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Smallville Season 6 Episode 19

Nemesis

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 4/26/07

Lex gets trapped in one of his labs by a distraught woman claiming he kidnapped her husband. She threatens to destroy the lab--with Lex still inside--unless he divulges her husband's whereabouts. When something unexpected causes a rescue attempt by Clark to fail, he becomes trapped as well. Now, the two men must overcome their hatred for each other if they want to make it out alive.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (56)

Clark and Lex: The Sappy Hour

8.8

By lenzinoH20, Apr 30, 2011

Nemesis-Lex gets trapped in one of his labs by a distraught woman claiming he kidnapped her husband. She threatens to destroy the lab--with Lex still inside--unless he divulges her husband's whereabouts. When something unexpected causes a rescue attempt by Clark to fail, he becomes trapped as well. Now, the two men must overcome their hatred for each other if they want to make it out alive.

The tension between Clark and Lex has been one of the highlights of this season. It's about the writers started developing the animosity between Clark and Lex that will soon become a full on hatred as hero and villian. "Nemesis" sees both future enemies trapped together and forced to get their issues out on the table. Tahmoh Penikett (Wes Keenan) feels more like plot device to get Lex and Clark trapped in the first place than an actually threat as she doesn do much else afetr taking Lex hostage. I love that how the way the explosion cause kryptonite to spread throughout the tunnels trappign Clark. While kryptonite has become a redundant way of making Clark weak as it's been over-used, the way it's used here makes it have a purpose. Tom Welling and Micheal Rosenbaum both play off each incredibly well with the dialogue in their scenes being so well written.

Also, I have to say Lana impressed me throughout this episode! It's unbelievelable but the writers are slowly giving the character some depth and her actions are making sense for the first time in a while. I loved the threats she made toward Lionel and demanded he tell her why he forced her to marry Lex. Then there was Lana taking Lex's suitcase and going throw his lab top to reveal his latest project. The introduction of Project Ares is very promising as we get to see footage of the last remaining Phantom and it looks to be the best one yet. Another scene that was itneresting was Lionel asking for Lana help to stop Lex, which gives reason for why he forced her to marry him in the first place. All and All, "Nemesis" does a great job of progessing the ongoing storylines of the season and develops the future conflicts between Clark and Lex.moreless
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The dark side of Lana emerges

10

By scillaward, Sep 11, 2010

Lionel protected Lex by pushing him out the way and being buried underneath the rubble while Lex is in captivity. Lana claims she wants to see Lionel because she is worried, but she has other plans. She's upset at Lionel for forcing her to marry Lex and saying that he will kill Clark if she doesn't. So she inflicts pain on him and threatens to kill him if he doesn't tell her why he said he would kill Clark if she didn't marry Lex. Lionel claims he is protecting Clark, but we will see. Lana was actually going to let Lex die down there until she found out Clark was down there. She thought she would be free if Lex died, but once again she saved Lex to save Clark. When Lex told Lana that she really didn't want to marry him, she lied and said she wanted comfort. The doomed marriage of Lex and Lana is fastly approaching.moreless
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Lex is developing another project involving human subjects, imprisoned in a tunnel complex, when a woman traps him and Clark with explosives, trying to find her Special Forces husband. Lana takes drastic steps to learn the truth about Lex and Lionel.moreless

9.0

By cxtasy, Sep 29, 2008

In a dark labyrinth of tunnels, with water dripping from the ceiling, Lex and Lionel discuss what Lex claims to be a water purification project. But Lionel already knows it's something called Ares. They encounter a female welder, and Lex demands to know what is she doing there. She turns on him as he threatens to call security, and triggers an explosion, trapping Lionel. She clubs Lex in the head, and drags him off, ending a very fast episode setup. Clark and Martha arrive at the hospital as Lionel is wheeled in, seriously injured. He gasps out a story of a maze of tunnels, and that Lex has put something terrible into motion. Excellent makeup job on Lionel in this scene.

