Smallville Season 3

The **third season** of *Smallville* began airing on October 1, 2003, on The WB television network, and concluded its initial airing on May 19, 2004 with 22 episodes.

### Exile

It's been three months since Clark put on a red kryptonite ring and left Smallville. He is in Metropolis going by the name "Kal". He sees a luxury car he likes in a show window and tears open a row of ATMs for the cash to buy it with. He leaves the dealership with the car and the sales girl. When they arrive at the night club Atlantis, they are making out at the bar. When she asks about the scar on his chest, he grabs her hand, and she leaves. As he leaves, his scar starts to burn. Doubled over in pain, Clark ducks into a phone booth and unbuttons his shirt. The scar burns and glows until Clark takes off the ring. Without the ring, he decides to call his mother. At the Kent Farm, Martha answers the phone. Clark doesn't say anything, but she knows it is Clark, and she pleads with him to come home. Looking like he's about to cry, Clark hangs up the phone and slips the ring back on.

The next day, a Metropolis bank is being robbed by thugs wearing clown masks, but they are interrupted by Clark. He crashes through the window on a motorcycle. He hides his identity with a ski mask, and he catches the bullets shot at him with his bare hands. Clark picks up a bag of cash and walks outside the bank to meet the police led by Captain Maggie Sawyer. When he reaches into his jacket, they open fire. He stands there as the bullets bounce off him, and then he uses his heat vision to blow up a car. When Captain Sawyer picks herself up off the ground, all she finds of Clark is a ski mask and a pile of spent rounds on the sidewalk where he was standing. Clark super speeds behind a building grinning at his own exploits.

At the Kent Farm, Pete shows Jonathan and Martha a *Daily Planet* front-page article detailing Clark's crimes. Pete says Clark's crimes are escalating and Jonathan declares that he is going to retrieve him. Martha protests, saying that Clark, knowing what red kryptonite does to him, doesn't want to be found. She stresses that he will come home when he is ready and Jonathan concedes.

Chloe meets Lana at the Talon and offers her a ride to Lex's funeral, but she says she is going with the Kents. She tells Chloe that she is considering staying in Metropolis for a few days to look for Clark. Chloe argues that Clark isn't lost. She tells Lana that he made a conscious decision to run away. Lana gets upset at Chloe's words, but Chloe continues, telling her that she needs to move on because pining for Clark is not doing her any good. Lana counters that Clark is waiting for the right person to find him.

Clark is asleep in a nicely furnished penthouse apartment when two goons break in and open fire on him. He throws them across the room and is approached by Morgan Edge. Edge asks Clark about interrupting his bank robbers and says he wanted to see for himself if Clark was really super-strong and bulletproof. He offers Clark a job; saying that he is the biggest crime boss in the city and Clark can come to him when he's ready to move on from the little league.

Chloe is summoned to the Kawatche Caves by Lionel Luthor. He talks with her about the octagonal hole that used to be in the wall, which disappeared the day Clark left. He asks Chloe if she has seen him, and brings up her *Daily Planet* column, saying there is more passion in it than in her investigation of Clark. Chloe says she's given Lionel all the information she has, and that she can't get more information while Clark is missing. Lionel does not accept these excuses and expects her to rise to the challenge and bring him more information.

On a tiny remote island, Lex Luthor wakes up from a fever dream. He is suffering from malaria and the only other person on the island is Louis Leery, a free-spirited individual who seems perfectly content to be stranded and torments Lex with the suggestion that either Lionel or Helen betrayed him. He tells Lex he should let go of his old life and enjoy life on the island. Lex is surviving by eating insects on the island when he sees a plane fly overhead. He tries to send out a smoke signal but Louis will not help and the opportunity is missed. Louis repeats that Lex belongs on this island and he must accept his fate.

Lionel speaks at Lex's funeral, in which Lana and the Kents are in attendance. She looks away and sees Clark but when she pushes through the crowd he is gone. Lionel's speech is interrupted by Helen Bryce and he spits that she is just there for show and stalks away. Later, Helen arrives at the Luthor Mansion with her arms full of shopping bags and finds Lionel in the library. He congratulates her on her "performance" at the funeral and says that he doubts her story about how the plane went down and there being only one parachute, Lex sacrificed himself to save her. Lionel vows that he will get even with Helen for murdering his son.

Chloe arrives at Clark's apartment and tries to get Clark to come home. He yells at her to never come back but Chloe is undeterred. She doesn't believe that Clark is done with Smallville. She questions his behavior and asks how he will explain himself to Lana or his parents. Clark yells that he is through explaining himself to anyone. Chloe is angry by now and calls him a coward. Clark turns away as pain crosses his face. He grabs Chloe by the shoulders and physically pushes her out of the apartment, yelling that if she tells anyone where he is, he'll go so far away no one will ever find him, steering her towards the door. She is not intimidated and pushes him right back. He screams in her face to get out and slams the door. He then tears open his shirt. His scar is glowing red. He takes off the ring and the scar stops burning.

Without the ring, Clark goes to his loft and sees that his things have been packed into moving boxes. He overhears his parents below discussing their plans. They need to be moved out before the bank conducts the auction. They can store some things in Bill Ross's garage as long as they need, and Lana has given them the apartment over the Talon. Martha begins to cry and Jonathan tries to reassure her that they will get through it. Something falls on the floor as Clark turns to go. Martha hears it and runs to the loft, calling Clark's name, but Clark is gone.

Lana tells Chloe that she feels guilty because Clark asked her to come with him and now she feels like she could have made him come home if she had gone. When Chloe asks, she says she loves him. She says she saw him at Lex's funeral and plans to hang up fliers. Chloe admits she knows where Clark is, saying she ran into him at a club two months ago, but he threatened to leave Metropolis if she told. Lana is angry that Chloe knew about Clark's whereabouts and leaves for Clark's apartment. She is standing outside when Clark rides up on his dad's motorcycle. She insists that she is not letting him go. Clark tells her to get on and they ride away together.

Lex is using the compass Jonathan gave him on his wedding day. He sees a necklace floating in a puddle of water but when he pulls it out it is attached to a skeleton. Louis appears and reveals himself as a psychopath by admitting that the remains are of his father, whom he had to kill because only one of them could survive. Louis chases Lex through the jungle and they fight at the beach.

Clark takes Lana to Club Atlantis. She pretends to have fun but ducks away to call the Kents. Jonathan says he's on the way but Clark finds her. He takes the phone from Lana and tells his parents that they're probably happier he's gone and they were never his parents anyway. Martha tells Jonathan that he can't stop Clark but Jonathan says if he doesn't try, they may lose him forever. He goes to the toolbox to take the key out of its hiding place.

Clark finds Morgan Edge and accepts his job offer since he suddenly feels the need to disappear. Edge tells him he wants him to break into LuthorCorp Plaza and steal a package from Lionel's office.

Back on the island Lex gets the upper hand and hacks Louis to death with a machete, but he is approached by a third figure. Lex tries to explain that he had to kill him but is astonished to see that Louis is gone. The third man explains that his captain saw his fire and came to rescue him.

Jonathan takes the key to the Kawatche Caves but he can't find the keyhole. He shouts angrily throws the key down in disgust. As he turns to go it glows and flies towards the wall. A burst of energy flows through Jonathan and he is addressed by Jor-El. They argue about Kal-El's name, parentage and destiny. Jor-El will allow him to return to Smallville, but Jonathan must retrieve him. Jonathan complains that Clark is too powerful, and Jor-El asks if he is willing to sacrifice anything. Jonathan says he will do anything for his son.

Clark breaks into the building and retrieves the package, but as he turns to go, he is approached by Jonathan. Jonathan admits that it was Jor-El who helped him find Clark. Clark refuses to listen and throws Jonathan against a wall. Clark is surprised to see Jonathan stand upright, unharmed. He tells Clark again that he is coming home and super speeds towards him. Together they fall through a window toward the street, sixty stories below.

### Phoenix

Jonathan and a red kryptonite-infected Kal fall into an area of LuthorCorp below street-level and begin a brutal and destructive super-powered fight. Jonathan sees Clark's scar for the first time. Clark runs at Jonathan and pins him to the wall. Jonathan finally gets through to Clark by daring him to kill him if that's how he was raised. Instead of punching him, Clark hits the wall and the red ring shatters. Clark's scar burns away, and he is restored to his normal self. Jonathan passes out and Clark runs to help him up.
Martha is waiting for them to arrive when Clark and Jonathan stumble through the door. Martha runs into Clark's arms as he starts apologizing for everything. Jonathan collapses onto the sofa and Clark worries that whatever Jor-El did to him was too much for his body to handle.

Lionel is in his office contemplating his stolen package when he is approached by a cloaked figure, which turns out to be Lex. Lex pulls a gun on him and demands to know why Lionel tried to have him killed. He wants to know where Helen is and is surprised to find out that she is alive and well in his mansion. Lionel tells Lex Helen's version of their plane crash: the pilot bailed and left them with only one parachute. Lex sacrificed himself by giving it to Helen. But Lionel says he doesn't believe her. Lex refuses to believe that Helen is responsible and Lionel points out that he had nothing to gain, but Helen is now one of the richest women in the world. He says Lex should ask her about the vial of blood that he returned to her.

At the Kawatche Caves, Clark asks Jonathan why Jor-El helped him and guesses that they made some kind of a deal. Jonathan doesn't offer any details, saying the important thing is that Clark has his life back. Clark says he's not sure he wants it back because as Kal, he could do whatever he wanted. Jonathan says that Clark's problems might not be gone, but at least now they can deal with them as a family. Clark shows Jonathan the package that Morgan Edge hired him to steal from Lionel Luthor.

back at the barn they open it and realize that it is Clark's vial of blood. They speculate on why Lionel would want his blood as Jonathan destroys the sample.

Edge and Lionel are discussing their old friendship in his office. Lionel asks him about the missing vial and it is revealed that Edge paid Helen for its location. Lionel knows Edge stole it and threatens to put him away for life unless he brings it back in 24 hours. Lionel says that he has evidence of Edge's involvement in a murder.

Clark goes to the Talon and tentatively approaches Lana. He apologizes for the way he acted in Metropolis. Lana says she doesn't know how to respond to him because he says he keeps secrets to protect her, but he's the only thing that keeps hurting her. Clark admits that he's not even sure if he will stay. Lana goes in a back room and starts to cry, while Clark looks helpless.

Later, Lex approaches Helen in the Luthor Mansion and she tells him another version of the story: that they had been drugged by the pilot and she couldn't wake Lex. She took the only parachute and left him. He asks her about the vial, and she explains Lionel promised if she gave it to him he'd leave them alone. She tells Lex that she will comply if he wants to get the marriage annulled but she does love him.

Edge goes to the Kent farm and asks Clark where the package is. When Clark admits that he doesn't have it, Edge threatens to call the police. Clark pretends to get angry, rips the door off the car, and tells Edge never to come to Smallville again.

Clark goes to the *Smallville Torch* office to apologize to Chloe. He thanks her for not telling anyone where he was all summer and he admits he hasn't decided whether to stay in Smallville. Chloe argues that he needs to stop running away and face his demons.

Lex finds Clark packing. Clark is happy to see that Lex isn't dead. Lex offers to help with the farm, but Clark says Jonathan probably wouldn't accept.and Lex explains that he had a severe case of malaria but was rescued.

Later, Chloe approaches Lana and asks why she's avoiding her, and Lana admits that she is still angry that Chloe knew where Clark was all summer and didn't tell anyone. Chloe is tired of fighting with her and explains the pressure Clark put on her to keep his secret. She liked being the person that Clark confided in, but she has to admit that the reason he is more comfortable talking with her than with Lana is because Clark is not in love with her.

At the mansion, Helen tells Lex that she is leaving for a while to give him space. Lex surprises her by asking if they can give their honeymoon a second try.

Clark finds Edge on the farm again, but this time he is holding Jonathan and Martha captive in the barn. He threatens to kill Clark's parents unless he produces the package. Clark realizes he can't save both his parents, so he takes a meteor rock out of a lead box and uses it to slash his forearm and bleed into a mason jar. He collapses to the ground as he tells Edge that that's what he was looking for. Edge takes the jar of blood to Lionel who tests it to make sure it is identical. Edge then reveals that it is not the original sample, he got a new sample from the source.

He calls his thugs, who tape the meteor rock to Clark's chest and drag him into the moving van just as Lana pulls up. One of them drives away with Clark while the other takes Lana into the barn. Lana quickly sizes up the situation, smashes the thug's instep with her boot and grabs a shovel. As the thug advances, Martha trips him and he falls on his face. As he levels his weapon at Martha, Lana smashes him over the head with the shovel. He drops the gun. Lana goes for it. The thug regains his footing and lunges for the weapon. Instead of shooting him, Lana kicks him and knocks him back against a pitchfork, impaling him.

On board their private jet, Lex reveals that he still thinks Helen tried to kill him. He has done some research and discovered that the area where he was found was unreachable with the amount of fuel they took off with, so he investigated every island in the area and discovered that Helen landed in St. Croix at 7:59 PM. He guesses that Helen drugged him and paid the pilot to drop her off and crash the plane with Lex inside. Helen pulls a gun and Lex tries to take it from her; in the struggle, they shoot the pilot. The plane starts to go down and Lex rushes into the cockpit to take over the controls, while Helen parachutes away.

Clark finds a piece of glass in the moving van. He cuts the binding on his hands and removes the kryptonite from his chest just as he reaches the docks. Lionel approaches the truck with the driver just as Clark blasts a propane tank with his heat vision, blowing the truck up. Lionel accuses Edge of setting up a trap to kill him, but Edge claims ignorance. Lionel's guards rush him to safety and open fire on Edge. Edge falls in the water as Clark climbs out.

Lex arrives home to find Lionel at the mansion congratulating him on turning the tables on Helen. Lex admits to Lionel that all the tests he's put him through helped him survive on the island and says he wants to take Lionel up on his offer to run LuthorCorp together. Lionel accepts and they embrace. Lex seems genuinely relieved, but Lionel seems worried about this new phase in their relationship.

The Kents are continuing to pack when Clark tells them that he told the Metropolis police where the stolen money was, and that he has decided to stay in Smallville and face his problems.

Lex arrives and gives Jonathan the deed to the farm. He tells Jonathan that the compass he gave him allowed him to find the island that saved his life. Jonathan says he will pay him back but Lex just hopes to be considered part of the family.

Clark is hanging the Kent Farm sign when Lana rides up on horseback. She pleads with Clark to trust her. Clark says that the way he acted in Metropolis is a part of him and Lana was clearly disgusted by it. He says that he never wants her to feel that way again, and he tried, but he can never be the right guy for her. He tells her that their relationship will never work and Lana turns and leaves, saying he never had to try.

### Extinction

At the beginning of the school year, Van McNulty is teasing his friend Jake Pollen for admiring Lana Lang from afar. Later, while Lana is swimming in the school pool alone, Jake attacks her. Lana puts up a good fight, but Jake can breathe underwater and he holds her down until she almost drowns. Suddenly, a mystery shooter kills the boy, saves Lana, and disappears. At the bottom of the pool is a meteor rock with the word "*freak*" scratched onto it. The next day at school, Clark disagrees with Pete's assessment that the shooter was a hero. Clark rejoins the *Torch* staff and launches an investigation to learn the identity of the mysterious shooter. Chloe reveals her personal database. She has started a file on everyone she remotely suspects of being affected by the meteors, including Jake... and Lex.

Clark interviews Lana to find out that Jake was with Van McNulty earlier on the day she was attacked. Lana complains that Clark has been avoiding her and states that he doesn't need an excuse to come see her. Chloe interrupts the interview to share photos from Jake's autopsy showing that he had gills. Lana expresses disgust and Clark remarks that the bullet wound is more disturbing. Lana does not apologize for her lack of sympathy, saying she and Chloe have both been attacked more than once by meteor freaks. She points out that Clark has saved them, making him no different from the vigilante who shot Jake. Clark argues that no one asked to be exposed to the meteor rocks, and claims he has never killed anyone.

Lex reports for his new job at LuthorCorp and learns that Lionel has taken out a $50 million life-insurance policy on him. Lionel claims that it is standard for all upper level executives at LuthorCorp, but Lex is not comfortable with it. Lionel makes it clear that he cannot work at LuthorCorp without signing the policy. Chloe goes to visit Lionel in Metropolis and gives him her final article for her *Daily Planet* column. She is turning in her resignation today, stating that her friendship with Clark is too important to her. Lionel does not let her walk away so easily and tells her that her father will be disappointed to find himself unemployed since he just got a promotion and put a sizable down payment on a new house in Bratt Flats, a luxury community. Trapped, Chloe sadly leaves.

