Exile

"Exile" is the first episode in the third season of Smallville, and forty-fifth episode overall. It aired on October 1, 2003.

Summary[]

Clark is living a life of crime in Metropolis while Lana, Chloe, and Jonathan try to find him and bring him home. Lex kills his imaginary friend before being rescued from a deserted island.

Recap[]

Exile5 — Kal likes the luxury car through the window.

Exile1 — Kal robs ATMs to get what he wants.

It's been three months since Clark put on a red kryptonite ring and left Smallville. He is in Metropolis going by the name "Kal". He sees a luxury car he likes in a show window and tears open a row of ATMs for the cash to buy it with. He leaves the dealership with the car and the sales girl. When they arrive at the night club Atlantis, they are making out at the bar. When she asks about the scar on his chest, he grabs her hand, and she leaves. As he leaves, his scar starts to burn. Doubled over in pain, Clark ducks into a phone booth and unbuttons his shirt. The scar burns and glows until Clark takes off the ring. Without the ring, he decides to call his mother. At the Kent Farm, Martha answers the phone. Clark doesn't say anything, but she knows it is Clark, and she pleads with him to come home. Looking like he's about to cry, Clark hangs up the phone and slips the ring back on.

The next day, a Metropolis bank is being robbed by thugs wearing clown masks, but they are interrupted by Clark. He crashes through the window on a motorcycle. He hides his identity with a ski mask, and he catches the bullets shot at him with his bare hands. Clark picks up a bag of cash and walks outside the bank to meet the police led by Captain Maggie Sawyer. When he reaches into his jacket, they open fire. He stands there as the bullets bounce off him, and then he uses his heat vision to blow up a car. When Captain Sawyer picks herself up off the ground, all she finds of Clark is a ski mask and a pile of spent rounds on the sidewalk where he was standing. Clark super speeds behind a building grinning at his own exploits.

At the Kent Farm, Pete shows Jonathan and Martha a Daily Planet front-page article detailing Clark's crimes. Pete says Clark's crimes are escalating and Jonathan declares that he is going to retrieve him. Martha protests, saying that Clark, knowing what red kryptonite does to him, doesn't want to be found. She stresses that he will come home when he is ready and Jonathan concedes.

Chloe meets Lana at the Talon and offers her a ride to Lex's funeral, but she says she is going with the Kents. She tells Chloe that she is considering staying in Metropolis for a few days to look for Clark. Chloe argues that Clark isn't lost. She tells Lana that he made a conscious decision to run away. Lana gets upset at Chloe's words, but Chloe continues, telling her that she needs to move on because pining for Clark is not doing her any good. Lana counters that Clark is waiting for the right person to find him.

Clark is asleep in a nicely furnished penthouse apartment when two goons break in and open fire on him. He throws them across the room and is approached by Morgan Edge. Edge asks Clark about interrupting his bank robbers and says he wanted to see for himself if Clark was really super-strong and bulletproof. He offers Clark a job; saying that he is the biggest crime boss in the city and Clark can come to him when he's ready to move on from the little league.

Exile2 — Morgan Edge approaches Kal with a job opportunity.

Chloe is summoned to the Kawatche Caves by Lionel Luthor. He talks with her about the octagonal hole that used to be in the wall, which disappeared the day Clark left. He asks Chloe if she has seen him, and brings up her Daily Planet column, saying there is more passion in it than in her investigation of Clark. Chloe says she's given Lionel all the information she has, and that she can't get more information while Clark is missing. Lionel does not accept these excuses and expects her to rise to the challenge and bring him more information.

On a tiny remote island, Lex Luthor wakes up from a fever dream. He is suffering from malaria and the only other person on the island is Louis Leery, a free-spirited individual who seems perfectly content to be stranded and torments Lex with the suggestion that either Lionel or Helen betrayed him. He tells Lex he should let go of his old life and enjoy life on the island. Lex is surviving by eating insects on the island when he sees a plane fly overhead. He tries to send out a smoke signal but Louis will not help and the opportunity is missed. Louis repeats that Lex belongs on this island and he must accept his fate.

Lionel speaks at Lex's funeral, in which Lana and the Kents are in attendance. She looks away and sees Clark but when she pushes through the crowd he is gone. Lionel's speech is interrupted by Helen Bryce and he spits that she is just there for show and stalks away. Later, Helen arrives at the Luthor Mansion with her arms full of shopping bags and finds Lionel in the library. He congratulates her on her "performance" at the funeral and says that he doubts her story about how the plane went down and there being only one parachute, Lex sacrificed himself to save her. Lionel vows that he will get even with Helen for murdering his son.

Exile3 — Chloe tells Kal he needs to come home.

