Original Air Date on September 22nd, 2004

Screen Text: Three Months Later

As these words appear on a black background, we hear Chloe's voice. It sounds slightly muffled as though listening to a recording.

Chloe: I don't even know where to start. I know you must have a million questions, but I don't know how many answers I can give you.

Chloe appears on the screen. We see that it is a video recording of her being played on the computer screen in the Torch office at Smallville High School. Night. Over the next lines, the sh*t slowly widens to show us the back of a young woman with long brown hair seated at the desk watching the computer screen.

Chloe: If you're watching this, it means I'm probably d*ad. You were always the one good thing in my life, and if I didn't tell you enough, I care about you more than you'll ever know. Please find out who did this, Clark. You're the only one who can.

The woman seated at Chloe's desk, Lois Lane, looks at the computer screen with a wrinkled brow displaying her growing concern. On the video recording, Chloe reaches for the camera and turns it off. The computer screen is suddenly filled with static. Lois blinks and lowers her eyes as if not sure what to do next.

Cut to Lois driving down a dark and bare country road in Smallville in her SUV. The road is wet from a recent rain storm and the sky is still filled with clouds and lightning flashing in the distance. Lois is talking on her cell phone, clearly annoyed.

Lois: [Spelling out the name.] K-E-N-T. Kent. It's a farm. Do they even have addresses?

Lois balances the phone between her ear and her shoulder and reaches for her coffee cup, taking a short sip.

Lois: [Shaking her head.] Mm-mm-mm. Look, the last super genius I had on the line told me to turn right on Route 31. Now I'm totally lost. [Pause.] Oh, about a billion stalks of corn.

Lightning strikes the cornfield to the right of the road. We see it through Lois's passenger window.

Lois: Aah!

Lois pulls the phone away from her ear as it goes d*ad. She closes the phone and puts it down.

Lois: [Exasperated.] That's just great.

She pulls down the visor above her seat revealing a mirror and a cigarette strapped onto the visor. She grabs the cigarette and looks at herself in the mirror.

Lois: Okay, if you smoke this, you are gonna spend the rest of the night hating yourself.

She drops the cigarette and reaches into her bag for a piece of gum. Just as she takes her eyes off the road, lightning strikes the ground right in front of her car causing a small expl*si*n of sparks and a cloud of smoke. Lois swerves to the right to avoid the lightning.

Lois: Aah!

She loses control of the car and drives off the side of the road into a corn field. She drives through several yards of cornstalks taller than her car until she finally manages to come to a stop, unharmed. She takes a deep breath. Then she looks up into the cloudy sky. She is startled as three bolts of lightning sh**t out of the clouds from three separate places. Halfway to the ground, they converge into one bolt and strike the ground not far from Lois's car creating a shimmering white ball of energy that expands and then sh**t itself at her car.

Lois: [Ducking down.] Aah!

After the energy dissipates, there is a huge circle of flattened cornstalks in front of Lois's car and several small fires are burning in random locations in the circle. Orange bolts of energy sh**t from f*re to f*re creating half-realized patterns before disappearing again. Lois slowly raises her eyes above the dashboard and peeks through her windshield cautiously.

She then steps out of the car and looks into the crop circle, awe-struck. The headlights on her car reveal a heavily muscled naked man lying with his back to Lois. She walks toward him.

Lois: Oh, my God.

We see the unconscious man's face, and it is Clark Kent. His eyes open and he plants a hand on the ground, pushing himself to a standing position with his back still to Lois. He looks around slowly.

Lois: Are you ... are you okay?

Clark doesn't respond.

Lois: What's your name?

Lois walks toward Clark slowly. Clark responds without turning around.

Clark: I don't know.

Lois: I need to get you to a hospital.

Clark: [Mechanical, almost robotic.] I am fine.

Lois: You've just been h*t by lightning, you're stark naked, and, uh, you don't even remember your own name. You have a fairly loose definition of "fine."

Clark finally turns to face Lois, and she struggles to keep her eyes averted.

Lois: [To herself.] Look at his face...

Despite her efforts, Lois's eyes lower slightly. Clark is completely unabashed, staring at Lois as if he can't understand her discomfort.

Lois: I have a blanket in the trunk. Don't move. I'll be right back.

She starts to walk away.

Clark: Wait. [She stops.] Who are you?

Lois: Lois. Lois Lane.

Lois turns and goes to the car. Clark watches her blankly.

[Opening credits]

A middle-aged Arab man opens a small hole in the wall of what appears to be an ancient tomb. Day. He exclaims something in Arabic and several other men, archaeologists, rush to his side to see what he has found. They all reach into the hole and pull handfuls of dirt out of the way. The first man finally pulls out a small ancient statue of a man with a bird's face wearing a headdress and loin cloth that appear to be of Egyptian origin.

Man: [Holding the statue above his head triumphantly.] Allah Ho Akbar! Allah Ho Akbar!

All of the other men start shouting the name with him, excited.

Lex Luthor runs into the tomb dressed in a white shirt, white pants, and white jacket. They are obviously in a warm climate.

Speaking in Arabic, the man kneels before Lex and presents the statue to him. Lex takes the statue, handling it with the utmost care. He turns the statue around and looks closely at the back. He wipes the dust away, and we see two vertical rows of Kryptonian symbols written on the back of the statue. Lex stares at the symbols with excitedly.

Outside sh*t of Smallville Medical Center. Night. Inside, an elevator door opens revealing Lois and Clark. Clark is now wrapped in a red blanket. Lois steps off the elevator impatiently, and Clark stays where he is. Lois realizes he isn't following her and reaches for his arm, urging him out of the elevator. Clark's face and voice are completely emotionless.

Lois: Try and keep up.