Clark corners Van McNulty in the school hallways. Van is listening to a police scanner and tells Clark that he is listening to find out when they catch the person who killed Jake. Clark learns that he and his father were very close. Chloe discovers that Jake is not the first victim. Two other bodies have been found with meteor rocks next to them. One was Leonard Wallace, a mechanic that Chloe has suspected might have some kind of stretching ability after she saw him reach three feet under her car to grab a wrench. Clark's research has turned up the fact that Van's father was Lt. McNulty, murdered by Tina Greer last year. Chloe concludes that Van is now avenging his father's death by targeting metahumans. Clark and Pete go to the McNulty hunting cabin looking for evidence. They find an impressive arsenal of weapons, as well as a hit list tacked on the wall. They realize that Lex Luthor is the next name on the list. Clark speeds to Metropolis just in time to catch a bullet fired at the back of Lex's head. Van witnesses Clark catch the bullet before Clark chases him down. When Clark catches Van, several meteor rocks tumble out of his bag and Clark is incapacitated. Van realizes that bullets might not hurt Clark, but the rocks do. Van escapes as LuthorCorp security approaches. Clark and Lex wonder why Lex was on Van's hit list. When Lionel comes in to check on Lex, he informs him that his life insurance has hit a snag because of so many near death experiences. Lex wonders out loud why he hasn't been sick since the meteor shower.

Clark asks Chloe why she thinks Van went after Lex, and she offers her theory that Lex was targeted because he has survived so many near-death experiences. She also shows him her file on Lex with his medical charts, which indicate that he has an elevated white cell count. Clark notes that Chloe's file matches the hit list and Chloe is horrified to realize that Van had access to the database when he networked the new computers. Clark gives the list to Sheriff Adams in hopes of catching Van before he makes his next hit. Lana asks about Lex, and Clark ends up giving her another lecture on tolerance.

Hiding in the woods, Van manufactures kryptonite bullets. He stakes out the Kent Farm. Clark and Jonathan are delivering hay to the feed troughs and talking about Lana's attitude towards kryptonite-infected people. Clark wonders if he's any better than Van, since he himself has defeated or imprisoned many metahumans. He says he talked to Lana about tolerance, but he too always assumes the worst. Van watches the exchange, and when Jonathan leaves, he shoots. Clark tries to nonchalantly catch the bullet in super speed, but to his astonishment, it goes through his hand and lodges in his shoulder. Clark falls instantly, calling for his dad. With the kryptonite quickly poisoning Clark, he passes out as Jonathan and Martha extract the bullet from his shoulder with pliers and a knife. When Martha takes the kryptonite away, the wound heals instantly, but Clark remains unconscious.

After shooting Clark, Van goes to Lana and asks her to help hide him from the police. Lana urges him to turn himself in, and Van gets angry. He tells her that Clark is bulletproof, but he made special bullets and killed Clark. Lana pushes him down a staircase and calls the police to report Clark's murder before Van abducts her.

Clark wakes up eager to find Van. His parents want him to rest, but he insists that he is fully recovered and must go stop Van. The sheriff arrives in response to Lana's call and she is annoyed to see that Clark is, in fact, not dead. Clark uses the police radio to lure Van to the school. Van loads Lana into his truck and plans to hit Clark with an entire clip of kryptonite bullets. This time, when Van opens fire, it has no effect. Van and Lana are stunned, but Lana takes Van out with a well-placed spin kick. Then Clark shows her that he is wearing a lead plate under his shirt.

Clark visits Lex to let him know that Van has been taken into custody and placed in the psychiatric ward. Lex disagrees that Van is insane. He has decided that his several brushes with death are evidence that he really is special in some way. The next day, Lana visits Clark. She tells him that she almost believed Van when he told her that Clark was bullet-proof. She assures Clark that if the meteor rocks infected him it would be okay. Clark says that he might not ever be able to let anyone get close to him.

Chloe attempts to delete the database from her computer, but finds that she doesn't have access. Lionel appears and tells her that the computers and their contents are property of the LuthorCorp Foundation. Chloe tells him that the file on Clark is not on this computer, but Lionel is interested in metahumans in general. He threatens her if she ever investigates a member of his family again.

### Slumber

Clark decides to cool off by taking a dip in Crater Lake when Lana arrives shortly after with the same idea. Clark is shy at first but Lana suggests they swim together. She takes off her clothes and underwear and Clark hesitates for a minute, then also strips and jumps in. They are enjoying the intimate moment and having fun when they hear a scream for help on the banks. A young blonde woman runs by and Clark runs after her to help. When he catches her, she is terrified of whatever is chasing her. Clark tries to ask her what's wrong but she is suddenly sucked into the ground and vanishes before his eyes.

Clark tells his parents that he tried everything to find her and suggests he find the girl instead of going to school. Martha and Jonathan don't agree and casually say they'll tell the sheriff about his concerns. They then announce they have a surprise for Clark. He is elated to see an enormous brand-new truck in the front drive, saying that Clark needed a gift after all he's been through in the last few months.

Clark apologizes to Lana at school for running off but she isn't mad at all, instead saying the day was really fun. She says their relationship is usually miserable and declares that she is willing to wait for him to realize they should be together. Clark watches her go in adoration. However, just then he sees the girl and corners her in front of a trophy case.

She says she is Sarah Conroy. He tries to ask her what's going on, but she just says that "he's" always after her. She starts to look terrified and Clark sees the reflection of a red hooded figure in the glass of the case. However when he turns around, no one is there but Pete, Sarah having disappeared as well. He asks Pete about the figure but Pete didn't see anything. He is more concerned about Clark missing a history exam that was worth half his grade.

Completely bewildered at this point, Clark goes to the *Smallville Torch* office to ask Chloe for help. He is surprised and a little embarrassed when she tells him that the whole school knows about his and Lana's skinny-dipping adventure. Clark then realizes that Chloe has dismantled her Wall of Weird. She explains that she's grown up and the Wall had to go because she is only reporting on hard news that can be backed up with facts.

That evening, Clark goes to the Luthor Mansion after receiving an urgent message from Lex. Lex shows Clark a samurai sword and tells him the legend of how it was forged on Mount Fuji and used by the Katai warriors and can cut through anything. He tells of a legend that the strongest of the Katai warriors turned upon the others, who all fell at his hand; finally, with nothing to lose, the last of the Katai used the legendary sword and cleaved him in two, discovering that he wasn't even human. Lex suddenly swings the sword at Clark, who instinctively blocks it with his forearm. The blade shatters and Clark is wide-eyed and shocked speechless as Lex accuses him of not trusting him. Clark tries to explain but Lex angrily declares that he will dedicate his life to exposing Clark's secret. Clark goes home to tell his parents about Lex's disclosure but only finds Sarah standing in his front yard looking terrified. She muses that lilacs are her favorite flower and begs him to not let "The Traveler" take her again. Suddenly the red hooded figure appears. He is extremely tall with bony, decayed fingers and wearing a red cape with a tattered hood. Clark approaches the Traveler but he simply throws him across the yard, declaring in a deep distorted voice that Sarah cannot hide from it. He engulfs Sarah and Clark runs to rescue her. However, he finds nothing under the cape. He punches a hole into the ground, reaches down, is pulled into it.

Suddenly, Clark is startled awake on the couch in his loft. His worried parents explain that he has been asleep for a day and a half. Clark is relieved to realize that it was all a dream and tells his parents he met a girl named Sarah Conroy. Jonathan says the new owner of Lana's house is named Conroy and he does in fact have a teenage daughter. The next morning, Clark admits to his parents that he was afraid to go back to sleep and says he is still worried about Sarah. He wants to check on her but Jonathan points out that Clark was unable to be awakened at the same time she moved in and tells him to stay away from the Conroys. Clark doesn't go to school that day and Lana brings him his missed homework. He is touched by her thoughtfulness and confides in her that he is still really concerned about his strange and protracted dream about Sarah Conroy when he hasn't even met her. Lana suggests they walk through the dream and while Clark is relieved that she doesn't think he's nuts, he doesn't want to admit that he dreamed about them skinny-dipping together. He says he doesn't remember everything clearly, so Lana suggests they go visit Sarah instead.

However, upon arriving, Clark and Lana are dismayed to learn that Sarah is in a coma being cared for by her uncle, Nicholas Conroy. Nicholas explains that Sarah was asleep in the car with her parents when it went off of Loeb Bridge and Sarah was the only survivor. Clark notices the lilacs in her room and says that they are her favorite. He also notices Nicholas wears a St. Christopher's medallion, the patron saint of travelers. Nicholas is unnerved by Clark's observations and excuses the two, saying he has to administer Sarah's medication.

Lex storms into LuthorCorp Plaza and interrupts Lionel's massage to complain that he has limited computer security access. Lionel simply says that he has to protect the company's assets and Lex reiterates his dedication to the company. He suggests Lionel put the restrictions in place because Lionel thinks he might betray him. Lionel casually asks why Lex has refused to complete a psychological profile, but Lex says that neither one of them believe in the merits of psychotherapy. Lionel counters that severe emotional problems can affect day-to-day decision making. Lex realizes that he must comply with Lionel's request of five sessions if he wants to keep his job and restore Lionel's confidence in him.

Clark tells Chloe about his dream and wonders aloud how he knew specific details about Sarah's life. Chloe theorizes that during dreams, the frontal lobe can have telepathic abilities and that the river that Sarah's car crashed into is laced with meteor rocks, giving her the ability to keep Clark asleep. Clark points out that he didn't wake up until the Traveler appeared and says he thinks it's her uncle. He wants to investigate Nicholas Conroy but Chloe declines, saying she has a deadline for her *Daily Planet* column.

Reviewing public records in the loft, Clark and Lana discover that Sarah's parents were extremely wealthy and she inherited everything. They guess that Nicholas controls the fortune but Clark still doesn't understand Sarah's fear of him. He is visibly tired and as soon as Lana leaves to get him a cup of coffee, he drifts asleep. Sarah appears in his dream and explains that this is the first time she's been able to enter dreams and could hear them when they came to visit. He asks who the Traveler is but she avoids the question. She reveals that every time she starts to come awake, her uncle gives her something that pulls her back asleep. She then falls off the balcony and is engulfed by the Traveler.

Presumably, Clark wakes up and goes to tell Lex about his dreams. Lex says that Sarah was indeed expected to wake up but the hospital could not find evidence that her uncle is drugging her. Clark thanks Lex for his help and turns to go but then notices a samurai sword on the wall. He casually asks if it's an ancient artifact but Lex says it's simply a prop from his favorite movie. He playfully goes to hit Clark with it and when Clark reacts with alarm, Lex advises him to get some sleep. Instead, Clark goes to visit Sarah again. He asks Nicholas if he can sit with her for a while and X-rays the medicine cabinet. He steals one of the vials of medicine and superspeeds away. Nicholas discovers the open cabinet and looks angry. Clark drives home in a hurry but Sarah appears in the seat next to him saying that Nicholas is angry. Clark realizes that Sarah's presence means that he is asleep again just as the truck is seen careening off the road and flipping several times.

Lana arrives at the Kent Farm looking for Clark but Martha says he's not back from Lex's. Lana decides to wait for him and uses the opportunity to ask why Clark pushed her away. Martha says that he's changed since Metropolis and Lana hopes that he will come around, but their conversation is interrupted by Jonathan's panicked yelling. Martha and Lana rush out to see Jonathan pulling Clark's sleeping form from the completely totalled truck. Martha and Jonathan realize that Clark was coming from the Conroys' and Lana gets upset because she took him over there. Martha admits that she is worried about Sarah, too.

In Clark's dream, he and Sarah arrive back at Crater Lake. He tries to tell her that she has to face the Traveler or they will stay trapped asleep. She is pulled into the lake and Clark dives in after her. Lana goes to Sarah's house to stop Nicholas from drugging her. Instead, he injects Lana with the drug and she falls unconscious. Clark pulls Sarah out of the lake and she reports that Lana is in trouble. The Traveler arrives again and throws Clark across the shore as the clouds darken. Clark encourages Sarah to stand up to the Traveler and when she does, the sun comes out and Clark is able to use his heat vision to obliterate the figure.

He awakens in his living room and superspeeds to Sarah's house, but she is the only one there, still asleep. Nicholas Conroy places Lana in her Jeep and prepares to blow it up by pouring gasoline around it. Clark telescopes his X-ray vision through the woods, sees him strike a lighter, and superspeeds to catch it before it hits the ground. Clark throws Nicholas against a tree and knocks him out.

Lex announces that he has decided to submit to Lionel's request, admitting that he was fearful of the outcome of psychological testing. He says he has nothing to hide.

Sarah is sent to Smallville Medical Center and has awakened from her coma. Clark comes to visit her and she remembers their dreams. She admits that she noticed some of the things he could do, and that he is clearly in love with Lana and shouldn't push her away. Clark just looks thoughtful.

Later that night, he is studying for his history exam when Lana comes to visit. She admits that she feels foolish for putting herself in danger, but she liked being Clark's girl next door for a few days during their investigation. She suggests they hang out that weekend and go swimming. Clark blurts that skinny-dipping is probably not a good idea. Lana jokes, saying: "Only in your dreams, Clark."

### Perry

A comet hits the sun, causing the largest solar flares ever recorded. Clark is on his way to meet Pete at the Talon when he abruptly runs out of super speed in the middle of the road. A car driven by the perpetually drunk Perry White careens to miss him and hits a utility pole. Clark is unharmed by the power cables. He uses his super speed and super strength to rip the car door off and pull Perry to safety.

Perry had just been thrown out of the Wild Coyote. Back at the farm, Clark is driving fence posts when he misjudges his strength and drives one almost completely into the ground. Perry approaches and tells them that it was somehow Clark's fault that he swerved and crashed his car. He threatens to sue the Kents unless Clark takes him around town and help him investigate the meteor shower and its strange effects.

Clark takes Perry to the Talon, where Perry callously asks Lana for an interview about the day of the meteor shower. She is offended and asks them both to leave. Perry asks him to take him to meet the editor of the *Torch* which has "a reputation among the bug-eyed monster circles." Chloe is eager to talk about her Wall of Weird until she learns that Perry works for *X-Styles*. Her interest is renewed when she realized that he is Perry White: multiple Pulitzer-nominated journalist extraordinaire.

Lex is finishing up his last session with Dr. Claire Foster, talking about the art in the castle and claiming that he has no emotional issues. Lana arrives and asks Lex to do something to prevent Perry from interviewing or videotaping her. Lex says he'll make sure he doesn't bother her again. Perry was supposed to go back to the hotel, but Clark finds him back at the Wild Coyote. He asks what happened to his career, but they are interrupted by Lex. Perry promises Lex that he is not doing a story on Lionel, but Lex says this doesn't have anything to do with that and takes him to the bus stop. Lex hates Perry for approaching him at boarding school, scrounging for dirt on his father.

Thinking Perry has left Smallville, Clark returns home and helps his dad lift up the tractor. At first Clark doesn't seem to have any strength, then to his and Jonathan's shock, he throws the tractor clear over his head. It lands several miles away in front of Perry White at the bus stop. Clark superspeeds towards it and Perry looks on in wonder. Clark and Jonathan try to cover by saying it fell off a flat bed truck while someone was trying to steal it, but Perry maintains that it fell out the sky. The sheriff knows he's a drunk and doesn't pay him any attention. Instead of leaving town, Perry visits Chloe at the *Torch* to study her Wall of Weird. Chloe offers to help him find what he was looking for because he used to be the kind of journalist she wants to be. He insinuates that he had a great story about Lionel Luthor, but he was prevented from writing it. He also admits to being intrigued by Clark.

Clark and Jonathan guess Clark's problems have something to do with the solar flares, and Pete discovers that they have caused glitches and power surges all over the world. Clark decides to avoid using his powers until the effects from the flares wear off tomorrow. Chloe arrives to warn him that Perry is still investigating and seems particularly interested in Clark. Clark finds Perry in the barn yard. He has researched Clark's hero history in Smallville. Clark hears his mother calling and as he turns to go, he suddenly super-speeds away, right in front of Perry.

Lex is furious when he finds out that Dr. Foster will not sign off on his psychological release, recommending continuing sessions on an indefinite basis. She maintains that he has yet to deal with any of his emotional or physical trauma. Lex seems to know that she is right, but he is still upset and throws her out. Perry goes to Lex with information about Lionel, which he will trade to Lex for anything he knows about Clark. Perry guesses that the only reason Lex made friends with Clark was in order to investigate the mystery surrounding him. Lex reacts violently, threatening Perry if he doesn't stay away. He seems surprised by his own outburst. Trembling, he agrees to extra sessions with Dr. Foster.

Clark arrives home by bus that night. He says his speed gave out around Lake Tahoe (a thousand miles away). He tried to run home, but his speed gave out again around Colorado Springs. He barely had enough money for the bus ticket. He vows to stay home until the flare passes, but Perry has installed a camera crew outside. Clark's heat vision sets the curtains on fire and he worries that he'll burn the farm down. Jonathan lures Perry away from the farm so Clark and Pete can sneak out. Perry goes back to the Talon, apologizes to Lana, and asks her to take him to the bus stop.

Clark gets a distressed call from Lana at Saunder's Gorge, but his speed is still out, so Pete has to drive him. They make it to the viewpoint, where Perry is standing on a ledge. Lana explains that Perry got out of the car and threatened to jump unless she called Clark. Perry jumps to prove that Clark has the power to save him, and Clark dives to catch him. They both fall, but Perry has tied a rope to his ankle. Clark and Perry dangle perilously. Pete throws Clark another rope and hauls him up with the car. Perry's rope breaks and he grabs Clark. Pete successfully pulls the two up and Perry realizes his error when he sees Clark's bloody hands.

