For the Veritas prophecy, please see The Traveler. "Traveler" is the fourteenth episode in the seventh season of Smallville, and the one hundred-forty-sixth episode overall. It aired on March 20, 2008.
Summary[]
Lionel arranges to have Clark kidnapped and held in a Kryptonite-lined cell at a LuthorCorp facility. After Chloe and Lana find a military electric probe at the farm, they confront Lionel, who throws suspicion onto Lex. Chloe takes Kara to the Fortress and begs Jor-El to restore her memory and her powers as she is the only one who can save Clark.
Recap[]
→ see also Category:Screencaps from episode 7x14
Lionel Luthor is handed a warning message: the son of Krypton belongs to Veritas.
At the Kent Farm, Clark Kent opens the book containing the key when he is suddenly attacked with a Kryptonite taser. He manages to fend off his attacker, but his attacker calls in reinforcements. They shoot Clark with more kryptonite tasers before knocking him out and capturing him.
After they leave, Lana Lang and Chloe Sullivan both enter the barn and notice extensive damage. At first, they guess that Clark went to the Fortress of Solitude so that Jor-El could restore Kara Kent's memory and powers, but Chloe finds that the key is still in the loft. They then find a kryptonite taser on the ground.
Clark wakes up in a cage-like cell. His captor powers up the cell, exposing him to kryptonite, and warns him to stay in the center of the cell. Clark tries to break out, but he is unable to do so. His captor can control the intensity of the kryptonite lining, and he threatens to increase the kryptonite charge even more if Clark tries to escape again.
Lionel steps out of a helicopter and meets with Patricia Swann, Virgil Swann's daughter. He accuses her of sending him the cryptic messages he received earlier. Patricia explains that she received all of her father's research after he passed away. He was particularly obsessed with a "traveler" who came to Smallville during a meteor shower. Her father, along with the Queens, the Teagues, and Lionel, used to gather every summer to prepare to welcome the traveler. They formed a secret society called Veritas. Patricia points out that everyone died except for Lionel. She then accuses him of killing Edward Teague and Robert and Laura Queen, and assisting in her father's death. Lionel turns to leave, but Patricia says that she has evidence linking him to their murders. She demands to be taken to the traveler, or else she will release the evidence. Lionel doesn't comply.
At the Luthor Mansion, Kara Kent looks at documents supposedly from her past. Lex Luthor enters and convinces her once again to have the procedure to regain her memory. When Kara finally decides to do the procedure, Lex exits her room and meets with one of his assistants who has Kara under surveillance. The assistant is hesitant about giving Kara the procedure so soon, but Lex demands that she get the lab ready as soon as possible.
Lionel enters the control room of Clark's cell and orders Clark's captor to stop torturing Clark. Lionel reveals that he built the cell to contain Clark, but he doesn't want the captor to harm Clark in any way. Later, Lana and Chloe enter Lionel's LuthorCorp office and show him the kryptonite taser. They blame Lionel for Clark's capture since he knows Clark's weakness, but Lionel tells them that Kara's memory might be coming back, causing Lex to figure out Clark's secret. Lana threatens to kill Lex if he harms Clark.
At the Daily Planet, Chloe shows Lana research on an abandoned airstrip purchased by Lionel and re-constructed with a ton of refined meteor rock. Chloe determines that Kara is the only one who can break into the place, so she tells Lana that she can use the key to bring Kara to the Fortress so Kara can get her memory and powers back. Lana says that they can sneak Kara out of the Luthor Mansion by using Lex's secret exit passageways.
Patricia meets Lex in his mansion and gives him a gift: a painting of the Veritas insignia that Lex painted when they were kids. She explains that their parents, along with the Queens and the Teagues, called themselves Veritas, but she didn't tell him what secret things they talked about. Later, Lex visits Lionel in his office and shows him the painting. Lionel still won't give him any information about Veritas, so Lex declares that he would go back to Patricia. After Lex leaves, Lionel calls Patricia and tells her that he is ready to make a deal.