Clark: Why are we here?

Lois: To get you checked out.

Clark: I am fine.

Lois: [Still holding onto Clark's arm, she walks him down the hall.] Do you know how many people are struck by lightning every year? Hardly any. You know how many survive? Even less. And the number who get picked up by lost drivers? Zero. So far, you're three for three, so how about a little less complaining and a little more forward motion.

They arrive at a receptionist booth and Lois speaks to the man standing behind the booth.

Lois: Excuse me. Got a guy here who needs immediate attention.

Orderly: [Putting some papers down on the desk.] Fill out these admission forms and include proof of insurance.

Clark wanders away from Lois into the lobby.

Lois: Slight problem. I don't know who he is and... neither does he. He's got amnesia, so I'm turning him over to you. [The orderly looks at Lois disbelievingly.] You can keep the blanket.

Lois starts to leave and the orderly comes out of the booth, stopping her.

Orderly: Whoa, whoa. Does this look like an animal shelter? Now, you have to stay with him until we find someone who can I.D. him. It's hospital policy.

Clark walks toward a framed picture on the wall and looks at his reflection in the glass. Then he turns to his right and walks a few paces to one of the hospital's stained glass windows in front of which is a small statue of a cherub.

Lois: Look, I did the good Samaritan thing. But I can't be responsible for this guy.

Orderly: You already are. Now, I have to call a deputy to get your statement.

Clark reaches out to touch the statue, letting go of his blanket and it falls to the ground. An elderly female patient is walking down the hall and gasps at Clark's naked backside. Lois and the orderly look at Clark. Lois grins as the orderly becomes even more irritated.

Lois: I think you might want to get him some clothes first.

The orderly nods at Lois sarcastically. The old woman is now smiling as she looks at Clark.

A sh*t of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Day. The sh*t moves down to a small street crowded with cars, pedestrians, and shops up and down both sides of the street. Lana Lang walks down the sidewalk, holds up a professional-looking camera, and kneels down to take a picture of two young Parisian children, a boy and girl. They smile for the picture.

Lana: Merci.

The children smile at her and then walk away. Behind Lana, posted to a bulletin, is an enlarged copy of the cover of Forbes magazine with a picture of Lex on it. She looks at it briefly as she walks by. Two young men walking in the opposite direction whistle at Lana and smile. She smiles back and keeps walking, nearly running into another young man who grabs her by the shoulders, startling her. He is Jason Teague.

Jason: [In an American dialect.] Oh, sorry. You're American, right?

Lana: Yes.

Jason: Great. Can I ask you a big favor?

Lana: [Cautious.] Sure... as long as it doesn't get me arrested.

Jason: No, I'm supposed to meet my, uh, my girlfriend here. Well, she's not really my girlfriend, even though we spend every waking moment together. See, we met two moths ago today on this exact street corner, and I bought her something to mark the occasion. I wanted to get your opinion.

Lana: All right.

Jason: Okay.

Jason unzips his bag and pulls out a black biking helmet.

Lana: Well, I think that would probably be the last thing she would be expecting.

Jason: It doesn't really scream "romance" does it? But, see, the first time we met, I was driving by on my Vespa, and I clipped her. She thought I was gonna steal her purse so she kicked me off my bike. I messed up an old football injury and then she spent five hours with me at the hospital and we just clicked.

Lana: Well, it sounds like love at first crash.

Jason: Yeah. Well, for me it was anyway, but I'm just an impulsive kind of guy.

Lana: Well, how does she feel?

Jason: I don't know. She doesn't really talk about it. I think she, uh, I think she got hurt by somebody, but maybe she needs to talk about it.

Jason looks at Lana seriously. She returns the look and then smiles. They seem to be playing a game.

Lana: Well, uh, nothing says "I love you" like a motorcycle helmet.

Jason: Yeah. It's for a weekend trip to Nice if she's... if she's interested.

Jason looks at Lana hopefully. She seems taken aback.

Lana: If a guy did something that romantic for me, I think I'd have to kiss him.

Jason: Yeah?

Lana: [Softly.] Yeah.

Lana puts her hand on Jason's shoulder and they kiss slowly. She rubs her other hand down the side of his face. She pulls back smiling.

Lana: I'd love to go to Nice with you, Jason.

Jason: Happy anniversary, Lana.

She smiles and they kiss again.

Martha Kent is in a patient room at the Smallville Medical Center. Night. She is seated by the bed reading aloud from a book.

Martha: "After breakfast, I wanted to talk about the d*ad man and guess how he come to be k*lled, but Jim didn't want to. He said it would fetch bad luck, and besides, he said, he might come back to haunt us."

As she is reading, the sh*t slowly widens and we see Jonathan lying in the bed unconscious. He is hooked up to several machines and a ventilator tube is hanging from his mouth, breathing for him. A female doctor enters the room behind Martha, and Martha turns around with a smile.

Martha: "Huck Finn." Jonathan's favorite.

The doctor smiles.

Doctor: Martha, I wanted to know if you thought about what we discussed.

Martha: [Quickly.] I'm not pulling the plug on my husband.

Doctor: It's been three months, and there's been no change. [Martha turns to look at Jonathan.] Jonathan is brain d*ad. Your insurance is already capped out. You need to think about the future.

Martha: [Determined.] My future is lying in that bed. I will not give up on him.

Martha turns around and goes back to her seat at Jonathan's side.

Cut to Lois in another hospital room. She is sitting in a chair next to the door looking through her bag. She looks up at Clark who is now wearing scrubs and sitting on the bed staring at her. Lois looks as if she is about to say something, then decides against it and goes back to her bag. Clark stands up and starts walking toward the open door. Lois stands up quickly, dropping her bag on the chair and putting a hand on Clark's chest to stop him.