Lex regains consciousness, his hands bound, as the woman, Jodi, says she wants her husband, Sgt. Wes Keenan, a Special Forces soldier. She was told he was killed in Afghanistan, but she believes that Lex is involved. His body was never retrieved, there were no records of helicopter crashes the day he was reported dead, and she found his photo on a Luthorcorp web site. She knows the tunnels are not shown on any city drawings, so she came there, and she has C4 aplenty. She gives Lex 20 minutes to produce her husband.

Clark and Chloe arrive at the scene, Chloe quipping that Lex and G.I. Jane (see allusions) will be hard to find. Despite the temptation to leave Lex to his fate, Clark cannot choose who he will save. Jodi threatens Lex at gunpoint to call her husband, but Lex claims Les was shot at close range, and, despite Luthorcorp's efforts to save him, he died. He manages to free himself, wounding her in the struggle. Clark reaches the area, hears them, but Jodi sets an explosive, and it blows, hurling Clark into a pile of meteor rock. She's dead; Lex escaped down the tunnels.

Martha and Lana are with Lionel in the hospital, but we can't expect Lana to be very sympathetic to him. He's being prepped for surgery, so she's allowed a few words with him to learn more about what happened to Lex. But that's not her true purpose. In some excellent screenwriting, Lana virtually interrogates him. He's in pain; she says "Good." Why did he let Lex orchestrate a fake pregnancy, forcing her to marry him? He denies knowing about that ruse by Lex. Lana is in charge of his medical decisions, which is ironic and quite a turnabout. When he refuses more information, Lana cuts off his i.v. line, and he gasps, to her shock, "I'm protecting Clark." And know what? I believe him. Lana is clearly stunned by this revelation, and Lionel is taken to surgery. She retrieves Lex's briefcase from the Deputies who searched his car.

In the debris below, Clark is weakened and trapped, but finds Lex, telling him that Lionel sent him. No one else can come, and detonation will occur in 14 minutes. Lex sees blood on Clark's hand, and in wonderment, mentally begins putting Clark back in the "normal" category.

Using Lex's pistol, Lana blows open the briefcase, and finds a CD titled "ARES." She finds a video from Patagonia; it shows a sudden attack on the film crew by...a wraith from the season opener, "Zod." Intriguing tie-in to the escapees from the Phantom Zone. Lex pulls a rod out of Clark, telling him he saw what happened when he tried to stab Clark (several episodes back in "Crimson,") while Clark in turn accuses Lex of trying to exploit others who have powers. They try to escape through the debris, but Clark is deterred by meteor rock. Another cave-in, and he's trapped again. Pretty realistic set decoration and effects - blood, debris, and explosions. Seven minutes to detonation.

Chloe is still up top trying to contact Clark, but finds meteor rock dust on some of the rescuers - Clark is in bigger trouble. Clark and Lex argue down below. "Why did you do it?" Clark asks. "I saw Lana, she was going to leave you, what did you do to her?" Lex denies doing anything. Just then, Clark is trapped in another debris fall, will Lex now save him? Lex leaves, while Clark cannot free himself.

Lana continues to explore the files on the ARES CD, including plans for the tunnels. Chloe arrives to tell her that Clark is in the tunnels. Lana is unconcerned, knowing Clark's strengths. But he'll be ok, right? He's not invincible, Chloe says, he has a weakness...Lana realizes that Clark truly is in danger. They check the plans of the tunnels. In the tunnel, Lex has returned with a lever, freeing Clark. One minute to detonation - they run down the collapsing tunnels, to a ladder leading to the surface. Clark is starting to recover as he moves away from meteor rocks, and pulls Lex up to the exit, at the last moment, as the detonation forces a column of flames into the sky.

