Recap / Smallville S 02 E 13 Suspect

Originally aired January 28, 2003

Written by Philip Levens & Mark Verheiden

Directed by Kenneth Biller

When Lionel is shot and Jonathan is arrested for the crime, Clark and Pete race to find the true culprit.

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Tropes present in the episode:

• Anti-Villain: Sheriff Ethan is either a Type II or a Type III. He didn't want to be evil; his arrangement with Lionel drove him to try and murder the man in order to get free from his control. When confronted with his crimes by Clark, he breaks down in Tears of Remorse.
• Asshole Victim: While the evidence initially points to Jonathan as the one who shot Lionel, Clark and Pete's investigation turns up three other suspects who had motive for wanting him dead. While Lionel is not the villain of this episode, Lex argues that everything that transpired was his fault.
• Big Bad Friend: Sheriff Ethan, to Jonathan.
  • Also Mike the bartender, since he helped Ethan frame their old high school buddy Jonathan. Unlike Ethan, Mike seems to have no remorse for doing it.
• The Butler Did It: Sheriff Ethan, who's been leading the investigation of Lionel's shooting, is revealed to be the one who shot Lionel and framed Jonathan for the crime.
• Calling the Old Man Out:
  • In a flashback told from Dominic's POV, Lex calls his father out for manipulating him the whole time so LuthorCorp could buy out LexCorp.
    Lex: A representative from an offshore shell company, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Santori here, has been quietly approaching LexCorp employees and buying their voting shares.
    Lionel: Is that so?
    Lex: I was under the impression they had no intention of selling. What'd you get on them?
    Lionel: [chuckling] Now, now, Lex, don't be a sore loser. I'm just re-aligning your priorities. Your attempt to build LexCorp was at the expense of our mutual goals.
    Lex: The only thing we share is a mutual enmity. This father-son reconciliation act was just a smokescreen to buy out my company.
    Lionel: If you were ready to run LexCorp, there's no way I could have taken it from you. Look at this as an opportunity for us to work together again, father and son.
    Lex: When I broke away, I swore I'd never be under your thumb again.
    Lionel: It was my hope that you'll stay and rise to the challenge.
    Lex: Your ego wouldn't allow it. I'll fight you on this, and I'll win.
    Lionel: You better have something stronger than words to back up those threats because, as of this moment, you are just another employee.
  • Lex also does this to Lionel in the final scene, but Lionel refuses to accept any culpability for what happened.
• Continuity Nod: Martha's father is mentioned when she suggests he represent Jonathan, but due to their bad history, Jonathan knows he won't help him.
• The Corrupter: Discussed in the final act between Clark and Lex. Lex speculates that people like Lionel bring out the darkness in otherwise decent people.
  Lex: It's hard to imagine working for a man who can enrage four people to the point where any of them had motive to kill him.
  Clark: Even you.
  Lex: [Beat] You know that darkness you were talking about? I'm not sure we're born with it. People like my father find a way to bring it out.
• Crime After Crime: Lionel bribed Ethan into getting him blackmail material on LexCorp board members. When Lionel revealed that this was not a one-time deal and that he pretty much owned the sheriff, Ethan resorted to desperate measures to get out from under Lionel's thumb. He shot Lionel and framed Jonathan for it with help from the bartender Mike. When Clark and Pete begin investigating, Ethan tries to kill them and even kills Mike to silence him.
• Dirty Cop: Sheriff Ethan is an Anti-Villain example.
• Everyone Is a Suspect: Jonathan, Lex, and Dominic were suspected of shooting Lionel, with Jonathan being the prime suspect.
• Foreshadowing: Right before he was shot, despite being blind, Lionel knows who came to see him.
  Lionel: Didn't I make myself clear, the conversation is over!
• Frame-Up: Sheriff Ethan framed Jonathan for shooting Lionel.
• He Knows Too Much: Sheriff Ethan killed Mike the bartender after Clark tried to get answers from him.
• Hot-Blooded: Jonathan is stated to have had a serious temper problem back in high school. When Mike claims that Jonathan is guilty, Clark's reaction is to hoist him in the air, prompting Mike to proclaim that Clark is just as bad as his father.
• Kick the Dog: In Lana's flashback to the argument between Jonathan and Lionel, Lionel mockingly compares his gift to Martha (an expensive watch) to "a Whitman's sampler" from Jonathan.
  Lionel: It was simply a token of appreciation.
  Jonathan: Oh, I think it was quite a bit more than that!
  Lionel: It's all relative, isn't it? I mean, a Roget Dubois watch from me is equivalent to, uh, a Whitman's Sampler from you.
  • In Dominic's flashback to the row between Lex and Lionel, Lionel arrogantly dismisses Lex as "just another employee" after Lex vows to fight him.
• Like Father, Like Son: After Clark grabs him and angrily hoists him into the air after he remarks Jonathan has a bad temper, Mike the bartender claims that Clark is "just as bad as your old man!"
• Mundanger: Sheriff Ethan has no superhuman powers.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Sheriff Ethan's reaction after Clark confronts him about his actions, complete with Tears of Remorse.
• Mystery Episode: The episodes plays out like a murder mystery, with red herrings, a frame up, and a gradual buildup to the reveal that Sheriff Ethan is the killer.
• Never My Fault:
  • Sheriff Ethan tries to pin the blame for his actions on the Luthors, but Clark tells him that the Luthors didn't frame Jonathan.
    Clark: My dad trusted you! How could you do that?
    Sheriff Ethan: Don't you see, Clark? It's not just about me. It's the Luthors. They're like a cancer, destroying everything they touch.
    Clark: The Luthors didn't kill anyone. The Luthors didn't frame my dad!
  • Also, when Lex calls him out on destroying an honest man like Sheriff Ethan, Lionel lays the blame for everything that's happened at Lex's feet.
    Lex: So you took an honest man and destroyed him, and by proxy, almost ruined Jonathan Kent. How does it feel, Dad, knowing you brought this on yourself?
    Lionel: But I didn't, Lex. You did, engineering your ill-advised employee coup.
• Not Helping Your Case: While in jail, Jonathan admits to Martha that constantly expressing his dislike of the Luthors won't help his chances of being cleared of the charges.
  Jonathan: I'm sorry for giving in to my own petty fears. And all it takes is one reckless moment to ruin everything.
  Martha: Jonathan, you didn't shoot Lionel.
  Jonathan: No, I didn't shoot Lionel. But I let my anger get the best of me. I haven't exactly kept it a secret how Jonathan Kent feels about the Luthors. What jury could possibly believe me now?
• Orgy of Evidence: Jonathan is found in his car with the gun that seemingly was used to shoot Lionel. Add in him having a heated argument with Lionel earlier that day that was witnessed by two people and him making known his disdain for Lionel, it is very easy for the authorities to believe he is the culprit.
• Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: The reason that the Wild Coyote stays open after multiple violations like serving alcohol to minors and not asking for IDs. Mike the bartender and Sheriff Ethan were friends, and Ethan used his pull as Sheriff to let the bar stay open.
• Villain of the Week: Sheriff Ethan, Anti-Villain Dirty Cop.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: This was Dominic's last appearance. He was a suspect when Lex tells Clark that Dominic was unhappy Lionel is giving Lex his job at Luthorcorp, despite his Undying Loyalty.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Pete chews out Clark for getting physical with Mike the bartender. And he was right when they nearly got killed soon after.

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