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The Watchtower is Officially Online
I know this isn’t directly movie news, but I am a big geek and I just had to share this. I love Smallville, and despite some of its shortcomings and this season not being the greatest, the closing moments of last week’s episode just gave me chills. I geeked hard on this, and I am just going to throw this out there.
Last week’s episode Hex introduced Justice Leaguer Zatanna, and portrays the character as a picture perfect grab right out of the pages including tux jacket and fishnets. But introducing another Justice League staple was only half the fun. Chloe illustrates her future with the unnamed union of heroes we know as Justice League.
Is it just me, or does that look like the opening credits scene to a spinoff series for the Justice League? Perhaps titled “Watchtower”.
Let me to into quick speculation and prediction mode here (sometimes I am creepy accurate about my guesses) but rumour has it that a pivitol character will die, and a lot of speculation says Chloe. Maybe Chloe does “die” and takes on the name of Watchtower to assist the Justice League.
This might explain why the Legion doesn’t know anything about Chloe in the future. If she is the central hub of the Justice League’s communications and information, it is possible that she wiped any connection of her identity as Watchtower to Chloe and in the far future no one knows who Watchtower was before taking on the title.
I would totally be in for a spinoff series. Smallville long ago distanced itself from Canon in the Superman story and its been a fun ride. I would love to see it grow.
Chills were present in the Central Valley, CA after that conclusion Rodney. The season has been a little herky-jerky, hopefully we’ll be witness to a strong finish!
wtf btw alison looks cute
holy shit thats awesome
The chills have spread to the Bay Area Rodney. I’ve also been hoping for some kind of spin-off show.
“watchtower” the show would be supercool, if not tom welling heading it up as pre-supes then maybe a young green lantern?
“watchtower” seems like a much more interesting concept than “the graysons” ever was, not to mention!
I actually really liked the idea of the Graysons (but then Robin is a favourite of mine) but hard to do without involving Batman at some point.
I think its obvious that Watchtower would be with Green Arrow heading up a Justice League.
OMG, I have not watched any of this season yet and that just sent chills down my spine. I just finished Season 7 on BluRay and was disappointed in the League’s absense. This has me pumped for Season 8 when it is finally released, regardless if people say it isn’t great.
Watchtower would be brilliant, Chloe and Green Arrow leading the justice league like the mission impossible (the Tv series)
I was smiling ear to ear. This was by far the best moment of season 8. I was waiting for Hal, Bruce, and Clark go online :-) (hint hint).
i fucking hate that smallville is just ruining DC mythos left and right. it was less than acceptable when they railroaded superman by making his story some sort of dawson’s creek universe, and now they’re fucking with the justice league. after that close attempt at destroying what little dignity robin has by incorporating his storyline into their soap opera, hopefully wb is intelligent enough leave the batman mythos alone.
does anyone who likes smallville actually care about the superman character?
i do
Lots do. It was renewed for a NINTH season. Apparently someone is watching this show.
And it doesn’t RUIN the DC mythos. It isn’t like they are replacing the current run of comics with this continuity.
If you don’t like it, you don’t have to watch it. Nothing changes.
You don’t have to go out of your way to upset yourself.
Yeah and if Hollywood starts adapting Shakespeare’s work to modernization I am going to be so pissed.
That’s awesome Butter…
i’m not convinced the fans of this show know much about superman other than his name is clark kent, he’s an alien and he has powers.
of course a lot of poeple watch the show. a lot people bought britney spears records, doesn’t make it good.
and i don’t watch the show.
but i don;’t hate the show because they are “modernizing” it. i hate it because they are changing everything there is about superman. equivalent to making a batman show where he’s have super powers.
the superman character is completely missing from this teen soap opera. they just have the same names.
i like superhero shows. i like heroes. i liked lois & clark. but it ticks me off when studio execs change a traditional storyline to “appeal” to the youth.
look at what they did with batman & robin.
Well you presumptuous slug. I am a big fan of Smallville and a comic collector for about 25 years now. Guess your going to have to make up more lies and guesses to prove your point.
Stop making assumptions and pretending you know better than everyone just so you can cuss out a show you don’t like.
When you have to invent crap like “a lot people bought britney spears records, doesn’t make it good” then you just reveal yourself as ignorant.
