Preface to the Reader: This is my first time writing one of these recap/reviews, so please bear with me as I find a comfortable style. In general, I write with the assumption that the reader has a basic understanding of the show, its stories, and the characters. However, I will provide additional background information when I feel like it’s warranted. I’m fairly knowledgeable about the Superman mythos, so I usually point out any references or allusions made in the “review” section. I’m also a sucker for the use of color in the show (whether it be wardrobe, lighting, or otherwise), so I’ll give my two cents on what I believe the significance was in the review section as well. The “recap” section will primarily be a scene-by-scene summary, with a little humor (which won’t be especially funny) and charm (which won’t be particularly charming) added in. With that said, sit back, relax, and enjoy the review.
Episode Recap:
Our first Smallville episode in what feels like an eternity begins with Lex in his lab playing with – shocker of all shockers – kryptonite! While raising the thermal output of the kryptonite, there is a malfunction. Lex shoves the scientist to safety (by quite violently throwing his head against a steel railing), but finds himself on the receiving end of the kryptonite blast. Lex gets up and helps the scientist to his feet, and while walking him out we see a hand rise from the ground. It’s another, slightly more sinister looking Lex Luthor.
Clark and Chloe greet Lex at the hospital, and when Chloe is skeptical about what Lex was experimenting on, he invites them to the lab with him. Me thinks that this is the evil Lex, and not the one who rose from the wreckage. Chloe stays behind, and warns Clark that these experiments never end well.
Lex goes to the scientist’s hospital room, and quite cryptically asks him if he remembers seeing two Lexes (or is that Lex-i?). Yeah, this is definitely the evil one. This reminds me of that Simpsons Halloween episode where we find out that Bart, and not Hugo, was the evil twin all along. Lex asks if there’s any way to force the two “me’s” back together. In a very nice shot, Lex tells the scientist he’s going to go back to the lab and get the papers as he raises the blinds on the door. He then, of course, kills the scientist, just as he runs into Chloe in the hallway. Great line: “Why don’t you come back later, when he’s feeling a little more alive.” Sinister Lex rules.
Back at LuthorCorp labs, Lex shows Clark some pretty plants. It’s the future, Lex insists. Lex asks Clark to take a bite out of an apple grown from radiated seeds (sounds yummy), but it tastes rotten. Lex explains that these experiments will put an end to hunger and famine forever. He then opens a locker full of kryptonite, and Clark begins feeling weak and says he has to leave. Meanwhile, the other Lex eavesdrops.
Who I assume is sinister Lex walks into his office where Lionel (and his helmet hair) is waiting. He wants to be sure that Lex is alright. Lionel apologizes for the intrusion and is about to leave before Lex stops him. They discuss Lionel’s charity function over the weekend, and Lex says that he will attend and that they can have it at the top floor of one if his plazas. Lex tells his father that he’s proud of him, and Lionel seems truly touched. Lionel tells Lex that he’s truly grateful, for everything. Upon Lionel’s exit, Lex looks at some papers, and when the camera pans up, we see another Lex standing behind him. That Lex has a gun, and hits the first Lex over the head with it, saying “meet the real you.” Wow, nice twist. Turns out the Lex that made the offer to Lionel truly was the real Lex after all.
Lex wakes up all tied up and sees sinister Lex standing above him. Turns out sinister Lex is much more than just Lex: He can now embrace his true destiny. Sinister Lex doesn’t know what will happen if he kills real Lex, so he’s not going to take that chance. Instead he puts an iron mask on real Lex’s face. Sounds fair enough to me. The world is about to meet the real Lex Luthor.
At the Torch, Chloe tells Clark that the scientist at LuthorCorp is dead. The two of them realize that they both saw Lex at the same time, so Chloe goes to hack into the hospital’s surveillance tapes to investigate. Ya’ know, for a superhero, Clark really turns the other cheek at all this illegal hacking Chloe does.
Lana walks into her apartment and sees Lex waiting inside. Lex seems disappointed that she wants to talk about Jason. He tells her that she deserves better, somebody who recognizes how extraordinary she is. He begins making his move, and when asked what he’s doing, he responds with what most of us suspected: “What I’ve always wanted to do.” He gives her a kiss, and she pushes him away and slaps him, demanding that he leave. In retaliation, he’s closing the Talon if she doesn’t shack up with him. Yes, sinister Lex does indeed rule.
