Commencement

Season 4, Episode 22, Aired
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Episode Summary

After a nightmare, Clark goes to the cave to confront his father Jor-El. Jor-El warns that the crystals have fallen into human hands and have triggered a new meteor shower which will annihilate the Earth unless he reunites the three crystals. Meanwhile, Lex helps Lana, who has apparently committed murder, but then turns against her to get possession of her Kryptonian stone. As disaster looms, Chloe and Lois try to find Lana while Clark attempts to reassemble the stones, and Jason returns to make things unpleasant for the Kents.moreless
9.6
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EPISODE RATING: Superb
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Fan Episode Reviews (58)

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  • The best ever episode of Smallville.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By kidburla, May 01, 2011 Report Abuse
    I don't normally write reviews for episodes. But with "Commencement", I had to make an exception. While this is not my favourite episode of anything ever (that distinguished honour goes to "Two Cathedrals" of The West Wing), it is certainly a close second, and the sheer awesomeness of this episode is hard to come to terms with.

    It has everything you would expect from a season finale - action, emotion, mystery and a cliffhanger ending... I was glad that the running time of this episode is slightly longer than a normal Smallville episode - at 55 minutes (on the DVD version at least), it really makes every second count. All the threads from this season and some from previous seasons come together (and this is reflected in the "previously on" segment which is slightly longer than normal).

    I won't spoil it for you. But if you are a Smallville fan who is currently in the process of watching seasons 1-4, you should look forward to this episode.moreless

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    5 0

  • As Season 4 ends, the Smallville High seniors are graduating, but a threat from space is heading to Smallville, and Clark must face the danger to his future and to his family.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By cxtasy, Apr 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    Season finales are usually cliffhangers, and make us wait months to see if our favorite characters survived the latest peril. "Commencement" closes Season 4 with all those expectations met. Lana's back at the Talon and so is Genevieve, demanding the stone she believes Lana has taken from Jason. Neither yet knows of Jason's fate from last week ("Forever") and neither do we. When Lana refuses, Genevieve pulls a gun, and Lana yields the stone but tries to escape. Genevieve gets a choke-hold, Lana is fading fast, until she has a final transformation into witch-ancestor Isabelle, who gains control and stabs Genevieve with the stone - is this the end of Jane Seymour's season-long run on Smallville? It's a great fight scene, even allowing or a few cuts with stunt players. And the kryptonian symbol on Lana's back disappears. Now guilty of murder/self-defense, Lana is herself again, as Lex appears to witness the murder scene. Clark is awakening to strange phenomena, and outside, the aurora borealis suddenly coalesces into an intense light - something is coming - and he awakes - it was a nightmarish vision. And the something is a large meteor beyond the moon's orbit, heading for Earth as it breaks into thousands of pieces. Fourteen hours to impact.

    Lana and Lex go to his mansion, Lex appearing protective of her as she fears the murder charge she must face, and Genevieve was a powerful political force. Lex obviously sees an opportunity to possess the stone for his own purposes, but Lana still has it. Jonathan and Martha discuss with Clark his nightmare, and Lois, in her cute bunny slippers, joins them, informing the Kents that she will be leaving the farm to join her father in Europe to search for her grifter sister Lucy. Her latest nightmare was about a guy wearing a red cape - Clark remarks, "That sounds horrible, Lois." So it looks like Ms. Durance is being written out of the cast for a couple episodes.

    Lex returns to Lana's apartment to inspect the crime scene, but Lionel arrived first, and has already removed the body. Now it's his turn to demand the stone in exchange for hiding the evidence of Lana's crime. At a local observatory, scientists suddenly detect the meteor swarm heading to Earth, although the antenna array shown is the VLA radio astronomy station on the Plains of San Augustin in New Mexico; it has no optical or radar capability. Anyway, it's now nine hours to impact.

    It's Commencement Day. As Lois helps Clark get ready, they talk about careers in journalism, but she's still bustin' his chops. Clark's hair looks ludicrous under his grad cap, but Chloe looks just right. Uh, oh, Lana is missing the graduation ceremony - which is interrupted by an overzealous force of armed troops announcing an immediate evacuation ahead of the meteors' impact on Smallville. Are those AR-15 rifles really necessary to get the families moving? Cringing at these overblown plot devices is appropriate. Chloe is excited, Clark is concerned, and stays to search for Lana while Chloe and Lois leave via New Beetle convertible. No luck in town, Clark goes home, trying to think of a way to prevent disaster. Lex appears and offers evacuation via corporate jet; Clark refuses, but Lex then reveals the existence of a hidden chamber in the cave. Clark takes the key and goes to the cave, inserts it, and Jor-El's voice castigates Clark for denying his heritage and failing to bring the three stones together. Clark continues to resist, but Jor-El says human blood has stained one of the elements and awakened a great danger from the darkness of space. Even Clark's survival depends on bringing all three elements together. Jor-El's force disappears even as the meteor shower enters Earth's atmosphere. Martha and Jonathan have loaded that Dodge pickup, while Clark returns to tell them he must stay, and Jonathan supports Clark's decision.

