A PLAY of Confusion and Honesty

 The aliens have orange fur and are basically bipedal cats called the Tzenkethi. It has not yet been explained how Chris ended up in this cell to begin with. The audience takes the same journey of discovery Chris and his keeper are taking together.

She was staring at him. Reclined on her sofa, hand at her mouth, she stared at him with acute interest as he struggled to break free of his handcuffs.

“Do you enjoy watching people struggle?” He demanded finally.

“When I see a human, they usually do not struggle for long.” She replied easily. The fur around her mouth twitching in delight. She stood up and sauntered closer to his cell. “Human behavior is inexplicable. Even if you get those restraints off you will still be imprisoned by the force barrier.” She rubbed her thumb against her 3 fingers. “Sincerely, why do you bother?”

“'Hope is eternal until we are dead. Then there's no need.' Old Mojave wisdom.”

“Mojave, is that a race or a region?”

“A region.” He answered with some surprise.

She sat back on her sofa and began twirling a thin rope, looking not unlike a cat playing with a long blade of grass. “You are a curious one.” She continued lazily. “I've been here 70 years and have never met a human like you. It is a pity imperial law does not allow for exceptions.”

“How do you mean?”

“More inclined to ask questions before punching. More prone to defiance than pleading.”

“I'm not certain why I should be...” She pinched the rope with the flat of her thumb and his body instantly seized, as if someone had taken hold of his back and yanked upward.

“You do not seem to understand much of anything. It is...most curious actually.”

She lifted the rope as if examining the end and he felt dizzy, light-headed, as if he was floating in the air. She pressed the point of her claw into the rope and suddenly Chris felt the point of a sword against his throat. If she pressed into the braided fabric he would feel the sword press into his skin, suffocating him, if not slicing his vocal cords.

“Please...” he gasped.

She dropped the rope. Instantly his pain ceased. He wasn't even breathing hard.

“Kochalk Mirach.” A man's voice said from behind his jailer. “Are you done playing with your food?” He demanded in English.

“I'm well aware of my duties.” She answered. “Leave him for the officers.” She was gone.

“I sincerely suggest you try to get some sleep.” Chris sat on the ledge that was obviously meant to be his bed and looked at the floor. The man turned and left without another word. Chris shook his head as if to clear it. Something was incredibly wrong here. He didn't know what. And he did not like not knowing. When next he opened his eyes he had a new visitor. One that was not as clearly female as his prior guard and who quite clearly was a person of authority.

“You've made quite an impression there human.”

“Why do you call me that?”

“It is what you are, for starters. Now tell me who you are.”

“My name is Captain Christopher Pike.” The man said almost professionally.

“A captain? That is unusual. Captain of what ship?”

“The USS Enterprise.”

“Impossible. There has not been a human captain of that ship for decades.”This female, if it was a female, had darker orange fur on her paws and her face had streaks of black. Her voice was smoother, silkier than the other guard, reflecting both maturity and experience.

“And what is your name.” Christopher intoned.

“I am Solivar.” The officer replied simply. It could not be doubted she was an officer in whatever star-fleet she served. She stared at him impassively for several minutes.

“What is it?” He asked shortly.

“I'm trying to decide what use to make of you.”

“I take it you're not used to troubling yourself with human prisoners?”

“You would be incorrect. Although I admit I find you more intriguing than most.”

Her lieutenant stepped forward. She raised her hand sharply. “Da, dobro znam što biste učinili s njim. da je bilo po vašem. Ali moja volja prevladava.” Her subordinate backed away from her.

“That pup had his ideas what to do with me?” Christopher guessed.

“Quite right. But my will prevails on such matters.”

“So what are you planning on doing with me?” 'God this feels freakishly familiar!'

“Bring Sarrin back. We will see what she can learn. And if she's as ready as she believes ” Solivar turned to the 'pup' at her side. “Stay here until she returns; do not touch him.”

“Why are you bothering to speak in English?”

“I see no reason to hide this part of our intentions from you.” Solivar answered directly.

“How considerate of you.” He did not say this with doubt or sarcasm, more like he was acknowledging the truth of his statement. These people were thoughtful, in their own way.

Sarrin, as was apparently her name, stared hard at her prisoner. There was a sharpness, a set seriousness to her face. She sipped from an ornate white mug.

“I take it this is not a 'carrot and stick' situation?” The man said from inside his cell.

“Your words make no sense to me.” She replied shortly.

“Are you Sarrin?” The woman nodded. “Is it your function to try to coax answers out of me gently while your superior tries to force them out of my throat.”

“I see your meaning. You want to know if I am being falsely nice, if I am simply playing with you. In other words if my restraint and interest are merely a facade.”

“I wouldn't have put it quite that way, but yes.”

“I am merely trying to study you. I want you to make sense to me. That is my motivation.”

“I am going to assume English is not your first language.”

“What is 'English'?”

“Ah...nevermind.”

“Did they not give you anything to eat yet?” Sarrin inquired. Chris shook his head. She began tapping on her console. “I'm going to give you some lombark meal.” She stated matter of factly. A thick brown mug, wider and taller than her own appeared on the table in front of her. She looked up at him sharply. “You have to get to the back of that cell or I can't feed you.” Chris backed up against the wall, his hands behind him. “It'll only be half a day's ration.” She continued as if there had been no interruption. She slid the mug across the floor, it stopped just inside the cell. He picked up the mug and looked at the thick brown liquid inside it.

“You're not drinking coffee are you?” He asked with a light humor.

“No. I'm not sure what you'd call this. It's a drinkable food. Liquid bread?”

“Close enough. Military rations I take it?” Sarrin did not reply. Chris drank half of the mug in peaceful silence. No small feat when ones hands are bound. He set the mug down. “Thank you.”

“Welcome.” Sarrin returned. She sat on her sofa and began fingering the rope again.

“Why are you doing this?” Chris urged.

“Surely you're intelligent enough to figure that out.” Sarrin answered, almost playfully.

“I don't mean your kind, I mean you personally. Your compatriot was wrong. You are not playing with your food. You don't even want to be doing this.” Chris insisted. “So why are you?”

I'm not obliged to tell you anything. Although I admit you continue to surprise me. Eventually I WILL figure out what makes you so frustratingly unique.”

“Don't you mean 'frustratingly defiant'?”

“That''s not the only thing that makes you so – To-Ka!” Sarrin said suddenly, holding her hand flat out to him, like she was telling him to stop. Which he quickly realized is exactly what she was doing. “Do yourself a favor, don't try anything.” She told him sternly. She reached to her left, pressing her palm flat against the arm of the sofa. The 'force barrier was restored.

“Did you do that on purpose?” Chris inquired. “Leaving the barrier down.”

“No.” Sarrin answered simply. “I am surprised you didn't try to escape.”

“I won't lie and tell you it didn't cross my mind. But I was a little distracted.”

“Your honesty is very refreshing. It usually requires much encouragement to get a straight-forward answer out of our prisoners.”

“Okay, I'm not kidding here, what do you want from us?!” Chris near-barked.

“ 'Us'?” Sarrin replied.

“Me. What do you want from me.” Chris rushed, covering.