Lois: Okay, we need to stay in the room.

Clark: I'm not supposed to be here.

Lois: Yeah, well, that makes two of us.

Lois pushes Clark back to the bed and sits him down.

Lois: Stay. Good. [Leaning over her bag to keep looking through it.] I came to Smallville to investigate my cousin's death. Her name is Chloe Sullivan. Heard of her?

Clark looks at her blankly.

Lois: Of course you haven't.

Lois pulls a pack of gum out of her bag. Clark looks at it curiously.

Lois: [Explaining.] Nicorette.

She puts a piece in her mouth then walks toward the window and looks out. She is moving and talking quickly, full of nervous energy.

Lois: I've given up smoking. These are the only things that get me through the day. I started when I was 15. It's my father's fault. He said if he ever caught me smoking, he'd k*ll me, so in a fit of teenage rebellion, I started, then I couldn't stop. Now I've got a gum addiction.

Lois circles around the bed and comes to a stop in front of Clark where she started.

Clark: You talk a lot.

Lois: Well, I'm just not very comfortable with uncomfortable silence, and you're not exactly keeping up with your end of the conversation.

Lois smiles curtly at Clark and then pulls her cellular phone out of her bag. She gasps when she sees the time and checks the clock on the wall to see if it's right.

Lois: 45 minutes and still no doctor? You know, if this isn't an indictment of small town medicine, I don't know what is.

Clark stands up and starts to walk to the door again. Lois stands in his way.

Lois: Whoa! Where are you going?

Clark: I'm leaving.

Lois: [Folding her arms confidently.] Well, you're gonna have to go through me first.

Clark grabs Lois by the shoulders and lifts her up easily, putting her down out of the way of the door. She is startled, and then grins slightly. Clark leaves the room.

Cut to Martha getting a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the hallway. She hears Lois who is following Clark as he walks away.

Lois: [To Clark.] Hey!

Clark keeps walking. Martha takes a sip of her coffee and then looks in Clark's direction, seeing him as he turns the corner. She is completely still with shock for a moment, then puts down her coffee cup and runs after Clark.

Martha: Wait! Wait! Wait, Clark!

Lois succeeds in stopping Clark.

Lois: Okay, stop! [Pointing at Martha.] What was that?

Martha catches up to them and grabs Clark's shoulders turning him around to face her.

Martha: It is you! [She embraces him.] Oh, God! I thought I'd lost you forever!

Clark: Who are you?

Martha: [Startled.] It's me, Mom.

Clark stares at Martha, not recognizing her.

Lois: [To Martha.] Don't take it personally. He doesn't even remember his own name. [Lois shakes Martha's hand.] Lois Lane. I found him lying in a field near Route 31.

Martha: Thank you for helping him.

Lois: I guess I'm a sucker for stray dogs and naked guys.

Martha looks confused.

Lois: Okay, that didn't come out right. It's been a long night, and I am nicotine deprived.

Martha: [To Clark.] Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you home.

Clark: I'm waiting for the sign.

Lois: I think you should have a doctor take a look at him. I'm starting to think the lightning fried his brain.

Martha: Um... Lois? I'm so grateful, but this is a family matter.

Lois: [Taking the hint.] Okay. Here's me backing away.

Lois walks away.

Martha: I don't know what's going on, but you need to come home with me right now.

Clark looks away from Martha, not responding. Martha takes his chin in her hand and turns his face back to her, speaking to him in terms he will understand.

Martha: [Urgently.] I can help you find the sign, but I need to get you out of here, okay? Come on.

Clark allows himself to be led to the elevator. Down the hall, Lois comes out of the hospital room with her bag over her shoulder just as the orderly is walking by. He looks at her questioningly.

Lois: [Pointing at Clark and Martha as they get on the elevator.] I passed amnesia boy off to his mother. I didn't catch her name.

Orderly: Yeah, Martha Kent. She's in here all the time.

Lois: Kent? As in Clark Kent?

Lois runs to the elevator as the door is closing.

Lois: Wait a minute! I have to talk to...

The door closes.

Lois: ...you.

She exhales in frustration.

A car is driving through a sandy desert. Day. Next to the road is a sign with Arabic writing on it. Beneath the Arabic is the word Airport. Lex is riding in the back of the car with a briefcase on his lap. He looks tired and out of breath, and he checks his watch as the rough road bounces him up and down. An Arab man sitting in the front of the car turns around.

Man: Heat too much for you, Mr. Luthor?

Lex: I don't want any record that I was here. Bury everything.

Lex hands the man an envelope full of American money. The man looks at the money eagerly.

Man: We will be like footprints in the sand.

Lex doesn't respond. He grimaces as if he is in pain. The car turns a corner and stops right next to a private jet.

Cut to the inside of the jet. Lex steps on board where an American female doctor, Dr. Vaughn, is waiting for him as he takes off his jacket and walks toward the back of the plane.

Dr. Vaughn: [Stern.] You're two hours late.

Lex: I'm well aware of my tardiness, Doctor. But some things are worth the risk.

Dr. Vaughn: What's more important than your life?

Lex: The truth.

They get to the back of the jet which is set up like a small hospital room. There is a reclining table with two IV bags of blood suspended above it. Lex unbuttons his shirt and takes it off and sits back on the table, even more out of breath than before. He has two small circular devices attached to his chest.

Dr. Vaughn: Your body survived a massive chemical onslaught that would've k*lled 99.9% of people. That in itself is a miracle.

Lex: Spare me the lecture.

Dr. Vaughn: I told you, if your blood isn't purified every 72 hours, your internal organs will start to shut down.

Dr. Vaughn connects a tube to one of the circles on his chest and another to his arm.

