Smallville (TV Series) Reckoning (2006) User Reviews

A Heart Beats Only So Many Times In a Life

[claudio_carvalho · 10/10 · 19 June 2007]

Clark discloses the Fortress of Solitude, his origin and abilities to Lana and proposes her. Clark tells Chloe that he has revealed his secret to Lana and Jonathan Kent wins the election to the Senate. The happiest day of Clark ends when Lana dies in a car accident, and he summons Jor-El and forces him to revert time. The unexpected price he pays for Lana's life is a complete tragedy for his family.

The dramatic "Reckoning" is certainly one of the best episodes of "Smallville", with an engaging and very well written and directed screenplay and great performances of the cast, showing emotion and feelings. The tragedy in the end of the story is very sad, and I liked the line of Martha referring to Jonathan: "A heart beats only so many times in a life." In a world without ethics, we fans of this great series will miss the wise advices and moral behavior of Jonathan Kent. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): Title (Brazil): "Ajuste de Contas" ("Setting of Accounts")

Very sad yet beautifully written

[jennyxj09 · 10/10 · 5 March 2007]

This is the first episode in Smallville that got me on the verge of tears, and the best so far in the whole series. When a sad story is mixed perfectly with detective, emotional, mysterious auras, there are very few hearts out there that could not be moved at all.

Standing out with other motion pictures that dealt with time travel, Reckoning has an advantage, and that is a hidden reveal of a life philosophy, which tells people that now, the present, shadowed by events and decisions one had in the past, casts shadows to the future.

Ten stars might be involved with my emotions, but it is indeed the first one that happened to be my favorite.

One of the best episodes yet...but also very sad

[PiratesLyfeXD · 10/10 · 14 October 2007]

this episode was so sad for me, and I was basically in tears at the end of it. I will be so sad to not see Johnathan Kent any more.. he was one of the best characters and such a great father. But then again it would be extremely hard to choose between Lana or Johnathan... I will miss him a lot.

The episode was beautifully written, with 2 of Clark's most important moments happening at the same time : Lana finding out Clark's secret and saying yes to his proposal, and his dad becoming senator.

once again, the writers have made an awesome episode that never leaves you bored at the end.

10 stars for the emotions, the action, and the way the writers always find a way to surprise you at the end of the episode only leaving you wanting more :)

So Sad... but so well-done

[Rcwilkinson123 · 10/10 · 21 February 2008]

Clark's life changes forever in this milestone episode of "Smallville," the terrific, modern television reinterpretation of Superman in his earlier years.

It has taken Clark years to reveal his biggest fear: telling the truth to the love of his life who he truly is, and where he comes from. In making a decision to overcome his fear, tremendous events occur, causing Clark to plead with his biological father from Krypton to somehow alter the fate that has already occurred. His father agrees, but not without Clark paying a price on somebody else that he also loves dearly.

This is possibly the best-made episode of the series, from direction, to writing, to camera-work, production, sound, and music- and most importantly, and most movingly, acting. All of the actors bring their top-notch game for this pivotal episode, an episode that causes Clark to re-think his priorities and change the course of his life forever.

Best episode ever?

[bustaca · 10/10 · 8 November 2007]

This may quite possibly be the best Smallville episode of the entire epic series. The writers and director really went for broke with cinematography, the score, and the soundtrack. The twist within the episode is quite compelling as well.

The entire episode is so intensely dramatic, that one finds themselves gasping for air at several points during the episode, particularly during the last sequence when that heart-wrenching Peter Gabriel song is playing. A song originally from the soundtrack of City of Angels, a movie I didn't enjoy with a soundtrack that is phenomenal.

Also, I really like Lana in most of this episode, which is more than I can say for most of the series...personal bias I suppose. Everyone is great in this episode. If you want to get someone into this show without starting from the beginning, this would be a great episode to introduce anybody to this high quality television show.

Great 100th Episode

[mikejack0 · 30 January 2006]

I've always been a huge fan of superman in general as well as Smallville and I have to say this is Smallville writers at their best. This episode has everything that fans have come to love about the series although some viewers do find the "will they wont they" Lana and Clark thing a bit boring but hey we all know who he ends up with! There's some high quality action as well as a few references to the superman movies that the average fan will pick almost immediately.

The twist within the episode is really something to admire, the writers obviously put a great deal of effort into the episode to keep the viewer questioning everything until the end. I have to say its hard to find a decent show on TV nowadays that actually gets better as it goes on but this episode shows Smallville is definitely one of them.

