Originally aired April 30, 2010
Teleplay by Justin Hartley & Bryan Q Miller
Story by Justin Hartley & Walter Wong
Directed by Kevin Fair
Chloe and Tess end up trapped inside Watchtower, and Chloe is forced to make a difficult decision in order to save both herself and Tess. Oliver confronts Zod and ends up gravely injured. Clark meets with Faora and reveals that Zod has given some of the Kandorians their powers.
Tropes present in the episode:
- The Bus Came Back: Stuart Campbell returns in this episode with a new look.
- Despair Event Horizon: Zod crosses it after he strangles Faora to death and realizes that she was pregnant with his child, and he uses super-hearing to listen to the child's heartbeat as it dies in the womb.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Zod strangles Faora after she refuses to submit to him, and ends up killing both her and their unborn baby. His response? Launch a violent attack on Checkmate and then declare war on the rest of humanity.
- Enemy Mine: Chloe and Tess are forced to work together to escape from the compromised Watchtower and flee from Checkmate.
- Eyepatch of Power: Stuart sports one.
- Faking the Dead: Chloe stops Tess's heart temporary in order to get Checkmate agents off of their trail.
- Four-Star Badass: In the final act, Zod is referred to by the rank of General by Basquat.
- Funny Background Event: Waller is being treated in the castle for injuries inflicted by Zod. An agent arrives with an update and she starts walking down the corridor with him while giving orders. In the background, you can see the frustrated medic's "Hey, I'm not finished here!" reaction.
- Hand on Womb: Faora does this after learning that Zod's original self was responsible for Krypton's destruction; this causes Clark to use super-hearing to figure out that she's pregnant with Zod's child.
- Kneel Before Zod:
- Zod orders Faora to kneel before him, but she refuses, prompting him to strangle her to death and kill their unborn child in the process.
- Basquat also uses the line in the final scene.Basquat: [to Clark] They will hunt us to the last man. But they will fail, for we shall never be defeated. We will follow General Zod to the ends of this earth. Krypton will rise again, and all humankind will kneel before Zod.
- Locked in a Freezer: Chloe and Tess end up locked inside Watchtower with oxygen running out and Checkmate agents looking for them.
- Offing the Offspring: Zod strangles Faora to death, accidentally killing his unborn child in the process.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Zod embarks on a disproportionate one against Checkmate after he strangles Faora and ends up killing both her and their unborn child.
- Save the Villain: Chloe revives Tess after stopping her heart in order to fool Checkmate agents.
- Scream Discretion Shot: Clark hears Oliver screaming over the phone as Zod burns his symbol onto his chest.
- This Means War!: Zod declares war against all of Earth after he murders Faora and his unborn baby.Zod: [to the Kandorians] What was to be the first son of Kandor is no more. Now we, the last sons and daughters of Krypton, have no choice but to preserve our birthright. The humans killed the mother of my unborn child, the mother of your future!
- True Companions: Oliver remarks to Clark that he has a family on Earth, meaning Oliver himself and Chloe.Oliver: Hey, Clark. You know, those Kandorians; they're not the only family you have here.
- What You Are in the Dark: Chloe could've easily left Tess dead, but saves her instead. They both acknowledge that they weren't sure whether she'd actually do it.
- Would Hit a Girl: Zod arrives and sends Waller flying into a vehicle's windshield. He also strangles Faora to death when she refuses to kneel before him.