Dr. Vaughn: You're living on borrowed time, Lex. Stop trying to borrow more.

Lex tries to catch his breath as his blood runs slowly up through the tubes.

Outside sh*t of Clark's loft. Day. Inside, Clark and Martha walk up the stairs to the upper level.

Clark: [Looking around.] What is this place?

Martha: Well, your dad calls it your fortress of solitude. It's where you come to think and look at the stars.

Martha gestures to the telescope next to the window.

Clark ignores the telescope and walks to a globe sitting next to the wall. He touches it, studying it. Martha grabs two framed pictures from the desk.

Martha: Well, here's some pictures. Maybe they'll jog your memory.

Clark takes the pictures. The first is of Chloe and Lana.

Clark: Who are these people?

Martha: People who love you. Do you remember anything about where you were before you showed up in that field?

Clark: I was in a place that felt like home.

Martha: [Turning Clark to her.] No, Clark. This is your home.

Clark looks at the other picture in his hand. It is a picture of Jonathan.

Clark: I recognize this man.

Martha: [Smiling.] Good. That's your dad. You're starting to remember.

Clark: He's not my father. He tried to prevent me from being reborn.

Martha: No, Clark. He loves you. He tried to save you from Jor-El.

At the mention of Jor-El, Clark looks from the picture to Martha thr*at, intimidating her. Martha doesn't say anything else.

Clark: Either way, he's d*ad.

Clark lets the picture frame drop to the ground, shattering the glass on the wood floor. Then he walks away from Martha and down the stairs, leaving her alone.

Cut to a sh*t of Lex's private jet soaring through the sky. Inside, Lex is still resting on the table with the tubes running into his chest and arm. He holds the statue in his hands, studying it. He turns it over and again looks at the Kryptonian symbols on the back. From the cockpit, the pilot speaks over the intercom.

Pilot: Better buckle up, Dr. Vaughn. We're about to h*t some turbulence.

Dr. Vaughn is on her way to sit down when the plane shakes violently. Lex loses his grip on the statue and it falls to the floor shattering.

Lex: Oh, no!

Lex starts to reach for it, but Dr. Vaughn stops him.

Dr. Vaughn: Lex, no, wait! I'll get it for you! I'll get it for you! Sit down!

Lex sits back, and Dr. Vaughn kneels down over the pieces of the shattered statue. Among the pieces, there is a clear crystal that had clearly been inside the statue. She picks it up and looks at it curiously, noticing the Kryptonian symbol drawn onto it. Lex takes the crystal from her and looks at it as it glows with a brilliant white light.

Cut to Clark walking away from the barn as Martha follows him.

Martha: Clark!

Clark suddenly hears a high-pitched screeching sound. He reaches for his ears and falls to his knees in pain, grunting.

Clark: Aah!

Martha kneels down next to him, putting her hands on his arms, trying to find out what is happening. The noise stops. Clark turns away from Martha and looks into the sky with an expression of certainty and determination. He rises to his feet. Martha stands up with him and looks into his eyes.

Clark: [Looking at Martha.] I am Kal-El of Krypton. [Raising his eyes to the sky.] It is time to fulfill my destiny.

Martha: [Horrified.] Destiny?! [She shakes him by the shoulders.] That's Jor-El talking! He did this to you! [Martha continues shaking him and starts beating him on the chest desperately.] I want my son back! Give me my son back!

Clark grabs Martha's hands and stops her from hitting him.

Clark: Clark Kent is d*ad.

Clark pushes Martha out of the way. As she falls to the ground in slow motion, Clark bends his knees until he is almost squatting. A circle of air begins to gather around him in waves, and when Clark straightens his legs, he takes off into the sky, soaring away from the ground at super speed.

Martha falls to the ground and looks up into the sky with disbelief as she watches Clark fly away into the distance.

In the sky, Clark flies through a puffy white cloud, disturbing its peacefulness as he goes. He flies high above the clouds until he is so far into space that we can see the stars behind him, his face a solid cold mask of purpose. Then he flies back toward the blue Earth below.

Fade to black.

Outside sh*t of a huge old church in Paris. Day. Inside, Lana walks down the hallway at the rear of the chapel as a bell chimes in the distance. There are other tourists around, and Lana walks past a nun who is walking in the other direction. When Lana gets to the end of the hallway, Jason reaches out and grabs her, pulling her around the corner. She gasps with surprise. Jason pushes her against the wall and kisses her passionately. She finally pulls away.

They are in a small corner of the church. On two of the walls, there are stained glass windows. The sun filters through them, filling the room with a musty yellow light. There is an altar below one of the windows, and below the other are two stands full of prayer candles burning softly. Tall iron candelabras with burning white tapers stand in various parts of the room.

Lana: Jason, stop it. We are in a church, and I have an art history project to finish.

Jason: Okay, my girlfriend invites me to some old crypt for some brass rubbing. I thought it was code for something else.

Lana: Mr. Teague, you have a dirty mind.

Jason: But I have a pure heart.

Jason leans down to kiss her again, but she turns away. He grabs her arm.

Jason: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Come on, I've already scoped out our victim.

Jason leads Lana to the wall next to the altar. In front of the altar on the ground is an engraving of a female warrior fashioned out of brass. The woman is wearing a regal dress. She holds a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

Jason: Meet your art project. Countess Margaret Isabelle Theroux. It says here she was a warrior princess who kicked a lot of ass and broke a lot of hearts.

Lana: [Smiling.] Is that a direct translation?

Jason: [Smiling back.] No, I just, I figured you guys have a lot in common, you know, you're both, uh, you're both strong, and, uh, you're both uncompromising, both beautiful.

Lana laughs.

