Smallville TV Show - Persuasion - Smallville Recaps, Smallville Reviews, Smallville Episodes | TWoP

Recapped by Tippi Blevins · Aired 2010-02-19

It's night, and Clark is standing with his back against a wall at the solar towers building site. The music that's playing is of the sort that usually accompanies a large number of clowns exiting a very small car. Clark looks uncomfortable, which is not unusual for him. Suddenly, a pair of feet in very high heels is seen scrabbling for purchase on his shoulders. Clark looks even more uncomfortable. Lois's voice apologizes from above about the heels but continues to use Clark as a living ladder. She peers over the wall at the construction site. Down on terra firma, Clark and Lois are being scoped out by a gentleman tossing out his garbage in the alley behind them. Clark offers him an apologetic smile. He calls up to Lois, "I'm not sure this is such a good idea." Gee, ya think? Lois babbles about how RAO is running double shifts on a Saturday night in violation of union rules. That... doesn't sound quite right to me. "I'm sure someone is keeping an eye on the situation," he says. That's technically true; Clark has been standing by, watching these bringers of doom being made. Lois peers up at something and loses her balance. She falls backwards off Clark's shoulders and he catches her. The comical music turns romantic. They make dopey lovey eyes at each other for a while before he sets her down. Lois goes back to babbling about the towers. She thinks something sneaky is going on because they're "moving more tech equipment than NASA" into the building. Well, they probably got a lot of that equipment at the Constellation yard sale.

She and Clark head out into the street, where some kind of Valentine's Day block party is going on. But there are lights and heart-shaped balloons and streamers strung up everywhere, like some kind of cutesy-poo version of Hellraiser. A young woman in a sexy Cupid/fairy outfit goes around handing out flowers and candies and blowing glitter on people. Clark trails after Lois, wishing she'd drop the story. She thinks he wants the story to himself. "Is there something about that tower you're not telling me?" she asks. "No," he says. He's gotten quite comfortable with lying, hasn't he? He used to look like Kryptonite vultures were feasting on his innards every time he fibbed, but now he's giving Lois an easy smile. He suggests he and Lois go out for a romantic dinner, but Lois works up a lather about how Valentine's Day is all a Hallmark conspiracy. Clark thinks she's overreacting, even by Lois's usual standards, but Lois has learned from experience that if she celebrates "V-Day" things will end in disaster. The sexy Cupid approaches with her basket of treats. Lois hungrily grabs a box of chocolates, having missed dinner. Well, if you would go to dinner with Clark like he asked, maybe you wouldn't be so hungry! Annoyingly, no one pays sexy Cupid for her wares. Nonetheless, she blows a handful of glittery dust towards Lois and Clark. As specs of dust float in slow motion toward Clark, they flash in a rainbow of colors. He looks woozy for a moment as his eyes glow in gemstone colors for a moment. He blink-blink-blinks and everything seems back to normal, including Lois, who's rushed off towards the office to get working on her story.

By Tippi Blevins

Clark follows after her. "Maybe we should put our relationship ahead of work for tonight," he says. Aren't you the one who's usually romantically AWOL because of your job, doofus? Lois scoffs about how "traditional" Clark sounds. He takes hold of her shoulders and looks into her eyes. "What's wrong with that?" he asks. "I want us to have a more traditional relationship." Lois's eyes glitter and glow, which for some reason Clark doesn't notice. Some square-faced editor guy walks in and tells Lois he needs her story now, because there's a ribbon-cutting ceremony being held at the solar towers in two days. Clark's like, "Two days? Holy crap! I thought for sure I had till the season finale!" He makes some excuse about checking up on the building permits for Lois. "Anything for your career," she says in a daze. Clark gives her a quizzical look, then skedaddles. "Lane?" the editor says. Snapping out of her daze, she turns all her feminine ferocity on him. She's not going to stay here working when she could be home, taking care of her man! "I quit!" The music emphasizes her seriousness with a comical flourish. Somebody save gender equality!

