| Pilot | |
|---|---|
| |
| Season | 1 |
| Episode(s) | 1 |
| Airdate | October 16, 2001 |
| Written by | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar |
| Directed by | David Nutter |
| Previous episode | none |
| Next episode | Metamorphosis |
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| |
Episode Summary[]
The first episode tells the story of the meteor shower that hit Smallville and changed life in the Kansas town forever. Clark Kent meets Lex Luthor for the first time and encounters the first in a long line of humans mutated by the strange green meteor rocks that accompanied him on his journey to Earth.
Full Recap[]
Meteors float through space, turn at the moon and begin heading toward... Earth. It is October, 1989 in Smallville, population - 25,001 and corn capital of the world. Martha and Jonathan Kent, a young married but childless couple, come into a florist shop. They chat with the owner, Nell, and her young niece Lana, whose parents are in town for homecoming.
Meanwhile, Lionel Luthor, a rich businessman, and his red-headed son Lex are flying in their helicopter to a Smallville factory/plant. Lionel chastises his son for being scared and keeping his eyes closed. After they land, as Lionel signs the deal, Lex wanders into a nearby cornfield. He hears someone whisper, "Help me." Frightened, he begins to run and sees a young man with an "S" on his chest tied to a cross.
Clark's spaceship
Meteors begin falling through the sky, and one hits the cornfield. It causes a huge shockwave that engulfs the crucified young man. Lex tries to outrun it. In town, Lana watches as a meteor hits and kills her parents. The Kents, driving back home, flip over in their car. Lionel looks frantically for Lex in the flattened corn field, and finds him under a bunch of corn stalks. He is horrified to see Lex has lost all his hair.
Young Clark found the Kent parents
The Kents crawl out of their car, and Jonathan sees a naked little boy, about age 3, wandering nearby.
Fast forward to the year 2001, Smallville, now population 45,001 and the meteor capital of the world. It's morning and 15-year-old Clark Kent is surfing the internet. He reads a story about a boy who breaks a speed record. At breakfast, he tells his parents he wants to play football but Jonathan says he would hurt the other guys. Clark misses his bus, but outruns it through a cornfield.
Pete and Chloe, Clark's friends, talk about going to the school dance. Chloe insists she doesn't have a crush on Clark. Pete mentions that every year, the football teams picks a freshman to be the "scarecrow."
Lana smile
At school, Clark glimpses Lana Lang, whom he secretly likes. But as he gets near her, he stumbles and drops his books. Lana is wearing a green necklace that glows slightly when he is near. The young man seen earlier in the episode, the "Scarecrow" Lex saw before the meteor shower, is skulking around school. He gazes at the football trophy case, then breaks it and takes a picture of three smiling football players. At football practice, Clark watches Lana practicing with the other cheerleaders. He daydreams about being the star quarterback and winning the game. Later, he goes to a bridge to mope.
Lex is driving around Smallville very fast, when his cell phone rings. Distracted, he doesn't notice something blocking the road ahead. He swerves and sees Clark moments before the car hits him and goes over the bridge into a river.
Clark tried to save Lex out
Under the water, Lex is unconscious. Clark frees him and swims both of them back to the surface. He gives Lex mouth to mouth, and when Lex revives, he says, "I could've sworn I hit you." Jonathan arrives at the scene and is not too happy with Lex. Lex thanks Clark for saving his life. Later that night, Clark peers through a telescope at the starry sky. Then he glimpses Lana on the porch of her house. Whitney surprises her and Lana gives him her necklace for good luck in the homecoming game. At Frank's auto shop, the "Scarecrow" electrocutes Frank, a former football player. Clark receives a brand new truck as a gift from Lex for saving his life, but Jonathan won't let him keep it. He tells Clark that Lionel Luthor is immoral and ruins people's lives. They fight. Jonathan decides to tell Clark about his origins. He shows him the spaceship and tells Clark that he arrived in it during the meteor shower. Clark grows angry and says he should've been told before. Clark runs off. He sees Lana at a cemetery. She is there to talk to her parents. They discuss feeling alone and having different lives. Clark walks Lana home and she asks if he's going to the dance. She says if he does go, she'll save a dance for him, and then kisses him on the cheek. Whitney watches from the shadows. Clark goes to Lex's mansion and tells Lex he can't keep the truck. Lex realizes it's because Jonathan doesn't like him. Lex says he doesn't want anything to stand in the way of their friendship. Pete and Chloe are at the scene of a crime. Another former football player has been found dead. They see a strange-looking man and recognize him as the Scarecrow from the year of the meteor shower. Later, they show Clark his photo in the yearbook and tell him that Jeremy has been electrocuting people out of revenge. Chloe shows Clark her "wall of weird" -- things related to the meteor shower -- and Clark thinks everything is his fault.
