Much to Clark's surprise, his Smallville sweetheart Lana Lang has come to Metropolis...and is dating his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor. Lana quickly reveals that she knows who Clark is. She tries to help him by spying on her boyfriend. When Lex finds out, it will be up to his archenemy to save Lana.
This episode provides examples of:
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Lana tells Lex she likes bad boys, but...
- Armor-Piercing Response: "Lemme guess, Martha sewed it for you."
- Bambification: One of the criminal mooks gets a Kick the Dog moment when he decides to shoot a deer just to see it blow up. Supes arrives just in time to block the shot.
- Bound and Gagged: Lana was tied up by Eelan, but not gagged due to the factory being fully-automated. The lack of a gag still wound up saving her when her screams for help and his Evil Gloating were overheard by Superman.
- Bus Full of Innocents: Eelan blows up a railroad bridge, forcing Supes to save the approaching train while Eelan makes his escape.
- Convection, Schmonvection: Lana and Eelan are all right as long as they don't actually fall into the molten lead flooding the factory.
- Conveyor Belt o' Doom: Eelan ties Lana up and puts her in a hopper that is sent down the line to be filled with molten lead.
- Clark Kenting: Subverted. Lana, who knew Clark back in Smallvillenote and even briefly saw his powers, sees through his disguise and excuses.
- Deducing the Secret Identity: Lana Lang reveals she knew he was Superman, for two reasons. 1) Superman showed up in Metropolis after Clark, and 2) she was one of the first people he told about his powers, she even saw him use them in once in Smallville.
- Easily-Overheard Conversation: As he prepares to do away with her, Eelan tells Lana that even if Superman is in the area, he won't be able to see through the lead-coated walls of the factory. Supes then bursts in and points out that he can hear Eelan just fine.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: When Superman saves Lana from a gang in the beginning, Lex comments that for once, he's glad Supes was present. While Lex tries to kill her for knowing too much, he's unhappy about it.
- Feed the Mole: During a meal with Lana, Lex openly talks on the phone to Eelan about a shipment to Central City so Superman will be 500 miles away when Lana is abducted. Superman isn't fooled, though, as he knows Lex prefers to play things much closer to the vest rather than openly talk about details.
- Flat "What": Superman's reaction to Lana already knowing who he really is.
- Foreshadowing: Central City is name-dropped a few times, and Superman will soon meet that city's famous hero.
- Get Out!: Mercy informs Lex that Lana's been taken, then snarks if he wants to cancel his dinner reservation. He tells her to get out. When she's still there, he shouts it.
- Hidden Depths: Lex shows genuine regret when he's forced to have Lana killed. This catches Mercy off guard, and based on prior episodes, we see that Lex has no problem having people killed normally. This is one of the rare examples of Lex showing anything resembling real affection.
- Inadvertent Entrance Cue
Clark: I know you'll find that special someone some day.
Lana: So will you. You deserve it. Someone patient, kind, understanding...
Lois: Hey, Smallville! Get your tail in here. Perry's got an assignment for us.
- In Harm's Way: Subverted. While Lana is very attracted to the excitement of a team-up with Superman, probably more than the man himself, an evening spent in real life-threatening danger changes her mind.
- Lampshade Hanging: Between Clark's amazing feats in high school and Superman showing up immediately after he moved to Metropolis, Lana points out it really wasn't hard for someone paying attention to connect the dots.
- Like Brother and Sister: Clark and Lana, at least by the end. Lana warns him against saying it, however.
Lana: Clark Kent, I swear, if you say I'm like a sister to you, I'm going back to Lex.
- Not My Driver: Lana gets this when Lex realizes that she's onto him.
- Secret Secret-Keeper: Clark was not aware that Lana knew his other identity until she asked him if "Martha [Kent] made the costume."
- She Knows Too Much: Lana, and Lex was forced to have her killed. Fortunately, Superman saved her.
- Shooting Superman:
- Despite having already seen his would-be buyers fire his fancy laser guns at Superman and nothing happening, Eelan still points his own gun at Superman. Superman quips "I should warn you; it's been done." Then Eelan switches aim to a bridge with a Bus Full of Innocents approaching instead, forcing Superman to save them while Eelan gets away.
- One of Lana's would-be kidnappers at the start of the episode also tries this, prompting Superman to suggest they haven't heard of him.
- Shout-Out:
- Lana suggests to Clark that she can be his Watson or Batgirl.
- When Lex is laying a trap, he "tells" a client to be in Central City by that night.
- Lana Lang's design is very similar to that of Mary Jane Watson, which is obvious when you compare her design to Bruce Timm's drawing of MJ
. Just like MJ, Lana is a fashion-conscious party girl who hides her serious side under a flaky exterior along with the fact that she knew Clark's secret identity the whole time.
- Stuff Blowing Up: This episode involves Lex Luthor selling terrorists a gun that makes things blow up like they've been strapped to dynamite.
