Smallville (2001–2011): Season 4, Episode 17 - Onyx - full transcript

An experiment with heated (black) kryptonite at Luthorcop causes an explosion which badly wounds Dr. Sinclair, the scientist in charge, and creates a molecular copy of Lex which has the evil side of his personality. While the real Lex shows Clark the experiment was to create far stronger crops, the evil one gives Sinclair a fatal injection in hospital after questioning him. Fearing an effect on himself, 'Evil Lex' locks the good Lex up wearing an iron mask and sets out ruining lives in Smallville, such as closing The Talon when Lana refuses to be his girlfriend, and taunting Lionel Luthor badly enough to make him turn away from charity. When Chloe shows Clark proof on hospital video recordings there must by two Lex's, Super-boy is duped into telling the fiend everything, believing him to be the real one, so the Clark family and Chloe become his prime targets, and he knows about green kryptonite and its affect on Clark.

Are you sure you've corrected the problem, Dr. Sinclair?

Absolutely, Mr. Luthor.

The simulations have all been positive.
Increasing thermal variance by 98%

should eliminate the separation impurity.

Six months of this,
and all you had to do was turn up the heat?

Well, it's not that simple, Mr. Luthor.

I mean, the composition of these
meteor rocks is highly unusual.

Calculating the exact temperature was a challenge.

One I hope you're up to.

If this works, I'll leave a mark on the world
no one will ever forget.

It won't hurt your bank account, either.



Initiating sequence.

Thermal sequence initiating.

Increasing thermal output.

70%.

Come on, come on...

Approaching optimum thermal reaction.

Opening the irradiation samples.

Subject seeds exposed to radiation.

90%.

Absorption level as expected.

Irregular molecular stimulation noted in subject seeds.

95%.

98%. Power objective attained.

Molecular activity exceeding control model.



Thermal level continues to accelerate.

- Thermal levels exceeding safety parameters.
- What's happening?

The temperature is climbing past the target range.

Shut it down.

I'm trying, sir. I'm trying.

Thermal levels exceeding safety parameters.

Get outta here!

Doc, are you okay?

I'm calling this one a failure.

Come on Dr. Sinclair, I'll get you in a hospital.

Smallville - Season 4 Episode 17
"Onyx"

Lex, are you okay?

Clark,

I'm fine.

How did you know I was here?

One of your EMTs is a friend of mine.
She said there was an explosion at Luthorcorp?

What happened?

We were conducting an experiment.

Well, I'm guessing it didn't go well.

Not exactly as I hoped, but it was worth the risk.

I'm sure it was...

To Luthorcorp's bottom line.

To the world, Chloe.

Look, why don't the two of you come with me to the lab,

and I'll show you what Dr. Sinclair and I
have been working on?

I really think you're gonna like this one.

All right, let's go.

Clark, wait, I'm not buying any story
from a Luthor without corroboration.

So I'm gonna go talk to Dr. Sinclair
and find out what he has to say about this.

Okay. I'll check out the lab with Lex.

Just be careful, okay?
I mean, no matter what he says,

Luthorcorp experiments never end well.

Wow...

That looks like it hurts.

What happened?

Well, I was hoping you could tell me.

There was an explosion.

Do you remember anything else after the accident?

Anything unusual?

Like what?

Like seeing two of me?

What?

I think the explosion caused some kind of separation...

A division at the molecular level.
I don't know, but...

I saw myself, Doctor.

I saw another Lex Luthor.

My God.

What about reversing it?

Is there any way to force the two "me"s back together?

My research notes are back in the lab. If...

If I had those...

I might be able to find a way to reverse the process.

I'm gonna go back to the lab

and get the notes.

In the meantime,

why don't you get some rest?

Lex?

Chloe.

I thought you left for the lab with Clark.

Well, I just wanted to check in on Dr. Sinclair first.

Hmm. Was he all right?

Not feeling a thing.

Well, I was hoping I could maybe talk to him.

Well, he's sleeping now.

Maybe you should come back later...
When he's feeling a little more alive.

Okay.

Code blue - room 213.
Code blue - room 213.

He's arresting. Defibrillator.

