Originally aired October 9, 2008
Written by Turi Meyer & Al Septien
Directed by James L Conway
Tess orders one of her scientists to do a test on the Fortress crystal, causing the crystal to send out a beacon that draws Maxima, queen of the planet Almerac, to Earth in her search for Clark, whom she believes is her soul-mate.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Aliens Speaking English: The Queen of Almerac speaks English fluently.
- Always Second Best: After Jimmy reads Chloe's letter about Clark, he becomes very insecure, feeling that no matter how hard he tries, he will always be second to Clark in Chloe's life.
- All Amazons Want Hercules: Maxima is very impressed by Clark's strength and speed, which rivals her own.
- Ambiguous Situation: It's ambiguous how much Maxima can control her aphrodisiac powers, either she' can't turn them off and is sexually frustrated for being in a Can't Have Sex, Ever situation or she can control it and simply doesn't want to lower her standards and hits men with all of her power, even knowing they may not survive it.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: In her last appearance Maxima tries giving one to Clark, he's a little shaken up but it's too little too late by that point.
- Anti-Villain: Maxima is a Type I. She isn't actively out to cause harm and mayhem; she's just looking for her soul-mate. But she's very selfish and doesn't seem to care the men she's kissing are dying as a result.
- Battle Discretion Shot: The fight between Tess's security team and Maxima takes place offscreen, with her easily wiping them out.
- Clingy Jealous Girl:
- Maxima doesn't react well to any female near her "perfect mate", she almost chokes Tess because she thinks she's keeping Clark "all for herself" and decides to Murder the Hypotenuse when she sees Clark has feelings for Lois.
- Lois herself is furious with Clark once she sees him making out with Maxima in the elevator.
- Combat Sadomasochist: When Clark throws Maxima against a wall, it only gets her more thrilled.
- Continuity Nod: Jimmy finds the letter Chloe wrote to Clark way back in "Fever."
- Destructo-Nookie: Downplayed. Clark and Maxima making out in the Daily Planet elevator causes it to shake.
- Elevator Going Down: Downplayed. Clark and Maxima are going at it in the elevator, but they are interrupted by Lois before they really get anywhere.
- Evil Redhead: Maxima is an Anti-Villain version.
- Face Death with Dignity: Even after witnessing Maxima slaughter Tess’ personal security team, Lois's reaction to Maxima is approaching her filled with Killing Intent is to assume a fighting stance and quip "Bring It, bitch". Thankfully, Clark rams Maxima just in the nick of time.
- Fiery Redhead: Maxima sports red hair and is a very passionate woman.
- The Final Temptation: Maxima pulls this on Clark near the end, saying he could leave his weary battle against Earth's evil and join her on Almerac as her king. Clark is very tempted, but ultimately refuses and sends Maxima back to Almerac.Clark: I came back to stop you from killing Lois. What would you have done to her if I didn't stop you?
Maxima: I couldn't let her have you. You're my soul-mate.
Clark: You don't even know who I am!
Maxima: When I was a little girl, I heard the stories of the brave and gallant men of Krypton, men worthy of standing by a queen's side. When I learned your planet had been destroyed, I prayed for survivors. And when I saw your beacon—
Clark: The beacon didn't come from me.
Maxima: It doesn't matter. I found the last son of Krypton, and you're everything I wished for—a man who is my equal. When we kissed, I felt your passion so much stronger than I've ever felt from any other man. And I could sense that you were as desperate as I was to find a mate. You want me as much as I want you.
Clark: I don't want you.
Maxima: Are you sure? Because no one on this planet will be a better match. I know the loneliness of not finding your soul-mate. You come back with me, and you will never be alone. It's our destiny to be together.
Clark: My destiny is here. And you're not a part of it. [activates Maxima's bracelet, sending her back to Almerac] - Forced Orgasm: Maxima has Living Aphrodisiac and releases potent endorphin hormones via her kiss, and ends up giving extreme pleasure to any man she kisses, to the point of giving them an involuntary orgasm. It also doubles as a Kiss of Death for most human men, as most end up dying via cardiac arrest if they don't get immediate medical treatment.
- Intimate Open Shirt: Clark's shirt is ripped open by Maxima when they're making out.
- Jizzed in My Pants: It's heavily suggested this is what happens to the human men Maxima kisses, which makes him look very unconvincing when he's trying to explain himself to Lois.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Maxima attracts the wandering gaze of every man she meets, even before her Living Aphrodisiac powers comes into play.