Chloe arrives at Clark's apartment and tries to get Clark to come home. He yells at her to never come back but Chloe is undeterred. She doesn't believe that Clark is done with Smallville. She questions his behavior and asks how he will explain himself to Lana or his parents. Clark yells that he is through explaining himself to anyone. Chloe is angry by now and calls him a coward. Clark turns away as pain crosses his face. He grabs Chloe by the shoulders and physically pushes her out of the apartment, yelling that if she tells anyone where he is, he'll go so far away no one will ever find him, steering her towards the door. She is not intimidated and pushes him right back. He screams in her face to get out and slams the door. He then tears open his shirt. His scar is glowing red. He takes off the ring and the scar stops burning.

Without the ring, Clark goes to his loft and sees that his things have been packed into moving boxes. He overhears his parents below discussing their plans. They need to be moved out before the bank conducts the auction. They can store some things in Bill Ross's garage as long as they need, and Lana has given them the apartment over the Talon. Martha begins to cry and Jonathan tries to reassure her that they will get through it. Something falls on the floor as Clark turns to go. Martha hears it and runs to the loft, calling Clark's name, but Clark is gone.

Exile4 — Kal takes Lana to a nightclub, but she calls his parents.

Lana tells Chloe that she feels guilty because Clark asked her to come with him and now she feels like she could have made him come home if she had gone. When Chloe asks, she says she loves him. She says she saw him at Lex's funeral and plans to hang up fliers. Chloe admits she knows where Clark is, saying she ran into him at a club two months ago, but he threatened to leave Metropolis if she told. Lana is angry that Chloe knew about Clark's whereabouts and leaves for Clark's apartment. She is standing outside when Clark rides up on his dad's motorcycle. She insists that she is not letting him go. Clark tells her to get on and they ride away together.

Lex is using the compass Jonathan gave him on his wedding day. He sees a necklace floating in a puddle of water but when he pulls it out it is attached to a skeleton. Louis appears and reveals himself as a psychopath by admitting that the remains are of his father, whom he had to kill because only one of them could survive. Louis chases Lex through the jungle and they fight at the beach.

Sv301Jonathan — Jonathan goes to Jor-El for help.

Clark takes Lana to Club Atlantis. She pretends to have fun but ducks away to call the Kents. Jonathan says he's on the way but Clark finds her. He takes the phone from Lana and tells his parents that they're probably happier he's gone and they were never his parents anyway. Martha tells Jonathan that he can't stop Clark but Jonathan says if he doesn't try, they may lose him forever. He goes to the toolbox to take the key out of its hiding place.

Exile smile — Kal smiles as Morgan Edge tells him the money he'll get for the job.

Clark finds Morgan Edge and accepts his job offer since he suddenly feels the need to disappear. Edge tells him he wants him to break into LuthorCorp Plaza and steal a package from Lionel's office.

Back on the island Lex gets the upper hand and hacks Louis to death with a machete, but he is approached by a third figure. Lex tries to explain that he had to kill him but is astonished to see that Louis is gone. The third man explains that his captain saw his fire and came to rescue him.

Jonathan takes the key to the Kawatche Caves but he can't find the keyhole. He shouts angrily throws the key down in disgust. As he turns to go it glows and flies towards the wall. A burst of energy flows through Jonathan and he is addressed by Jor-El. They argue about Kal-El's name, parentage and destiny. Jor-El will allow him to return to Smallville, but Jonathan must retrieve him. Jonathan complains that Clark is too powerful, and Jor-El asks if he is willing to sacrifice anything. Jonathan says he will do anything for his son.

Clark breaks into the building and retrieves the package, but as he turns to go, he is approached by Jonathan. Jonathan admits that it was Jor-El who helped him find Clark. Clark refuses to listen and throws Jonathan against a wall. Clark is surprised to see Jonathan stand upright, unharmed. He tells Clark again that he is coming home and super speeds towards him. Together they fall through a window toward the street, sixty stories below.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Uncredited[]

Fraser Aitcheson as Ethan Carter

Featured Music[]

"Girls & Boys" - Good Charlotte
"Hey Mama" - The Black Eyed Peas
"Frantic" - Metallica
"All the Stars" - Eastmountainsouth
"Calling All Angels" - Train
"Goodtalk" - Shocore

Title[]

The word "exile" means to be away from one's home while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return.
Clark has put himself into self-imposed exile in Metropolis. Lex is also in exile on a remote desert island, unable to return.
Chloe says to Clark that he was not forced into exile. Also Lionel tells Chloe while they are at the Kawatche Caves that Clark went into exile.