Some nice sparring action at the Luthor mansion as Lionel barges into the room, distracting Lex’s opponent. Lex, of course, goes for the kill. Turns out Lex canceled the charity function. Lex tells Lionel he’s gotten soft and wants him to prove that he’s worthy of being his father. Is Lionel’s change genuine, or just an act? After some serious taunting and sparring, the true Lionel Luthor is back. Lex tells Lionel that he should have stayed in prison, because he was safer there. I’ll get to this scene later.
Clark walks into the barn where Lana is waiting. Clark and Lana are interacting, so I guess Lois isn’t in this episode. Lana tells him that Lex is going to close the Talon, and that he seemed like a totally different person. They have a bit of a moment together before a cell phone call from Chloe disrupts them. Turns out Lex was with her at the same time as he was with Clark.
Clark storms into Lex’s ultra secure office (please note: sarcasm), and Clark asks what they talked about last night. Sinister Lex recalls what happened in the lab (since he was eavesdropping), and Clark tells him about the double. Clark should be taking notes right now, because THIS is how you lie to people convincingly. Lex tells Clark to get Chloe and to meet him at the lab and that he’ll put an end to this. He leaves the two of them at the lab and tells them to keep their eyes out for his security team. In the midst of this, Chloe takes the opportunity to do some double entendres, basically telling Clark that he needs to reveal his secret. While snooping, they find the dead body of a security guard. Seconds later, a section of the roof falls on them. Lex sees Clark using his powers to save himself and Chloe.
At the Kent residence, Clark insists that Chloe go to the hospital. Chloe reminds Clark about the fate of the scientist. Chloe wonders how they could have possibly survived that, once again goading Clark to reveal his secret. I love how the guy just saved her life, and she STILL can’t resist the opportunity to get him to reveal his secret. Anyway, she’s going to stay with Lois on the military base for safety. While on the phone with Lana warning her as well, Lex interrupts from Clark’s pre-fortress of solitude fortress of solitude. Clark tries to deny having super powers despite having just used his super speed in front of Lex seconds ago. Proving that sinister Lex is significantly smarter than anybody else in Smallville, he uses a piece of kryptonite to weaken Clark. He tells Clark that he has to join him or everybody he loves will suffer.
The Kents hurry to Clark’s safety, and Lex confronts them with a gun. In a really, really nice touch, Lex is wearing a kryptonite ring. Lex shoots Jonathan in the leg and again tells Clark he wants him to join him. In another great line, Lex says that Jonathan was right and that he “is the villain of the story.”
Clark rushes to the Luthor mansion to try to save real Lex in a hope to put them back together. Upon finding him, Lex warns Clark to get out. Sinister Lex blindsides them and tells Clark that there was one man to beat him, and that this was perhaps always their destiny. Just as he was about to kill Clark, real Lex comes to the rescue. Sinister Lex insists that he’s Lex’s soul, and that he’s the real Lex Luthor. Clark uses his heat vision to destroy the kryptonite ring (oh, I’ll get to this later…) and the two Lexes reunite. Clark tells him that it’s over now.
Later, Lex tells Clark that he’s a true friend, and apologizes for what his double did. He tells Clark that he doesn’t remember anything the double did, since they were two different people. Lex wonders if the accident created an evil Lex, or if that’s what’s really inside of him.
Lex arrives at the Talon to talk to Lana, where there is a distinct awkwardness between them. Strange that he feels awkward if he doesn’t know what happened between them. He does, however, seem genuinely shocked that he threatened to kick her out. Lana asks about the feelings his double expressed, and Lex promises that he’d never do anything to jeopardize their friendship. Lex apologizes and leaves, however their issues still seem unresolved.
Lionel, back in evil garb, tells Lex that he just got a wake up call. Lex tries to apologize, but Lionel tells him that it is unnecessary and thanks him for allowing him to see the err of his ways. Lionel tells him that he’s shutting down the foundation, and that he’s awake now, and that a man can’t deny his true nature. They’re Luthors.
