Zod

Season 6, Episode 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

A powerless Clark is trapped in the "Phantom Zone" surrounded by the criminals his father imprisoned there. However, an unexpected ally comes to his aid. Meanwhile, Zod in Lex's body advances his plan to transform Earth into a new Krypton, while using Lana to produce an heir.moreless
9.3
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
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Fan Episode Reviews (111)

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  • Zod vs. Clark

    10
    "Perfect"
    By scillaward, Jun 01, 2011 Report Abuse
    Zod was a terrific and Lex was just perfect bringing the evil that Zod posses. This was one of the best season premiere's in a long time for Smallville. I was glued to the TV. Nothing about this episode was dull. I loved how Smallville took a page from the Superman movies when Zod said, "Kneel before Zod and I will allow the ones that you love the most to live."... "Kneel". I love the part where Clark was holding Lois' hand in the hospital and then quickly moved it away. They belong to each other and they both know it!moreless

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    2 1

  • read my review to find out what i did not like about this episode...

    3.5
    "Bad"
    By lil-lauren-94, May 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    episode zod : i thought it was very good with lots of action but proximal 35 min into the episode when Martha and clark a talking about how Loise and Chloe are i noticed Martha had a cut on the right side of her head then the cut disappeared and then appeared on the left side of her head i was disappointed of this error because it didn't make the episode look realistic and i hope it will not happen again. although it was a very good episode i had to give u a score of 3.5 because of this mistake.

    i hope you will send me an email so i can here from you thanksmoreless

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    0 14

  • This episode was not as good as I thought it would be.

    7.1
    "Good"
    By tvfem76, Mar 03, 2011 Report Abuse
    There were good and bad things about this episode. I liked how they showed what the Phantom Zone looked like. I was wondering how they would have it look since the Phantom Zone was shown in the "Supergirl" movie. The phantoms in the phantom zone were a nice touch. They also did a nice job introducing Jimmy Olsen and they had things happen at the end of the episode that will probably spill into upcoming episodes. I also liked the nod to Superman II in this episode. Now onto the bad things. Even though a great deal of action was in this episode I still felt like this episode was lacking something and I couldn't put my finger on it. When the plane crashed, why wasn't Martha Kent as messed up as Lois? They both were not buckled in their seatbeats when the plane went down. Clark kind of showed an interest of being more than friends with Chloe but she said what she said and Jimmy Olsen is in the picture that will not be explored. Hopefully I will like next week episode better.moreless

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    0 1

  • What If Zod Was One of Us?

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By lenzinoH20, Nov 13, 2010 Report Abuse
    Zod-A powerless Clark is trapped in the "Phantom Zone" surrounded by the criminals his father imprisoned there. However, an unexpected ally comes to his aid. Meanwhile, Zod in Lex's body advances his plan to transform Earth into a new Krypton, while using Lana to produce an heir.

    A truly action-packed and thrilling premiere thats moves fast-paced yet finds the time to take advantage of the dilemmas at hand. The episode has an epic feel to it that made premieres like "Arrival" and "Crusade" memorable. The introduction of the Phantom Zone is undeniably awesome as Clark falls into a deserted wasteland after being trapped in the crystal prison by Zod. The direction is flawless during the Phantom Zone scenes, especially the stunning blue-ish bright lightning that overshadows the scenes. I also loved how the Phantoms themselves are portrayed like disfigured ghosts covered in black robs. Also, the introduction of Raya is done very well as she saves Clark with a House or El medallion which has the signature Superman symbol. Pascale Hutton does fine in the role and her scenes with Clark give amazing insight on the Phantom Zone as well as the House of El.

    Even in one episode, Zod proved to be a very effective villian. While the development of Lex being Zod's vessel seemed like just a cop-out on the writers behalf, it actually turned out very well. Micheal Rosenbaum gives one of his best performances of the series and conveys a brilliant sense of menace as the Kryptonian General. Zod's master plan also seemed well thought out with his kryptonian black box and attacking the Pentagon to gain Earth's satellites to create a new Krypton on Earth. The only downside to his plan was him wanting Lana to give him an heir. Lana was pretty useless throughout (as usual!) Her attempt at killing, not to mention trying to out smart Zod were laughable. Then there was Zod stabbing Lana's hand with a stake into the wall, which was just plain hilarious.

