Episode Report Card Tippi Blevins: A- | 416 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT War Games
By Tippi Blevins | Season 9 | Episode 17 | Aired on 2010.04.09
Meanwhile, in the blood sample room, John is using his abilities to walk through the protective cage. He shoots beams of light from his eyes and the sample dissolves in a swirl. Back in Waller's office, she's taunting the "Blur" for protecting the streets of Metropolis while leaving Watchtower vulnerable. "I did not abandon her," Clark protests. In the checkered room, Chloe cringes away from the gun. "All you have to do to save her life is give one simple address," Waller says. Before Clark can answer one way or the other, the lights go out. An alarm sounds. In the checkered room, one of the gunmen asks for permission to shoot. Clark picks up on the sound of his voice.
What follows next is the probably most creative action sequence the show has had in a long, long time. Or possibly ever. As the gunman pulls the trigger, everything slows to a crawl, and then stops entirely. The ensuing fight takes place in freeze-frames that evoke comic book splash pages or panels. The "pages" are, in sequence: Clark busting through the doors; a gunman suspended in midair as a result of a super-shove, his gun flying from his hand; Clark, his coat frozen in mid-flap, punching another gunman; a closeup of Clark's pretty eyes; the bullet from Brennan's gun, departing from the barrel in a flash; Clark, halfway to grabbing the bullet; his hand stopping the flame-trailing bullet against a backdrop of Chloe's wide-eyed gaze. The action resumes at normal pace as Clark shoves Brennan into a wall. As Clark crouches beside Chloe to remove her gag, the sirens wail and the lights flicker on and off. One moment, Chloe and Clark are there, and then when they lights flicker on again, they're gone. It's just all so very awesome that the show needs a commercial break to recover.