The intro: Clark is trying to help Lana fix a leaky pipe at the Talon. When she runs for a wrench and a towel, he uses heat vision to weld the pipe. Lana returns and is treated to the sight of Clark's muscles outlined by his wet t-shirt. Clark hints at missing Lana's visits to the barn, now that she's not a neighbor.
Recap on Whitney: Whitney has been missing for a month. They've even sent his personal belongings to his mom. Lana's worried. Recapping Whitney's character, Lana cried when she learned that Whitney was missing in action in the "Skinwalkers" episode. Lana told Clark that she broke up with Whitney during the "Duplicity" episode. Cut to a combat scene in Indonesia. Whitney and some from his troop wander missing. Enemy shells start to fly in ambush. Whitney helps an injured comrade as an explosion blows up in front of them.
What's up with Lana? At school, Clark asks Lana to a Winterfest. She accepts. Just then, in walks Whitney in his dress uniform. Lana runs to his arms.
Later, Whitney tells Lana an explosion in an ambush wiped out part of his memory. He has conveniently forgotten her "dear john" breakup video message. Lana hosts a welcome home party for Whitney at the Talon. Whitney seems jealous when he sees Clark and Lana talking, although she says she and Clark are just friends. Whitney throws an enraged jealous fit in the bathroom, tearing off a door. Clark walks in on the scene. Whitney warns Clark to stay away from Lana. Then Whitney reverses the story to Lana, telling her that Clark destroyed the bathroom and told Whitney to stay away from her.
What's up with Whitney? A Marine officer comes to the Fordham home with news. Whitney runs downstairs and beats the officer to death with a baseball bat, then muffles his mother's screams. He turns into a total freak at home, threatening his mother, binding and gagging her.
Whitney asks Lana to move in together. She refuses. He blames Clark.
What's up with Lex? After five dates, Lex confronts Dr. Helen Bryce (Emmanuelle Vaugier). She says she never met Lionel, yet Lex has surveillance photos of her meeting him. He had a private investigator following Lionel. After further digging, he also found $100,000 in her bank account from LuthorCorp. Helen is furious with his invasion of her privacy. Lex tells Clark about Helen's suspected espionage. Clark suggests he talk to her, and maybe it was a misunderstanding. Clark tells Lex about Whitney's bizarre behavior. Lex thinks Whitney is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and suggests a specialist in Metropolis.
Later Lex finds Helen at the Talon. She gives the explanation that Lionel offered her money to dump Lex. She refused, but he wired the money to her account anyway. She's still angry and won't take Lex back.
Finally Lex visits Dr. Helen at work at the hospital, spilling his feelings about his past and how he's built a wall around his heart to protect his feelings. He asks for Helen's help. She takes his hand and they walk away together.
What's up with Clark? Clark visits Whitney's home to suggest he get treatment for post traumatic stress disorder. Whitney throws Clark to the ground. Clark's x-ray vision sees the effects of green kryptonite in Whitney's body. He suspects Tina Grier (X-ray episode, season 1) has shape-shifted and is impersonating Whitney. She was always obsessed with Lana. Chloe says Tina committed suicide last week. Clark asks Pete to stay with Lana, and tells Lana that Whitney is really Tina. After Clark leaves, Lana (Tina) throws Pete into the lockers, leaving him unconscious.
How it ends: Whitney proposes to Lana, wanting to elope. He asks her with his mom's ring. Lana can't accept, and tells him they are really broken up. Whitney (Tina) asks Lana for her necklace to remember her by.
Back at Clark's house, his dad asks about Mrs. Fordham and Whitney. We see that Jonathan has Lana's necklace, and is really shape-shifted Tina. Tina puts the necklace around Clark's neck, making him powerless. She throws him into the cellar and ties him up. She tells him she wants to be with Lana. Tina shape-shifts into Clark and goes off to get Lana. Clark struggles in the cellar. His spaceship activates from the corner, draining the green color from the stone in the necklace. The necklace is no longer a threat, and Clark frees himself.
Back at Chloe's house, Tina impersonates Chloe. She touches Lana, making her flinch, feeling uncomfortable.
Next at the Talon, Clark (Tina) tells Lana he loves her. They kiss. The real Clark interrupts. Clark (Tina) throws Lana aside. During a fight between Clark and Clark (Tina), Tina impales herself.
Later Clark shares the news with his parents that the Marine that Tina murdered at the Fordham house was coming to tell Mrs. Fordham that Whitney's body was found. Clark questions his own courage at the news of Whitney's loss.
Later Lana finds Clark alone in the cave. She feels sorry for Whitney's death, and blames herself. She's lost all those she's cared about; her parents, Nell, now Whitney. Lana tells Clark she doesn't want to lose him too. He tells her he's not going anywhere. They embrace.
[back to top]

