"Forsaken" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of Smallville and the 21st produced episode of the series. Clark decides to tell Lana his secret to prevent her departure to Paris. Pete decides to move to Wichita after Frank Loder tries to beat Clark's secret out of him. While Chloe finally comes through for Lex, and he restores her deleted voice mail confession from Lionel.
Synopsis[]
Clark goes to the Talon and tentatively approaches Lana. He apologizes for the way he acted in Metropolis. Lana says she doesn't know how to respond to him because he says he keeps secrets to protect her, but he's the only thing that keeps hurting her. Clark admits that he's not even sure if he will stay. Lana goes in a back room and starts to cry, while Clark looks helpless.
Later, Lana is visiting Lex at the mansion when he gives her an upgraded first class ticket to Paris. Clark arrives and is surprised by Lana's presence, but she explains that she was just receiving some last minute travel tips from Lex. She leaves, and Clark asks Lex what to do about Lana. Lex advises Clark that if he isn't willing to be honest with Lana and move forward with her, then he needs to step aside and let her get on with her life.
Emily Dinsmore kills the Talon's new owner.
Emily Dinsmore is in her bedroom, but it is revealed to be some sort of laboratory in which one of the walls is a two-way mirror. A technician tells her it is time for bed and shuts out the lights. Left alone, Emily simply walks through the walls. At the partially dismantled Talon, Mr. Kerns, the new owner, is working late when he encounters Emily. She tells him that he is ruining the coffee shop by changing it and he mistakes her for Lana. He defends his actions, saying she is the one that signed the papers, and she kills him by sticking her hand straight through his chest.
The next morning, Lex arrives at the Kent Farm to ask Jonathan and Martha to sit at his table at the wedding rehearsal dinner in place of his parents. Jonathan accepts the invitation as an honor.
Clark goes to the Smallville Torch office to apologize to Chloe. He thanks her for not telling anyone where he was and admits he hasn't decided whether to stay in Smallville. Chloe argues that he needs to stop running away and face his demons. Later, Chloe approaches Lana and asks why she's avoiding her, and Lana admits that she is still angry that Chloe knew where Clark was and didn't tell anyone. Chloe is tired of fighting with her and explains the pressure Clark put on her to keep his secret. She liked being the person that Clark confided in, but she has to admit that the reason he is more comfortable talking with her than with Lana is because Clark is not in love with her.
Helen and Lex are stunned to learn that someone had broken into her office at the hospital. Nicole goes straight to the Kent Farm to tell Jonathan that the vial of Clark's blood that she drew from him is missing. Nicole suggests that Jonathan might have stolen it, but Jonathan accuses Lex.
Clark and Pete are playing basketball, and Pete tells him that his mother is moving to Wichita and admits that he has been avoiding his parents' divorce. He says he is going to stay in Smallville with his father so he doesn't miss out on senior year. Clark admits that he is thinking about telling Lana his secret to prevent her from leaving. That day at school, Clark asks Lana if she wants to go to Lex's rehearsal dinner. She doesn't think it's a good idea, but he explains that he wants to tell her something that he should have told her a long time ago. She accepts somewhat reluctantly. Suddenly, Clark starts to hear a voice telling him, "The day is coming," and he rushes away.
Lionel accuses Lex of betrayal.
Dr. Walden is now walking around, muttering the same phrase over and over. His cataracts have faded over the course of a day. When Dr. Marcus tells Lex that Dr. Walden should be sedated, Dr. Walden destroys the large glass window of his room with a blast of energy from his palm and runs away. Lex discovers Kryptonian symbols written on the ceiling of his room and asks Clark if he knows what they mean. Clark reiterates that he can't read the symbols and Lex claims to believe him. Meanwhile, Dr. Walden has returned to the cave. He is able to use a burst of energy from his palm to activate the circle of symbols on the cave wall. He appears to be gaining additional information from the experience.
