Now this is more like it….
This episode had so much, it almost felt like a movie. We advanced the ongoing storylines, introduced another character from the comics, no typical freak-of-the week, and the goofy Lana sub-plot was kept to a minimum. Clark is growing up. He actually sounds like Jonathan when talking to Bart. For the first time this season, I don’t have any negative comments.
We meet Bart (“The Flash”) Allen, a really fast kid who dresses in orange and gold, in a seedy garage in Metropolis, uses his talent to rip people off. His attempt to fence what he steals doesn’t go so well, and he escapes with the booty and the low amount of cash they were offering. Then we cut to Clark and Jonathan (as the Flannel Bros.) leaving a doctor’s office in Metropolis. Some well-done expository dialogue gets us up to speed (HAH!) for those tuning in just to see the Flash. Lex got them tickets to the Metropolis Sharks baseball game. Then, as always on
Smallville, a vehicle goes out of control, threatening to run over Jonathan. But there’s a super-speed rescue, and it’s not Clark. It’s our flashy pickpocket, who not only saves Jonathan, but lifts his wallet, which included the game tickets. Oops.
Clark asks his father to let him investigate the kid before he calls to report his stolen wallet. Then, he takes off to find Chloe to help. Jonathan wants to spend a romantic evening with Martha, but she has to work late at the Talon, which of course, annoys Jonathan.
Cut to some gross smooching noises as we pan over Lana and Jason making out somewhere on school property (student and faculty fraternizing – big no-no). She gets defensive about her tattoo and storms out. Good, short and sweet. Then in his mansion, Lex opens up a crate that holds an ancient scroll in a frame. He smile satisfactorily.
Back in Metropolis, Clark’s investigation leads him to a hotel room. He scans the room and sees all kinds of gear (including a comic book) Clark sees a backpack with a lightning bolt on it (Flash logo!) then pulls out a bunch of fake IDs. Clark reads the names – Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West. Clark tells him he’s not the only one who can move like that, and they set off on a super-speed chase, where Bart evades Clark with his running-on-water trick, which Clark apparently hasn’t mastered yet. Clark super-speeds home to find Bart waiting for him, “Hey, Clark. What took you so long?”
Bart refers to himself as “the fastest man alive,” explains his origin as an accident with a huge flash of light, and his “body went into overdrive.” Clark is surprised to learn that accident didn’t happen in Smallville, meaning it had nothing to do with Kryptonite. Bart’s parents treated him differently so he ran away and lives on the streets. This is where Clark starts showing a bit of a mentor mentality, foreshadowing Superman’s leadership role among other heroes. When trying to learn about Clark, he uncovers Kryptonite in his loft and sees the effect it has on Clark. After a super-speed chase to Miami, they visit to the Talon. Clark introduces Chloe to Bart, who tells her he’s from the future (in a nod to the comic version of Bart Allen). He impresses Chloe with some super-speed trick he chalks up to magic. Mom’s at the Talon to tell Clark Lex is looking for him.
At the mansion, Lex shows Clark his latest find, specifically the “cave symbols” (Kryptonian language) on the outer parts of it. It’s the last surviving page of a 14th century manuscript that depicts a warrior’s victory. Supposedly the page leads to a path of unimaginable power. Clark thought Lex wasn’t interested in the cave anymore. Still interested, Lex explains, but not obsessed. Clark can read the symbols. It says repeatedly, “look deeper.” So his X-ray vision reveals a map hidden beneath the scroll. The page is protected with state-of-the art security. As Clark leaves, he runs into Bart who had sneaked a peek inside the room once devoted to Clark. Lex hears Clark talking to someone but Bart is gone.
Clark tells his father the map is related to the quest that Jor-El wanted Clark to go on. He wants to find it because hanging out with Bart reminded him he wasn’t normal Clark gives Bart another lecture about the proper use of his powers, then returns to the mansion to look at the manuscript. Bart speeds in, steals it and leaves Clark standing there with the alarms blaring, as Lex and a security guard burst in. Clark lies to Lex and says he doesn’t know who did it. Lex says he believes him because a real friend wouldn’t lie to him. Lex isn’t worried because the thief will “learn that there’s nowhere on earth he can run from Lex Luthor.”
Martha and Lana have a moment in the Talon after hours, where she confesses that the only time she isn’t worrying about losing Jonathan is when she’s working. Lana points out that if she’s working all the time, then she’s already losing him. “A summer in Paris has really given you some insight,” Martha tells Lana, in the cheesiest line of the episode.
Bart has taken the manuscript to the thugs he dealt with in the beginning, but Lex has already been alerted. They knock out Bart, showing the lightning bolt symbol on his belt as well. Lex says to let the kid go, but the thugs want to take care of him themselves. Lex tells them the police are on their way. Lex hold his own against the thugs as they attack him until the leader takes him out and proceeds point a gun at Bart. “Let’s see if you’re faster than a speeding bullet.” That’s Clark’s cue to show up, take out the bad guy, and warn Bart that this is how his powers can hurt people. Clark checks on the unconscious Lex. Bart says it doesn’t change anything, and whips out the kryptonite. Another heart-to-heart, Bart closes the kryptonite box and takes off.
“I spend so much time trying to hide who I am, I feel like two different people,” Clark confesses to his Dad after saying that he envies the way Bart openly flaunts his powers. Then he takes off at super-speed. Martha comes home, so her and Jonathan engage in some sexy banter and have a romantic moment.
Interlude to the Lana sub-plot: Lana and Jason are exploring the caves because Lana doesn’t want to hide anything from him. She shows him the symbols on the cave that match the ones she saw at the church in Paris, as well as the tattoo on her back. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together,” Jason assures her.
At the mansion, Clark checks up on Lex. The manuscript is back mysteriously. Clark checks to see if the map is still there, which it is. Lex tells him that manuscript is phony, which we know is a lie because of the map. As Clark leaves, we see Lex’s computer, showing the map. The mutual lying has begun anew.
Clark is trying to draw the map from memory back at the farm when Bart shows back up. When Clark asks Bart what’s next, he says he’s going to try to find others like them, and start, a “club, or league or something.” Another great reference. Bart says if he can catch him, he’d consider staying. Clark doesn’t have a prayer – so we definitely know who’s faster.
Wow, I enjoyed this one. Next week, Lionel’s back in a body-switch with Clark! Holy freaky Friday!