    Clark finds Lana in the barn, he urges her to flee, but instead she gives him the bloodied stone, and asks for his trust. After a farewell kiss, she leaves. Lana goes to the mansion where Lex attempts to get the stone from her - she refuses. Now we start the quick cuts toward the finale. As the Kents leave home, who blocks their path...but Jason! He has survived, but is wounded, and threatens them with a shotgun, demanding to know where Clark is. Clark now has two of the three stones in the cave. Lionel and Lex argue over Lana and the missing stone, with Lionel denying that he has it, but at the instant that Clark inserts the two into the cave glyph, Lionel is hit with an unknown force, placing him into a catatonic state and throwing Lex across the room. But Lionel did have the missing stone, and it begins signaling to Clark, who races to the mansion, finding it in Lex's safe, which is full of kryptonite, rendering Clark unable to escape with the stone. Jason tells Martha and Jonathan of his suspicions about barn symbols, Bridget Crosby, and the lack of a birth record on Clark. A helicopter arrives to evacuate Lana, with Lex making one more desperate attempt to extract the stone from her. The helo departs with Lana, leaving Lex at the mansion. Chloe arrives to find Clark disabled but with the third stone in his hand; she frees him just as Lex enters, and Clark zips off, leaving Chloe to face the wrath of Lex over the final break-in. Martha and Jonathan battle Jason, who finally gets the upper hand just as as one of those slow-moving meteors - maybe 200 feet per second rather than the real speed of meteors of 45 MILES per second - slams into the Kent home. With meteor strikes all around, Lana's helo pilot can't keep it airborne, tail rotor gone, they're in a bad-looking autorotation to the ground, killing the pilot and seriously wounding Lana. But Clark now has all the pieces, and the stones form a large crystal. When Chloe and Lex arrive at the cave, Chloe sees Clark grab the crystal and disappear in a flash of light. Clark is instantly transported to a glacial field in the frozen Arctic - no special effects here - he's actually in the middle of nowhere, set in place by the camera helicopter. Lana crawls out of the helo, dragging herself to a nearby crater (why?), made by...a large black spacecraft, about F-117 in shape. As Clark throws the crystal into the Arctic sky, we fade out - to be continued next season! Rerun rating B+, don't miss it.moreless

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    1 1

  • The Sky Is Falling...Again!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By lenzinoH20, Apr 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    Commencement-After a nightmare, Clark goes to the cave to confront his father Jor-El. Jor-El warns that the crystals have fallen into human hands and have triggered a new meteor shower which will annihilate the Earth unless he reunites the three crystals. Meanwhile, Lex helps Lana, who has apparently committed murder, but then turns against her to get possession of her Kryptonian stone. As disaster looms, Chloe and Lois try to find Lana while Clark attempts to reassemble the stones, and Jason returns to make things unpleasant for the Kents.

    After a season of mostly funless fillers and light hearted whimsy storylines, Smallville returns to an ultimate level of greatness not seen since...well...a long while! "Commencement" (along with the 5th season opener "Arrival") showcase the most epic, pivotal and powerful moments in Smallville's history. Both episodes almost feel like a 2 part Superman movie as the series makes a huge transition from Clark finding out about his destiny and actually starting the journey toward it. All the storylines of not only the season, but the series at this point, all come together to create this fabulous hour TV! The episode opens up with a terrific teaser as Geneiveve Teague is about to kill Lana for the stone, yet Isabelle returns and does the only good thing she's done all season which is kill Genieveve with stone. This releases Lana from Isabelle's possession and her mysterious tattoo disappears (thank god!). But at the same time, Isabelle's actions set into motion another meteor shower which is about to hit Smallville yet again!

