Possession

From Smallville Wiki

Possession is when one being takes control of a body which is not its own.

Possession is different from alternative personalities like Kal-El or Kal, facets of Clark Kent's personality which come out under different circumstances. It is also different from mind control, where one person is able to take control of another through hypnosis, magic, or other means.

Possession is one of the more commonly used plot device on Smallville. For example, Lana Lang spent a large part of Season 4 possessed by Margaret Isobel Thoreaux while Lionel has been possessed by Jor-El, and Lex by General Zod. Clark Kent has been possessed by teenager Dawn Stiles, and Chloe Sullivan has been possessed by Dawn Stiles, Gretchen Winters, and Madelyn Hibbins.

After the possession is over, the person who was possessed often has no memories of what happened, but not always. For example Lex knew that he had been possessed by Zod. When Lex was kidnapped, he was forced to tell how he got his powers.

There are many known ways to achieve possession:

Contents 1 Kryptonian Possession 2 Kryptonian Technology 3 Zoner Possession 4 Magical Possession 5 Metahuman Possession 6 Notes

[edit] Kryptonian Possession

Kryptonian spirits are able to possess human bodies, which they refer to as a "vessel". This form of possession usually requires some sort of preparation ahead of time, often done by a third party (or by a Kryptonian object).

• Jonathan Kent made a deal with Jor-El at the start of Season 3 to give him Kryptonian powers to enable him to get Clark back from Metropolis whilst he was under the influence of Red Kryptonite. During this time Jonathan was in control of his own mind and simply possessed Jor-El's powers. However, after this Jor-El was spontaneously able to possess Jonathan for short periods, such as in Talisman where he channels Jor-El's powers to heal Clark from a stab wound.
• After Lionel Luthor was exposed to the Crystal of Water in Season 4, he became a vessel for the artificial entity Jor-El to use in the event that Clark needed his aid. For example, when Clark was shot by Gabriel Duncan and died in Season 5, Jor-El possessed Lionel, giving his body Kryptonian powers in order to retrieve Clark. After Clark was restored, Jor-El left Lionel's body and the possession ended. Lionel still seems to serve as Jor-El's vessel; in Oracle, Lionel was able to blast away Brainiac (than in the form of recently deceased Jonathan Kent) with Jor-El's power and in Season 7, Zor-El used crystals to locate Jor-El's vessel and found Lionel in his offices.
• Throughout the last half of Season 5, Brainiac prepares Lex Luthor to become a vessel for General Zod, a Kryptonian trapped in the Phantom Zone. After Zod possessed Lex's body, Zod and Clark fought on Earth. Clark returned General Zod to the Phantom Zone using the Crystal of El, and Lex's possession was lifted. It is unclear whether Zod would be able to use Lex as a vessel again, if he were to escape the Phantom Zone.
• In Season 8's Bloodline, Faora, the wife of General Zod, escapes the Phantom Zone and possesses the body of Lois Lane. Kara uses the Martian crystal to cast Faora out of Lois' body.

[edit] Kryptonian Technology

Kryptonian technology also enables body transfers, where two people switch bodies. In many ways, this acts as a two way possession.

• In Season 4's Transference, Lionel and Clark switched bodies when one of them touched the other while holding the Crystal of Water. After they switched back, Lionel had no memories of the transfer.

[edit] Zoner Possession

Several non-Kryptonian Zoners who lack bodies seem to be able to possess humans at will.

• In Season 6's Fallout, a Zoner named Baern possessed a human named Lamar, and did battle with Clark at the Kent Farm and the Fortress of Solitude. Clark later used the Crystal of El to send Baern back to the Phantom Zone, and Lamar recovered from the possession, with no memory of Clark's powers, or the last six weeks of his life.
• In Season 6 and 7, the phantom Bizarro possessed a series of humans - starting with a tourist in Argentina, and inhabiting a new body every day. His human hosts were only able to survive for 24 hours. Eventually Bizarro sampled Clark's DNA, and was able to create a body of his own. His last known human host was Philipe Lamont, who fully recovered from the possession with no memories of what happened while he was possessed.
• In Labyrinth, Zoner Dr. Hudson attempts to gain control of Clark's body by making him reject his Kryptonian heritage as a figment of his imagination. He almost succeeds but is defeated by the Martian Manhunter.

[edit] Magical Possession

Witches have the ability to cast spells which allow them to possess the bodies of human beings.

• After Lana visits the tomb of the witch Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux, a Mark of Transference appeared on Lana's back. This mark forced Lana to serve much like a Kryptonian vessel, allowing Isobel to possess Lana seemingly at will.
• In Season 4's Spell, Isobel casts a spell to allow the spirits of her fellow witches to possess Lois and Chloe. After Clark destroyed Isobel's spellbook, Lana's, Lois', and Chloe's possessions were all lifted, however, Isobel returned to Lana's body in Sacred and Commencement.

[edit] Metahuman Possession

Several humans have acquired the power of physical possession upon their death, through the power of kryptonite.

• In Season 4's Spirit, Dawn Stiles was a teenager who acquired the ability of possession when she died by crashing her car into Carlton George - which contained kryptonite. Dawn projected her spirit astrally, and when her astral spirit overlapped with Martha Kent's body, she possessed Martha. Once she had a physical body, Dawn was also able to possess Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, and other Smallville High students; she seemed to require physical touch in order to be able to transfer her spirit to a new entity.
• In Season 5's Tomb, Chloe was possessed by Gretchen Winters, a teenager who was wearing a bracelet with a kryptonite gem when she was murdered. Chloe became possessed when she touches Gretchen's bracelet. Gretchen was later able to transfer her spirit into her murderer, when he touched her bracelet. She then killed his body with his own hand, ending the possession and freeing her spirit.

[edit] Notes

• Each possession is usually done by an entity lacking a physical body: a Phantom Zone wraith, a Kryptonian spirit, a dead human, or a dead witch. The exceptions are body transfers using Kryptonian technology, in which two bodies exchange spirits, and the time when Dawn Stiles was still comatose, but her spirit was able to leave her body.
• Chloe Sullivan has been possessed by the most spirits: Dawn Stiles, Gretchen Winters, and Madelyn Hibbins.
• Lana Lang has spent the most time being possessed; Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux possessed her in three separate episodes in Season 4.
• Among the current main characters, Jimmy Olsen and Kara Kent are the only characters who have never been possessed (or exchanged spirits through a body transfer).