Originally aired November 10, 2005
Written by Steven S De Knight
Directed by James Marshall
Clark is pricked by a chunk of Silver Kryptonite and begins hallucinating that his friends and family are conspiring against him.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Do Not Call Me "Paul":Fine: Kal-El...Clark: My name is Clark, and I will always believe in my friends and family.
- Gaslighting: Part of Fine/Brainiac's ploy. Early in the episode, Clark is run off the road by a black truck and he tells Fine, who says he was being followed by a black truck himself and tells Clark he's going to report the matter to campus security. Later on, an increasingly paranoid Clark goes to see Fine, who tells him he hasn't seen him in a week and so they never talked earlier.
- Humans Are Bastards: In the final act, Fine expresses this opinion to Clark.Fine: You've been on this planet many years, Kal-El. I had to observe you before revealing myself to determine just how much you've been influenced by these humans.Clark: You say "human" like it's a bad thing.Fine: Just going on what I've seen. This race shows promise but, at this point in history, they're still duplicitous by their very nature. Even the ones you think you love can't be trusted.
- Humans Are Special: Clark's response to Fine badmouthing humankind contains this trope. While agreeing that humans can be petty and traitorous, he argues that they're still capable of loyalty and love.Clark: Yeah, they can be petty and dishonest and betray each other over nothing, but they can also be honest and loyal and they would give up everything to protect someone they love even if they were from another planet.
- Hypocrite: Fine/Brainiac gives Clark a spiel about how humans can't be trusted, yet he himself is clearly working against Clark.
- Neck Lift: Silver!Clark executes this on Jonathan during a fit of paranoid anger at him.
- Plot Device: Silver Kryptonite, which is actually just an ordinary rock mixed with some of Brainiac's nanites.
- Psychological Horror: after Clark gets infected by the Silver Kryptonite the episode shifts slowly into this genre. Clark's growing paranoia is the focus of the episode, and it's combined with dark, off putting cinematography. By the end of the episode Clark comes off like a serial killer in the making until he's cured.
- This Is the Part Where...: Lex's response to Lana accusing him of sending the Silver Kryptonite to her in an attempt to drive a wedge between her and Clark.Lana: I should have known you'd pull something like this. You can't stand to see us together, can you?Lex: This is the part where I usually say, "Lana, what are you talking about?"
- Villainous Rescue: Fine/Brainiac removes the Silver Kryptonite splinter from Clark's system.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Clark, under the influence of Silver Kryptonite, rails at Chloe for supposedly discussing his secret with Lionel.
- Would Hit a Girl: Silver!Clark hits Martha during a bout of paranoia after he confronts Jonathan over accepting money from Lionel (in actuality, Lionel gave Jonathan Lex's balance sheet).