“You said 'us'. Are there more like you? Yes..there are others.” She answered, without waiting for a reply. “Your concern for them is evident. How many more of you are there?” Chris did not answer. She wrapped her hand around the rope. “How many humans came with you?” Still Chris did not speak. “Surely you must realize there are things that make this,” She lifted the rope gently. Chris braced himself, but no pain came. “feel like a slap on the wrist.” She pulled gently on the rope until it stretched taunt across her face. Chris's throat tightened as he felt his arms bent backward. All she would have to do was pull a little harder and the tendons in his shoulders would pull themselves apart. She gazed at him across the rope. “It's a technique called 'traumatic hypnosis'. Quite effective, yes?” Chris didn't respond except to nod his head. Sarrin unceremoniously dropped the rope again. She leaned to her right, away from the wall and the rope. Her eyes closed for a moment. “I wish I was doing a better job of this.”

“May I now ask you a question?”

“You mean beyond that one? You can ask.”

“Are you being tested as well?”

“In a way.” Sarrin admitted. “They wanted to see how I would handle an interrogation, what methods I would employ and how long I could stay here. The only thing is, I can't think of any questions to ask you. Well, none that can't wait four hours anyway.” She actually yawned.

“Ne napuštajte svoju stanicu!” A harsh voice said over the intercom.

'Who said I was leaving?” Sarrin replied in English.

The doors sealed themselves and the lights dimmed to half their intensity. “TAC: 2-3-9 seventy-four Alpha Orion-3.” Sarrin said sharply. “I set the room at 74 degrees. It's all I can really do to make you comfortable.” Sarrin explained as she stretched herself on the floor her feet toward Chris' cell, her head toward the couch, her left-leg bent so her foot was flat on the tile. “Kether Prax. Nox.” She told thin air. The room went completely dark.

Chris lay down with his eyes to the ceiling. His gaze drifted to Sarrin. Is this a test from her? Does she expect me to try to run? She wants to see if I will try to run. Is it a good idea. Probably not. Do I want to get her into trouble? No I don't think so. It is strange, I would expect a feline to lie on her side with all fours on the ground, or on her stomach like a cheetah. Not on her back like that. 'but she doesn't' live on all fours' his mind answered itself. 'She's sleeping in such a way she can jump to her feet in an instant if alarmed or startled. She's resting 'at the ready'.

“Captain Pike, are you there?” La'an's voice was barely perceptible in the muffled air. Her voice was coming from somewhere to Chris' left.

“Over here.” He whispered urgently.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I'm fine. In a cell, otherwise I'm fine.”

“Do Not. Move.” Sarrin's cold voice rang out.

'Of course. Sarrin was waiting for this. Knowing there were others on this ship with me, they would wait for someone to try to rescue me. And cats see much better in the dark than humans.'

“TAC. Lagan, mekan, ali jasan.” The lights came on, soft and low. Sarrin was staring hard at La'an, her face as impassive as before. “For your own sake human, do. Not. Move.”

La'an followed the woman's very sound advice and held herself still.

“I congratulate you. This was a most impressive trap.” Chris said with a little bitterness.

Sarrin did not spare him a glance. “Tar-ek dahl. No senta Ca-rine Me-tai.” Moments later a male guard came in.

“Herinner mij eraan om nooit aan jouw wijsheid te twijfelen.” The guard said to Sarrin.

“You might as well speak in their language.” Sarrin said in English.

“Waar sturen ze die idioten heen, naar die bevroren woestenij die is gereserveerd voor hen die hun plichten niet hebben vervuld?” The guard replied.

“Hell. And I take your meaning.” Sarrin answered instantly.

“Translation please?” Chris prompted respectfully.

“He asked what was the human name of the frozen wasteland traitors and liars are sent to.”

“It isn't a frozen...” La'an began.

Chris smiled broadly. “He meant hell would freeze over before he spoke English in front of us.”

“What is your name and what have you done to my captain?” La'an demanded.

“He really is a captain of a starship. That is interesting.” Sarrin noted. “Other than arresting his movement slightly, we have done nothing to him.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“No actually she's right about that. I've been stuck in this cell for 3 days – and they forgot to give me my ration last night. Other than that they haven't really done anything to me.”

“Wat zullen we met deze andere doen?” The other guard inquired, indicating the female human. Sarrin replied in a long string of her native language, lifting her arm in front of her, with her fingers raised, as if holding a snow globe. The guard smiled and nodded. “Duur?”

Sarrin tilted her head, considering the question. “TAC: What is the clock?”

“The time is 0-seven hundred hours.”

“Five.” Sarrin decided. “But not yet. What is your name?”

“La'an.” The human woman answered honestly.

“La'an. That is not a normal human name?” Sarrin pondered aloud. “Not that it matters. How many more of you are there?” Neither human spoke. Sarrin turned to the human she found so fascinating. “KRIS!” She barked. “How many more humans like you are there here?”

“My entire crew is 'like me'. As far as Io know, La'an is the only one to come with me.”

Sarrin studied Chris for several moments, her head tilted to one side. “That is likely true.” She turned to the human female. “La'an, my lieutenant is going to take you to a very small room. Resist and you might not see your captain again. Harsh though we can be, we are not liars.”

“You can trust her on that.” Chris advised.

La'an was led away by the male guard. Sarrin walked to the table and picked up a bottle of oil.

“Are you an anomaly or a specialist?” Chris prompted.

“Explain.”

“You are more inclined to ask questions before punching. And you don't seem to have much of a stomach for outright interrogation or torture. Does that make you an outcast among your people? Or are you simply of a different caste?”

Dipping her finger into the small jar, she spread its oil under her nose and across her left wrist. “More the second one. I'm not a wounded heart or anything..”

“Bleeding heart.” Christopher corrected automatically.

“The brute force attack doesn't always work with prisoners and when that is observed, I'm called in to apply alternatives. In some races a soft answer leads to increased malleability. It's not as though humans are the only life-forms we ever put in cells. Studying our enemies helps us to understand them and most of my superiors understand that.” She put the bottle back on the table and stretched herself on the floor much like she had done, except her feet were toward the sofa, her head was toward his cell and she was on her side.

More than an hour passed in this way. “What did you do with her? Where did you send her?!” Sarrin did not reply. She did not even raise her head. “Tell me!” Chris urged. “Please, I don't care what recompense you demand for it, I need to know what's happening to her!” Sarrin took a deep breath and let it out slowly, but did not answer. “Sarrin, I take your meaning.” Chris began, forcibly calming his voice. “Please, will you tell me what is happening to my second officer? You said she is in a very small room. I accept that. Tell me, is anything else happening to her?”

“If you mean is she in an agonizer or something, the answer is no. She is being held in a place where none of my people can see her and all she can see is the ceiling.” Sarrin propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Chris who looked back at her, nonplussed. She held up her hand again. Chris now saw the similarities between that pose and a pedestal risen high in the air. “She is on a table so high there is little space between her and the roof.” Sarrin finished.

“For five hours?” Chris guessed.

“She will spend the next five hours with no one to talk to and nothing to hear. What happens to her after that is up to you. Do you fully grasp my meaning?”

Chris nodded sadly. “Her continued safety is entirely dependent on my continued cooperation.”

