(S01E15) Tonight's episode started with a callback to last week's destruction of the solar towers by Clark. Then it turned into your average 80's horror flick combined with one of the 'Saw' movies.

One of the rules of casting for this show must be that every male character must be able to look good without a shirt. Both Oliver and Zod did just that in this episode. Zod looked good for a soldier that has been in battle and taken shrapnel while leading his army of American Apparel models. Krypton must have a great H.M.O.

Who else predicted the ending other than me? More on that after the jump.

It was telegraphed that Clark's blood, once it healed him up instantly, would activate Zod's Kryptonian powers. Even worse, he's already figured out how to fly. Whatever is keeping Clark from flying is psychological. That settles who the opposing sides will be in the season's final showdown. The question is, what role will Checkmate play?

It was also set up in dialogue about the return of John Corben a.k.a. Metallo, a nice callback to that story from the season's beginning.

The "A" plot seemed kind of silly, like something out of a "B" movie from the 80's. Dr. Bernard Chisholm (the hipster scientist with the cracked head) must have been given E.S.P. from the Kandorian experiments because he went right to Lois before she even became a crack reporter. Or is she already? The career storylines of the main characters are a bit confusing.

When I first saw his mask, I thought they were bringing back The Sandman from the Justice Society. Sadly, they were only showing model Kandorians in their underwear while under a giant helping of Saran Wrap.

More interesting was the "B" plot with Tess, Oliver and Chloe. It shows that Chloe is getting even more ruthless and sinister in her attempts to benefit the world, and Oliver is right there beside her (seeming more like the Batman clone that his Green Arrow is intended to be). Still, either Clark or Tess helping the Kandorians seems like a stretch. This year's arc doesn't feel as interesting as last year's with Doomsday (even though the ending was kind of crap).

There were no comic book "in" references for this episode that weren't introduced before (Amanda Waller and Checkmate, for example). How disappointing.

It was amusing when Zod stole the Daily Planet IDs and glasses. He was doing his future Clark Kent impression. Were those prescription glasses? If so, how did they not mess up his vision?

Crisholm was a good villain. His quiet insanity and menace seemed pretty real. Sadly, he got the 80's monster movie ending and likely will not return (but Freddy and Jason both repeatedly returned, so who knows?).

Tonight's episode was better than average and moved along the important plotlines of the season, which will likely be a Clark/Zod confrontation with some Checkmate thrown in. If we're really lucky, they'll give Clark the cape and call it a series.

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