twelfth episode fifth season superhero television series episode overall series originally aired united_states january united_kingdom march episode written directed series follows adventures young town kansas superman episode clark reveals secret consequences learn results election life clark loves taken originally potential episode decided main characters killed concept positively received studio executives compared departure theme episode clark accept consequences decisions identity deceased secret script given fewer people network issuing promotional trailers featured possible deaths premiere earned nielsen household rating watched approximately million viewers united_states estimated viewers united_kingdom episode received generally positive reviews commentators felt death emotional pivotal faction fans unhappy choice preferring killed instead plot sits holding piece coal waiting arrive takes transported shock looks fortress clark expresses fear drifting away secret decides reveal powers clark uses coal diamond ring proposes marriage afterward clark reveals parents tell old decisions advice father initial doubt returns kent farm accept clark proposal holds election party supporters learn defeated race gets meets mansion seeing engagement ring realizes knows clark secret aggressively leaves follows attempt apologize distracted school bus hits car killed clark realizes life price stamp promised collect resurrected clark hidden provides crystal allow clark reset day warns universe find life exchange clark takes crystal sent moment appeared barn time clark decides reveal secret causes break upset clark goes metropolis tells including lived day proposal promises eye prevent accident election party arrives leaves calls time kisses learns break causes leave pursues time clark arrives time stop bus goes farm receiving mysterious party greeted knows clark secret shows picture causes begin punching anger dismisses walks yard breathing heavily martha clark drive catch ground taking final look family dies arms martha clark funeral clark close friends attend clark person grave site leaves picks handful dirt father grave production writing originally writers developed potential episode clark married clark parents die producers eventually chose kill parents producers debated idea characters dying realized resonance clark parents basic plot decided group writers flesh story story went development details arranged main story line developed supervising producers presented executive vice presidents executives enjoyed story senior executive called episode plot great noted cool writers explained title decided script finalized explained theme revolved idea idea expansion hidden clark resurrected biological father informed clark life loves exchanged future payment bringing clark plot episode clark god death requested executive producers beginning season according idea specifically chosen featured 100th episode explained reason chosen die going season year boy man point mentor father figure die order clark ultimately step embrace destiny happy way killed argued character exited like hero furthermore drew comparisons finding empowering death originally scene shot featuring clark bringing father dead body scene ultimately cut according sounded great paper felt like bit step episode later called scene rough script formulated sent additional notes drafts sent production studio network notes finally wrote episode script went drafts final version finished half weeks production began normally script episode different people including sets props wardrobe episode featured death production staff writers kept secret fact script episode printed red paper attempt filming director found shooting episode difficult father recently died noted left funeral vancouver direct episode emotions poignant filming artificial snow continuously sets cast crew kept costume set supervisor series jokingly called explained huge scenes fortress sure synthetic snow stick actors filming stated production staff wanted climactic scene death big event originally staff wanted car accident caused train able afford special effects pull scene sequence written feature bus crash noted unable afford bus wreck written little car wreck entire sequence death choreographed series stunt coordinator stunt double described scene important important lot people car crash different shots filmed driving car process trailer mounted camera separate shot filmed stunt double driving lead car attached dummy car driving road high speed bus driven perpendicular direction dummy car attached bus hit pull lead car timing crash practiced times rehearsals car smashed bus positioned ground effect actually car wreck broadcast reception originally aired united_states january network promoted episode videos snowy suggesting die episode earned nielsen rating meaning roughly percent television equipped households tuned episode viewed million viewers ranked seventy watched episode week episode second watched fifth season episode earlier entry seen million viewers aired march reached viewers making fourth watched program week received positive reviews commentators critics felt death emotional choice expressed preference died especially true fans angrily opined views fan sites guide wrote watch best hours season big fan gave episode largely positive review called great episode overall called scenes leading funeral moving noted loss blow emotional state series main characters audience mocked old moon pie eye situation fact didn die television pity gave episode noted death fanatic named episode second best episode coming ninth season entry absolute justice wrote death pivotal moments noted episode helped shape clark man chapter sacrifice salvation heroic survival amid changing television trends book called chronicles critical essays television series called episode noted presence clips funeral eighth season premiere odyssey helped subtly creatively reboot universe later life production staff happy finished result wrote episode tour force writing directing acting jokingly noted end episode audience shame called entry thrilling exciting noted departure series producer particularly proud final cut noting highlight season episode remarkable
Reckoning (Smallville)