 “Yes. And you were right before.”

“About what?”

“You did not get your ration last night.” She placed her hand on the table, which he now noticed stretched between her sofa and his cell. “Nosiette. Ca-rinn tomai-dahl.” A large mug of the 'liquid bread' appeared. This had an aroma of hazelnut to it. She motioned him to back away from the force barrier. He did, his hands behind his back and flat against the wall, as before. She walked up to the cell, placed the mug just inside the barrier and backed away, keeping her eyes on his shoulders to his waist. She sat down on the sofa, her legs to the side, pulled close to her chest. She placed her hand on the armrest and the force barrier was again restored.

“With the force barrier activated, I don't really need the restraints."

“You know the language of diplomacy. You speak in terms you know I will understand.”

“It helps to be talking to someone who's just as good at it.”

Sarrin swallowed hard, took a small, silver device from her belt and pressed the blue tip. The restraints on Christopher's wrists released themselves.

“I say it again: Thank You.” Christ said with feeling.

“What else would you like?”

“If you are sincerely asking...”Chris began.

“NE-ver doubt my sincerity.” Sarrin barked.

“Forgive me.” Chris apologized. “Something to drink, something cool to my throat.”

“Toren Kall. Notsanta E-Se-kaia nesta-Zaki.” Sarrin said to thin air.

“Which means exactly what?”

“I asked my attendant to bring me a human drink from the cooler.”

Sarrin did not speak and Chris did not speak to her until the attendant came in carrying a dark purple glass, translucent and cone shaped. Sarrin put the cup to her lips. “Dasar bodoh. Keluar dari sini, sekarang! Gėrimas iš vynuogių, o ne iš grūdų. Šį kartą tai padaryk teisingai!” Her attendant looked at her with admiration. Her prisoner looked at her as if she were insane.

“Do I want to know what you just said?” Chris asked, with a small amount of apprehension.

“It roughly translates to 'You idiot, you brought me the wrong one!' I asked for a drink made from grapes, not one made from grains.”

“You're entire race are truth-speakers, aren't you?”

“Our soldiers are yes. It's part of our military code of honor. And I take it you have a particular question you wish to ask me.”

“Yes. What you're doing with your hand..flexing your fingers, rubbing your thumb against your fingertips. Do all of your people do that?”

“Those of us who have been forced to live in environments not suitable to our kind.”

“It's how you cope with being cooped up on a starship. You can't run around and stretch your legs, so you stretch other appendages, like your arms and hands.”

“A good guess, but no. The planetary conditions of most worlds we investigate are not entirely compatible with our own physiology. Some of us stay for weeks and months on these worlds. After such prolonged exposure our bones...hurt.”

“Investigate. You mean for colonization?”

“Yes. Now get some sleep. You will need your strength tomorrow. Trust me on that.”

“At this point it wouldn't occur to me not to trust you.”

Sarrin hesitated. “Captain, there is something that according to standard protocol I should have asked you in the first hour I had you here in front of me."
“Whether Starfleet is a military space-fleet?” Christopher guessed.
"No. Whether you yourself have ever been captured by the enemy before. If you have anything by which to judge... or against which to measure your time here."

"I'm going to have to ask for clarification on that."

"Have you ever been taken prisoner and ended up in a cage?”

Chris's eyes darted up, then to the floor. He was searching his memory. "I have been trapped by aliens who threw me in a cave behind an energy barrier. Looking back on it, I don't really think of it as being imprisoned, because my alien keepers treated me more like a specimen in a zoo than a prisoner in a cell."

“So most of the conditions still fit. Except for the aspect of your captors being 'the enemy'."

“Very much so. Why the sudden interest?”

“As I said, I should have asked you this right after leaning you were the captain of a starship. I am merely correcting my own breach of protocol.” She smiled coyly. “And I can't help thinking you're taking being trapped in a cell with no idea why you've been captured remarkably well. I wondered if this was or wasn't your first time.”

“You and I are both in a journey of discovery Sarrin. I'm piecing things together as we go along. And being in a cell in itself seems to fade compared with the incomparable opportunity to learn and understand. There are few things more important to us. Most especially...to me.”

“So... 'diplomacy' wasn't the right word.”

“Right enough.”

Sarrin nodded sagely. “One last thing before 'night mode'. Your second officer, she is a solider?"

"Very much so...why do you ask?"

The final scene in this play has been created but not written down. It turns out Chris and La'an are about 200 years into their future, in a future where the Federation and the Tzenkethi are at war. Hence Tzenkethi familiarity with humans and Sarrin's comment about '70 years and I've seen nothing else'. Sarrin will recognize that Chris and La'an don't belong here At All and send them back where they are from. At the last second Sarrin tells La'an. "You have your grand-daughter's eyes."

Quick Glance at Superhero Productions

Superman & Lois (2021–2024)  Different, but not Wrong

 It's as much about Clark and Lois as a couple than it is about Superman saving the world...which is also built into the fabric of the show. It isn't confirmed until the end of season 2 but this series takes place on another Earth in the multiverse. While the heroes of Flash don't realize this, we as the audience knew at least 5 other Earths did survive the Crisis of Infinite Earths. In the season 2 finale General Lane mentions that Clark is the only Super-powered hero on this Earth. Meaning there is no native Flash and no native Supergirl.

They kept a continuity of things that could be read either way. Diggle's comment about fighting alongside Superman could have been possible on Earth Prime since post-Crisis they have always lived on the same Earth. This Earth's Oliver Queen did know them, and is as dead as ours. There is no native Supergirl on this Earth, anymore than there was on Earth-1. The lack of any mention of Supergirl was conspicuous -- because of the assumption that this was Earth-38 Clark and Lois now living on Earth Prime. You'd actually have to watch the last episode of Arrow to see why some Earth's merged and others didn't. Tal-Rho and General Anderson are original characters...but Tal-Rho is unique. General Anderson is a proxy for any human authority-figure who doesn't understand that Superman is anything but Superman.

Lana Lang Cushing is the single most annoying character in the show. Superman can have kids. Traditionally Superman cannot procreate with humans because what we think of as Kryptonian physiology, is incompatible with an Earth humans for making offspring. In Supergirl Lois and Clark could have a kid because they were on the asteroid of Argo City when Lois became pregnant. No yellow sun means no powers, no powers means Clark is essentially human and they can get pregnant. I bet a lot of people watching this show were wondering how Lois and Clark could have had kids if there was no mention they'd ever gone to Argo City. It's never stated as even a thing here. Generals Lane and Anderson might not be surprised to learn Superman can have kids. Anderson was surprised Superman had a human Life...at all. And he gets WAY too much hate for only seeing Superman AS Superman. And for not being as good a leader as General Lane. Ultimately this show is part of the multiverse...but THIS Superman and Lois are not connected with the heroes of the other shows. Team Arrow is a group of self-made heroes without superpowers. That becomes relevant at the end of season 2. The writers established our/these characters and developed a fan base before telling us, but this is not Kara's cousin and his fiancé now living on Earth-prime. It's thier doppelgangers on Earth 12, 19, 21 or Earth 9. General Lane gets RESPECT in this show. And is equally respectful fo Superman Which is above the call and a particularly rare kind of awesome. (No Hank Henshaw and no J'onn Jo'nzz though)

