Okay, so let's talk about your examples here under one and two conclusions I have drawn over the course of all seasons. --Go back to "Cool" for Chloe's explanation of coffee date.--
"It's not a date, date. It's a fact finding mission to see if he deserves a date."
My conclusions:
(1) The Coffee Drinker is the third wheel of a live triangle. The coffee server is in control of the triangle (see Lana/Clark/Chloe). Also, in later episodes, the third wheel has been dropped for the most part. So it's one on one. (2) The Coffee Drinker is the person that can be trusted with knowing about Clark's powers and give advice on to Clark about his real persona.
Toxic - 8.03 Lois drinks Clark's coffee -- Lois tries to force Clark and herself into a "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Clark brings the coffee and she steals it from him. She gives him the illusion of control over their potential romantic relationship.
When I saw this the first time, I knew that Lois would learn the secret in a future episode. Jonathan and Chloe had been the established coffee drinkers for a long time, they were also Clark's go-to people when it came to the secret.
Instinct - 8.04 Lois fills her cup with coffee when Clark appears. She makes Clark hold her cup (sort of forcing the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Could be a coincidence but in an episode that says Lois and Clark should end up together and Clark doesn't know it yet, I think not.
Prey - 8.06 Davis and Chloe met at The Coffee Stop to talk about them. No coffee is drunk so they basically agree that they're not in a relationship even though the fact that they meet would suggest they want to have a "fact finding mission." Translation -- they should date but will not.
Bulletproof - 8.12 Lana serving coffee again to Clark. I didn't need spoilers to know they were headed down a romantic path. At this point Clark is hesitates. He doesn't want to be the drinker and have the unhappy end. Lana as drinker was going to have the bad end. I cheered when Clark didn't drink. But cried when he went to the coffee shop to re-establish his romance with Lana.
Power - 8.13 Jump to (2)--Chloe can be trusted. Clark and Chloe talk about Chloe's ability to keep a secret and Clark's powers. She's holding the cup of coffee.
Clark: This is different, Chloe. I have abilities. I can take care of myself. Lana can't. Look, Chloe, all that matters now is finding her. Please, you have to tell me everything she said to you.
Infamous - 8.15 Lois drinking coffee again tells me she can be trusted with Clark's secret. It also tells me that she will be disappointed romantically. There's a sort of repeat of "Cool" too. In "Cool" Clark takes Lana to a coffee shop but ends up giving Chloe a cup of coffee. Outwardly Clana was the couple, but when it comes down to it, it's Chloe that he's been "having fact finding missions" with. Same principle with Lois. They set up a date, he stands her up, yet enables Chloe coffee drinking.
Turbulence - 8.16 Chloe drinks coffee and can be trusted to give input on Clark's powers.
Hex - 8.17 The intern brings EDChloe coffee tells me that the intern is trying edge a date out of Lois. The Chlark breakfast sharing seems to reaffirm that Clark/Chloe are still exploring the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date, both drink pointing out that they are both experiencing a certain level of heartache. They mention Jimmy and Lois but the sharing of coffee equally makes it feel they should date each other.
Stilleto - 8.19 Lois stupidly decides to entrap the Blur into a story. She brings coffee to Clark. Perhaps to say, "Look at me! I can be trusted with knowing the Blur's identity". Clark's not impressed.
Beast - 8.21 Not sure I have anything for this one. I don't remember it. This could be metaphoric evidence of Chloe being in a bad situation with Clark and Davis. The coffee drinking is an omen for bad stuff to happen.
I'm going to skip S9 bc I really haven't watch it that much and I'm getting a bit wordy here.
no subject
"It's not a date, date. It's a fact finding mission to see if he deserves a date."
My conclusions:
(1) The Coffee Drinker is the third wheel of a live triangle. The coffee server is in control of the triangle (see Lana/Clark/Chloe). Also, in later episodes, the third wheel has been dropped for the most part. So it's one on one.
(2) The Coffee Drinker is the person that can be trusted with knowing about Clark's powers and give advice on to Clark about his real persona.
Toxic - 8.03
Lois drinks Clark's coffee -- Lois tries to force Clark and herself into a "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Clark brings the coffee and she steals it from him. She gives him the illusion of control over their potential romantic relationship.
When I saw this the first time, I knew that Lois would learn the secret in a future episode. Jonathan and Chloe had been the established coffee drinkers for a long time, they were also Clark's go-to people when it came to the secret.
Instinct - 8.04
Lois fills her cup with coffee when Clark appears. She makes Clark hold her cup (sort of forcing the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Could be a coincidence but in an episode that says Lois and Clark should end up together and Clark doesn't know it yet, I think not.
Prey - 8.06
Davis and Chloe met at The Coffee Stop to talk about them. No coffee is drunk so they basically agree that they're not in a relationship even though the fact that they meet would suggest they want to have a "fact finding mission." Translation -- they should date but will not.
Bulletproof - 8.12
Lana serving coffee again to Clark. I didn't need spoilers to know they were headed down a romantic path. At this point Clark is hesitates. He doesn't want to be the drinker and have the unhappy end. Lana as drinker was going to have the bad end. I cheered when Clark didn't drink. But cried when he went to the coffee shop to re-establish his romance with Lana.
Power - 8.13
Jump to (2)--Chloe can be trusted. Clark and Chloe talk about Chloe's ability to keep a secret and Clark's powers. She's holding the cup of coffee.
Clark: This is different, Chloe. I have abilities. I can take care of myself. Lana can't. Look, Chloe, all that matters now is finding her. Please, you have to tell me everything she said to you.
Infamous - 8.15
Lois drinking coffee again tells me she can be trusted with Clark's secret. It also tells me that she will be disappointed romantically. There's a sort of repeat of "Cool" too. In "Cool" Clark takes Lana to a coffee shop but ends up giving Chloe a cup of coffee. Outwardly Clana was the couple, but when it comes down to it, it's Chloe that he's been "having fact finding missions" with. Same principle with Lois. They set up a date, he stands her up, yet enables Chloe coffee drinking.
Turbulence - 8.16
Chloe drinks coffee and can be trusted to give input on Clark's powers.
Hex - 8.17
The intern brings EDChloe coffee tells me that the intern is trying edge a date out of Lois. The Chlark breakfast sharing seems to reaffirm that Clark/Chloe are still exploring the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date, both drink pointing out that they are both experiencing a certain level of heartache. They mention Jimmy and Lois but the sharing of coffee equally makes it feel they should date each other.
Stilleto - 8.19
Lois stupidly decides to entrap the Blur into a story. She brings coffee to Clark. Perhaps to say, "Look at me! I can be trusted with knowing the Blur's identity". Clark's not impressed.
Beast - 8.21
Not sure I have anything for this one. I don't remember it. This could be metaphoric evidence of Chloe being in a bad situation with Clark and Davis. The coffee drinking is an omen for bad stuff to happen.
I'm going to skip S9 bc I really haven't watch it that much and I'm getting a bit wordy here.