Extinction

Season 3, Episode 3, Aired
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Episode Summary

Clark discovers someone is hunting people affected by the kryptonite rocks and the killer's next target is Lex. Clark uses his powers to save Lex, but is caught off guard when the killer learns his weakness and shoots him with a kryptonite bullet.
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Fan Episode Reviews (16)

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  • this was a good ep

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By cube2k8, May 10, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of smallville it was really good in this ep lana is chased down to the pool and is tring to breath in the water and then the guy that was pursuing her is shot with a bullet and there is a rock that says krpto freak on it . in green. clark thinks this guy was not tring to be a hero and lana thinks he was tring to save her . clark gets info on him and learns he has alot of guns and has a hunting list that even involves lex and clark races towards there to save lex and the hunter learns that clark is weak aginst krptonite. so he makesa bullit that shoot clar in the shoulder were he is bleeding really bad and he is brought inside to get the bullit out . and he gets mad at cloey for investgating lex and keeping files on supposive krpto freaks because the guy hacked the datbase and that is how he was getting the info. and at the end clark brings a vest that is made of the thing kriptonite cant pearce and he gets shot but he stops the guy and linonel luther gets mad at cloeny and locks the file so she cant get to it. and threatens her .moreless

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  • After the high drama of the previous four episodes, Smallville takes a breather in a routine high school rock-n-roll story about a vengeful student pursuing Lana, and Clark races to the rescue.moreless

    7.8
    "Good"
    By cxtasy, Sep 04, 2008 Report Abuse
    Lana takes an ill-advised solo dip in the high school pool, with no supervision and no lifeguard, and is attacked by lovesick fellow student Jake, who is shot by an unknown rescuer. It's another implausible event that everyone takes in stride - just another Smallville student killed on campus. Oh, well, on with the story.

    Chloe's Wall of Wierd database has become pretty sophisticated, and Clark rejoins the Torch staff at Chloe's invitation. Lex does some rejoining of his own, with Lionel at Luthercorp, but he balks at some of the red tape Lionel lays on him. Chloe attempts to quit the Clark-investigation agreement with Lionel, but he virtually blackmails her with implied threats against her father - Chloe is trapped. But she and Clark begin to suspect Jake's friend Van (Jesse Metcalfe) in the murder, because Van's father, a Marine recruiter, was murdered by a meteor-infected teen (Tina).

    Clark and Pete find guns and other evidence in Van's hunting cabin, leading them to believe Lex is also a potential target, and in a few super-speed moments, Clark intercepts the bullet Van intended for Lex. A possible production gaffe occurs here in the Luthorcorp parking lot: a silver Porsche owned by Lex has the plates "Lex XX," the same ones which appear two weeks later in the season on a different silver sports car in "Perry." Van is packing kryptonite, allowing him to escape Clark's football tackle, and return to his kryptonite-bullet production.

    Van pursues Clark to the farm, and Van's first shot at Clark passes through his hand and into his shoulder. He's saved by tool-box surgery by Jonathan and Martha. Van accosts Lana, and tells her that Clark was a bullet-catching meteor freak, and caught one that ended his life. He kidnaps Lana, then Clark gets him word that he's still alive, provoking Van to shoot Clark again. Clark has prepared for this occasion, deflecting Lana's suspicion that he's meteor-infected.

    In this episode, Lex is seen wondering if he, too, has healing ability from the meteor shower. Lionel visits Chloe again, and threatens her over computer insecurity, which let to the leak of data about Lex. Good acting all around. Overall, this episode has a familiar theme - a protagonist threatening Clark's loved ones, Clark barely escaping the dangers of kryptonite, and Lana still wondering and hoping. Re-run rating C+.moreless

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  • Van, The Meteor Freak Slayer

    8.9
    "Great"
    By lenzinoH20, Apr 16, 2008 Report Abuse
    Extinction-Clark discovers someone is hunting people affected by the kryptonite rocks and the killer's next target is Lex. Clark uses his powers to save Lex, but is caught off guard when the killer learns his weakness and shoots him with a kryptonite bullet.

    A refreshing episode that takes the meteor freak of the week concept of the series and turns it around. The idea of a teenaged assassin killing meteor freaks was ingenuis and surprised, the writers didn't use it sooner. Van McNulty makes for a great villian and his M.O. is fleshed out nicely, giving a good reason for why he became a meteor freak killer. Not to mention, Jesse Metcalfe actually gives a good performance as the character despite his Soap Opera roots. I liked how Van's rampage brings up references from past episodes from "Cool", "X-Ray", etc. where both Lana and Chloe were attacked by meteor freaks. They both bring up a good argument about are all meteor freaks dangerous or are they just misunderstood and don't deserve to die?