The last few minutes of the Crisis on Infinite Earth's crossover showed that Earth 12, Earth, 21, Earth,19, Earth 96 and Earth 9 and a version of Earth-2 with Stargirl survived crisis. The merging of the multiverse was people and things from Earth-38, Earth-2 and Earth-3. But that history had been rewritten so that they've always lived on the same Earth. Hence Diggles initial comment. Most of the multiverse was destroyed. Explaining why Sam and Lucy Lane are such completely different characters from Supergirl. Although the old world-new world differences Supergirl and Barry spent a few episodes getting used to could have explained that. Almost everyone goes over the top in both drama and emotion in season 3. I mean the writers, producers and the actors. There were more real-world problems, far more normal human emotions. Which I was fine with, but a lot of people had trouble with. There was increasing dissension that felt like it's mostly there to make something. Most of the discontent, assumptions, and arrogance does not actaully come from Lana Cushing. She seems pretty chill after the scary moment 4 episodes into season 3. Instead it comes from practically everyone else. Most especially John Henry Irons and Jordan Kent. But that is absolutely another story.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

I don't understand how blind people are 5 out of 6 users found this review helpful.

The only convoluted parts of this movie are Lex Luthor's plan and why the world suddenly hates Superman. As far as Why Bruce is so relentlessly pursuing Superman and why 'Save Martha' actually pulls him back, they could not have set it up more clearly. And I realize a lot of Batman fans were disgusted/surprised at this version of Batman but they do explain his character perfectly: this is world weary, Robinless Joker beaten Batman who has almost given up on hope for the world. He spells out his motivations to Alfred "He has the power to wipe out the entire human race and if we believe there is even a 1% chance that he is our enemy we have to take it as an absolute certainty." Also "How many good guys are left; how many stayed that way?" He sees this alien as another freak in a costume. He even tells Superman while he's punching his face r "You were never a God, you were never even a man." It is not the happy name coincidence nor 'sloppy writing for plot convince' that makes Batman suddenly stop. The fact that Superman with potentially his last breath put someone ELSE's life before his own...Superman asking Batman to save someone else was enough to make him pause and realize this evil alien cares about people just for the fact that he cares about another humans life more than his own life. And then Lois comes in and yelling at Batman "Please stop.... It's his mother's name." All the sudden Bruce realizes A Superman has a human family, has a life IS a good man I almost murdered. He finally realizes that "How many good guys are left, how many stayed that way" is a question he should have been asking about himself all along. It's a line straight out of Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." There's a powerful irony that Bruce was so focused on Superman *maybe* going bad he didn't realize he WAS. And he and Superman never get the chance to sort thier differences out. Setting up Bruce's mission, motivation and single-mindness for the next movie where he brings the Justice League together. This is not "Batman" anymore. This is not Superman *yet*. I'm wondering why it's so hard for people to stop, look at the film and realize this. Superman is a new-born superhero. Batman has been a part of the Gothamite's lives for more than 20 years. People call it unrealistic or something that neither hero reacts how they would in thier prime. Neither hero IS in thier prime. Supposedly Batman hates Superman for clear obvious reasons but Superman has no reason to hate Batman? Well, Superman doesn't. But Clark Kent has a pretty clear reason for at least mistrusting a vigilante who tramples on the law and civil liberties. And scares people/beats people up completely unprovoked. People see this movie fail thier own expectations, and write it off as trash. But if you see this movie in the context of this universe, you see it for the brilliant, fresh and relevant story that it was made to be.

Arrow: Elseworlds, Part 2 (2018) Oliver finally figures it out!

11 October 2023 - 1 out of 1 users found this review helpful.

Oliver wasn't around for most of Barry's adventures and he has always seen Barry as someone who laughs everything off running around without a care in the world. Here, after seeing RF's taunts for himself he finally realizes Barry's carefree attitude is a REJECTION of everything bad that's happened to him, not an *absence* of bad things happening to him. Barry's attitude is a refusal to live in darkness, not an absence of difficult circumstances or things to take seriously. Going all the way back to when The Flash first showed up in Starling City in season 3 of Arrow, Oliver always dismissed Barry as someone who could afford to be happy all the time because he never had anything that could bring him down. And while Oliver had walked in Barry's physical shoes in the Flash portion of the crossover, that probably only reinforced his belief that Barry's life is a sappy, emotional and smooth ride compared to his own. Everyone likes him and he has a team and family at his back. Now, walking a bit in Barry's Mental shoes, seeing Reverse Flash shred Flash for 'being so weak you couldn't stop me from killing your mom' Oliver FINALLY gets that Barry could have been...well more like himself actually and simply didn't let himself be dragged down into that darkness. He'd met Thawne briefly, fought against him at the end of Flash season 1 but never really understood who Thawne was to Barry. He'd heard, once that Barry was stuck in some personal issues having something to do with Dr. Wells, but that was it. And to hear Oliver *validate* him, rather than simply be there for him was probably the greatest compliment Barry could ever have been given. For Barry, that was paradise. Barry Allen in the Green Arrow get up looks and for a brief moment even sounds like Roy Harper. Which was a pretty amazing thing. Roy was at Oliver's side for 2 years, his only protégé on the team and died/disappeared to protect Oliver's secret. And after they got back from Arkam and were safe in A. R. G. U. S. Barry was the one giving the advice for a change. Which is always awesome.

Smallville: Cure Vandal Savage - Jeremiah Danvers 2 out of 3 found this review helpful.

After watching Legends of Tomorrow I learned that Curtis Knox was a name assumed by immortal madman Vandal Savage, and is one of his more popular aliases. I assume that's who Dean Cain is here: the Smallville version of that minor DC villain. But what's kind of cool is the connection to a future series. In Supergirl Dean Cain stars as Kara Danvers/Kara Zor-el's adopted father Jeremiah, a recurring character. As well as far more obviously starring in Lois and Clark new adventures of Superman in the 90's. And apparently it's a continuing trend. Teri Hatcher also stars in a few episodes of Supergirl and one episode of Smallville. But while Dean Cain's character is far less likable here, compared to the others he plays in Superman productions, he shines MORE as an actor. Bringing a humanity and an emotionalism to someone who until the very end is a single-minded mad scientist type of character. That it's hard to imagine he feels anything except the need to never be alone again.

The Flash: Success Is Assured  Why are people SO hung up on Nash? (season 6 finale)

People are idiots. Hung up on the wrong things. Nash Wells is not wearing anything to hide his face in a police station full of cops. Which apparently is an obvious goof that he's standing in a room full of cops without disguising his Wells face and yet no one arrests him for being season 1 Harrison Wells. Fake Harrison Wells confessed to the murder of Nora Allen, Barry's mom. Barry is standing next to Nash perfectly at ease. If Barry even suspected this was the man who killed his mother, he'd have his hands around the guy's throat. These cops work with and trust Barry. Plus nothing about Nash's demeanor or attitude screams crippled 'arrogant, prickly, brusque' genius scientist. Everything about him screams Indiana Jones, mysterious action-adventure hero. He certainly does not come off as the guy in a wheelchair who accidentally blew a hole in Central City years ago. And who was reported dead a year later. His confession was posthumous.