The next day, the effects of the flare have faded and Clark's powers are back to normal. He proves this with a neat little trick for his mom; he throws a bale of hay to the upper level of the barn and then superspeeds around to catch it. Lana comes by to tell Clark how much she cares about him. Clark takes Perry to the bus stop again and Perry admits that he feels guilty for tearing down someone who is so considerate of others. Perry says he now has the courage to finish the story he never wrote, and is going to try the *Daily Planet*. He also says he sees a glimmer of hope in Clark's journalism skills and they part on good terms.

### Relic

Dex McCallum has been in prison for forty years, convicted of killing Lana's great Aunt Louise. He wants someone in Louise's family to know that he didn't do it. He loved her very much. He claims that he heard shots one night in the barn, rushed out to investigate and he saw a man run out of the barn. When he entered, he found a pistol. He picked it up, and then he saw Louise, dead. He picked her up in his arms, just as Sheriff Tate arrived. Lana looks a lot like her Aunt Louise, and Dex figures if she is anything like her at all, she will be the one person who can understand. He thinks that the man he saw leaving the barn, a drifter, killed Louise. He has a picture that was sketched from his description and published in the newspaper. He looks a lot like Clark Kent.

Lana shows Clark the picture, saying that it might have been his grandfather or even his father. Clark recognizes the symbol on the man's pendant as a Kryptonian symbol he has seen in the caves.

Believing it might have been Jor-El, Clark and Jonathan go to the Kawatche Caves. Jonathan argues that even if it was Jor-El, it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to think he killed somebody. Clark argues that they don't really know that much about him. They find the same Kryptonian symbol painted on the cave wall, and when Clark touches the painting, it falls away and reveals an opening containing a memory pendant. When Clark touches it, he sees thousand of images, but he can't make sense of any of them. While walking down Main Street with Pete, Clark guesses that the images are from the past. When he touches a mailbox, he has his first flashback to 1961.

Jor-El is walking down Main Street when he sees Lachlan Luthor rob Louise McCallum at gun point. Louise tries to fight Lachlan off, but he knocks her down. Jor-El super speeds to her rescue and throws Lachlan against a light post. Sheriff Tate shows up just then and takes Lachlan into custody. Jor-El and Louise can't take their eyes off each other. It is love at first sight. Dex shows up to see if Louise is alright, and Sheriff Tate shoos her off home, promising to come by later to get her statement. When the vision ends, Clark guesses that he got the flashback from touching something that Jor-El touched. He sets off to verify that what he saw really happened. Chloe brings some old police records to Smallville High. Some of the records are missing from the day of Louise's murder, but they find the name of the robber. Chloe recognizes it right away as Lex's grandfather. Clark asks Chloe to ask Lex about Lachlan. Chloe hesitates. The last time she investigated a Luthor, Lex was nearly killed, but she goes to see him, and he is no help at all. However, he does confront his father about Lachlan.

Lionel confesses that he made up the story about him being a hard-working entrepreneur descended of Scottish nobility in order to win friends and influence people during his rise among over-achieving Ivy Leaguers, but he did not lie about his death. Both his parents were killed in a tenement fire. Being at work saved Lionel that night. He has buried himself in work ever since.

Back at the Kent Farm, Clark and Lana go through a small box with a few of Louise's belongings. They find a passionate love letter. Lana guesses that it is from Dex, but it is signed with only the initial T. When Clark touches Louise's pearl necklace, he has another flashback: Jor-El and Louise making love in the barn. When the vision ends, Clark tells Lana he thinks the letter was from the drifter. They were in love.

Clark and Lana then track down the barn where Louise was killed. There, Clark touches object after object trying to find another memory. He removes a cover from an old car, and receives another vision: Jor-El and Louise are talking about being together. Louise's pleads with Jor-El to take her with him, but Jor-El says that they would not be accepted, and he must go home and accept his destiny. He cannot change it. As the two of them embrace one another, Lachlan Luthor comes in the barn and shoots Jor-El. Of course, the bullets don't hurt Jor-El, but Louise is wounded and, dies within moments in Jor-El's arms. Jor-El cries and mourns Louise's death. When the vision ends, Clark tells Lana he knows who killed Louise.

Returning to Smallville High, Clark reveals to Chloe and Lana that ever since he read the newspaper article he's been having memories from 1961. They are surprised, but they take it in stride. Chloe checks her e-mail and learns that Deputy Tate released Lachlan Luthor from jail the day that Louise was killed.

Clark and Lana then go to visit Mayor Tate. Mayor Tate tells them that Dex and Louise McCallum were his best friends. He doesn't remember Lachlan Luthor and he doesn't believe there ever was a drifter. He wanted to believe that Dex was innocent more than anyone. He remarks that Lana bears a striking resemblance to Louise. When, Clark looks over Mayor Tate's certificates, he notices that his signature matches the love letter. When Mayor Tate touches his shoulder, he has another flashback: Tate interrupts Jor-El and Louise, making out in Louise's car. Tate is jealous, but Louise sends him away saying Jor-El is just taking her home. Louise explains that it was her father's idea for her to marry Dex. She wanted to go to Hollywood and become a star, but she finally gave in to her father. Jor-El has a similar story. His father sent him to Earth to teach him a lesson. He tries to tell Louise about where he is from, but she laughs at him, so he picks her up and slowly floats twenty feet in the air.

Clark and Lana try to convince Sheriff Adams that Mayor Tate made a deal with Lachlan Luthor to kill the drifter and pin it on Dex so that he could have Louise all to himself. The Sheriff thinks they are crazy, and heads off to solve some crimes committed in this century. At the farm, Jonathan and Martha are discussing how much it bothers them that Clark is so interested in his birth parents. Clark senses the tension and lies about not having any more visions. He sees his grandpa's gun on the wall and recognizes from his first vision in the cave. When Clark touches the rifle, he receives another flashback:

Hiram Kent hits Jor-El with the rifle. Jor-El takes the rifle away from him, and tells Hiram that he loved Louise and would never harm her. Hiram shakes his hand and introduces himself. Clark tells Martha and Jonathan that Jor-El was here on the Kent Farm with Grandpa Kent, so Jonathan finds some of Hiram's belongings in a stashed away chest. When Clark touches a leather jacket, he has another flashback: A very pregnant Jessica Kent is giving him a denim jacket so he doesn't stand out so much. Hiram is preparing to help Jor-El get to the caves while avoiding detection from the police and other people looking for him. He invites him to stay, offers to help him clear his name, but Jor-El says that he has no reason to stay any more. Hiram says good-bye to his unborn baby, Gene. Jessica corrects him: the baby's name will be Jonathan. Jor-El thanks Jessica and gives her his leather jacket. Clark tells Jonathan that Hiram helped Jor-El escape, but Jonathan doesn't believe him until Clark tells him that Hiram wanted to name him Gene. Martha trusts Hiram as a good judge of character.

Clark decides to wear Jor-El's leather jacket and memory pendant and confront Mayor Tate. He uses his heat vision and super speed to convince the mayor that he is a ghost. He threatens to haunt the mayor every day unless he confesses to the sheriff. The mayor tries to shoot himself, but Clark stops him. Sheriff Adams arrives in answer to the silent alarm, and Tate confesses to the murder of Louise.

The next day, Dex is released from prison, and he tells Lana he loved Louise so much he couldn't see that she didn't love him. He regrets not knowing when to let go.

Meanwhile, Lex is discussing his grandparent's death with Officer Mason, the man who led the original investigation. Later, Lex reveals to his father that the fire was not an accident. Lex is surprised when his father says that he always suspected. It's not like Lionel to pass up a chance at revenge. Lionel claims that he tried to put it behind him, but Lex knows he won't be able to put it behind him until they find out who did it.

Clark and Jonathan go back to the Kawatche caves. When Clark touches the same Kryptonian symbol, he has a final flashback: Jor-El is talking with Hiram in the Kawatche caves. Jor-El explains that he was supposed to return his medallion to his father, but it has too many bad memories attached to it.

Jor-El thanks Hiram for all his help and wishes him good luck with the new baby. They shake hands, and Hiram tells Jor-El that if there was anything he ever needed, he knew where to find him. Jor-El smiles and tells Hiram that he'll remember that. Hiram then leaves the Kawatche caves, and Jor-El then turns to the wall and uses the key to create the space to stash the pendant. Clark tells Jonathan everything he saw in his final vision and guesses that Martha and Jonathan did not find Clark by accident; Jor-El had chosen them.

### Magnetic

Lana and Chloe are enjoying a day at the Lowell County fair when they run into a classmate, Seth Nelson, Lana's lab partner who has a crush on her. Today he is manning a booth at the fair where the prizes are snow globes of Smallville with bits of meteor rock in them. Chloe suggests Lana give Seth a chance. She misses completely and Seth tries to give her a prize anyway, but another patron is offended and starts a fight. Seth runs away, but the other patron finds him and bashes him over the head with a snow globe. He has quite a gash on his forehead and tiny bits of meteor rock enter his blood stream. At the hospital, he is receiving an MRI when the magnetic field reacts badly with the kryptonite in his blood. The machine shorts out and shocks Seth. Lana rushes to his side, and when he touches her hand, there are tiny green sparks, and Lana suddenly finds Seth attractive.
The next day Seth realizes he can control metal objects without touching them. Clark and Lana visit Seth together, and Seth asks Lana on a date. She is reluctant at first, but when he touches her hand, she agrees. Clark tells Lana he's fine with it, but confides in his parents that he is a little jealous.

Officer Mason is investigating the murder of Lionel's parents. He tells Lex that Chloe Sullivan is also investigating Lionel Luthor, and goes to the *Torch* office to ask her why. Chloe refuses to discuss it with him, and he warns her that she is in over her head with Lionel.

Clark goes to the Talon to tell Lana the truth, and she admits that she's not attracted to Seth. When Seth comes to pick her up, she tells him that she can't go out with him, but when he touches her, she suddenly changes her mind. He takes her to the fair. It's closed, and he uses his power to open the gate. Lana is amazed but not scared. They ride the Ferris wheel together. Clark has followed them, and when he hears Lana laughing, he thinks she's screaming, and pulls the Ferris wheel to a stop. Lana and Seth are annoyed that he is "stalking" them, and leave.

The next day at school, Clark approaches Seth and tells him that he thinks Seth is controlling Lana. He warns him to stay away from her, but Seth is not intimidated. Clark enlists Chloe to help him look up Seth's medical records for clues about how Seth is controlling Lana. Chloe gives him a hard time about being unable to accept the fact that Lana might just actually like Seth. The medical records reveal that Seth's electromagnetic activity is higher since the accident. When a doctor enters the file room, Chloe covers for them by pushing Clark against the cabinets and kissing him, explaining that they were just taking a break from candy striping.

Lana is waiting for Clark in his barn and tells him that she heard he told Seth to stay away from her. Clark tries to convince her that Seth is dangerous, but she refuses to listen. She makes it clear to him that who she dates is none of his business. Later, Seth convinces Lana that they should leave Smallville forever, and she agrees to get some money. Lex catches her taking the money from the register at the Talon. He tries to talk sense into her, but she doesn't listen to him, either. She rides off with Seth in a brand new yellow Mustang. Lex tells Clark about her uncharacteristic behavior and calls the sheriff. Clark superspeeds up the road, and uses his heat vision to melt the asphalt. They drive into the tar and get stuck. Seth jumps onto a passing milk truck just as the sheriff catches up and arrests Lana.

Chloe arrives late at the *Torch* to find the office has been ransacked. Officer Mason is there, but she doesn’t call the police because then she would have to explain why he might be interested in her research. He takes her computer and leaves. She goes to the mansion and accuses Lex, but Lex denies involvement. He takes Chloe to the morgue to show her that Mason has died of natural causes. Lex thinks his father did it and he offers her his protection. She refuses.

Clark visits Lana in jail. She apologizes to Clark and says that she believes him now about Seth. She lies and says that Seth was headed to Granville. When Clark leaves, Seth arrives and breaks Lana out. He takes a guard's gun.

Clark arrives home and tells his mother that Lana lied to him. Pete tells them that Seth and Lana are on the run. Clark uses a compass to find them at the carnival again. They are planning to slip out of Smallville on one of the trucks that will take the carnival rides out of town tomorrow. Clark grabs Seth and throws him across the room. Lana grabs his gun and threatens to shoot Clark. Seth takes the gun and sends Lana outside. He shoots Clark and learns that Clark has special powers, too. Seth picks up a coaster car and hurls it at Clark, pinning him against the wall. Clark grabs an electrical line and electrifies the coaster car. Seth is pulled off his feet, attracted to the car. When he makes contact, he receives a shock that puts him in a coma.

Lana receives community service for her crimes. She is genuinely sorry for her behavior, and she asks Lex for her job back. He agrees without hesitation, saying he did much worse things at her age.

Chloe goes to the mansion to accept Lex's offer. She reveals her deal with Lionel, but lies about spying on Clark. She says she was investigating him in an attempt to blackmail Lionel. She reveals that Lionel Luthor and Morgan Edge were close childhood friends. In the barn, Lana apologizes to Clark, but admits that she appreciated that Seth was honest with her and that she wants to find another relationship like that.

### Shattered

In Metropolis, Morgan Edge is fingering a rosary made of kryptonite beads as he is having his bandages removed after extensive plastic surgery to change his appearance. Lex catches up to him in a warehouse and convinces him to confess on tape that he conspired with Lionel to kill Lex's grandparents. Lex does not appear completely well; he seems jumpy and uneasy. Edge explains that they made a deal with the slumlord to split the property insurance money.

While Lex reviews the tape at the manor, his security guard Darius informs him that his father has called again. Lex avoids the call and hide the tape in the safe just before an assassin bursts in and kills Darius. After a brief struggle Lex leaps out a window, badly twisting his ankle.

Lex escapes to the Kent Farm, and Clark finds him. Clark offers to go to the mansion to retrieve the evidence in the safe. When Clark gets there, he finds the manor undamaged and the safe empty. The stained glass window has been repaired, but Clark uses his X-ray vision to find a shard of glass behind some furniture. Clark returns to the farm and reports what he found to Lex, then goes to Chloe. Chloe admits to finding the connection between Lionel and Edge, but has no idea how Lex developed the theory that they killed Lionel's parents.

Clark and Chloe return to the farm, where they find Lionel, Jonathan and Martha waiting for them. Lionel asks for Clark's help in finding Lex and explains that Lex has had a mental breakdown stemming from his experience on the island. When Clark returns to the barn, he finds Lex singing and rocking a blanket. Lex explains that his father woke his baby brother Julian.

Clark discusses Lex's behavior with his parents. Martha and Jonathan try to encourage Clark to get Lex the proper help. Lex overhears the conversation and decides that the Kents aren't really on his side, and insists that he has to go find Edge to prove he's not crazy. Clark decides to stick with Lex. They go to the warehouse where Edge had his plastic surgery, but it has been transformed into a sewing factory. Lex threatens one of the immigrants as Clark pulls him out.

Clark and Lex return to the mansion to search for clues, and they find Darius alive and well. When his psychiatrist, Dr. Claire Foster, arrives, Lex grabs a gun and backs out. He admits that he might be crazy, but he has also guessed that his father might have drugged him in order to discredit him.

Lana meets Clark and Lex at the Smallville Stables. She stays with Lex while Clark goes to meet Chloe. He gives her the medicine that Dr. Foster tried to give Lex and asks her to check out Lex's doctor and security. Chloe tells Clark that Lex has had psychiatric trouble before; once in boarding school, after his brother died, his headmaster found Lex in the bell tower singing lullabies to a blanket. Lana gives Lex some food, but he becomes angry and accuses Lana of attempting to drug him. He throws her into a horse stall and runs off. The horse is spooked and before Lana can sneak out of the stall, it tramples on her, breaking her leg so badly, she nearly dies. While Clark is helping Lana to the hospital, Lex steals a truck (with a rifle in the back window) and flees into the night.

As Clark watches an unconscious Lana in her hospital room, Lionel contemptuously blames Clark for Lex's disappearance and Lana's injuries. Chloe arrives and, when Lionel leaves, Clark admits to Chloe that he feels guilty for what happened to Lana. But Chloe says that someone at the mansion could have drugged Lex. Clark then goes to Darius and gets him to confess that he drugged Lex's scotch. He forces Darius to call his contact and tell him to meet him at the stables.

Meanwhile, Lex breaks into Lionel's office at LuthorCorp Plaza and confronts him. Lionel denies everything and claims that Edge is responsible. Lex begins to hallucinate about his brother Julian and Lionel says that he doesn't blame Lex for Julian's death. Lex forces Lionel to give him Edge's location and then knocks him out.

Clark gets Edge's location as well from the assassin sent to kill him, but Lex gets to Edge first. Edge claims it was Lionel's idea to make Lex crazy rather than kill him. Clark shows up to stop Lex from shooting Edge, but is incapacitated by Edge's kryptonite beads. When Edge seems to know Clark, Lex figures Clark is in on the conspiracy with Edge and Lionel. Edge beats up on Clark for awhile until a deranged Lex shoots the gang lord and prepares to shoot Clark. When Edge slips away, Lex leaves Clark to finish Edge, who comes at Lex with a car. Lex empties his gun into him, but the car doesn't stop. Clark pushes Lex out of the way and destroys the car, with Lex witnessing his powers. Clark super speeds away just as Dr. Foster arrives with some men who haul Lex away as he screams for Clark.

