Originally aired January 25, 2007
Written by Turi Meyer & Al Septien
Directed by Whitney Ransick
After Clark is attacked in his barn and rendered unconscious, he wakes up to find himself in a mental hospital where he is told that he has been a patient there for the past several years due to his delusions of being an alien with superpowers.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Affably Evil: Dr. Hudson is actually rather polite and kindly despite the fact he's actually a Phantom trying to body-jack Clark.
- Alternate Universe: Clark's dream world. Clark never had superpowers, he and Chloe are mental patients, Martha is married to Lionel, Lex is an amputee, and Lana patiently waits for Clark to get better.
- An Arm and a Leg: Dream!Lex lost both of his legs in the accident on the bridge, leaving him wheelchair-bound.
- Beard of Evil: Dr. Hudson sports one in Clark's dream world.
- Black Eyes of Evil: Dr. Hudson gets these when Clark strangles him to death in order to return to reality.
- Continuity Nod: In Clark's dream world, he and Lana have always been a couple, but Clark mentioned that she used to date Whitney Fordman.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: While Chloe is crazy in Clark's dream world, she's right about everything.
- Evil Old Folks: Dr. Hudson in Clark's dream world.
- Grand Theft Me: Dr. Hudson's plan for Clark is to take over his body with all his Kryptonian powers and unite the other Phantom Zone prisoners.
- Heroic BSoD: Clark goes through one after Dream!Chloe dies from a gunshot wound, and he becomes temporarily convinced that he is indeed insane.
- The Final Temptation
- Lotus-Eater Machine: Dr. Hudson's power.
- Mythology Gag:
- The hospital orderlies taunt John using a lighter; this references Martian Manhunter's weakness to fire.
- In Clark's dream world, Dr. Milton Fine is apparently a real person, as oppose to being Brainiac's human identity. In the comics, Milton Fine was a separate character who was possessed by Brainiac.
- Psycho Therapist: The Phantom that attacks Clark disguises itself in Clark's dream world as Dr. Hudson, a psychiatrist.
- Suddenly Shouting: In Clark's dream world, Lex does this when Clark insists that him being in a wheelchair is a trick.Clark: This is a trick. It's a trick!Dream!Lex: Really? OPEN YOUR EYES, YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH! Does this look like a trick to you?!
- Villain of the Week: Dr. Hudson, a Phantom Zone criminal with designs on body-jacking Clark.