Originally aired December 8, 2005
Written by Holly Harold
Directed by Rick Rosenthal
After Lex is mugged and shot, he wakes up in a dream world where he is married to a pregnant Lana with a young son. Chloe enlists Clark's help to deliver Christmas presents to poor children, and Clark has a surprising encounter with Santa Claus.
Tropes present in the episode:
- The Alcoholic: Surprisingly, Santa Claus.
- Antagonist Title
- Christmas Episode: The episode takes place on Christmas Eve.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Lex Luthor.
- Death by Childbirth: Dream!Lana dies after giving birth to her and Lex's daughter.
- Dream Apocalypse
- I Have No Son!: Dream!Lionel tells Lex this.Lex: I know we've had our differences, but my wife—she's the mother of your grandchildren.Dream!Lionel: How could I have grandchildren? I don't have a son.
- It's a Wonderful Plot: Lex gets a glimpse of what his life could like if he turns away from the dark path he's on. In the end, he decides to continue down the road of darkness.
- Mythology Gag: Clark's interaction with Santa references various times when Superman and Santa often work together to save Christmas in the comics.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Dream!Lionel gives one to Lex, shaming him for turning away from LuthorCorp and the wealth and power that came with it. This most likely influences Lex to continue down his evil path.Dream!Lionel: Oh, Lex, what a sorry situation you have gotten yourself into.Lex: I don't think you understand. My wife is dying, and I need the helijet to save her.Dream!Lionel: I understand you perfectly. You turned your back on me seven years ago, but now you need my help. So, now you have no problem banging on my door, begging for favors in the name of family.Lex: I'm talking about Lana! I know we've had our differences, but my wife—she's the mother of your grandchildren.Dream!Lionel: How could I have grandchildren? I don't have a son.Lex: You bastard! You can save her.Dream!Lionel: No, Lex. I'm not gonna do that. Don't you understand that every decision you've made has brought you to this very moment, beginning that day seven years ago in the hospital when you decided to forfeit the State Senate race to Jonathan Kent? I told you this would happen. I warned you, but you chose to give up your family. And when you made that decision, you gave up the money and the power that would've enabled you to save your wife. Pathetic. You said you didn't want to be a Luthor, that you wanted instead to be free to live happily ever after. Go on, then, Lex. You better get back to it.
- Restored My Faith in Humanity: Santa believes that the spirit of Christmas is dead due to too much commercialism and greed, preparing to commit suicide while drunk. Clark convinces him it's not dead by explaining how he gave up spending a romantic Christmas Eve with Lana to help Chloe deliver toys to poor children, convincing Santa the spirit of Christmas was still alive after all.
- Santa Claus: Clark encounters Saint Nick himself during his delivery round.
- Spirit Advisor: Lillian serves this role to Lex.
- Subbing for Santa: Sort of. Chloe calls on Clark to deliver Christmas presents to underprivileged children. At one point during his delivery run, Clark is spotted by a little kid who says he's not Santa, to which our hero replies "I'm the new-and-improved model."
- Talking Down the Suicidal: Clark meets a drunk Santa Claus who is preparing to jump from a rooftop, due to believing that the spirit of Christmas is dead. Clark talks him down by explaining to him that instead of spending Christmas with his girlfriend he chose to help Chloe deliver toys to kids. This not only talks Santa down, it restored his faith in humanity and he goes to Chole to deliver the rest of the toys himself.
