Maria, Ann, thanks for the great feedback! To respond to some of the points you two raised:
Maria, was Clark jealous about Lois's drive to get the story? Or maybe the headline? I think, rather, that he was scared that she could have gotten hurt or even killed and he wouldn't have been able to save her, just like what happened to Lana. And Cat's forced to report in, but she isn't forced to tell everything she knows. Does that mean that she's trying to fight back, to assert her independence? Sort of. But soon she'll see just how futile her attempts can be.
Ann, in the pilot episode, Jimmy showed Lois how to pick a lock, telling her that he'd gained that skill in reform school and that it was a bum rap. I sort of hijacked that line and gave him a different skill. Hope the writers don't mind! And I'm glad you like to see Lois dressed up male, which she did in both the pilot and in "Chi Of Steel." So that's not original with me, either. (Note: Maybe you'd enjoy Wendy's
"When Larry Met Charlie." It has a LOT of Lois playing male dress-up, and besides it's a great read.)
Now, to the specific questions these very intelligent ladies asked. (Good thing neither one of them is giving me a letter grade. I'm not sure I'd pass the course.)
Do Jonathan and Martha see a change in their son?
Yes, and we'll see their reactions soon.
What would they think of Lois being the influence of that change?
You'll see that reaction soon too. I hope you find it true to form.
Would they think He betray Lana?
Great question. I think that Jonathan and Martha have their own grief to work through, in addition to worrying about Clark's state of mind. A friend of mine has a friend who remarried after his wife passed away following a long illness. His older daughter strongly disapproves of the marriage, while the younger daughter thinks the new wife is exactly what Dad needs. (I should also mention that the man is in his 70's, his daughters in their early 50's, and his new wife in her mid 50's. He has no real property or inheritance to leave to them; their money was mostly spent tending to the first wife's final illness.) Which daughter is correct in her reaction to the new wife? I don't know.
This question simply does not have an easy answer. Grief goes at its own pace, and those who have lost a loved one to a long, lingering illness sometimes seem to grieve less at the time of death. Often, however, in such cases death marks the mid-point of grief, not the beginning. So be prepared for some fireworks.
What happen to Perry's new BMW?
Maria, you're so practical! I laughed when I read this question. Since Lois isn't helping Perry fill out an insurance claim form, we can safely assume that she brought the car back. Maybe that's what the fight was over in the first place. She brought the car for proof, not to hand it over to the "other" crooks.
And what if Cat can't bring herself to betray Lois, and instead her parents are killed? Will Lois blame herself for Cat's parents' death as well as for Lana's death?
Ann, you always ground us. That's a complex question too, and it's something that will have to be revealed as the story progresses.
Next part up this evening! Thanks for reading, all!