Watchtower. As Chloe walks inside, there's a huge bouquet of red roses featured prominently in the shot. A little something from her new archery buddy? No sooner has Chloe put her purse down when Clark whooshes into the room behind her. Chloe teases that his Valentine's Day date with Lois must not have gone very well if he's here with her now. Forgoing pleasantries, Clark asks, "Do you have the passports and IDs ready?" She hands him an envelope, saying, "Everything you'd need to escape your old life and stat a new one." He calls her a lifesaver. Chloe says that, like the candy of the same name, she's feeling sweet on the outside and empty in the middle. I'm also noticing the roses are in an olive green vase. Hmm! Clark hears Chloe's bittersweet metaphor and understands she's not on board with him helping the Kandorians. Understandable, since one of them killed her in the future. Clark allows as to how he's overlooked some of their mistakes. He looks at Alia's new passport, which identifies her as one Sophia Lewis, age 37 from Temple, Texas. Chloe scoffs. "By 'mistakes' do you mean them building towers so they can give themselves powers to take over the world?" I wouldn't call that a "mistake" so much as an oft-overlooked story line. Clark gets a little huffy. He insists he's going to lead them to a better place. Chloe gets huffy right back at him. "We both know one of them killed your father." Clark flares his nostrils like a petulant bull. Chloe says, more calmly, that maybe it would be safer to just send the Kandorians to the Phantom Zone. "I know you're saying that because you want to protect people," Clark says, "but right now I want you to focus on watching my back." Chloe's eyes glow in response to Clark's wish. "Leave the rest of the planet to me," he says, heading for the door. Chloe calls after him, promising to protect him: "No matter what it takes."

By Tippi Blevins

Solar tower construction site. Clark catches up with Alia and Zod's other, heretofore unnamed female soldier. He calls her Faora. Wait... what? She's Zod's future wife? She seems so low-key. Her future self seemed so much more flamboyant. Anyway, Clark gives them the paperwork for their new identities. The two seem unsure of what to say. Finally, Alia admits she misjudged Clark, calling him Kal-El. Faora looks over her new passport. Her eyes look shiny and her nose is red, as if she's about to cry. "I was born into the military," she says, "I never had a choice to live as a civilian." She says they can't repay him. "Tell me who killed my father," Clark says. They remain silent. Clark asks again, but he doesn't say the right words, so his powers of persuasion don't work on them. Faora warns him to be careful. Zod still has loyal followers; if Clark goes after him, there'll be war.

Kent Farm, where mutant sunflowers bloom all winter long and the trees are as green as a Leprechaun's underpants. Clark returns home to find Lois slaving over a hot oven. She's wearing a '50s-style turquoise dress with heels and an apron. Her hair's been swept into a conservative updo. "Hey, sweetie pie!" she greets him, her oven mitts laden with baked goods. Clown music plays. Clark is ever so confused by this scene of domestic bliss. Lois explains she's moved in, but she'll be staying in the guest room until they get engaged. The music segues into a funnier version of the Jaws theme. Lois's words penetrate the dense fog of Clark's brain. "Engaged?" Lois beams at him. Commercials!

By Tippi Blevins

Back from the break, Lois is vigorously sawing through a charred roast. Clark sits at one end of the dining table, still stunned from these latest developments. Clark tries to sneak his portion of the roast to Shelby while Lois isn't looking, but the dog's like, "If I want to taste crap, I can lick my own butt!" Clark thanks Lois for the meal. "I am just so proud of you for bringing home the bacon, the least I can do is cook it up in a pan!" She pours his beer and adds, "And I'll never let you forget that you're the man!" I bet she's even slathered herself in Enjoli. Clark is growing more confused by the moment. "Did something happen?" he asks. She says that he wanted a more "traditional" relationship and he was just so persuasive. So is this Clark's idea of a traditional relationship, or Lois's? Because what the hell decade were these people born in? [Presumably, this is Lois's clichéd understanding of "traditional." - Zach] Clark wishes for the old Lois, but she says it's too late. "I quit my job at the Planet," she tells him. Somehow, this shocks Clark more than any of the other oddities. He tells her she can't quit. "That job is your life!" "Now my life is with you," she says. She drops repeated hints about them getting married. Clark stands up from the table and makes an excuse about needing to go back to work. He gets out the door as fast as possible without actually breaking into superspeed.

Luthor mansion. Tess is enjoying a nice bubble bath and a glass of bubbly. Unbeknownst to her, Zod is playing the voyeur through a slit in the bathroom door. After a few moments, he invites himself inside. Tess sits bolt upright and calls for security. Don't you know by now your security sucks? Zod agrees with me: "I'm afraid they're otherwise engaged." He probably confounded them with Chinese finger traps.

