As a massive tornado rumbles towards an unsuspecting Smallville, Clark (Tom Welling) is on the verge of discovering the first connection to where he came from when the missing piece of the spaceship is found and breathes life into the fallen craft. Meanwhile, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) is hit with a one-two punch after his father (guest star John Glover, "Batman & Robin") closes the plant and orders him back to Metropolis and the shifty reporter he hired to spy on the Kents discovers Clark's superhuman abilities and the spaceship hidden in the storm cellar. Rock band Remy Zero performs the Smallville theme song, their hit single "Save Me," in the episode at the high school formal.
Sam Jones III, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider also star. Greg Beeman directed the episode with story written by Philip Levens and teleplay by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar.

Lex is hit with a surprise after his father closes the local Smallville plant to force him back to Metropolis, blaming the plant's failure on his management. Meanwhile Clark prepares for his date with Chloe, reporter Roger Nixon gets wind of Clark's alien origins after setting up an explosion, and Whitney joins the Marine Corps. Lex works with the workers to buy the plant and put it under local management, and his father Lionel threatens to sabotage the efforts by buying up their mortgages. It all comes together when Nixon uses the "key" Lex found (in "Obscura") to activate the spaceship just as three tornados hit Smallville. He flees into the storm with Jonathan in pursuit and Martha left to confront the opening spaceship. The tornado hits Lex's manor and traps Lionel under beam, leaving Lex with a life-or-death decision to make. And Clark arrives to see Lana whisked up into the tornado. (to be continued...)

Lionel: You're not my enemy. You're my son.
Lex: I never saw the distinction.

Clark: Lex cares about the town - he says he has big plans!
Jonathan: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions!

Chloe: Clark Kent, man of mystery. Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me.

Lionel: Smallville isn't in your future, it's just a brief chapter in your biography.

Lionel: If you're going to take me on, son, you're going to have to bring your game up to a whole different level.

Lex: The two theories seem to be I either ran the plant into the ground through incompetence or did it deliberately so that I can go back to Metropolis.
Clark: Your dad already offered you a job in Metropolis - just tell people the truth.
Lex: Then they get stuck with the incompetence rap. Being reviled is the lesser evil.

Lana: One day he's worried about his English paper, and the next he's putting on a uniform and saving the world.

Lex: I believe the term is cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!

Lex: Take the buyout now and you can keep your dignity. That's more than you left me.

Lionel: You may have thought you found a home, Lex, but Smallville was just a training ground. Your training is over. You're coming home, son!

Lex: Any relationship founded on lies is destined to fail. It's a good thing we don't have that problem.
Clark: Lucky us.

Lionel: You're throwing away your future, Lex.
Lex: Or forging a new destiny free of you.

Clark: Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?
Chloe: Yeah. But frequent reminders are always appreciated.

Lionel: I will bury you and everyone in Smallville who takes your side.

Some very shiny black shoes. Some very wavy, loose black pants. Funky music plays. It's "What Do I Have to Do," by Stabbing Westward. As the camera pans up, it's clear this can be the only man in Smallville who wears sleek black pants: Lex Luthor. He's wearing a black overcoat and a baby blue shirt, all flapping in the wind. The camera keeps moving up until it's over him, the visual ogling continuing. Lex is squinting at something and it makes his head look a little compressed. Behind him are some big metal buildings. We're in front of the LuthorCorp plant. We pan even higher and see that Lex is standing on a landing pad. In front of him, a helicopter is descending. In the helicopter, Papa Luthor, wearing dark sunglasses, flashes a crocodile smile. Papa bounds out of the 'copter and greets Lex as he duck/runs, saying that it's a beautiful day. Lex says that storms are on the way. Papa throws some foreshadowing down on our asses by saying that in the Heartland, things can change in a minute. Papa asks if everyone is assembled. They walk up some blue-carpeted stairs. Lex says that twenty-four hours is short notice, but they tried to gather everyone. Hey, one show crammed a whole season of episodes into twenty-four hours. Lex asks what this speech that Papa's going to give is all about. Papa Luthor lies for no real reason. He says it's the same motivational speech Lex has heard a gajillion times. Papa meet 'n greets some plant executives, who all look way middle-aged. "Fire up the troops!" Papa Luthor calls. As they walk up some more outdoor stairs, Lex says that the plant just turned a profit for the first time in two years, and that the workers are expecting a deserved pat on the back. "I'll try not to disappoint them," Papa says. Oh man. I smell evil.

Lex and Papa Lionel finally hit a stage with a huge LuthorCorp logo on a sheet behind them. All the employees stand up and start clapping and carrying on. Papa Luthor raises his arms in a wide V. He tells the workers that they've all worked hard this year, and that they should be proud of themselves. Everybody claps as if it's a USO rally and Papa Luthor is Bob Hope. Papa gestures for the applause to die down. Lex claps behind him. "Just as a ship can only follow the course set by its captain, any business is only as good as its leadership," Papa Luthor announces. "Due to management failures beyond your control, this plant will be closing, effective immediately." The extras in the audience get rowdy. "What?" some of them mutter. "Good luck to all of you!" Papa says and raises his arms again as if he's expecting kisses. The crowd, obviously, is not pleased. Lex looks like he got punched in the gut. He follows his dad back down the stairs. Lex points out that his father just fired 2,500 people and blamed it on Lex. Papa replies, "One day you'll thank me, Lex." When? On Opposites Day? Papa Luthor says that Smallville isn't in Lex's future. It's just a brief bit in his biography -- the chapter titled, "Big Barn Love and Weekly Villains in Platitude Country." It even has woodcut artwork. Papa says we live in a meritocracy. (Oh, shit. We do?) He says that the plant wasn't performing, and he had no other option. Lex asks that Lionel spare him the corporate-barbarian spiel. Papa Luthor says, "Ooga, argh, growl!" In my head, at least. Lex says that the fired folks have families, kids, mortgages. Papa Luthor lectures that they're in business to make profit, not friends and that they can't let emotions get in the way of good business. Michael Moore is hiding in the back with a camera and an oversized check for thirty-five cents to pay for the first hour of Mexican labor. Lex says that the only reason Papa is closing the plant is because Lex wouldn't go work for him in Metropolis. True dat, true dat. Lionel says that Lex may have thought he found a home, but that Smallville was just a training ground. "Your training is over," Papa says. Lex looks pissed. Lionel gets on the 'copter and calls out, "You're coming home! Son!" The music builds back up. The helicopter flies off. Another overhead shot looking down at Lex on the landing pad. We zoom down on his face in tight close-up. Lex, you need a nap, my friend.