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Vessel

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Vessel
Series 5x22
Episode 110
Writer Brian Peterson, Kelly Souders
Director James Marshall
Broadcast Date May 11, 2006
Production Code 2T6422
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Previous Episode: Oracle

Next Episode: Zod

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[edit] Summary

Professor Fine has unleashed a computer virus that will kill millions. Clark must put a stop to him, while Lex wonders what will happen when he tells Lana his newest secret.

[edit] Recap

Lex and Lana lie on a couch.
At the Kent Farm, the animals act up and a bright light flashes outside. At the Luthor Manor, Lex awakens from Lana's embrace and clutches at his head as the light shines through the windows. He abruptly leaves, and starts driving at dangerous speeds, with Lana following and trying to call him on her cell phone. He comes to a halt and gets out as Lana follows him across a creek and through the woods. In the middle of a field, Lex yells to Lana to stay back and then the ground erupts all around him in a circle of dirt and light. A shadow passes overhead and Professor Fine appears behind Lana, saying he's "preparing" Lex, as the black ship appears overhead. A beam of light shines down on Lex. Lana starts running towards the light, but Lex is gone, and the only thing left is a huge Kryptonian symbol of Zod burned into the ground. At the Kent farm, Lois is trying to get plane tickets for Martha when Lionel shows up and offers her transportation. It's clear he's trying to get closer to her. Lana arrives at the Daily Planet to tell Chloe what she saw. Chloe goes to the barn to tell Clark. Chloe warns against Clark listening to Jor-El but Clark goes to the Fortress. Jor-El explains the ship, and Fine, are a single construct that won't stop until Zod is released. Jor-El notes Zod's physical body was destroyed and he needs a "vessel". A knife appears and Jor-El tells Clark he must use it to destroy the vessel– no matter who it is.
Brainiac's virus begins to spread.
Clark meets with Chloe again and tells her he doesn't plan to kill anyone. Chloe figures that Lex is the vessel and Clark announces he may have to kill Lex as Lana overhears him from outside the room. Clark is at the barn considering the knife when Lionel arrives and reveals he's written more warnings from Jor-El. The new warning says, "Sacrifice the vessel," and Clark tells Lionel that Lex is the vessel. Back in the field, Lex is lying unconscious within the Zod symbol. He gets to his feet as Lionel arrives and warns him there's nothing he can do. When he reaches for Lex, Lex throws him away with superstrength and into a car windshield.
The portal for Zod has been opened.
Lex superspeeds over as Lionel looks on in horror, then Lex superspeeds away to the manor.

Lana is there and he shoots himself with a gun to reveal that he is bulletproof as well. Lex says it's still him, but Lana backs away in horror momentarily. But she comes back to him as he confesses he couldn't keep anything secret from her. Lana reveals that she overheard Clark planning to kill him. Lex needs to go and tells Lana she can't come with him but she can meet him on the LuthorCorp roof that night. Clark meets with Lionel who confesses he taught Lex to be completely ruthless, although Clark believes that will give Lex what he needs to fight against Zod. Lionel warns Clark may have to sacrifice Lex or Lana.

Clark arrives at the manor to confront Lex and finds Lana. She refuses to betray Lex, because, unlike Clark, Lex always tells her the truth. She orders Clark to tell her what is going on, and he can't bring himself to do it. She spits that she
Clark protects Chloe from a flying car.
doesn't know why she ever thought she loved him, and storms out angrily. Fine arrives to taunt Clark and reveals that Clark was supposed to be the vessel. He offers Clark one more chance, but when Clark refuses, Fine uses his affinity for humans against him. He vows to destroy all of them, and downloads a computer virus into Lex's nearby laptop. As a result, every power system in the state begins to shut down.

Clark meets with Chloe at the Daily Planet and she reveals there's a computer virus and it's spreading – every major city in the world will soon be infiltrated. They're interrupted by a car flying in through the window – Clark superspeeds in front of it, and catches it with one hand, shielding Chloe from harm. He rushes out to save who he can, but Chloe makes him realize that he can't save everyone, he must do what he was destined to do. Before he leaves, Chloe kisses him passionately, in case they never see each other again. The phone rings- it is Lex, telling Clark to meet him.

