"And now, the next senator of the state of Kansas..." "Mr. Jonathan Kent." "Thank you." "Thank you, really." "Thank you." "Thank you all very much for coming out here this evening." "I'm sure that many of you had more important things to do tonight... than listen to some farmer... talk about the importance of corn subsidies." "When I told my family that I had indeed decided to run against Lex Luthor... they were surprised, to say the least." "I don't think they really understood why I want to run." "Or why this is so very important to me." "But the truth is actually..." "It's actually very simple." "The courage to help all Kansans, whether they're rich or whether they're poor." "And do my very best to put the heart back in the Heartland." "Thank you." "Mr. Luthor, this is your itinerary for tomorrow." "Push the mayor lunch and get me a photo op at the hospital." " Yes, sir." " The nurses' union is key in the 49th." "One more thing." "I need the new poll numbers from last night." "Yes, sir." "Central Kansas Students for Lex Luthor, sir." "You have 5 minutes tops." "Thucydides said, "We are either kings among men or the pawns of kings."" "The fact that you're here demonstrates that you strive for the former." "The youth vote is stronger than we ever expected... and I have you to thank for that." "But we cannot afford to be complacent." "Great leaders are forged from those who see beyond the boundaries... who go beyond the extra mile." "They go the extra 10." "Defeat is not an option." "Samantha Drake, president of Students for Lex Luthor." "Well, then I should thank you personally for my spike in the MTV vote." "It's such an honor to finally meet you." "I know it is kind of geeky, but I'd be so psyched... if I could get a picture with you." "Well, anything I can do to keep up morale with the troops." "Excuse me." "Thank you." "Could you get the painting in the background?" "That's what your father gave you after you closed the Metrotech deal, isn't it?" "Well, looks like you've done your homework, Miss Drake." "Thank you very much." "Used to wear a cross." "Sir, the limo is waiting." "Thank you very much." " This is Lex." " You wanted a grenade to throw..." "In the Kent camp." "I got an atomic bomb." "This isn't a secure line." "Just meet me at Rampart and Broadway." "Atomic warfare?" "A little overdramatic for local politics, isn't it?" "I got no problems ending this conversation right now." "I believe in the political weapons trade... the deal usually goes to the highest bidder." "Thank you." "Is this for real?" "Sosnik had it all trucked up from Metropolis." "I keep expecting some mobster with a carnation to step out and plug me." "I have to admit, it's not exactly us." "You sure this guy knows what he's doing?" "Clark, Sosnik helped Jack win five elections." "I'm sure he knows more about this stuff than we do." "I think he's trying to turn you into a Luthor." "Is there a problem?" "I was just wondering if you've ever actually met the Kents." "You see someone is gonna vote for Mr. Kent because they relate to him." "And who is gonna believe that he supports local farmers... when he looks like some business blowhard..." "No offense, Mr. Kent." "Who wants to buy them out?" "Yeah, well, that's called bridging the demo gap, dear." "Does bridging the gap also include misquoting the candidate?" "Wait a minute." "It says, "Jonathan Kent is quoted as saying:" "'It's possible to serve corporate interests and maintain the public welfare.'"" " I never said that." " I did." " You did?" " Yes." "Look, this whole John-boy thing..." "Don't get me wrong, you're good at it." "You may win the cowpokes, but there's a pool of voters... that are more familiar with lattes than they are with digging post holes." "What I really need here is somebody... who cares about what I believe in more than they care about winning." "I'm sorry, but you gotta go, Sosnik." "You're fired." " Pack it up, guys." " I'll go ahead." "Not that that didn't totally rock, Mr. Kent." "But I have no idea how you're gonna find a replacement." "I do." "Oh, me?" "What do I know about being a campaign manager?" "What do I know about being a state senator?" "Right." "I'll get it." "Jonathan Kent." "This is your last warning to drop out of the campaign." "I told you not to call here again." "Hey, what are you doing?" "Sorry, but CKU regulations dictate that all campaign materials... can be no larger than 20-by-24." "Okay, I think you're taking this campus gestapo thing way too seriously." "The state's future depends on it, Ms. Lane." "How do you know my name?" " Lex says, "Always know your enemy."" " Leave it to Lex... to treat this election like a hostile takeover... which is what he's gonna do to the entire state." "Progress requires sacrifices." "Mr. Kent is neck and neck with your fascist environmental annihilator." "You heard what Lex said:" ""True leaders see beyond boundaries."" "He set the bar." "Now we need to raise it higher." "Defeat is not an option." "Coming." " Hi." " Hi." "It looks