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Plot
Lois and Chrissy go off on a mission to find Lois' estranged sister Lucy, as Jordan and Jonathan become more unsettled by their father's visions and panic attacks. Meanwhile, John Henry and Natalie bond, as Lana and Sarah discuss Kyle's plans for Sarah's quinceanera.
Influences
The Supermen of America series and Euphoria (anti-drug subplot)
Performances
Elizabeth Tulloch and Jenna Dewan have amazing chemistry playing against each other as Lois and Lucy. You truly believe they are estranged sisters.
Artistry
The special effects for the fights with Bizarro are amazing and of cinematic quality.
Super Trivia
This episode marks the first appearance of Lucy Lane in the Arrowverse following Crisis on Infinite Earths. Her last appearance was in S120, where she was also played by Jenna Dewan. This is similar to how Victoria Cartagena, who played Renee Montoya in Gotham, was cast to play a different version of the same character in Batwoman season 3.
The Post-Crisis Lucy Lane is a radically different character than the one Jenna Dewan played on Supergirl, where she was depicted as a daddy's girl who followed in her father's footsteps and enlisted in the military before going on to earn multiple law degrees at Harvard. While she was an antagonist to Kara in both her identities, being a romantic rival for Jimmy Olsen's affections and a foil as the temporary DO head, Lucy was fair-minded and eventually stepped aside when she realized Jimmy's feelings for Kara were stronger.
The new Lucy Lane's occupation is not detailed, but it seems unlikely she ever served in the military and she isn't a lawyer. Reference is made to her suffering severe mental trauma after losing her job and her fiancé, but the details are not defined. She is also presented as a less honest individual, working to help Ally Allston set up her sister.
Strangely enough, both interpretations of Lucy Lane are true to the comics, depending on the era. More recent Superman comics gave her a military background but made her a subservient follower of her father. Conversely, in the Pre-Crisis comics, Lucy was more independent but fell in with the criminal gang The 100 and helped them with their schemes.
Self-help guru Ally Allston makes her first full appearance in the series, after briefly appearing at the end of the previous episode. The name, plus Lois' reference to her being a parasite, suggest that she's an adaptation of a DC Comics character named Alexandra Allston.
First appearing in Adventures of Superman #630 in September 2004, Alexandra Allston was created by writer Greg Rucka and artist Matthew Clark. One of two new versions of the Parasite created by the villain Ruin, Alexandra and her brother were teenagers who were empowered with the same abilities as Rudy Jones, the first Parasite. Alexandra reveled in her ability to get revenge on her bullies, whereas her brother only agreed to help Ruin in exchange for a cure for his condition. He died while attempting to escape prison, whereas Alexandra went on to join Lex Luthor's new Secret Society of Supervillains.
Bizarro Superman is shown to have flame breath instead of ice breath. This is consistent with the comics, where Bizarro had the exact opposite of many of Superman's powers.
Technobabble
Natalie says that she'll upgrade the sensors for the Steel suit after she gets home from school.
John Henry doesn't need gauntlet to summon glove, but it does shield his hand.
The drug made from X-Kryptonite is called Yellow Mist. It is delivered through an inhaler and reportedly has different effects on the user apart from inspiring a feeling of euphoria. Most acquire super strength, but one girl reported being able to hear her mother's voice from miles away. In the case of Jonathan Kent, it seems to give him telescopic vision, enabling him to throw more accurately
Dialogue Triumphs
Lois: You should be in prison for the rest of your life.
Ally: You certainly tried to make that happen, didn't you? But your one-sided exposé failed.
Lois: It shut you down.
Ally: Only for a while. I suggest you listen to our podcast tomorrow morning. Who knows? After the world hears what Lucy has to say, maybe you'll be the one who's canceled.
Lois: Whatever I have to do, I am gonna make sure that Lucy and everyone else you have infected sees you for the absolute fraud that you are. And then I'm gonna take you down once and for all.
