Stronger Than Me Alone Reviews

Episode 14: Stronger Than Me Alone

Joy Sowell (jsowell@MAIL.COM), 26 September 1999:

Okay, without spoiling anything, WOW!!

BTW, Phil, that was really nice about your dad. You are lucky indeed. Everyone else who hasn't read it, go read it now! <g>

StarKitty (jilectan@HOTMAIL.COM), 26 September 1999:

I'll have to second that! WOW!!!!! That was great! Wonderful! If you haven't read it yet, drop whatever you're doing (it's not as important, anyway :-)) and go read it! Now!

Wendy Richards (wendy@kingsmeadowcr.freeserve.co.uk), 26 September 1999:

Am I the first, Pam? Not the last, I'll bet!! (SPOILERS; quotes from the episode are in italics)

What a finish! Phil Atcliffe has certainly confirmed and added to his reputation as one of FOLCdom's very best and most accomplished writers. This entire three-parter was so well put together, the detailed plotting so plausible and building to a crescendo of a climax. And every time the reader thought it was over, Phil managed to hit us with yet another shock. The mix of screen captures with text have never been better; it was so much more vivid to *see* Superman fighting Luthor's ray along with the description of what it was doing to him. But even where there were no pictures, Phil's writing painted the images clearly; I could visualise the swordfight, and Luthor's growing panic, and ultimately his recognition of his own defeat. The description of his inability to look Clark Kent in the eye as he was led away by the police spoke volumes.

Luthor's growing mania was shown wonderfully, a vivid reminder of all the failed attempts on Superman's life and Lex's despair that nothing seemed to succeed.

And there was Lois’s deep love for her husband. Her despair at the thought of leaving him to his death was brilliantly put... and then came the shock when it was Lois’s embrace which gave Clark the power to close the weapon. Stronger than me alone, indeed...

There was great continuity from Movers and Shakers as well, which is something I wondered about after I'd read the episode. Did Clark, having seen how his counterpart survived in a universe where everyone knows his identity, come to think that it wouldn't be so bad as he'd always feared?

What more can I say? Everyone involved in Season 6 has given us one terrific year of truly magnificent episodes, a complex but compelling plot-line and a breathtaking finale. Phil has done a fantastic job of finishing up the season, but everyone else - Chris, Pam, Crystal, Carol, Kathy, Nancy, Sheila - equally deserve credit. It's been a team effort, and you guys have made a terrific team

Thank you for giving us two years of great episodes, and well done for a finale worthy of the name.

Nancy Smith (deimos1@earthlink.net), 26 September 1999:

I just finished reading "Stronger Than Me Alone". I can say one thing: the promos weren't kidding. What a fantastic story! Lex's final and decisive defeat by Clark would have almost been worse than dying, but that happened, too. He finally got what was coming to him, and what he so richly deserved. The partnership between Clark and Lois was well illustrated, the fact that a good part of Clark's strength comes from her, and vice versa--I'd say give the finale a 21-gun salute!

Allison Cavazos (acav460278@aol.com), 26 September 1999:

Great Episode It's Just I wish There Were Going To Be More. But The Legacy Of Lois And Clark Will Always Be In Our Hearts.

Juli Hale (jhale@preferred.com), 27 September 1999:

First of all, I just wanted to take a minute to say "Thank You" to everyone involved in S6 for what must have taken an amazing amount of time and effort. You all did a wonderful job!

The finale was absolutely wonderful! It tied up every loose end (unlike another infamous finale that we all remember <g>). While I was reading, the story just came alive for me.

The theme that Lois & Clark together are "stonger than (Superman) alone" is one I think is pivotal to their whole relationship. How else could a union between two people so different work as flawlessly as it does? For this reason, I think you made an excellent choice of having the continuation end with Lois' strength, combined w/ Clark's, save the day.

Then, the "man-to-man" confrontation between Lex and Clark was fabulous! In that sequence, we seem to see Clark reconcile his Kryptonian nature (power from within) and his human side. Putting the two on equal ground proves once and for all who the better man is--like we didn't know! <g>

Finally, referencing all the major villians that CK/S & Lois have defeated really seemed to pull everything together.

I was also happy to see into the future for Jimmy/Penny & Perry/Alice.

Thanks again!

Jenny Stosser (jenerator@ozemail.com.au), 27 September 1999:

What a wonderful conclusion! What a wonderful series. Almost all the ends were tied up - I think I must have missed previous references to Jaxon? - and the only thing missing was the elder Kents and Lanes.

This was much more satisfying to read/watch than Family Hour could ever have hoped to have been.

Thanks so much to everyone involved in both this season and Season 5. Maybe someone would like to plan an occasional series of telemovies showing us a continuation?

Annette Ciotola (AMCiotola@aol.com), 27 September 1999:

Well, I certanly can't top Wendy's review, I would never ever try

But I'd just like to say it was a wonderful finish, Phil. We finally have closure.

And nice *huge* thanks to the entire S6 staff. Stand up and take a bow, you all deserve it.

/me stands up and applauds .... LOUDLY

Charlotte Fisler (Cdfisler@AOL.COM), 27 September 1999:

I can't wait long enough to finish it to "review' it, so here is my preliminary thoughts, based upon a skim reading, with stops along the way to read and savor certain parts.

(Yeah, well, I've said often enough, I try not to read anything fully until I know how it all turns out BG)

This one is a winner, big surprise I know. What did we expect other than a great conslusion.

Spoilers:

First 'Thanks Phil' for keeping your promise from early in Season 6 and finally 'getting' Lex Luthor, although destroying his physical body completely might be considered overkill. Naah.

