Lionel's attempt to free himself from prison results in an out-of-body transfer into Clark, and vice versa. While Lionel enjoys the freedom and power, Clark is confined and dying. A crystal quest begins.moreless
9.0
"Superb"
Just as Clark is fantasizing about football and Jonathan and Jason appear, Clark is hit by a shrill mental signal, causing him severe head pain, and he departs rapidly. At the Kansas State penitentiary, Lex visits Lionel, who is quite ill - he's dying. It's late to make amends, but he tries, offering his hand to Lex. With his long hair gone and convincing makeup, Mr. Glover is persuasive as one facing death. In one of the strangest scenes in the series, Clark superspeeds in to stop Lionel from grasping the hand of Lex - Lionel's palm, he sees, has a kryptonian crystal. As Clark intervenes, Lionel presses the crystal onto Clark's hand, causing a "Transference" of Clark's...what? - essence, soul, mind? into Lionel and vice versa. This sets up a double "fish-out-of-water" story, similar to a number of comedies and dramas, so it's a well-worn plot device. No two people are less alike than Clark and Lionel, so it at least offers an opportunity to Mr. Welling and Mr. Glover to portray far different characters.
The big question - will "Lionel-in-Clark" exhibit powers and abilities? Or do the powers go with the spirit? Mr. Welling starts to emulate Mr. Glover's mannerisms, so it could be entertaining. Lex and "Clark" leave the prison, then return to the farm in the silver Porsche 911, tagged "LEX LXX." "Clark" asks Lex if he ever felt guilty about sending his father to prison - Lex says, "He killed his parents. I did society a favor." The key in all this has to be the director - coaching each actor on what the another has brought to their character, from dialog to gestures to voice inflection. When Jonathan tells "Clark" to lift the tractor, he asks, "How would I do that?" But he does, to his own amazement, and we can't even see the crane or cable doing all this, so it's a clever scene, and a revelation to "Clark" about the abilities of the farm-boy he thought he knew.
It's another philosophy episode - what would someone do when given great power? Clark has faced this question for years, but the guidance and integrity of his parents helped his often-difficult choice to use his power only for the benefit of others. Lionel follows an entirely different moral compass - his desires and gratification...and power. We expect him to immediately misuse krypton-powers to change the world to suit himself, while the imprisoned "Lionel" can only learn about confinement and ill health. In other words, the writers and producers have pulled me right into this story after only a couple scenes.
Next, we see how Mr. Glover is expressing the Clark personality. In the cellblock, "Lionel" joins an inmate Edgar, who has been studying cave symbols, but "Lionel" still claims to be Clark Kent. Edgar explains that the crystal was meant for Lex, and that it came from a "Mayan rain god statue," which is (unbelievably) hidden in the cellblock wall. He reveals that other crystals are hidden in Egypt, Central America and even in a cave in Kansas. The first crystal has the symbol for water, he says, based on his knowledge of "pattern recognition, codes and ciphers." Other crystals have the symbols for the other ancient elements - earth, air, and fire - and together they would lead to "a trove of knowledge." All this sounds important for future story lines, but it comes fast even as we are trying to observe Mr. Glover's acting. Edgar is a mathematician who allegedly embezzled $14 million, and was studying the Dead Sea scrolls. So "Lionel" has learned that Lionel set up that inmate, framing him for the crime to get him into the same cell to use his skills for the crystal quest. But "Lionel" is also told he is dying.
At the farm, "Clark" is enjoying his new-found health...and assets, beginning to call for liquidation of some of them. This raises the question of how he will convince anyone that he is Lionel - what about his voice, signature, photographs? And apparently he does not grasp all those powers, or he would not limit himself to playing Clark, much less trying only to gain control of his own $57 million in assets. How will he impersonate his own self - the ultimate identity theft? He has knowledge of the Luthorcorp empire, but how can he manipulate it? And his first snag is voice recognition.
Will he continue to try to play the Clark part, acting as the dutiful son? Martha enters the loft, and he says, "Martha!" just as Lionel would. But when he asks for a hug, it's not quite familial. So the writers intend "Clark" to stay in character, to allow us to study these new relationships, rather than having him just go wild on earth, taking everything he wants. "Clark" manifests both superspeed and heat-vision unintentionally, surprising the Lionel within. Martha senses that something is drastically wrong, but is not sure of what it is. After years of strange phenomena revolving around Clark, this is perfectly understandable - she must catch on quickly to any changes in her son. He does not know Jason, visiting at the house, and announces that he's quitting the football team, stunning everyone.
In prison, "Lionel" still believes he has power, as he pleads for help from Edgar. Other inmates want to play "beat a billionaire," and "Lionel" is assaulted and beaten badly.
At the Torch, "Clark" unsuccessfully tries to hack into the Luthorcorp server, but can't - Lex saw to that. Chloe enters, and "Clark" begins putting some moves on her, and Ms. Mack reacts both with pleasure and doubt, just exactly as we would expect. The Lionel within is cruel, first attracting her, then sneering at her with "Don't you wish," calling her "Miss Sullivan," and leaving abruptly. The real Clark will have some fences to mend if and when he regains himself.
Lana's research on the Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux, who came from the same French village as Lana's ancestors, has revealed that the Countess was burned as a witch. Yet Lana continues to pursue answers to her experience in Notre Dame and the mysterious symbol transferred to her lower back. Jason offers his support, but as they embrace in a school office, "Clark" opens the door to lay out some insulting comments, apropos of Lionel.
