Line #7 Recap/SmallvilleS01E02Metamorphosis


1	Originally aired October 23, 2001
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3	Written by Creator/AlfredGough & Creator/MilesMillar
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5	Directed by Creator/PhilipSgriccia & Creator/MichaelWWatkins
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7	Greg Arkin, a childhood friend of Clark's, is bitten by Kryptonite-irradiated insects and gains insect-like abilities. The once harmless geek and shut-in gains confidence and independence- even if he has to kill for satisfaction. When Greg kidnaps Lana so he can mate with her, Clark races to stop him.
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9	!!Tropes present in the episode:
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11	* AnimalMotifs: Greg uses a bug metaphor to Whitney when talking about Lana.
12	--> '''Greg''': You afraid of a little competition, Whitney?
13	--> '''Whitney''': We're not in competition, Greg, but if I find out you've been leaving butterflies in my girlfriend's bedroom, you'll know about it. ''[walks off]''
14	--> '''Greg''': Yeah, well, just remember--sometimes you're the windshield... and sometimes you're the bug.
15	* AntagonisticOffspring: After gaining his powers, Greg kills his mother.
16	* ArbitrarySkepticism: Jonathan is slow to believe Greg has insect powers, leading to this reply from Martha:
17	-->'''Martha''': [[SarcasmMode This coming from the man who's been hiding a spaceship in his storm cellar for the past twelve years.]]
18	* AlasPoorVillain: Greg's mother may have been harsh on him but even she didn't deserve to go out the way she did.
19	* BodyHorror: Greg peeling off his skin in the shower during his molting phase.
20	* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: "Bug bites boy, and you get bug boy."
21	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Greg's mother being killed by her son via spiderwebs from his mouth and left rotting inside a web cocoon.
22	* DoubleMeaning: When Lana asks Clark where he was the previous night, he responds "I was a little tied up," naturally referring to his being tied up in Riley Field by Whitney and his friends.
23	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Technically, Clark's dream of flying, as ComicBook/{{Superman}} has this ability.
24	* EventTitle: The title refers to Greg's transformation into a bug-boy.
25	* EvilFormerFriend: Greg is a childhood friend of Clark's.
26	* FriendToBugs: Greg collects bugs and keeps them in his room, much to his mother's disgust. When Mrs. Arkin threatens to ship him off to a military school, Greg takes his bugs to safety, only to end up getting bit by his bugs.
27	* HiddenDepths: Lana puts her homecoming crown inside a drawer, filled with other crowns she's won.
28	* {{Irony}}: While helping Clark win Lana over, Lex gives him Lana's Kryptonite necklace (Kryptonite obviously being a material that seriously weakens Clark) and states: "That necklace gives you the power, Clark."
29	* {{Jumpscare}}: Clark, Chloe and Pete are shaken when they open up a spiderweb cocoon inside Greg's room and his mother's decaying corpse falls out.
30	* MyBelovedSmother: Greg's mother. Martha remarks that she kept Greg on a tight leash.
31	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Whitney, realizes that making Clark the Scarecrow over jealousy in the previous episode was wrong and sincerely tries to apologize to him before going to save Lana.
32	* MythologyGag:
33	** Clark says that his father refers to the loft where he spends a lot of his time as his "Fortress of Solitude".
34	** Greg plans to make Lana his queen. In the Silver Age comics, Lana often becomes Insect Queen.
35	* NakedFirstImpression: Lana reminding Lex of the first time she met him--accidentally walking in on him and a girl skinny-dipping.
36	* NeatFreak: Greg's mother is stated to be one. Clark remembers one time during childhood that he forgot to take off his shoes and Mrs. Arkin yelled at him.
37	* OhCrap: Clark, Chloe and Pete's reactions when they find Greg's videotapes of Lana and his mother's dead body and realize Lana is his next victim.
38	-->'''Clark''': Lana! ''(takes off running)''
39	* RadiationInducedSuperpowers: Greg is bitten by bugs that were exposed to Kryptonite radiation.
40	* TheSocialDarwinist: Arkin seems to be a believer in this as the 3rd acts sort of shows.
41	* StalkerWithACrush: Greg stalks Lana and videotapes her. Later, he kidnaps her so he can mate with her.
42	* StealthPun: What band is playing during the scene where Greg gains his insect powers? Music/PapaRoach.
43	** Also, "Arkin" sounds remarkably close to "Orkin," a notable extermination company.
44	* VillainOfTheWeek: Greg Arkin, bug boy.
45	* VisualPun: Greg drives a Volkswagen Bug.

Context Recap / SmallvilleS01E02Metamorphosis