The 100th, and the ending

[rpm003 · 8/10 · 18 January 2007]

First of all, what is the name of the song used at the end of the episode, and who sings it? I thought that the way the episode went it was good. It was one of the better episodes that has been done on the show in my opinion. The twists and turns that go throughout are much better than the one-dimension that many of the previous episodes fall under. You definitely have to pay attention during the episode, it is not like some where you can pop in a few minutes in and understand what is going on, it just does not happen in this one. It also dives into serious emotions that people can relate to. This is definitely one of my favorite episodes that was put out there by the series, it hits on so much. The emotional output by the actors is some of their best yet. If you enjoy the show, this will be one your favorites.

Hate this episode. But I love it so much

[cstevens727 · 10/10 · 27 June 2012]

Smallville is quite possibly my favorite show of all time. And I just got the Complete Series on DVD which is fantastic and I cannot stop watching it. I started from the beginning of the series and I just finished 'Reckoning'.

This episode is so emotional and extremely well done, it is one of my top three favorite episodes. There are twists and turns in this episode, and it just gets you so emotionally invested. Easily one of the best episodes in the whole series.

As much as I love it, I hate it at the same time =( Great episode, and very well done! Superman is the greatest hero of all time. And Smallville shows the path of a boy to a hero. In this episode, Clark Kent truly becomes a man.

Wow...just wow!

[JiS87 · 10/10 · 22 June 2020]

Yep, if this 100th episode isn't one of the show's best, than I don't know what is! It got it all!

The way that Clark's father left us, was like John Schneider said himself, in John Wayne-style like in The Cowboys... Though, I'm quite depressed and sceptical about the rest of the show that I am seeing just now for this first time (and 20y too late, I know), as since episode 1, I know that Schneider was clearly the heart of this show. Quite ending emotional indeed, and even more for those out there who lost their father in a similar way... As is the next episode, where you can see how difficult it is for Clark to cope with his loss.

Oh, and for the whiners and so called 'fans' who argued that they can't understand Clark somehow 'choose' his father over Lana, clearly should bloody start paying attention... Jor-el said cloud and clear that he only had ONE chance to change time, and his actions, and there would be a price for it....how on EARTH could Clark know this would be his father?! As he had only one chance, so he couldn't undo this anyway! And besides, from a logical, neutral perspective, I would use the words of John Hartigan in Sin City; "An old man dies. A young woman lives. A fair trade." Even Jonathan Kent agrees with this and looked back full of pride on his lived life, as we see in some episodes later...

Sad to see him go, but bold move from the creators! Looking forward for the rest!

Maybe best episode for now

[mrhfcb · 10/10 · 23 October 2019]

This episode was very sad episode & had all the drama , the episode was just perfect with the acting and filming and most importantly the storyline and the events So last but not least I don't know if Clark dad will back or not I don't know. I just Want to say to the actor and the character Thank you.

Rainy Days and Mondays

[hellraiser7 · 10/10 · 27 January 2021]

Warning do not read unless seen episode.

"All those things I can do, all those powers and I couldn't even save him." Clark Kent, "Superman the Movie"

This is one of my favorite episodes of all time and in general as well as one of the saddest episodes in general. This episode once again shows us mortality of not just Clark but the people around him in the world of Smallville and how even there no one truly lives forever.

Really love the scenes with Clark and Lana, it's always beautiful whenever those two interact at time I honestly don't know why whenever they hook up, they can't keep them there, I know that it's not in the cards for both of them but at least make their run good. But that's beside the point just seeing those two it really shows why Clark or at least good guys like him truly are a healthy significant other for Lana because they love her for who she is and treat her right. Even like that song choice they had for the scenes which fit right.

We see he takes Lana to the Fortress of Solitude and reveals his secret to her. It was just sweet relief and just beautiful because it felt like the love between them was just about complete. In a way also it was a bit of an homage to some of "Superman 1 and 2" only here it's with Lana. And of course, we then see Clark then propose to Lana and of course from her answer that's when you know it's complete, I couldn't help but cheer at that moment.

But then suddenly the unthinkable happens when a bad accident occurs, and we see Lana has just died. I'll admit the whole thing took like one long minute to register in my mind and I though "Oh my God.", the scene took me totally by surprise, I honestly never saw it coming a mile away; I knew that the relationship between both Clark and Lana wasn't going to go the distance, but I honestly never thought it would end this way. That feeling really gives the show a sense of reality showing none of us truly have all the time in the world with the ones we love.

It was truly heart sinking and put a small tear in my eye as the reality that Lana is truly gone was slowly sinking in, though what was even more heart sinking was seeing the look on Clark face of utter loss and heartbreak. So of course, we see him go to the Fortress of Solitude and like in "Superman the Movie" he turns back time to save her but of course Jor Rel warns him that even though he's been given a second chance to save Lana, nature is still going to take it's course.