like someone's had a long day of campaigning." "More like a long day of Lois." "Well, as much as I'd like to make a fool of myself at the ice rink... we could always stay in tonight." "Okay." "What happened?" "Did I hurt you?" "Unless you're the one who assigned six diagrams on planetary rotation." "On second thought, maybe we should go." "Okay, this couldn't be more awkward." "But we haven't been together since I came to Met U." " You mean we haven't had..." " Sex." "Clark, you can't tell me that you haven't noticed." "Things between us haven't been the same... since you miraculously came back from the dead." "I know." "I..." "Lana, I can't explain that anymore." "It changed me." "Maybe I'll never understand what you went through... but you're still the same person, aren't you?" "Clark, I don't know." "It's just..." "Feels like you're afraid to touch me anymore." "Did something happen?" "Clark?" "Okay, is this where I have to remind you... that you said we wouldn't keep things from each other anymore?" "Why is this about me?" "You pulled away first." "You moved to Metropolis two weeks after we got together." "And now you spend every moment with these books." " Why astronomy?" " It's homework." "It's an obsession." "And that thing about honesty, it works both ways." "Nice deflection." "But I don't fall for that anymore." "I'm gonna go get some air." "Now, just who in the hell are you?" "Are you the one that's been calling me?" "Hey!" "Are you the guy that's been calling me?" "Stay away from me and my family." "It's obviously true what they say." ""Behind every great man, is a great woman."" "The campaign must be taking up a lot of your time." "Yes, it is." "But, fortunately, Jonathan and I have a lot of help." "Unfortunately, not enough to win." "You know, Lex is entering the last stretch of the campaign... with infinite resources." "And I believe you are down, financially, to nothing." "I'm glad to see you're finally behind your son." "I thought you knew me better than that, Lionel." "I would never give up on my husband." "You misunderstand me." "Lex has deep pockets... and Jonathan needs at least the money to match that." "This is more than money to match." "We've run this campaign on his beliefs... and that's what's gonna win him the election." "Jonathan would never accept this." "I know." "I fully expected Jonathan... to barrel his way through the campaign fueled by blind idealism... but I was hoping you'd be more savvy." "Perhaps you have your own personal reasons... for wanting Jonathan not to win." "I know you didn't come by this late just to drop off this press release." "What happened?" "Well, how far do you wanna cross this friendship boundary?" "Since when did we have boundaries?" "All right." "Why don't you just leave out the details." "Well, everything was fine between Lana and I, when I was human." "I mean, it was great." "Okay." "Clark?" "But now that I have my abilities back, it's like our sex life... has been on hiatus." "I know I'm going to regret asking this question, but why?" "Because it just takes some time for me to adjust my abilities to new situations." "Awkward factor eight." "So basically, what you're saying is that... you're afraid that in the heat of the moment you might..." "Please don't make me finish this sentence, Clark." "Well, you see, that's the thing." "I'm not sure what would happen." " If I couldn't control myself..." " You know what?" "That's something that can never be unseen." " It's not funny." " No, you're right, it's not." "It's just that this conversation definitely cements me as your krypto-hag." "Look, Clark..." "You can shake my hand without crushing it, right?" "And you don't incinerate everyone you look at with your heat-vision thing." "So it's pretty much the same thing, right?" "I mean, metaphorically." "But you didn't need me to tell you all this." "So, what gives?" "I think I got used to lying to Lana when we were friends." " Now it's different." " Yeah." "You know, Clark, I mean, I'm playing my best on defense... but I think you're in denial about what Lana knows." "I mean, she's studying astronomy." "The meteors, the fact that the undead topic comes up daily." " I can't just tell her." "It's too risky." " Okay, fine." "Don't tell her." "Your game has to switch from defense to offense... because sooner or later, Lana will ask all the wrong people... all the right questions." "You didn't say much on the ride home." "Are you sure everything's okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "I'll just be glad when the election is over." "Shelby, hi." "What's the matter?" "What's wrong?" "I moved the rally to next week so Mr. Kent can recover." " Or not." " Dad, what are you doing?" "I can't let them stop me." "I will tell them the rally's a go again." "I thought the doctor said he was going to keep you overnight." "No, then they'd have exactly what they want." "It's not the first time they've called, is it, Dad?" "Jonathan, how could you keep this from us?" "We're in this as a