By Tippi Blevins

A guard is out in the hall, going, "I just don't understand! The more I try to free myself, the more entrapped I become!" Tess reaches for her robe, but Zod raises a warning finger, stilling her. "I like you just where you are," he says. Raising an eyebrow, she settles back into the tub and invites him to join her. He runs a finger along her glistening, wet leg and murmurs, "You're already in bed with someone else: Kal-El." He clucks his tongue and scolds: "Wrong choice of bedfellows." He avails himself of Tess's champagne glass and announces he's just moments away from completing the solar towers. She reminds him that he needs the Book of Rao to finish it. He shrugs and says they found another way. He just waited for the writers to get tired of coming up with things for him to do. Now, thanks to the fingerprints he just stole off Tess's champagne glass, he'll be able to access all the satellite networks without her. She tells him he's digging his own grave. "Then you better make sure there's room enough in there for both of us," he says. You're the one digging it, Zod; figure out the proportions your own damn self! He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out Faora's new passport, identifying her as Victoria Lewis, who has been reborn as a remarkably young-looking 39-year-old. Zod's pissed that Tess didn't tell him about Clark supplying his people with new identities. Tess rises from her bath, making sure Zod gets an eyeful of her soapy goodies, and says, "They're no more your people than they are his." Eventually, he'll be their leader. But... you just said they're not his people! This dialogue! Ugh! Sigh. Zod tells her not to underestimate their loyalty to him. Now wearing a satin robe, Tess tells him that they'll see Clark as their savior, whereas Zod is a reminder of their bloody past. Zod finds this all very humorous. "It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?" he asks her. "Help give my people their powers so they can save your doomed planet." Oh, my God, so very much talking. Stop talking! And yet they go on: Zod supposes that he'll be gotten rid of once Clark takes over. Tess isn't averse to that plan. She says they need the Kandorians' knowledge to save Earth, or as she puts it, "to show mercy to this planet." She had to get that out there, just in case you forgot that she's also known as Mercy. Zod scoffs. He promises that when he gets his powers, Tess will be the one who needs mercy. They stare at each other for a while before Zod leaves, blissfully without uttering another word.

By Tippi Blevins

Chez Kent. Chloe walks through the back door to find Lois on her hands and knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor with a toothbrush. There are stacks of clean dishes on the table and enough cleaning products to shrink Lily Tomlin. Lois pops up, greeting her cousin with an exhausted but satisfied smile. "It's amazing what four hours of scrubbing a kitchen can do! It simply sparkles." Erica Durance is sort of adorable here; it's too bad this whole story line is kind of awful. Chloe goes to open a window because Lois seems to have gotten high off the lemon-fresh fumes. That's when she notices that Lois's record collection is on the kitchen table. "I moved in!" Lois announces with an ear-to-ear smile. Chloe immediately starts grabbing Lois's things and shoving them into the record box, ready to move her back out again. Lois protests that she and Clark are in love, which causes Chloe to scoff that being in love only holds Clark back. Lois grabs the box away from Chloe. "It's just a little sad that the only way you can get close to Clark now is to play mother hen," Lois says. At this point, I was dreading the scene turning into a gratuitous cat fight. Chloe isn't fazed. She tells Lois that Clark's a very private person, and Lois isn't good at keeping things private. Lois, near tears, grabs a framed picture of the happy couple from the box. She insists Clark knows he can trust her. Chloe snarks about how Lois announced on national TV that she was secretly talking to the Blur. Thank you. Geez. Lois says she didn't mean for it to happen. They struggle over the framed picture. Chloe says, "When it comes to understanding the real Clark Kent, you're always going to be second string!" That gets Lois off-balance enough that the picture crashes to the floor, shattering the glass. She drops to her knees to retrieve it. Chloe snits that once Clark sees the real Lois, he'll know that she's really just a scared little girl who runs away the minute something goes wrong. "If you really love him, the best thing you can do for Clark is leave him." Cold!