Lana: We should get to work. The church closes in an hour.

Jason: Not me. I have a hot date to plan for tomorrow.

Jason smiles and starts to walk away. Lana watches him, confused.

Jason: Somebody failed to mention it was their birthday.

Lana: [Surprised.] Who told you?

Jason: Sources at the highest level of government. [Lana looks at him skeptically.] All right, I slipped the admissions clerk 20 euros.

Lana: Look, Jason, I don't expect ...

Jason holds up his hands, cutting her off. He points to the engraving on the floor.

Jason: Stop talking. Start rubbing. By the way, festivities begin at 10 AM tomorrow at the Cafe de Fleurie.

He says the name of the restaurant in a loud French accent, and we hear someone from the next room say "Ssh!" Jason looks in the direction of the sound, then rushes out of the church dramatically. Lana laughs.

Lana: All right.

She turns to the engraving on the floor and kneels down next to it. She puts her bag down on the floor. In her hands she is holding a tube from which she removes the lid and pulls out a roll of blank white paper. She unrolls the paper over the top half of the engraving and then takes a box of charcoal from her back. She then rubs a piece of charcoal over the paper, and an image of the engraving begins to appear on the page starting with the warrior princess's face.

When the face is complete, Lana stops rubbing for a moment and looks at it strangely. There is something about the face that unsettles her, though she clearly can't put her finger on what it is. Deciding to dismiss it, she resumes rubbing. More of the image is revealed including the warrior's shield. On the shield is a symbol consisting of two wavy lines with circles on each side.

Lana is inexplicably mesmerized by the symbol, and she reaches down to touch it. As her fingers near the paper, the symbol begins to glow whitish gold. When she touches it, beams of white light shine from the symbol and a howling wind surrounds her causing her to toss her head back. She looks down at the symbol again as the light shines and glimmers like a powerful flame and the wind blows her hair in every direction. The screen fades to white.

From the white, we fade to Clark who is still flying at light speed through the clouds.

Martha is in the Kent kitchen, talking agitatedly on the phone. Day.

Martha: No, it can't wait a couple of days. I need to speak with him now. Look, just tell him it's-it's regarding my son, Clark Kent.

Martha hangs up the phone angrily. We see Lois standing in the doorway behind her.

Lois: Hey.

Martha turns around, startled.

Lois: [Brightly.] I tried calling earlier, but I kept getting a busy signal. I don't know how you survive without call waiting.

Martha is unsure of how to respond.

Lois: Where's Clark?

Martha: [Pause.] Upstairs.

Lois: Great!

Lois jogs toward the stairs, but Martha gets to the stairs first and stands in her way.

Martha: Um, sleeping.

Lois spots the coffeemaker on the counter.

Lois: Is that fresh coffee? I have been waiting for a cup all day. [She goes to the counter.] I can't believe this is the town that Starbucks forgot.

Lois picks up a mug and pours some coffee into it. Martha follows her, surprised by her forwardness.

Lois: I heard the only decent coffee shop in town closed down. The Falcon or something?

Lois drinks her coffee.

Martha: Uh, Lois, I-I really appreciate everything you did for Clark, and I don't mean to be rude, but ...

Lois: [Sitting down at a stool.] Look, I didn't come here fishing for thanks. I think Clark might know something about my cousin Chloe's death.

Martha: [Sincere.] I'm so sorry for your loss.

Lois: Yeah. [Lois goes back to pour more coffee.] Were she and Clark ever an item?

Martha: Oh, I think for a minute, but ...

Lois: It's funny, I never thought she'd fall for the farm boy type.

Martha: Trust me, that can happen to the best of us.

Lois: Not me. Give me a nerd with glasses any day of the week.

Martha: Clark has many sides.

Lois: Yeah, I've seen several of them already. [She walks to the stairs.] Speaking of Clark, do you think he'll be up any time soon?

Martha: I-I doubt it.

Lois turns to Martha.

Lois: Right now, he is my only chance to get justice for Chloe. The FBI inquest closed last week. They've ruled the expl*si*n an accident. I mean, how many gas leaks do you know of in safe houses?

Martha looks stunned.

Lois: And in two weeks, Lionel Luthor is going to walk free. And Chloe's death... it will have been for nothing.

Martha: I'll have Clark call you if he remembers anything.

Lois: [Nods.] You know, Chloe said in her notes that you used to work for Lionel, and I'm trying to get in to see him, but he keeps refusing me. Any advice?

Martha: [Nods.] Stay away. You don't want to get pulled into Lionel's web.

Lois: How did you escape unscathed?

Martha: I didn't.

Lois blinks, becoming nervous. Martha takes the coffee cup out of Lois's hands.

Martha: [Gently.] Goodbye, Lois.

Lois: Bye.

Lois leaves.

A sh*t of Lex's private jet still flying through the air. Day. Onboard, Lex is no longer connected to the tubes and he is sitting upright on the table studying the crystal. His shirt is on but unbuttoned. In the cockpit, the co-pilot looks at his radar screen and sees something flying toward the jet with great speed.

Co-Pilot: [To the pilot.] Check this out.

Pilot: What is it?

The co-pilot shakes his head, mystified.

Pilot: A bird? A plane?

Clark flies through several clouds on his way to the plane until he is right outside the door. He grabs the door and rips it off of the plane causing a gust of window to rip through the inside. Lex falls off the table with a gasp and Dr. Vaughn falls to the ground behind him. An emergency alarm sounds and oxygen masks dangle down from the ceiling. Lex has to hold onto the leg of the table which is connected to the floor so that he isn't swept away in the wind.

