SMALLVILLE SEASON 3: 20-22 (2004)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous* 
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *cosmological, psychological*

"Talisman" provides a belated linkage back to the ancestral Kawache story of Naman and Sageeth, implicitly a good and an evil Kryptonian who came to Earth in primeval times. Kawache historian Willowbrook, first seen in "Skinwalker," believes not only that the two man-gods have been reborn in modern times, but also that Clark is the "good god" Naman. Yet Willowbrook keeps in contact with Lionel in order to monitor the cave-research, and one day the prof brings to the cave a student named Jeremiah, also a tribal scholar. Jeremiah uncovers a metal knife and touching it both gives the young man Kryptonian powers and the delusion that he is Naman, who is destined to slay Sageeth. 

Clark, aware that Jeremiah is likely to believe he should kill Lionel, draws the possessed man to the Kent farm, hoping to incapacitate the threat with kryptonite. But this time the rock has no effect on an Earthman, possibly because Jeremiah possesses the Kryptonian dagger, with which he stabs Clark. The heroic teen only survives because the Kents show up, and the power Jor-El instilled in Jonathan heals Clark. Recovering, both Clark and Lex show up on the scene when the fake Naman tries to slay Lionel. Neither Lionel or Lex behold Clark battle Jeremiah, but when Jeremiah loses both the knife and his powers (after which he's never seen again), both Luthors try to seize the weapon. But it dissolves, as was destined to occur if Sageeth touched the blade. Is one of these Earthmen "Naman's great enemy?"

"Forsaken" centers on a running subplot from the last few episodes: that of Lana deciding to study art in Paris. (Was she artistically inclined before this arc?) However, though Clark hopes to dissuade her from leaving Smallville by finally revealing his Big Secret, Emily Dinsmore gets to Lana first. While in Lionel's custody since the events of "Accelerate," the clone-girl has aged roughly nine years in eleven months, and she uses her speed-powers to escape captivity. She kills her scientist-"father" and imprisons Lana in the Talon in the belief that they can be best friends forever. Clark puts the skids on the super-speed girl with the clever use of a water tower, but the situation also causes Clark to change his mind about the revelation. The final season episode will make it doubtful that any of the regulars will return, but "Forsaken" has Pete Ross forsake Smallville a little earlier, only returning for one much later guest appearance in Season Seven.

   The title "Covenant" refers to the bargain Jonathan made with the AI: that, in exchange for empowering the farmer during "Exile," Jonathan would facilitate Clark returning to Jor-El, possibly to be molded into some sort of world-conqueror. "Covenant " focuses on the devil calling in his marker-- though Jor-El's methods are bizarre, given that "he" hasn't made an explicit demand of Jonathan. A "supergirl" named Kara shows up on the farm, claiming to be from Krypton and offering Clark the chance to be united with his birth mother, of whom he had a fragmentary recollection in "Memoria." The elder Kents don't buy Kara's tale, but Clark's been through the sturm-and-drang mill, and Kara contributes to the youth's desire for "exile" (AGAIN?) by making Lex seem a betrayer. Clark follows Kara to a rendezvous, but Jonathan shows up with evidence that Kara is either a dead Earth-girl revived by Jor-El or a simulation thereof. Still, a threat to Jonathan's life accomplishes the same end, and Clark enters the AI's dimensional doorway, while most of the rest of the cast lies in peril from the vengeance of Lionel Luthor. Who will return in Season Four? Stay tuned.