quote:Brainiac is 'reprogrammed' to become Brainiac Five? Huh. I think I prefer a race of Coluans instead, but it's an alternate universe and that's as good an origin as any. (Why Imra would call him Brainiac 'Five' instead of Brainiac *Two,* I have no idea...)
On Newsarama, they said that Brainiac had possessed 4 other people so far. The new incarnation, therefore, would be Brainiac 5.
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
"Omigod, if one more actor on this show decides to emote by staring at another actor and having their eyes go back and forth like they are watching a tennis match, I'm gonna go to Vancouver and pluck them out of their head! Act, damn you! Don't play pong!"
SET!!!! WORD!!! oh my god!! yes!! god thank you!! that drives me CRAZY!
special request, can someone tell me who the other 4 "brainiacs" are? my cohort is refusing to listen to the "the ball will become querl" idea, she thinks they were saying "querl will be happier when he has a brainiac ball"
i thought the episode was adorable and awesome. i like the "this is how the legion code no. rule was made" thing. this is the best smallville episode i've ever seen. whatsherface who plays chloe, this episode showed me she could act. i thought she sucked before but MAN! she should have brainiac in her all the time if she'll be that cool!!
holy crap, i love all the actors that played the legion, their interaction was great, they had distinctive personalities! ahhh! ;_; i'm so happy! imra was PERFECT! very calm and collected, the way she spoke was amazing! garth was hilarious!! and cos's actor was amazing!!! oh wow, his face! their amazing acting contrasted sharply to the welling cut-out that was wandering the set.
ANYTHING WITH CUTE FIST BUMPING AFTERWARDS IS APPROVED BY ME!!! this is the first ime i've watched smallville and not felt a little bit dead inside afterwards.
Rokk was way hawt. I think I may like my favorite Legionnaire more than ever!
The killing this was very disappointing. I'm glad it was resolved in the end.
Hearing "grife" and "sprock" on TV made my day.
I nearly teared up at "Long live the Legion".
Did this seem an awful lot like a backdoor pilot, or is that just wishful thinking on my part?
-------------------- The only character in all of literature who has been described as "badnass" while using the phrase "vile miscreant."
From: The Pyngwyn Colonies of Planet Hyustyn | Registered: Aug 2005
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Did this seem an awful lot like a backdoor pilot, or is that just wishful thinking on my part?
If only. I know I would love a TV series or especially a movie (DC could always use the Legion to compete with Avengers...maybe?), but a TV series would push the budget really far. Smallville already has plenty of problems trying (and failing) to not look farcical.
From: Indiana | Registered: Jan 2009
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I was pretty happy with this incarnation of the Legion. I thought they went a little too "Harry Potter's red-headed buddy" with the casting of Garth, but I can kinda see this as a younger Lightning Lad.
Johns definitely did his best to throw in as many homages as possible didn't he? My favorite might be how the "exorcism" was reminiscent of Garth's resurrection.
I didn't mind too much the Legionnaires' willingness to kill. It was clearly something they weren't used to doing (I appreciated that Garth ultimately couldn't do it) and it set up a way for Clark to directly inspire the Legion rather than just through legend.
The anti-alien thing in the 31st century might seem a bit too heavy-handed because *we* know it's a new addition to Legionlore and that Johns created it, but it does touch upon Clark's long-seeded insecurity about being from a different planet. For him to know that the Legion is made up of non-earthers is important for this Clark's development.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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Well, I watched it and it was okay. Loved seeing the Legion, loved the references "we" would get (acting like a Sub, and Tharr's air, and the 31st century curse words)! I would have to say the "we have to kill her" aspect seemed beneath the Legion I know and love. You idolize this hero from Krypton who brings out the best in people, yadda, yadda, yadda, and he has to tell you to your face "No killing!"??? I get where Geoff was going with this, but I thought it cheapened the core foundation of the team.
Good luck getting Kal to join the team if you off his best friend. That never came up in Adventure #247...
I also liked the "We've never even heard of Chloe..." bit, good for those of us fans who know our Superman trivia.
Loved the rings and the "LLL" chant (but they all 3 should have said it, I only heard "Rokk's voice). You could see the budget at play, what with our 31st century heroes walking around instead of always flying. Trying to "blend in" with the locals?? Glad they left the door wide open for a return visit, but I doubt the budget of the TV show could allow for a tech trip to the future.
Long Live the Legion indeed!
-------------------- Craig C.
- Time travel stories are told in chronillogical order.
From: Santa Ana, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
You know as much as a Squee-fest as this episode was, I was really pissed off at the fact that the Legion kept trying to get Clark to 'pull a Morrison' on Chloe-iac. Then they were even gonna go 'Batman/Darkseid' on her themselves.
I was like, WTF, Legion??????!!!!!!!! Code, people!!!! Legion Code!!!!!
