Originally aired February 11, 2003
Written by Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders
Directed by Greg Beeman
Lex tracks down his long-lost half-brother, Lucas, as part of a plan to oust their father from LuthorCorp, but the plan backfires when Lucas sides with Lionel, who then deprives Lex of his finances and kicks him out of the mansion. Homeless and penniless, Lex seeks refuge with the Kents. Clark gets a job at the Talon.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Alliterative Name: Lucas Luthor, in keeping with the Luthor naming tradition.
- Antagonistic Offspring:
- Lex tracks down Lucas because he's due to collect his inheritance, which would allow Lex to remove Lionel from LuthorCorp. Unfortunately for him, Lucas sides with Lionel.
- Lucas shows himself as one towards Lionel, since he harbors resentment towards the man for abandoning him (and manipulating his life), and he later threatens to kill Lionel if he doesn't kill Lex.
- Antagonist Title: Lucas is the titular prodigal son.
- As the Good Book Says...: Lionel mentions the story of the prodigal son from The Bible, then remarks to Lex that there are plenty of lessons to be learned from said book.
- Bad Boss: Lucas becomes this after taking over the Talon. He fires both Clark and Lana (Clark because he was late due to helping Lex and Lana because she refuses to fire Clark on Lucas's orders).
- Cain and Abel: Lex and Lucas. Lex even makes a snark about Lionel's "Cain and Abel" fantasy as he tells Lucas that their father set them up against each other.
- Continuity Nod: Lana has not forgotten the events of the previous episode when she mentions that Clark does not "have the best track record for keeping appointments." Nor has Clark as he looks dismayed upon seeing the rose he gave her in said previous episode in the garbage.
- The Chessmaster: Invoked by Lex after he learns that Lionel contacted Lucas before he did.Lex: [to Clark] I've been playing checkers while my father's been playing chess.
- Foreshadowing: The camera showed Lionel pouring a drink, without putting his fingers inside to know it's full as blind people do. Lucas caught it, knowing Lionel is faking his blindness.
- And if that didn't caught the audience's attention right away, it would be his reaction to Lucas writing "bite me" on the contract.
- Long Lost Sibling: Lucas, to Lex.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Lex to Lucas, in the teaser, after he rescues him from angry Asian criminals.Lucas: Who the hell are you?Lex: Lucas, I'm your brother.
- Mundanger: Lucas has no superhuman powers.
- Offing the Offspring: When Clark heats up Lucas' gun with his heat vision, Lionel furiously hits and shoots him. However, they were blanks.
- Out-Gambitted: It turns out that Lex and Lucas worked together to reveal that Lionel has regained his sight and to get Lex his job back.
- Pet the Dog: Jonathan, despite his antagonism towards Lex since the start of the series, allows Lex to stay with him and his family, later tells Lex he's welcome back at the Kents' any time, and even tells him he would have made "one hell of a farmer."
- The Reveal: Lionel has regained his sight and has been faking his blindness for the past few weeks.
- Riches to Rags: Lionel pulls this on Lex, forcing him to stay with the Kents for a while.
- Save the Villain: Clark saves Lucas from being gunned down by a gangster.
- The Sociopath: Lionel claims Lucas is one in the final act.Lionel: Believe me, Lex, your brother will never change. I've watched him over the years. The boy's a sociopath.Lex: And I wonder which side of the family tree he got that from.
- Spoiled Brat: Lucas definitely shows this trait with this line:Lucas: [to Clark] I'm a Luthor. I can do anything I want.
- Villain of the Week: Lucas Luthor, Lex's Long Lost Sibling.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Lucas disappears after the confrontation in Lionel's office, and he's never seen, heard from, or mentioned ever again after that. Lex is even referred to as Lionel's only son in two later episodes. The next time Lex is shown to have a brother it's Grant Gabriel in Season 7, a clone of Julian Luthor.
