Smallville (TV Series) Traveler (2008) User Reviews

we learn what veritas is, but not what it's for

[joh03096 · 7/10 · 30 December 2012]

Isn't it a little unfair to be criticizing Lionel for the things he did before he became Jor-El's emissary? Lionel's methods have been suspect recently, but not his intentions. He's always done what he could to protect Clark. Lionel has been saying for ages now that he's a different man. Is there any reason not to believe him? All the people Lionel is accused of murdering in this episode died long before he changed. (And when Patricia Swan is murdered, it seems to have been at Lex's hand, not Lionel's)

When Clark confronts Lionel about being kidnapped by him, Lionel says he had been getting threatening letters about people trying to kidnap Clark. Clark asks why Lionel didn't just tell him about the threats. Right? That makes sense. A little communication here and there would do this show wonders. Maybe Clark wouldn't have had to be kidnapped. Maybe Kara wouldn't have run off to Lex when her memory was gone. Maybe, maybe not. But at least I wouldn't be frustrated with every episode, constantly asking why no one is talking to anyone else.

So, anyway. We learn that Veritas is a secret organization of people who predicted the coming of "the Traveler." We learn that all the famous rich families in the series were part of Veritas. We don't quite learn what Veritas wanted with the traveler. All in good time, I suppose. The revelation of Veritas wasn't earth-shattering, but satisfying enough for one episode.

story behind the story

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 5 September 2022]

The real backstory to Smallville is the tale of two young and very talented producers who accidentally grabbed a tiger by the tail and ended up doing one of the most successful 10-year series in history. Props to them. Through the series, the cinematography is never less than perfect, ditto the casting. The scripts vary. This is one of the better episodes in the later seasons, true, but the first few seasons will always be the standouts. And the final ending of Smallville in s10 is THAT WHICH SHALL NEVER BE MENTIONED. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Revealing in the entire series' backstory

[Rcwilkinson123 · 10/10 · 21 March 2008]

Many questions concerning prominent, wealthy families that have one time or another been involved in Clark's life are answered in this very revealing and plot-progressing 146th episode of the series.

Lionel hires men to taser Clark and trap him in a kryptonite cell. What is Lionel's reason behind wanting Clark imprisoned? This is revealed when Lionel meets with Patricia Swann, daughter of the late Virgil Swann (played by Christopher Reeve), the doctor who told Clark his origins. Patricia believes that there was legitimacy behind a secret society among four prominent, rich families- the Luthors, Swanns, Queens, and Teagues- called Veritas, that discussed the coming of the 'Traveler' from a faraway galaxy. She accuses Lionel of killing these society members so that he could have the Traveler all to himself, and demands to see the Last Son of Krypton. She explains that Lionel has done his job as part of Veritas, and that she now must do hers.

Meanwhile, Lex is keeping Kara in his mansion, feeding her false facts about her past as to skew her memories. He is also monitoring her on camera, and wants to give her neurological treatment to try to regain her memories so that he may understand his questions about Clark. Chloe and Lana decide that they must try to save Kara and try to restore her memories and powers if Clark is to be saved.

This episode has everything that you want in a good episode of television: reveals, action, good writing, and fantastic acting. On top of all these qualities displayed in this episode, it also contains special effects that have come a long way on Smallville since its early seasons. A truly intriguing episode.

Quite possibly the best episode of Smallville in years!

[griffolyon12 · 10/10 · 22 March 2008]

Traveler is the fourteenth episode of Smallville's seventh season. Throughout the first half of this season I had felt that Smallville was kind of losing its touch, but starting with the episode Gemini things started to go up hill and each episode since then has gotten progressively better, and now we reach this episode Traveler which is not only the best episode of season seven thus far, but quite possibly the greatest episode to air ever since the fifth season ended.

The story of Traveler begins with Clark in his barn loft. These men in uniforms rush in with guns full of Kryptonite darts and kidnap Clark, they then take Clark to an abandoned warehouse and put him within a Kryptonite Cage. Soon Chloe and Lana discover Clark is missing and begin doing some deep detective work to find Clark and save him, but they soon learn that the only one who can help them save Clark is his cousin Kara, who still has amnesia, and to make matters worse is living with Lex. Chloe and Lana must break into Lex's mansion and get Kara and try to help her get her memory and powers back so that she can help them retrieve Clark. Still, even after all of this, the big question is who is holding Clark captive? Lionel, Lex, or Patricia Swan, the daughter of Dr. Virgil Swan, who has come to Metropolis to see Lionel, accusing Lionel of her father's death and talking about some secret society known as Veritas, which somehow has a connection to the Last Son of Krypton.