Lana and Chloe head off to get Kara in Chloe's Yaris. Lex and his assistant are preparing to take Kara to the lab when they suddenly lose their surveillance feed. While Lex orders a lockdown, Lana and Chloe order Kara to come with them. They escape before Lex enters Kara's room. Clark wanders around the cell when his captor finally comes out of the control room to talk to him. He was the head of security for 33.1. Once again, he increases the kryptonite charge before calling Clark a freak.
That night, Chloe takes Kara to the Fortress of Solitude. Chloe asks Jor-El to restore Kara's memory and powers in order for her to help Clark, but Jor-El doesn't respond. Chloe continues making a heartfelt speech to Jor-El. Suddenly, the Fortress dims and a bright light lifts Kara up. Although Kara has no memory of being taken to the Fortress, the rest of her memory and her powers are restored.
A worried Lionel watches Clark stumble around his cell. Patricia enters the control room and orders to see the traveler before handing over the incriminating evidence. She is horrified to see that Lionel has put him in a cage. Patricia then demands to meet with him face-to-face before saying that she will take him away. Pierce, the captor, knocks out Patricia, allowing Lionel to steal the evidence without handing over Clark. Lionel orders Pierce to return Clark discreetly to his home, but Pierce points a gun at Lionel and refuses to let Clark go. He fears that Clark is dangerous and a threat to national security. Lionel denies that Clark is a threat, but Pierce knocks Lionel out before increasing the kryptonite charge to a fatal level. Clark collapses to the ground. The doors burst open, and Kara blasts the controls with her heat vision. She lifts the cage off of Clark and throws it towards the control room. Clark is revived and they embrace. Pierce aims a gun containing kryptonite darts at them, but Lionel pushes Pierce to his death. Clark looks shocked to see Lionel standing in the control room.
At the Kent Farm, Patricia tells Clark that Virgil Swann admired him very much. She gives him a journal of her father's. Clark looks through it and hopes that he can live up to everyone's expectations of him. Patricia explains that Lionel killed Robert and Laura Queen, Edward Teague, and probably Virgil Swann because he wanted the traveler all to himself. Although Clark declines her offer to go with her, she decides to stay in Metropolis to be there for him.
Clark enters Lionel's office and Lionel apologizes for having to lock Clark in the cell. He tells Clark that he was only trying to ensure his safety since he received letters saying that Clark was going to be kidnapped. Clark is upset and questions why he built the cell in the first place. Lionel goes on to explain that he built it to hold other dangerous Kryptonians. Clark says that he knows about the Veritas murders, but Lionel claims to be a changed man. Clark doesn't believe him.
While Clark is repairing the damage to the barn, Kara enters. Clark gives Kara her bracelet back and thanks her for saving him. Kara feels foolish for trusting Lex, but doesn't understand why he and Lionel have saved them before. Clark tells her that the Luthors are a lost cause; they will only do the right thing if it benefits them. Lex is a hard man to understand, but in a way he is just doing what he feels right sometimes. Kara will never forget about Lex and the times they spent togther.
Patricia's limousine stops in the middle of the road, and her driver gets out and shoots her. Later, Lex chillingly wipes the blood off of Patricia's locket and examines it along with the Veritas painting.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Tom Welling as Clark Kent
- Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
- Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang
- Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
- Erica Durance as Lois Lane (credit only)
- Aaron Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen
- Laura Vandervoort as Kara Kent
- John Glover as Lionel Luthor
Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[]
- Anna Galvin as Gina
- Reese Alexander as Security Guard
- Nick Hunnings as Martin Schaerer
Mentioned[]
Featured Music[]
- "Der Hölle Rache" - Mozart
Title[]
- Traveler refers to one who has traveled or gone to different places or lands.
