Originally aired November 20, 2009
Written by Andrew Landis & Julia Swift
Directed by Morgan Beggs
Tess has a comatose Lois taken from the hospital so she can access her memories of the future, and is shocked by what she finds out.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Bad Future: The future that Lois accidentally traveled to in the Season 8 finale is definitely an example. The Kandorians have taken over Earth and turned the sun red, giving the Kandorians their powers while rendering Clark powerless; Clark isn't on good terms with Chloe and Oliver; Tess has joined the Kandorians in conquering humanity; and Chloe ends up dying at the hands of Alia.
- Big Damn Heroes: Oliver and Chloe arrive just in the nick of time to save Clark and Lois as they are about to be executed by the Kandorians.
- Boom, Headshot!: Tess shoots Stuart in the head. Luckily, he survives.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Clark finally meeting with the Kandorians, and Zod ordering his soldiers to kneel before him.
- De-power: Clark has no powers in the Bad Future thanks to the red sun.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Future!Tess dies in Future!Oliver arms.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Stuart objects to Tess' plan to keep Lois inside the mind reading machine, as it could seriously damage her.
- In the Back: Tess shoots Stuart in the back after he turns on her. He survives.
- Kneel Before Frodo: The episode ends with Clark meeting with the Kandorians and Zod commanding his soldiers to "Kneel...before Kal-El."
- Fanservice: Clark and Lois show a lot of skin when making love in the Bad Future.
- La Résistance: The human resistance led by Chloe in the Bad Future.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Tess wants Stuart to erase Lois memories from the Bad Future, he refuses since it may damage her mind. She shoots him and tries to do it herself, but it's stopped by Clark. They end up erased anyway, but Lois isn't damaged.
- MacGuffin: The Legion ring.
- Made of Iron: Somehow, Future!Clark (who's powerless under the red sun) manages to survive being thrown through debris by Zod.
- Mind Probe: Tess attaches herself and Lois to a machine so she can see her memories from the Bad Future.
- Off with His Head!: Zod prepares to behead Clark, only for the human resistance to begin attacking.
- Rebel Leader: Chloe leads humanity's resistance against the Kandorians in the Bad Future.
- Relationship Upgrade: In addition to their becoming lovers in the Bad Future, once Lois returns to the Daily Planet, Clark tells her that he wants to pursue a relationship with her.Lois: Clark, I've done this dating thing wrong so many times.
Clark: Then let's do it right. Let's take our time.
Lois: Really? In that case, let's go get a real cup of coffee. Then we'll have lunch, the first of many. There'll be ice cream and chalupas, picnics in the park, dancing in the rain, and you will take me to a monster truck rally. (They enter the elevator. As the elevator door closes, Lois takes Clark's hand in hers.) - Re-Power: Turning the sun yellow again restores Clark's powers in the Bad Future.
- Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Clark, Lois, Chloe, and Oliver decide the only way to change the future for the better is for Lois to use the Legion ring to travel back through time and prevent the Kandorians from gaining their powers.
- The Quisling: Tess in the Bad Future.
- We Can Rule Together: In the Bad Future, Zod rails at Clark for fighting against him, telling him they could've made Earth a Kryptonian paradise.Zod: [to Clark] You chose to fight me! You forced me to unleash my power! We could've made this planet a paradise!
- Weird Sun: The Red Sun in the Bad Future.