A cool thing is, Nash does his second best if not his *absolute* best channeling of Harry Wells. A couple episodes ago he deliberately tried to get a rise out of Barry, provoking him and encouraging him to believe in himself again. Nash channels Harry as he literally has Harry and Sherloque along with 70 other Wells' in his head. Some of whom are telling him (Nash) they are shocked Barry is even considering the deal fake-Singh offered. Nash is then able to give Barry some perspective on what the result would be if he DID take the deal. Even if it was for absolutely PERFECT reasons, it wouldn't have worked out like he planned. "I understand doing everything to save your wife but if you go *this* far to bring her back, Iris won't forgive you. And you will have gained nothing." Only Harry Wells and Oliver were this much of a mentor to him. Ever spoke to him in such deeply personal terms and yet as a teacher not parent. With Harry, Sherloque and technically H.R. in his head, the absolute newbie who didn't want to hang around the team much to begin with is absolutely a mentor to the Speedster who seems to have lost everything.

The season was supposed to end with a Thawne finale and what would actually be his last appearance. Because of Co-vid's shelter in place order, all series were prematurely ended. The first 3 episodes in season 7 are re-shoots of what would have been the last 3 episodes of season six. Also, for those who take the goof on this page at face value acceptance, look back to the first episode of season 2. Thawne did not 'turn himself in'. He left a will as Harrison Wells confessing to the murder of Barry's mom that was released after his death. He has been dead for 4 years now. The cops would need a reason to suspect he was alive (or could be alive) for it to even be a question in their minds.

Superman & Lois: Anti-Hero season 2 episode 7 Awesomeness with one splinter

5 September 2023 - 1 out of 1 users found this review helpful.

This episode is chock mostly full of awesome things. Beautiful moments like hearing so much actual Kryptonian. I think it sounds a lot like Hebrew. Shuster and Sigel were both Jewish so it makes sense. Not that I'm a fan of it but seeing Anderson in this state makes a lot of sense. He sees things so perfectly clearly and is so completely sure of what he knows. Thankfully he learns the truth in a later episode. And just how wrong he was. Then again, Superman is harboring the man who killed his men and has been keeping things from him forever. The scenes at Tal's Fortress are the highlight of the episode. Especially that brief little smile on Bizzaro's face. The only real drawback is the brief scenes with Johnathan being basically punished for being honorable. And feeling so completely stuck. He's alone and scared that he won't be able to win his family back...and he literally did nothing wrong. I'm not saying those are weak scenes just, kind of sad.

Superman & Lois: Injustice (2023) Season 3, Episode 12 7/10

Jordan is not his father: He's Jon-El 7 out of 10 found this helpful. 

Seriously if Jordan Kent was real and I met him on the street, I'd walk up to him and say 'Hello Jon-el". It's the only reference he would get. But he doesn't have Jon-el's history. He didn't have an attention grabbing, only interested in your son once he has powers Kal'el for a father. He has a father who cares about him, who actually did raise him right. And somehow he's managing to push EVERYONE away while still claiming that everyone else is making everything about them. Johnathan and Sarah's self-interest is normal and realistic for thier age and actually a perfectly understandable reaction to thier unusual lives. I don't like seeing it, but it makes sense.

The reason I rate this episode as high as I do is because everything else about it is stellar. Seeing Luthor again, for the first time. Sam Lane being an involved family member who is as hurt as Clark and Lois to see Jordan becoming the attention grabber that he is. Wally West over in CW Central City was never this much of a showboat but even when he was a little bit, he wised up pretty fast. And to have Jordan basically oozing disdain and callousness seems... like Jordan isn't the person on drugs to have taken the show down this particularly dark rabbit hole. I say it that way because he's giving a more convincing portrayal of being 'on drugs' than Tom Welling's Clark Kent did when he discovered Red Kryptonite. A substance that by its nature removes Kryptonian inhibitions and promotes aggressiveness.

"Something is going on that has Mr. And Mrs. Kent calling my house. They're really worried. It's like, they think he's on drugs or something."

"Clark would have to BE on drugs to be on drugs." ...Chloe and Pete in Smallville noticing Clark on Red-K. The class ring that was supposedly a ruby, was a red meteor rock. It was a pretty cool way for Tom Welling to shed Clark's upstanding morality for an episode. But this is 4 episodes in a row without any apparent explanation whatsoever. It's exhausting. And more than a little bit of a shut off. Like literally I SO wanted to shut the TV screen off but I kept it on til the end of the ep.

Stargirl: Frenemies - Chapter Six: The Betrayal (2022) season 3 episode 6

They have Justice in the name, not JUDGEMENT

I mean seriously, why these guys think that calling themselves the JSA automatically makes them not only heroes but judges of everyone who doesn't wear thier stripes has been a growing problem for a while now. And here it came to a glaringly cruel head. For the entire season Wildcat and Hourman have made it perfectly clear they don't trust Cindy and are simply waiting for her to show her true colors as a villain. So when Cindy's secret is revealed, that her father's experiments were transforming her into something else Courtney's first reaction should have been 'so that's why you've been keeping things from us'. Instead the first words out of her mouth were "If you had just been honest with us." Seriously? No one on that team would have listened, most of them were barely willing to try as it was. Why should she trust people who don't even give her a chance to begin with? I mean, has Courtney been paying attention to, well the last conversation the group had at the school lunch table where her supposed friends couldn't even stand Courtney being friends with Icicle's son for no other reason than he WAS Icicle's son? Like that somehow made her fall from grace in thier eyes? Courtney at the time rightly stood up for the boy. "He's no more his father than I am mine. And that wasn't fair to him...or me." And as soon as they get done saying how this revelation about Shiv vindicates thier attitude and proves she can't be trusted they instantly buy into her report that Courtney is *Training the boy she likes to be the next Icicle*. Not hanging out with him, not dating him. And somehow they trust Shiv someone they all but gloat over knowing isn't trustworthy. Rather than their friend and the leader of thier team. And feeling all betrayed Both Wildcat and Hourman turn thier backs on Courtney because she somehow betrayed them. Didn't we feel enough of this mode when the newbies of Team Arrow broke off in disgust, just because Oliver didn't trust them *as much* as he trusted his friends who had been there since day one? Or how they ...Rene and Curtis and especially Dinah Drake...were so busy supporting thier friends and standing with someone they could trust they almost were willing to overlook the fact that one: killing was wrong. And spent a series of episodes ignoring the fact that Oliver was right, one of them HAD been talking to the feds. Team Arrow was full of people who had been changed and redeemed, who struggled to become better. Flash was full of people who were shown and accepted a better life. And with the exception of Dinah Drake they had none of these sanctimonious idiots who didn't even feel like heroes. I realize these guys are still teenagers and everything, emotional, naïve and quick to judge but this over-simplicity and having judgment on speed-dial is disorienting in any hero team. And not very heroic on anyone's part.