Lana wakes up and asks about Lex. She tells Clark that she always thought he was being paranoid when he said that he was dangerous, but now she thinks it's true. She says she needs to stay away from him.

At the sanitarium (which looks like a maximum security prison), Lionel and Dr. Foster conspire to erase Lex's short-term memory as Lionel looks in on Lex in a cell wearing a straightjacket.

### Asylum

It's been a whole month since Lex was committed at Belle Reve Sanitarium. Clark is finally allowed to visit him. On his way in, he sees Van McNulty, Eric Summers, and Ian Randall in the hallways. Lex has not been taking his medication and he has not forgotten what he saw Clark do. He asks Clark to break him out. When Clark refuses, Lex grabs him by the throat and screams at him. The guards move in quickly to restrain him. The next morning, Lex attempts to escape. He stabs a guard in the leg with a pencil, takes his ID badge and lets himself out. He makes it halfway up a chain link fence with barbed wire before guards use a taser to subdue him.

At the Kent Farm, Clark tells his parents about his encounter with Lex. Clark is sure he was drugged, but Martha points out that this isn't Lex's first brush with mental illness. Jonathan is worried about Clark getting caught if he tries to break out Lex and he worries about Lex knowing Clark's secret. Martha tries to encourage Clark to visit Lana, but he's trying to respect her request to stay away.

Meanwhile, Lana is working out with her physical therapist. It's been a month since her accident, but her femur was broken in four places and she hasn't been able to walk without crutches. Another patient, Adam Knight, gives her a hard time for not pushing herself harder, accusing her of feeling sorry for herself.

Back at Belle Reve, Lionel has come to visit Lex who is now being held in restraints. Lionel knows that Lex has not been taking his medication. Lex tries to convince Lionel that he doesn't need them. He pretends that the story about Lionel killing his parents was a paranoid delusion, but then he gives himself away by saying that Lionel's only interest is to stay out of prison. The meeting ends with Lex raging against his restraints. Lionel goes to Dr. Foster. He is unhappy that his son has been in in Belle Reve for an entire month with no results. He pushes her to perform a dangerous experimental procedure despite the fact that it is successful less than 50% of the time and the majority of patients are left with irreparable brain damage.

Chloe finds Clark at the *Smallville Torch* office doing research to try to prove that Lex doesn't belong in Belle Reve. He can't find anything conclusive, but he discovers that Lex has been recommended for radical electroshock therapy in twenty-four hours. They learn that Dr. Foster's last patient to receive the treatment is in a permanent vegetative state. They corner Dr. Foster at Metropolis General with this news and accuse her of drugging Lex to make him delusional. They warn her that she will be in great danger from Lionel if Lex becomes a vegetable and they beg her not to perform electroshock therapy on Lex.

Meanwhile Ian and Eric approach Van and offer to break him out if he tells them what Clark's weakness is. The plan is for Eric to leech his powers again. Van pays a guard to smuggle in a meteor rock. When he discovers that it has arrived, Ian splits himself in two and kills Van. He approaches Lex, still in his restraints, to cut a deal. He offers to break Lex out if he helps fund their new lives on the other side. Lex refuses. He hasn't forgiven Ian for trying to kill Lana and Chloe as part of his scheme to secure the LexCorp scholarship. Ian tries to change Lex's mind by showing him that he is on the schedule for electroshock therapy.

At Smallville High, Clark tells Pete that Dr. Foster is going to sign the cancellation papers on Lex's procedure. Pete is worried that Lex knows Clark's secret and Clark says he isn't willing to let Lex suffer to protect his secret. Pete tries to explain to Clark how hard it is to keep his secret. He doesn't believe that Lex can be trusted. Chloe arrives with the news that Claire Foster has died in a car accident. Pete suspects Lionel and Clark decides to break Lex out. He tears open the chain link fence, forces the door open, and begins to remove the restraints when the two Ians arrive with the meteor rock. They take turns beating Clark and Lex until neither of them can get to their feet. They haul Clark out on a gurney knowing that the guards will be coming soon for Lex's procedure.

The two Ians bring Clark to a part of the sanitarium with many high voltage connections. They wire up the gurney just as the guards arrive for Lex. They sedate Lex and when he regains consciousness he is strapped to a table with electrodes on his head. Lex is terrified but his father is there to assure him that this is for his own good. In the voltage room, Clark is still lying on the gurney incapacitated. Eric holds the meteor rock in Clark's hand while Ian throws the switch, sending electricity through the gurney and their two bodies. This makes it impossible for Lex's treatment to proceed.

Eric picks up Clark and throws him across the room. He beats him up until Ian complains that they need to leave before the guards notice they are gone. Eric is in no hurry and throws Ian across the room but Clark has found the meteor rock and attempts to take his powers back. He grabs Eric and backs him into an electrical box without letting go of him or the meteor rock. After his powers are restored, he throws a switch which cuts off power to the box, but unfortunately restores power to the machine Lex is attached to. Clark throws away the meteor rock and rushes to Lex, but he is too late. The treatment has been completed.

Meanwhile, Lana begins to do extra therapy sessions on her own when Adam comes in just in time to pick her up off the floor. She continues to make fast progress in her therapy with Adam and actually walks a few steps without crutches. Martha arrives to drive her home and tries to put in a good word for Clark. Later, Adam is in hospital for hydration therapy and Lana comes to visit with desserts from the Talon. She has graduated from crutches and can now walk only using a cane.

When Clark visits Lex at the mansion, he obviously has no memory of anything that happened there or why he was sent there. He doesn't remember seeing Clark use his powers and he doesn't remember uncovering Lionel's part in the conspiracy to kill his grandparents. Clark decides not to tell him the truth. When he tells his parents, Jonathan is happy that Clark's secret is safe, but all Clark can think about is that Lionel got away with murder. Jonathan makes it clear that he does not want Clark going after Lionel. Clark wishes that he could erase the last few months of his life, and Martha encourages him to go to Lana's welcome home party at the Talon. He goes, but when Lana sees him, she does not approach him.

Meanwhile, Lionel is reviewing tape from Clark's visit to Lex. He is dismayed to realize that Lex knew Clark's secret, but the shock therapy has made him forget.

### Whisper

Clark is shopping for his mother's birthday at Smallville Jewelers when Lana approaches him. He notices she is walking without her cane and apologizes for not visiting her as she heads off to work at the Talon. Just as Clark goes into the store, Walt Masterson and superhuman Nathan Dean drive up, planning to rob it. Nathan is supposed to smash the cases with his sonic scream while Masterson grabs the goods. Masterson is armed with a pistol and a pair of earplugs to avoid being deafened by Nathan Dean's supersonic sound. Inside the store, the clerk shows Clark some earrings his mother tried on the last time she was in the store. Clark asks to see something less expensive, so he pulls out a piece of costume jewelry that has been made from meteor rock.

Clark backs away just as Nathan walks in. He uses his fingers to adjust his throat, then his Adam's apple begins to vibrate up and down at a rapid rate. With effort he emits a high-pitched shriek. Everyone covers his or her ears in pain as Masterson enters the store. He pulls his gun just as the glass jewelry cases begin to shatter. The piece of meteor rock jewelery flies across the room just as Clark shoots two short blasts of heat vision at Masterson. One blast hits Masterson's hand and he drops his gun. Another blast hits the meteor rock and bounces back into Clark's face, blinding him. The jeweler levels a shotgun at Masterson as Nathan slips away into the crowd with the other customers. Lana enters the store and finds Clark. Alarmed, he tells her that he can't see.

Back home, Martha and Jonathan discuss what they might be able to do for Clark. Jonathan says that Clark's retinas were scarred, but he is afraid to take him to another doctor. He is mostly worried that Clark's own powers have done something to hurt him. He is afraid that whatever they do might make it worse. Clark chimes in and suggests that he might just get better on his own. He reasons that even if he doesn't, he can learn to live with a disability.

Pete helps Clark to school the next day to pick up his books. Pete mentions that Masterson has landed on his mom's court calendar. There is no chance that he will be getting off easy. Lana offers to help Clark with his schoolwork, but he turns her down. When Pete closes the locker, Clark can suddenly hear every turn of the combination lock like a crash. The students' footfalls and the sounds of a zipper are painfully loud. Then he overhears a conversation between Chloe Sullivan and Lionel Luthor. Chloe is on her cell phone in another hallway. Lionel is demanding another report on Clark Kent. He also says that Lex is too fragile to help her. The school bell ends the conversation, and Clark asks Pete to take him straight home.

In the loft, Clark explains his new power to his parents who try to help him make sense of it. He is just telling them about Chloe and Lionel when Lex arrives. Lex offers to put Clark in touch with the best ophthalmologists, but Clark is determined to learn to live with his blindness. Lex empathizes with Clark about the way some people treat the disabled. Lex says he is planning to go back to LuthorCorp, but Clark warns him that his father doesn't think he can really handle the pressure. Back in the house, Martha is filling out paperwork to get Clark a special tutor to finish high school. Jonathan is exhausted. Martha suggests that they hire some extra hands, but Jonathan refuses. Martha becomes very upset that Jonathan cannot accept that his life has changed and he needs to learn to rely on other people.

Lex is going over financial reports from the Talon when Lana arrives at the mansion to thank him for taking care of her medical bills. Lex explains that he felt guilty about what happened to her, but she never blamed him because he wasn't himself. He apologizes for not being able to visit her during her rehabilitation. He assumed Clark was there for her, but she explains that they have decided not to see each other. Lex tries to encourage her to visit Clark saying that when his father was blind, the brave front was an act. Then he asks about Adam Knight; the bills from the Talon included some gift baskets to him. Lana explains that that he is a friend she met during physical therapy, but she plans to reimburse the shop. She admits that he made quite an impression.

Chloe arrives at the Kent Farm looking for Pete. He was supposed to help her with her column for the *Daily Planet*. Clark is very upset with her and accuses her of being in cahoots with Lionel against him. Chloe comes clean and tells Clark everything. She tries to explain that she is unsuccessfully trying to get out of her deal with Lionel, but Clark isn't ready to forgive her.

Pete arrives at the farm and finds Clark taking a walk, far from his house on the edges of the farm. Clark explains that his parents are worried about him, but he had to get away from all the sounds. Nathan arrives in a tow truck and uses his ability to incapacitate Clark and Pete. He then forces Pete into the truck.

Sheriff Adams arrives to take Clark's statement regarding Pete's kidnapping. They know there's a connection between the kidnapping and the failed jewelry heist, but they can't figure out what it is until Pete's mother Judge Ross arrives. The kidnapper has called her and demanded that she grant a motion to dismiss all charges against Masterson, or he will kill Pete. Clark is desperate to get control of his newest ability in order to help Pete. He turns on every machine in the barn to distract himself and then tries to tune the radio. He's not having much luck when his parents arrive and lend him a hand. Clark is finally able to focus on his father's whisper.

Lionel has arrived at the mansion. Lex wants to ask him if his job at LuthorCorp is for real. He admits that he heard a rumor that his only responsibility will be to sharpen pencils. Lionel wants to know where he heard that rumor. Lex doesn't want to admit that Clark told him, so he just asks his dad whom he was talking to when he said he didn't trust him to really do his job.

Clark and Jonathan drive to the Talon to get an update on Pete. Clark stays in the truck while Jonathan goes inside. Lana gets in the truck next to him. He apologizes to her for not accepting her help this morning. Lana says that her decision not to see him was an over-reaction. Clark also says that his reasons for pulling away are gone, but when he reaches for Lana's hand, she pulls back just as the tow truck rolls by. Clark recognizes it as the truck that took Pete. He sends Lana to get Jonathan and then manages to hop on the back of the truck. The truck takes him straight to where Pete is being held. Clark hears Pete call out and finds him, but Nathan Dean is not far away and he arrives in time to knock Pete over the head and attack Clark with a blowtorch. He knocks off Clark's sunglasses and passes the torch across Clark's eyes several times. Clark reels back in pain while Nathan moves Pete to a new location. When the pain subsides, Clark's vision begins to clear.

At home, his father suggests that the torch must have broken up the scar tissue on his retinas. Clark's vision is still very blurry and his heat vision and x-ray vision are still out. They all hope it will heal itself in time. Clark wants to continue his search for Pete, but Jonathan insists that they stop to get Clark some glasses first. With his new glasses, he plans to go to the courthouse and follow Masterson if Judge Ross lets him go. Martha and Jonathan are doubtful of this plan.

In Metropolis, Chloe has arrived at Lionel's office. She doesn't have any new information on Clark, but Lionel wants to talk about Lex. Chloe claims that she hasn't spoken with Lex, but Lionel has already canceled her column at the *Daily Planet*. Chloe threatens to write a story about "an eccentric billionaire with an excessive interest in a Kansas farm boy". Lionel warns her to be careful with threats and she storms out.

At the Lowell County Courthouse, Clark overhears Masterson talking with Nathan. Nathan promises that Pete will be a "pile of junk," so Clark superspeeds to the junkyard where Nathan has just shut Pete up in the trunk of a car on the crushing machine. He switches the machine on just as Clark arrives. Clark is wandering around the junkyard when he finds Nathan. He doesn't recognize Nathan until he speaks. Nathan uses his ability to disable Clark. Clark backs into a stack of crushed automobiles, which topples over. Clark is able to superspeed out of the way, but Nathan is crushed. Clark hears Pete calling for help and stops the crushing machine just in time.

At the Talon, Pete is telling the story of his rescue, making himself out to be the hero, but Clark doesn't mind. Chloe arrives to talk to Pete. She is visibly upset, but Clark is still angry at her and doesn't talk to her. Pete asks her what is wrong and she tearfully admits that she lost her column at the *Daily Planet* and Lex has fired her father. Clark goes to the Luthor Mansion to ask Lex about that. Lex says that Lionel suspects Chloe's father is the one spreading malicious rumors about him. He assumes that Chloe overheard her father and told Clark. Lex explains that he went along with the whole thing to better position himself against his father by letting him think that he is weak, in addition to keeping Clark out of it.

Lana visits Clark in his loft to tell him that she has met someone new. As she drives away, Clark can hear her crying.

### Delete

Chloe is packing up her desk at the *Daily Planet* and saying goodbye to her editor, Max Taylor. He remarks that she must have enemies in high places to get blacklisted while still in high school. She gives him a couple of stories that she was working on and asks him to look them over. It is impossible for him to publish anything she has written so Chloe suggests a pseudonym: her cousin's name, Lois Lane.

Lex is working late at LuthorCorp and goes looking for the on-call tech guy. He finds Molly Griggs. He explains his problem and she gives him a disc which should scan for the viruses. After he leaves, Molly finishes removing the hard drive from Chloe's old computer. Chloe arrives at the *Torch* office and Pete tells her that someone came by and confiscated all the donated computers. She exits the school late at night and is run down by a familiar Dodge pickup. She has to dive under the pickup to avoid harm and is shocked when Clark climbs out of the truck. Clark looks equally surprised to see the wrecked truck and Chloe on the ground.

At the hospital, Sheriff Adams declares Clark to be stone sober and questions the two teens about the incident. Clark can't remember leaving the library. Chloe tells the sheriff it looked like Clark lost control of the truck. The sheriff dismisses Clark and he runs into Lana, who introduces him to Adam Knight, who just finished another session of physical therapy.

The next day, Lex tries to return Molly's disc and learns that no one named Molly works in the tech department and that all hard drives from the computers she was working on were wiped out.

At the Talon, Lana makes Adam a complicated cup of coffee, and Adam remarks on how uncomfortable she seemed around Clark last night. Lana explains that they have a lot of history. She knows that Clark still cares for her, and she can't control that, but he doesn't know what he wants.

Clark is examining the pickup when Chloe arrives at the Kent Farm. She informs him that there was no tampering done to the truck. She asked the mechanic. She starts to cry and says she can only apologize for investigating him so many times. Clark realizes that Chloe thinks he tried to run her over on purpose. He admits that he still isn't over her betrayal, and Chloe reminds him of his own recent bad judgments, but then they switch gears, and she asks him if he remembers anything after the library and he says the last thing he remembers is working on his laptop. Chloe examines the computer and learns that he downloaded an email from someone named "'Brainwave'" just before the accident. It is revealed that "'Brainwave'" is Molly Griggs' screen name as she prepares to send an email message to Lana Lang. Lana finishes showing Adam around the school when she receives an email message on a handheld device that Lex gave her. The message consists of flashing lights rather than words. Lana's eyes glow.

And after receiving the message, Lana immediately seeks out Chloe and bashes her head against the wall and throws her down the stairs. Lana follows her down the stairs and coolly states that she is trying to kill her. Lana kicks her in the chest and hits her across the face before Chloe starts to fight back and they fight violently and intensely down the stairs. Chloe rams Lana into a firehose case, and the latter grabs an ax. She chases Chloe down the hall, through the locker room, and into the shower. She knocks Chloe down and is about to bring the ax to her head when Adam intervenes with some impressive martial arts of his own. Lana finally stops trying to kill Chloe when Chloe trips her and she hits her head on the floor and asks what happened.

Later, at the Talon, Clark, Lana, Chloe, and Adam try to piece together why and how someone would want to kill Chloe. They realize that they both got suspicious e-mails just before the attacks. Clark guesses they were hypnotized. Adam helps them track down the IP address of the sender and they realize the messages came from the computers taken from the *Torch* office. Clark wonders how Adam knows so much about martial arts, computers, and the human brain.