    Martha also gets some time in the spotlight and her scene in the Fortress was epic and very moving. Annette O' Toole shows much courage in Martha, especially after losing Jonathan. I love how she should her ground when talking to Zor-El as it shows her strength and compassion as a mother. The special effects and action are also an incredbile highlight. The best of the bunch is the fight scene between Clark and Zod. While Zod pretty much beats the crap out of Clark, the whole sequence is breath-taking and look darn good for a series on virtually a small network. The climax of the fight is bit anti-climatic but Micheal's delivery of the classic line "Kneel before Zod!" and Clark outsmarting Zod back into the Phantom Zone were more than satisfying. Another great development is the Phantoms who escape with Clark out of the Zone. It's an ingenius plot that becomes the running storyline of the season. The only downside of the premiere is the introduction of Jimmy Olsen. While Aaron Ashmore seems perfect as the young photographer, he doesn't enter the series strong and it's unrealistic during all the chaos of Dark Thursday that he would randomly reunite with Chloe. "Zod" is one hell of an episode that uses the Phantom Zone well and quickly develops a great storyline to start the season off high!moreless

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  • Season 6 opens with last season's cliffhanger - Clark is trapped in the Phantom Zone, the world is in chaos, Chloe is trapped in a riot, Martha and Lois are isolated in the wreckage of Lionel's aircraft.moreless

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By cxtasy, Nov 13, 2010 Report Abuse
    Thrust toward the Phantom Zone by Zod at the end of last season, Clark is trapped in a prism receding from Earth, then falls through another portal and finds himself on a strange, rocky, and desolate planet. These ethereal scenes may have been filmed in a volcanic area. He is attacked by flying wraiths, who are able to injure him - the hell described by Zod. A hooded figure with a kryptonian crystal chases them off, but she's not all friendly, giving Clark a swift kick. "Welcome to the Phantom Zone."

    In Metropolis, mob violence rules, and Lionel battles for Chloe's life, aided by his bodyguard. Up on the roof, Lana is with Zod/Lex, she still believes she is with Lex alone. She's horrified when he declares, "My name is Zod," but apparently he likes her enough to exploit her, and she believes some part of Lex still exists. Lionel and Chloe witness Zod flying into the burning sky with Lana, confirming what they believed about Lex being the "Vessel." Lionel believes they must find the dagger; Chloe is doubtful, "Kill Lex?" The connection Lionel felt with Jor-El is gone (started in "Hidden," last season).

    In the Phantom Zone, the young woman interrogates Clark, but how does she know his name? "I knew your father," she informs the injured Clark. The crystal in her possession she reveals is his, from Jor-El.

    Zod/Lex has taken Lana to the spacecraft. She's a primitive, he asserts, but she will witness the rebirth of Krypton, and he activates the spacecraft. It disappears as he takes a power controller from it.

    What of Martha and Lois - last season aloft in the Luthorcorp jet piloted by Fine? It's now mere twisted metal on the ground, and in a blinding snowstorm. The set decoration crew has created an amazingly authentic scene of aircraft wreckage. While Martha is relatively unscathed, Lois is injured. When Martha looks out, she sees they have crashed next to the Fortress - why would Fine arrange for this? She drags Lois inside, getting her first view of the Fortress and encounter with the discarnate Jor-El.

    She questions him - Jor-El explains that they were taken by Brainiac, and Clark mistakenly used the crystal dagger against Fine instead of against Lex. All copies of Fine were destroyed by the dagger, but Clark has been banished by Zod. Martha entreats him to bring Clark back, but Jor-El claims that Kal-El's destiny is now his own, and that Kal-El's dagger must be recovered and used to kill Zod, who has taken the body of Lex. "Find a way, or all is lost." He expresses gratitude to Martha for being a beacon of light to the life of Kal-El. "Farewell, Martha," he says, and she and Lois disappear from the Fortress.

    The Zone woman, Raya (Pascale Hutton) is patching up Clark's injuries while explaining that the Phantom Zone is where criminals from the 28 known inhabited galaxies are imprisoned, but she's not one of them. She was one of Jor-El's assistants on Krypton; he sent her to the Zone when Krypton was on the verge of destruction. Raya gives Clark the crystal. Is there a way out, Clark asks - seeking a way to stop Zod.

    The Daily Planet set remains in tatters from last season, and Chloe is trying to decipher the kryptonian symbols, when someone enters. She grabs Lionel's pistol; but it's not a rioter - it's Jimmy Olsen, have they met before? Looks like a greater role is coming for Aaron Ashmore in future episodes.

    Zod goes to the mansion, using the power controller to stop the worldwide computer virus, and power is restored. He needs something from the Pentagon first. He tells Lana the black ship would have altered the earth's crust, reshaping it into his world. Why not let this process continue? He demands that she give him an heir, but bad boyfriend that he is, puts a rod through her hand just to keep her there. This scene has pretty convincing special effects, and Lana pulls it out in well-played agony.

    In the Zone, Raya is showing an escape portal to Clark, but they are attacked by the same Kryptonians that caused so much havoc back in "Arrival," the season 5 opener. Only Leonard Roberts gets a repeat as "Nam-Ek;" his co-alien Aethyr, then played by Alana De La Garza, apparently didn't get signed on again. Raya forestalls the attack by telling them Kal-El can free them all.

    Martha is back at the farm; she has already found the dagger when Lionel arrives, knowing what he must do. Lana arrives, saying that only she can get close enough to Zod/Lex to kill him. Can they trust her to save the world?