Just because YOU don’t like it doesn’t mean the rest of the world has to get in line with your narrow view.
“i’m not convinced the fans of this show know much about superman other than his name is clark kent, he’s an alien and he has powers.”
Then to go the Krypotonsite boards, you dumbass.
Continuing this long section of reply
“Yeah and if Hollywood starts adapting Shakespeare’s work to modernization I am going to be so pissed.”
-ButterOnMyPopcorn-
I hope you know that the already did…
True Story: Mentioned I liked this show to a girl one time and she happened to be a closet fan. Next thing I know I am watching the show over at her place on Thursday night and well…….
plz continue
i was joking in that comment
please continue
I’m not joking in this comment :P
a slug?
what are you talking about? i can’t have a disagreement?
sounds like you are taking this pretty personally.
the fact is that the producers of the show have taken way too many liberties within the universe. they have changed the characters of superman - which was bad enough. but i didn’t realize that they brought in a lot of other characters like green arrow, aquaman, the flash (impulse?)…
that is a fact.
and it’s not just me who feels this way. my view isn’t as “narrow” as you think. you can find a lot of responses on superman fans hating the show through google.
i’m personally not even that big on superman, but many fans of superman hate this show because it appears that the producers care little about the comic mythology and only use the likeness of the characters for lack of originality.
it would have been better if they created a new franchise instead of altering something of value.
as for spears,
a LOT of people did buy britney spears records. but it’s quite evident that her albums aren’t very critically approved.
that’s all i meant.
that’s beside the point.
but if you’re going to take this personally as an offense from me, i’m not going to talk about it anymore.
You can disagree, but what you are doing is going out of your way to point out the blatantly obvious over the last 8 years of the show and act like you know better. Its been LONG clear that this was a non-canon story. Thats never been in question.
Your view IS narrow. You think that your tastes and take on this show is the ONLY way to view the show.
And you might want to pick up a Rolling Stone magazine that reviewed Brit’s last album where it was VERY critically accliamed.
Its not taking it personally. You are just trying to shove your own singular point of view on every Smallville viewer should have to back your cause.
A lot of people like Smallville and can appreciate it for what it is. We know its not canon, and we don’t care. We like seeing speculative fiction based on the popular comic book. Part of what makes it interesting is that it ISN”T the same stories recycled off the page.
Batdan, I saw in your comments up there you ‘liked’ Lois & Clark. So did I for the most part. However, I think it is also fair to say some liberties and/or artistic license was taken with the characters from the comics in that series as well?
It was a good series. There were some good to great episodes, there were dumb ones. Anyone could nitpick at the shortcomings, but overall it was an enjoyable show.
I’m not the biggest Smallville fan either, but many are. The ratings are still good, 8 seasons on the air is nothing to dismiss and we still got a Superman film during Smallville’s run,although unconnected. Call it an Earth Two or Earth Three situation. (Even the best ep of L&C had an alternate reality Earth-and while I don’t want a reboot of the film franchise, I wonder if they could get away with an alternate …no, another discussion, I won’t go there)
:)
Which reminds me. Since we talk “continuity”, DC Comics before Crisis On Infinite Earths had such a problem. Let’s take Supey for a minute. Originally, Superman couldn’t fly. Superman’s origin was retconned to include his adventures as Superboy, retconned again to say he wasn’t the last survivor of Krypton (indeed, Smallville touches upon this)…
Leave Britney alone
good points.
its been quite a few years since i watched L&C. so maybe if i saw it again i may not like it.
maybe i’m explaining myself wrongly. i don’t really have a problem with WB making a show about a guy with superpowers who has a lot of soap opera-ish relationships and such. that’s why i enjoy NBC’s heroes. and i’m not really trying to imply that its a bad show at all. it may very well be well written and exciting to watch. but the idea of them blatantly using an icon and then removing his past pisses me off. i just hate that they’re using superman as a catalyst without sticking to the traditions. it would be fine to make a superman show that would breathe with the comics. but in smallville it seems there are a mass amount of superheroes, taking away the status of superman. smallville makes lex and lois a part clark’s life in a timeframe that makes no sense with the comics. recently i read that lana lang apparently married lex luther in the tv show??? the whole essence of clark kent is a mild-mannered reporter that no one ever heard of before coming to a big town and developing a hero alias for the good of mankind - yet in this smallville show, it seems to an outsider like myself, that clark is some badass superkid who meets almost every character in the DC universe without even establishing the world’s most famous superhero as himself. why would the writers even incorporate characters like martian manhunter, the flash, green arrow into this smallville show anyway?
