Originally aired November 19, 2003
Written & Directed by Kenneth Biller
Lex finds Morgan Edge and gets him to admit that he and Lionel conspired to murder the latter's parents years ago. When Lex is attacked at the Luthor Mansion, he flees to the Kent Farm and asks Clark for help. Lionel later claims that Lex has had a psychotic breakdown and insists that he must be institutionalized.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Abusive Parents:
- As it turns out, Lionel's own parents were abusive towards the man himself when he was younger.Edge: [on tape] I blow the building. Lionel gets rid of his bastard father and his gin-soaked mother.
- And Lionel himself brings his abuse of Lex up another notch when he conspires with Edge to make it look like Lex is having a psychotic breakdown in order to avoid going to prison for his parents' murder.
- As it turns out, Lionel's own parents were abusive towards the man himself when he was younger.
- The Alcoholic: Lionel's mother is implied to have been one by Edge, who refers to her as Lionel's "gin-soaked mother" in his taped confession.
- Antagonistic Offspring: After Edge offers for he and Lex to work against Lionel, Lex prepares to shoot Edge as he says "How 'bout I just kill the both of you?"
- Badass Normal: Edge, at one point, pummels Clark with a handful of Kryptonite rosary beads.
- Back for the Dead: Morgan Edge is revealed to be alive, only to be Killed Off for Real when he is shot by Lex and rams his car into Clark.
- Body Horror: A mild example. After Lana is trampled by a horse, we see her leg bent at an unnatural angle. Ye-ouch.
- Crazy-Prepared: Since his encounter with Clark/Kal, Edge keeps a rosary of Kryptonite beads.Edge: [after Clark super-speeds into the room and snatches Lex's gun] Hi, Kal. I had a feeling we'd see each other again. [holds up the Kryptonite rosary] That's why I've been carrying these around.
- Downer Ending: Lex is institutionalized in Belle Reve despite Clark's best efforts to help him, and Lana asks Clark to stay away from her after she's trampled by a spooked horse.
- Faking the Dead: Darius, Lex's security guard who's in on the conspiracy to make it look like Lex is losing his mind.
- Gaslighting: Lionel conspires with Edge to drug Lex so it'll look like he's going insane in order to keep the truth about Lionel's parents' deaths hidden.Edge: It was your father's idea to make you look crazy instead.Lex: You're lying!Edge: It's true, Lex. Lionel's gone soft in his old age. He was willing to lose his parents, but he couldn't bear to lose another child.[Lex rubs his neck yet again]Edge: Neck still bothering you? Muscle aches, sleeplessness? All common side effects of the drugs.Lex: I knew I wasn't crazy. Tell me how you did it.Edge: Lionel thought of everything. First the dope, then getting the window fixed, then setting up the sweatshop. All little details to push you over the edge.Lex: How do I know it wasn't all you?Edge: Well, take a look around you. You think I'd be in digs like this if I hadn't cut a deal with your old man? You gotta admit, it was an elegant plan. Just like when he was a kid. Either you crack so completely that you can't form a coherent sentence or anything you say sounds like the ravings of a madman.
- Hearing Voices: While drugged, Lex hears his baby brother, Julian, crying.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: After seeing that his security guard, Darius, is alive and well (after he had been supposedly shot and killed in the teaser), Lex stumbles to his minibar and pours himself a glass of brandy.
- It Was Here, I Swear!: Happens a few times in this episode.
- In the teaser, Lex finds Edge in a warehouse, but when he and Clark return there, a sweatshop has been set up.
- In the final act, Lex witnesses Clark survive being hit by Edge's out-of-control car. When Dr. Foster and her men arrive to take him away to Belle Reve, he tells them what happened, but unfortunately for him, Clark has super-sped away. As he's being hauled into a van, Lex insists he saw Clark get hit by a car.
- Kick the Dog: After Lana ends up hospitalized due to being trampled by a horse after Lex goes berserk and throws her into the horse's stall, Lionel contemptuously compares Clark to Sancho Panza.Lionel: [walks up to Clark and stands next to him at Lana's hospital room window] You know, I was never quite sure which of them was more out of touch with reality—Don Quixote, jousting with imaginary enemies, or his loyal lackey Sancho Panza, indulging his master's fantasies in spite of the danger to everyone else.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: Clark uses a bit of his "Kal" persona when interrogating one of Lex's security guards.
- Magic Plastic Surgery: Morgan Edge underwent this between his last appearance (in "Phoenix") and this episode. This also explains how Patrick Bergin
took over the role from Rutger Hauer. - Mundanger: Morgan Edge has no superpowers; just some Kryptonite rosary beads which he uses to beat Clark up.
- Save the Villain: When Lex is about to shoot and kill Edge, Clark super-speeds into the room and takes the gun from Lex.
- Self-Made Orphan: Lionel is revealed to have arranged for his parents to be murdered so he could collect their insurance money and start LuthorCorp.
- Underestimating Badassery: Clark confronts Darius, one of Lex's security guards, on how he was able to drug Lex and quickly overpowers the guard.Darius: I don't appreciate some farm boy coming in here and accusing me of a felony.Clark: [grabs Darius and shoves him down to the floor] Don't underestimate farm boys. Baling hay can make you pretty strong.
- Villain of the Week: Morgan Edge
- We Can Rule Together: Edge tries to convince Lex to work together to bring down Lionel. Instead, Lex decides to kill Edge and Lionel, but he doesn't get the chance since Clark speeds into the room and takes his gun.Edge: But [Lionel] doesn't have to win, Lex. We can bring him down. Together.Lex: [Beat; then aims his gun at Edge] Maybe I'll just kill both of you.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Jonathan gives Clark grief for hiding Lex in the barn without telling him or Martha, and for not telling them that Morgan Edge is still alive.Jonathan: I don't understand how you could hide him in our barn without telling us.Clark: Dad, he was scared. And he thinks Lionel's trying to kill him. He said Morgan Edge is still alive.Jonathan: Morgan Edge?Clark: He's involved.Jonathan: Morgan Edge knows about your abilities. He knows that Kryptonite can kill you. How could you not tell us that?!
