History Recap / SmallvilleS02E05Nocturne

* SadlyMythTaken: Lionel needs a brush up on classic mythology. Prometheus was not an adopted son of Zeus, he was a Titan, one of the Giants who ruled Creation before the Olympians came to be,and he wasn't punished for trying to live among mortals, depending on the myth he either created humanity or took their side rather than participating in the war between Zeus and his father Kronos, in either version he gives gifts to humanity(including fire) but was still a God who lived above them. Additionally Lionels entire analogy is completely wrong when you remember that while Prometheus was subjected to torment of having his liver pecked out every day(though by an eagle, not vultures as Lex says), he was eventually saved from Zeus' punishment by the hero Heracles, who bears more than a passing similarity to Clark.

Written by Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders

Directed by Rick Wallace

* SadlyMythTaken

Lana learns that a young man, Byron, has been leaving love letters at her parents' grave. She and Clark suspect that Byron is being abused by his parents, so Clark and Pete go to rescue Byron, only to find out the real reason why he was being held in captivity by his parents. Lex is furious when Lionel hires Martha as his personal assistant.

* AbusiveParents: Though they may have had a good reason for doing so, Byron's parents kept him locked up in their basement.

* BaitAndSwitch: For the first half of the episode, Byron's parents seem to be just abusive. When Byron finally comes out of the basement, there's a good reason for the Moores' treatment of him: sunlight causes him to HulkOut.

-->'''Lex:''' I'm glad to see your condition hasn't softened your paternal side.

-->'''Lionel:''' Thank you, Tad. That was a very heartfelt, if not [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness interminably long-winded]], apology. And I'm going to help you keep that promise, Tad. (''{{beat}}'') Your things will be mailed to you.

-->'''Lex''': (''to Lionel'') If I find out that you have any agenda that could hurt the Kents, this amiable father-son detente will come to an abrupt end.

-->'''Tad''': So as you can see, sir, or [[VerbalBackspace maybe not actually "see" in your case]], it was an honest mistake and one that I promise won't ever happen again as long as I'm working for you.
-->'''Lionel''': Thank you, Tad. That was a very heartfelt, if not interminably long-winded, apology. And I'm going to help you keep that promise, Tad. (''{{beat}}'') Your things will be mailed to you.
-->'''Tad''': Are you letting me go?
-->'''Lionel''': Never lose that grasp of the obvious, Tad. It's one of your strongest attributes.
-->(''Tad leaves, and Lex enters the room'')
-->'''Lex''': That's the fourth one you've devoured this month.
-->'''Lionel''': Where are you finding these people, Lex?
-->'''Lex''': Little schools, like Harvard and Yale. I spent hours going over resumes, looking for the perfect fit.
-->'''Lionel''': You mustn't be fooled by a resume, Lex. You have to look into their eyes to see if they're up to the challenge. I need your eyes to look for me, son.
-->'''Lex''': I see. So somehow the failure of your assistants is my fault.
-->'''Lionel''': Forget the self-pity, Lex. I wasn't criticizing; I was critiquing. There's a difference. And if I recall, I didn't ask for help; you offered.
-->'''Lex''': I'm glad to see your condition hasn't softened your paternal side.
-->'''Lionel''': My condition has nothing to do with it.
-->'''Lex''': You're not the master of your universe anymore, and it's killing you.
-->'''Lionel''': Just get me an assistant who meets my criteria.
-->'''Lex''': I don't think I would fit your criteria.
-->'''Lionel''': Probably not, but nobody's perfect. (''leaves the room'')

-->'''Lex''': I don't know what your sudden interest is in the Kents, but I want you to stay away from them. They mean a lot to me.
-->'''Lionel''': And I wonder what they would think of your trying to meddle in their affairs. You think if you're a very good boy, they'll welcome you into their family?
-->'''Lex''': Well, it would certainly be a step-up.
-->'''Lionel''': You know, Lex, Zeus had a son, an adopted son, who thought he could find a home among mortals. You know what happened to the well-intentioned Prometheus?
-->'''Lex''': His dad had him chained to a rock and his liver was eaten by vultures. Why?
-->'''Lionel''': Prometheus was immortal, Lex. No matter how much he wanted to escape the world he was born into, the world of the gods, he never could. It wasn't possible!

* BaitAndSwitch: For the first half of the episode, Byron's parents seem to be just abusive. When Byron finally comes out of the basement, there's a good reason for the Moores' treatment of him: Sunlight causes him to HulkOut.

-->'''Lex''': His dad had him chained to a rock and his liver was eaten by vultures.
-->'''Lionel''': Why? Prometheus was immortal, Lex. No matter how much he wanted to escape the world he was born into, the world of the gods, he never could. It wasn't possible!

* DramaticIrony: Byron becomes bestial and super-strong due to being exposed to sunlight, the same source that gives Clark his own powers (which Clark would later figure out in Season 3's "[[Recap/SmallvilleS03E04Perry Perry]]").

Written by Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders

* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery: Lionel contemptuously fires his latest assistant, Tad, and gripes at Lex for not doing enough to find him the perfect candidate.

-->'''Lionel''': Where you finding these people, Lex?