family." "Are we?" "You were never happy about me running... and now you want me to quit." "Maybe you're willing to risk your life over this, but I'm not willing to watch." "I have got to see this thing through, Martha." "Do as I say, not as I do, huh, Dad?" "Look, I never taught you to buckle under pressure." "Especially not from Lex Luthor." "Lex?" "You think he'd go this far?" "There's no limit to what Lex Luthor would do, son." "Clark, I heard what happened." "I wanna make sure your father's okay." "Trust me, this is about as close to my father as you wanna get right now." "He thinks I was behind it?" " What do you expect him to believe?" " The truth." "I issued a press release denouncing the attack... and offered a reward for information leading to the assailants' capture." "Lex, why is some state senate seat so important to you?" "It's a stepping stone." "To what?" "It's like Apollo asking Icarus why he's building wings." "You have everything you've ever wanted." "I'm sorry if I'm still searching." "What if you don't win?" "What if you get to the capitol and haven't found what you're looking for?" "There's always the White House." "Look, I promise you, we're gonna find out who did this to your dad." "Didn't work." "We failed him." "Well, now we know what we need to do." " And I already have everything in place." " Samantha, chill out." "We already went too far, and it totally backfired." "We need to turn ourselves in... before somebody points the finger at Lex." "Lex asked us to go the extra 10 miles." " Am I the only one willing to do that?" " What are you saying?" "There is one thing that Kent can't bounce back from." "I'm going to the cops before this gets any more out of control." "Lex would have never... given up that easily." "I waited at the drop-off, but Griff never showed." "Find out what happened to him." "I didn't recognize you for a moment." "I wanted to show you how devoted I am to you." "Well, you certainly have." "I have all the enabling devices I need, thank you." "Though, apparently, I could use better security." "Don't they always say never use your birthday as your security code?" "Or more specifically... your brother's?" "Interesting choice of perfume." "Hermès." "It's your favorite." "I know everything about you, Mr. Senator." "Senator." "Now, aren't you a little ahead of yourself?" "Not now." "Not with Jonathan Kent out of the picture." "I would never condone what happened to Mr. Kent." "Of course not." "You've got to distance yourself." "It's like you said in the "Herald" article:" ""Strike when you can, but never leave yourself vulnerable."" "Please tell me you weren't responsible for that attack." "It's okay, Lex." "I know what you want me to do... and I would never want you to take the fall for it." "You may have read everything about me... but don't assume you know me." "I would never hurt the Kents." "You're losing your edge, Lex." "And you've clearly gone over it." "My security will escort you to the police station." "You're just having a moment of weakness." "That's why you need me." "Lex Luthor going "Godfather" on your dad?" "I don't know, Clark." "Lex seems like the guy who lives for the fight as much as the victory." "Here's a list of the calls logged on our phone today." "Dad pawned that one off as a wrong number." "It's blocked." "I'll let my fingers do the walking." "Just give me a second." "It's not like your dad to keep something like this a secret." "He's turned into a different person, like he's got something to prove." "Maybe just to his son." "What does running for senator have to do with me?" "Think about it, Clark." "It must be hard being a role model... for a guy who pulls people out of a burning building and stops missiles... all between chores and dinner." " No one's expecting him to do that." " True." "But it's not gonna stop him from trying." "Oh, here we go." "Let's see what we got." "All right." "The call was made from..." "The Students for Lex Luthor office at CKU." "To do my part to put the 'heart' back in the "Heartland."" " Great closing line." " They're Martha's words." "I just hope she shows up in time to hear me say them." "Are you sure you wanna do this?" "We have extra security... but it's not too late to postpone." "What kind of leader would I be if I let some pranksters make me back down?" "And now, the next senator..." " Jacket?" " Oh, yeah." " "Mr. Jonathan Kent!"" " You look wonderful." " Knock them dead, boss." " Yeah." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Really, thank you." " Thank you all very much for..." " Excuse me." "Hey." "When I told my family that I had... indeed, decided to run against Lex Luthor... they were surprised, to say the least." "But their support has been unwavering." "You see, I've been inspired." "I've been inspired by my son, whose courage seems to..." " Talk about an initiation gone wrong." " Get up." "Those basic training skills are looking a little rusty." "Like I said, know your enemy." "Look, magna cum laude psycho... you are not gonna shoot Jonathan Kent." "You're right." "You are." "In fact, it is because of my family that I have the courage to run at all." "I don't think they really understood... why I want to run or why this is so very important to me." "But the truth is actually..." "It's actually very simple." "The courage to help all Kansans, whether they're rich..." "Nobody will ever believe I would shoot Jonathan Kent." "Really?" "Beautiful girl comes to live under his roof." "His wife gets a little too busy at that coffee shop." "Suddenly, he fires a seasoned political consultant... and takes the girl on the campaign trail." "Until it all goes wrong... and the spurned lover gets her revenge." "Now, just aim at Jonathan's head and shoot." "Didn't General Lane teach you anything?" "Actually, he did." "Get down, sir." "Martha?" " Lois." " Don't sweat it, Smallville." "Better late than never." ""Regard your soldiers as your children... and they will follow you into the deepest valleys."" ""Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they..."" ""Will stand by you, even unto death."" "You really don't have to quote "The Art of War" to me, Dad." "I read it cover to cover three times before I finished high school." "Although, I still would have preferred a bike for my 14th birthday." "Yes." "Well, despite your intense studies... it seems Jonathan Kent, after yesterday's theatrics... has surged ahead of you in the polls." " I didn't have anything to do with that." " No, no, of course you didn't." "It looks like your disciples tried to follow in your footsteps." "They have succeeded in creating quite a mess." "How does it feel, Lex, to have people worship you?" "Being the idol for a cult of psychopaths isn't exactly a power trip, Dad." "No, but I suppose being a state senator would be." "Isn't that why you're running for office?" "You wanna know the truth?" "I'm running because it's something I have to work for." "Yes." "And your noble efforts include employing hired guns... to dig up information about the Kents that could destroy them." "Well, so much for your fatherly pride and support in this campaign, huh, Dad?" "Griff's dead." "His body turned up in the back alley of Suicide Slums this morning." "And somehow, I don't think the Kents did it." "Dangerous neighborhood, Lex." "Would it have killed you this one time to actually be on my side?" "You're slipping, son." "First Professor Milton Fine vanishes from your radar." "Now, Griff." "It..." "It might be time to dust this off." " All the teachers will be there?" " Yes." "All right." "Great." "And here are the talking points for the teachers' union." " And don't forget..." " I've got the firefighters' breakfast." "Don't worry, Lois, I'm not gonna forget." "Firefighters." "I might have to tag along for that one." " There's gotta be a few perks to this job." " Good news." "You're up 10 points in the polls after the rally yesterday." "Looks like we can win this thing after all, huh?" " I gotta run." "Bye." " Bye." "It's great to see him so optimistic." "Yeah." "I hate to be the one to burst his bubble." "What do you mean?" "Lex is running 800 ads and dropping three mailers... in the next two weeks." "We're ahead, but that much coverage... will make Mr. Kent a distant memory by election day." "And as far as I can tell..." "We're out of money." "I've been trying to figure out how to tell him for a couple of days." "If we don't find some major green... he can kiss that fancy leather chair at the capitol goodbye." "There is one other option." "But you have to promise me never to tell Jonathan." "Lana." "I wasn't expecting to see you here." "I wasn't about to leave things the way they were." " Look, Clark..." " Look, Lana, I..." "You were right." "I was pulling away." "It's because I've been wanting to be with you for so long." "But I feel like I'd just screw it up." "Clark, I would never let you go that easily." "Maybe we just need to slow down and try and get back to where we were." "I freak out..." "I screw up and I blame everything on you, and you forgive me." "No questions asked." "Maybe that's because it's not all your fault." "What you said about me running off to Met U... and getting all caught up in my homework." "It's not entirely false." "Clark, I've been studying the meteor showers." " You were gonna leave that in the past." " I know I did, and I tried to." "But those meteors changed my life." "And now with the second shower..." "Clark, there is no way that they're random." "What are you saying?" "Okay, well, you know that spacecraft that I saw during this last shower?" "I was looking into the satellite imagery from the first meteor shower..." "The one that happened when we were kids." "And there's something that doesn't crash... the way the other meteors do." "It..." "Well, it kind of lands." "Clark, what if a ship came down in the first meteor shower as well... and whoever was in it has been here with us this entire time?" " Thank you for coming." " It's my pleasure." "I'm always here for you, Martha."