Clark vs Jonathan: In their struggle, Clark and Jonathan break through the window of the LuthorCorp building, falling down, even through the pavement to the lower level of the building. As both use their super strength, Clark continues the fighting, not wanting to return to Smallville. Clark is ready to punch Jonathan with all of his force to kill him. As Clark throws his punch, the red kryptonite in the ring shatters, snapping Clark out of "bad" Clark mode. Jonathan falls, his temporary super powers leaving him in a flash of energy. Clark returns to Smallville with Jonathan, to the open arms of Martha. Alone with Jonathan, Clark explains that as Kal-el, he was able to escape his problems and responsibilities. He shows Jonathan the box stolen from Lionel's safe containing Clark's vial of blood. Jonathan destroys the vial as Clark worries about what Lionel might know.

What's up with Lex? Lex returns, with gun pointing at Lionel, accusing his father of trying to murder him. Lionel recounts Helen's "hero's" story: the pilot robbed them, Lex gave Helen the only remaining parachute and went down with the plane. Lionel explains that he had search parties out for months. He tells Lex that as his widow, Helen is one of the wealthiest women in the world. Later, Lex visits Clark at the farm, offering financial help with the farm. He tells Clark that while he was missing, he found the enemy within himself.

What's up with Lionel? Lionel meets with Metropolis crime boss Morgan Edge. He has photos of Morgan and Helen together. Lionel thinks Morgan stole the vial to sell it back to him. Lionel threatens, wanting the vial returned in 24 hours.

What's up with Lana? Clark apologizes to Lana about his actions in Metropolis. She wants no explanations. Clark tells Lana he was protecting her and he missed her every second while away. Clark tells Lana he may not stay in Smallville. She leaves the room for a good cry.

What's up with Morgan Edge? Edge finds Clark at the farm, threatening he'll go to police when Clark says he doesn't have the vial. Clark's "bad" side is revealed as he pulls Edge from the car, telling him to leave an never come back. Later Clark finds his parents held at gunpoint by Edge's two thugs in the barn. To save his parents, Clark cuts his wrist with a green kryptonite rock, dripping a blood sample into a jar. He gives the jar to Edge. Morgan delivers the blood sample to Lionel in Metropolis. A scientist verifies the sample is identical to the original. Edge tells Lionel he has the source and calls his thugs to deliver Clark.

Lana is captured by the second thug who is there holding Martha and Jonathan. She fights the thug. Martha trips him. He drops his gun when thrown, falls back, and a rake pierces through his body to his chest, killing him.

Meanwhile, the two thugs in the barn have subdued Clark with green kryptonite, and one is transporting him by truck to Metropolis. Clark breaks free just as the truck arrives. Using heat vision, Clark explodes a propane tank in the truck. A gunfight begins between Lionel's bodyguards and Edge and his thug. The thug is killed, Edge is shot and falls into the water. Lex is driven away by his bodyguard. Clark comes up from the water.

What's up with Helen? Lex arrives at the mansion, surprising Helen. She embraces him and apologizes for her lies of his heroic end. She recounts what happened in the plane, explaining that he fell asleep from the champagne, which she suspects was drugged. Unable to wake him as the plane went down, she had to save herself. Lex accuses Helen of selling Lionel the vial of blood. She claims Lionel promised to leave them alone if she did. She offers to leave if Lex wants out of the marriage but does say she still loves him.

Later Lex tells Helen he wants to keep their relationship intact. They fly off in the private jet to continue their honeymoon. In flight, Lex confronts Helen with the truth about what happened in the plane before the crash. He believes she hired her own pilot, drugged Lex, and arranged for a safe landing for herself. Then she had the pilot take Lex back up to crash Lex down. Helen reaches behind her back for a gun. Lex fights back. In the struggle, a bullet is fired through the cabin, hitting the pilot. Helen is down. Lex enters the cockpit as the plane lunges down.

How it ends: Lionel knows about Helen going down in the second plane crash. Lex thanks Lionel for making him a survivor, asking Lionel if he can again join him to run LuthorCorp. Lionel agrees, saying "Good to have you back son." Lex embraces his surprised father.

Lex buys the farm and puts the Kents' names on the deed. He says the compass Jonathan gave him as a wedding gift guided him to safe harbor after the plane crash. Jonathan offers to repay somehow. Lex refuses, asking if they'll just consider him one of the family.

Lana tells Clark not to protect her any longer, as she really wants to know him. He says she really doesn't want to get to know him, and reminds her of her look of disgust at his behavior in Metropolis. He says it'll never work between them because he can't be the perfect guy for her. Lana says "You never needed to try."
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Be honest, Smallville scribes: You've been peeking into my dreams, haven't you? How else to explain Lex going from wobbly island creature to ass-kicking, evil-embracing Lex Fucking Luthor (the "Phoenix" of the episode's title) who in one episode returns, confronts Papa Luthor and Dr. Dropkick, and figures out the truth about who tried to ice the Lex. (It was Dr. Dropkick; she had the pilot land the plane, got out, and had the pilot go back in the air and crash-land to try to kill Lex.) Lex waits to confront her mid-air, and now she's somewhere on the high seas having jumped out of the plane for real this time. Lex goes home to Papa Luthor and hugs the man, crediting him for instilling those mad survival skills. Lex and the beginnings of real evil: together at last. Meanwhile, Bo Duke corrals Clark back to Smallville, but Clark acknowledges that even without the red ring, he's still got some Evil Clark in him. It prompts him to break up with Lana in what I can only describe as a moment that gave me a great deal of joy. Thanks, Smallville! Clark apologizes to Chloe in a more sincere way than ever, and then Lex comes over and buys the farm for the Kents, asking only that he be considered part of the family. The gay is back, the gay is back! And if that wasn't enough, Lana tries one more time to come understand the real Clark. He sends her ass out on the horse she rode in on. Literally. I know we've had our differences, Smallville, but I think I'm ready to settle down and commit, baby.
By: Omar L. Gallaga (TWoP)

After Jor-El grants Jonathan temporary superpowers, he and Clark engage in a destructive battle atop the LuthorCorp building. Meanwhile, Lex returns home and must determine whether it was Lionel or Helen who arranged his plane crash. Kristin Kreuk, Allison Mack, Sam Jones III and Annette O'Toole also star.

This season marks the introduction of one of the more intriguing characters from the Superman mythos, and of the villains in particular. Morgan Edge, the infamous head of Intergang. I have to say that they couldn't have chosen a better actor to play him than Rutger Hauer. It's just unfortunate that it looks like he won't be able to reprise the role later in the season. Oh well, we enjoyed it while it lasted. It will be interesting to see what happens with his character, given what he knows about Clark, and he's probably the first character to survive after learning Clark's weakness to Kryptonite.

Speaking of Kryptonite, this seems like as good a time as any to dispense with my gripes about the show. First, I can't believe that Clark would be stupid enough to demonstrate to Edge what his weakness is. Come on, I mean, how dense do you have to be? My second gripe is that there was no Pete in this episode at all. Clark apologized and reconnected with everyone else, but left Pete hanging. Where's the love? And, last but not least, is Lana's state of mind during the last fifteen minutes of the show. She shows up at the Kent's, gets taken hostage, and then kills the person who was holding her. She seems shocked at that moment, but we don't even get a hint of it later. I was nice to see Power Ranger Lana again, but I think that killing someone, even if they were willing to kill you, would have a more profound impact on her than what it did. Well, that pretty much wraps up my gripes, on to the positives. (more...)
By Brooks Travis