The morning, Clark finds sexy Cupid from the night before. She's in her street clothes, unpacking her sugary treats and flowery wares for the day. Clark approaches her. She remembers him: "You were with the bitter chick." Heh. Clark chuckles. "Yeah, well, the 'bitter chick' isn't feeling so good." Was there anything in the chocolates? Just good old delicious fat. "I ate two boxes and gained three pounds," sexy Cupid says, bringing her up to an even 90. Clark turns to go and spies the bag of glittery dust in the back of her car. A tiny spark of an idea flares in Clark's brain like the rear end of a firefly. "The fairy dust was cute. Where'd you get it?" "I don't know what it is," she says, "but it comes from some quarry in Smallville." Seriously? You buy powdered rock and you blow it on people without knowing what it is? What if it's asbestos? What if it's petrified guano? "It's meteor rock," Clark sighs. Possibly mixed with asbestos and guano. Clark gets a "911" text from Lois. Sexy Cupid asks if that's his girlfriend. "We don't use that word," Clark says. Cupid smiles knowingly at him as clowny music transports us to...

By Tippi Blevins

...the Kent barn, where Clark is racing up the steps up in a panic. He stops when he sees Lois sitting on the floor in front of a mirror, mascara streaking her face. She's sniffling and sobbing as she clutches Clark's old football jersey to her chest. Her neat updo has been undone in waves of despair. Again, I ask: Whose idea of "traditional" is this? "What's the emergency?" he asks. "Oh, um, f-false alarm," she blubbers. He approaches her with great caution. Man, she is a veritable ball of snot. "You seem kind of...?" Clark can't quite find the right word, so Lois finishes for him: "Kind of pathetic." She stands up and rips off her pearls and apron, blubbering all the while about what a joke it all is. "You're not yourself right now," Clark says, comically horrified. She just cries harder. "Chloe was right to protect you from me," she sniffs. Clark thinks Chloe's just overprotective sometimes, but Lois thinks she was right this time. "She said that I was gonna wreck us, and she's right," Lois says. She cries that doesn't know anything about family time or home-cooked meals. Or waterproof mascara, for that matter. Clark comforts her by saying he's glad she's opening up to him, but there's something else going on here. Man, just tell her the truth, jerkface! Lois sniffles and grows calmer. "I've made a fool of myself long enough," she says with a catch in her voice. It hurts her too much to be around Clark. "I have to leave you." She packs up her suitcase and starts down the stairs. But this is her home, Clark protests. "No, a home is for real," she says. "For always and forever." He takes a breath and promises her they'll be together. "Always." "Do you mean it?" she asks. He does. She drops her suitcase and goes to kiss him. She's all smiles as she lays her cheek against his chest. "I guess we can move my stuff out of the guest room now," she sighs. Clark looks worried.

By Tippi Blevins

Watchtower. Clark arrives to find all the computers have gone haywire. An alarm drones and red lights flash. Emil is running around like a chicken with his head cut off, but he's glad to see Clark: "For some reason, Chloe's shut me out of all Watchtower's systems!" Clark is sympathetic, but he's got his own problems to deal with right now. "Do you know where Chloe is?" "She's gone," Emil snits. He keeps fiddling with the computers to no avail, growing increasingly agitated with every firewall he encounters. "I want you to calm down," Clark says. "Just relax for once!" Upon hearing the magic words, Emil immediately starts to mellow out. He undoes his tie and takes off his glasses. Clark calls out to him. Emil gives a lazy shrug and turns away from the computer. "Whatevs -- this place goes nuclear, it is not my problem." He starts stripping off his jacket. Bow-chikka-bow-bow! Clark, realizing he's accidentally mind-whammied him, says, "I want you to go back to the way you were." It doesn't seem to work that way, though. Emil grabs himself a beer from the fridge and starts lazing around like a cleaner-looking version of Matthew McConaughey. Clark tries to get him to focus long enough to help him with his new "meteor rock" problem. Emil thinks about it for a while and thinks Clark's hypnosis would be great with the ladies. Ew. "How do I stop putting people in hypnotic trances?" Clark asks. Emil thinks he doesn't need to stop it. "Maybe you just need to chill." Clark rolls his eyes. "Come on, there's gotta be something out there you're after." Clark frowns as a decrepit old hamster starts turning the rusty wheel in his brain. He fishes Jor-El's Kryptonian tag from his pocket and stares at it meaningfully. He whooshes away. If he'd stuck around any longer, Emil probably would have gotten down to his socks and boxers.