Batdan,
You are upsetting yourself over nothing. You don’t have to like the speculative fiction that is Smallville, and you can be upset that they changed “history” to write the story, but that doesnt change the Superman story.
They are not using Superman as a catalyst without sticking to traditions. They don’t have to. Its like any alternate timeline story in the comics (earth 2 - crisis - amalgam) and they were all appreciated for what they were.
If they cancelled all the superman comics and movies and everything and said they were starting from Scratch and Smallville is what they came up with, fine, you can have your issues about how they changed stuff. But you dont have to watch it. And having this fun “what if” tv show is just one more facet in what makes Superman interesting. We all know this isnt the comics, and they go out of their way to stand on their own with their own world.
Why would they introduce other DC staples? Why not? If they were sticking to canon it would make sense that they didn’t but in this version he does cross paths with them. So what. Its just another parallel what if story. Smallville is a story about how Clark shapes who he is and how he deals with it all. There was an Elseworlds comic called Red Son, that told a different story illustrating what would have happened if Kal-El’s rocket landed in Russia instead. It was just an interesting story to look at, but it didnt change the Superman character in “the real book” and it doesn’t hurt to have fun with the story.
Don’t like it, don’t watch. This does nothing to harm the Superman Franchise at all.
As long as they don’t have Lana I’m cool! Man she was the worst, character and actress. I know these guys aren’t Shakespearean or anything but man, she was just to much to handle!
As for Chloe she can be my Watchtower any day! Sigh….
Chloe makes sense as an Oracle like character in the Smallville Universe. If you continue to keep in mind that this isn’t canon and more like a reimagining of the DCU, it’s far more enjoyable.
Rodney,
I, too, have been a Smallville faithful since day one, but this particular scene was way too cheesy and was the worst part of the entire episode in my opinion. I know the show has reeked of rotten ass since the start of the fifth season with only a handful of standout episodes being the exception, but man to have Chloe finally embracing her true calling with such cringingly awful lines ruined what should have been a great moment for the character. I only hope that Michael Rosenbaum makes some cameos next season because what they did to his character this season was even more ridiculous. And I agree with 1138’s comment about Lana. Lois is the best thing this show has going for itself right now; her relationship with Clark feels like a complete 180 from the insufferably melodramatic Lana saga. They should have killed her off.
You are so right Frank, Lois is one of the best things going on in Smallville and I do enjoy her relationship with Clark. Also helps that Lois is pretty hot!
I’ve been following “SMALLVILLE” since the beginning, and sure there are times when some of the episodes are hit & miss, but I wouldn’t go so far and say this season has been shitty, with the exception of the whole Lana being superpowered and laced with Kryptonite, I would have preferred her dying in a grand sacrifice to save Clark.
As for the haters of the show, the solution is real simple, just don’t watch it, these sorts of arguements are extremely amusing to me, it’s just as bad as the rants about the new “Star Trek” movie, what don’t people understand, it’s a complete reboot, oh but that’s wrong and not true to the franchise.
It’s the same bloody thing with “Smallville” it takes liberties with the Superman mythology, but the producers & writers have always put their own unique twist on the subject matter, and I actually like the direction this season is heading towards.
Clark is finally realizing his true destiny in life, that his relationship with Lois will be adventurous to say the least, and we the fans will eventually see Clark either become the Man of Steel or the show ends with him with the costume hanging in a closet or travel bag, hints of things to come.
Perhaps Warner Brothers will have enough brains afterwards to use this cast, with their plans to reboot the Superman movies.
Ken, I was with you 100% until you suggested using this cast for the Superman reboot.
Bad idea.
If they want to make a Smallville Feature Film, great. Use this cast.
But you can’t do Superman separate from Smallville and use Smallville actors. There will be too much confusion and it would take away from the movie.
Right now leading rumours speculate that Routh is still on despite their intent to reboot.
I been thinking, Rod….
