Originally aired October 1, 2003
Written by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar
Directed by Greg Beeman
Three months after leaving Smallville, Clark, still on Red Kryptonite and now going by the alias of "Kal", is living a life of crime and mayhem in Metropolis, and Jonathan seeks out Jor-El's help in bringing Clark home. Lex struggles to survive on a deserted island.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Animate Inanimate Object: The key to Clark's ship which, after Jonathan throws it to the ground in a fit of frustration, hovers into the air before inserting itself into its slot on the cave wall.
- Bank Robbery: The first act opens with Edge's goons staging one, only to be interrupted by Clark, who takes the stolen money for himself.
- Calling the Old Man Out: After finding that the keyhole on the Kawatche Cave wall is sealed over, Jonathan pounds the wall in anger and briefly rails against Jor-El.Jonathan: [Clark] wasn't ready! But you, you had to keep pushing him anyway, didn't you? What kind of a race are you people?! No wonder you destroyed yourselves!
- Deadpan Snarker: Clark, as is often the case when he's on Red Kryptonite. A few examples:Clark: [to one of Edge's goons] Stick to balloon animals.Clark: [to another one of Edge's goons] Sorry, Krusty, I saw the bank first.
- Deal with the Devil: Jor-El makes a deal with Jonathan, but the exact terms of their arrangement remain a mystery until "Covenant."Jor-El: This phase of Kal-El's journey is almost complete. It will be of no consequence if he returns to you... for now.Jonathan: You'll bring him home?Jor-El: If you want him, you must retrieve him yourself.Jonathan: I can't. He's too powerful.Jor-El: Are you willing to sacrifice anything to get him back?Jonathan: Yes! For my son, I'll do anything!
- The Don: Morgan Edge, the leader of Metropolis' criminal underworld.
- Get Out!: Clark to Chloe when the latter calls him out for hiding from his problems.Clark: [pushing Chloe towards the door] Chloe, get out! You tell anyone where I am, I'll go so far away that no one will ever find me!Chloe: I don't even know who you are anymore.Clark: [yells in Chloe's face] GET OUT!
- Pillar of Light: Jonathan finds himself in one as he makes contact with Jor-El.
- The Reveal: Lex's fellow standee Louis was a hallucination.
- Time Skip: The episode is set three months after the events of "Exodus".
- Touched by Vorlons: Jor-El gives Jonathan temporary Kryptonian powers as part of their mysterious arrangement.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Chloe goes to see Clark and confronts him about running away from his problems.Chloe: Clark, Lana is a wreck, and your parents are losing the farm!Clark: What do I care? I'm never gonna go back, anyway.Chloe: Clark, you were not forced into exile. You ran away from your problems. You are not being noble; you're being a coward!
- Lana gives Chloe grief for not telling anyone where Clark was for the past three months (Clark threatened to run further away if Chloe did).
- Lana also chews Clark out for spending the past three months hanging out in nightclubs.Lana: Clark! I have been worried about you for three months and you've been hanging around in nightclubs?
- Chloe goes to see Clark and confronts him about running away from his problems.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: A mild example. Jonathan makes contact with Jor-El and insists he is the one who raised Clark, to which Jor-El replies that Jonathan fulfilled his purpose in Clark's life.Jor-El: I am Jor-El, the true father of Kal-El.Jonathan: His name is Clark Kent! I am his father! I raised him!Jor-El: You have fulfilled your function in Kal-El's destiny.Jonathan: His destiny is whatever he makes of it!Jor-El: His destiny is too great for you to comprehend.
- You're Cute When You're Angry: Clark's reply to Lana chewing him out for hanging around in nightclubs for three months. (See What the Hell, Hero? above.)
- You're Not My Father: Clark's response to Jonathan and Martha after Jonathan tries to persuade him to come home over Lana's cell phone.Clark: I'm not your son, and you're not my parents, and you never will be!