Clark steps onto the plane. Lex and Clark are separated by a closed door and cannot see each other, but Clark reaches his hand out toward the back of the plane, knowing exactly where the crystal is. Lex has dropped the crystal and it lies on the floor next to him. He reaches for it, but it suddenly rises into the air and flings itself at the closed door, crashing through it and into Clark's waiting hand. Clark closes his fist around the crystal and super speeds off of the plane just as Lex gets to his knees to look through the hole left in the door.

But Clark is already gone.

Fade to black.

Martha is kneeling in the loft sweeping up the broken glass from the picture of Jonathan that Clark dropped. Day. A woman, Bridgette Crosby, is standing on the steps behind her. Martha is startled when Bridgette speaks.

Bridgette: I'm afraid that the answers that you're searching for won't be found in this barn.

Martha stands up. Bridgette walks toward her, holding out her hand to shake.

Bridgette: I'm Bridgette Crosby. Dr. Swann sent me.

Martha: You'll have to forgive me. I was ...

Bridgette: You were expecting to speak with Dr. Swann personally.

Martha: The matter I need to discuss with him can't exactly be relayed through someone else.

Bridgette: I can understand your hesitancy, discussing Kal-El with a complete stranger.

Martha: [Angry.] Dr. Swann promised Clark that no one else knew.

Bridgette: [Holding up her hands, encouraging Martha to stay calm.] He promised that your son's secret would not leave the confines of the foundation and it hasn't.

Martha walks a few steps away from Bridgette, upset.

Martha: This was a mistake. I never should've called. I wish that Clark hadn't contacted Dr. Swann in the first place.

Bridgette: Your son's destiny was set in motion long before their paths crossed.

Martha: You don't know anything about my son!

Bridgette: [Long pause.] You're right. You're right, I don't. But I do know what it's like to love someone whose calling is greater than your own. [She walks toward Martha.]

Martha: [Quieter.] You and Dr. Swann?

Bridgette: [She nods.] In a different lifetime. [She touches Martha's arm.] Martha, I can help you if you'll let me. Now, where's your son?

Martha: I don't know. [Pause. She leans forward as if telling a secret.] He flew. He flew away.

Bridgette: [Surprised.] So he's ... He has completely embraced his Kryptonian destiny.

Martha: Do you know what that destiny is?

Bridgette: No, but the symbol b*rned into your field three months ago? That's the Kryptonian symbol for "Crusade."

Martha: I don't know what Jor-El did to him, but I know deep down that Clark is still in there.

Bridgette: Martha, the only challenge to a father's will... is a mother's love.

Martha: I... I can't possibly face Clark alone.

Bridgette: You don't have to. Look.

Bridgette is holding a small box which she opens revealing a black stone.

Bridgette: It's black kryptonite. You're his only hope.

Martha looks from the kryptonite to Bridgette doubtfully.

Outside sh*t of a U.S. Penitentiary. Day. Inside, Lex is admitted to the room of Lionel's cell. Lionel, within his cage, is doing pushups with his feet on his bed and his hands on two stacks of books. He is wearing a white t*nk top and orange prison pants. He looks very muscular.

Lex: [Unfriendly.] Wow, Dad, you are in great shape.

Lionel: [Still doing pushups.] Lex, I've been reading about you. Interesting article.

Lionel leaps to his feet and grabs a towel, a magazine, and a pair of reading glasses from his bed. He puts on his glasses and walks toward the edge of the cell chuckling, holding up a copy of Forbes with Lex on the cover. The headline says "Savior of LuthorCorp."

Lionel: You know, they, uh, they dubbed Mussolini a savior. And look what happened to him.

Lex: Dad if you want to blame someone for LuthorCorp's woes, why don't you look in the mirror? [Lionel laughs.] A CEO on trial for m*rder usually erodes consumer confidence.

Lionel: Yeah... To go gallivanting around the world on a fool's errand ain't gonna win any points with shareholders either. [Lionel takes off his glasses.] I'm in a cage, Lex. I'm not d*ad. [Lex grins coldly.] Think I haven't been keeping tabs on you?

Lionel sits on a stack of books with his back to Lex.

Lex: Then how'd you do it?

Lionel: Do what? [He drinks from a water bottle.]

Lex: Break into my jet at 20,000 feet?

Lionel turns to look at Lex strangely.

Lionel: You look pale, Lex. Are you all right?

Lex: [Refusing to let it go.] Where is it?

Lionel: Honestly, Lex, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Lex: Then perhaps I can refresh your memory. Three relics hidden around the world by scientifically advanced ancient cultures. Legend has it that when united, they point the way to a treasury of knowledge that puts the Library of Alexandria to shame.

Lex holds out his hands expectantly, waiting for a reaction. Lionel smiles.

Lionel: You're chasing a fairytale, Lex.

Lex: A fairytale you believed in enough to finance six expeditions over the last two years.

Lionel: I funded several educational digs through the LuthorCorp Foundation. So?

Lex: So. So they all focused on sites that unearthed the same symbols, those on the cave wall. [Pause. Lionel lowers his eyes.] You think those artifacts can save your life, Dad?

Lionel shakes his head and laughs.

Lionel: I don't have time for foolishness, Lex. I'm about to stand trial for m*rder. [He stands.] And when I'm cleared, those responsible for putting me here will certainly feel my wrath.

Lex: Like Chloe did.

Lionel puts his reading glasses back on and picks up a newspaper.

Lionel: Chloe Sullivan was k*lled in a tragic accident. She didn't deserve to die.

Lex: But I did? Is that why you poisoned my brandy?

Lionel: [Losing his temper.] Oh, what kind of a monster do you think I am? bl*wing up houses, poisoning brandy?!

Lex speaks over Lionel with his next line, beginning when Lionel says "bl*wing up houses." Lionel yanks off his glasses angrily.