This is what your secret experiment was about... Gardening?

No, Clark,

it's about the future.

These are growing in common sand,

with only a few drops of water as irrigation.

If my dad planted a crop of these,
he'd never have to worry about the harvest again.

Until it arrived on your dinner table.

Taste it.

Those were grown from irradiated seeds.

- Something's wrong. It tastes...
- ... rotten?

That's what we've been wrestling with.

See, we've successfully destroyed the genes
that make a plant weak,

giving it the ability to thrive
under the harshest conditions.

But the process also affects the fruit it bears,
and not for the better.

Is that what you were trying to fix
when the explosion happened?

Dr. Sinclair thought increasing the temperature
of the reaction would solve the problem.

We pushed it further than we ever have, Clark,
but the meteor rock became unstable.

What, you're working with meteor rocks again?

If I can find a way to make this work,

Luthorcorp could put an end to hunger and famine forever.

I'm hoping there's something in Dr. Sinclair's notes
that'll explain exactly what went wrong.

Clark, are you all right?

Yeah, um,

I don't think that apple's sitting very well.
I'll wait for you outside.

Lex.

I haven't forgotten. I know I'm...

I'm not welcome here,
but I heard there was an accident at Luthorcorp,

and I wanted to be sure you were all right.

I'm fine, dad.

Thanks for the concern.

Well, I'm...

I'm grateful you're all in one piece.

Sorry. I'm sorry for the intrusion.

Dad...

Are you still planning on your

charity fundraiser saturday?

Yes.

I must say, it's quite an interesting challenge trying to...

Get the deep pockets to show up
for a salad bar and ginger chicken.

Would it help if the head of Luthorcorp
promised to make an appearance?

Really.

You'd do that?

Under one condition.

Oh.

You hold the event on the top floor
of Luthorcorp plaza in Metropolis.

I'll even reach out to a few of those reluctant deep pockets.

That's very generous of you.

Oh, you must be rubbing off on me.

I admit, I had my doubts about the motives
behind your sudden philanthropy,

but I can see how much joy
helping the less fortunate is bringing you.

Dad, I'm...

I'm proud of you.

Thank you, Lex.

I'm truly grateful.

For everything.

Amazing work, isn't it?

Hello, me.

Meet the real you.

Well, I can't have you running about, can I?

Who are you?

Well, that's a question
I've been struggling with for years.

Hey, remember the last time we were in this room?

Dad told us not to play down here,
but I whispered in your ear to do it anyway?

The door blew shut,

locking me in. No one could hear me.

You were so afraid.

A scared,

trembling child.

I hated you for that.

My god...

You're me.

No, Lex.

I'm much, much more.

The explosion in the lab...

freed me from your weakness.

At last, I can embrace my true destiny.

Yeah! Come on! Come on! You can do it!

Stop me! Come on!

You disappoint me.

As always.

If I'm such a letdown, why don't you just kill me?

Nothing would make me happier.

Unfortunately, I don't know
what will happen to me if you die.

Are we somehow still connected?

Would I cease to exist...
as you gasp your last breath?

I'm not keen on taking that chance.

You can't keep me locked down here forever.

Why?

No one heard our screams when we were a child.

No one will hear yours now.

Just like in that Dumas story.

It was always one of our favorites, wasn't it?

King Louis XIV imprisons his twin brother in the bastille,

forcing him to live out his final days

behind an iron mask.

No.

See, most people think Louis did it
to hide his brother's true identity, but...

We know better.

He did it because he couldn't stand looking
at such a pale reflection of his own greatness.

Don't...

No! No!

Shh, shh, shh.

It's good to be the king.

I guess it's up to me
to show the world the real Lex Luthor.

Chloe.

Hey.

It's about time...
Pretty slow for the quarterback.

Ex-quarterback. What's so important?

Dr. Sinclair.

Did he say something about the explosion at Luthorcorp?

He couldn't.

He's dead, Clark.

What? What happened?

Cardiac arrest.

In a guy with no history of heart problems.

Well, I'd better go tell Lex.

He already knows, I think.

I bumped into him coming out
of Dr. Sinclair's room just before he died.

