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Mortal

Series	5x02
Episode	90
Writer	Steven S. DeKnight
Director	Terrence O'Hara
Broadcast Date	October 6, 2005
Production Code	2T6402
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SummaryEdit

Having been stripped of his powers, Clark tries to pursue a "normal" life. But when those closest to him are taken hostage, he is forced to recover a serum from LuthorCorp's Level Three and save the day without his superhuman abilities.

RecapEdit

Lex is watching Lionel in his cell at Belle Reve. His expression is unreadable as Lionel wanders around in a straitjacket, unresponsive. Lex instructs the doctor to monitor Lionel at all times. As he exits the facility, he bumps into Tommy Lee, a man with electrical powers. The guard doesn't notice Lee's restraints deactivate. Lee overpowers the orderlies and escapes with twins who have the ability to create a powerful forcefield together. They were part of an abandoned test group subjected to green kryptonite injections and have since become addicted to them. Eager for a fix, they devise a plan to make Clark Kent get it for them, having heard of his amazing feats.

Smallville's citizens are raising a barn with Clark and Jonathan's help. Jonathan asks Clark how he is doing and he says that he doesn't mind being sore or in pain. Chloe also asks how he's adjusting, saying that she believes his destiny is more than farm life. Clark insists that he is glad to be free of his Kryptonian destiny and it's worth it because he gets to be with Lana. Lana talks about how the world seems to be off of Clark's shoulders. Lex arrives to talk to Clark and says he hopes they can rebuild their friendship. Clark and Lana go to the Kent barn to retrieve supplies and they discuss their relationship, agreeing to put the past behind them. Clark is more relaxed around Lana now that he is human.

Lex finds Chloe in the Kawatche Caves examining the altar and again questions her on how she made it to the Yukon. He tries to force her to tell him what she knows and she counters that he knows more than he admits as well, because he is now claiming that the spaceship Lana saw was non-existent. She tells him to stop asking her questions or she will start asking him some of her own.

Lana and Clark are making out in his loft but he suggests they slow down because he wants their first time to be special. They are interrupted by the three fugitives. The twins blast Clark with a bolt of psychic energy, pinning him to the ceiling. Tommy Lee talks about how everybody in Belle Reve knows about Clark and he's the only one who can get the injections for them. Jonathan and Martha drive up looking for Clark and Lee takes Lana hostage and tells Clark to get rid of them. Clark lies badly that Lana went to lie down, but his parents notice his shirt on inside-out and realize he's lying. They go to investigate and find the three fugitives, who take Jonathan and Martha Kent hostage, too, and send Clark to find the drug, or else they will kill his family. Inside the partially reconstructed Kent house, Sheriff Adams shows up because someone reported strangers close to the Kent property. Lee takes Martha for leverage and sends Jonathan and Lana out to get rid of her. She makes small talk for a few minutes, but notices something is amiss. She leaves to call for backup; Tommy blasts her away and the Twins put up a forcefield.

Clark enlists Chloe's help and she takes him to LuthorCorp. She comes equipped with a trunkload of spy gear and they use her laptop to break into the building during the security shift change. He sneaks into the ventilation duct and communicates to Chloe through an ear piece. They snipe at each other for a bit and Chloe is incredulous when he lets slip that he told Pete about his super powers. They locate the serum in the facility, but they cannot get through the room in which they are stored because the lock is only activated with Lex's thumb print. Chloe remembers that Lex picked up her flashlight during their confrontation in the caves. She and Clark lift a fingerprint off of the flashlight. However, the room is still crossed with security laser beams and when Clark reaches for it, they burn his arm.

Back at the Kent farm, the police can only wait impatiently on the other side of the twins' forcefield. Clark arrives and asks the sheriff to let him handle things. She gives him a limited amount of time to do it. Clark gets inside and ends up fighting the fugitives with a sledge hammer and no super powers. He surprises them with Chloe's flash grenade (a graduation present from Lois), and dodges out of Tommy's energy blast so that it hits the twins. He shorts out the electricity with the hammer, disabling Tommy's powers, and floors him with a punch. The police arrest the three men.

As they are being hauled away, Chloe arrives and congratulates Clark's heroic act. She also reveals that someone was watching them break into the facility. Lex is watching a security tape at the Mansion. He insists it is impossible when he sees Clark being burned by the security beam. He looks up and sees Clark standing in his doorway. Clark stalks into the room and punches him, knocking him to the floor. Clark demands to know if he's happy to know that he's normal like everyone else. Lex still doesn't believe it and he punches Clark back. He realizes he was wrong when Clark's split lip bleeds.

Afterward, Clark goes to Lana's Talon apartment for comfort. He doesn't tell her about his and Lex's fight, but he talks to her about the uncertainty he feels, indirectly saying that he thought his life would be different or easier without his powers. Lana takes care of his wounds and they make love for the first time.