He goes to Metropolis to ask Lex if Lionel is behind it. Lex realizes that the mysterious Molly probably was responsible. Lawrence Garner visits Molly in her loft apartment. He tells her that Max Taylor is questioning him about Chloe's scathing article on his dubious research.

Lana finds Adam preparing to leave the hospital. He mentions that he would rather stay in Smallville instead of return to Metropolis. He wants to get to know her better, but she questions his motives. He doesn't want to clean up the mess of her previous relationship, and he asks her to leave. Later, they have a real discussion about where their friendship is headed and she persuades him to stay. She offers to renovate the apartment above the Talon and rent it to him.

Chloe finds Clark at the *Torch* office. He tells her what he learned from Lex. She recognizes Molly Griggs' photo and says that Molly is a super-smart engineering prodigy who was being treated at the Summerholt Institute after a psychotic break. Chloe interviewed her for a story she was writing about Lawrence Garner, so they call Max Taylor to warn him. Unfortunately, Molly has already gotten to his secretary, who kills Max during their phone conversation.

Clark takes Chloe to the Luthor mansion for protection and she tells Lex what she knows about Lawrence Garner. Clark leaves to talk with Garner and Lex leaves to talk with the techs he put in charge of tracking Molly. When Clark arrives at the Institute, he confronts Garner with everything he knows, and Garner has security escort him out. Clark uses his super hearing to hear Garner make a call to Molly and overhears Garner give the name of the apartment building and number to the operator. When Clark arrives, he finds Lex is already there. Molly explains that she is defending Dr. Garner out of loyalty. He doesn't have the power to control her. She developed the program herself. Lex discovers that Molly sent another email, and Clark is horrified to realize it was to his mother. Just then, Chloe arrives at the Kent farm, in response to Martha's phone call. Martha comes at her with a sickle while Jonathan chains her to a post by her neck.

Chloe knocks Martha unconscious with a kick to the head. Clark arrives and pulls Jonathan off Chloe, but when he tries to help Chloe up, Jonathan comes at Clark with a meteor rock. He punches him several times before Chloe knocks out Jonathan by releasing several bales of hay stored on the upper level of the barn. They snap out of their trances.

The next day, Clark visits Chloe at the *Torch* and finds that Lex gave back the computers. She guesses he felt guilty about firing her dad. Chloe confesses that she feels like maybe she deserved what Molly did to her as penance for what she did to Clark. Clark assures her that he is partly to blame for pushing her away. He admits that Chloe found him at his weakest moment in Metropolis and she gave him a second chance, so he owes her the same. They agree that while they can't forget what has happened, Chloe will stop trying to add Clark up and take him as he is, and their friendship is renewed.

Lex approaches Dr. Garner and warns him against any further attempts on Chloe's life. He admits to having stashed Molly away somewhere safe. Then he blackmails him with Chloe's article. He threatens to have it published unless Dr. Garner helps him recover his seven weeks of missing memories.

### Hereafter

On one of his first days of class at Smallville High School, Jordan Cross is running with the cross-country track team. Lana and Pete are also on the team. They end the run on the football field, where Jordan glances at a pretty cheerleader, Megan Calder, and Lana approaches Coach Altman. She tentatively asks the coach if there is anything she can do, but he seems extremely depressed and just replies that no one can do anything. Lana approaches Jordan and compliments him on his running skills. She impulsively grabs his hand and Jordan is suddenly shocked into a vision: He sees Lana as an old woman dying peacefully in her bed. She is wearing her neutralized kryptonite necklace, accompanied by an old man. Jordan is unnerved and leaves abruptly.

Coach Altman approaches him and puts a hand on his shoulder asking him when he's going to join the team. Jordan has another vision: Coach Altman is standing directly in front of an oncoming car being hit head on. Upset by now, Jordan runs away from the field.

In front of the school, Clark catches up with Jordan and introduces himself as his mentor to show him around school. Jordan doesn't shake his hand and covers by saying that he has been home schooled until now and is trying to get used to all the people. Clark waits for him to check in with his dad. Jordan's dad knows that he has had visions and says he thinks it's a mistake for Jordan to be in regular school but then Jordan sees Mr. Altman crossing into the street. He is horrified to see his vision begin to play out, but Clark notices Jordan's reaction. He sees the oncoming car and super speeds to push Mr. Altman out of the way. Mr. Altman dissolves into tears, saying he just wanted to be with his little girl. Clark and Jordan are both stunned.

Lana and Megan arrive at the hospital to visit Coach Altman. Lana explains to Clark that she, Megan, and his daughter Julia were all best friends in junior high school when they cheered together. Julia was severely injured when a car hit her. She had no chance of recovery, but Mr. Altman hoped for a miracle and only took her off of life support last month. Lana leaves to visit with Mr. Altman. He is unconscious and Megan is crying at his bedside. She laments that she and Julia were fighting the night of the accident and she blames herself. Lana tries to comfort her, noting that she didn't go after her either. Lana leads Megan away and Coach Altman awakens as they leave.

Jordan is navigating the crowded halls of high school trying not to touch anyone when Clark grabs his shoulder. Instead of a horrifying image of death, he sees a fluttering red cape and a tranquil, endless expanse of space and stars; however he is still skittish and admits that he doesn't like being touched. The students file past him and every time someone runs into him, Jordan winces and touches his head. Clark recognizes the gesture and asks if Jordan knew what Coach Altman was going to do. Jordan just excuses himself and goes outside to get some air.

Lana is closing up the Talon when she hears Adam shouting upstairs. She enters the apartment to see him thrashing violently in the throes of a nightmare. He kicks her in the stomach before he wakes up sweating and panting. Lana is concerned but Adam says he doesn't want to talk about it. Later, Lana meets with Lex who says neighbors reported Adam shouting. He also has a list of invoices for repairs to the apartment. Lana says she didn't tell him because she didn't want to jump to conclusions and Adam has been a big help at the coffee shop. Lex cautions that Lana doesn't know much about him.

The next day at school, Clark is waiting for Pete and Chloe at the *Torch* office. They arrive eager to tell him something about Adam Knight but Clark declares himself an "Adam-free zone", saying he and Lana are friends again and he doesn't want to mess it up by coming between her and Adam. He redirects the conversation to Jordan Cross and says he thinks Jordan had a premonition of Coach Altman's actions. Pete has noticed Jordan's fear of human contact, but suggests that maybe he just has a heightened sense of intuition. Chloe, on the other hand, thinks the story is worth looking into. Clark is pleased that Chloe wants to investigate with him again.

That day at school, Chloe enters an empty classroom and sees Adam injecting something into his arm. When he leaves, she collects the syringe. She meets Clark at the *Torch* office and almost tells him what she saw, but stops herself. Clark shows her an article he found in the *Smallville Ledger* database: when Jordan was six, he foresaw a woman dying on a roller coaster. They learn that Jordan's mother died the day he was born, the day of the meteor shower. Their investigation is interrupted when they hear commotion on the schoolyard and arrive to see Jordan confronting Megan. They are both upset; Jordan is insisting that Megan allow him to walk her home, and Megan is screaming for him to leave her alone. Clark tries to calm Jordan down. Near tears, Jordan explains that Megan is going to die, but runs away without further details.

Clark follows Jordan and offers to help. He says he knows about the roller coaster and he believes in Jordan's visions. Jordan finally admits that when he touched Megan, he saw her dying in a fire. Clark suggests they try warning her again. As they walk to Megan's house together, Jordan describes his visions. He and his father have never been able to prevent one from coming true before Clark saved Coach Altman. He tells Clark that his vision of him was like he didn't have an ending. They arrive at Megan's house to find Sheriff Adams. She reports that Megan's car was discovered abandoned and questions Jordan about his fight with Megan that day. Jordan's dad comes to get him and tells him to wait in the car. Clark pleads with Mr. Cross to give Jordan another chance at school but Mr. Cross says that Jordan should be home so he can protect him, then they realize that Jordan has run off again.

Chloe goes to the Talon to tell Lana about the syringe, first making sure Adam is not around. Adam is at the Mansion skillfully playing a difficult piece of music. Lex is impressed but Adam shrugs off his compliments. Lex asks him about his behavior and reveals that he has been investigating his past. Lex talked with his teachers who seemed to have rehearsed their answers and he promises to keep digging. Lana is doing some research at the *Torch* and asks Adam to meet her there. She tries to ask him about the needle, but he is defensive and avoids all of her questions. He stalks away and runs right into Jordan. Jordan is affected by what he saw and then Lana finds him. He admits that he's hiding from his father. Lana reaches out to comfort him and Jordan sees another vision: Lana is dying in a fire. She is surrounded by photos, flowers, toys, and a sign, which reads "Wandering Hills". She screams. Jordan seems surprised that the vision has changed. He tells Lana not to leave the school. Lana is confused, but as Jordan turns to go find Clark, a masked figure knocks Jordan to the floor, drugs Lana, and drags her away.

Chloe goes to talk to Adam but he is not in the apartment. She uses the opportunity to snoop around and finds a vial of clear liquid. Her investigation is interrupted by Lex. He asks her about her concerns and admits that Adam's piano skills made him curious. They discuss Adam's uncanny talents in a variety of subjects. Lex simply tells Chloe to lock up on her way out.

Clark has been looking for Jordan all night and Jonathan wants him to give it a rest. Clark feels guilty because he led Jordan into the middle of a crime investigation. Jonathan explains that he can relate to Jordan's dad wanting to shelter and hide his son from the world and tells Clark that Jordan will come home when he's ready. Clark agrees to stay home for dinner and is about to follow Jonathan in the house when Jordan appears. He tells Clark how he and Lana were attacked and about how his vision of Lana's death changed. He tries to recount all he can remember from the vision. Clark shows him a photograph of Julia Altman and Jordan confirms that he saw a photograph of her in the vision. He remembers a sign that indicates the neighborhood and as Clark sets out to rescue the girls, Jordan insists on coming along.

Mr. Altman has both girls tied up in a basement, along with a collection of photographs and mementos of his daughter. He says that he heard Megan confessing in the hospital and now he blames them for Julia's death and intends to set the basement on fire to avenge his daughter. He starts the fire just as Clark and Jordan arrive. Clark instructs Jordan to stay in the car and goes to rescue the girls. He gets Lana loose as Altman tries to pull him away. Clark pushes him away as Jordan arrives and frees Megan. Altman attacks Jordan who is stunned by multiple touches. However, Jordan's vision corresponds with reality, indicating that he sees Altman's own death. After the girls are safe, Clark reenters the basement to rescue Jordan, who is unconscious. He carries him out just as the house blows up and administers CPR to revive him. When he comes to, Jordan is surprised that he does not receive a vision from Clark's touch.

Later, Lana visits Lex at the mansion and tells Lex about Adam's reaction to her questions. He tells Lana that Adam is part of a clinical trial testing a new drug, but Lana still is unsure. Lex advises her to trust her instincts. When she leaves, it is revealed that Lex is reading Adam's file in a computer database.

The next day, Jordan tells Clark that right before he was going to die, he saw his mother and when he was revived, the visions were gone. He is upbeat about it and says that he was destined to meet Clark to get rid of them. Lana arrives shortly afterward with Jordan's homework and explains that she's going to help him catch up in exchange for track training. Clark exits and Jordan is suddenly withdrawn and quiet again. Lana asks him what's wrong and Jordan reluctantly says he saw something strange when he touched Adam. Lana mentions that Adam was seriously injured a while ago but Jordan cryptically says that he thinks Adam actually died.

That night at home, Clark is quiet and Martha asks what's on his mind. He says he wonders what the consequences of his altering destiny will be if he makes the wrong choice and people die. Martha assures him that he has to concentrate on the lives he saves. She gives him a plate of cookies to take to Jonathan in the barn. Clark arrives with the plate but is horrified to see that Jonathan has collapsed. Clark tries to help him up as Jonathan is muttering, "Not yet" and "I love you, son" just before he passes out. Clark calls for his mother.

### Velocity

Jonathan is at the Smallville Medical Center recovering from his heart attack. He wants to go back home quite badly. Clark guesses that his fathers' sudden poor health has to do with the deal Jonathan made with Jor-El. Both Martha and Jonathan deny that this is the case.

Martha and Clark are driving home from the hospital when they are nearly hit by a couple of street racers. Clark super speeds after them and discovers that one of them is Pete Ross.

The next day, Clark finds Pete at Jason Dante's house. They are working in the barn on the Mustang. It has been outfitted with a nitrous oxide tank that has been boosted with meteor rocks. Clark tells Pete that he nearly hit his mother last night. Pete assures him that he was in complete control. It turns out Pete has been street racing for a couple months, and he's the best in the county. Clark insists that its dangerous and illegal, but Pete is sure that he knows how to handle the cars.

Lana visits Adam Knight in his apartment over the Talon and confronts him with a file on **Chad Nash**. He looks just like Adam and has all the same hobbies: karate, computer, and piano; but he died five months ago from liver disease. Adam tries to blow it off, but then he becomes adamant that Lana not tell this to anyone else. Lana promises and leaves him alone.

Chloe goes to Lex with information on Adam. The serum she found contains platelets unlike anything human or animal. She also learned that Lia Teng, professor of molecular biology at Metropolis University, visited Adam twice a week while he was at Smallville Medical Center. She wanted to interview her, but she can't get near her, so Chloe is asking Lex to look into it.

Clark catches up with Pete out on the highway. There have been a number of fatal car accidents using kryptonite-boosted fuel but Pete feels that he has finally found the thing that he is really good at, and he doesn't want to give up racing. Clark threatens to physically stop him if he has to.

That night, Clark visits his father in the hospital and tells him a little of his trouble with Pete, and he admits that he's been taking Pete for granted. While Pete is getting ready for another race, Dante tells him to take a dive. Pete ignores him and the guy is out $20,000. Dante threatens to kill Pete if he doesn't turnover the keys to his Mustang, repay the $20,000, and stay away from the street races. Pete has no idea where he's going to get $20,000, and he's scared to death.

Lex visits Lia Teng at the university, and he asks her about Adam Knight. She flat out refuses to answer his questions even when he asks specifically about the blood platelets of unknown origin.

Pete comes to visit Jonathan and tells Clark about his trouble with Dante. Clark tells him to lay low and goes to snoop around Jason Dante's barn. He discovers a collection of license plates and VIN numbers. He takes them to the *Smallville Torch*, and Chloe helps him discover that they are all from stolen cars. Clark takes this information to Sheriff Adams. The sheriff has been after Dante for a while now, so she commits eight deputies and four cruisers to the raid on Dante's barn, but Dante was tipped off by one of the deputies, and Sheriff Adams is furious with Clark for sending her on a wild goose chase.

Dante guesses that it was Pete who called the sheriff. He beats him up and threatened to kill his family if he doesn't come up with the money. Pete begs Clark to steal the money for him, but Clark hates that idea, so he asks Lex for the money. Lex warns Clark that if he pays off thugs once, they will be back for more, so Clark hatches a new plan: he takes Lex's Porsche. It's worth a lot more than $20,000, but its not as fast as Jason Dante's racecars. Pete will offer the Porsche to Dante as the prize in a race against Dante. If Dante wins, the Porsche is his. If Pete wins, the debt is settled. Pete will drive the Mustang he always races. Dante has never lost a race, so Clark plans to use his heat vision to sabotage Dante's engine. Pete is excited about the plan, but Clark is angry about lying, stealing, and cheating to get Pete out of trouble.

Later, they meet Jason Dante in his barn, and he accepts the challenge. While Pete drives the Porsche down to the starting line, Clark overhears Dante talking about a bomb in Pete's car that's rigged to go off when he hits 100 mph. Clark tries to call off the race, but he is knocked out with a canister of kryptonite-boosted fuel. They stuff him in the trunk where the kryptonite keeps him unconscious until Pete burns up that fuel during the race. Clark tears open the fuel tank just before Pete reaches 100 miles per hour. Jason Dante loses traction on the spilled fuel and dies in a terrible crash.

Lia Teng arrives at the mansion. She is furious with Lex. The university has threatened to revoke her tenure. Her funding has been revoked. Lex informed them that she was conducting illicit drug trials without permission from the FDA. He imagines aloud that federal charges could be brought against her at any time unless she agrees to work for him. He will double her budget if she will tell him everything she knows.

Adam Knight wakes from a nap in pain, sweaty, bleeding from his eye with lesions on his skin. He stumbles to the kitchen counter, grabs a needle and injects himself in the abdomen. There is a knock at the door, and when he opens it, he looks fine. Lana says that she has kept her promise, but she wants an explanation. Adam refuses, and Lana insists. Then, Adam threatens her.

Lex arrives at the Kent Farm to talk with Clark saying that someone took his Porsche and then returned it.

Jonathan arrives home from the hospital and tells Clark that he did talk with Jor-El, and he thinks that is why his heart gave out, but he doesn't regret his decision. Jonathan expresses confidence in Clark's ability to make the right choices when the time comes.

Clark is shooting hoops when Pete drives up. Pete apologizes for what happened, and he promises that nothing like that will ever happen again, but Clark is not ready to forgive and forget.