When was this?

Right after you left for the lab.

Wha... Chloe, I was with Lex.

We went to the lab together.

Which would be about the same time
I was talking to Lex outside Dr. Sinclair's room.

Well, that's impossible.

Not in Smallville.
You of all people should know that.

You know...

Because of all the weird stuff you've seen.

Well, there must be a way to figure out the timeline.

Yeah, there is. Smallville medical center
has a surveillance system

which, as far as you know, I've never hacked into
because that would be wrong.

It's just gonna take a while.

Call me if you find anything.

Lex.

What are you doing here?

I got a message on my cell that you wanted to see me.

So you just let yourself in?

My bad.

Would you like me to go?

No, no, uh, it's okay.
You kinda just surprised me.

I've been doing that to a lot of people.

So what can I do for miss Lang this afternoon?

I wanted to talk to you about Jason.

Oh.

Him.

I, uh, I really appreciate everything that
you've already told me about Jason and his mom,

um,

but do you really think...

What I think, Lana,

is you deserve better.

You deserve to be with someone who

recognizes how extraordinary you are.

Lex, what are you doing?

What I've always wanted to.

Well, I do like them feisty.

Get out of my apartment.

If that's how you want to play it.

Oh, by the way, I'm closing the Talon.

What?

You can't do that.

Hmm... I think I can.

Lex, this is my home. Where am I supposed to go?

That's really up to you, isn't it?

Lana, you could live like a queen by my side,

or get tossed out with the rest of the garbage.

Why don't you think about it?

I know I will.

Lex,

what's going on? What the hell are you doing?

Seizing the moment, dad.

Just like you taught me.

Same time tomorrow?

Now, what's your problem with me this time, old man?

It was your offer to hold the fundraiser
at Luthorcorp plaza,

then you go behind my back and cancel the whole thing.
Why would you do that?

"Because helping those who refuse to help themselves
is a waste of time and money, son!"

Isn't that what the old Lionel Luthor used to say?

I've changed. People change. Lex...

No, they don't.
They just get soft... Like you.

All right, dad,

I'll let you have your little blue plate charity soiree.

I'll even make a generous contribution.

And what would I have to do in exchange
for this contribution, hmm?

Ah...

I want you to prove you're still worthy
to be my father.

Are you insane? Lex...

No. Just curious.

I'm not going to fight you!

Lex! Stop it! Lex! Stop it!

Is your miraculous transformation
into the man in the white suit genuine,

or is it all just an act?

Lex, stop this! Stop it now! Lex, stop it!

Do you even know the answer to that question,
or have you been too afraid to ask?

What's inside you, dad? Is it really just puppies
and hugs now, or is there something else

twisting in your gut, squirming to be free again?

I knew you were in there somewhere, father.

You should've stayed in prison.

You were safer there.

Lana?

Are you okay?

Yeah.

No.

Uh,

did you know that Lex is going to close the Talon?

No.

Who told you that?

He did.

Well, I saw him last night. He didn't mention anything.

Clark, when I, um, when I came home,
he was in my apartment.

The way he was acting... It was...

It was like he was a totally different person.

Maybe he was.

Do you think that maybe he's having another psychotic break?

It's more complicated than that.

It always is, isn't it?

You think you know someone,

but there's this side of them that you never see...

Until it's too late.

Well, you've certainly seen me at my worst.

And at your best.

Lana...

Hello.

Clark,

I found surveillance footage of Lex and me

outside of Dr. Sinclair's room talking.

And

of you and Lex leaving the med center.

What about the time stamps?

They're identical.

Looks like our favorite billionaire
has one hell of a split personality.

Yeah.

Thanks.

Lex.

I need to talk to you.

This is important.

Well, I always have time for a friend, Clark.

What's on your mind?

What did we talk about last night?

We talked about a lot of things...

The future...

Changing the world...

Reshaping it into a better place.

And then you started to feel sick.

You said it was from the apple.

That's right.

Clark, what's this all about?

Well, I had to be sure who I was talking to.

What?

Lex, Dr. Sinclair is dead.
Someone murdered him.