- This episode focuses on an alien known as "The Traveler" which Veritas believes will come to Earth from a distant planet. The Traveler is most likely Clark Kent, although it could also refer to any number of Kryptonians who have come to Earth in the past (including many members of the House of El, General Zod and his Disciples, Brainiac, Dax-Ur, and Raya).
- Chloe also travels to one of the most distant places on Earth - the Arctic Circle - to beg Jor-El to restore Kara's memory.
Notes[]
- Antagonist: Pierce and Lex Luthor
- Clark’s Abilities: Superhuman Strength, Healing factor
- Kara uses Heat Vision, Super-Breath, Superhuman Strength, Super-Speed.
- Lois Lane does not appear in this episode.
- Although Jimmy Olsen has no dialogue, he can be seen in the background passing behind Chloe and Lana in the basement office of the Daily Planet. Also, he is featured briefly in a deleted scene.
- Kara's yearbook dedication reads, "This has been the best year ever! Thanks to all of my teachers and fellow students for their friendship and help. I will be modeling this summer."
- Clark stores his key inside a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. This was mentioned in an earlier episode to be Jonathan Kent's favorite book.
- Lana doesn't know about the key or how to use it to transport people from the Kawatche Caves to the Fortress. Clark actually showed her the key and transported her to the Fortress in Season Five's Reckoning. Clark had Jor-El reset time to reverse her death and everything that led up to it, so the Lana in the new timeline had no recollection of the key or how it works.
- After Kara regained her memory, she immediately began wearing red and blue, Supergirl's colors. While she had amnesia, she only wore white with the exception of the diner uniform she wore in Fracture.
- Lana notes that the only people who know about Clark's weakness are her, Chloe, and Lionel. She has apparently forgotten that Martha Kent and Pete Ross know that meteor rocks are his weakness. It is unknown if Lana's aware about the Justice League, Eric Summers and the Angel of Vengeance also knowing it.
- "The Traveler" also happened to be the name of a red-cloaked creature in Season Three's Slumber. It was a subconscious manifestation of Sarah Conroy's fear of her uncle.
- The trailer for this episode showed that the letter that Lionel reads at the start of the episode said "Heed our warning. The son of Krypton belongs to Veritas". However, this was cut out of the final version.[1]
- Although it's only a one way conversation, this episode marks the first time Chloe speaks to Jor-El.
- Patricia mentions that her father's journal (relating to the Traveler) was transcribed by his assistant. This presumably refers to Dr. Bridgette Crosby.
In Other Media[]
- In the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman first-season finale "The House of Luthor", Lex Luthor also trapped Superman in a kryptonite cage.
Deleted Scene[]
- Jimmy helps get Chloe and Lana into the Luthor Mansion by hitting the switch to the secret passageways. He also reunites with Kara, telling her she shouldn’t be with Lex. Lex tells Kara that his doctor is ready to start the procedure.
Trivia[]
- Aaron Douglas, who played Pierce, also played Deputy Birdego in Obscura.
Continuity[]
- Patricia Swann is the daughter of Virgil Swann, who appeared in Season 2's Rosetta and Season Three's Legacy.
- When Patricia gives Clark the journal, she mentions that it was transcribed by her father's assistant. Although not mentioned in this episode, Virgil Swann's assistant was Bridgette Crosby.
- Kara mentioned two instances when the Luthors came to the rescue: when Lex saved her from Finley in Fracture, and when Lionel saved her and Clark from Agent Carter in Lara.
- Chloe tells Lana she followed Clark to the Fortress, which occurred in Commencement/Arrival and Solitude. This is Chloe's third time to the Fortress.
- Lex's assistant Gina also appeared in Bizarro, Action, Gemini, Hero, Veritas and Descent.
- Lana mentions that the kryptonite prison was built around the time that Lionel found out Clark's secret. This happened in Season Four's Commencement.