### Obsession

During an economics class field trip to the LuthorCorp headquarters in Metropolis, Clark and Chloe are trading sarcastic comments back and forth, so the teacher separates them. She directs Clark to an elevator containing one other classmate, the pretty, blonde Alicia Baker. As they are riding down, the elevator cable snaps and it begins to free-fall down the shaft. Clark uses his heat vision to burn out the security camera, then punches through the wall of the elevator and grabs a pipe to stop it. Alicia looks on in wonder and Clark asks her not to tell anybody. As rescuers try to pry the elevator open, she approaches Clark and the two disappear in a cloud of green smoke and reappear on the ground floor unharmed. It is Clark's turn to look at Alicia in wonder and she also asks him not to tell.

The next day at school, Clark approaches Alicia. She tells him she has been able to teleport since the meteor shower. Clark explains that his abilities are also connected to the meteor shower.

In Adam Knight's Talon apartment, Lana finds a diary detailing what she and Clark have done together over the past few weeks. He catches her snooping and she threatens to evict him. He coolly reminds her that it's not that easy to evict someone and she should check her tenant laws.

Clark gets up the nerve to ask her on a date. Lana tells Clark about the journal and asks Lex's help to get rid of Adam. Clark and Alicia are at his loft and they look through his telescope and talk about being different. Clark assures her that he doesn't think she's a freak. While dropping her off at home, she says that her parents don't understand her; they are very overprotective and used to try to keep her from teleporting. They almost kiss goodnight, but Clark is too shy.

Later that night, Clark is shocked when Alicia appears in his bed in her underwear. Clark is initially reluctant, but Alicia takes the lead and they start kissing, until Jonathan bursts into the bedroom. Clark is left to explain to his parents exactly how Alicia got into his bed. They are skeptical and don't think dating Alicia is a good idea. They ask Clark how much he told her and Clark maintains he didn't tell her about his weakness to meteor rocks. However, Alicia is still at his house, listening to the whole conversation. She is pleased when Clark announces that he thinks he's found someone with whom he can have a real relationship.

The next day at school, Pete congratulates Clark on having a girl in his bedroom and Clark finds his locker lined with pictures of Alicia. Alicia is unimpressed with his suggestion that they "set a few boundaries." Clark goes to talk to Lex about her clinginess and Lex suggests that he might be encouraging Alicia by telling her what she wants to hear. Clark goes to Alicia's house to talk to her, but she's not home. Her parents are reserved and a little fearful. They live in fear of their daughter and cannot control her at all. They tell Clark about a lead room they kept Alicia in to stop her from teleporting, but she begged to be let out. They warn Clark to back off because the last boy Alicia dated did not fare too well in the end.

Clark returns home to his loft to find it completely redecorated by Alicia. She has put pictures of herself everywhere and has scratched out a yearbook photograph of Lana. As Clark looks around annoyed, she appears next to him. He confronts her about invading his loft and they argue until Alicia receives a call; her father is in the hospital. He takes her to the hospital, but he suspects Alicia did something to her father. Sheriff Adams also suspects and asks Alicia questions until she begins to cry. Clark asks her if she harmed her father and they argue until she teleports away.

Clark returns home to find her in his kitchen. He asks her to turn herself in, but she refuses. She slyly says that both of their families will be safe if they keep each other's secrets, then leaves. Unsure what to do next, Clark visits Chloe. He tells her what Alicia can do and the two figure out a way to lure Alicia out.

Chloe goes to Alicia's house and makes up a story about how Clark needs help because the sheriff is blaming him for her father's injuries. Alicia finds Clark at an old warehouse and he once again tries to convince her to turn herself in. She says they should just run away and Clark pretends to agree. He tries to trap her in a lead-painted room, but she figures out his plan and uses a meteor rock to subdue him. She leaves him incapacitated on the floor and walks out.

Alicia arrives at the Talon and threatens Lana with a knife, saying that Clark told her all the secrets he would never tell Lana. Back at the old warehouse Clark is able to kick the paint can over onto the meteor rock and dash after her. Clark arrives and douses Alicia in lead paint. She is unable to teleport away. Lana comes over to the farm and to thank Clark. Lana tells Clark that she told her the truth about Clark. She also mentions that Clark is still love with her. Clark and his mother talk about how he feels like he will never have a meaningful relationship if he always has to lie about his abilities. He tries to get Martha to understand his attraction to Alicia was based on the fact that he was able to be himself around her.

Lana arrives at the Talon to find that Adam is gone. She thanks Lex, but Lex says he had nothing to do with it. His security people can't even find him. Adam's fate is revealed when he is shown strapped to a chair in a medical facility. Lionel Luthor is seen walking in the room and asking him for his inability to uncover Clark's secrets. He sent him to Smallville to become Lana Lang's best friend and find out everything she knows about Clark Kent, but instead, he has alienated her completely. Lionel denies Adam the medication he needs and cruelly leaves him strapped to a chair to die alone in the dark.

### Resurrection

Dr. Scanlan recommends triple bypass surgery to repair the arterial blockage in Jonathan's heart. Jonathan is reluctant until Clark tells him how important he is to him.

Clark is in the waiting room with a classmate, Garrett Davis. Garrett's brother Vince is suffering from serious liver failure. Clark is very worried about his father, but Garrett tries to encourage him until they hear a code blue for Vince's room. They rush down the hall and see Dr. MacIntyre attempting to revive Vince, but he is not successful. One of the attendants quietly sends an email message as he notes the time of death in the chart.

Clark tells his mother that Garrett's parents died when he was little. Vince was his guardian, so Garrett will be sent to foster care until his uncle arrives from Germany in a few days. Martha Kent invites Garrett to stay with them instead.

Meanwhile, Vince's body is urgently transported by helicopter back to Metropolis. It arrives at Lia Teng's lab. She immediately administers an injection to his chest, which revives him.

Garrett and Clark are talking about Vince when Martha comes in to tell Garrett the crematorium has called asking where they should send Vince's ashes. Garrett is confused and Clark takes him to sort it out. Garrett knows that Vince wanted to be buried next to his parents, but he is given file with Vince's signature on the cremation form, but he believes it was forged.

At the mansion, Lex is on the phone with the North Korean Embassy trying to find the deported Lia Teng. Chloe arrives to share what she has learned: Twelve years ago she married a man who worked security at LuthorCorp. Lex figured that his father arranged the marriage so that she could get a green card. Chloe found the guard working at the old Metron Pharmaceuticals Building even though it has been shut down for the past seven years. Chloe wants Lex to help her check it out, but Lex insists that she stay behind for her own safety.

Clark and Garrett return to the Kent Farm just before Vince arrives. He says that he woke up in a lab and now he needs to fall beneath the radar. Before he can tell Clark where the lab is, he doubles over in pain, bleeding from his eyes. They take him to the hospital where Dr. MacIntyre explains that Vince's liver is rapidly deteriorating. Garrett is distraught at the idea of losing his brother again.

Clark visits his father, who is preparing for surgery. He wants to stay with him, but he also wants to go to Metropolis to find the mysterious lab and maybe save Vince. Jonathan tells him to go to Metropolis, then reminds Martha of their promise to let Clark go when he's ready.

Clark meets Lana in the parking lot on his way out. He tells her about Vince Davis and she tells him that Adam Knight had previously bled from his eyes in a similar fashion. He goes to see Chloe at the *Torch*. She is able to confirm that Metropolis General only received two organ donors yesterday, both female, so Clark goes in search of the helicopter pilot, Ben Powell, who must have been paid off to deliver Vince's body somewhere else. After verbally threatening to report the body stealing scam to the authorities, Ben reluctantly flys Clark to the location where he was paid to make the drop, which turns out to be Metron Pharmaceuticals. Clark uses his super hearing to overhear Lex inside the lab confronting Lia Teng after entering the facility and discovering that she was not deported after all, but is instead performing research here for Lionel Luthor. Lex interrogates her about the vial of serum that he catches her working on, which he says looks identical to the serum used by Adam Knight, which contained blood platelets of unknown origin. Clark uses his super speed to steal the vial undetected.

Dr. Scanlan is just beginning Jonathan's surgery when Garrett shows up with a bomb strapped to his chest demanding that Vince receive a liver transplant. Clark returns with the serum to find the medical center surrounded by deputies. He tells Sheriff Adams that he has the medicine that will cure Vince. Reluctantly, she allows Clark to talk with Garrett. Meanwhile, Pete explains to Martha that Garrett's bomb is the same type that Vince used in his demolition business, laced with meteor rock. Garrett takes the call from Clark and agrees to trade most of the hostages for the vial of serum. Clark is careful to keep his distance, but when the serum boils in Garrett's hand, Clark suspects that it is made from his blood. Dr. MacIntyre injects Vince in the correct location, but it does not revive him. Garrett insists that he transplant Jonathan's liver to Vince. Dr. MacIntryre tries to explain that there is almost no chance of success, but Garrett is too desperate to listen and there are twenty other patients in the building.

Sheriff Adams has ordered a sharp shooter to seek a vantage point and take Garrett out. When he shoots Garrett, his finger comes off the bomb's ignition switch. Clark runs to the radiology department, grabs a lead apron, removes the bomb from Garrett's chest and runs away from the medical center before it explodes.

Meanwhile, back at Metron Pharmaceuticals, Lia Teng explains to Lex that Lionel ordered Adam Knight's role in the program terminated, meaning he is supposed to be cut off from receiving any further serum, but due to her ethics, she has been secretly supplying him with a small amount to keep him alive; however, it is in such short supply that she isn't able to give him as much as he needs either. She has him locked up, hidden away while he deteriorates. Lex asks her to reveal the source of the unique blood platelets in the serum, but Lia does not know. However, she does offer him information about the platelets, such as the fact that they have an astonishing ability to revive necrotic tissue. Before Lex leaves Metron, Lia tells him that he is her only chance to get out from under his father's grip. Lex returns to the Talon to find Lana attempting to scrub away the memory of Adam from the apartment. She is obviously upset and he offers to talk with her about if she ever wants to, but he chooses not reveal to her that he just found out where Adam disappeared to; instead he just claims he's still trying to determine Adam's whereabouts so he can make sure that Adam never harasses Lana again.

Clark is helping his father leave the hospital when he tells him that the serum that revived Vince was made from his blood. Clark suggests that if his blood can help people, maybe he should come forward.

### Crisis

Lana needs to study for Mr. Jensen's history exam, so she asked Clark to cover her shift at the teen crisis hot-line. Clark starts working with Pete and the first call he gets is a message from Lana. Someone is chasing her with a gun. Clark hears a shot and rushes to the Talon to find Lana studying with Chloe, unharmed.

The next morning, Sheriff Adams reviews the tape. She promises to look into it but admits that prank calls are a low priority, so Clark takes the tape to Chloe for analysis. She determines that the call was not pieced together. Lana figures out that the background noise is rain. Clark uses his super hearing to pick out Adam's voice in the distance. He also finds a bit of a radio broadcast of a Metropolis Vipers game. When they piece together the clues they determine that Lana's phone call is from the future.

Meanwhile Lex confronts Lionel with a vial of the blood-serum and papers describing that the trials have so far resulted in patients whose minds remain conscious while their bodies deteriorate. Lionel thinks he wants to shut the project down, but Lex wants to be put in charge of it. Lionel responds by going behind Lex's back and confiscating the blood platelets and ordering Teng to clear out the lab by the end of the day under threat of deportation. Lionel plans to move the lab to another location. The first thing Dr. Teng does after Lionel leaves with the serum is to visit Adam Knight. She gives him an injection and explains that they are shutting down the lab, but she can't take him with her, and Lionel has taken all the medicine. His injection will wear off in 12 hours. He is filled with rage and desperation and takes it out on Teng by strangling her to death. The other lab techs realize what he's done and try to stop him from leaving. In response, he kills all of them.

Clark goes to the mansion to tell Lex about the phone call from the future and ask about Adam. He admits that he knows Lex was at the lab with Dr. Teng. Lex agrees to take Clark to the lab and show him that Adam is there and that he can't leave. When they arrive, they find Dr. Teng and the seven lab techs all dead, but Adam is not there. Lex accuses Lionel of having them killed. Lionel tries to put Lex in charge of the cleanup, but Lex refuses.

Clark goes to the Talon to tell Lana what they found. Chloe's contact at the phone company tracked down the blocked number that Lana called from. Chloe had to switch her long distance service, but she discovered that the call came from the cell phone of Gwen Burton. Clark suggests that Lana hide out at the Kent Farm, while he tries to track down Mrs. Burton. She works at the medical center in accounts receivable. She loaned her phone to her husband. Clark asks her to call him, and she does so, just as Adam hits him over the head and steals his phone and car. Clark superspeeds to his location, but he is too late.

Clark calls Chloe at the Kent Farm and tells her that the phone was stolen. A storm is brewing, and Chloe decides to go to the Torch to listen to the police scanner. Jonathan insists that she take his truck. He doesn't want her to get stuck crossing the creek in her little car. Clark is at the mansion when Detective Cage of the Metropolis Police Department arrives to search the grounds for evidence relating to the eight homicides committed at Metron labs. Lex tries to send Clark away, but Detective Cage insists that he remain to answer a few questions.

Adam confronts Chloe to get Lana's location, believing she has the serum he left in his apartment, but she refuses to betray Lana. He notices that she is driving the Kent's pickup and guesses that Lana is hiding out there, despite her denial, as he recognizes the licence plate.

The Kent pickup truck arrives at the Kent Farm. Jonathan sees Chloe in the front seat and Lana wonders why she isn't coming inside. Jonathan goes out to investigate and tells Lana to lock the door behind him. Chloe is actually tied up, and she tries to warn him but he can't hear her over the rain. Adam sneaks behind Jonathan and hits him over the head while the girls looks on helplessly and takes his rifle. He throws Chloe out of the car and threatens to kill both of them unless Lana takes him to the storage facility where she stashed his stuff. When they get there, the vials are missing from their hiding place inside one of his books. He is furious and accuses her of stealing them. They struggle until she is able to steal the phone and run away.

Detective Cage has surveillance video of Lex with Dr. Teng in the lab. When they find memos, signed by Lex as acting director of the lab, he realizes that he is being set up. When Clark realizes that the basketball game is approaching the point he heard on the phone, he excuses himself and rushes to the farm to find Martha tending to Chloe. Then he rushes to the teen crisis center just in time to answer Lana's call, but a power line crashes on top of the telephone service box. There is an electrical short and meteor rocks nearby, possibly the reason for the time-warp. Clark takes the phone out into the rain and lifts the power pole high enough to pull the lines out of the puddle with the meteor rocks. Then he is able to ask Lana where she is and he superspeeds to her location just in time to take the bullet for her.

Adam collapses. Clark approaches and Adam tells him that he saw him take the bullet. Now he knows why Lionel sent him to watch Clark, but its too late. Adam predicts that Lionel will not stop pursuing Clark and it would only be a matter of time before he discovers his secret.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion Detective Cage has decided that he has enough evidence to place Lex under arrest. Just as he is putting on the cuffs, Agent Loder arrives from the FBI. In exchange for immunity, Lex offers to help bring down Lionel. Lionel brings in a new doctor to manage the project, claiming he has a liver disease that is killing him and time is imperative – a claim confirmed as Lionel reviews his medical records and considers suicide.

### Legacy

Against Martha's protestations, Jonathan is on the roof of the barn trying to attach a weather vane. Suddenly, he hears a high-pitched ringing and loses his balance. Martha screams for Clark who superspeeds from the fields and catches him. He is unharmed, but shaken and explains that he heard a ringing. Clark is sure Jor-El is responsible, but Jonathan gets irritable, even calling him Kal-El. Clark and Martha are shocked as Jonathan stalks away.

Lionel is about to kill himself when he receives a phone call. He abruptly puts the pistol away and takes a helicopter to Smallville. Clark goes to the Kawatche Caves to negotiate with Jor-El. The key begins to glow in his hand, but suddenly Lionel is standing next to him. He cryptically asks Clark how Jonathan is doing and notices that the octagonal indentation has returned.

He goes to tell Lex, and asks him to help figure out Clark's secret. It is revealed that Lex is wearing a wire and their conversation is being recorded.

Clark asks Jonathan about the key and he concedes that Jor-El is Clark's real father and admits that his brush with death has him re-evaluating his choices. Clark is confused and hurt by Jonathan's words. He takes the key from Jonathan and locks it up.

Later at the Talon, Clark talks to Lana about Jonathan's behavior. She assures him that sometimes people are depressed after a health crisis.

Lex later consults with Agent Frank Loder and tells him to disregard Lionel's comments about the Kents, saying that he only agreed to help them bring Lionel down and to not interfere with the Kents. Loder is dubious at Lex's insistence that Clark is an ordinary boy.

Lionel goes to visit Dr. Virgil Swann and asks him what he knows about the language on the walls of the cave. He offers to give Dr. Swann conservancy over the caves if he tells him what he knows. Dr. Swann lies and says that he does not know the language. Lionel tells him about the octagonal keyhole and his suspicion that Clark has the

key. He asks Dr. Swann to talk with Clark. Dr. Swann correctly guesses that Lionel is dying and Lionel admits that he believes that whatever is in the caves will save his life. Dr. Swann agrees to help him.