The first episode in about forever opens at night on the marquee outside The Talon, Smallville's best cappuccino house. Yes, it's the only one in town and the foam tastes like steamed *ss. But we'll forgive them. Inside the Talon and under the sink, it's what fans of the homoeroticism in this show have been waiting for: some heavy-duty pipe action! Oh, wait. It actually is some heavy-duty pipe action. The pipe is leaking while jaunty strummy rock music plays. Lana, her hair pulled back, says that twenty-four-hour plumbing service is a myth and that she called every plumber in Smallville. That's one guy, Lana. And it's 4 AM. And he's also the mayor, the constable, the principal, the fire department, and the PTA. Clark, who is next to Lana (in a white shirt, for once), says that by morning, Lana will need a snorkel. Um, Clark? Upper lip. Shhh. She's kind of sensitive about that. Clark says he'll try something and reaches out -- twisting the pipe, as it were. More water comes out. "Wrong way," Lana says, annoyingly. Clark moves it the other way and even more water comes out. Didn't Lex teach you anything, Clark? Clark and Lana are getting soaked about the face. I refrain from speaking here. Clark tells Lana to go get a wrench. He stares at the pipe as he continues getting wet. Wait, drain pipes aren't pressurized! Clark suddenly uses his Ejac-U-Vision and seals the leak. A little steam comes out. Clark makes a big yawn face and smoothes back his unruly Harry Potter hair. Lana comes in carrying a towel and asks Clark how he stopped the leak. He says he just kept twisting and turning. Uh huh. Lana makes Clark a one-man contestant in a private wet t-shirt contest. She gives him the uncertain eyes and I must say, "Nice torso." Clark notices her stare. Lana looks away and smiles. She says maybe one day she'll figure out how Clark Kent does the things he does. You know. That thing he does. Clark makes an eye motion for the towel. Lana's still kinda glisteny herself. Ah he dries up, Clark says that an orange cat that lives in Lana's old house (the one Nasty Nell vacated) comes up to the loft. Clark says he tries to talk to the cat, but that he's not half the conversationalist Lana is. Damn liar. Laughs. Lana says, "I have to admit. I do miss those sunsets." Those fake, cheesy, orange CGI sunsets. I miss them, too. Clark says the sky's not really the same when you see it alone. Profound, yet, huh? Lana breaks the sexual tension: "It's getting late." But not too late to drag some poor plumber out of bed, right? It's only late when your precious chastity belt is about to get unbuckled. Lana, still giggly, goes to put the wrench back where it belongs. Against her head, at high velocity. Clark smiles slyly to himself, all, "I am so in that." (more...)
-- Omar G (TWoP)

Whitney returns home from the Marines looking to rekindle his relationship with Lana but his suspicious behavior prompts Clark to question his true motives, ultimately revealing a shocking truth about "the new Whitney." Lex becomes suspicious of his new girlfriend after he discovers a questionable photo of her with Lionel. Allison Mack, Sam Jones III, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider also star.

Dr. Bryce: (to Lex) It took me five dates to figure out you're delusional.

In all fairness, Whitney's death, like his characterization during the first season, was a nice grace note, with a depth and subtlety surprising in a clichéd "quarterback boyfriend." It didn't seem gratuitous, like the writers seizing an opportunity to get rid of an obstacle to the Clark/Lana relationship. In fact, Whitney's death seems inconvenient for later on in the show, when his reappearance might throw an interesting wrench in the works.

Indeed, some of the Smallville writers' most interesting work has been in presenting Whitney as something more than just an expedient (and expendable) triangle point. Whitney was allowed real thoughts and feelings, real dreams about his future and, in the end, a real and tragic death; that Clark "benefited" from the insight into what it means to choose to fight the good fight without bulletproof skin or unbreakable bones was fitting in the context of the show, but nonetheless, it was done with respect and emotion for the character of Whitney.

A character who, of course, would not have been the same without the excellent job done by Eric Johnson. Tonight he very ably didn't play Whitney, but instead Tina-as-Whitney. I should confess here to being spoiled about that plot twist, but his work was very effective. He seemed to play "Whitney" as he appeared to a casual observer like Tina: essentially, the quarterback with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, but without the more complex emotions and sincerity we'd seen from the real Whitney. There was always a watching intensity in the back of his eyes in this episode, calculating exactly what to say and do next. In fact, all the characters did a good job playing Tina-as-someone else. Allison Mack's slightly-off Chloe (and her hair sniffing), in particular, really worked.

On a related note, the lesbian overtone (and undertone and outright, on the surface, tone) to the Tina story was perhaps most interesting in the writers' restraint in not having anyone comment on them. Along with Whitney's death and recurring a first season villain, this aspect was perhaps one of the elevating factors in a plot that seemed very recycled. Only two episodes ago, Lana was angrily doubting Clark over another boy who turned out to be villainous; did she lose her memory too?

Finally, Lex's plot seemed once again an afterthought, although it was nice to see a pool game/talk again. Still, there might be a subtle link between Tina's obsession with Lana and the relationship between Helen and Lex. It seems healthy for Lex to reach out to someone for help in getting rid of his tendencies toward distrust and isolation, even if it would have been nice to see more of their relationship rather than being told that there was and had been a relationship for a while. But clinging to one person as his hope of salvation might end up not only destroying what he has with Helen, but also destroying Lex himself. Of course, the same might be said of his relationship with Clark.

It just better not all happen next week, despite what the promo claimed.
By Kathleen O'Shaughnessy