    Zod returns to the mansion; he has retrieved a case of electronics from the Pentagon. Lana returns; she didn't run, she tells Zod, because she decided to accept her fate. Zod expresses his pleasure at her willingness to give him an heir. "The first of many," she says, giving Zod some pleasures of the physical again. Alas, she is too slow with the dagger, and he tosses her across the room, then breaks the dagger. Is the last threat to Zod gone? He uses the instruments to take control of military satellites, turning their power on the planet, and earthquakes begin.

    In the Zone, Nam-Ek demands an opening to the gateway, but Raya instead attacks them, giving Clark the chance to flee through the gateway, but we see several wraiths teleported with Clark in a brilliant star of light. Clark is back, and he's going to clean up this town!

    The earthquake is worldwide, but Clark goes home first, saving Martha and Lionel from the collapsing barn. Wouldn't he try to save the whole world first? Then Clark is at the mansion in a moment, ready to battle Zod, but first destroying Zod's power controller and the destruction it is causing. They are locked in a battle to the death, superpowers in full cry, as they soar into the sky and miles away to the forest. Zod has the upper hand, tossing Clark through trees and into the earth in some terrific scenes of conflict. They pause; Zod offers life to Clark and his loved ones, if Kal-El will only kneel before him. Appearing defeated, Clark kneels. Clark takes Zod's hand, but he is palming the crystal given him by Raya - it is lethal to Zod, and his essence is forced from the body it has controlled. Zod is dead, the "S" pattern of the crystal burned into the hand of Lex.

    Lois is in the hospital; Clark visits. She remembers being in a "palace of light," believing that she was in heaven, but she simply had a vague recall of being in the Fortress. She denies hallucinating those events, as Clark suggests, and when he takes her hand momentarily, she's more uncomfortable with this slight show of affection than he is.

    Lex is himself again, but remembers nothing of the possession by Zod and the worldwide chaos. When he approaches Lana in the hospital, she asks, "You don't remember anything?" Lex remembers being in the field just before Zod took possession, then he woke up in the hospital. "Lex, you weren't yourself," she says. He is conrite, making it sound just a bit too easy to restore all the damage he caused. Does he remember having superpowers?

    Clark makes the rounds, checking on family and friends. He and Chloe are reunited at the DP; she introduces Clark to Jimmy Olsen. Actually, it's "James" Olsen, he says, as we see the hint of an office romance between him and Chloe. Clark continues to the farm, where he tells Martha he has found the Fortress dead, Lana and Lex out of reach, and everything changed for him. Martha is ever supportive, suggesting that the world needs heroes, to protect us all from the darkness just around the corner. As if to demonstrate this truth...

    Someone is drawing kryptonian symbols...it's Lionel - whom is he channeling now? Below the symbols, he writes "Power." Then the scene shifts to Lex - Is he cleaning up the chaos of his creation? Never. He holds a fragment of a kryptonian key, portending yet another threat to humanity. The real Lex has returned, too.

    The final scene is filmed at a Patagonian waterfall - something has been loosed on the Earth...the wraiths of the Phantom Zone.

    "Zod" is another top-notch episode, meeting all expectations for a season premiere. The build-up took several episodes - with all that effort made by the writers and production crews, I would have preferred that this crisis resolution be stretched out longer, at least for one more episode. Zod didn't get enough screen time! But they have left several threads of future storylines, adding to the anticipation of the new season. Re-run rating A.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • While in the Phantom Zone, Raya is seen using a baby blue/white crystal with the House of El crest. She shows it to Clark (we see it's large, taking up most of the hand), giving it to him before he escapes the Zone. When he battles Zod in the field and subsequently kneels before him, Clark uses a crystal, and when Lex/Zod opens his hands, this crystal is black and much smaller than the one Raya gives Clark. Yet in later episodes, we see the larger white crystal. Edit
    • At 28:30 Martha and Lionel are in the barn. The camera shot changes from them to a boat falling from the rafters. As it falls there is a visible production crewmember hiding next to the window, holding a hay bale. Edit
    • After the fight between Zod and Clark, when Zod left Lex's body and supposedly took away the powers that Lex possessed for a while (as we find out later), the mark of Jor-El's crystal that was burned on Lex's hand still managed to heal like he still had the powers. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • There was talk of of including Brainiac in the story, but James Marsters was unavailable. Edit
    • This episode won a Leo Award for Best Direction in Dramatic Series. This episode was nominated for a 2007 VES Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series. This episode was nominated for a 2007 Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Sound Effects and Foley for Television - Short Form. This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series. This episode was nominated for a Leo Award for Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series. Edit
    • Original International Air Dates: Norway: February 25, 2007 on TVNorge Belgium: October 6, 2007 on KanaalTwee Czech Republic: April 30, 2008 on TV Nova Slovakia: June 21, 2009 on Markiza Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Clark: The Fortress is dead. Everything's changing. Dad's gone. I can't talk to Lex. Lana's... I don't know where to go from here. Martha: I didn't either when I was your age. Just follow your heart, and you'll always do the right thing. Edit
    • Clark: Before I left, there was this moment when we um... Chloe: You mean when I laid one on you? Edit
    • Zod/Lex: Zod doesn't take orders, he gives them. Edit

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