Clark is restored as he sees the yellow sun, as Lana and Chloe arrive with emergency crews...Lana pauses with Clark, they touch briefly - a moment we understand because Lana understands. Then Lex is there, and she goes to him, as she must, still playing a part, still protecting Clark, knowing more than he realizes. Lionel has recovered from his surgery, when seen by Lana. You must be thrilled, he says to her, both the Luthors alive and well. "I want answers," she insists. First Lionel threatened to kill Clark, then he tries to protect him. "Your love was the only thing I could use to keep Clark out of the way," he tells her, and keep Lana involved with what Lex is doing. "You must trust me, Lana, because Clark's life depends on it," he says. But Lana wants more - and has a bit of blackmail to offer, if Martha learns how Lionel used Clark. Lionel actually admires Lana's determination - "I see you've embraced what it means to be a Luthor."

Chloe and Clark are checking the tunnels again, trying to determine what Lex was doing there. Chloe enlightens Clark - Lana knew about the tunnels, now Clark thinks that Lex did not force her into marriage. Lana was going to let Lex die down there; she came to the rescue only when she knew Clark was there.

At the mansion, Lex and Lana are in a tense conversation. She has the briefcase, asserting that the police broke into it. She's now the one plotting. He asks her about Clark on the wedding day - did she tell Clark she was not going to marry Lex? She admits it...but claims she saw Clark only because she needed someone to talk to about the baby. She weaves a convincing story, telling Lex she thought he wouldn't love her after losing the baby. She becomes a master manipulator, convincing Lex that she knew something was wrong with the baby, never revealing that she discovered she never had been pregnant. Lex is completely converted, declaring once again his love. "I wish I was that strong," she tells him. Oh, but she is! Great strength of character is required for this type of benevolent deception.

Clark still looks at the tunnel prints, but can't find the smoking gun. As he describes the events to Martha, he says that, in the tunnel, he saw Lex as his friend again. Martha stood by Lionel, she gave him a chance, should Clark try the same with Lex? Will Clark continue to hope?

In the final, Lex is back in the tunnels...he visits the "prototype" - it's Keenan, alive, a lab test subject, a project, a virtual prisoner. Lex will never change.

Kristin Kreuk is the standout actor is this episode, dealing with complex emotions and a superb script written for her - changing, plotting, showing great determination in the face of tremendous shocks about her marriage, the pregnancy, what she has learned about Clark, about Lionel. It's a tour de force, one of her best. The story offers yet another chance for Lex to be redeemed, but only in the eyes of Clark. We know it cannot be. Re-run rating A.moreless
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Lex and Clark are caught in the tunnels and have to help eachother to get out.

8.9

By nofeartina, Mar 29, 2008

I have to say that I found this episode really interesting. I loved the fact that Clark was vulnerable in this episode, and that he had to rely on Lex. The moment where Clark is buried under fallen debris and Lex has to decide on whether or not he wanted to help Clark, that was excellent. You really hoped that Lex would help Clark, but you really weren't sure that he would... I really enjoy Lana being a bit evil. I like the way her character develops, and I believe that she has some new found respect for Clark, now that she has discovered that he has been keeping his secret from her to protect her. Because now she has to do the same. She has to stay with Lex (for the time being) in order to protect Clark. Her hate for Lex just keeps on growing, and it must be only a matter of time before she can't hide it from him anymore. With the way she touched Clark when they came out of the tunnels, it is very obvious that she loves him, and I can't believe that Lex really didn't notice it... I can't wait to see what happens next. :)moreless
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Both Clark and Lex are human after all... great ep!

8.7

By rainbowstar7777, Feb 29, 2008

As many other viewers one of the reasons why I started to watch the show was to know about clak and lex's "epic" friendship - and of course to know why it ended. But then as lex started to become the foe we all knew I couldn't help but feel sorry and hope somehow the two could regain what was lost. I guess it kind of happened in this episode. It probably won't last, lex is experimenting on people and obsessed with lana and all, still it was good to see some of the old friendship's still there after all and probably somehow always will. I just hope Clark will be less angry and less dark now that he knows lana still loves him, and I hope lana will end up this marriage soon because I really can't stand her character anymore. By the way when does she plan on telling clark she knows his secret??

