"Liberty, equality, freedom" is what have been threatened by the vigilantes, postures General Slade Wilson (Michael Hogan) . The trust of the American people "lies in a new breed of hero and the league is growing." The President has appointed him to oversee the VRA. (Vigilante Registration Act)
4 miles off Coast of Florida: Aqua-man aka AC (Alan Ritchson) and a woman blow up an oil rig and then kiss as it explodes. Meanwhile back in Metropolis Dr Emil (Alessandro Juliani) removes the tag from Clark (Tom Welling). Oliver (Justin Hartley) found it hard to get to watchtower un-tracked and unnoticed. Clark says they're taking all the heat and they need to prove they're the good guys. Oliver thinks the VRA has got everyone scared. Cos of Godfrey they're no longer trusted like they were, "sometimes words are the greatest weapons." Clark believes in a system of laws and Oliver suggests Clark should sign up, which Clark takes seriously. Oliver agrees to do it instead as he's already compromised himseIf as Green Arrow.
Oliver dons dark shades and cap to talk with Lois (Erica Durance). He's also got a body double now, begging the question why his double hasn't been accosted or kidnapped. She's covering the conference and he needs to find out what the VRA entails. Clark was volunteering but Oliver "took him off the ledge." Ahh but Clark looked great standing on his ledge, (sorry, that was a ledge of another kind I know.) Lois is peeved Clark hasn't confided in her. Oliver tells her the world needs her.
Aquarium of the Atlantic, Miami: AC was easy to find and the time for talking has past for him. No one was hurt in their raid and he throws Clark into the pool. The woman is his wife.
Fort Ryan, Kansas: Lois interviews Slade regarding the VRA and brings him Cuban cigars and bourbon. He knows who she is that's why he agreed to meet her and gave her clearance, but she also advocates in favour of the vigilantes. They have to do their part, which is why Lois says the vigilantes do what they do. Lois snaps a photo of the blueprint on his desk and he hears the click from the phone. She shows him a lighter.
AC tells Clark the government can't be prevented from targeting them, but they can fight back. His wife is Mera (Elena Satine) and she asks Clark who his hero is. Th oil rig was a prison for vigilantes below the earth.
Tess (Cassidy Freeman) doesn't want Lois to write about the VRA as it's a conflict of interest and she thinks Lois' concern "seems personal." Oliver is registering. Tess asks if Clark is working with her and Lois makes up an excuse about him being on jury duty, which Tess knows isn't true. Lois calls the VRA more of a "water board" than being above board. Slade has rumours of war crimes surrounding him. Lois finds out he's building prisons all by herself. She attempts to stop Oliver signing but he's taken away after he does.
Lois threatens Dr Emil to reveal Clark's location. He gave in easily. Clark accompanies AC on the next rig run. Mera helped AC understand his "true origins." A not so subtle allusion to Clark and Lois. He's far more with Mera than he is alone. A reference to Clark keeping Lois out of this.
Oliver is put through a series of rigorous physical tests and Slade wants his help to being in other vigilantes. Oliver agrees to be his poster boy and Slade should give them a "chance to be heroes we all need." Slade reveals AC tied up Mera strips in front of Lois. Lois: "Brazen much." AC is embracing his destiny and leading his people. Part of another reference to Clark/the Blur. She knows Lois wants extraordinary and superior companions. Lois now calls her "squid lips." What's with Lois and her lippy comments. She made one to Lucy as well. Lois is in the dark, protected but not included. She's also surprised when she sees Tess and that she knows about Clark already. Tess says the alloy can change properties and can be used as a weapon. Lois has the blueprint to help locate Oliver. There's one operational facility in Alaska, so there's Lois' snowboarding comment coming into play from earlier, ha.
Oliver is being tortured as Lois said. Slade tells him he has flaws, a hero with no powers. Oliver is dunked. The alarm sounds and Mera breaks Oliver's glass cage, hydrating AC in the process, before she's caught in bars. Slade arms the self destruct. Hey it's just another chance for them to be shirtless! Clark reveals himself to Slade who calls him a "man of steel." Green Kryptonite bars surround Clark, they'll contain his kind in their place. Clark sees the Omega symbol inside Slade's head and the place explodes.
AC is glad Clark didn't find his "Davy Jones" down there. Clark prefers land to water. Clark wishes he could believe in what his parents raised him to believe. AC admires Clark's optimism. They stopped trusting each other and have to stick together. AC trusts Clark to do things his way. Clark kept Lois on the outside and AC believes Lois can handle what Clark does and who he is, but can Clark do the same to Lois. Lois moves into the farmhouse. Mera says Clark needs Lois, even if she isn't like them. She treats Clark as an equal and he should do the same.
Clark has to deliver justice not bombs as a patriot to this country. It's no longer Clark alone, but the two of them. He relies on her and she's the only one he's told about the darkness he tried to fight, but failed. Lois is everything Clark isn't. When Clark went off to save the world, she realized what her mother went through everytime her father left. "She was stoic." They're "in it together, no matter what."
Tess welcomes Lois to the team, finally. Clark tells them how he allowed something else through the portal he used to send the Kandorians away. They "can't see it to fight it. It feeds on fears, doubts and mistrust." It affected Slade. Omega is the sign of corruption. The darkness will affect everyone. Slade is shown to be still alive.
When looked at critically, or should I say seriously, Patriot was a rather confused, hurried episode. Lots happened but plenty didn't or was explained away too readily. This bears no reflection on Tom Welling's directing of the episode, just the way it was written. Clark keeping Lois out of the loop when he so openly confided everything, including his darkside, didn't make sense. Why not tell her about his intentions to sign up for the VRA, and everything else that was happening. This incidentally, led to Oliver signing up instead and subsequently being captured and tortured for his troubles to keep Clark's real identity out of the light. Similar to Lois going through all that pain of trying to keep Oliver's identity as Green Arrow from hitting the news, courtesy of Godfrey, but Oliver went ahead and admitted it himself in episode 10.3 Supergirl.
Clark still wants to protect Lois, so what did he say to her some episodes ago: that they compliment each other? Another secret he kept from Lois was Watchtower and Tess already being clued up on who he really is.
Seems this episode, primarily about trust, but Clark wasn't showing much towards Lois. And lots of exposition on trust too and patriotism. Perhaps a bit overboard (no pun) on the ol' red, white and blue, I mean, the Blur hasn't even stepped into his colours yet, or become Superman.
Then Godfrey and the Darkness he's let in is mentioned. (Though Darkseid hasn't been said by name by any of the team.) Also lots of references and similarities to AC and Mera's situation being similar to Clark and Lois. The need to let go and remain open completely. Surprised Lois wasn't angry at Clark for Tess knowing his secret already. She just seemed to accept it and that's not really like her, especially the way she didn't like Clark keeping things from her. Kansas is landlocked so where's the current and water AC and Mera need to swim away in, or do they have some kind of special transport, but who will drive that.
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