Lex: I lay there for ten minutes before the paramedics came, Dad! Ten minutes. They said that dosage would k*ll an ordinary man, but apparently I'm not ordinary.

Lionel: No you're not. You're my son.

Lex: [Whispered.] God help me. [He turns to leave.] You shouldn't wound what you can't k*ll, Dad.

He leaves.

The Kawatche caves. Day. We see the wall painting of Naman and Segeeth. Clark enters the cave holding the crystal and walks to the wall with the octagonal groove in it. He presses his palm to the groove and it lights up, causing all the symbols around it to light up and rotate. He touches three different symbols causing them to turn blue, red, and yellow. Then the graduated circles of symbols rotate in alternating directions until the three symbols he touched are lined up to the left of the octagonal groove, causing one of the cave walls to Clark's left to open up emitting a blinding white light. Clark steps inside the hidden chamber.

Inside is what looks like an octagonal stone altar with a bright circle of white in the middle. There are Kryptonian symbols within the circle. Clark holds up the crystal he took from Lex's plane to look at it, then places it in the center of the altar where it fits perfectly into the corner of a triangular groove, filling up exactly one third of the groove. The crystal shines brilliantly and we fade to white.

Cut to Lana lying in her bed in Paris. Day. She is startled awake by a pounding on the door. Her hair is matted and messy and she is breathless and sweating. The knocking continues, persistent and frightening. Lana is naked and pulls the sheet over herself nervously as the wind bl*wing in through her windows causes the drapes to wave like flags.

On an easel across the room stands Lana's charcoal rubbing of the Countess Theroux. Lana finally stands up, holding the sheet loosely around herself as the pounding goes on. She walks slowly to the door and, keeping the chain in place, she unlocks the deadbolt and cautiously opens the door. Jason is standing there.

Jason: [Confused.] What's going on? You were supposed to meet me at 10. It's now 12. Are you okay?

Lana tries unsuccessfully to brush her hair out of her face. Her hand shakes and she is out of breath.

Lana: [Nervous, almost fearful.] Yeah, I don't know how I got here. I must've passed out. I'll meet you downstairs.

Jason looks like he is about to argue, but Lana closes the door. She turns around and looks at her room strangely.

Cut to Clark exiting the secret chamber in the cave. He watches the wall close. Then when he turns around to leave, Martha is standing in front of him, holding the small box in front of her.

Clark: You shouldn't have come here, Martha Kent.

Without a word, Martha opens the box and grabs the black kryptonite, slamming it against Clark's chest.

Clark: Ah!

The rock begins to glow a shimmering purplish blue.

Martha: Clark. If you're still in there... I love you.

Clark steps back awkwardly and is bathed in a blue light as Martha keeps her arm steady holding the rock toward him. Clark gasps and there is a blast of light that removes Clark's shirt revealing the Kryptonian symbol that was b*rned onto his chest in the Season 2 episode Exodus. Clark's upper body waves around and seems to become two of itself, one angry and possessive, Kal-El and the other desperate and afraid, Clark.

Kal-El: [Vicious.] No!

Clark: [Afraid.] Mom!

Martha: Clark! [She gasps.]

The two versions of Clark become more clearly defined. We see that Kal-El has the symbol on his chest but Clark doesn't. Kal-El punches Clark in the face.

Clark: Mom?

Kal-El grabs Clark by the throat, smiling sadistically as he chokes Clark.

Kal-El: Humanity has made you weak

Martha: Clark!

Unable to respond or even breath, Clark looks over at Martha. She tosses the black kryptonite to him, and he catches it. He holds it in his fist as he punches Kal-El in the chest, pushing a hole all the way through to his back. Light comes out of both sides of the hole. Clark and Kal-El struggle with each other until Kal-El is consumed in a burst of white light and energy that sends Martha flying backwards where she slams up against the cave wall and falls to the ground.

Cut to Jonathan sitting up in his hospital bed with a gasp, fully conscious. A nurse runs into the room.

Cut to Clark lying on the cave floor with his eyes closed. He starts to open his eyes as Martha crawls to his side.

Martha: Clark...

Martha puts Clark's head in her lap and rubs her fingers through his hair.

Martha: Clark?

Clark: It's me, Mom. I'm back.

Martha: [Whispered.] Oh, Clark.

Martha holds her son gently on the floor of the cave, and he receives her affection thankfully.

Fade to black.

Outside sh*t of Smallville Medical Center. Day. In Jonathan's hospital room, Jonathan is sitting up in his bed, dressed in his regular clothes. He and Martha are kissing passionately as Clark enters the room. Clark clears his throat and they stop kissing, slightly embarrassed.

Clark: What'd the doctor say?

Jonathan: Well, she said that your father is a walking, breathing miracle.

Martha kisses him again.

Jonathan: [To Clark.] And that's thanks to you.

Clark: The real hero's Mom. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be Kal-El.

Clark looks at Martha guiltily.

Jonathan: Son... do you remember anything that happened after you got pulled into that wall?

Clark: I just remember the last couple of days. Even that's a little jumbled.

Jonathan: Clark, your mother tells me you... can fly?

Clark: Kal-El can fly. Clark Kent is still earthbound.

Jonathan: How did that feel?

Clark: Amazing. And scary... because if I can do that, maybe I'm capable of anything.

Martha: You are.

Clark: No, that's you, Mom. 'Cause I don't know if I would've had the strength to hold on for three months not knowing where I was and if Dad would pull through.

Martha: Well, my father used to tell me that life asks of you what it thinks you can handle. There were days when I thought it had asked too much. But then I would think about this family and all the things we've endured and the good things ahead of us. And I found the strength to keep going because... I knew the three of us would be together again.

