Onyx

Season 4, Episode 17, Aired
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Episode Summary

A black kryptonite explosion splits Lex in two and his evil side - Alexander - is released. Alexander imprisons Lex in the mansion then gives full vent to his evil side - he threatens to evict Lana from the Talon unless she becomes his mate, jousts with Lionel, and tries to kill Clark and Chloe when they figure out his secret.moreless
9.3
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Fan Episode Reviews (30)

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  • Black kryptonite splits Lex into two separate personalities, one of which is a threat to everyone, including Clark. Chloe exposes the split, and Clark's abilities become known to one part of Lex.moreless

    7.6
    "Good"
    By cxtasy, Apr 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    The title "Onyx" refers to a black gem, and in this episode, black kryptonite is a factor when a lab accident makes Lex the ultiimate split personality. Doppelganger Lex visits Lana, and she wants to know more about Jason's stone plotting, but Lex makes a big pass at her. He gets a slap instead, and threatens to close the Talon, so he's back to being a creepy guy this week. He withdraws his offer to host Lionel's charity party, then starts a quick fencing contest with Lionel, leaving him with a facial wound. Clark and Chloe begin to suspect something, and Chloe finds security camera footage from the hospital showing Lex in two places at once - with her and with Clark. When Clark shows Lex the footage, Lex claims ignorance and offers to help. In a darkened lab, a security guard is trapped, and Lex the Bad drops a huge platform on Clark and Chloe, but Clark easily handles that, although Chloe is injured, and Clark has to lie to her about the save. Bad Lex talks to Clark at the Kent barn, using the familiar phrase, "powers and abilities beyond those of mortal men," from the 1950's Superman tv series - that's the fun quote of the episode. He's onto Clark, offering a deal - his intellect, Clark's power - they'll rule the world. But he knows Clark's weakness and puts Clark out of commission. Lex holds all the cards, and he even puts a slug into Jonathan's leg. Clark heads to the Luthor mansion and finds Lex the Fair held prisoner by his Bad Lex half. The Lex halves battle each other, until Clark uses heat-vision to cook meteor rock to a critical temperature, causing a reaction forcing the two Lex parts back into one. As a story device, the writers have to leave Lex without a memory of these events, and with another "I wasn't myself" apology to Lana. Mr. Rosenbaum plays all these roles to perfection. Finally, Lionel has also had a bit of a conversion, closing his charity foundation and reverting to the Bad Lionel we know so well. Re-run rating C+.moreless

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  • What do you want?- Martha Kent The world, Mrs. Kent.- Alexander

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Angel-Angelus, Sep 18, 2010 Report Abuse
    Onyx is still one of my favorite episodes of Smallville ever! It is so cool to see two Lexes. Especially the evil one. The evil Lex was the best part of this episode. I bet Michael Rosenbaum had a lot of fun playing to people in the same episode. That man deserves a golden globe or something because he is really good at playing to totally different people. And it was probably hard playing one because you would have to act with no one there.(when portraying one Lex) But hands down, though it may be a filler episode i don't care it is one of the best episodes of season 4 in my opinion.moreless

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  • A Villain Is Born!

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By lenzinoH20, Sep 18, 2010 Report Abuse
    Onyx-A black kryptonite explosion splits Lex in two and his evil side - Alexander - is released. Alexander imprisons Lex in the mansion then gives full vent to his evil side - he threatens to evict Lana from the Talon unless she becomes his mate, jousts with Lionel, and tries to kill Clark and Chloe when they figure out his secret.

    At this point in the series, Lex's descent toward his evil persona has been going at a very slow, shaky pace. We've had little moments where we see Lex's dark side come out a bit but never solid proof that Lex WILL actually turn fully evil some day. Well, "Onyx" is the episode to quite our skeptism on Lex's evilness as we are treated to Superman's nemesis in the flesh for a whole hour. There is something about "Onyx" that's incredibly fun and undeniably dark as Lex is split into 2 with his dark side taking a life of it's own. It's so entertaining and you just left wanting more at the end of the episode.

    Micheal Rosenbaum IS this episode as Lex must battle his evil self, who he refers to as Alexander. Micheal completely convinces as the 2 Lexs, one who is still the good, compassionate friend to Clark and the other who seeks to be free to rule the world with power. I love the references to the legend of the Man in the Iron Mask as Alexander refers to himself as the great king Louis XIV and Lex being the weak, inferior twin who puts a hideous iron mask on his face. Alexander is a stellar villain who using everyone's own emotions to keep them off guard. There are so many great scenes in this episodes like Alexander trying to kill Chloe and Clark and Alexander seducing Lana. But the best of the bunch is Alexander and Lionel's fence fight. I loved how Alexander was trying to bring out Lionel's dark side again and it was a powerful scene as Lionel hits his son in the end. It's one of the best scenes between John Glover and Micheal Rosenbaum as the father/son rivalry between Lex and Lionel explodes in this episode. Lastly, Lex creating the kryptonite ring and forcing Clark to join him so he can rule the world was a classic Lex Luthor moment from the comics. The whole scene is such an epic moment for Lex, especially after he shoots Jonathan in leg and tells the Kents:

    Lex: "I guess you were right all along Mr. Kent...I am the villain of this story".