Later, Nicole runs into Lana at the Talon and they talk about their relationship problems. Lana says that Clark isn't being completely honest with her and Nicole can relate. Later, she is snooping in Lex's study when Lionel catches her. He guesses that she is looking for whatever Lex took from her office and questions why she would marry a man she doesn't trust.
Clark goes to the Kawatche Caves looking for Dr. Walden when Lionel shows up. He remarks that he used to own a keepsake that would fit into the hole in the wall but it disappeared the day Clark rescued Martha from the siege at LuthorCorp. He informs Clark that he has taken over conservatorship of the caves. Lionel notices that the symbols surrounding the recess are in a different order. Clark warns Lionel that Dr. Walden is dangerous and goes home to tell his parents that Lionel controls the caves; Dr. Walden can read the symbols; and the symbols on the wall have changed. They now read, "The day is coming when the last son will begin his quest to rule the third planet".
Lex learns his restraining order to keep Lionel out of the caves was rejected. Just then, Dr. Walden shows up and announces that he has read the wall and the "last son" is Clark Kent. He tells them they have to kill Clark just before Dr. Marcus shoots him with a dart. On the way to the hospital, Dr. Walden comes out of sedation, shorts out the ambulance, and escapes.
Clark tells his mom that he has decided to tell Lana his secret. He says he and Pete are better friends since he found out. Martha simply says she trusts Clark to make his own decision. Jonathan admits to Clark that he doesn't think he should tell Lana, but he doesn't trust his instincts the way he used to and he is starting to feel that it is time to start letting go of Clark.
Chloe visits Clark and tells him that Dr. Walden woke up. She attempts to repair their friendship by asking him to write a story for the Torch with her. Clark says he is busy with the rehearsal, but he also wants to be friends again. He says it will take time, and Chloe says that it will work out if they are honest. Clark agrees and they part on friendly terms.
Chloe agrees to help Lex take Lionel down.
Chloe tells Lex that Lionel and Morgan Edge murdered his parents and she had a taped confession, but Lionel had it erased. However, she reasons that Lex's money and power can restore it. Lex asks why she is just now telling him, she says she can't get away from Lionel by herself, but she trusts Lex to protect her. Lex seems grateful for her help but worried for her safety.
At the rehearsal dinner, Lex warns Clark that Lionel heard Dr. Walden say that Clark will rule the world. Lex doesn’t think that Lionel will just let this go. Clark makes his toast as best man, seemingly aiming it at Lana, saying that true love is worth taking a chance no matter what the cost. Immediately after, Clark begins to hear a high-pitched whining sound, and leaves to get some air. He tells his parents that the key is calling him and rushes home to find Dr. Walden, still bent on destroying Clark. Dr. Walden blasts Clark through the barn wall with a beam of energy and holds him suspended until Clark uses his heat vision to knock him away. He superspeeds away and Dr. Walden tries to catch him with the beam. He hits a gas tank, causing an explosion, which envelops him and burns him to death. Clark pries the key from his charred hand. Later, when Lionel examines Dr. Walden's body, he sees that the only part not burned beyond recognition is an outline in his palm, shaped like an octagon with symbols on it.
Lex meets Lionel at his office and Lionel talks about an employee he wants to promote, but he isn't sure he can trust him. Lex tries to advise him, but Lionel rips the wire off of Lex's chest and accuses him of betrayal. Lex argues that Lionel forced his hand and he had to protect himself. Lex asks Lionel what is worth all of his obscure projects, and Lionel merely says that he shouldn't have to ask and kicks Lex out. When he leaves, Lionel gets a call from Frank Loder, who reports that Lex doesn't have any evidence against Lionel, but if he does it will stay buried, and that he is "looking into the Ross kid". He is holding a file on Clark. Lex tells Clark that the FBI is dropping the case against Lionel unless he finds new evidence.
Pete and Clark say goodbye.