Star Trek: Discovery: If Memory Serves (2019) Season 2 episode 8

The timeline actually fits...here's why

The original TOS pilot 'The Cage' happened 12 years before the season one episode Menagerie. Pike will soon start counting down the number of months until he lands in the chair. But Pike and Spock have been to Talos the first time. An episode summary said Tyler works to overcome the crews *Suspicions* of him because of his time as Voq. Which isn't quite true. He works to overcome Dr. Culberts' feelings over having been *killed* by him. In a pretty powerful and explosive scene in the mess hall. Afterward Pike and Saru share a little time together on screen which has its own kind of quiet camaraderie. Emperor Georgiou is being a classic military general in this episode, and inmost of the episodes in this part of the season.

The episode opens with scenes lifted from the original TOS pilot but leaves one piece out -- why Vina didn't go with Pike in the first place. Vina's reveal to Burnam is that explanation. I think they give and keep just enough information so that if you've never actually seen "The Cage" you still know plenty about what's going on. Most things with Section-31 are kept to a minimum in this episode. Which leaves a kind of anticipation for the upcoming stretch. And the best thing is Captain Pike FINALLY learns where Ash Tyler stands on pretty much everything and that being part of section 31 doesn't make Tyler a bad guy. They'd gone through things together personally in the previous episode, so Pike is at least willing to listen. And when Ash Tyler leaves the ready room for the second time Pike's quiet smile of 'He's not such a bad guy after all slash 'I really DID misjudge him' is positively gorgeous.

My Actual Batman V Superman Review

 Seriously the one thing I forgot to post was my actual Internet Movie Database review of Batman V. Superman Dawn of Justice. But that's in part because I had updated it but didn't have the updated version on hand. Anyway, here is my review of the movie itself, in its most updated form. My review of a season one episode of Superman and Lois that I think turned out to be very relevant. As well as my review of Smallville. Which lasted for 10 seasons and aired during my freshman year of high school.

Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice 

I'm not saying people are idiots, but they are pretty blind.

The only convoluted parts of this movie are Lex Luthor's plan and why the world suddenly hates Superman. As far as Why Bruce is so relentlessly pursuing Superman and why 'Save Martha' actually pulls him back, they could not have set it up more clearly.  He sees this alien as another freak in a costume. Bats tells Superman while he's punching his face: You were never a God, you were never even a man. It is not the happy name coincidence of "Save Martha" nor 'sloppy writing for plot convince' that makes Batman suddenly stop. But the fact that Superman, with potentially his last breath put someone Else's life before his own. He doesn't even realize it IS Superman's mothers name at first. And then Lois comes in yelling at Batman "Please stop.... It's his mother's name."   Superman asking Batman to save someone else was enough to make him pause and realize this evil alien cares about people, that he cares about another humans life more than his own life. And I realize a lot of Batman fans were disgusted/surprised at this version of Batman but they do explain his character perfectly: this is world weary, Robinless Joker beaten Batman who has almost given up on hope for the world. He spells out his motivations to Alfred "He has the power to wipe out the entire human race and if we believe there is even a 1% chance that he is our enemy we have to take it as an absolute certainty." 

Think about what would happen if you have your foot on a man's throat and a sword in your hand and instead of asking for his life, the man asks you to save someone ELSE, a woman, once you kill him. "How many good guys are left; how many stayed that way?" All the sudden Bruce realizes 1.Superman has a human family, has a life/ IS a good man I almost murdered. And 2. 'How many good guys are left, how many stayed that way' is a question he should have been asking about himself all along. It's a line straight out of Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." There's a powerful irony that Bruce was so focused on Superman *maybe* going bad he didn't realize he WAS becoming a villain. The tragedy of Superman's death is compounded by the fact that because of his death, Batman never gets a chance to sort things out with Superman.  Which sets up and demarcates Bruce's mission, motivation and single-mindness for the next movie where he brings the Justice League together.

This is not "Batman" anymore. This is not Superman *yet*. I'm wondering why it's so hard for people to stop, look at the film and realize this. Superman is a new-born superhero. Batman has been a part of the Gothamite's lives for more than 20 years. People call it unrealistic or something that neither hero reacts how they would in thier superheroing prime. Neither hero IS in thier prime. Supposedly Batman hates Superman for clear obvious reasons but Superman has no reason to hate Batman? Well, *Superman* doesn't. But Clark Kent has a pretty clear reason for at least mistrusting a vigilante who tramples on the law and civil liberties, scares people/beats people up completely unprovoked. He actually calls Batman on it in front of Bruce Wayne. People see this movie fail thier own expectations, and write it off as trash. But if you see this movie in the context of this universe, you see it for the brilliant, fresh and relevant story that it was made to be. It's just...people can't see it outside of Christopher Reeve's standard or something.

Superman & Lois: A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysmic Events (2021)

AWESOME alone. Confusing to some

This episode is awesome, spectacular and sets this world apart from any others in a lot of cool ways. Most of which come out in Lois' interview with the man of Steel. Usually Superman is assumed to have landed on Earth only a few months before he showed himself to the world. In this universe Superman admitted right off that he came to Earth when he was young and grew up here.. Usually Lois swoons over Superman and ignores Clark, to varying degrees until she accepts Superman as a friend and Clark as a partner. It's refreshing to see Lois choose Clark over Superman from the get-go. But this episode does raise one huge question that actually has bothered people -purists- the entire show

In Dean Cain's Lois and Clark and in Smallville it is established that Superman's physiology is incompatible with an earth woman's for having kids. They can have sex but they cannot procreate. What we think of as Kryptonian physiology prevents it. Even in the rest of the arrow verse. In Supergirl, Lois was able to get pregnant because they were on Argo at the time of conception. No yellow sun meant Clark was fully human. But that is not mentioned here. In fact Supergirl and Argo are not mentioned at all. It's actually a valid confusion on the part of so many fans how Clark can have kids being an alien and all that. But it's not an assumption just because he's an alien. Normally Superman specifically *can't have kids. But in this continuity, it's no problem. They have 2 biological sons. The rules and expectations literally don't apply. The plus side is once we realize they aren't supposed to. That some assumptions the rules that have been established for us over so long aren't supposed to fit here, we can stop shredding the series for not explaining things or for not being consistent and just enjoy the show for what it is. And this episode does a Brilliant job of setting the series apart.

Also I freaking Love Clark's sincerity and Openness talking to Tal-Rho, in the hospital. As Clark is pleading with him not to hurt his kids and Tal says 'how little you understand me' Tal is actually right. But misguided Clarks statement was, it was heartfelt and a desperate cry of a father. Which of course makes me laugh at the irony that Clark's statement "Whatever it is you want, threatening MY family is not how you'll get it." As later that is exactly how Tal gets what he came for. "I'll do whatever you ask, just leave my family alone." And he leaves with Tal, knowing he'll probably be turned against the people of Earth. Btu to keep his family safe, and possibly buy more time for John Henry and General Lane to collaborate, he surenders.