Sunny Kent Farm. Lois has recovered nicely from the Great Mascara Massacre of 2010 and is currently on the phone with Martha, the Senator who never visits her own hometown. Martha has apparently given Lois permission to wear her old wedding dress, which is a good thing because Lois has already dug it out of her closet and put it on. Lois thanks her and tearfully calls her "Mom." She then proceeds to dance around all over the house, pausing only long enough to call her sister and then her father with the good news. Dance, dance, dance, goes Lois. "Boom, boom, boom," goes the music.

By Tippi Blevins

Construction site, night. Two men in hardhats hand Zod a set of plans before wandering off into the night. Clark is standing nearby in his Emo Blur outfit. He's not even trying to hide anymore. "We need to talk," Clark says. Zod starts walking away from him. He's pissy because Clark's been trying to isolate his people from him. "You lost your right to lead when you killed my father," Clark says. That gets Zod to stop. He turns to face Clark, and says, voice thick with emotion and possibly marbles: "He was a brother to me. We had our differences, but I could never take his life." Clark tosses Jor-El's tags to Zod. There's a shrill trumpet blast that I think is supposed to sound tense but, in actually, sounds like an elephant. This show uses those a lot, and they never fail to make me laugh. Clark advances on Zod. "I want you to tell me the truth," he says. "Did you kill Jor-El?" Seriously? You're using your one act of persuasion on him for that? You could have said, "I want you to be nice!" And then Zod would stop building the towers and tell you who killed your dad. Think bigger, you clod! Zod's eyes sizzle with a rainbow of colors. "I didn't kill him," he says quietly. "But I know who did: Tess Mercer." Clark blinks. "How is that possible?" Well, she's kind of evil, that's how. For some reason, Clark seems to be struggling with this knowledge, despite the fact that he's seen Tess do some really awful shit before. Zod convinces him by pointing out Tess had her own agenda and knew where Jor-El was being held. Zod encourages him to go after Tess, but Clark refuses to kill her. How about you just put her in jail for any number of bad things she's done? "It's the Kryptonian way," Zod says. "You must avenge him." Clark refuses again, but after a moment of hesitation. Zod chuckles. He recalls how he tortured Jor-El, but Jor-El still wouldn't give up the son he'd never even met. That gets Clark angry enough to grab Zod by the lapels. Zod keeps needling him: "He died protecting you, and you won't even defend his honor." Clark gets all up in his face. "You think sometimes I don't want to be a killer like you?" Suddenly, Clark staggers back. His eyes glow and he takes a slow, shuddering breath. Oh, my God. The moron done hypnotized himself. Hah! Haha! Oh, that's priceless. I'm going to need the commercial break to recover.

By Tippi Blevins

Daily Planet. Chloe's huddled over one of the computers, muttering to herself. "I can't believe you piggybacked my cameras!" The image on the screen is of the inside of the Kent barn. A lone tractor sits unused, gathering dust. Scandalous! From the door, Tess's voice responds, "And I can't believe you actually managed to be of some use." What? Chloe provides useful exposition almost every week, woman! Chloe stands up to face her. Tess invites her to try as much as she'd like, because she'll never crack the system. Chloe sneers. She's not trying to crack the system, she's trying to upload a virus. She even holds up the virus-laden flash drive to show Tess. That's just... dumb. You're supposed to distract Tess while secretly finishing your plans, not come right out and tell her what you plan to do. What are you, a character in a crappy TV show?! Tess is unworried. "You take down my firewalls, and you'll be exposing Clark to far greater dangers than you can even imagine." That gives Chloe pause. Tess blah-blahs about the towers being ready and the Kandorians getting their powers soon. But if Clark joins them... "He can rule over all the Kandorians, even Zod." Tess says she and Chloe need to work together. Chloe considers it. Or pretends to consider it so she can grab a gun and whack Tess across the face with it. Tess goes down, licking blood from her teeth. Chloe cocks the gun. "I'm sorry," she says, "but embracing the red skies definitely violates my 'no conspiring with baddies' policy." Chloe takes her eyes off Tess long enough to pick up the flash drive, which gives Tess plenty of time to kick the gun out of her hand. Chloe makes a dash for the gun, but Tess tackles her. They both crash into a glass table. Chloe reaches for the gun; it's just out of reach. Tess yanks her up by the hair and punches her in the face. Chloe kicks Tess in the chest. Tess staggers back, gaining her balance just in time for Chloe to knock her over the back of a sofa. Tess stands, dragging Chloe up with her. Chloe shoves up against her and Tess's head smashes into a glass sconce. Tess shoves back and they both tumble over the sofa. Tess punches her in the face again. Chloe grabs a nearby decanter, but Tess kicks it out of her hand. Chloe makes a run for the door. Tess yanks her by the hair and she lands on her back. By the time she scrambles to her feet, Tess has grabbed the gun and aimed it at her. Before Chloe can eat lead, Clark blurs into the room, grabs Tess, and blurs back out. Chloe, panting, is left staring at the still-moving door.