And then Clark goes and Icons them into their newest and most important Legion Code... Awww...
Also... I LOVED all the QFT's the Legionaires lines gave us. Waaayyyy too cool.
<edit> By the way... I vote YES on a Legion spin-off when Smallville ends. Screw the early JLA now and Long Live the Legion!
-------------------- Go conquer the universe for me...for the god whose image you have carved your own homeworld as a monument.Go... for your master... For Darkseid!
From: Vancouver, BC | Registered: Aug 2004
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future king
Excuse me but can you please direct me to the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles?
posted
I just watched this looooooong awaited episode and I have to say I was quite entertained. It worked well within the current Brainic-Doomsday plot running thru this season. I'm glad it was the Legion that finally stopped Brainic (with Clark's help) and returned him to the future where they, I'm sure, will secure him.
The Persuader's appearance was way too short, but action-packed nonetheless.
Ok, on to the Founders....
Rokk - A bit of a cliched way-too-serious leader at times and a bit stiff, but not a bad first impression of the character as the actor played him.
Imra - She was the best represented of the three character wise. The actress did a good job maintaining the balance between truth and mystery plus the need for justice that is Saturn Girl.
Garth - No question about it...the comedy relief of the episode, but hey folks let's face it, he more than the other two really mirrored the enthusiasm of meeting "Kal" for the first time with our own inner child's giddy excitement with seeing our icons live on a hit TV show! Right???
Their use of their powers was spot on I felt.
I was also greatful for all the in-house references (that only we the die-hard fans could understand).
The only negative I felt, like everybody else here has already stated, was the whole willing-to-kill-Chloe-in-order-to-stop-Brainic thing. That was way out of character for the Legion, but I guess some tweeking is required in order to fit such a huge story into a one hour episode. LOL, I imagine the Legionnaries, before meeting Clark in this episode, running around the 31st century killing foes with ease as they fight for truth and justice! Oh well.
All in all a good episode (and way past due). This will get fans talking and hopefully wanting to learn more about these heroes of the future.
It was a fun episode for sure and well worth the wait. I certainly hope we see them again.
[ January 16, 2009, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: future king ]
From: ontario | Registered: Feb 2007
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i guess i'm the only one that didn't get miffed on the whole "Kill Chloe to save the world and the future" *i guess it's the old Needs of the many out weight the needs of the few scenerio* we really didn't know how long the Legion had been together since Smallville doesn't really follow DCU continuity at all. so for all we know the Legion could've been together maybe a few years and never had to face a challenge like this i'm sure killing to them was only a last resort measure, untill they met Kal/Clark and he taught them a better way. other than that i must say it was the best episode of Smallville in a long while. (i still think the show should've ended a few years back)love how each Legionnaire was portrayed and the Pursader cameo was awesome!! and it was good to see that they left Kal/Clark a ring, maybe since i hear that there will be one more season maybe he'll pay a visit to the 31st century.
-------------------- Judging yourself right is a destination, i'm just on a journey
cleome46
or you can do the confusion 'til your head falls off
posted
I don't really know much about Smallville, but I enjoyed it yesterday-- except for the ads.
My reaction to the character changes was similar to my first reaction when I first saw the cartoon last summer-- yeah, it's not the Legion I remember, entirely. But it is the characters as written, the acting was competent, the costumes were cute, and the story held my attention.
The core sentiment of the original was there. I had no problems with Clark being the one who persuaded his "followers" that killing his friend was out of the question. They kept hitting on the idea that while the Legion wanted to emulate their hero, there was a lot of his history that was lost to them. Once he set an example, they followed it. So it made sense and added some dramatic tension that wouldn't have been there otherwise.
mr_cleome has no history with anything Legion, but he totally picked up on the "You talk like a Sub" bit. I've been bringing him up to speed since we started watching the animated series.
Oh, the wonders of fan and/or Wiki-fueled crash courses ! [grin]
-------------------- Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on flickr. Drop by and tell me that I sent you.
From: Vanity, OR | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
Is it just me, or did there seem to be an awful lot of closeups in this episode? There were times when I felt like I could almost count the nose hairs. It seemed like half people's faces were cut off.
Other than that, I liked the episode. It made me hope that we'll see the Legion return at some point, maybe with different members. I'd love to see the Fatal Five escape back in time, and have several Legionnaires travel back to stop them. Some of the Legion's powers would be easy (and relatively cheap) to replicate, like Shadow Lass, Triplicate Girl, Brainiac Five, people like that.
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
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cleome46
or you can do the confusion 'til your head falls off
posted
Unfortunately, I agree with others who've mentioned that TV budgets would tend to make most powers look not-so-great. Then again, movies with huge budgets for special effects tend to wallow in said effects at the expense of character and a decent plot. Too bad we can't split the difference. :/
-------------------- Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on flickr. Drop by and tell me that I sent you.