Clark gets that second chance but unfortunately makes a bad decision as he wrongfully thinks that revealing his secret and asking Lana her hand in marriage is what killed her; as Alex Trebek would say, "That is incorrect." None of that had anything to do with her dying and Clark really didn't need to make that choice; in fact, all he needed to do just one thing which was to save the bus at the correct time which would save Lana's life and both could still get married.

At times it makes me wonder if both Clark and Lana did get married how different "Season 6" would have been. But also makes me which there could have been an Elseworlds like episode, where we would see them married and have a family.

The aftermath of that bad choice was bad enough, but we see things are about to get a hell of a lot worse. We see things are going right for Johnathan Kent as he's doing well on his road to being senator for the state of Kansas. I thought that was cool showing how truly far Jonathan has come and we really could of use people like him as one of leaders of our country back then in fact we need people like him more than ever right now.

We see him have a confrontation with Lionel Luthor, but after what he says to Johnathan it just makes Jonathan fly off the handle. I don't blame Johnathan for beating the crap out of Lionel, after everything he's done to him and the Kent's it would push anyone over the edge. Also, despite Lionel's good intentions and making some effort in redemption, but sadly it may already be too late for that as he's still being manipulative and a selfish gain in mind. We see unfortunately Johnathan's rage becomes too much for his heart. Even though I knew based on the lore of "Superman the Movie" this would happen, I personally wished to God it wouldn't happen as I and the rest of the fan love the guy, but there was just nothing I or any of us could do about it.

Those final minutes we then see Johnathan is held on by both Martha and Clark, He doesn't say anything in that moment, but he doesn't need to it was like from that look he was saying both of them I love you, and then just passes away. That moment just made me break down and cry.

The funeral scene is just so beautifully shot there was just a lot of beautiful imagery which even more added to the emotional weight we all feel. We see not just Clark and Martha, but just about the whole town of "Smallville" and people outside of "Smallville", along with ourselves that watch it. It just goes to show how many live Johnathan Kent has truly touched.

That last image is truly tragic and haunting, as we see Clark is the final one that is standing near the grave of Jonathan. Seeing that just shows that now Clark truly is on his own.

Clark is truly going to miss Johnathan Kent and so are the rest of us.

Rating: 4 stars

Wow...

[Eddy_Ficio1513 · 10/10 · 13 October 2021]

What a great chapter, going back in time in that way was absolutely great. In my opinion Lana should have stay dead. But that gives more importance to keep Clark's secret, and Jonathans death was so spontaneous. It was so sad and left you speechless.

I hated this episode

[CoolG91 · 7/10 · 29 April 2021]

I understand that technically this was a very well made episode, with the acting and the writing. But as a fan of the show I hated this. I understand that Lana and Clark are not meant to end up together but come on you have to kill her as soon as Clark reveals he's secret to her? Her call to Clark when she suspected that Lex knew his secret was also wrong, like why would she do that, it wasn't something that was certain. Also the second time after reversing time there are so many ways he could have told her the secret and prevent her from getting killed, like not proposing to her and keeping things on the down low for a while. I just hate how negative the writers had to make everything.

Terrible episode

[Xanusus · 1/10 · 29 December 2008]

I had intended to give a long lengthy breakdown of how awful this episode was but length constraints from the site prohibit me from getting into it in depth. Suffice it to say without detailed elaboration that this episode fails miserably due to obvious telegraphing and out of context character portrayals from previous seasons. This episode of so full of plot holes, superman mythology errors, and in the end Clark ends up looking like a moral degenerate murderer.

Why even bring Lois Lane into the series if you're going to make her look like chopped liver/second choice next to Lana? AWFUL! Just leave her out of the series if you were going to do that.

Gotta love Clark's selfish and cognizant choice to end the life of someone else so he can save Lana. Way to go! But hey I guess that's par for Smallville. They don't mind having Clark stalk married women so what's wrong with murder for our good moral Boyscout?

Reckoning

[minichloe34 · 6 February 2006]

This episode has more twists and turns than a Labryinth. A sometime confusing plot line makes this episode one of the ones that you would have to sit down and watch the whole hour, making sure you don't miss a beat. It's one of the ones where something happens and you look at the clock to see if that really could have been the end. As the Senate race heats up, the town of Smallville realizes that when something happens, it changes your life, no matter how small the event. The outcome is unbelievable if just one thing happens to tamper with what happens. Put all guesses aside as to who will bite the bullet because this particular episode makes you change your prediction every other second. As you watch this, think of your own destiny, but not too much or miss something. Try during the commercials. Then transfer your mind back to the screen and pay attention, you'll be glad that you have for the whole hour, or you will be really confused. Who will die? That's destiny's choice.