Ally: I don't respond well to threats, Lois.
Lois: Neither do I.
(A panicked Jordan answers his phone. We alternate between him and Sam Lane, who is on a golf course.)
Jordan: Granddad?
Sam Lane: Why in the hell were you using your cold breath in a quicky mart?
Jordan: Some guys were just trying to steal some booze, and my friend Denise's family just opened up the store and they're already in debt. I was just trying to help.
Sam Lane: You did a noble thing. Dumb as hell, but noble.
Jordan: I actually have the security footage in the back. You need to do something. They're gonna look at the video, like, any second.
Sam Lane: You mean the video I just sent you?
(Jordan checks his messages. Sure enough, there's a scrambled video file.)
Sam Lane: Don't worry. I scrambled the original.
Jordan: How did you...?
Sam Lane: Son, I used to run the United States Department of Defense. Cleaning this up is easier than Candy Crush.
Jordan: Thanks for doing that so fast.
Sam Lane: I'll always help out family, even if I'm playing the round of my life. (chuckles) Two over with three birdies. Look, you shouldn't be using your powers like this, especially not to stop shoplifters. You're not trained.
Jordan: I know. I'm sorry.
Sam Lane: You just have to always be aware of your surroundings. A little to the left, you would have been in a blind spot.
(Jordan looks up and notices what he means.)
Sam Lane: Got to go, kiddo.
Lois: I messed up. I tried so hard to protect Lucy, and now she does this. No one's ever gonna believe a word I say if Ally goes public with that recording.
Clark: Babe, you don't know that for sure yet.
Lois: Chrissy doesn't, and she's my partner.
Clark: She'll come around, and when she does, the two of you will figure out how to fix this.
Lois: Driving over there today, I honestly thought that I could save her. So stupid.
Clark: My mom always said it's never stupid to try to help someone.
Lois: What if they don't want help? Then what do you do?
Continuity
Five years ago (2017) Lucy Lane was living with Lois and Clark in Metropolis, shortly after she lost her job and her fiancé.
Lois and Lucy's mother also died during this time. While Lois remained estranged from her, apparently Lucy and her had reconciled.
Lois leaves the Kent-Lane home to stay with Aly Allston, whom Lois describes as a parasite.
Lucy says that seeing Lois and her perfect life up close is just making her depression worse.
Ally Allston describes her followers as congregants. They are collectively known as the Inverse Society.
Heather Ackerman was the follower of Ally Allston who died under her care, whom Lois mentioned earlier in the season.
Allston claims Ackerman's death was due to a heart condition she didn't disclose and that her methods are usually safe.
Lois' reporting on Ackerman's death and Lucy's experience shut down Allston's group, but only for a while.
Lucy Lane is confirmed to be the surprise guest on Ally's podcast who will testify that Lois Lane altered her account for her story.
Bizarro is shown to also be able to see from Clark's perspective, as he has a vision of Jordan and Jonathan at the breakfast table.
Lois is listening to the podcast in private. Jordan accidentally overhears her and confirms to Jonathan and Clark that it is Aunt Lucy on the podcast.
Lois says she's determined to bring her sister back, whatever the cost.
John Henry's armor is said to be barely function and the hammer barely works.
John Henry says if they can't get the parts to fix it from the Department of Defense, they may have to go to Metropolis to get them.
Emily Phan tells Lana the Mayor is digging up dirt on her family and has been asking about Sarah in specific.
John Henry says he used to live in Washington DC and Metropolis on his Earth and has never known anyplace as peaceful as Smallville.
Clark says that his father, Jonathan Kent, served in the US Army and that he joked it was a nice break from all the work on his farm.
Clark has another vision of Bizarro, just before he arrives at the Kent Farm.
Bizarro is show clearly enough that his costume is revealed to have an inverted House of El shield.
Chrissy Beppo is able to find a lead on Lucy's location after spending a night searching the Dark Web.