"Clark" returns to the prison to see "Lionel," and uses x-ray vision to spot the black crystal "Lionel" holds, warning him against it's use, while declaring that he can do anything with his mind and Clark's body. In an inventive use of blackmail, "Clark" demands a voice recording of "Lionel," to gain access to his accounts, threatening Lex's life if "LIonel" does not comply. He get what he wants. But in an entertaining twist, "Clark" finds the account has been closed out - Lex beat him to his millions.
Lana comes by, but "Clark" is brusque, as Lana tries to explain her liaison with Jason. She is naturally highly offended when he forcibly kisses her, amused at her fury, as she slaps him and stalks out. This is the best demonstration of Mr. Welling's range as an actor, an impressive portrayal of an out-of-body Lionel - a greater challenge, surely, than simply playing an uninhibited Clark, as he did in "Red" and "Rush" in Season Two.
"Lionel" has called for Martha to see him in the prison, and her doubts that Clark resides in another's form are quickly dispelled as "Lionel" relates family details only Clark could know. Ms. O'Toole is as good as ever, as the realization transforms her expression from anger to amazement to joy, in seconds. Here is a professional. And how strange it is to see Mr. Glover call her "Mom." She knows what to do.
"Clark" bursts in on Lex, who always reacts to bizarre behavior and accusations with equanimity, always in control, as "Clark" demands the $57 million, a sum familiar to Lex. "It's not you talking," Lex says, and "Clark" agrees..."I'm not myself." Lex goes for a gun, but superspeeding "Clark" gets him by the throat, yielding only when Martha enters with a meteor rock, ending the attack. But "Clark" escapes, and Martha's warning call to Jonathan to find a meteor rock is too late - "Clark" arrives, demanding to know what weakens him, and throwing Jonathan across the kitchen. He's saved only by a phone message from Edgar - telling "Clark" that he should come to see him ASAP. "Clark" is at the prison in seconds.
The most amusing line of the episode comes here, as Edgar asks, "Is that really you in there, Lionel?" "No, it's the Easter Bunny," replies "Clark." Edgar says the "Transference" will come to an end - both entities will return to their own body. He suggest murder might help, destroying the other body so return is not possible, but he has also lost the artifact to the guards. Out in the common room, the prisoners attack "Lionel" again, setting off a gratuitous riot, accompanied by a heavy metal track - so we're supposed to enjoy this as we would a rock concert? This production decision is the worst of the episode - brutality as entertainment - just FF through it. "Clark" enters - surely to kill "Lionel," who opens his hands to show he has no artifact, but as "Clark" throttles him, "Lionel" drops the crystal into his hand and slams it onto "Clark," reversing the Transference. The crystal is retrieved by an unseen person.
At the farm, Clark, the "real" one, helps clean up the damage, and explains that the ringing sound has previously led him to a crystal which he inserted at the cave, and Lionel's artifact matches a space in the chamber. In some well-written insight for Mr. Welling, he concludes that, although he has tried to close the Jor-El chapter in his life, it does not matter what he wants. This admission indicates more maturing for the Clark character, even if he is only becoming resigned to his fate, rather than anticipating his role as a superhero. This he cannot yet see.
At the prison hospital, Lionel receives the doctor's summary of his condition - his liver disease has disappeared, virtually a miracle of healing. But he tells the doctor, and primarily us, that he has no recollection of the past few days. So he does not know of Clark's powers, just as Clark is not fully aware of what Lionel did as "Clark." This may appear to be a convenient plot device - it could go either way - but the writers have chosen, and we are along for the ride. Lionel senses a profound change within himself - we would see this as the positive, life-healing effect of the powerful force of Kal-El, a virtual god on Earth.
Clark tries to make amends with Chloe, but how can he explain what another entity did? "You've used up your lifetime allotment of apologies," Chloe retorts, but we know things can be settled within an episode or two. She makes a handoff to Lana, but a school hallway is not the place to smooth over deep hurts. Her concern is Jason's coaching job, and fear that Clark might reveal their regulation-breaking relationship. Clark agrees to keep the secret - she should believe him, based on experience.
Epilog at the mansion. When Clark bursts in, Lex has a gun drawn instantly, demanding proof that he is who he claims - memory of a shared joke about Jonathan telling Lex to drive slower after the Porsche accident and their first meeting. Lex seems to accept the science-fiction aspects of Clark channeling Lionel pretty well, but Clark has to take up lying again, denying that he knew how Lionel effected the Transference. Clark now appeals for help on getting Edgar released from prison - Lex agrees.
Edgar walks out, a free man, but a limousine awaits. I was so sure he would be taking a ride with Lex, always one to exploit a situation or attempt to get information on Lionel...or Clark. But it's Bridgette Crosby (Margot Kidder again, last seen in the season premiere, "Crusade"), asking if Edgar has the artifact. She now has it - a black crystal with the same cave symbol as Lana's tattoo.
The "Transference" theme may appear to be a weak plot device, but Smallville's interpretation is no "Freaky Friday" trivia. It's a solid drama, with intriguing performances by both Mr. Glover and Mr. Welling, and a lead-in to several more stories. The crystal origin scene is most important to follow, as the quest for the others surely will extend over several episodes, and Lionel's dramatic healing may have important consequences for his character. It's top-quality Smallville, and well worth repeating. Re-run rating B+.moreless
