyway. (There's no Lowell County in Kansas, by the way, but there is a Lane County and a Clark County!)

    Next, we find Lionel captive in the cabin, guarded by "Marilyn," who is growing some funny weeds there. Back on set, Rachel rehearses a love scene with Clark reading lines for her, when Lana intervenes with news about rabid fans of Rachel angry about the plot twists in her "Warrior Angel" movie. Comic-fan Lex helps Clark with super-hero storylines, and to Clark, he says, "In the comic book world, when you're destined to save mankind, you're destined to be alone," a pretty good Smallville self-reference.

    In the movie scene, disgruntled stagehand Ben loads a weapon - we who are slow on the take only know what's up by the big words "Blanks" and "Bullets" on the cartridge boxes. Clark sees the shot and stops the bullet from striking Rachel, but his save is spotted by Ben.

    Sideplot - Lois attempts to hack Lex's computer; he discovers her, but she parries him with a copy of the deed showing a signature by "LL" - that's Lana.

    At the cabin, Lionel rips off his wolf-trap shackle (yuck!) and escapes from Marilyn, until he's bashed by...Lana! Lex later rescues Lionel at the cabin, who, in a rage, pounds Marilyn into the floor. Stagehand Ben tries to force Clark to become a world hero by destroying his major distraction (Lana) but Clark flies to a heroic rescue as Ben pushes Lana from a high-rise. Stirring scene, reminiscent of an almost identical one in the 1978 Superman movie with Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder doing the flying and falling.

    Lionel accuses Lana of being behind his imprisonment - she denies it. Ben, in confinement, is visited by Lex, who wants to know about Clark's bullet-snag, but Ben refuses to reveal what he saw.

    Lana has a good line for Clark: "But one day the world will need you more than I do, and I don't want to be the one holding you here." We see the truth in Lana's eyes - she's losing Clark. In the final scene, Rachel's gift to Clark is a red cape wafting in the wind - one of the more poignant endings in the series as we imagine the end of Clark and Lana as his destiny emerges. Lots of good special effects, plot development and acting in "Action," making it well worth seeing again. Re-run rating B.moreless

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  • What Is Lana hiding?

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Canogaparkcindy, Oct 20, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode was both revealing & adventurous, A good thing about this episode is that Kara wasn't in it! Lionel is held captive & it turns out Lana is behind all of it, Lanna is seriously going psycho here cause this isn't the Lana that we all know & love. Anyways back to the main plot, someone is obsessed with Warrior Angel, enough to kill two innocent people. I would of killed the writers not the actors, anyways Clark saves the day as usual. But the end was creepy, it looks like Lex really wants to know Clark's secret, good for the villain, he didn't say anything!moreless

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  • Well, it wasn't that bad.

    7.7
    "Good"
    By CountAightX, Sep 12, 2008 Report Abuse
    The pre-credits scene made me feel I would hate this episode. As fate would have it, I didn't hate it, nor did I love it. I was content with it.

    This episode had all the qualities that a usual crappy Smallville filler episode has, but it stands out amongst them. The fan crazed obsession with sticking true to the comics seemed to poke fun at how people are with this series. It was really amazing how a plot didn't sound like much going in but actually ends up keeping your interest much longer than you'd anticipate. And Christina Milian wasn't all that bad in her role either, which shocked me.

    The side story involving Lois investigating the Dam was a nice way to show the budding reporting that she is becoming and was one of the better uses of Lois in quite some time.

    We finally figure out what's with Lionel and it was quite a shock to see Lana behind it. Seeing Lionel beat his captor to death with Lex looking on was a powerful way to show Lionel, while trying to be a better man, is still capable of unspeakable things. And his scene with Lana proves once again why he is always a scene stealer on the series.

    "Action" had low expectations and exceeded them. A good episode, though not one you'll likely go back to very often.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Ben tasers Lana, he is still touching her, which would mean he would end up tasering himself. Edit
    • Trivia: Among the DC action figures seen in the killer's bedroom are: Black Canary, Doctor Mid-Nite, Hawkman, Hourman, Mr. Freeze, Parallax, and Robin. Edit
    • There are numerous reasons for Clark not to use the farm for a filming location, given the number of villains that visit the place and Clark using his powers in the open (as he does when driving a fence post into the ground). Edit

  • Notes

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    • International Airdates: Latin America: Tuesday, December 4, 2007 on Warner Channel. Norway: Monday, February 4, 2008 10.50 pm on TVNorge Australia: Thursday, May 1, 2008 on Ten HD Denmark: Monday, May 5, 2008 on TV3 Israel: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 on Yes Stars 2 United Kingdom: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10.00 pm on E4 Sweden: Friday, June 27, 2008 9.00 pm on TV6 Czech Republic: February 19, 2010 on TV Nova Slovakia: August 9, 2010 on Markiza Edit
    • In-joke: Warrior Angel's logo is almost exactly the same as the logo of DC Comic's superheroine Wonder Woman. Edit
    • Aaron Ashmore and Laura Vandervoot are credited but don't appear. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Lana: Clark, I just want to grab on to you and never let you go... but one day the world will need you more than I do. And I don't want to be the one holding you here. Clark: I'm not going anywhere. For the first time in my life, I have everything I've ever wanted... and it's right here on this farm with you. Edit
    • Lana: (to Clark) Even heroes need their beauty sleep. Edit
    • Chloe: Oh, come on, who doesn't love the story of a small-town boy who grows up to save the world from the evil Devilicus? Edit

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