Smallville An Innovative show that ran for 10 seasons and managed to stay cool

 Smallville 8/10 stars 8 and 10 are epically stupid seasons the rest are SUPER COOL

Some of the innovations of the show like red Kryptonite having a consistent physical reaction and his pod landing obscured by a meteor shower were pretty inspired. Season four with awesome writing and character development, just seemed a little awkward. And rushed. It's like they didn't know if the show would keep going so they pushed ahead like a steam truck until they realized they were being renewed. Fortunately the show DID keep going because I LOVED Lionel's redemptive arc.  In season 4 Lionel seemed to grow if not a conscience an awareness of certain Kryptonian things. And is the 3 following seasons he was established as Jor-El's vessel and a dedicated Ally to Clark. Even if Clark didn't always understand why. At first Clark was understandably reluctant to trust him but came to the conclusion that they did need him. season 5 and season 6 finales had Clark's hand at Lionel's throat.  The beginning of Season 7 they literally embraced each-other as friends. and all of that went out the window because of something Lionel had done just before the series premiere. Suddenly Lionel had been nothing but a liar and a false friend these past 3 years and they never should have trusted him. And suddenly he was directly responsible for everything Lex was doing that season, he was behind it all...to Clark and Chloe's mind.  He died protecting Clark's secret, died murdered by his own son and even though they comforted themselves that they finally knew where he really stood and mourned thier loss/his sacrifice, they never actually admitted they'd been wrong, or how tragic it was that such a loyal friend died alone and friendless because they didn't believe him anymore. Because they "saw the truth about him". They never admitted they'd been wrong about him. Season 8 was horrible, contrived full of lies, betrayal and suspicions of infidelity. 2 new characters one misguided, one a liar and Jimmy Olsen goes so far off the deep end I'm wondering who ELSE was on drugs when they made that season. I don't know anyone who would watch a Superman show and want to see that. To sum up, seasons 4 and 8 are the stupid ones. Season 9 was awesome for so many reasons, most of them having to do with developing and humanizing both  Oliver Queen and Major Zod as well as Jor'el so effectively. The one thing I want to cure everyone from thinking is "The last 2 seasons sucked." Season 8 was the Jimmy Olsen, Doomsday, Davis Bloom soap-opera disaster that had Oliver actually use kryptonite on Clark while in control of himself. (he wasn't in control of himself at 8x01 he was in the end when he rallied the rest of his team against Clark) And ended in Jimmy Olsen's death. Season 9 was everything fans of Batman or Superman would want. It even had Julian Sands being Jor-el and the most awesome dark and broody General Zod one could hope for. Except he really was Major Zod...he hadn't destroyed Krypton yet. Season 10 was the other 'bad' season. That was because they were trying to fit every single bad guy from the DC animated universe in at once...into a show that was originally more about Clark than Kal'el at all. These were bad guys Justice League fans would love. But Superman never faced alone. I am a fan of Superman in stand alone animated or live action series. I hadn't seen ANY Justice League adventures at the time so I was completely lost. I'm glad I stuck it out even after the abysmal season 8. Everyone is in rare, even strangely enthralling form in the last two seasons. I'm sure you will be pleased to stick it out.

During season 5 of the show, the Brain-Interactive Construct aka Milton Fine aka Brainiac says to Lex: I'm not one of them, I was only built by them. Speaking of course of Kryptonians. Season 9 was awesome for so many reasons, most of them having to do with developing and humanizing former loner and master archer Oliver Queen into a team player and devoted friend to Clark A process that had been in development for a while and cemented in season 9 with them being brothers. It also expounded on the personal history and motivations of Jor'el as that was a powerful arc.  

A True Analysis of Batman V Superman

 Batman versus Superman thoroughly explained

The movie doesn't present itself as Batman versus Superman so much as Bruce Wayne becoming obsessed about Superman and the journalist Clark Kent being increasingly concerned over the Bat Vigilante in Gotham. In thier human lives they become concerned with the other's costumed persona. Superman doesn't have a reason to hate Batman but Clark Kent does, and it is actually pretty thoroughly, if subtly established why Superman fears/mistrusts Batman. If you look at it that way, or if people even bother to notice it instead of focusing on the Batman V Superman this film is "supposed" to be -- the entire film makes a lot more sense.

In the video “why you're wrong about the Martha controversy” that details and then addresses-disproves some of the more common shreds people have for this movie one fo them that this battle of ideologues provides no motivation for Superman to fight Batman. And weirdly that 'one' criticism actually contains 3 ..completely separate reasons people shred the movie that have never made sense to me. Superman has every reason to be suspicious of Batman. As mentioned in the previous section, Clark Kent the reporter has reasons to be concerned about the bat vigilante in Gotham. And Superman goes into the battle to save his mom's life. And there usually is a battle of ideologies between these two, for the sake of the fans. But that doesn't exist here. When I first heard of this movie I wondered how it was supposed to work. As you say, If Superman's heart is actually in the battle, the battle will be over in 2 seconds. If you look at it from the Perspective of BRUCE hating Superman and CLARK fearing Batman the entire movie makes a lot more sense.

I've been watching some detailed analysis of Batman V Superman. And then I went back to Everything Great about Man of Steel and I came to a conclusion.

This is not Batman anymore. THIS is not Superman...yet. Most of the time we see Superman and Batman meet when they are both in the middle of thier Superhero journeys. We don't get that here. And that more than anything else led to swarms of people either hating or just not understanding this masterpiece fo a movie.

This is not Superman yet. He is not only a newborn superhero but a lot of the things we know him as are still in his future. Most especially the final reason the film gets so much hate. When he ends Zod's life to save civilians Zod was about to incinerate with his heat vision. "Superman doesn't kill" being so firmly ingrained into our understanding of who Superman even is. Superman probably developed the 'no killing' rule he's known for BECAUSE of how heavily it weighed on him when he was forced to end Zod's life. Everyone complains that this is not the Superman we know. It's not supposed to be. This is how Clark Kent *becomes* the Superman we know and love. And it's a freaking masterpiece.

Saw something last night, that definitely belongs on my blog about missed treasures and maligned masterpieces of movies and TV Shows. There is something about Batman Versus Superman Dawn fo Justice that I don't think literally anyone has mentioned yet. The movie does not present itself as Batman versus Superman so much as Bruce Wayne becoming obsessed about Superman and the journalist Clark Kent being concerned over the Bat Vigilante in Gotham. In other words, thier Human identities feelings and fears about the others costumed persona. If you look at it that way, or if people even bother to notice it instead of focusing on the Batman V Superman battle of ideologies this film is "supposed" to be -- the entire film makes a lot more sense.

Referring to the 'epic fight scene we were promised in the title':

This is one of the deepest scenes the movie. In any movie. And one of my favorites.

Showing in a beautiful, visually and thematically pleasing way that it was Superman's humanity which stopped Batman. Seeing this 'evil alien' care more for a human life than his own life and not the silly name coincidence seemed self-evident to me.

As well as why Bruce's flashback having nothing to do with his 'Martha' but with him now being the one holding the gun. Something even I didn't consider until recently is that Clark not only accepted 'Save Martha' as his dying breath, but was giving his final wishes to his murderer. 'After you kill me, at least do this for me'. Anything Superman said would have been heard through Superman's lips, not Clark's because as with any other version of the story Superman's armor as far as his secret identity is that people don't expect an alien to have a human life. So why would this evil god like alien Bruce sees when he looks at Superman have a human mother?