Clark, who would do something like that?

Well, you would.

Well, I mean...

At least someone who looks like you.

Where did you get these?

Chloe pulled them off the surveillance system
at the medical center.

She saw you leaving Sinclair's room

at the same time we were going to Luthorcorp.

How is this possible?

Something must've happened
when the meteor rock exploded during your experiment.

What are you saying...

This other Lex is some kind of copy?

I think he's a part of you that split off.

I'm gonna put a security team together.
Get Chloe, and meet me at the lab.

How will I know it's you?

Well, we can always try a secret handshake.

But I like to think you know me better than anyone
after all those years.

Clark, this whole mess is my fault.

But I'll put an end to all of it tonight.

I want to thank you two for bringing this to my attention.

My security team is working to contain the situation.

Is there anything we can do to help?

Excuse me.

Hello.

I'll be right there.

This could be what I was hoping for.

I'll be right back. Don't worry.
This will all be over soon.

Keep an eye out for the security guard.

Chloe, what are you doing?

Snooping where I don't belong.

I'm thinking of making a career out of it.

Lex said he was gonna be right back.

How can you be sure it was really him?

I was careful. Besides, I think I know my own friend, Chloe.

Clark, how many times has your friend
done something underhanded that you didn't expect?

People have a lot of different sides,
and sometimes, they keep those sides hidden,

even from the ones that they love.

Sometimes you have to, even if that's not what you want.

Yeah, but sooner or later, you have to trust someone
with what's in your heart.

Otherwise, you're gonna end up going through life alone.

Clark.

Clark.

What'd you find?

Situation contained.

Chloe.

Chloe?

We really should get you to the hospital.

Yeah, because that worked out really well for Dr. Sinclair.

Clark, I'm fine, okay?
Although,

I still can't figure out how I survived
the sky falling on my head,

can you?

Well, the last thing I remember is I grabbed you
and we dove underneath the lab table.

It must've protected us from the debris.

Good thing our ex-quarterback moves so fast.

Yeah, well, not fast enough.

Clark,

I can live with a couple of bruises,
considering the alternative.

You're always there when I need you, Clark.

I just hope, someday, I can do the same for you.

Right now I just want to make sure you're safe.

I can... I can stay with Lois at the military base.

Perfect. Although,

getting between her and the general
while they're trying to reconcile

might be just as dangerous.

Watch out, okay?

Lex can be devious enough.
There's no telling what his evil twin is capable of.

I'll be on my cell.

Okay. But if you see him, call me.

And be careful.

Lex really isn't himself.

He's more dangerous than we thought.
Thanks, Lana.

Is that what you think of me, Clark?

I'm hurt.

I thought we were friends.

Where's Lex?

He's standing right in front of you.

No, you're not him.

The real Lex would never try to kill me or Chloe.

Well, you're probably right.

But he's thought about it.

All the times you've meddled in his plans...
derailed his ambitions.

He's thought about killing all of you,
just never had the guts to go through with it.

What are you?

I was just about to ask you the same question.

I dropped half the lab on you and miss Sullivan, and yet,

here you stand.

I was lucky.

Don't be modest, Clark.
We both know you're much more than that.

It all makes sense now.

That first day on the bridge when we met...

How you were able to save me when my car went into the river.

All of the other miraculous times you appeared

in just the right place at just the right moment...

Almost as if you possessed powers and abilities
beyond those of mortal men.

You've lied to me for years, Clark.

But now I know your secret.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Don't!

I saw you after the explosion.

You lifted a half a ton of concrete
like it was nothing.

I should've figured it out a long time ago.

All the pieces were there. I was just...

Blinded by friendship.

A factor that's been removed from the equation.

Whatever you are,

whatever you're planning, I'm gonna stop you.

No, you aren't.

You're gonna join me.

What?

Think about it, Clark.

My intellect, your powers.

Together, we could rule this world.

We'll walk as gods among men.

You're not a god. I'm not even sure you're human.

Are you?

Is the real Lex still alive?

Oh... You don't get it, do you?

I am the real Lex!

Is he still alive?

Sort of.