As I said this is one of the finest episodes of Smallville I think I have seen ever since the WB turned into the CW. The episode's pacing was picture perfect, you never felt that anything was being rushed or was taking too long to develop, which is something I have felt that Smallville has had some trouble with for the past two seasons so I am glad that they seem to have fixed that problem with this episode. As well the writers and director of this particular episode need a huge pat on the back for creating a classic episode that has deep ties with the show's overall mythology. Within this episode we learn more about Dr. Swan and his mission in trying to help Clark, through his daughter Patricia. That particular part of this episode was definitely one of the most exhilarating, it made me feel like I was watching a season three episode in season seven, which might have been a large reason as to why I enjoyed this episode so much, since the third season is my favorite season of Smallville.

Overall this was a great episode that stands tall with some of Smallville's finest, and it is one of the first episodes of this show in a long time that I was simply blown away upon viewing it.

A picture perfect 10 out of 10!

Am I the only one who notices these plot holes?

[colaof · 4/10 · 6 June 2016]

You know, if not for the giant sized plot hole I would probably give this episode one of my highest ratings ever, but seeing as I've been binge watching the entire series over the last few weeks it makes all the inconsistencies of this series all the more apparent. For the first time we learn that Lionel, the Queens, and Swan were part of a secret society called Veritas that was apparently founded to protect the "Traveler" aka Clark, or something like that. Not really clear on the details considering this all came out of left field. I'm sorry, but this makes no sense to me. Looking back at the earlier seasons I find it hard to believe that all that time Lionel was aware that there even was a Traveler. It seems to contradict just about everything he did early on. It seems to me the writers were running short on ideas, and just decided to try and throw in this little twist. It might have worked great if it made any sense whatsoever, but it doesn't. Unlike the people who had to wait 7 years to see this episode, and probably forgot a good portion of the earlier seasons along the way, those episodes are still fresh in my mind. I find it hard to believe that this wouldn't infuriate the die-hard fans though. Of all the plot holes, and inconsistencies I have to say that this one is the worst. It is absolutely ridiculous. I'm happy Kara finally got her memory back. I was starting to get a little peeved at Clark for not telling her the truth. I did kind of hope it would come back to bite Clark though, seeing as his not filling Kara in had pushed her right into Lex's waiting web of deceit. It would have served Clark right. Kara had a right to know, and who was Clark to deny her the truth. I can only imagine what he would have done if someone had done the same thing to him. Which is one thing that made his kryptonite cage in this episode all the more enjoyable. Clark is such a self-righteous hypocrite, who thinks he can control, and knows what's best for all those around him that it was kind of nice to see him suffer a little bit. If not for the impossible storyline that brought it about I would probably rate the episode at an 8, but because it makes no sense at all logically I can barely bring myself to give it a 4. And believe me, I'm being generous with that.

Do I praise the episode or tear apart the context. I am going to rip the context.

[daniel-j-stratton · 5/10 · 8 June 2018]

The first 5 seasons I did not care about multi-episode arc stories because everything always shook back to the same equilibrium. Then they start doing well writing stories like the fake pregnancy, revenge, obsessions of the psychotic, and how those obsessions of psychotics can turns those around them into psychotics... mainly the Lex/Lana relationship.

So I come into season 7 and are treated to a great early season multi-episode story of the Daily Planet new editor. These were good ideas executed well. Then we get to this episode which is on its own not an entirely awful episode and guessing from where we are in the season and the title of the next episode probably helps set up this next multi-episode story of Veritas and wherever that leads us.

However, this episode comes 2 episodes after Fracture. Fracture the episode where Clark spoke to little Alexander and promised he would be on the lookout for the good in Lex. At the end of this episode he is writing off the entire Luthor family as beyond saving. I do not mind the season long shifting of allegiances. It is probably 2 or so seasons over due for Lionel to spend some time on the outside of the inner Clark circle, but 2 episodes after Fracture, really? Then what the heck was the point of risking both Clark's and Lex's deaths by chasing after Alexander and talking to Alexander for? Clark's remebers where Kara is when he wakes up, so he should remember this as well. Then we get this and I am mad as heck.

Unrelated from this episode in particular I think Smallville stole some of episode ideas whole cloth from Star Trek Deep Space Nine. I first got suspicious when they did the Phantom making Clark think he was in Belle Reve episode, it was basically the exact same show as Shadows and Symbols and Fracture is basically the same thing as extreme measures. It is possible Deep Space Nine ripped those off from somewhere else but that is where I know them from.

Allalal

[mattyteo · 10 September 2018]

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