Clark goes back to the caves to see that Lionel has set up an excavation crew to research the cave wall markings. That night, FBI agents storm the Kent Farm with a search warrant.

Clark is using the Talon phone to leave his mother a message. He tells Lana that his father took off in the middle of his farm errands. Lana listens sympathetically to Clark's problems and then Clark leans in and kisses her. He says he doesn't want to look back on his life regretting his lost opportunities. Lana tells him this is not the time for them to try to get back together and that he needs to focus on his family problems.

Embarrassed, Clark leaves and finds his dad at his parents' grave. He talks wistfully about his own father and says that he feels guilty for turning his back on Clark and forcing him to run away. Clark tries to reassure him and takes him home.

Lana is at the mansion going over the monthly bills for the Talon with Lex. He notices that she is upset and encourages her to tell him what's going on. She tells him that Clark kissed her. She wants to believe that he can change, but Lex advises her that she should measure him by all her experiences with him, not just his most recent gesture.

Clark and Jonathan arrive to see the farm in shambles and Martha reports that the only thing that's missing is the key. Clark starts to panic, but Jonathan reveals that he has it.

Clark goes to Lex about the raid and Lex tells him that he will look into it. Lex goes straight to Frank Loder who explains that the FBI is not interested in the Kents. Clark follows and overhears part of the conversation and angrily accuses Lex of investigating his family. Lex comes clean about his father's attempt to pin the Metron murders on him and his decision to help the feds bring him down. He guesses that Lionel sent his own men to the farm impersonating the FBI. Lex also tells Clark that Lionel visited Dr. Swann recently.

Clark confronts Dr. Swann, but he assures Clark that he has not betrayed him. Clark is extremely upset because he thinks that Lionel is putting his family in danger. Dr. Swann says he thought Clark was ready to learn more about his origins, but his actions in the recent past have made him doubt this. They have an intense conversation about Clark's destiny. Dr. Swann shows him another message, *"I am waiting"* but the message is not from space and Swann believes it is for someone else.

Back at the Kent Farm, Jonathan sees the key glowing, removes it from the box and leaves the farm. Clark

returns home to find his father missing and tells his mom that he thinks Jor-El is trying to contact Jonathan. Jonathan arrives in the caves with his Remington 870 police magnum riot shotgun to find Lionel studying the wall markings. Jonathan orders everyone out of the caves. They all quickly comply except for Lionel. Jonathan warns him to stay away from Clark. They fight until the key begins to glow in Jonathan's pocket. Lionel pulls it out and they fight over it until it floats into the wall and disappears. Jonathan chokes Lionel and Clark arrives just in time to pull him off. Lionel looks in wonder at the cave, thinking the key is in the wall. Jonathan thinks Clark has it, but he says he doesn't have it

Lana goes to visit Clark and he says again that his feelings for her have never changed. He insists that if they both want to be together, they should be. Lana is reluctant because she believes that her focus on their relationship is making her miss out on other things in life. She leaves Clark alone with his thoughts.

Jonathan asks him about Lana's visit, but he doesn't tell him anything. Instead, he asks Jonathan why he went to the cave and Jonathan says he was just drawn there. Clark asks him what Jor-El is waiting for and what their deal was. Jonathan refuses to tell him. Clark is worried that Lionel will get the key out of the wall, but Jonathan simply says it isn't there. It is revealed that Dr. Swann now has possession of the key.

### Truth

Chloe meets with a man who used to work with her father at the LuthorCorp plant. She asks him if someone is sabotaging his chances for getting a new job. He says that Lex is starting projects that no one really wants to get involved in; Gabe would be better off staying away from LuthorCorp. He turns to go and Chloe spies his ID badge in his car. She takes it and uses it to get into a secure laboratory at the plant. She accidentally hits a button, which sets off an alarm. Suddenly, she is blasted by a green mist that causes her to briefly pass out, but she awakens and escapes before security can catch her.

At school the next day, Clark notices Chloe seems preoccupied, but she shrugs him off and asks if he has finished his Teacher of the Year interview with Mrs. Taylor. He admits that he hasn't received a call back and she tells him he should be a more aggressive journalist. Just then, Mrs. Taylor walks through the halls and Chloe urges Clark to give it another shot. He asks again, but the teacher says she is too busy. Chloe then asks if she has ten minutes before literature class. A green mist expels as she talks. Mrs. Taylor admits that she can't do it because she watched TV instead of preparing for class, so she has to make up a pop quiz. Clark and Chloe are stunned and amused at her honesty.

Pete is waiting for them in the *Torch* office and Chloe asks about their evening plans. Pete says Clark's going to run to the stadium to get hot dogs to eat while they watch the Metropolis Sharks game, and the round trip will only take ten minutes if he goes supersonic. Clark can't believe that Pete just told Chloe this. He says Pete is just kidding and ushers him away from Chloe. In the halls, Pete says he has no idea why he said it and Clark is annoyed.

Lex arrives at the LuthorCorp Plaza where Lionel asks him about the release of a chemical agent at the plant. Lex questions Lionel's concern and leaves. In his car, it is revealed that he is wearing a wire.

Chloe is at Clark's house working on the Teacher of the Year interview when Martha arrives. Clark leaves to get the rest of the groceries while Martha and Chloe talk. Chloe politely asks how Jonathan is doing and Martha responds with a very personal revelation about Jonathan's feelings. Chloe is surprised and asks how Clark is handling it and Martha tells him that Clark feels responsible but it's really Clark's biological father's fault. Clark reenters the kitchen, stunned that Martha is telling Chloe all of this. Chloe asks Clark why he wouldn't tell her he found his biological father and he tries to make something up about it being a metaphor of how his real parents don't want him. He gathers Chloe's things and steers her towards the door. When she leaves, Martha can't believe that she told Chloe about Jor-El, but Clark has figured out that something has happened to Chloe.

At the Talon, Lana is reading a brochure on the Paris School of the Arts. Clark asks if Lana has noticed anything unusual about Chloe, and Lana tells him that one of her dad's old coworkers called to ask about his security card. Clark doesn't think Chloe would steal, but he starts to wonder if she did indeed break into the lab.

Chloe approaches Mrs. Taylor as she is arriving at the school with her son Will. She tries to interview her again and Mrs. Taylor says that the only downside of teaching is hiding her past. She continues to say that she changed her name after playing a minor part in a radical group that blew up a bank in 1972. She is guilt-ridden and upset and Will is horrified. He leads his mom away and tells Chloe to stay away from them. Chloe can't believe her scoop and puts the story on the cover of the *Torch*. The whole school is mad at Chloe for the story and Clark is annoyed at her lack of discretion, saying the police should handle the matter. He asks her about breaking into the LuthorCorp and tells her that it's wrong to allow people to tell her their private thoughts. Chloe counters that her ability is every reporter's dream and demonstrates for Clark with the students in the hall as Clark looks on in dismay. She is amazed and asks Clark what *his* secret is, but she notices that he doesn't answer.

Clark goes to the LuthorCorp plant to investigate and finds a folder labeled "Levitas", but he is interrupted by Lex. He guesses that Clark is the person who broke into the lab, but Clark denies it and says his friend is in trouble. He asks what they were working on. Lex says he was trying to salvage one of Lionel's projects, but ended the program before side effects were analyzed. He says Clark needs to tell him who the friend is so they can be treated.

Chloe is approached by Will at the Talon who is angry for ruining his and his mother's life. Everyone leaves when they see Chloe and Lana admits that no one likes being around Chloe

any more. She tells Chloe that she has applied to school in Paris because she doesn't fit in. Chloe asks why she hasn't talked to her about this before and Lana says she can't trust her. This upsets Chloe and she leaves. She goes to the Luthor Mansion, summoned there by Lex. He knows that she can make anyone tell her the truth and says he wants her to use her ability to find out what Lionel made him forget while he was in Belle Reve. Chloe says those memories pose a threat to him and he should just leave it alone. She says Lex is the reason her father can't get a job, but Lex tells her that Lionel is responsible. Chloe sighs and rubs her temples. She asks Lex why he continues this endless game with Lionel, and Lex says the only thing he's ever wanted from Lionel is love. He seems surprised and embarrassed by his admission.

Clark tells Chloe to meet him at the Smallville Medical Center, claiming a big story is breaking, but Pete shows up instead. Clark tells Pete that he made it up to get Chloe to a hospital, and that she was exposed to something and needs to be treated, and Pete realizes that he needs to leave before he exposes Clark's secret. However, Chloe is standing in the elevator when Pete tries to leave. Clark jumps in too and trie

s to stop Pete from talking, but instead, Pete gives Chloe a passionate kiss. He confesses that he's in love with her, then runs away, highly embarrassed, pleading with Chloe to seek treatment. She looks as if she is debating on what to do, but suddenly she clutches her head and doubles over, groaning in pain. Clark calls for help and an orderly whisks her to an exam room.

Clark meets Pete in the *Torch* office and they talk briefly about Pete's feelings for Chloe. Pete also says Mrs. Taylor has been arrested. Clark discovers that Chloe was writing a story on the Levitas Project, headed by a military general named Jonah Doyle.

Chloe seems recovered when Lionel Luthor enters her room. He admits that he blacklisted her father because she defied him. He also admits that he ordered Morgan Edge to kill his parents so he could use the insurance money to start his company. She reveals that she has recorded the conversation on her cell phone voice mail and she attempts to blackmail Lionel into hiring her dad back. Lionel counters that he doesn't respond to blackmail and tells Chloe that she will uncover a truth for him. He sends her to ask Jonathan and Martha Kent about Clark's origins.

Clark finds Dr. Doyle who tells him LuthorCorp was working on an inhalant to make anyone the ultimate interrogator; he was dishonorably discharged when he discontinued the project. He predicts that Chloe will be dead by morning, but he was able to save a sample of a cure that he never tested. He produces an enormous syringe and instructs Clark to put the entire dose directly into Chloe's heart.

Clark arrives at the hospital to administer the antidote, but Chloe has left. Lionel is still there and Clark confronts him about the project. Lionel is unconcerned about Chloe's safety. Clark calls Chloe on her cell phone. She is driving to the Kent farm, but her headaches have worsened and she is close to passing out. Suddenly, a large blue truck tries to run her off the road and she crashes into the side of Coughlin Bridge. The truck is being driven by Will Taylor. Clark hears the commotion over the phone and speeds to the scene. Chloe passes out just after telling Clark where she is and as Will tries to ram her car off the bridge. Clark grabs Will's truck and he hits the dashboard and is knocked out. Clark is able to pull Chloe's car off the edge and pull her out. He plunges the needle into her heart and she wakes up.

Lex is summoned back to Lionel's office and Lionel demands to know why Lex resurrected the Levitas project. He asks Lex what he wants from him, but Lex says it doesn't really matter because he will never get it.

A fully-recovered Chloe goes to Clark's loft to apologize and thank him for saving her. She feels guilty about what she did and confesses to Clark that she was on her way to ask his parents the truth about him. Clark is surprised, but he says that she wasn't herself. Chloe is very upset and regretful at her actions and says that maybe the serum brought out her real personality. She is afraid that one day she will use up all of her chances to say she is sorry. Clark tells her that today's not that day and gives her a hug.

Clark meets Lana at the Talon and she tells him about her application to the school in Paris. She says she needs a fresh start from Smallville. Chloe goes to retrieve her voice mail, but it is not Lionel's confession. Instead, there is a recording of Lionel saying that he has erased the voice mail.

### Memoria

Lionel arrives at Excelsior Academy circa 1992 because his young son Lex is sitting on a high balcony, in the rain, apparently hallucinating that he is rocking his baby brother Julian to sleep. Lionel tries to snap him out of his delusion and Lex drops the blanket off the ledge. An adult Lex is woken by Lana Lang, who found him standing on a ledge of the Luthor Mansion, yelling Julian's name. Lana goes to visit Clark, who explains that his dad is spending the night in Metropolis for heart treatment, so he has extra farm duties. Lana asks about Lex's behavior and Clark admits that he too found Lex rocking a blanket, thinking it was Julian. He warns Lana to stay away from him for now, reminding her that the last time Lex hallucinated his brother; she got trampled by a horse. He promises to check up on Lex. Lex is defensive about his mental health. He arrives at the Summerholt Institute and tells Dr. Lawrence Garner that his nightmares are starting to affect his waking life. Dr. Garner reasons that vivid nightmares indicate that their "treatment" is working and offers to stop them at anytime.

Lex's treatments are revealed to involve his full-body submersion into a green glowing liquid. With Dr. Garner's encouragement, Lex remembers his twelfth birthday party, which no one attended. Lex's status as a Luthor and his baldness contributed to the difficulty of his childhood. Lionel tries to console his young son by giving him a present—it is a lead box, which he claims was forged from the armor of St. George. Lionel tells a story about the dragon slayer, his strength, faith, fears and doubts. Lex is cheered by the story. Adult Lex wakes up and the session is over. Clark has followed him to the Institute and watches the treatment with his x-ray vision. He asks Lex why he'd risk working with Dr. Garner's deadly methods, and Lex says it is worth the risk to regain the 7 weeks he can't remember.

Genuinely worried, Clark goes to Lionel and asks him to shut Summerholt down, but Lionel says he doesn't have the power. Clark correctly guesses that Lionel doesn't want Lex to regain his memory, but Lionel counters that neither does Clark. He replays the videotape from when Clark went to visit Lex in Belle Reve and Lex states that he knows his secret. Nevertheless, Lionel goes to ask Lex about the treatments and also warns him about Dr. Garner. As they talk, Lex goes into another vivid memory in which he witnesses an argument between his parents. Lillian is suffering from a severe case of post-partum depression, refusing to hold infant Julian. She admits that she didn't want any more children, and she objects to Lionel's parenting practices, saying Lionel will pit the two boys against each other. Adult Lex, still in the memory, mutters that "it was an accident" and present-day Lionel is confused. The memory continues, in which Lionel finds Lex standing over Julian's crib, he tries to explain that Julian was crying and he tried to rock him. He tearfully confesses that it was an accident and Lionel finds the baby suffocated. He is enraged and savagely knocks Lex across the face to the ground. Present-day Lionel tries to revive an adult Lex and goes to call a doctor, but Lex insists he's fine. He sends Lionel out of the mansion.

Lionel goes to the Kent farm to tell Clark that their collective meddling has convinced Lex to accelerate his treatments. He and Martha have an awkward conversation about Jonathan's absence. She exits, and Lionel tells Clark that if he doesn't stop, Lionel will commit him to Belle Reve permanently. Clark is upset and goes to the Summerholt Institute to stop Garner. He confronts the doctor but the treatment room is full of the glowing green liquid and Clark is weakened. Dr. Garner, seizing the opportunity to experiment upon Clark, has his men knock Clark out. Garner orders that Clark be stripped, and his assistants put Clark on an examination table. They take Clark's jacket and belt off, and cut away his shirt. Dr. Garner phones Lionel and it is revealed that Lionel handed Clark over for further study in exchange for Dr. Garner's ending Lex's treatments.

Clark is put into red form-fitting underwear and is strapped onto a stretcher in preparation for the treatment. Dr. Garner prepares to lower Clark into the liquid with Lionel in attendance. Lex arrives for his own treatment, demanding to talk to Dr. Garner about canceling their session. He calls Lionel and says he remembers everything. Lionel goes to the lobby to meet him, telling Dr. Garner to wait. As soon as he leaves, however, Dr. Garner says he's not waiting for anyone and lowers Clark into the tank. As soon as his body touches the green liquid, Clark starts writhing and shaking in convulsions. He goes into seizures and Dr. Garner tries to coax his earliest memory from him. Clark reme

mbers being put into a tiny ship as an infant by his Kryptonian parents, and begins to scream his birth mother's name, Lara. His seizures start to short out the machinery, but Dr. Garner doesn't end the treatment. The seizures become more intense, destroying the equipment, injuring Dr. Garner, and setting alarms off all over the building. Lex rushes to the treatment room and seeing Clark submerged, breaks the tank open. Clark is barely conscious.

Lex goes to check on Clark, who is recovering in his loft. Clark is upset with Lex for getting involved with Dr. Garner, but Lex insists again that he was trying to regain the memories his father took from him. He says he wouldn't sacrifice people he cares about to bring him down, so he will never become his father. Clark asks why Lionel hates him so much, but Lex does not answer. More of his last memory is revealed-- a young Lex actually discovered *Lillian* at Julian's crib, and adult Lex reels from the revelation that he did not, in fact, kill his little brother.

Lex goes to visit Lionel in his office, and tells him the truth- that it was Lillian who smothered the baby. Lex explains that she was sparing Julian from Lionel's parenting, and he took the fall for his mother because he knew that Lionel would destroy Lillian, but would protect his only heir. Lionel is shocked and horrified all at once, and tries to express regret at the way he's treated Lex his whole life, but Lex does not want to hear it.

Clark is alone in his loft when Martha comes up, noting that he barely said anything about what happened at the Institute. She offers to listen, if Clark wants to talk. He doesn't say anything, but as she turns to go, he blurts that he now knows his birth mother's name and he feels guilty for forgetting her. Martha tells him that he *didn't*, because his first word was "Lara", but she and Jonathan could never figure out what it meant. Martha gives him a hug and reassures him that a mother's love never dies.