By Tippi Blevins

Clark comes to a stop outside some sort of dockyard or warehouse... type... place. He throws Tess out before him and she lands with a thud and a cry on the gravel-covered ground. Clark, with a weirdly deep voice, says, "My father was murdered and I'm here to collect." Tess is like, "What is this cheesy dialogue?" He explains he's there to collect justice... or vengeance. "Just depends whose side you're on." He lights a circle of fire with his eyes, trapping Tess inside. Who knew gravel was so flammable? She gets shakily to her feet, pleading with him. "You confided in me, Clark, you revealed your powers." He roughed you up, lady. I don't think that counts as "confiding" in you. She reminds him she hasn't told anyone his secret. He thinks she sold him out to Zod. What plot was that? I thought Clark was the one who revealed himself to Zod? Aw, screw it, let's just get back to the scene: Tess stumbles around the ring of fire, looking for a way out, but it burns, burns, burns. She says Clark is supposed to lead the Kandorians. "You've seen the future," Clark says, "you know what happens." She makes a break for it, but trips. Scooting away from Clark, she says he needs to join the Kandorians and defeat Zod so he can't take Clark's powers. They techo-babble annoyingly about how the towers work. Tess says she had no idea that Clark's powers would disappear when the towers were finished. Clark advances on her. He tells her not to worry. "I'll save your world; just not with you in it." His eyes light up in preparation for barbecuing her alive. Somehow, miraculously, Chloe shows up at this very moment with a big chunk of Kryptonite to disable Clark. How'd she find him? How'd she get there so fast? Who the hell knows? Chloe's and Clark's eyes flash with rainbow colors. Clark staggers and falls to his knees. Tess stares wide-eyed at them both. Clark doesn't look like he wants to kill her anymore, so I guess the effect has worn off. That'll learn ya not to hypnotize yourself again, you doofus.

Zod's warehouse hideout. Alia holds a gun that's wrapped in dirty rags. Zod walks up behind her. "Why did you call me here?" he asks. She grips the gun, lowering it to her side. "I'm sorry," she says. For a moment, it seems like she's going to kill him. Then she starts to speak of Jor-El. "He thought we were abominations," she says. "He would have destroyed us." Zod's chin quivers as he takes in her words. "You killed him," he says. Anticlimactic, right? "Justice must be served," Alia says. She hands the gun to Zod. He takes it from her, gripping her hand for a moment as he does so. She kneels before him, head bowed. He levels the gun at her chest. He really seems like he doesn't want to kill her. Nonetheless, he pulls the trigger. She falls to the floor. Zod exhales sharply and lowers his eyes. What pretty eyelashes you have, Mr. Alien Dictator, sir.

By Tippi Blevins

In sunnier climes, Lois is enjoying breakfast at the Kent house while Clark tries to explain things to his mom on the phone. That whole wacky engagement thing? Just some kind of "miscommunication." The newspaper is on the table, open to the announcements page, showing Clark and Lois's engagement. He tells Martha that the paper's going to print a retraction. He finishes up his chat with mommy dearest and passes along a message she has for Lois. "My mom says when you're ready, you can borrow it," Clark says, wondering what it means. Lois looks suitably embarrassed and pretends not to know. Clark mentions Lois's father calling. She tries to cover by babbling about the chocolates she bought from the sexy Cupid. "I wasn't really myself, I don't know what she put in that stuff." Seriously? Lois thinks she went nuts because of bad chocolates? Or does she think she went nuts all on her own and is just blaming it on the chocolates? Either way: dumb. "It's too bad, I kind of liked the outfit," Clark says. Lois smiles despite herself. "You really are an old-fashioned romantic, aren't you?" she asks. [I think she means "old-fashioned clothing fetishist." - Z] He answers with a smile. Lois's phone beeps to let her know she has another message from Chloe. Lois explains that Chloe's been apologizing for how she reacted when she found out Lois and Clark were living together. Speaking of which, Lois has decided to move out again. Clark agrees they should go back to taking things slow. "We just have to continue being honest with each other," Clark says. Lois agrees. She takes a breath and asks, "If you had a really big secret, would you trust me with it?" "You're the most trustworthy person I know," says Mr. Lying Liar McDeflecting-Pants. Lois mentions that whole thing Chloe said earlier, about how she told the whole world she was the Blur's confidante. "I don't think the Blur minds," Clark says. "You were protecting him." Lois is just afraid that her "big mouth" is going to ruin their relationship someday. Clark hugs her with his big, lying arms. "Don't worry," he says with his big, lying mouth. "It's not going to be that easy to get rid of me." She smiles against his big, lying shoulder. He looks slightly worried, or maybe a little gassy.

