Recap / Smallville S 06 E 16 Promise

Originally aired March 15, 2007

Written by Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders

Directed by Rick Rosenthal

On the day of Lex and Lana's wedding, Clark decides to tell Lana his secret so they can be together, Lana makes a huge decision about her relationship with Lex, and Lex finds himself in a dangerous situation. But no one is prepared for what happens when Lionel gets involved.

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Tropes present in the episode:

• Arc Words: The word "promise" is featured prominently in this episode.
• Blackmail:
  • Dr. Langston attempts this on Lex, but Lex attacks him and ends up killing him.
    Dr. Langston: Trust me, Lex. I wouldn't want anything to come between you and your beautiful bride—for instance, the truth about her condition.
    Lex: For your sake, I hope I'm not understanding you.
    Dr. Langston: Consider it hazard pay for the dangerous—not to mention, unethical—position you've put me in for months.
    Lex: And today's the day you hold the most leverage.
    Dr. Langston: Wire two million dollars to this account, or Miss Lang will know everything.
    Lex: I don't give into blackmail.
    Dr. Langston: Oh, I think you will. No man sinks as low as you have if he isn't driven by desperation.
  • Lionel blackmails Lana into going through with the wedding by threatening to kill Clark.
    Lionel: I can't let you call off the wedding.
    Lana: Things have changed, and it wouldn't be fair to Lex to pretend like they haven't.
    Lionel: You know Clark's secret, don't you? I've been watching you since you started seeing my son, and you've been getting closer and closer to finding out the shocking truth about Clark Kent. What a surprise it must have been to realize Clark has kept up the deception for so long, right under your nose.
    Lana: He was trying to protect me. And he's not gonna let you threaten me now.
    Lionel: You think Clark's invincible. It's not so. Like every hero, he has an Achilles' heel, a weakness. I know what it is. And I know that it could kill him.
    Lana: No. You could never hurt him.
    Lionel: Would you bet Clark's life on that? I give you my word, Miss Lang, if you don't honor the promise that you've made to my son or I find out you've told anyone about this conversation, I will kill Clark Kent.
• Blatant Lies: "I'm sorry, Clark, I love Lex." Lana's tone of voice is not convincing.
  • Lionels threat to kill Clark, unfortunately Lana had no way of knowing this.
• Break His Heart to Save Him: Lana goes through with marrying Lex to protect Clark from Lionel. (See Blackmail above.)
• Bullying a Dragon: Dr. Langston tries to blackmail Lex, who attacks and kills him.
• Catapult Nightmare: A moment when both Clark and Lex get this - Clark dreams of killing Lex at the altar and then accidentally killing Lana, and then Lex dreams of seeing Lana's ultrasound, just as it reveals something terrible.
• Damsel in Distress: Discussed by Chloe, who describes Clark as "fulfilling his damsel-in-distress quota" and leaving.
• Disposing of a Body: The crypt is overcrowded.
• Exact Eavesdropping: Lana manages to hear a lot of vital information with a little eavesdropping.
• Fake Pregnancy: Inverted. The trope normally refers to a woman using the implication she's pregnant for advantage. In this case, a man (Lex) convinces a woman (Lana) she's pregnant to deceive her into marriage.
• In Medias Res: Much of the episode involves skipping back in time to view certain events from a different angle.
• Internal Reveal: Lana becomes privy to Clark's secret, and the only one aware of this, at the moment, is Lionel.
• Locked in a Room: Lana tricks Chloe into getting trapped inside the wine cellar so she can watch Clark save her.
• Mythology Gag: Chloe tells Clark, "The one time saving Lana means putting your heart on the line, the man of steel is nowhere to be found."
• Runaway Bride: A subversion in that Lana tells Clark that she will be this, but she goes ahead with the wedding.
• Secret Secret-Keeper: Lana FINALLY becomes aware of Clark's powers, but doesn't tell anyone she knows.
• Wedding Episode: The episode is about a large wedding for Lex and Lana.

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