I mean, I couldn't really be sure what
would happen to me if I killed him, so...

I tucked him away where I can keep an eye on him.

Maybe torture him a little when I'm feeling blue.

Where is he?

Where is he?

What's the matter, Clark?

You look a little sick.

Just like in the lab when you were with the other me...

When he opened the safe door
and exposed you to the...

Meteor rock.

Every man has a weakness, Clark...

no matter how superhuman he may be.

I've embraced my destiny.

Now embrace yours.

We could forge a new future together.

I'll never join you.

Yes, you will.

Or everyone you love will suffer!

Clark!

Mom!

Son!

Dad!

My god, Clark!

You're bleeding!

I'm guessing that doesn't happen very often.

Lex...

What did you do?

I gotta hand it to you guys.

I mean, keeping something like this a secret

must've required an impressive ability to obscure the truth.

Maybe the Kents and Luthors
have something in common after all.

Yeah...

I know about the green meteor rock

and Clark's unique gifts.

What do you want?

The world, Mrs. Kent.

And your son is gonna help me bring it to its knees.

Now talk some sense into him
before something unfortunate happens!

Like that.

Dad?

You were right about me all along, Mr. Kent.

I am the villain of this story.

Two Lexes?

How the hell did that happen?

There was an accident at Luthorcorp,
and I think that Lex was affected...

By black Kryptonite.

How did Lex get a hold of black Kryptonite?

Well, I don't he knows anything about the black K.
I think he accidentally created it

when he was experimenting with the meteor rocks.

But that's how I can put the two Lexes back together.

How?

The duplicate Lex in the barn...
He said he was keeping the real Lex alive...

Somewhere close to keep him safe...
And if I can find him...

Clark!

Lex.

Clark...

Don't try to talk.

Get out.

No, you're gonna be okay, all right?

Get out.

The hero comes to the rescue.

How predictable is that?

Leave him alone.

I'm really starting to hate the sound of my own voice.

I offer you a chance at greatness,
and this is what you do with it?

I want you to remember this day, Clark.

I want you to remember that, despite all your amazing powers,

there was one man that beat you.

Maybe this was always our destiny.

How sad.

Let's see what happens to me if you die!

You can't kill me!

I drive you!

I give your life meaning!

I'm your soul, you weak, pathetic, little man!

I'm the real Lex Luthor!

Lex!

Lex.

It's all right. It's over now.

It's not much to look at, is it?

Broken dreams seldom are.

Clark...

I want to say thank you for saving me, but...

Words seemed too small.

Without you, I would've been lost.

You're a true friend.

It's too bad your other half didn't think so.

I'm sorry for what I...

He put you through.

How much of it do you remember?

Nothing, really.

Once we divided, we were two different people.

Well, you might want to go talk to Lana
when you get a chance.

He didn't hurt her, did he?

Well, I'm not sure what happened, but...

She seemed pretty upset.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It really wasn't you.

That's what I've been standing here,
trying to figure out.

Did the accident create an evil Lex...

Or is that what's really inside of me?

Hi.

Hey.

As far as awkward moments go, this is definitely memorable.

Chloe filled me in on what happened.

I wish I could remember exactly what my other half did

so I could apologize properly.

I just hope it wasn't anything we can't get past.

Well, as long as you're not closing the Talon
and kicking me out...

I said that?

Along with expressing certain...

desires.

Lana, I'm sorry.

- It wasn't me.
- Are you sure?

Look, whatever my feelings are,

I'd never do anything to jeopardize our friendship.

I know.

I really am sorry.

So am I.

Planning your next assault, son?

Dad...

Your cheek.

Well,

it's a wake-up call,
and I'm grateful for that.

Look,

whatever I've done in the last few days...

Please, no need for an apology.
Quite the contrary.

I must say, you finally proved yourself
to be the son I've always wanted.

And I thank you for showing me so clearly
the error of my ways.

What are you talking about?

I'm closing down the foundation immediately.

What?

You can't. The charity is your life.

Ha, ha, ha... Just a foolish dream.

I'm awake now.

A man can't deny his true nature, can he, Lex?

No...

We're Luthors.

We're Luthors.