Oooh and I loved the mcgyver thing!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Allison Mack	Chloe Sullivan
Kristin Kreuk	Lana Lang
Michael Rosenbaum	Alexander ('Lex') Joseph Luthor
Tom Welling	Clark Kent/Kal-El of Krypton
John Glover	Lionel Luthor (Recurring Season 1, Regular Season 2+)
Annette O'Toole	Martha Clark Kent

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Emily Holmes	Jodi Keenan	Guest Star
Tahmoh Penikett	Wes Keenan	Guest Star
Noah Boggs		Guest Star
Ben Ayres	Bartlett	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (7)
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- This episode and subsequent ones takes place at what is meant to be a hydroelectric dam somewhere in Kansas, complete with large lake and rolling hills. Kansas is a plains state with only one working hydroelectric dam in the entire state. Bowersock Mills & Power was built in 1874 and is located on the Kansas River, not a lake, at Lawrence below the Massachusetts Street bridge. There can be times during the year when the river level is so low that the power plant doesn't generate any electricity at all.
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- The woman from the video says she's in Patagonia at the Iguazú falls. Even though the falls are in the northern part of the country while Patagonia is south.
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- When Clark and Lex started talking about their friendship, the gate that they had reached was locked. After the rubble falls on Clark, the gate miraculously was bent open.
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- When Chloe is explaining the situation to Clark, she refers to Lex's abductor as "G.I. Jane," but how did she know that Jodi was in the army? Lionel was the only other person to see her, and it's doubtful that he would have known her or been able to identify her to any great degree.
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- After Clark gets thrown back by the explosion there is clearly kryptonite right next to him. Yet he is able to get out from under the rubble caused by the explosion with the kryptonite still next to him. Clark not being able to use his powers for the majority of the episode because of the meteor rock dust in the air makes sense, but being next to solid piece of the rock like that he shouldn't have been able to move, let alone get out from under a pile of rubble.
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- Lana is shown placing Lex's metal briefcase on his glass desk. She then takes what looks like a 45 cal. handgun and fires twice point blank at the brief case without blowing the glass desktop into a thousand pieces. Firing a gun at close range in this manner would most likely cause a great amount of damage to the desk and the surrounding area, not to mention bullet holes in the floor.
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- Lex tells Clark that the bombs are set to go off in 14 minutes. Yet Lana is able to go from the hospital to the Luthor Mansion, study Lex's files, and go from the mansion to the exit of tunnels with the rescue crew in tow before the 14 minutes are up and the bombs detonate.
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QUOTES (13)
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- Lex: You were the last person I ever expected to be pulling shrapnel out of. I saw what happened when I stabbed you with that chisel, Clark. The thing accordioned like it hit solid rock. I don't know why I needed to believe that you were more than human.
  Clark: Nothing's ever good enough for you, Lex.
  Lex: Yeah, well, the truth would have been. You may be flesh and blood...but you've been hiding secrets from me since we met. You never trusted me.
  Clark: Would it have mattered? What are you really doing down here anyway, Lex? Trying to find ways to exploit the people that have different abilities than you?
  Lex: There is no gray area with you, is there? It's either all good or all evil. Did you ever try to see my humanity before you decided I had none?
  Clark: I did, Lex. And look where we are.
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- Martha: Clark, what really happened down there?
  Clark: When Lex pulled me out of that rubble, I saw a glimpse of something I hadn't seen in years. My friend.
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- Chloe: Exactly when did you learn how to pole-vault over Lex's firewall?
  Lana: I figured that if Lex was gonna look over my shoulder, it was time for me to start looking over his.
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- Clark: I still don't understand how you thought to come out here. Lex said that no one knew about those tunnels, not even
  Chloe: Lana?
  Clark: She led search and rescue out here?
  (Chloe nods)
  Clark: (sighs) I guess I had it all wrong. This whole time I thought that Lex had forced her into that marriage but (long pause) Now I don't think he did.
  Chloe: Don't give up on your hunch just yet, Clark. Lana knew about the other entrance to those tunnels the whole time and it wasn't until she heard you were down there that she magically produced them.