The only way to reboot and keep Routh is to discover that after his trip from space, Superman accidently landed on Earth Two and found out in that reality Lois is with another guy and there’s a tyke who may or may not be his.
So the Routh Superman sets out and finds the real Earth, which, in his absence, is under threat by Metallo, Parasite or Brainiac.
I completely forgot there was/is a way to reboot or retcon the film series.
SPOILER ALERT (don’t read further if you don’t want to be spoiled)…
The deaths in Smallville do NOT involve Chloe. You can check this week’s Ask Ausiello for proof. Throwing my two cents worth in there, my money is on Davis and Oliver.
If you look up the episode guide for season 8, it says that the final episode of the season is called “doomsday” so it will obviously be davis. I’m guessing they’re saving Lex’s return for next season.
My wife loves Smallville! You know, in Russia we saw only 6 seasons of Smallville :(
i wonder if its going to show how clark learning to fly this season, im also a big fan of the show, but have missed alot of previous seasons episodes, and rodney i agree with you of this having originality from the comic books, for me this season is tops the other, well from what i watched, if anyone has an opinion on the best season, please let me know, i will go out and buy it, thanks
Are you kidding ? This season is so good compared to previous ones. Seasons 1-4 were great, 5 was okay, 6 and 7 were terrible, but this one is just as good as the good old early series.
I missed a lot of last season (though I have it on DVD now) and have not been into it this year. But Rod your right, that clip made the hair stand on my neck!
I read that for next season, that 2 characters would be knocked off. Lana would make sense since she is not used as much now and Chloe would also work if they plan to wipe her out to take on the Watchtower. There has been speculation of a spin-off series since the first appearance of Aquaman. In fact the creators made a pilot for an Aquaman show with the actor that would later play Green Arrow on Smallville. You can even get the pilot on iTunes.
As far as those ragging on the show and continuity… from the premiere it was already set in its own universe. Lex in Smallville??? Come on it’s a fun show and yes it has it ups and downs but in the end it does not harm the legacy from the comics. They are separate. It’s no different than say making a movie based on comic book. When asked about V for Vendetta or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and how they would tarnish his polished works, Alan Moore said that they are not related, that his books are sitting on a shelf and stand on their own. The movies (and Smallville) are not connected to the works and interpretations from others.
Mike Mignola handles it even better (Moore hates every movie made from his work by the way). Mignola, the creator of Hellboy states that each medium (movies, novels, comics, animation, video games) stand alone and do not affect the others. That’s why he pushes form outside people to collaborate on them, so they have an individual look and feel.
I have never tuned into Smallville expecting it to connect to any of the Superman comics, past or present. I simply enjoy it for being popcorn TV programming. I do find it cool when they work in some way to cameo characters from the DC Universe.
Don’t get me wrong Rodney, I for one thought Brandon Routh was phenominal as the new Man of Steel, however we both know that Hollywood has the nasty habit of totally recasting actors if they plan on rebooting a franchise.
I just figured if Warner Brothers decides to kick Routh to the curb, Tom Welling wouldn’t be a bad replacement,but if they choose to recast entirely then who are they going to get to play the character??
I agree with you that there’s really no need to do a complete overall, that all that is needed is for someone to make a great script and have a truely unique villain to square off against.
I can honestly say that just about everyone who has already posted responses here, can come come up with at least a half a dozen or more cool ideas for the next Superman movie, without having to do a complete reboot and keep Brandon Roth on as Supes.
It’s a good show, a little to 90210 at times but good. I like when thaey stick to Cannon personally but this is a rare exception that works. That “Impulse” thing is still bugging me though is it a legal thing or what…is there a comic based reason for Flash not being Flash, I know they just re-launced his comic GL style.
Because Smallville is set in a “prequel” sort of way, they are showing a much younger Flash (in the first episode we see him in, Flash is on the run with a pile of fake ID’s all of which are names of various people to hold the name Flash)
The Teen Titans Flash Jr called himself Kid Flash, but after ditching the Kid Flash name he went with Impulse. I don’t think its a copyright thing as opposed to going with a version of Flash that might have been better suited for a Kid playing him.
Cyborg is also a Teen Titans character, but they tie him to the show’s Justice Team.
Makes sense. Thanks!