2nd best episode of smallville

[stupidorrange · 10/10 · 9 June 2019]

Reckoning was a really good episode. But what doesn't make it my favourite episode is that Clark chooses Lana over Jonathan. Which is a little weird. But overall this was a great episode. The acting was phenomenal. The story was actually the one of the best storylines for an episode and the ending was shocking. I have to say I recommend you to watch this episode.

Brilliant turn of events

[ajkbiotech · 10/10 · 22 April 2023]

The 100th episode of Smallville ends up being pivotal.

In iteration one, Clarke reveals all to Lana proposes, and she accepts. But later she visits a drunk lex Luther who drunkenly drives her her into a fatal car wreck.

Clark asks Jor-el for help. The answer is in a crystal which lets Clark relive the day.

This time, no secret is revealed to Lana. Angrily Lana breaks up with Clark.

Clark's dad wins the election but Lionel Luther wants payment for her campaign contributions. Jonathan Kent says no, but dies of a heart attack.

Lana visits Lex and the same traffic scenario plays out, but now Clark is there to save Lana.

Was Jonathan exchanged for Lana? That is the existential question as the episode ends in a snowy funeral.

CLARK SHOULD'VE LET LANA LANG STAY DEAD

[awbusa · 10/10 · 24 August 2021]

- MULTIPLE PROBLEMS with this episode - 1st : considering how LANA LANG leaves this series this should've been her last episode - 2nd : what was in the picture that LIONEL LUTHOR showed JONATHAN KENT ?

& why wasn't it explained ? , I want to know what that was all about - 3rd : MOST IMPORTANTLY the sex discussion is unnecessary and a little too graphic considering LANA slept with : WHITNEY FORDHAM & ADAM KNIGHT & JASON TEAGUE so basically she's the wrong choice to be CLARK KENT'S LOVE INTEREST - I don't like the SMALLVILLE version of LOIS LANE because she's just like the LOIS & CLARK version of LOIS LANE in that & SMALLVILLE after she found out CLARK KENT'S SUPERMAN she refused to let go of him even when it meant INNOCENT PEOPLE had to suffer -

Song choice spoiled episode

[Pearl24 · 8/10 · 3 January 2011]

This was such a sad episode in this season. However it was completely spoiled for me by having James Blunt "singing" as the sound track. This song is really awful and I am sure the powers that be could have found a better song.

The ending of the episode was so very sad, with the snow and everyone in black.

I also wonder if Lex would be alone in his house getting drunk when he has just lost the election. Surely his supporters would have been around him to commiserate? There is always a fire in the grate whatever the weather - this time it was appropriate as it was the middle of winter.

Groundhog Day in Smallville...

[m-47826 · 8/10 · 14 July 2023]

Only in this version it is very tragic and sad, in each of the different scenarios. I really liked Fanatic, it was a thrilling and good way to address the campaign race subplot properly. The other hostage taking episode however, was bland. And if it wasn't for the cop lady I liked, dying in a very « like her » way, it would be one to skip altogether. Reckoning is a special event for the middle run of the show. The part where Clark has to make a sacrifice. First Lana, in a very brutal and shocking accident. Then Jonathan, after Clark asked Jor-El, for a redo of the situation. I love the episode, especially for the rewarding scenes between Lex and Lana, hinting at their little romance next season. And Jonathan kicking Lionel's butt. But even though there seem to be a pattern in each fifth season of WB series, where the hero's most significant parental figure has to die. The way they did it on Smallville was honest and humble. Without outpouring of pathos, after the episode itself kept you with all its game changer moments. One thing I love the most, in this half of the series in general too, is the slow buildup to Clark and Lois's endgame. And those little nods are pleasantly dispatched. Even the way Lois looks at Clark during his father's funeral, showed she cared more than she lets on. Great soundtrack and cinematography too. I'm a little annoyed by that James Blunt song, but it was showcased nicely on the episode. And « I Grieve » was the perfect choice to translate Clark's state of mind during the closing scene.

Family should always come first

[tylerripley · 1/10 · 22 September 2017]

Now don't get me wrong I love Smallville is my favorite superhero show back in the day but looking back on the show this episode really sucked and why you may ask because of the selfish choice that Clark made to basically sacrifice his father to save Lana at this point in the show was the worst character on the show and it was because of his actions she ended up falling in love with Lex so over all this episode was good and its own right but because of course actions it made it worse the only reason I hate this episode is because of Lana