  Clark: Lana was gonna let Lex die down there?
  Chloe: I think the Luther mansion has a lot more secrets than we realize.
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- Martha: (on standing by Lionel) But that doesn't mean I trust him. I wish I could. And even though I honestly believe he's made an effort, no one can completely change who they are.
  Clark: At least you gave him that chance. Mom, what if part of who Lex is, is because of me? If I gave up on him too soon.
  Martha: You'll never give up on anyone, Clark. Because your greatest strength might also be your greatest weakness. Your hope.
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- Lex: Don't worry, Dad. I still have plenty of land to conquer above sea level before I take on the underworld.
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- Clark: Lex could die if I don't go down there.
  Chloe: Well, don't look to me for encouragement. After what he did to my mom, I don't mind the idea of him cohabitating with the rats for all of eternity.
  Clark: Trust me, Chloe. Lately, I've had moments where I thought the world would be a better place without him, but...
  Chloe: You don't get to choose who you're gonna save. Not if you're Clark Kent.
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- Lana: (to Lionel) I understand you're in a lot of pain. (pause) Good.
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- Lana: I wonder how Martha Kent would handle hearing that you used her son as a bargaining chip. Tell me what you know.
  Lionel: Well I see you've embraced wholeheartedly what it means to be a Luthor.
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- Chloe: (on her cell phone) Hey, Clark, it's me again. Where are you? I feel like your stalker ex-girlfriend, even though I was never your girlfriend. It was just an analogy--a bad one. I'm sorry, this is awkward, okay, call me!
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- Clark: I saw Lana the day of the wedding and she was gonna leave you. What did you do to her?
  Lex: I don't know. The answer must have gotten lost in that dark abyss we call my soul.
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- Clark: Were we ever really friends, Lex?
  Lex: I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. You're the only real friend I've ever had, Clark. And somewhere along the way, you saw me as your nemesis, turned your back on me.
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- Clark: Chloe, I've x-rayed these tunnels over a dozen times, and they all just seem to lead to Reeves Dam.
  Chloe: Maybe so, but if Lex is willing to go up against Tomb Raider for them, I can't retire my reporter's notebook just yet.
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NOTES (7)
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- Deleted Scene: Martha is hoping for Lionel to pull through. During which she tells him that he helped her through some hard times since Jonathan's death.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Norway: July 1, 2007 on TVNorge
  Belgium: February 9, 2008 on KanaalTwee
  Australia: February 21, 2008 on Ten
  Czech Republic: May 28, 2008 on TV Nova
  New Zealand: August 29, 2008 on TV2
  Slovakia: August 30, 2009 on Markiza
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- Music: Tannhäuser (Richard Wagner)
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- Tahmoh Penikett previously appeared in the season 3 episode "Resurrection" as a different character. Here he receives an upfront guest credit despite the fact he has no dialogue.
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- The "Justice and Doom" segment shows Ezra Small discovering the Kewatchee caves in 1831, and then in the present a masked figure breaking into a LuthorCorp facility while a columnist, James Beppo, looks on and then leaves with the evidence, which he encodes. Later Lana goes to the sheriff's office to ask about the missing Beppo while Queen Industry operatives examine the car.
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- Erica Durance is credited but doesn't appear in this episode.
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- Near the end of the episode, Clark mentions Reeves Dam. Presumably it was named after the late Christopher Reeve, the actor who played Superman in the 70s and 80s, and guest-starred as Dr. Virgil Swan in seasons 2 and 3.
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ALLUSIONS (2)
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- Chloe: If Lex was about to go up against Tomb Raider for them, I can't retire my reporter's notebook just yet.
  Tomb Raider refers to a popular video game where the main character Lara Croft was a very adept at traversing underground structures to find mysterious treasures.
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- Jodi: Perfect timing, MacGyver.
  Referencing the 1985-92 TV series MacGyver, starring Richard Dean Anderson as the thinking man's action hero, capable of improvising weapons and equipment out of everyday items.
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