Originally posted by Tzigone:
Speaking of this bit - I didn't think Mrs. Ross seemed scared or rejecting. She was very positive and attributing Clark's uniqueness to God and treating it like a good thing. She seemed more awed than fearful to me. That has it own potential set of Very Bad Consequences, but she didn't seem ready to start a chapter of the Friends of Humanity.
I agree that Mrs. Ross didn't seem scared by Clark's abilities, more gossipy "did he get his powers from God?" sort of thing. It wasn't as if she attributed Clark's abilities to the Devil which would have been a negative viewpoint. I was confused a bit by Jonathan's reaction there. Of course, having Clark being thought of as a "powers from God" figure is a scary thought and I could see why Jonathan wouldn't want that for his son.
I was very disappointed in the Kents, particularly Jonathan. I love the idea that Clark is the hero he is because of how they raised him. I know that is by no means a defining characteristic of the Kents across all versions, but it's a version I love. Here, that simply isn't the case. His father says maybe he should let a bus load of kids die?! No, just no. Instead of being a hero because they raised him to help when he could, he's innately heroic, and they try to discourage him from it because of the risk to himself. He's a hero despite of their guidance, not because of it.
I have to agree with your assessment of Jonathan's character flaw here. He should never have told Clark not to save his peers on the bus, perhaps scolded him for doing it so overtly (like standing there in full few of what I'm guessing was supposed to be Lana, since she looked like Lana from the Smallville series, for several seconds before diving into the water to save Pete). Nevertheless, Clark clearly follows his own gut and continues to save people despite his father's advice. Clark knows that risking his own safety isn't worth the death of others.
I'm hoping this means less use of this plot device in the future.
3) I prefer this death to the trite and overdone heart attack. (Yeah, yeah, I know it's canon.) Jonathan is showing his son that it is important to risk oneself for others (even the dog), but I'm sorry Clark didn't receive the message with his father's dying action "my life is less important to me than protecting your secret". Clark seems to take it the other way, and risks exposing his secret with almost every other rescue after that. (Oh, sure, he'd move on, change his name again, but the breadcrumbs were easily found my Lois.)
4) So nobody's bashing Martha Kent for LOCKING the dog in the car when a tornado is a coming?
5) I agree Clark should have saved Jonathan anyway, but this was before Clark knew he could fly. Grabbing his father and returning to the overpass, quickly, would certainly reveal his secret. Since everyone in Smallville seemed already aware of Clark's secret, what's one more example by saving his father? (Does anyone remember if Clark's still holding the little girl when the tornado strikes? That would be the only motivation for him staying behind. That, and having to live with the angst of having his father die in the midst of their biggest argument -- another overused and predictable plot device used in Hollywood.) I would have liked to see Clark to go grab his father and use his density to save them from the tornado as they walked back to the overpass together, despite the tornado passing overhead. People would have been amazed, but it could have been listed as a fluke miracle. THEN, Jonathan could die of a heart attack after that traumatic experience.
So, I'm sticking with my first impression of this scene. I liked it. I'm glad someone was finally shown the world how stupid it is to always go back for the dog.
Who knows how many people have died trying this feat due to everyone always surviving it in the movies, only to die themselves? (Hey, if they can blame movies on other things, why not this?)
I also liked the scene when Martha told Clark that his father knew that Clark would grow up to be a hero by watching him pretend to be a hero as a kid. Hmmmm. Maybe I should worry more about my son playing 'mad scientist'.