    The whole cast really does a sensational job of reacting to the up-coming tragedy that's about to hit their town once again. At the heart of the story is Clark, who after a horrifying dream, goes to Jor-El in the caves and is told by his father that he must find the all 3 stones if he wishes to stop the major threat once and for all. Tom Welling does better as Clark more than usual as Clark realizes his the only one who can save the day. I also love the scene between Clark and his parents before they rush off to leave town. Annette O'Toole is heartwarming as always and John Schiender delivers one of his best performances as his mini-speech to Clark before they part ways is so moving as Jonathan finally puts all his faith in his son, who is now a man. Micheal Rosenbaum begins to truly shine as Lex gets darker and manipulates Lana throughout just to get the stone. The scene where he loses it and yells at her about the stone is chilling. Then there's Chloe trying to still support Clark even at a time where she can easilly die like when she brought Clark out of Lex's vault filled with kryptonite. Lois is her usual storng willed self as she sneaks and fights her way back into Smallville to find Chloe. Heck, I even enjoyed the Clana scene! Kristin Kruek really nails the scene as Lana gives Clark the stone and both characters speak as if they'll never see each other again.

    Smallville's staff must be truly commended for creating a surreal sense of dread throughout this hour as all the residents of Smallville flee in terror of the chaos about to be brought on the town. The special effects also have never been so visually stunning, the second meteor shower actually beats the one in the pilot! Other amazing sequences is Clark saving a little boy from a falling meteor, which is a classic Superman moment, the Kent house getting hit by a meteor with Jason and the Kents inside, Lex and Chloe being overwhelmed by Clark's tranportation in the cave and the shot of Lana discovering a large black spaceship after the meteor shower ends. The episode ends with probably the best cliffhanger the show's ever done. After Clark combines the 3 stones, it becomes a crystal and transports Clark to the Arctic. It's a powerful scene as we know what's about to come as Clark throws the crystal throw the air which looks like the iconic Superman symbol. "Commencement" is an epic powerhouse episode which sets up not only the next season perfectly but the whole second half of Smallville!moreless

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    4 0

  • During a fight, Isobel possesses Lana and stabs Genevieve Teague with one of the stones. As a result, the Smallville High graduation is interrupted by another meteor shower, forcing Clark to find and unite all 3 stones or risk Earth's destruction.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By scorpionqueen86, Feb 03, 2008 Report Abuse
    Upon returning to her apartment, Lana finds Genevieve Teague waiting for her, demanding the stone Lionel said he gave her. A fight ensues where Genevieve gets the upper hand and begins choking Lana, until Isobel emerges and fights back. Isobel grabs the stone and uses it to stab Genevieve, before a bright light engulfs Isobel/Lana. The mysterious tattoo glows purple and disappears, then Lana is shocked to see blood on her hands and a disheveled Lex (see FOREVER) standing in the doorway to her apartment. At the Kent house, Clark has a dream he believes is a warning, while in outerspace, a meteor begins heading straight for Earth. The next day, the Smallville High graduation ceremony is interrupted by military personnel who announce an impending meteor shower and order everyone to evacuate. Visiting the caves, Clark learns from Jor-El that he must unite all three of the Kryptonian stones, or Earth will be destroyed. Meanwhile, Jason turns up at the Kent farm, bloodied and covered in dirt, and takes Martha and Jonathan hostage.

    It's finally graduation day, not that Clark and the gang get to enjoy it much, what with the world about to come to an end. It's also the third and final appearance of Lana's witchy ancestor Isobel, as well as being Isobel's briefest possession. And speaking of possessions, how big of a cop-out was it for Isobel to take over just long enough to kill Genevieve before permanently disappearing? To add insult to Genevieve's injury, Isobel's never mentioned again, at least not throughout the episode. And why would she suddenly just disappear after killing Genevieve, when she failed to obtain all the stones, her number one priority? Like I said, cop-out. Anyway, while Clark was rushing to save the world, and a fine job he did, things got hectic and confusing. First off, I don't doubt that Lex's intentions were noble and sincere when it came to helping Lana, but then he did a complete 180 and obsessed over getting the stone to the point that he started digging through her purse. What was the deal? Also, how did Jason survive getting shot AND falling off a cliff? Oh, well, I still give COMMENCEMENT ten out of ten stars. Aside from the chaos and confusion I've complained about, I enjoyed the few, yet memorable, Clois scenes, and watching Chloe play sidekick to Clark's frantic hero. Plus, the effects were awesome, but then again, they spent more money for this episode than the pilot, so there you go.

