ArgentNoelle

So I thought about how it could be fixed.

season 3

first of all, the “tests” Clark was put through to prove his worthiness don’t make any sense, especially knowing that the kryptonians wanted him back so he could fight(?) Lord Nor. So the first thing to do would be to re-structure the tests so they make more sense. Here is how I would re-write/structure the last few episodes of season 3:

(1) At the end of an earlier episode that would otherwise stay the same (it would have to be condensed somewhat to free enough time) would be the first test, which would now be the one where they are trying to see if Clark would save all of Metropolis or Perry and Jimmy. How Clark solved it would stay the same, but he and Lois wouldn’t know who made this test or why. It would give a bit of lingering suspense and worry.

(2) probably the next episode, although it wouldn’t have to be. This episode would have a whole new plot, taking an episode-slot from Lois’s really drawn out amnesia arc. They could have totally tied that up one episode quicker without a problem. This episode would have some sort of problem that Clark can’t solve unless he can get the people of Metropolis to follow his lead and help him with something. (Basically, in this, the kryptonians would be testing his leadership skills). Through the whole episode, you think it’s a totally unrelated plot. Clark is successful, and then, at the end of the episode, there is a scene where you see the kryptonians for the first time (a small council of them in a space-ship or wherever) saying something ambiguous like, “I think he may be the one. There is only one more test…” to get people really worried.

(3) This episode would take the place of “It’s A Small World After All” which would be totally cut. Instead, it would incorporate some plot-points from “Big Girls Don’t Fly.” Basically, in this episode, Lois & Clark, for some totally unrelated reason, have to go undercover pretending to buy a house. They end up dealing with Lois’s freak-out about not wanting roots and Clark really wanting a place to call home, but WITHOUT awkwardly bringing up his kryptonian parents for the first time in like two seasons. They end up finally deciding that they’ve spent so long not being able to get married, and decide to just get married the next day, and THEN, after that, have the wedding reception and invite everyone, so it can’t get messed up again. But… *dun dun dun* about halfway through the episode, just as they’ve made this decision, the kryptonians come down and introduce themselves to Clark and tell him about their problem with Lord Nor and why they need him to take his place with them on New Krypton. The people that are involved would be friends of the family/the household/etc. Clark would spend some time worrying about this and wondering if he should go. You’d have the scene where he goes to his parents and asks them what he should do and their answer. Then, at the very end of the episode, maybe after he’s decided to go, they reveal, oh by the way, you’re married.

(4) The finale of season 3 would have Lois and Clark freaking about about the fact that it turns out Clark is married to Zara, (who in this version WOULDN’T have been hanging around on earth beforehand); it would have the scene where she and Ching show Clark the hologram of his father, and if Clark hasn’t already decided, it would have him decide to leave for Krypton. If he has already decided, it would probably just draw out the pain of leaving for as long as possible, and deal with Lois’s worry that Clark wants to leave and her jealousy over Zara, and finally how she realizes she is going to let him go. It would probably end similarly to how it ended in canon, with Clark making a speech about why Superman has to leave earth and then zipping away.

season 4

I think the whole arc could be wrapped up in the first two episodes of season 4, like it seems they are trying to do badly.

(1) you’d have a time-skip of about a month. Clark is on New Krypton, trying to do politics to make sure lord Nor can’t gain more power/make peace with him/whatever. Most of the episode would deal with that, as well as the differences, big and small, of New Krypton as a place/culture. By this time, he gets along pretty well with his household, but is still really awkward about the “suddenly became nobility” thing, especially in public, but it’s played more as culture shock and less as… whatever the heck they thought they were doing in the actual episode. There’s a scene fairly early on where he and Zara are hanging out in public and acting fairly couple-y, so people are worried, but then they go into a private room and suddenly they are totally acting like just friends and Zara and Ching are obviously together. The three of them talk about the political situation and what they think of it. There’d also be a scene somewhat early on where Clark either gets or has a very minor injury, so that people remember he doesn’t have his powers on New Krypton. (It’s foreshadowing.)

There was a story I read once where Clark found a way to deal with the whole marriage thing by basically adopting Ching into the house of El, so that when he left, Zara could marry him and it would solve all the problems, and i think that seems like a splendid idea, so that’s what he’s done. So Ching is his adopted brother. (this could have happened either in or before this episode, or in the next one, but I kind of like the idea that it happened before this episode because it would add another dimension to their relationship.)

You’d also get some sad!Clark scenes, where he’s missing Lois desperately.

Now, you could also have a scene or two–very short! with Lois, on earth, missing Clark, but I think it would be a better idea not to have her in the episode at all, so it’s by her absence that her presence is really felt. 

Near the end of the episode, you realize that Lord Nor (who by the way they have re-cast) isn’t trying to actually work to make peace, but is being all sneaky and evil, and has sent an assassin to try to kill Clark. Clark manages to fight him off or escape or something, although he is injured, and then the secret is out what Lord Nor tried to do, and now it’s war.

(2) In this episode, instead of doing some kind of big battle-episode that Lois & Clark totally wouldn’t be able to pull off, you have a plot that revolves around Clark and a small group of people (perhaps including Ching and Zara, though I’m not sure) basically trying to sneak/fight their way into Lord Nor’s stronghold, to get him before total war can break out. It might start with their plan, and how no one wants Clark to be part of the team but he insists, and continue from there. (He is still injured from the last episode). Near the end of the episode, they manage it, and somehow Clark and Lord Nor end up in a room together or fighting or something. There are then three choices they could make–

one, they manage to capture Lord Nor and somehow bring him into the authorities or the equivalent

two, Lord Nor dies a Disney Villain Death

three, Clark has to kill him.

I would pick option two, because it’s dramatic, but depending on how much character-shaking-up they want to have to deal with in subsequent episodes they could also do option three. That would probably really mess with things though, so i think two is really the best option.

After this, there is celebration, the kryptonians ask him to stay, but Clark says he made a promise and he can’t. He really wants to get back to earth, still, he is at least somewhat regretful, and glad that he could have been able to help his people. He goes back on a spaceship to earth, with Ching and Zara, so he can say a personal goodbye to them, and then beams down. You see him disappear from the ship and them watching.

The last scene of the episode would be a fairly wide shot on the door of Lois’s apartment from the outside. It’s night; Clark is there, and he knocks on the door. “Lois?” he says. You see him from the back, all as part of this same shot. Then the door opens. It’s bright inside, so it puts him and Lois almost in silhouette. “Clark!” they hug, and Clark says, “I’ve come home.” Then they step inside and shut the door behind them.

~end~