By Tippi Blevins

Zod's warehouse hideout. Haunting guitar music plays. Alia's dead body is carried out on a white platform by six Kandorian soldiers. She's been dressed in white with her Kryptonian name in black on her chest. A sheer white veil covers her face. The other soldiers have gathered to say goodbye, as has Clark, in his Emo Blur outfit. The platform is placed on an elaborate wire contraption that looks almost boat-like. Zod peels back her veil and, having heated her tag in the flames of a torch, presses it against her forehead, branding her. The platform is lit and Alia disappears in a blaze. Faora, her cheek and lip bruised from some unseen violence, watches with tears in her eyes. Zod, wearing a priestly-looking red sash, walks away in silence. After a moment, Clark follows him down a candle-lit path. Clark demands to know how Alia died. "By my hand," Zod says. He explains she confessed to killing Jor-El because she thought he would destroy them. "She didn't deserve to die," Clark says. He gets all riled up. "You've gone too far! Just like when you sent me to see Tess." Dude, he was just doing what you persuaded him to do. Zod steps closer to him. "You want to become one of us, you want to live by our ways, and yet you reject them." That sounds like an interesting plot -- an interesting plot we never got to see. Zod resents having to kill one of his own soldiers because Clark was too weak to do it himself. "To get justice for you," Zod spits. Clark looks away. "This isn't my kind of justice." Zod warns him as he goes: Soon, Clark's going to have to decide if he's one of them or not. They glare at each for a while. Clark flares his nostrils dramatically.

Watchtower, night. Clark watches an image of the solar towers on one of the computer screens. Chloe joins him. Without looking at her, he asks, "If you were really under a command to protect me, why didn't you let me kill her?" Chloe waits until he finally glances at her before answering. "Because sometimes protecting you means protecting you from yourself." Yeah, you big, dumb, self-hypnotizing dork. She says Clark is someone that everyone needs to believe in. She couldn't let anything compromise that. He tells her that Zod killed Alia for murdering Jor-El. Chloe thinks this over for a minute and realizes this means Alia can't kill her in the future now. "That means the future we saw is changing," Chloe says. Clark: "There's only one way to make sure." Clark looks at the solar towers on the screen again.

By Tippi Blevins

Rockin' guitar music plays as Clark stands atop a gargoyle high above the streets of Metropolis. His black coat flaps dramatically. He takes a few breaths, sets his sights on the solar towers, and blasts them with his heat vision. Out on the streets just outside the towers, Zod is speaking with a handful of reporters. "When the first rays of the sun fall upon the solar tower tomorrow morning, it will herald the dawn of a new age of infinite power." His last word coincides with Clark's attack on the towers. The blast shakes the street. The reporters yelp and look up. Some of them snap pictures, hopefully of the "Blur" being a destructive menace. Zod looks up, his mouth hanging open as he watches the two towers burst into flames. He's not angry or surprised. He looks infinitely sad. Clark watches as the metal structure of the towers gives way, collapsing as the fire spreads. It's just a horrible, horrible, disturbing image, purposefully evocative of the destruction of the Twin Towers. I remember when the show first started, there were some media types who speculated that part of the show's success came from people looking for something hopeful and wholesome so soon after September 11, 2001. Whatever the show is now, it's not looking terribly hopeful or wholesome anymore.

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Tippi Blevins can't remember the last time she fried up bacon in a pan. You can reach her at b_tippi@yahoo.com or twitter.com/TippiB.