- Hoist by Their Own Petard: Clark uses Maxima's bracelet to Teleport her back to her homeworld.
- Human Alien: Maxima's race, much like Kryptonians, look identical to humans.
- Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: Maxima makes short work of Tess's security team while wearing the fancy green dress and heels.
- Kiss of Death: The endorphin rush of Maxima's kiss has this effect on human men, being first extremely pleasurable before outright killing them. Averted with Clark, a Kryptonian who's able to withstand the full effects of her kiss, although it still acts as a potent aphrodisiac.
- Lack of Empathy: Maxima doesn't seem to care much for that she's killing human men when they can't handle her kiss. She gives a half-hearted apology to Jimmy after kissing him and tells Clark she genuinely feels sad about Krypton's fate, but it seems she's sadder she lost her chance at a Kryptonian mate more than anything else.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Clark and Maxima almost do it in his office in the Daily Planet. Maxima's the one that actually stops it.
- Moment Killer: Lois interrupts Clark and Maxima's wild romp in the elevator. She is not pleased.
- Ms. Fanservice: Maxima (played by Charlotte Sullivan) is a gorgeous woman who wears flattering and skin-baring outfits and acts seductively for most of the episode.
- Murder the Hypotenuse: Maxima attempts this with Lois, only to be stopped by Clark.
- Muscles Are Meaningless: Despite having Super-Strength to rival Clark, Maxima does not have a muscular physique.
- Neck Lift: Tess is lifted by the neck by Maxima, when she's demanding to know Clark's location.
- Nosebleed: Happens to the men Maxima kisses, actually Played for Drama, as it's not only for implying an orgasm but also as a Deadly Nosebleed since the aphrodisiac effect is so strong it's a Kiss of Death for lesser men, messing up their insides.
- On the Rebound: Jimmy goes dancing with Maxima to get his mind off Chloe after he read her letter.
- Redhead In Green: Both of Maxima's outfits take advantage of her red hair contrasting with green clothing. The first one is a dark green Stripperific Almerac costume, the second is a luxurious green dress she stole from Tess. Her eyes also happen to be light green and she's a Green-Eyed Monster who's extremely jealous of the other women in Clark's life.
- Royal Blood: Maxima is the Queen of Almerac.
- Royal Brat: Maxima doesn't seem used to not getting what she wants, and goes full Yandere on Lois when she senses Clark is attracted to her.
- Sex Goddess: Heavily implied to be the case with Maxima, who can bring men to orgasm with just a single kiss and she later rants the Almeracian men on don't have the stamina to keep up with her.
- Speed Sex: Maxima is frustrated and disappointed whenever a man can't even handle her kisses. It seems to be a problem even back in her planet and she later vents her frustrations to Clark. It seems that while Almeracian men can resist the kiss they don't... last the full experience of being with her.Maxima: Finally. A man with some fight in him. None of the men on my planet have the stamina to keep up.
- Stalker with a Crush: Maxima towards "the last son of Krypton."
- Stripperific: Maxima first arrives on Earth wearing a dark green leather number bearing considerable amounts of skin, including her legs and navel.
- Suddenly Shouting: Lois does this after Clark tells her to calm down right after catching him making out with Maxima.Lois: I AM CALM! I am perfectly calm! Why wouldn't I be calm? Dial down the ego, Smallville. I don't care what you do with your love life!
- Superpower Lottery: Maxima has Super-Speed on a similar level to Clark's, Super-Strength to casually flip cars and Nigh-Invulnerability to shrug off bullets or being rammed into a wall and seems to have some kind of empathic ability and a toxic kiss. It's unknown if this feature is unique to her or all Almeracians have these, although her dialogue makes it clear the males of her planet aren't a match for her.
- Villain of the Week: Maxima, Almercian Queen who comes to Earth seeking her soul-mate, the Kryptonian Clark Kent.
- Workout Fanservice: A sweaty Tess practicing kick-boxing in a skintight suit with cleavage at the end of the episode.
- Working Out Their Emotions: Tess tells Chloe her frequent workout sessions helps focusing her anger
- Wrong Assumption: When Maxima interrogates Tess on Clark's whereabouts she thinks Tess wants to keep him for herself, assuming the green dress with an invitation for the Ace of Clubs gifted to Tess is from him (when it's actually from Oliver). Maxima even steals and puts the dress when goes for the club to search for Clark.