    Highlights: Genevieve confronting Lana, and the subsequent fight; Clark's dream; Lex helping Lana wash blood off her hands; Clark's interpretation of his dream, and Lois's announcement; Lois helping Clark with his tie while discussing their respective futures; Clark receiving his diploma, with his parents and Lois cheering him on (:D); Lois, while panicking, telling Clark not to panic; Clark visiting Jor-El in the caves; Lana giving Clark the blood-stained stone; Jason taking the Kents hostage ("I'm having what you'd call a rough day." Yeah, no kidding.); Lois distracting a soldier so Chloe can retrieve Lana; Lionel getting zapped by the stone in his pocket (How cool is it that he's now Jor-El's oracle?); Chloe helping Clark at Lex's mansion; Jonathan and Martha's fight with Jason; Clark saving a (dimwitted) kid from a meteor; Chloe knocking out Lex in the caves (:D); and finally, Clark uniting the stones and winding up in the Arctic.moreless

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    5 0

  • Great Episode

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Beer75, Aug 22, 2007 Report Abuse
    On the Smallville High graduation day, Lana Lang is attacked by Genevieve Teague in her apartment, and she mortally stabs Genevieve with the Kryptonian stone, killing her. The blood in the element triggers a meteor shower toward Smallville. Clark Kent goes to the Kawatche caves and after inserting the disc in a stone, he talks to Jor-El, who orders him to join the three stones to save Earth of destruction. Lana Lang surprisingly gives one of the stones to Clark, and the other one, which is in possess of Lionel, "calls" him. A deranged and wounded Jason goes to the Kent farm and threatens Martha and Jonathan trying to find the stones. And Chloe saves Clark in the Luthor mansion. "Commencement" is certainly the best episode of the Fourth Season of "Smallville", with many new situations: the death of Genevieve Teague; the declaration of Lana to Clark; another meteor shower in Smallville; Chloe secretly saving Clark; Lana apparently seeing a spacecraft; Clark sent to the Artic.moreless

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    4 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • While everybody else is trying to escape or hide somewhere from the meteorites, someone thought that the safest place to be is their huge fuel truck on an open road under the falling rocks. Edit
    • In the third "running clock stamp" Deep-Impact style during the episode, the clock is shown counting down from 02:21:03:83 to 02:21:01:37 which then jumps straight to 02:20:59:33, missing 02:21:00. Edit
    • When the CGI LuthorCorp helicopter carrying Lana is dodging the falling meteors it is clearly empty. When the camera zooms in towards it Lana and the pilot fade in from nothing. This is presumably because they didn't have time, or enough money left, to add a CGI pilot or Lana into the cockpit. Edit

  • Notes

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    • This was the show's most expensive episode since the pilot. Edit
    • This episode received the 2005 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series. This episode was nominated for a 2006 VES Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series. This episode was nominated for a 2006 Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television Short Form - Sound Effects & Foley. Edit
    • One of the graduates mentioned at the ceremony is "Holly Harold" - Holly Harold is a Smallville writer of four episodes as of this episode's original airing. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Lex: If you didn't break into my library, you know who did. Who are you trying to protect? Chloe: No one. Lex: Is it Clark? Chloe: Clark? Of course not. What does Clark have to do with any of this? Lex: You tell me. You've known Clark a lot longer than I have. In fact, you might know him better than anyone. Chloe: You're right, Lex, I do. And the Clark Kent I know would be the last person to go super thief on your library for some stupid piece of rock. Edit
    • Chloe: Why do I get the feeling we're not in this cave for cover? Lex: You know as well as I do. It's the epicenter. Chloe: Of what? Lex: Come on, Chloe! You're the town purveyor of all things unexplained! You know damn well about this cave and the stones. Edit
    • Lex: You know more than you're telling me, Chloe. Who did this? Chloe: Lex, honestly, I just came to find Lana. Lex: Your curiosity seems to always have a way of landing you in precarious positions. Only this time you are on a very narrow ledge with only one way back! Now, who took the element? Chloe: Lex, I swear it, I don't know what you're talking about. But I think we need to get out of Smallville before the meteor shower hits. Lex: We'll find that stone, Chloe, even if that means dodging a few meteors in the process. You're coming with me. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Landscape When Lois comes over the hill to view Smallville after the meteor shower, the scene is reminiscent of Andrew Wyeth's painting, Christina's World which shows a young women from behind viewing a farm house. However, instead of an idyllic scene, Lois is viewing the devastated Smallville. Edit
    • Lois: No. Kill me first, even if I could spell, the last thing I'd want to do is spend my time in a newsroom. With my luck I'd probably end up across the desk from the most bumbling reporter on the masthead. This is an allusion to Lois' future position in the comics and movies as a reporter, across the desk from Clark Kent. Edit

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