As he runs out of school, Whitney catches him to be the next Scarecrow. Clark tries to fight back but Whitney is wearing Lana's kryptonite necklace. Clark is strung up on a cross with an "S" on his chest.
Clark pain by necklace wtih meter rock
Jeremy stops by but doesn't help. He's going to the homecoming dance to electrocute everyone there.
Jeremy around
Lex drives by and recognizes Jeremy as he walks away. Lex flashes back to the day of the meteor shower. He investigates and finds Clark, who he releases but Clark immediately runs away. Lex picks up the kryptonite necklace.
Jeremy want to home
At the dance, Jeremy is about to set off the sprinkler system when Clark shows up. They tussle. Jeremy tries to run Clark down with a car, when he bashes into a water main. He electrocutes himself until his powers are gone. He is left with no memory of it, and wants to go home. Clark watches Lana and Whitney dance, and walks out in frustration. He sees Whitney's car and has an idea. Later, after the dance is over, everyone filters out. Whitney and Lana get outside and see his truck stacked on top of other trucks. Whitney is furious. Lana is curious. Clark is back in the barn with the telescope when Jonathan comes up. Clark says he is glad the Kents found him, but Jonathan says that Clark found them. Clark daydreams that Lana stops by and gives him the saved dance. In reality, he watches as Lana is dropped off by Whitney. She turns, looking as if she knows something is watching her, but doesn't see Clark.
Trivia[]
- The location of the Torch is different in the pilot from the rest of the whole show. Also the Wall of Weird changes its location from a closet to out in the open.
- The car that Lex drove off the bridge is a Porsche 911 SC.
- Lionel refers to his company as "LexCorp." In subsequent episodes it is called "LuthorCorp."
- How did Chloe get to be editor of the high school paper as a freshman?
- When Clark leaves for school at the beginning of the episode, he has a skateboard attached to his backpack. Clark never rides it and the skateboard was never seen again after this episode.
- Smallville's population is established as 45,001 as of "Today". It was 25,001 when the meteors hit.
- Look at the Langs' tombstone. For Mr. Lang it reads 1957-1959 and for Mrs. Lang it reads 1959-1959, but when the camera cuts back a few minutes later the 1959 date of deaths are (correctly) changed to 1989s.
Notes[]
- When Jonathan and Clark are walking away from Lex, Clark's red towel is hanging down much like a cape. The towel is also a bright red, much like the Superman cape.
- The "S" that is written on the chests of those chosen to be the scarecrow is imagery foreshadowing Clark's future.
- Annette O'Toole, who plays Martha Kent in this version of events, previously played (adult) Lana Lang in 'Superman III' (1983).
Quotes[]
- Clark: I'd give anything to be normal.
- Lana: Didn't realize you had a dark side, Clark.
- Clark: Doesn't everybody?
- Lana: Yeah, I guess so. So what are you? Man or superman?
- Clark: I haven't figured it out yet.
Character Appearances[]
Main Characters
Clark Kent • Lana Lang • Lex Luthor • Whitney Fordman • Pete Ross • Chloe Sullivan • Martha Kent • Jonathan Kent
Recurring Characters
Minor Characters
Jeremy Creek • Bill Ross • Dale Ross • Young Clark Kent • Young Lana Lang • Young Lex Luthor • Garage Worker • Former Jock 1 • Jock 2 • Laura Lang • Lewis Lang • Teen Jostled by Whitney • Heike
Uncredited
Lana Lang - Age 5 (voice) • James Kwan (deleted scene) • Gabe Sullivan (deleted scene)