    The most impressive aspect of the episode is Van developing kryptonite bullets to kill Clark. The scene in which Clark gets shot by Van is quite heartbreaking as both Tom Welling and John Schiender play the sequence beautifully. The special effects are top notch as well like Clark superspeeding to Metropolis to stop a bullet from hitting Lex. Speaking of Lex, I liked the continuing drama between Lionel and Lex as Lex comes back to Luthorcorp. There is always great tension between them and I love how Lionel might just be using Lex's new position just to watch over him. All and All, Another stellar episode with a great plot and impressive sequences.moreless

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  • He shot him down. BANG. BANG. Clark hit the ground. Bang. Bang. That awful sound...oh, you get the point!

    6.5
    "Fair"
    By MovieMark, Mar 29, 2008 Report Abuse
    A fairly unimpressive Smallville outing, though there are a few note-worthy moments. The throwback to previous episodes works in favour and against "Extinction". On the one hand, well, Chloe says it best "thanks for the memories", but on the other hand it just goes to show how many times we've seen an episode exactly like this - the flipside being the freaks are the victims.

    Visually, of course, it's amazing. The special effects have been stellar so far this season, really adding a truly epic canvas to an otherwise drib storyline. Chloe manages to get the best lines, and while I'm not really a fan of Lana-in-danger episodes, admittedly, it's one of the more savvier ones - some nice throwbacks, a few mocking jabs at Smallville's formulaic routine etc., but this all falls flat on its face when it actually dips into the territory it mocked so easily in the beginning.

    Interestingly enough, we're given signs that Lana would accept Clark for who he really is. While she spends most of this episode putting meteor infected down, when she gets that glimmer of hope that Clark might be invincible, she no longer becomes the damsel and kicks ass, expecting Clark to reveal his big secret. It was a nice touch.

    Overall, a forgettable episode altogether. Still, it's an easy sit through and has some lovely FX shots throughout.moreless

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  • Excellent episode

    7.8
    "Good"
    By ipodfanatic000, Feb 26, 2008 Report Abuse
    For the first time to me in Superman's legacy we get introducted to what happens to Clark when kryptonite is put into his body, reacting with his blood directly, than from outside of his skin. It nearly kills him. It was amazing how distraught Lana was when she's told that Clark is dead, she calls 911 informing that Clark Kent has just been killed, and the cops show up at the Kent Farm to see Clark alive and well, and told about the call he rushes off to save Lana. The killer not believing that Clark is still alive, shoots Clark multiple times, with Lana showing how much she does care about Clark, only to have Clark still be fine which the shooter can't believe and after knocking out the shooter reveals to Lana that he had a lead vest on. You would think Clark would still feel the effects from the kryptonite, lead doesn't completely neutralizes the effects of kryptonite unless it is enclosed by it completely.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • According to the Smallville Ledger article that Clark shows Chloe, Mr. McNulty's killer was already known and being held in jail. However, Tina never went to jail and nobody knew that it was her that killed him until Clark figured it out later. Edit
    • Trivia: Van McNulty's father was the officer killed by Tina Greer in "Visage." Edit
    • When Clark's dad is removing the bullet from his chest, he claims it is difficult because the bullet "is so far in there", yet his small needle-nose pliers are only about a half on an inch into the wound, the same distance as when he finally gets the bullet. That's not very deep. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Camille Mitchell was nominated for the 2004 Leo Award for Dramatic Series: Best Supporting Performance by a Female for playing Sheriff Nancy Adams in this episode. Edit
    • Music: "I Give You Take" by Maria, "Goodbye Again " by Vertical Horizon, "Give It To Me" by Vishiss, and "Way Away" by Yellowcard. Edit
    • In "Visage", Van's father, Lt. McNulty was played by D. Neil Mark. However, in this episode Extinction, we see a picture of Van's dad in his locker, and the actor on the picture is actually Anthony Heald ("Boston Public") Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Lana: If you don't open up to the people that love you, you will always be alone. Edit
    • Lex: It was Winston Churchill who said, 'Out of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge.' Edit
    • Clark: This will only take a minute. Pete: That's what you said when we broke into his locker, his car, and his house! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Lionel: There's been some difficulty getting you underwritten by Lloyds of London. The Lloyds of London is a very expensive, high-end insurance company. Edit
    • Sheriff Adams: Well, rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated, Mr. Kent.
      She is undoubtably referring to Paul McCartney of The Beatles. Paul was assumed to be dead but he wasn't. He was on a TV interview when he quoted Mark Twain saying "Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." Edit
    • Pete: This place could use some Lemon Pledge.
      Famous dusting spray. Not-so-coincidentally enough, in the original showing the next commercial break had an ad for Lemon Pledge. Edit

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