The Daily Planet holds a letter-writing contest for children, promising the winner a flight around the world with Superman. The winning entry is signed Elaine Carson, but it turns out to have been written by her daughter Ann, who has been blinded in a car accident and so thinks her mother would enjoy the trip more. Strangely enough, Ann did this even though she doesn't believe that Superman is real. Elaine, meanwhile, is acting paranoid and tells everyone to get lost. Eventually, Clark and Lois figure out what's really going on with the family and engineer the perfect happy ending.
This episode contains examples of:
- Disappeared Dad: Elaine's split with her husband was so bitter that he ran all the way to Arabia while his lawyer stalks his wife, while his daughter pines for him to come back.
- Divorce Is Temporary: Despite all of the above, once Clark and Lois get the Carsons in a room together, everything's just fine. Elaine has some regret over her harshness to her husband, however justified, and he seems to bear some guilt both from the accident and running away. Add to that, they are awaiting word on whether her sight can be restored. It is, with Superman aiding the doctors. The common concern about Ann plus confessions of the mistakes they both made aid the positive outcome.
- Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Ann's attitude about her blindness, saying it makes people get all "mushy."
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Fair for Its Day: Ann is never portrayed as helpless, though she is sheltered by her mother's protectiveness. Ultimately, it almost seems like her blindness is the least of her problems. - Grief-Induced Split: Ann's father was driven away because her mother blamed him for the accident that took the girl's eyesight. Ann wants him to come home.
- Lampshade Hanging: The show highlights its own Acceptable Breaks from Reality twice. Ann tells Superman upon meeting him, "You sound like Mr. Kent," only to take his word for it that he isn't. At the end, when Superman is flying her over the snowy Himalayas, he asks, "Are you cold?" to which she answers, "Not at all!" and it's left at that.
- Mama Bear: Elaine. She drove her husband away because she blamed him for the car accident that blinded their daughter, and has been ferociously protective ever since.
- The World Is Just Awesome: The theme of virtually all of Ann's remarks as they fly over it.