The story with the use of a the ''ultimate version,' of the disruptor which showed up in Lois and Clark twice before in altered formats, was wonderful. Radiation similar to Kryptonite - Great.

Great Waffy scene with Lois actually making physical reality of the notion of how her strength adds to Clark/Superman in the final distruction of the weapon.

Good to see Clark fighting and defeating Lex without powers. That was one of the best aspects of Clark's defeat of Jason Trask, another villian I personally hated. And the use of 'recalling' Clark's previous episodes, both on the show and in fanfiction, where he 'learned' the skills to fight without superpowers was particularly gratifying.

But the thing that was the very best about this episode and the entire season 6 was that the authors, each and every one of them, gave us something ABC and WB both never did, whether by plan or design. I'm talking about Closure.

Whether or not we ever get a Lois and Clark movie, you give us that in the final waffy reflection by Clark and, especially, Lois about her relationship with Clark Kent from the pilot on, showing how it changed over the course of four wonderful years. And I don't even need to mention the closures for Alt Clark and his Lois and for the medieval Lois and Clark from Soulmates, for Perry and Alice, and for Jimmy and Penny.

What more can I say but Thank you, Thank You, Thank you, each and everyone of you. There is no need for any more closure, but for heavens sake don't stop writing. Remember the World of the Imagination has a myriad of ways for things to happen and I will read each and every one. After all Superman is the greatest and best of the Superheros.

Merry Truitt (truitt22@flash.net), 27 September 1999:

Phil - I thought that this was a powerful, moving story. Very waffy. Wonderful ending to the season - but I'm going to miss the continuing storyline. This was the best one of your the 3 in your series. I enjoyed it very much.

JoMurf (jlgibson@std.shiloh.com), 27 September 1999:

To the whole S6 team: Fantastic, Marvelous, SUPER job! What a season!

Phil, this ep was great! Wendy said it so well, but I had to chime in! Nice closure, with ALL the characters! I love reading about L&C (obviously), but its great to read about our favorite supporting characters as well!

The ironies, the WAFFs, and the WHAMs were well done, and well written. I definetly think that TPTB missed out in not employing you!! (actually the whole S6 team for that matter!!!)

Thanks for a wonderful season.

Tanja Lindqvist (a98tanli@student.his.se), 27 September 1999:

WOW! Oh boy! I love it!!!

And that's just my initial response after reading this story. You guys really do know how to end on a high note! Lex Luthor finally got what he deserved (IMHO of course).

I wanted to read the last episode so badly I stayed up until early morning (European time) to be able to read it the same day, I just couldn't wait until Monday night... And it was definitely worth it, despite my lack of sleep today :-).

Amy Lauters (alauters@csd.uwm.edu), 29 September 1999:

Wow. This was an amazing way to finish the odyssey of the fifth and sixth seasons of Lois and Clark. Congratulations to everyone who participated.

Laurie Dunn (DUNNFOUR@AOL.COM), 29 September 1999:

Just finished the final episode of S6! Your writing was rich and descriptive. The action was entirely believable (in the L&C world), and brought all the plot lines/ themes to a wonderful conclusion. Great effort, Phil!

I, too, am guilty of not posting my comments after every episode. Thank you everyone for a fabulous Season 6. If only WB could have consulted you for ideas and continued filming.... <vbg>

Tank Wilson (TankW1@aol.com), 1 October 1999:

I just finished the final episode of S6 last night and I have to say it was terrific.

Phil, the final arc was tense, engaging, humorous, compelling, interesting, well plotted, and logically coherent. Or better said, it was *really* good.

Of course this was typical of the entire S6 effort. I can't say there was a single story that I didn't absolutely enjoy. Kudos to everyone who contributed both as a writer and as editor and controllers of the continuity. This season was more like one long continuous story rather than a bunch of lumped together tales, and that's to the credit of everyone involved.

Thanks so much for a great final season.

StarKitty (jilectan@HOTMAIL.COM), 1 October 1999:

Wow! Killer episode! I loved it! Too bad there won't be a season 7 ...

Irene D (sirenegold@YAHOO.COM), 1 October 1999:

What a wonderful way for the series to end! All our unanswered questions from the series have been dealt with, and we've been royally entertained along the way.

Thanks, Phil and thank you to all the other wonderful S5 and S6 writers!

Franz (Fussball91@aol.com), 4 October 1999:

Well done. I'm ecstatic to see Luthor come to a "Just End." I enjoyed your knowledge of the Japanese culture. I think it gives the reader some insights to the author of the story. I've read every episode of Seasons 5 and 6. I enjoyed every one of them, and am sad to see it come to an end. Thanks again for your efforts, and they're well appreciated by us.

Robin Harris (rharris@cdfohio.org), 4 October 1999:

I am one of those people who have thoroughly enjoyed all the hard and beautifully realized work of the folks who put together Season 5 and 6, but who has never expressed my gratitude. THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING.
I waited patiently for each episode of Season 6. My patience was rewarded time and time again, but you should know, I couldn't put the finale down. I kept telling my husband, "this is great, this is great!" I loved how everything came together and how clearly Phil illustrated how the contributions Lois and Clark make to their relationship produce a much larger, stronger whole. The action was wonderful too. It was very gratifying for Clark to defeat Lex without superpowers. I'm happy Beth got away to what will hopefully be a better life. I worried about her.
My best to you all. Please keep writing, and editing, and coordinating.

Read the episode | Add a review

Miscellaneous reader comments