Martha and Jonathan embrace each other. Clark steps forward and hugs them both.

Lana stands in her shower. Day. She turns the water on and lets it fall on her face, pushing her hair back on her head. She closes her eyes, savoring the water as the steam rises around her and she takes a deep breath.

Outside the shower curtain, we see her silhouette as she rocks back and forth on her feet, one arm holding onto the curtain rod.

Inside, she continues to stand with her head under the falling water, brushing her hair out of her face and seeming extremely uneasy. Then she turns off the water and steps out of the shower holding a towel up to her chest. She steps past her mirror and something she sees there catches her attention.

In the mirror, she is looking at her bare back. On her lower back, there is a black tattoo of the symbol that we saw on Countess Theroux's shield. Lana is stunned to see it on her skin.

Lionel is in his cell, looking at a mirror that he holds in his hand as he rubs his other hand over his extremely short hair. The door to the outside room opens behind him, and in the mirror he sees Lois. He doesn't turn around to look at her.

Lionel: You're not Martha Kent.

Lois: [Walking toward the cell.] Would you have seen me if they said it was Lois Lane?

Lionel: Lois Lane. Yes.

Lionel stands up and walks toward the edge of the cage.

Lionel: You're Chloe Sullivan's cousin.

Lois comes closer to the cage and puts her hands on the metal, not intimidated.

Lionel: What a loss. [Lionel touches one of Lois's fingers, looking at it.] You bite your nails. Bad girl. But getting through the door doesn't mean I'll talk to you. [To the guard.] Guard?

Lionel walks back to his bed where he sits down, puts on his glasses, and picks up a book.

Lois: I don't believe that safe house expl*si*n was an accident.

Lionel: Of course you don't. You believe I'm responsible.

Lois: No. A stunt like that is... thuggish and obvious. It smacks of desperation. All the things you aren't.

Lionel takes off his glasses.

Lionel: All right, Miss Lane, you have my attention. What's your theory?

Lois: [Smiling.] I don't have one.

Lionel: [Laughs.] Then why are you here?

Lois: [Suddenly serious.] Because I wanted to look into the face of the son of a bitch who's responsible for my cousin's death. [Lionel turns away.] You may not have blown her up, but you're the reason she's gone.

Lionel: Before you begin to anoint her for sainthood, let's get some of the facts straight, all right? The simple truth is, I made her an offer. She took it. I kept my end of the bargain. She didn't. She's d*ad as a result of her own actions. I had nothing to do with it. And the next time you come at me with accusations, try to have a little more than righteous indignation.

Lionel puts his glasses back on and picks up his book. He looks at Lois who is still watching him.

Lionel: Zoo hours are over, Miss Lane. Good day.

Lois turns toward the door, then stops before she gets there and turns back.

Lois: You know... [She walks back to the cage, smiling, toying with him.] It must k*ll you that somebody has given you this gift. And you don't know who, and you don't know why, but without Chloe's testimony, you're probably gonna walk out of here a free man. [Lionel ignores her.] Or are you being set up?

Lois doesn't wait for a response. She walks to the door and knocks on it as Lionel takes off his glasses and turns to look at her. Lois gives him one last smile as the door opens. Then she leaves.

A graveyard. Day. We see Chloe's tombstone. It says "Chloe Sullivan, 1987-2004, Beloved Daughter." Lois puts down a small bunch of flowers on the ground in front of the stone. She kneels down and talks to the tombstone.

Lois: I have a confession to make. I didn't go to your funeral. I hate funerals. [She sighs.] Dad says everybody does, but it's a way of paying tribute to a life well-led.

She starts to cry. She fights to hold back her tears, then laughs at herself sadly.

Lois: I hate myself for being weak. I just knew that the moment I came here, it would make it real. I promise I'll find out who did this to you. Even if I have to do it alone.

Clark: [From behind Lois.] You're not alone.

Lois turns around, annoyed, to see Clark holding a bunch of flowers.

Lois: A fact you could've shared before you were breathing down my neck.

Clark: I'm sorry, Lois, I didn't know you were out here.

Lois takes another deep breath and stands up, facing Clark. She looks at his apparel.

Lois: I'm glad to see we've moved beyond the "clothing optional" stage of our relationship. I'm surprised you even remember who I am.

Clark: Chloe's cousin. [He walks toward her.] Nicorette addiction, can't stand uncomfortable silences.

Lois: I guess this means your synapses are all f*ring again.

Clark: Look, I can't explain my actions over the past few days. But Chloe was my best friend. You're not the only one who misses her. [Clark looks at the tombstone sadly.]

Lois: I'm just the only one doing something about it.

Clark: I get the feeling you like to do things yourself.

Lois: My dad raised me to be independent and self-sufficient.

Clark: [Slightly stinging, but friendly.] That would be one way to describe you.

Lois: You know, the only think I like about you at the moment is your mom. You can't possibly be as weird as I think you are with a mom that cool.

Clark: [Smiles.] Look, why don't you let me help you find out who did this to Chloe? Come on, you can stay at our house while you're in town. [Lois hesitates.] It beats living out of your car.

Lois: [Accepting.] Thanks. But you should know I don't pay attention to curfews and I never make my bed. I'll give you some time alone.

Lois walks away and with a sigh, Clark turns to the tombstone. He stares at it for a moment, then his eyes move to the grass in front of the tombstone. A thought occurs to him, and he hesitates. Then he focuses his eyes on the grass and looks into the ground with his X-ray vision.

He sees the coffin in the ground, then looks through the lid of the coffin. It's empty.

Clark: Lois!

Lois turns around.

Clark: Chloe's still alive.

Fade to black.

End
{"type": "series", "show": "Smallville", "episode": "04x01 - Crusade"}