* DramaticIrony: Byron becomes bestial and super-strong due to being exposed to sunlight, the same source that gives Clark his own powers (which Clark would later figure out in Season 3).

* KickTheDog: Lionel mocks Lex for wanting to be part of the Kent family and compares him to [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Prometheus]].

-->'''Lex''': Well, it would certainly be a step up.

* LeeroyJenkins: Rather than wait for the police to handle things, Clark decides to go ahead and free Byron from his parents' basement. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Big mistake]].

Lana learns that a young man named Byron has been leaving love letters at her parents' grave. She and Clark suspect Byron is being abused by his parents, so Clark and Pete go to rescue Byron, only to find out the real reason why he was being held in captivity by his parents. Lex is furious when Lionel hires Martha as his personal assistant.

-->'''Lex''': (''to Lionel'') If I find out you have any agenda that could harm the Kents, this amiable father/son detente will come to an abrupt end.
* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery: Lionel contemptuously fires his latest assistant, Tad, and gripes at Lex for not doing enough to find him the perfect candidate, even harshly telling him "I've lost my sight; you need to look for me."

* KickTheDog: Lionel mocks Lex for wanting to be part of the Kent family and compares him to [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Prometheus]], a Greek god who tried to live among mortals only for his father Zeus to chain him to a rock and have vultures eat his liver.
-->'''Lionel''': You think if you're a good little boy, they'll welcome you into their family with open arms?
-->'''Lex''': Well, it certainly would be a step up.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Clark decides to free Byron from his parents' basement before Sheriff Ethan comes to search the house (earlier, when the Sheriff questioned the Moores, they claimed that Byron had been dead for eight years), but he ends up exposing Byron to sunlight, causing his bestial side to emerge and injure Pete. [[SarcasmMode Nice one, Clark]].

* VillainOfTheWeek: Byron Moore

Lana learns that a young man named Byron has been leaving love letters at her parents' grave. She and Clark suspect Byron is being abused by his parents, so Clark and Pete go to rescue Byron, only to find out the real reason why Byron was being held in captivity by his parents. Lex is furious when Lionel hires Martha as his personal assistant.

* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery: Lionel fires his latest assistant and gripes at Lex for not doing enough to find him the perfect candidate, even harshly telling him "I've lost my sight; you need to look for me."

* MythologyGag: After Clark isn't impressed with Byron's poem to Lana, Chloe snarks "Clark Kent, man of steel."
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Clark decides to free Byron from his parents' basement before the sheriff comes to search the house (earlier, when the sheriff questioned the Moores, they claimed that Byron had been dead for eight years), but he ends up exposing Byron to sunlight, causing his bestial side to emerge and injure Pete. [[SarcasmMode Nice one, Clark]].

-->'''Lionel''': You think if you're a good little boy, they'll let you in with open arms?

-->'''Lex''': Well, it certainly would be a step-up.

* AntiVillain: Byron
* BaitAndSwitch: For the first half of the episode, Byron's parents seem to be just abusive. When Byron finally comes out, there's a good reason for it: Sunlight causes him to HulkOut.

* CallingTheOldManOut: Lex isn't happy to find out that Lionel hired Martha to be his personal assistant, and he threatens to end his and Lionel's "reconciliation" if any harm befalls Clark or his parents.
-->'''Lex''': (''to Lionel'') If I find out you have an agenda that could harm the Kents, this amiable father/son detente will come to an abrupt end.
* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery: Lionel fires his latest assistant and gripes at Lex for not doing enough to find him the perfect candidate, even telling him "I've lost my sight; you need to look for me."

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Clark decides to free Byron from his parents' basement before the sheriff comes to search the house, but he ends up exposing Byron to sunlight, causing his bestial side to emerge and injure Pete. [[SarcasmMode Nice one, Clark]].

* KickTheDog: Lionel mocks Lex for wanting to be part of the Kent family and compares him to [[ClassicalMythology Prometheus]], a Greek god who tried to live among mortals only for his father Zeus to chain him to a rock and have vultures eat his liver.

* VillainOfTheWeek: Byron Moore.

* BaitAndSwitch: For the first half of the episode, Byron's parents seem to be just abusive. When Byron finally comes out, there's a good reason for it: Sunlight causes HulkingOut to him.
* BlackEyesOfEvil: Byron, when he goes into beast mode.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Lex isn't happy to find out that Lionel hired Martha to be his personal assistant, and he threatens to end his and Lionel's reconciliation if any harm befalls Clark or his parents.

* BlackEyesOfEvil: [[spoiler:Byron, when he goes into beast mode.]]

* LeeroyJenkins: Rather than wait for the police to handle things, Clark decides to go ahead and free Byron from his parents' basement. [[spoiler:[[NiceJobBreakingItHero Big mistake]].]]
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler:When exposed to sunlight, Byron becomes a bestial creature with SuperStrength.]]

* CallingTheOldManOut: Lex isn't happy to find Lionel hired Martha to be his personal assistant, and he threatens to end his and Lionel's reconciliation if he finds out Lionel has an agenda that could hurt the Kents.
* LeeroyJenkins: Rather than wait for the police to handle things, Clark decides to go ahead and free Byron from his parents' basement. [[spoiler:Big mistake.]]