Recurring RolesEdit

Sheriff Nancy Adams - Camille Mitchell
Dr. Albright (Lionel's doctor) - Judith Maxie

Guest CastEdit

Tommy Lee - Kenneth Johnson
Twin #1 - Brad Mann
Twin #2 - Todd Mann
Deputy Kaiden - Michael Tayles
Belle Reve Guard - Jason Griffith

Featured MusicEdit

"A Message" - Coldplay

TitleEdit

A Mortal is a term for a human being. "Mortal" means subject to death, in contrast to the gods, who are immortal.
In this episode, Clark experiences life as a "mortal" after being depowered by Jor-El.
Clark is also in mortal danger, as Tommy Lee and the Twins threaten not only his own life but also those of his girlfriend and his family.

NotesEdit

Antagonist: Tommy Lee and the Twins
Clark uses no abilities in this episode because Jor-El stripped him of them.
Though Clark has already lost his abilities six times (including this one) this is the only episode where he doesn't have powers throughout an entire episode.
Lois Lane does not appear in this episode.
This is one of the only times since they were written off the show where Pete Ross, Jason Teague, and Alicia Baker have been mentioned.
Tommy Lee's abilities in this episode are similar to that of Jeremy Creek from the Pilot. Although one notable difference is that Tommy Lee needs to draw power from other electrical devices for his abilities to work, and Jeremy's are self-powered. Also, Tommy converts the electricity to some form of energy blast before discharge.
Sheriff Adams reports a "10-11" out at the Kent farm on her police scanner; this is the code for identifying a radio frequency. [1]

TriviaEdit

When the Kent house structure is being lifted, we may see a brief glimpse of a camera on the right of the truck.
On the episode "Goodbye Love" (4x20) of fellow WB series Everwood, main characters (and platonic friends) Amy and Ephram are discussing what they want their first times to be like. Amy says she would rather just "get it out of the way." Ephram remarks that it "doesn't have to be all candles and Coldplay," but it should be special. In this episode, Clark and Lana lose their virginity to candles and Coldplay.
Kristin Kreuk's name in the opening credits is fixed, it was spelled as "Kristen" in the season premiere.

ContinuityEdit

Clark mentions the time Pete found Clark's spaceship, which occurred in the Season Two episode Duplicity.
This episode marks the end of Clark and Lex's friendship.
Nancy Adams was last seen in Ageless.

SpoilersEdit

The doctor treating Lionel also appears in the Season Six episode Combat, where her name is revealed to be Dr. Albright.

AllusionsEdit

Tommy Lee calls the Twins "Heckle and Jeckle", the names of two twin cartoon magpies popular in the 1950s.

QuotesEdit

Clark: (in pain) What do you want?!

Tommy Lee: What every freak in Belle Reve wants Clarky boy. (points at him) You!

Clark: This will only take a second.

Lana: (sits down) No hurry. I think I need a break anyway.

Clark: (picks up box) Found them.

Lana: (laughs) You know, sometimes taking your time isn't a bad idea.

Clark: (apologetically) Sorry.

Lana It's okay. Umm, we should probably be heading back anyway.

Martha: (to Clark) Why is your shirt on inside-out?

Clark: Chloe, where'd you get all this stuff?

Chloe: eBay.

Clark: Is that a flash bang grenade?

Clark: Are you sure this is gonna work?

Chloe: You got a better plan?

Clark: Well, I mean, normally I'd just rip open the door, then superspeed past the surveillance cameras and somehow open the vault or whatever with my... heat vision.

Chloe: So what you're saying is that now that you're human, you have absolutely no useful skills?

Clark: Not so much.

Chloe: Take your next left.

Clark: (pants; sighs)

Chloe: Come on Clark, left!

Clark: (crawling through ventilation ducts) I'm goin' in circles!

Chloe: No, you're not. It just feels that way because you're in a confined space with no visual markers.

Clark: This is impossible, it's a million degrees in here!

Chloe: Gosh, Clark, I didn't realize super-whining was one of your powers!

Clark: Pete was a lot better at pep talks in these situations.

Chloe: Pete!?

Clark: (hits his head) Ow!

Chloe: You told Pete your secret?!

Clark: I kinda had to-- he saw my ship.

Chloe: What?! Pete got to see your spaceship?!

Officer: What the hell is this, Sheriff?

Sheriff Adams: (sighs) Another day in Smallville.

Chloe: Can't you see if he can give you more time?

Clark: He's not a more time kind of guy.

Tommy Lee: I guess all the talk about you is true, kid---you really are outta this world.

Clark: You have no idea.

Sheriff Adams: (to Tommy Lee) Keep moving, Sparky!

Clark: I thought we could start over, Lex. But you're too obsessed with the past. With me! But I'm different now and I'm through playing games with you! You wanna test me? You wanna see what I'm really made of? Do it yourself, you coward.

Clark: (to Lana) After everything that's happened, I thought I knew what my life would be like now. I thought it... it would be easier. But I guess you can never be certain what's gonna happen tomorrow... can you?

External linksEdit

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