"How many Good guys are left how many stayed that way" not only spells his motivations out perfectly but also explains why he didn't go through with killing Superman later. He finally realized that Superman was a good guy. And that he probably should have been asking that question about himself, not the strange visitor from another planet. Also Superman said 'Martha' not 'mom' because Batman had made it abundantly clear he didn't care about Superman's parents. And as he obviously wasn't Clark Kent at the time, Batman would have heard 'Save Jor-el's wife, a Kryptonian woman who has been dead for years' not "Save a human woman who is in danger now and is the only reason I'm here to fight you.".

With potentially his last breath Superman asks his killer to save someone else. And people calling that sloppy writing and the biggest plot convenience ever, made zero sense. Various commentors ask why Superman asking Batman to save his mother would be surprising to Batman or would make any difference. 'what else would you do, any one would ask for thier mothers life that doesn't make him special'. When the entire point of the scene is that Batman does not see Superman as a person at all until that one humanizing moment. He never considered the evil alien had a human mother, would be willing to die for her, or anyone. Also it matters to Bruce. Saving Martha matters to Bruce.

Originally titled “Why Movie Critics Make Me Laugh (and Weep)”.

I don't actually mean professional movie critics. I mean swarms of people being blindly critical of a given movie to the point where they cannot understand why anyone could like this movie. And don't pay enough attention to anything in the movie that spells out literally every criticism they have.

Batman V Superman is the best example of this. When I finally saw the movie for myself it made me sad how much people would be so completely ignorant and what they would complain about. Literally everything that I have ever heard against this movie is spelled out in the movie itself. And it really must have been in front of thier eyes but gone in one of their ears and out the other without ever making contact with thier brain. It was an awesome movie that I couldn't enjoy watching, because only someone paying as much attention as I do -- something I have gotten made fun of and talked down to for doing. I have literally been insulted and shredded for paying this much attention to a movie as often as I am recognized and appreciated for noticing (recognizing) things about the movie others miss.

But in this case most of these are just breezing past what they see because it doesn't line up with what they come into the theater EXPECTING to see. What they see in this movie that's actually there and what they see in when they watch the movie are too wildly different things...mostly because people are not paying enough attention to see anything they don't' already know is there.

So I get kind of proud at my own strength. Not so much analytical abilities but my observant abilities. Strangely enough this was the first time__ this is the messed up confusion in which I learned I actually have an Above par not a Sub-par attention span, like I was always told. So this is me agreeing with everyone who ever laughs at people who shred Batman V. Superman Dawn of Justice.

To quote Christopher Reeve in Smallville "Humanity is not only about biology." Batman Vs Superman is best way and possibly the only way Superman fans who are not Smallville fans to learn that. I think the biggest theme of this movie is this: humanity is a choice. Batman in this version seems to have given up his humanity years ago, but Superman, despite not being a human in his DNA, is the most human of this movie’s big three.

Knights on a Rescue Mission

 One important extra line

“Kristan” is an affectionate name Sasha gives to Prince/King Arthur. It means 'Noble heart'. If one stretches the sound Kris-taan, it means 'one who leads with the nobleness of his heart'. It's an honorific that took Arthur more than 2 years to ask about. This scene is set sometime after season 4 of Merlin. In this version of season 4, Lancelot was able to stay with his friends after being brought back from the dead and used as a pawn by Morganna. Sasha has lived among her friends in Camelot for more than a year. With Merlin and Arthur's support-permission-encouragement and in fact at their request, she went to the other side fo the veil and brought Lancelot back to life. She gave him ALL his memories back so he could be entirely his right self again. But there was one memory she could not restore. She had once told Gaius that “Lancelot could walk in this room right now and I would not be able to tell him Merlin has magic.” Which was more true than she realized at the time. She could not give him back that memory. The knowledge that Merlin has magic and by extension the reason Lancelot and Merlin are so close was completely missing from Lancelot's mind. Merlin later told Lancelot, face to face.

Here Merlin has been kidnapped (or he rushed off to save Alator from Morganna) and Sasha is...a shriveled mess. Arthur takes only Lancelot with him to rescue Merlin.

“What is it Lancelot?”

“It's about Merlin.” the knight said slowly.

“You're worried?”

“No. I mean yes I am but that's not what I mean.”

Arthur looked mildly intrigued. “Then what?”

“He's a good man. Arthur”

“I'm well aware. I know he was...is a close friend to you Lancelot. To all the knights. Without him I wouldn't have Gwaine, Percival, or you. None of you would have been my knights without him.” Arthur's face crinkled in thought. “It's funny how servant could have such an effect on Camelot.”

Lancelot sat up sharply. “I think we both know Merlin is no ordinary servant.”

Arthur leaned in, now very interested in the conversation. “Agreed. Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think sorcery is evil.” Lancelot's jaw shut and tightened. Arthur could hardly blame him. Under any other set of circumstances that question out of his mouth would have been a challenge and a trap. “I don't believe everyone who practices magic is evil.”

“Nor do I.” Lancelot admitted.

“Then isn't it time we stopped treating them like they are? Sometimes I feel our judgment has been clouded by, hatred and fear.”

“I think you are right.” Lancelot encouraged.

“If I were to lift the law sorcery would reign once more in Camelot. That what you want?”

“I think that's what Merlin would want.”

“Is there something you're not telling me?”

“Arthur I know.” Lancelot said in a rush.

“You know what?”

“I know Merlin's secret.” Arthur looked at him, doubtfully. "I know Merlin has magic."

“How long have you known?”

“Apparently since he killed the griffin and saved my life.”

“Apparently?”

“After Sasha brought me back, she restored all my memories, I remembered how much you and Merlin mean to me. But I didn't remember what he was. Sasha, didn't or couldn't give me that. He told me himself, some weeks past.”

“Why did you never say anything?”

“For the same reason you haven't.”

“...Because he is a friend.”

“No... because he doesn't deserve to be persecuted for being himself.”

He looked Arthur squarely in the eyes. “And I saw that –I saw who he is– clearly enough.”

“What was he like? The real Merlin, what was he like?”

“Arthur you know Merlin better than anyone.”

“And yet I didn't know he has magic.”

“Does that matter? If I knew him at all I knew this: magic while a part of Merlin, was only one part of who he was.”

“I just wish he trusted me enough to tell me.”

“And if he had, how would you have reacted?”

“...Probably no better than when I saw him save my life.” Arthur admitted.

“I was wondering how you figured it out.”

“Yeah.”

“Where do you think he ran off to anyway?”

“Someone important to him is in trouble, he ran off to save him. It's what he does.”

“Come on Arthur, let's go find him.” Arthur stands up. “Since we're already waist deep in stories about our friends, I have an equally stupid question for you, Arthur.”

Arthur sat up and walked to his horse. “Yeah and what would that be?”

“Were Sasha and I close?”

“You knew her as Nikita. That's saying a lot right there. I didn't really see the two of you together much but it goes with out saying she considers you a friend.”

“I know that Arthur. What I mean is...were we as close as you and Merlin?”

“Do you mean, were the two of you together?”

“Did we have something special between us, do you know?”

“I don't think she ever let anyone get THAT close.”

“But I can tell you this. Before, she didn't expect to be able to live and stay in Camelot. Now she'd lived here for more than 2 years. Not too late to start something new.”