Notes[]

Antagonists: Kal and Louis Leery
This is the Season 3 premiere.
Less than three months have passed since the events of the episode "Exodus".
This is the 3rd episode which finishes with the credit "To be continued". The other episodes were: Tempest, Calling, Commencement, Oracle, Vessel, Phantom and Salvation.
Clark uses the following abilities in this episode: super strength, super speed, invulnerability and heat vision.
Jonathan uses the following abilities in this episode: super strength, super speed, invulnerability.
Jor-El uses the following abilities in this episode: Biological Manipulation, Molecular Manipulation, Cosmic Awareness.
When the ring first reacts to the scar, Clark goes into a phone booth and reveals the Kryptonian symbol for the letter "S" on his chest—a reference to Superman comics, in which he goes into a phone booth to change into his costume.
In the comics, Morgan Edge was the head of Galaxy Communications and leader of Intergang, which received advanced alien weapons and technology from Darkseid. Edge was exposed by Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Cat Grant, and was arrested. He eventually escaped prison and maintains the goal of destroying Superman and regaining his position in the Metropolis crime ring.
Morgan Edge is the 10th DC Comics character to be adapted into the series.
Notes from the commentary can be read on the Season 3 DVD.
When this episode airs in syndicated reruns on cable channel ABC Family, Clark's "My dad's a real bastard." line is edited out.
Jonathan didn't use Green Kryptonite on Clark like he did in Red likely because he wasn't going to fall for that a second time.
Clark wears a Shirt in front of Morgan Edge in his Metropolis Apartment. The Shirt has an Upside Down Crystal logo on it. Clark acquires a similar looking Crystal in the "Commencement" which formed the Fortress of Solitude.
This episode marks the the first time Clark generates sonic pulses, when he gets away with the cash he plundered.

Continuity[]

Clark's arrival in Metropolis is shown in "Sojourn".
The building that Clark is staying at is the same one with an apartment he had to rob in Rogue.
Clark, who is rarely seen in any other color except red, yellow, or blue, is wearing the same green T-shirt while robbing the bank that he wore in Red when he stole Jonathan's motorcycle.
Lex has Jonathan Kent's compass that was given to him at the end of Season 2.
Metropolis Police lieutenant Sawyer also appears in Insurgence, Exposed and Descent.

Spoilers[]

The terms of Jonathan's deal with Jor-El are revealed at the end of this season in Covenant.

Quotes[]

Morgan Edge: That's a hell of a scar. How'd you get it?

Clark: My dad's a real bastard.

Lionel: You know, Helen, black widows may be powerful predators, but every predator is somebody else's prey.

Chloe: Clark, I need to talk to you about-

Kal: Chloe, I told you to never come back here again! Who else knows I'm here?

Chloe: No one, I - your secret's safe with me, but we need to talk.

Kal: I'm busy.

Chloe: Well, I'm coming in. Now what's your deal? You come to Metropolis and you're a completely different person.

Kal: Maybe it's the real me.

Chloe: Well if it is, I definitely prefer the country Clark. Now - (looks around) how did you afford all of this?

Kal: Why, Chloe, so you can put me in your column or write a big story about me? Maybe that's why you kept my secret.

Chloe: I kept your secret because you asked me to. I was hoping if I left you alone you'll get a grip and come home. Now there are people in Smallville that still haven't given up on the search.

Kal: I've erased Smallville from my past.

Chloe: Really? Is that why you're still wearing your school ring? You know, sooner or later someone else is gonna find you.

Kal: You were lucky.

Chloe: Maybe so. But what are you going to do if one day Lana shows up on your doorstep, or your dad? How are you going to explain this to them?

Kal: I'm through explaining myself to anyone.

Chloe: Clark, Lana is a wreck and your parents are losing the farm!

Kal: What do I care? I'm never going to go back anyway.

Chloe: Clark, you were not forced into exile. You ran away from your problems. You are not being noble, you're being a coward!

Kal: (roars and shoves Chloe out) Chloe, get out! If you tell anyone where I am, I'll go so far away from Metropolis that no one would ever find me!

Chloe: I don't even know who you are any more.

Kal: GET OUT!

Jonathan: (to Jor-El) He wasn't ready! But you, you had to keep pushing him anyway, didn't you? What kind of a race are you people? No wonder you destroyed yourselves.

Jor-El: I am Jor-El. The true father of Kal-El.

Jonathan: His name is Clark Kent. I am his father. I raised him.

Jor-El: This was Kal-El's first test to see if he was ready to begin his journey... This phase of Kal-El's journey is almost complete. It will be of no consequence if he returns to you for now.

Clark: (to Lana) Listen, if you keep talking about Hicksville, you're gonna be on the next bus home.

Clark: What's the point of starting something if it's just going to end badly?

Edge: You've made quite a reputation for yourself. I set up this test so I could see with my own eyes if you were man or myth. And clearly, you're both.

Clark: Well, I'm glad I could clear it up for you... Mr. Edge.

Edge: I'd like to talk about a job opportunity.

Clark: Thanks. But I'm really not looking for work right now. I like to fly solo.

Jor-El: Are you willing to sacrifice anything to bring him back?

Jonathan: Yes, for my son, I'll do anything.

External links[]

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Exodus

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Phoenix

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