From: Vanity, OR | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
TI actually enjoyed the Legion ep. a great deal. I too was bugged by the Chloe solution, but there was a genuine heistency in both Garth and Rokk to carry out the deed. I thought Clark's issuance of the Legion's prime directive worked very well.
We have to recall, I think, that the average Smallville viewer does not carry the continuity or emotional baggage that we do here on Legion World. Having the founders play the Star Boy role v. Kenz Nuhor was a great way to introduce the "no kill" concept and to have Clark directly inspire the Legion.
Recall also that, knowing Brainiac was defeated on the day of their visit, and not knowing Chloe, the Legion must have assumed she was killed. I read some of their willingness to kill Chloe, despite their hesitancy, to be a belief that it had to be done to keep the timeline intact.
Some random thoughts: I thought all of the actors were great. The actress playing Imra clearly went with the Ice Queen portrayal. I'm sure if she appears again her inate hussyness will come out. I got a real sense of gravitas from Rokk (Garth called him Cos at one point). Garth was obviously played as comic relief, but I found the portrayal very much in keeping with the Live Wire version of the character.
I do find it hard to see this Imra hooking up with this Garth. She seems MUCH more suited to this Rokk. However, that, I think, just oozes possibilities for a "founder's triangle."
I loved all the litte touches, although I wonder if the average viewer got the line, "You're such a sub." I did miss the referene to a Levitz Museum, although I did catch Tharr (glad Johns remembered its a desert world, not a frozen one), plus "sprock" and "grife."
If I had my way, here's what'd happen next:
Clark faces off against Doomsday, gets clobbered, and, in the final ep. of the season, uses his flight ring to escape, with Chloe in tow, to the 31st century.
The entire next season (or two) is set in the Legion's time, with the Legionnaires appearing as series regulars as they teach Clark how to use his powers effectively. Sure, we lose Lois and Lana, but there would be plenty of love interests on the Legion for both Clark and Chloe.
Chloe is not remembered in the history books, of course, becasue she'll stay behing in the 31st century when Clark is finally ready to fight Doomsday, returning to the present seconds after he left, in costume for the first time.
From: Sumner, ME | Registered: Jul 2003
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I'm just watching it now, but a couple of early observations: - the rings look *cool*! [I want one now] - never been a huge Imra fan, and she has the wrong... er... 'bits', but damn, she's hot! Leather suits her (I always thought she was a little kinky) - Rokk looks very good, liking the leather on him, and the little references to his traditional costumes. Nice touch. Very much the cool, calm leader, and fanboy Garth fits into that nicely.
From: Kent | Registered: Jan 2004
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My reaction was probably closer to Trom's than the rest of you, but I don't know that I blame Johns, I think I blame Smallville. I haven't watched this show regularly in years, and I've figured out why. It's just NOT Superman. When the show started, I thought Welling made a great Clark -- clearly on the way to being Superman physically, but having to go through adolescence to get there. My problem with the show is that the Welling Clark is whinier now by far than in season 1. And he's what, in his 40s now? And the way the characters interract and emote -- ughh! Do twentysomethings find this enjoyable and relatable? While the Legion's willingness to kill Chloe bothered me, it did so mainly because it belied their devotion to emulating Superman. If they were such great fans, how could they even consider it. Even if they DID consider it, it would have to be in the context of "Clark, we're asking you to violate everything we believe you will come to stand for." Therefore, they should have immediately realized, to protect the future history of Superman, THEY had to kill Chloe, not Clark. Johns basically get the characters to that point, but they should NEVER have been pressuring Clark to kill her in the first place. Then, when Welling's Clark really got around to taking his stand on the matter, he does it in his low-key whiny way that has zero resonance with the character of Superman and no inspirational value whatsoever. I wouldn't have been surprised if Cos didn't say afterward "Clark, you're such a whiny-ass titty baby, we're gonna go back to the future and kill, kill, kill! See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya."
Having said all that, the Legion WAS really fun and otherwise well-portrayed. I liked all the actors, though I agree I kept expecting Lightning Lad to say "that, Hermione, is wizard's chess." But he was cute, and the most entertaining of the bunch. Imra WAS the Iron Butt, wasn't she? Her confrontation with Lana, while pointless to the plot, came closest in my mind to examining the kill/don't kill issue in a good way. Of the 3 founders, Imra is the MOST likely to kill if she has to, because she has the best judgement, and is willing to bear the consequences. The use of powers was restrained, but good and even innovative, with the cleansing of Brainiac a real high point. It was only then, too, that Welling's Clark acted like Superman.
Again, it's hard to know how much to blame Johns, and how much to blame Smallville's producers, or Welling's acting.
-------------------- ...but you don't have a moment where you're sitting there staring at a table full of twenty-five characters with little name signs that say, "Hi, my superpower is confusing you!"
From: Chicago, IL | Registered: Jul 2004
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