    The only thing I could change about the episode is the climax when Clark heats up Alexander's kryptonite ring so both Lexs can rejoin. I wish there could have been more of a showdown between Alexander and Clark, you know, some real hero vs. villain fight scenes, but that's just wishful thinking. The best aspect of the episode how much we learn about how much Lex hides within himself. Lex's romantic affections for Lana are a forshadowing of their relationship at the end of Season 5 and Season 6. Also, the ending is so brilliant as Lionel reverts back to his old ways and tells Lex that he was right and that he shouldn't deny who he is...a Luthor. Just the shot of Lex's smurk after his father walks away and tells him this is marvelously menancing and just the beginning of Lex's true descent into evil. "Onyx" is a stunning, classic episode that builds on Lex's tragic destiny to becoming the world's greatest evil and it's amazing from start to finish.moreless

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  • Great episode. Gaves a new perspective on Lex and how he interacts with the other primary characters.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Gachil, Oct 11, 2007 Report Abuse
    As the episode starts, you see Lex and a doctor working in one of the Luthor Corp Labs. They are doing tests on green kryptonite, and as the sample heats, there is an explosion which causes Lex to split into two. That is pretty much that most relevant part of the episode, I really enjoyed to episode because it showed Lex as a true villian. Ordinary Superman knowledge tells how Clark and Lex Luthor are nemesis'. This episode really showed the common idea of Lex being a "bad guy," only wanting and thinking about himself. I thought that this episode was really well written (clear distinctions between Lex and Alexander) and it was well portrayed.moreless

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  • Great Episode

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Beer75, Aug 22, 2007 Report Abuse
    While performing an experiment with heated kryptonite at the Luthorcop's facility, the laboratory blows and the dark side of Lex Luthor is separated from him. The mean Lex controls and imprisons the good one in a room, wearing an iron mask like in Alexandre Dumas's novel, and spread evil among Lana Lang, Clark Kent, Chloe Sullivan and Lionel Luthor. In this episode, the evilness sleeping within Lex Luthor is disclosed, showing how wicked he can be, destroying people, relationships and awaking the worst of Lionel Luthor. Now it seems that the old Lionel is back: his last sentence, "We are the Luthors", is something scary.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • The good Lex has been chained to a post for at least 24 hours, yet he never seemed to be desperate enough to go to the bathroom. Edit
    • In the Pilot episode, Lex said that while his father had the entire manor shipped over and reassembled brick by brick in Smallville, he never had any intention of living there and had never stepped in the front door. Here Lex says his dad never let him play in the basement, as if he was there as a child and his father lived with him. Edit
    • Lana acts all taken back that Alexander has let himself into her apartment with the air of "how dare he." Yet she's walked into his mansion without knocking dozens of times. Later on in this same episode, she's sitting in Clark's barn, just waiting for him. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Scenes that were left out of the episode: - Alexander killing a security guard (as he saw Lex and Clark on a monitor in the mansion while seeing Alexander driving in). - Jonathan and Martha discussing with Clark which of Lex's personality has control. Edit
    • The production crew and fan sites refer to the "evil" Lex as Alexander, but the name is never mentioned on-screen. Edit
    • Music: I Drive Alone (We R In Need Of A Musical Revolution) by Esthero. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Alexander: The hero comes to the rescue. How predictable is that? Edit
    • Martha: What do you want? Alexander: The world, Mrs. Kent. Edit
    • Alexander: (to Martha) Now talk some sense into (Clark) before something unfortunate happens! (shoots Jonathan) Like that. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Lex's Ring During the loft scene, Lex is wearing a kryptonite ring. In the most recent Superman history (as of when this episode aired), we learn that he lost a hand due to the exposure to the green K of this ring. Edit
    • Alexander: All those times you were in the right place at the right time. Almost as if you possessed powers and abilities beyond mortal men.
      This phrase is used to describe Superman in the later years. Edit
    • Alexander: King Louis imprisoned his brother in the Bastille...
      Although not mentioned by name, the literary work in question is "The Man in the Iron Mask," which has been made into a movie several times. Edit

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