Chrissy's alias on-line is Penelope "Penny" Collins, whom she presents as an impressionable young blonde trying to find herself.
"Penny" gets an invite to an Ally Allston event in New Carhage.
Kyle and Lana discuss how to handle Mayor Dean investigating Sarah. They are afraid this may undo all the progress she has made.
Lana refuses to go after Mayor Dean's son in the same way, despite Kyle's urging.
Jordan and Sarah plan to meet at a store run by their friend Denise after school. Jordan offers to buy her whatever she wants.
Candice sells Jonathan an inhaler of Yellow Mist and tells him Timmy Ryan just bought five of them.
John Henry isolates the energy signature of the item Bizarro wears around his neck. Unfortunately, he thinks tracking it will require the Department of Defense satellite network.
John Henry tells Clark his suit is busted and his hammer cracked, so there's nothing he can do to help Clark if he fights Bizarro again. He suggests working with Lt. Anderson and his steam.
Denise was a cheerleader, but quit to focus on helping her family with their business after school.
Candice is confirmed to be the Captain of Smallville High's cheerleading team and Denise says most of the other girls are acting weird since then.
Jordan stops two other boys from shoplifting liquor from the store, but is caught on camera using his ice-breath to do it.
General Lane reveals that he is watching over Jordan and he had the video footage scrambled. He praises Jordan for his good intentions, but says he can't go playing vigilante.
Chrissy wears a blonde wig to go undercover at the Ally Allston event.
Superman gives his signal device back to Lt. Anderson and gives him the energy signature of Bizarro.
Jonathan uses the Yellow Mist inhaler and develops enhanced vision that lets him throw a football more accurately.
Lucy finds Lois hiding in a car and tells her to meet her at room 452 of the hotel.
Lucy says that Lois' article ruined her life.
Chrissy is recognized by Ally Allston. However, rather than trying to drive her out, she encourages her to stay and learn the real truth about Lois Lane.
It is revealed that there is a hidden camera in Lucy's room, recording her conversation with Lois.
Lucy claims that Lois drove their mother to leave their family. Lois says she was only 8 when it happened.
Lucy claims that Lois altered her account of Ally's treatment and how she honestly did "cross over" as she described after her suicide attempt.
Lois admits to leaving that out of her article because it made Lucy sound crazy.
Lucy reveals that she recorded the conversation and tells Lois to stay out of her life.
It is revealed that the reason why Sarah is in therapy is that she attempted suicide.
Natalie reveals that she knows something is up with Jonathan, who reacts to a bird as if it were closer to him than it was. She suggests he cut back on his new medication and says he's acting like a weed smoker.
The Department of Defense trace Bizarro to Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, which is the world's largest salt flat.
Lt. Anderson sends in his team, which is officially identified as the Supermen of America. However, he does not call Superman.
Superman doesn't find out about Bizarro and the Supermen until he has a vision of two of them dying.
Tag Harris is the only Supermen of America member who gets away. He runs off with Bizarro's necklace, which seems to drain the energy out of Superman.
John Henry tries to help Superman fight Bizarro, despite his suit only having 10% functionality.
John Henry is sent to a secret Army hospital.
Natalie blames Clark for her father's injuries.
Mayor Dean tells Lana he agrees their children should be out of bounds but teases Kyle about his drinking problem.
John Henry is later revealed to be breathing on his own, but is still in bad shape.
Sam Lane lives close to Smallville.
Jordan talks to Sam and asks him to help train him so he can help his father.
Sam agrees, but requires it be kept secret - presumably because he knows how Clark will respond to Jordan training to become a superhero.
Kyle goes to a bar and it is revealed he had an affair with the bartender.
Chrissy calls Ally and asks for truth about Lois.
Location
The flashback that opens the episode is set five years earlier in Metropolis.
New Carthage
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
The Bottom Line
Another tense episode, with a firm focus on the whole ensemble.
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