Lois and Martha are boarding Lionel's LuthorCorp plane. They talk about Lionel's frequent offers to give Martha favors,
Martha and Lois collapse.
and Lois alludes to the possibility that Martha may have feelings for him. Later, they are in flight when they realize the surroundings look strange- they see mountains in the distance. They are unaware that a Brainiac copy is flying the plane. Lois tries to get the pilot's door open without success as the oxygen begins to run out. Martha collapses and Lois manages to open the oxygen masks but collapses before she can get to them.
Clark is imprisoned in the Phantom Zone.
Clark goes to the barn to meet Lex and the two spar verbally before they fight. In the fight, Clark defeats Lex and draws the knife and holds it to Lex's throat and Fine appears to goad him on. Clark refuses and throws the knife into Fine. It glows red as do the lights at the fortress, and a burst of energy shoots into the sky. Fine reveals Clark has opened the portal to Zod, and the energy slams into Fine and then Lex. Fine disappears and Lex turns to speak as Zod. Lex/Zod tells Clark that he has no choice but to join him or he will destroy Earth. When Clark refuses, Lex/Zod tosses the circle out into the sky and it pulls Clark in.

Riots are breaking out across the world as Chloe makes her way across Metropolis. She spots Lionel's limo and gets in with him, but the mob overwhelms the car and pulls them out. Lana is on her way to LuthorCorp where Lex/Zod is waiting for her as Lex promised. Lana assures him that she wouldn't fail and Lex/Zod kisses her. And across the globe, the power goes out as Clark hangs suspended within Zod's former prison, in the Phantom Zone, drifting off through space.

[edit] Recurring Role

[edit] Episode Title

  • Vessel refers to "a craft for traveling on water, now usually one larger than an ordinary rowboat; a ship or boat" or an "air ship". The Black Ship makes an appearance in the episode.
  • Vessel also refers to "a person regarded as a holder or receiver of something, esp. something nonmaterial". This episode features Lex Luthor becoming a Kryptonian vessel for General Zod.

[edit] Notes

  • Jor-El says that Fine is controlled by the Brain InterActive Construct. Brain InterActive Construct contains Brainiac's name. It is the first time it is mentioned in the series.
  • As many viewers are aware, Lex and Clark will battle each other many times in the future, but most of the time with one having the greater advantage. This marks the first time when both of them are evenly matched.
  • Jor-El says that Zod's body was destroyed on Krypton before the planet was destroyed, in contrast to his portrayal in the comics and the films Superman and Superman II, in which prisoners enter the Phantom Zone bodily.
  • In a deleted scene, the inside of the Black Ship is shown. Brainiac is shown preparing Lex, with the ship bigger on the inside and totally white where Brainiac is putting the Phantom Zone bracelet on Lex and also projecting the powers on him.

[edit] Continuity

[edit] Quotes

Clark: Fine has returned to release Zod. What am I supposed to do?
Jor-El: Fine is merely an extension of the craft, that can regenerate in any form.
Clark: If Fine is part of the ship, then who's controlling it?
Jor-El: It's not just a ship. It's the Brain InterActive Construct, an advanced technology that will stop at nothing until its master, Zod, has been released.
Clark: Jor-El wants me to kill the person who will be the vessel. Zod will possess a human form, destroy Earth just as he did Krypton. But I can't kill anyone. You of all people should know that.
Lionel: Clark, the real test of a hero is knowing when the greater good will be served by an evil act. To save the Earth, the cost of one life is the price that must be paid.
Clark: Even if that life is your son? Lex is the vessel of Zod. He was abducted this morning, out of Mayer's Field.
Lex (to Clark): I used to think you had this strong inner core. You were so virtuous. And yet you lie... all the time! To me, to Lana, to all the people who cared about you. What kind of sick person would do that?
Lex: You tried to warn me about Fine, but I didn't listen.
Lionel: You never have. No matter what I've given you, the things you've always wanted were beyond your grasp. This time you've overreached yourself.
Lex: Did you come out here to lecture me or to help me?
Lionel: It's too late to do either, isn't it? You made a deal with the devil. He always comes to collect.
Chloe: The entire city is shutting down. I mean, it's like 'Y2K' on acid.
Professor Fine: You've opened the portal for Zod!!
Lex/Zod: You have your father's eyes. Hello, Kal-El.
Clark: Where's Lex?
Lex/Zod: Lex is dead.
Clark: Why are you here?
Lex/Zod: For the same reason as anyone who'd been imprisoned like a beast: revenge.
Clark: I'll never join you.
Lex/Zod: I hope that's a decision you'll be able to live with... forever.

[edit] External Links

  • TV.com (summary and recap source)


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