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Recap / Smallville S 02 E 21 Accelerate

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Originally aired May 6, 2003

Teleplay by Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders

Story by Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer

Directed by James Marshall

Clark investigates when Lana claims to have seen Emily, a childhood friend of hers who drowned several years ago. Lex grows suspicious of his father's frequent visits to Smallville.


Tropes present in the episode:

  • Antagonistic Offspring: Emily skewers her father with an implement after he forbids her to see Lana.
  • Bullet Time: In the cemetery when Clark and Emily both move at Super-Speed.
  • Calling the Old Man Out: Lex confronts Lionel over resuming the Level 3 experiments into human cloning, but Lionel denies any involvement and instead chides Lex for becoming so obsessed with his activities that Lionel was able to attain control of the Kawatche Caves.
    Lionel: [enters Lex's study] Lex, what's the crisis? One minute, you want nothing to do with me and then I'm inundated with urgent messages.
    Lex: How does it feel to play God, Dad?
    Lionel: [sighs in annoyance] If I left in the middle of brunch with the Governor—
    Lex: I know you've reopened Level Three.
    Lionel: Ah, the ominous Level Three.
    Lex: Instead of abandoning the project like you claimed, you dispersed the research into smaller, undetectable labs.
    Lionel: How could you buy into such a myth?
    Lex: Your connection to Dinsmore is more than a myth. You're genetically engineering human beings.
    Lionel: Oh, Lex. Lex. Extraterrestrials, secret labs—it's science fiction, son. [turns to leave]
    Lex: I saw Emily Dinsmore with my own eyes.
    Lionel: [stops, then turns back to face Lex] If you'd kept your mind on business, you might have noticed that the state has placed the conservator-ship of the Kawatche Cave under my control, effective today.
    Lex: That's impossible. I was under contract for five years.
    Lionel: That's what I told the Governor. But, apparently, somehow, he's learned of a series of accidents and several unfortunate deaths that occurred under your watch. [Beat] I'm sorry, son. I've tried to teach you: Always keep a sharp eye on the ball. [leaves]
  • Creepy Child: Emily. The teaser has her appearing out of thin air (owing to her Super-Speed), she slams up against the Talon doors at one point, and she finally tries to kill Lana after the latter admits she failed to save the original Emily years ago.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Years ago, when Lana slipped and fell into a river, the real Emily jumped into the river and saved Lana, but at the cost of her own life.
  • Seven Deadly Sins: Invoked by Lionel and Lex when Lionel drops by the mansion while Lex is busy planning his wedding to Helen.
    Lionel: [entering the room and seeing all the sweet foods on the table] I knew you had your vices, son, but I didn't think gluttony was one of them.
    Lex: Well, I suppose if there's anyone who's an authority on the Seven Deadly Sins, it'd be you, Dad.
  • Super-Speed: Emily, as a result of the cloning procedure.
  • Villain of the Week: Emily Dinsmore, or rather, one of her clones.
  • What Measure Is a Non-Human?: In the final scene, Lionel coldly regards Emily as property of LuthorCorp as he drops Pete Dinsmore from the project.
    Dinsmore: She's flawed, but she's my daughter.
    Lionel: No. No, she's not. She's a poor approximation. This specimen is defective.
    Dinsmore: You can't take her away from me. She's my life.
    Lionel: She's the property of LuthorCorp.

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