- Patricia's assertion that Lionel killed her father, Virgil Swann, does not bear up well to Season Four's continuity, the season where Virgil actually died. Dr. Swann's death was revealed in a news announcement at the start of the episode Sacred. In that episode, Clark expressed shock on hearing the news of Swann's death because he'd been on the phone with Swann just a week earlier. So Swann was still alive at least a week before Sacred began. This was during the period where Lionel experienced a conversion into an apparently sincere, good-hearted humanitarian, a period which began 10 episodes before Sacred in Transference and did not end for Lionel until 2 episodes after Sacred, in Onyx. Judging by what was shown of Lionel during this period, it's unlikely he would've had Virgil Swann killed at that time.
- Given that Genevieve Teague was at that time searching for the Crystals of Power, it is more likely that she killed Virgil, if he was murdered at all.
- In Wrath, when warning Lana never to hurt Clark, Chloe mentions the myth of Isis, and how she went to the end of the earth to save the one she loves. In this episode, Chloe literally does this for Clark.
- This episode marks the 70th appearance of Clark's red jacket & blue shirt outfit, which he wears frequently throughout the series.
Locations[]
- Other
Quotes[]
- Chloe: If it means saving Clark, I'd climb Mt. Everest.
- Chloe: (to Jor-El, in the Fortress of Solitude) Out of all the planets across the universe you decided to send your only son to this one, to Earth! You trusted us to protect him! Now please, Jor-El, I need you to trust me. I love your son! He's in danger and he needs our help!
- Lana: (about Lex) If he harms Clark, I will kill him.
- Pierce: I've seen a lot of terrible things in your town. How could a place called Smallville be filled with such death and destruction? I think it has something to do with you.
- Clark: Maybe you want to reconsider keeping me in this cage. You work for the government?
- Pierce: I was head of security for 33.1. I've tracked down a lot of meteor freaks, but you... you're in a category all to yourself. The government wouldn't know what to do with you... but I do.
- Lana: Lex likes to keep his women on a short leash.
- Chloe: Sounds more like a choke chain if you ask me.
- Clark: Lex and Lionel are only capable of doing the right thing if it benefits them. I want to see the good in people, Kara, but I think the Luthors are a lost cause.
- Patricia: Somehow, I never pictured the last son of Krypton making coffee.
- Lionel: The truth can be very easily manipulated.
- Clark: You would know that better than anyone, Lionel, you've been doing that for years.
- Lionel: I'm different now. I'm a different man.
- Clark: No, you're not.
- Clark: All these prophecies about the Traveler. I just hope I can live up to what everyone thinks I'm supposed to be.
- Patricia: When Dad died, I inherited his estate. After a long probate, I've recently received all of his research. He was obsessed with one subject in particular -- a traveler from another galaxy who came to Smallville in a meteor shower.
- Lionel: A great scientist with a vivid imagination.
- Patricia: My father wasn't the only one who believed in the traveler. Four powerful families would gather every summer -- my dad, the Queens, the Teagues, and you. According to his journals, the group formed a secret society -- Veritas.
- Lionel: Veritas -- that's right, our astronomy club.
- Patricia: You were preparing to welcome the traveler. The group planned on sharing the responsibility of keeping him safe once he arrived. But everyone died... ...except you.
- Lionel: Where are you going with this?
- Patricia: You killed Edward Teague and Robert and Laura Queen. And I am sure that you had a hand in my father's death.
- Lionel: A pity his brilliance was lost on you.
- Patricia: I have proof. I found evidence my father collected and stored with his journals. You wanted the traveler all for yourself... for your own personal gain. Turn over the son of Krypton, or I will release the evidence linking you to their murders.
- Lionel: (chuckles) The traveler from another galaxy, a clandestine cabal, a series of murders -- mm, that's quite a story. You be careful who you tell it to.
- Patricia: Don't test me, Lionel. Take me to the traveler now.
- Lionel: (chuckles) You haven't changed. You're still that bossy little girl you used to be. But this time, Patty, you're swimming way out of your depth.
External links[]
References[]
External links[]
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