Chloe and Jimmy

Chloe and Jimmy

by:  Brijeana

“Love doesn’t make the world go round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”

–Franklin P. Jones

“Somewhere there’s someone who dreams of your smile…”

--Unknown

The Chloe/Jimmy relationship on Smallville began in the season six premiere (“Zod”). Chloe Sullivan, still on edge from almost being torn apart by looters at the end of season five, shoots at a mysterious person creeping into her area of the deserted Daily Planet basement. Chloe is shocked to see that it is Jimmy Olsen, an unexpected blast from her past. But when he cracks a joke about never calling her back, Chloe’s shocked face relaxes into a smile. Later, during strange tremors caused by Zod, Chloe saves Jimmy from being brained by a monitor. At the end of the episode, Jimmy asks if Chloe would like to accompany him on a dinner date at the vending machine and she agrees to with a beaming smile. I smiled and laughed along with her. Chloe Sullivan had her own love interest at last.

“Been such a long time, I forgot that I was fine.”

–e. badu ~ Kiss Me On My Neck

Chloe Sullivan had been on Smallville since the very beginning, but as of season five had never experienced a lengthy romance. Chimmy had the potential to be a fun, light-hearted love affair. Chloe is fun, intelligent, ambitious and beautiful; it just didn’t make sense that her love life was virtually non-existent. Chloe is also such a giving, hard working person. To watch her working so hard toward her dreams and helping solve mysteries week after week but never getting – in the words of Erykah Badu – any water for her flowers was really frustrating. Finally, with the introduction of Jimmy Olsen, Chloe had someone truly devoted to her, someone who adored her, lavished her with attention and made her laugh. Jimmy seemed wonderfully young at heart and perhaps too immature for Chloe. Nonetheless, I appreciated Chimmy as a healing love for Chloe; a relationship that would possibly last for a season and then end amicably. I couldn’t wait to see Chloe having fun, laughing, going on dates, enjoying someone and being enjoyed – in short, I couldn’t wait to see her having a vibrant love life. Chloe would fall in love with this goofy, quirky, fun guy and be loved abundantly, unquestioningly, unconditionally in return. She would have a bit of off the clock fun and romance and then come out of her relationship with Jimmy (after a friendly breakup) renewed, refreshed and ready for action. In the process we would get to know a new iconic character, the future best friend of Clark Kent. I hoped Chloe and Jimmy would both look back on their relationship fondly.

We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.

–Anonymous

Sure enough, Chimmy brought light hearted romantic comedy to Smallville. In the three year span of their relationship Jimmy treated Chloe to vending machine dinner dates and creepy stake out make out sessions. He never missed an opportunity to encourage Chloe in her career (sometimes Chloe encouraged him right back), share a big scoop and was even willing to risk his life to take the perfect pictures for her articles. Jimmy planned surprise fancy dinner dates complete with whipped cream dessert. He surprised Chloe with delightful bouquets and unsucky Valentine’s Day thank you cards. He put up posters when she was missing and anaconda squeezed her when she was found. Dip kisses, ipods, surprise movie dates at work, hard to get tickets to wonderful events, chocolate muffins, boxes full of memories, acceptance hugs, the last thing we do on earth elevator kisses, surprise uneaten breakfasts, awkward tangos, heart felt wedding proposals, post engagement party redecorated apartments, breakfasts in bed and beautiful barn weddings; this delightful relationship was a refreshing change of pace from the doom and gloom aspects of the show. Jimmy appreciated Chloe as a desirable woman rather than a super hacker or a useful information source or… any of that. He proudly wore his love for Chloe on his sleeve. An episode with Jimmy Olsen was pretty much guaranteed to feature a smiling, happy and adored Chloe Sullivan. A hopeless romantic and very thoughtful, Jimmy treated Chloe like a princess. Obsessed with photojournalism, Jimmy eagerly included Chloe in every lead that he came across (or wanted to). Good times and bad times, Jimmy was always open and honest about his feelings for Chloe and where he stood regarding their relationship. I quickly began to see that I’d initially underestimated Jimmy Olsen and Chloe Sullivan had too.

Make me laugh; say you know what you wantYou said we were the real thing

–Tori Amos ~ Jackie’s Strength

Apart from his romance/friendship with Chloe, I saw that Jimmy was a wonderful character in his own right – long before “Identity.’ In “Fallout”, Jimmy took the initiative and investigated Lex Luthor. He persevered and schemed his way into a meeting with Lex. Once in the Luthor mansion, he used Lex’ own arrogance against him to nail a huge scoop on Lex Luthor’s schemes. The bit of information Jimmy photographed was instrumental in saving the world. Chloe and Jimmy – mainly due to Jimmy’s enthusiastic urging – became a sort of comic relief investigative team. In “Subterranean,” “Static,” “Noir” and “Sleeper” they work together to help save the day. It’s cute, quirky, awkward and fun. Jimmy enthusiastically included Chloe in his highest dream – to take Pulizer Prize winning pictures for a Pulitzer Prize winning article (Chloe’s article in Jimmy’s daydreams). He often encouraged Chloe to pursue stories which helped her push through hardships in her personal life and her preoccupation with superhero support on more than one occasion. I saw in Jimmy a bit of Gabe Sullivan – with his innocent enthusiasm, endearing dorkiness and down to earth charm. I saw a bit of early series Chloe Sullivan in his eager ambition and sunshine. In the Smallville Season Six Companion, Caroline Dries says, “When I write [Jimmy] I picture him as a magician, pulling tricks out of his sleeve all the time. He’s just high energy. He’s really good at delivering quippy lines, and he’s just a truthful character. You see he’s not scared of emotion.” Holly Harold says, “If there was ever a super hero waiting to be discovered I think that it’s Jimmy Olsen.” I completely agree. Watching Jimmy working with Lois Lane and even Clark Kent here and there – I could see that Jimmy had skills to bring to the table when it came to investigating. Not to mention he lightened up the show considerably when he was around. When I thought of Jimmy’s hard work, ambition, kindness, intelligence and goodness combined with the love he had for Chloe, I fell in love with Jimmy Olsen, gradually, as Chloe did.

“Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.”

–Carl Sandburg quotes

Chimmy was a romance unlike any other shown on Smallville. In Chloe and Jimmy’s relationship I could enjoy and appreciate the celestial delight of simple pleasures. It was about finding joy in the everyday, in normal things and the way love can sometimes sneak up on you in unpredictable ways. I enjoyed seeing Chloe slowly charmed into dating Jimmy and then slowly falling in love with him. Jimmy wooed Chloe. Over time Chloe went from being impulsive and casual in “Wither,” to cautiously considering in “Subterranean,” to the geek love of “Static,” to being completely won over in “Noir.” Chloe missed Jimmy in “Prototype.” She didn’t know if Jimmy could handle her secrets in “Cure” and was pleasantly surprised and relieved that he could in “Gemini”. Chloe decided to try romance with Jimmy again in “Hero.” Chloe enjoyed awkward make up breakup tango in “Sleeper.” After some major bumps in the road, Chloe finally came to believe that Jimmy – quirks, insecurities and all – was the perfect guy for her. She decided to call it forever in “Odyssey.” Both Chloe and Jimmy glowed with joy during “Bride.” Chloe thought Jimmy would be her happily ever after. I hoped so too.

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.”

–Horace

Alas, the weather in Chimmyville was not always sunshine and cloudless blue skies. Their relationship had to continually dodge the bullets of their pasts, secrets & lies, Jimmy’s insecurities, Chloe’s priorities, and Chloe’s lack of self examination. Despite Chloe’s growing regard for Jimmy, it quickly became clear that Clark would always be her top priority. No matter what Chloe said it seemed that Jimmy would always have insecurities about her true feelings for him. The ups and downs of their relationship were frequent and often dizzying. The Chloe and Jimmy secrets and lies broken record continued to play over three seasons; they would break up to make up again and again. Also, there were the problems created by outside forces. Chloe died again and again due to her healing powers. There were killer aliens on the loose. Chloe lost her memory and was possessed by Brainiac. Chimmy had plenty of flaws but these hardships also revealed unexpected depth of love and commitment between them. Despite being rather naïve and wearing his heart on his sleeve, Jimmy was shrewd and assertive when he needed to be. He called Chloe on her lack of self reflection often. At the end of Crimson he ended their relationship he felt Chloe wasn’t being honest with him or herself about her feelings. No passive aggressive guilt tripping there. When Chloe and Jimmy were going through rough patches in season six, he looked out for her well being and didn’t want her to get her heart broken (“Trespass”). After their break up in season seven Chloe opens up about her deepest secrets and Jimmy is a supportive friend (“Gemini”). After learning the truth, Jimmy wants to fight for a world in which meteor infected people like Chloe can live openly and without fear (“Hero”). The first half of season eight, Chloe fought for Chimmy and defended her relationship with Jimmy to a doubtful Lois Lane and a skeptical Davis Bloom. No, angst couldn’t completely extinguish the light and levity Chloe and Jimmy brought to the show when they were together. As I watched Chloe and Jimmy weather the storms of adversity and doubt again and again, I decided that I would go down with this Chimmy ship – no white flag.

Love in marriage should be the accomplishment of a beautiful dream, and not, as it too often is, the end.

– Alphonse Karr

If you love me let me know. If not please, gently, let me go.

–Anonymous

Things have taken a major downturn for the Chloe and Jimmy relationship. They aren’t a couple anymore and it ended in such a horrible, hurtful way. But I’ll never regret taking this three year journey with Chloe and Jimmy. There’s a part of me that will certainly rewrite history after the ceremony in “Bride” and imagine their happy honeymoon and beyond. As on the show, I imagine that they would have ups and downs. Chloe would have other pursuits, secrets that were not hers to tell. She would underestimate Jimmy sometimes and they would argue. Jimmy would have insecurities and be jealous over Chloe’s time and attention. However, when push came to shove their love for each other would pull them through: a love not blind to faults and flaws, a love that saved every petal of a single rose; a love worth remembering post lobotomy; a love that could support a friend with an enormous secret and wish for a world where she wouldn’t have to hide; a love that ran home to the Talon after a horrifying incarceration; a love that passed a psycho cosmo death quiz. This ship may have dashed itself against the rocks of Doomsday, but it’s a voyage Chimmy fans will never forget. To quote Chloe: Chloe and Jimmy’s relationship wasn’t perfect and that’s perfect for me.

“I miss you even more than I could have believed; and I was prepared to miss you a good deal.”

–Vita Sackville-West