### Talisman

Jeremiah Holdsclaw and Joseph Willowbrook are meeting Lionel Luthor in the Kawatche Caves. Professor Willowbrook introduces Lionel to Jeremiah, one of his graduate students, as the future leader of the Kawatche people. Lionel wants the two men to identify an artifact. Jeremiah seems excited when he sees it. The professor explains that it is an excellent example of ancient cookware. It is covered in clay and Jeremiah wants to take it back to the museum to study, but Lionel insists that it stay in the cave until he can thoroughly analyze it. Jeremiah smashes the clay, revealing a long knife with Kryptonian symbols, which glows in his hands. When Lionel tries to take it from him, he pushes him and Lionel flies backward. The guards open fire, but the bullets have no effect. Jeremiah takes off with the blade at superspeed.

Clark finds Professor Willowbrook in his loft, who addresses him as Naman. He shows Clark a book about the blade, calling it Palak, the starblade. Clark shows his dad and tells him that as the legend predicts, Holdsclaw has been given powers by the blade in order to protect it until he can deliver it to the true Naman. Jonathan tells him that Jeremiah will probably not voluntarily give the blade back and Clark better find him before Lionel.

Chloe arrives at the *Torch* to see a usually affable Pete yelling angrily into the phone. She asks what's wrong and then notices that he's wearing the same clothes from yesterday. He begs out of his *Torch* assignment and leaves abruptly.

Lionel is being treated for bruised ribs at the Smallville Medical Center. Lex arrives and asks about his assailant. He offers to help him track down his attacker, but Lionel does not trust him and asks him to let the matter drop.

Chloe is with Lana when she opens her letter of acceptance from the Paris School of Arts, but they have turned down her financial aid, so she can't go. Chloe suggests she ask Lex for the money, but Lana is reluctant. Later, Lana is surprised to meet a realtor who is showing the Talon to potential buyers. She goes to the mansion where Lex is preparing for a party and demands an explanation from Lex. She is extremely upset, saying she doesn't want it sold because she put her heart into it. Lex says it is more profitable to sell the building than buy out her shares and admits that he only kept it as a coffee shop because Lana wanted it. He suggests she is having second thoughts about leaving town, but Lana denies this.

Clark goes to Holdsclaw's CKU office to find it completely ransacked. Lex is there and Clark lies that he and Jeremiah were working on a term paper together. Lex doesn't buy it and asks Clark if he's aware of last night's events. Lex closes the blinds to reveal a symbol painted along the entire wall. Lionel is also on campus, trying to bribe Willowbrook with a sizable grant. Willowbrook warns that the blade will crumble if Sageeth touches it. They run into Clark and Lionel exits. Willowbrook continues to call Clark Naman, even though Clark asks him not to. Clark asks Willowbrook about the symbol and he tells him that it's a diagram of a burial ground where the Kawatche performed death rituals. They find Jeremiah at the burial grounds and Willowbrook tries to convince him to give the blade to Clark. Jeremiah refuses, saying he himself is Naman. Clark uses his heat vision to heat the blade, but Jeremiah is impervious and uses his own heat vision to blow up Willowbrook's car. Clark tells his parents that he's sure Holdsclaw is going after Lionel, thinking he is Sageeth and they should warn him, but Jonathan maintains that Clark must find the weapon first. He suggests that maybe Jeremiah might be vulnerable to meteor rocks.

Clark encounters Lionel in his barn. He tells Clark that he thinks the blade is made of the same metal as the missing key and he intends to use the blade to make a duplicate. He tells Clark to remind Joseph Willowbrook that he can quickly turn loyal ally to formidable adversary. Clark recognizes this as part of the prophecy of Sageeth: a friend who becomes an enemy. Clark gets angry and kicks him out of the barn. He then goes back to talk to Willowbrook, saying he thinks Jeremiah Holdsclaw is the true Naman, and asks him to get in touch with him. Willowbrook agrees to try and contact Jeremiah and lure him to Clark's barn. Clark waits for Jeremiah in his loft and when he arrives, he tries to subdue Jeremiah with a meteor rock. Unfortunately, it has no effect. Jeremiah throws the rock away and Clark tries to speed past him and take the blade, but Jeremiah is ready for him and stabs Clark in the abdomen below the sternum. Clark collapses on the floor of the loft and Jeremiah leaves in search of Lionel.

Bleeding profusely, Clark makes it to the house and attempts to call his parents, but he passes out before he can make the call.

Later, Chloe finds Pete at the Torch again. When Chloe brings up Pete mother's consideration for a federal judgeship in Wichita, Pete lashes out at her.

When Martha and Jonathan arrive home, they find Clark on the floor bleeding to death. Jonathan administers pressure to the wound and in a burst of light, Clark's wound is healed, through the power of Jor-El, but he remains unconscious.

Martha and Jonathan watch over Clark all night and he wakes up the next morning, completely healed. Against Martha's protestations, Clark goes to rescue Lionel at the burial grounds, where Jeremiah is preparing him as a sacrifice. The two fight at super speed while Lex rescues Lionel and Clark knocks the knife away, stripping Jeremiah of his powers and putting him in a coma. The knife lands between Lionel and Lex and begins to glow. They both grab for it at the same time, but it dissolves at their touch.

Apprehensive, Clark tells his parents that the legend continues to come true, that one of the men would be his enemy, but he was unable to see which Luthor grabbed the knife first. He admits that he is not ready to face the possibility that Lex could be his greatest enemy. Jonathan tries to reassure him that despite what Jor-El or Willowbrook think his destiny is, it is up to Clark to choose his own path.

Later at the Talon, Lex and Lana hold a partnership meeting to discuss another offer they received. Gabe and Chloe Sullivan offered to buy the place, keep it as it is, and let Lana work there again when she returns from Paris. She turned them down, saying she doesn't want anything pulling her back to Smallville.

Chloe catches Pete sleeping in the office of the *Torch* and realizes that he is avoiding going home. He confides that his mother is going to accept the position in Wichita because his parents are getting a divorce.

Lex arrives at Clark's loft and speculates that if Naman exists, he could rule the world with his powers. He suggests that maybe Sageeth is the true hero for keeping Naman in check.

### Forsaken

Lana is visiting Lex at the mansion when he gives her an upgraded first class ticket to Paris. Clark arrives and is surprised by Lana's presence, but she explains that she was just receiving some last minute travel tips from Lex. She leaves, and Lex advises Clark that if he isn't willing to be honest with Lana and move forward with her, then he needs to step aside and let her get on with her life.

Emily Dinsmore is in her bedroom, but it is revealed to be some sort of laboratory in which one of the walls is a two-way mirror. A technician tells her it is time for bed and shuts out the lights. Left alone, Emily simply walks through the walls. At the partially dismantled Talon, Mr. Kerns, the new owner, is working late when he encounters Emily. She tells him that he is ruining the coffee shop by changing it and he mistakes her for Lana. He defends his actions, saying she is the one that signed the papers, and she kills him by sticking her hand straight through his chest.

Clark and Pete are playing basketball, and Pete tells him that his mother is moving to Wichita and admits that he has been avoiding his parents' divorce. He says he is going to stay in Smallville with his father so he doesn't miss out on senior year. Clark admits that he is thinking about telling Lana his secret to prevent her from leaving. That day at school, Clark asks Lana if she wants to go to dinner. She doesn't think it's a good idea, but he explains that he wants to tell her something that he should have told her a long time ago. She accepts somewhat reluctantly.

Lionel Luthor has a meeting with Pete Dinsmore. He shows him how Emily has aged five years in 11 months and has also gained the ability to walk through walls. Pete guesses that her molecules must be vibrating so fast that they can absorb other matter. Lionel is angry and frustrated. He calls Emily a failed experiment and a huge liability. He threatens to send commandos after Emily if Dinsmore cannot bring her back.

Chloe and Lana go into the Talon and are surprised to see it restored to normal. They find Emily, who claims to be the owner's daughter. She tells Lana and Chloe that the Talon will remain a coffee shop and asks Lana to show her the ropes. Emily asks Lana if she is sure she wants to leave town. Lana is unnerved, but Emily runs upstairs to show her that they already are best friends. Lana turns to go but runs into Mr. Dinsmore. He tells her that Emma is actually Emily. He tries to get Lana to safety, but Emily zooms around behind him and stabs him in the back with her hand. She pushes Lana across the room and knocks her out. Lana wakes up locked in a furnished room with glass walls, hidden inside a barn.

Clark tells his mom that he has decided to tell Lana his secret. He says he and Pete are better friends since he found out. Martha simply says she trusts Clark to make his own decision. That evening, Clark is in his loft moping because Lana didn't show up for dinner. Jonathan comes to talk to him and suggests that there are many reasons Lana didn't show up. He admits to Clark that he doesn't think he should tell Lana, but he doesn't trust his instincts the way he used to and he is starting to feel that it is time to start letting go of Clark.

Lex meets Lionel at his office and Lionel talks about an employee he wants to promote, but he isn't sure he can trust him. Lex tries to advise him, but Lionel rips the wire off of Lex's chest and accuses him of betrayal. Lex argues that Lionel forced his hand by blaming the Metron murders on him, and he had to protect himself. Lex asks Lionel what is worth all of his obscure projects, and Lionel merely says that he shouldn't have to ask and kicks Lex out. When he leaves, Lionel gets a call from Frank Loder, who reports that Lex doesn't have any evidence against Lionel, but if he does it will stay buried, and that he is "looking into the Ross kid". He is holding a file on Clark.

Clark goes to the Talon to find Lana and Emily tells him she left early for Paris. Clark leaves and Emily goes to give Lana some dinner. Lana tries to reason with her, saying they can be real friends if she lets her out. Emily says that Lana is not a true friend because she didn't save her when she fell in the river and drowned. She tells Lana that no one will be looking for her because they think she has already left.

Lex tells Clark that the FBI is dropping the case against Lionel unless he finds new evidence. They are both on edge and Clark asks Lex why he changed Lana's ticket. Lex thinks he is talking about changing it to an open-ended departure date, and Clark says the Talon's new owner's daughter told him she left. Lex realizes something is up because the new owner doesn't have a daughter. Clark speeds to the Talon to confront Emily and is surprised to see her superspeed away through a wall.

Lionel meets Chloe at the *Torch* office and he asks her to help him find Emily. He gives her a photo. Clark and Chloe meet to tell each other what they know about Lana's disappearance. They realize that Lionel is trying to find Emily before Lex does, because evidence of him cloning people would be enough for the FBI to nab him. They figure that Emily is probably trying to recreate her and Lana's childhood play dates, but Clark says they usually played at Emily's house. They look Emily's address up online and Clark speeds away. Emily is forcing Lana to have a tea party with her. Lana hits her in the head with the teapot and tries to get away but Emily catches up to her. She ties her to the bed and puts a gas pipe through the wall. Lana passes out and Clark arrives just in time to bust through the glass walls and free her. Emily tries to super speed away and Clark uses his heat vision to knock down a water tower in front of her. The water hits her like a river and knocks her out.

Chloe tells Lex that Lionel and Morgan Edge murdered his parents and Lex got a confession, but Lionel had his memory erased. She says she had a taped confession, but it was erased too. However, she reasons that Lex's money and power can restore it. Lex asks why she is just now telling Lex because his psychiatrist and his investigator both met violent ends. She says she can't get away from Lionel by herself, but she trusts Lex to protect her. Lex seems grateful for her help but worried for her safety.

Pete is driving home when Frank Loder pulls him over, saying he has to ask questions about his mother's federal judgeship. He takes Pete to a dock and beats him up while demanding to learn Clark Kent's secret, assuming that Clark's best friend must know it. Lex arrives just in time to pull Loder off, revealing that Lionel paid him off to drop the case and investigate Clark instead. Lex orders him to get back to Lionel's case and gives him a transcript of Lionel's voicemail confession. Loder backs off, but remarks that Pete is keeping a secret bigger than Lionel. Lex tells Pete that Clark was right confiding in him instead of himself, because Pete is probably a better friend. Pete admits that he owes Lex for saving him from Loder and Lex is sure that Pete will return the favor someday when the time is right.

Pete goes to the Kent Farm and Clark is alarmed that Pete got beaten up. Pete warns Clark that Lex and Lionel are both interested in Clark to some degree and regretfully tells Clark that he can't stay in Smallville anymore because Clark won't be there to save him all the time. He tells Clark that keeping his secret is extremely hard and he could never forgive himself if he betrayed him. He then tells Clark of his decision to move to Wichita with his mother. Clark tries to convince him to stay, but Pete tearfully gives him a goodbye hug and drives away. Lana meets Clark in his loft and they talk about how Emily escaped Belle Reve as soon as she was admitted. She asks Clark what he wanted to tell her, but realizing what just happened to Pete, he just gives her a kiss on the cheek and tells her to have a great time in Paris. Lana looks disappointed and betrayed, as she probably expected Clark to talk her out of leaving for Paris, and maybe even for him to tell her his secret. But she says goodbye and leaves.

Lex goes to Lionel's office again and asks Lionel about Emily. He is soon followed by Loder and other federal agents, who arrest him for the murder of his parents. He is ushered away in handcuffs. Standing in the office alone, Lex closes his eyes in pain.

### Covenant

A young woman walks out of the woods naked and uses super-strength to total a car, killing the passengers. She then walks to the Kent Farm and greets Clark by name, introducing herself as "Kara from Krypton." She claims to have come from the caves and tells the Kents she's here to take Kal-El home to answer all his questions. She becomes angry when Jonathan enters the conversation and disappears when Lex arrives. Clark offers to testify at Lionel's bond hearing that he ordered the doctor to increase the voltage even when the doctor warned that it could have injured Lex. Lex guesses that Clark hid the knowledge of Lionel's murder of his parents. Clark explains he was concerned for Lex's fate and Lex accepts that.

Even from jail, Lionel expects FBI Agent Loder to continue investigating Clark. Loder refuses, believing that Lionel is powerless.

Kara takes Clark flying to the cave and says that she's been in the cave since the meteor shower, waiting until the time is right. Clark declines her offer to enter a passage to find out everything.

Lex visit Lionel in jail. Lionel reveals to Lex that he was diagnosed two years ago with a degenerative liver disease and nothing can save him, but Lex doesn't believe him.

The next day she tells Jonathan that he "broke the covenant" and reveals that in return for the power he received to bring back Clark, he promised to return Clark to his father Jor-El. Clark and Martha are appalled and Jonathan stammers that he didn't believe it would be so soon. As Loder listens in, Kara senses him and kills him by turning his car and everything in it to dust. Martha is upset that Jonathan made the deal and kept it secret from her.

Jonathan takes a tea cup to Chloe and asks her to run a check on Kara's fingerprints, while Lana arrives at the farm and asks Clark to take her to the airport the next day. She asks him to tell her whatever he has to tell her before she's gone. She sees Kara and Clark explains that she is his cousin from California. Lana suggests that she should find someone else to drive her if he has visitors, but Clark assures her that even though it will be hard for him to see her go, he wants to be there for her. She seems pleased and he promises that they will talk in the car on the way to the airport. Kara warns him again that even though Lana loves him, their love is not meant to be. Everyone he knows will eventually betray him, Kara says, but the love that they will know will be like nothing else. Kara tells Clark that they are the last Kryptonians, and they must preserve their race.

Clark receives a package from Lionel with a key. Lex and Chloe review medical records, but Lex is still determined that he and Chloe should send him to prison, and Chloe vows to testify no matter what, as Lionel has threatened her long enough. Clark confronts Lionel, who sends him to the roo

m Lex has been using for his investigation of Clark. Lex walks in and tries to explain that this room is about him and his countless brushes with death, but Clark is extremely upset. He doesn't believe Lex and leaves, convinced that Lex has been his friend all this time just so he can investigate him.

Clark goes home to his loft where he tells his mother about Lex's betrayal. He is considering going with Kara when he suddenly remembers Lana. She took a shuttle to the airport and Clark arrives just in time to see her saying goodbye to Lex. Lana sees Clark and crosses the street to him, but he disappears without saying goodbye, and Lana finds a white rose he was going to give her. Clark is late arriving at the courthouse and Lex worries that he has changed his mind, but he arrives just in time. Lionel is denied bail, but Clark tells Lex that their friendship is over.

Back at the farm, Clark is still in anguish over Lex's betrayal and Lana's departure. Kara is there to comfort him and tempts him further by claiming that Lara's love lives on. Clark says that he is ready. Chloe arrives at the farm and tells Jonathan that the fingerprints belong to Lindsay Harrison, Kara and Clark go to the caves to prepare to "leave" by joining hands and opening a fissure in the cave wall. Jonathan arrives at the caves to expose Jor-El's deception. Jonathan tells Clark that Kara is really Lindsay Harrison a girl who disappeared on the day of the meteor shower. Clark refuses to enter the fissure. Jor-El dissipates Kara, explaining that she served her purpose. Then he strangles Jonathan with a rope of energy and threatens to kill him if Clark doesn't agree. Despite Jonathan's pleas, Clark enters the light and disappears.

Martha runs outside to see a Kryptonian symbol burned into the fields; the Sullivans enter protective custody only to have their new house blow up as soon as they enter. Lionel has his head shaved bald, Lex chokes after drinking a glass of brandy, and Jonathan remains unconscious on the floor of the cave while Clark floats in a void and Jor-El promises his son that he "shall be reborn."