Pete is driving home when Frank Loder pulls him over, saying he has to ask questions about his mother's federal judgeship. He takes Pete to a dock and beats him up while demanding to learn Clark Kent's secret, assuming that Clark's best friend must know it. Lex arrives just in time to pull Loder off, revealing that Lionel paid him off to drop the case and investigate Clark instead. Lex orders him to get back to Lionel's case and gives him a transcript of Lionel's voicemail confession. Loder backs off, but remarks that Pete is keeping a secret bigger than Lionel. Lex tells Pete that Clark was right confiding in him instead of Lex, because Pete is probably a better friend. Pete admits that he owes Lex for saving him from Loder and Lex is sure that Pete will return the favor someday when the time is right.
Pete goes to the Kent Farm and Clark is alarmed that Pete got beaten up. Pete warns Clark that Lex and Lionel are both interested in Clark to some degree and regretfully tells Clark that he can't stay in Smallville anymore because Clark won't be there to save him all the time. He tells Clark that keeping his secret is extremely hard and he could never forgive himself if he betrayed him. He then tells Clark of his decision to move to Wichita with his mother. Clark tries to convince him to stay, but Pete tearfully gives him a goodbye hug and drives away. Lana meets Clark in his loft and she asks Clark what he wanted to tell her, but realizing what just happened to Pete, he just gives her a kiss on the cheek and tells her to have a great time in Paris. Lana looks disappointed and betrayed, as she probably expected Clark to talk her out of leaving for Paris, and maybe even for him to tell her his secret. But she says goodbye and leaves.
Lex goes to Lionel's office again and asks Lionel about Dr. Walden. He is soon followed by Loder and other federal agents, who arrest him for the murder of his parents. He is ushered away in handcuffs. Standing in the office alone, Lex closes his eyes in pain.
After his arrest, Nicole asks Lex about the vial, he reassures her that he had nothing to do with her office break-in. He tells her that if she believes he could deceive her, maybe she shouldn't be marrying him. She calls his bluff by saying maybe he is right, and leaves. It is revealed that Lex did indeed steal the vial of Clark's blood from her office and has stored it in a box behind a bookshelf.
Memorable Quotes[]
- "You sound like Lex. He thinks I'm the reason Lana's leaving. "
- "Well, I hate to agree with Uncle Fester, but I don't think Lana's going to Paris just to see the Mona Lisa."
- Clark Kent and Pete Ross
- "My father's sort of mastered the art of covering his tracks. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
- "You mean like hiding things from your best friend? You tell me, Lex."
- "Look, I'm a little under the gun. If I did something to upset you, you're gonna have to be more specific."
- Lex Luthor and Clark Kent
- "We can't locate her."
- "I'll congratulate her when I see her."
- "Be careful, son. Don't forget. Judas hung himself with his own rope."
- "Clark was probably right confiding in you instead of me. He couldn't ask for a better friend."
- "I thought that guy was gonna kill me. I guess I owe you a thanks."
- "I'm sure when the time comes, you'll do the same for me."
- Lex Luthor and Pete Ross
- "Do you ever wish I never told you about me?"
- "It's rough at times covering with Chloe and everybody, but the truth is, no one's ever put that much trust in me before."
- Clark Kent and Pete Ross
- "Clark. Asking someone to keep your secret is a big responsibility. You know, look at Pete. It hasn't been easy for him."
- "I know. Pete has had some close calls. But I'm still glad I told him, and so is he. It's made us better friends."
- "Are you sure Lana's ready?"
- "She keeps asking me to be honest. I owe her the chance to decide for herself."
- "I know that I told you keeping your secret wasn't hard. But I lied. I walk around every day afraid that I'm gonna slip up."
- "Well, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
- "Because you needed a friend. And so did I."
- "You don't have to move away. You don't have to change your whole life. There's got to be a way. No one even has to know we're friends."
- "There's a lot of things that I can handle. But I could never live with myself if I betrayed you."
- "Pete..."
- "I'll see you around, Clark."
- Pete Ross and Clark Kent
Music[]
- "I Don't Know What You're Thinking" - I Don't Know What You're Thinking
- "When The Sun Goes Down" - Charlie Mars
- "La Fille Du Regiment (Convien Partir)" - Gaetano Donizetti