The intro: Native American Joseph Willowbrook objects to building on the site of a new office park funded by LuthorCorp. As the construction foreman fuels his SUV at the site, he hears rustling in the bushes. He shoots of a flare as a white wolf attacks. The wolf runs off to watch from a safe distance, before the flare comes down, igniting the leaking gas and causing an explosion.
Who is Kyla? While riding motocross with Pete near the construction site, Clark falls into a cave. A beautiful Native American girl, Kyla finds Clark unharmed. She is in the cave doing research for her grandfather, Willowbrook. Clark's fall has uncovered ancient drawings. The drawings tell the prophecy of Naman, who will fall from the sky in a rain of fire, have the strength of ten men and will be able to start fires with his eyes. As they leave the cave, Clark notices an octagonal impression in the wall that matches the size and shape of his spaceship's key.
What's up with Clark? Clark is convinced the legend tells his story. Clark invites Kyla and her grandfather to dinner at the Kent's. Willowbrook relates the 500-year-old legend that tells of a man who came from the stars and fell in love with the "mother" of Kyla's people. From their affair, Kyla's people were born. The man left earth, promising to send another after him. Clark asks Martha to ask Lionel to preserve the sacred caves so Kyla's grandfather can continue to study. In the barn, Kyla tells Clark more about the legend of her people, pointing out a constellation tracing a wolf's head. One star, the eye is missing. Kyla says the missing star is where Naman came from. As Kyla and Clark get closer, Lana appears in the barn. Clark had left her an urgent message about the caves. Clark asks Lana to ask Henry Small if he would defend saving the caves. Later while Clark and Kyla explore the caves, Kyla interprets more drawings. Someday, Naman will protect the entire world. A pictograph of a beast that is like a brother to Naman, turns against Naman, but the two would be the balance between good and evil. There is also a drawing of the woman Naman is destined to be with. There is a symbol beside her…the same design that is on a turquoise bracelet worn by Kyla. Just then, construction above causes a boulder to fall. Clark covers Kyla to protect her. She realizes he is Naman, accepting Clark's differences. Clark admits there are a lot of things about himself he can't explain. They kiss.
What's up with Lionel? Lionel tells Martha that Joseph Willowbrook has been involved with past protests, and is being investigated about the explosion at the construction site. Lionel tells Martha she reminds him of his wife and her honesty. Lionel compliments Lex on the business successes he has accomplished without him, and asks him to join him in the office park construction. Lex refuses.
What's up with Lana? Henry Small talks to Lana at the Talon. He tells her the DNA tests are positive, he is her father, and wants to earn that place in her life.
What's up with Lex? At protests on the construction site, Martha asks Kyla's grandfather Mr. Willowbrook to meet with Lionel. He refuses, not trusting Luthor. Henry Small shows up with a cease and desist order for the construction, based on discoveries in the cave. The sheriff arrives to arrest Willowbrook for the murder of the construction foreman, based on a bloody towel found in Willowbrook's trash. Willowbrook tells Martha Luthor is framing him. Clark visits Lex with accusations against Lionel, trying to raise bail money for Willowbrook. Lex questions Clark about Kyla and Lana, suspecting Clark's passion. Lex refuses to help him with bail money, but Clark wants to convince him. Clark takes up activism to raise money to save the caves. Clark shows Lex the pictographs in the caves. Lex sees the octagon impression, and knows the importance of the cave paintings, giving the money for Willowbrook's bail.
What's up with Chloe? Chloe's investigations uncover the foreman's autopsy, showing teeth marks from a wolf, no longer found in Smallville. Chloe also finds out that the Kawatche tribal name translates into "Skinwalkers." She gives Clark information about a Native American myth says that humans can transform into animals. Clark insists Willowbrook is not a murderer.
What's up with Martha? Martha again tries to smooth over bad feelings of Willowbrook towards Lionel. Willowbrook tells her he realizes where her allegiances are, and leaves with Kyla. Later, at night as Martha leaves LuthorCorp, she hears rustling, and hurries to her car. Just as she gets in, the white wolf jumps to snarl and threaten at her windshield. Nervously, she starts the car. When she looks up again, the wolf is gone.
What's up with Jonathan? Clark admits his feelings for Kyla to Jonathan. Clark can be himself with Kyla, he feels like she's his destiny. Clark also says he's uncertain whether Kyla's being honest with him, and that she knows about the foreman's death.
How it ends: Lex offers to buyout Lionel's office park project, dollar for dollar, to preserve the caves. Lionel suspects another motive. Clark questions Kyla about skinwalkers. Kyla says legends connect the visitor from the stars who brought green space rocks. The rocks had effects on the people, towards human - animal transformations. Clark asks if Kyla's grandfather is a skinwalker. He tells of the attempted wolf attack on Martha. Kyla leaves, hurt and offended by the accusations. Meanwhile, Lionel hears scratching on the door of the mansion, and wolf howls outside. The white wolf appears in his study, threatening and snarling in attack. Clark arrives in time at the door. Clark calls out "Joseph!" The wolf stops its attack, as Clark stares into its eyes. The wolf jumps from the window. Clark follows outside, finding the white wolf injured. The white wolf transforms into Kyla. He rushes to comfort her. She says she didn't want to hurt the foreman or Martha. She didn't tell him her secret because she was afraid. Before she slips away, Kyla apologizes, saying she's sorry she can't be the one for him, Naman. The next morning at the construction site, Clark stands in front of the bulldozers. Martha and Lionel arrive. Martha says she believes in Clark. Lionel threatens her job security. She goes to Clark anyway. Willowbrook and his people arrive, thanking Clark. Willowbrook says Kyla had faith in him, and so does he. He gives Clark Kyla's turquoise bracelet, for the "True one in your life." Lex tells Lionel he should've taken his offer on the land. Now the state has exercised historic preservation on the land, buying Lionel out at 30 cents on the dollar. Lex's company LexCorp has the contract for the preservation of the area. Lionel tells Lex he knows there is something valuable in the caves, and whatever it is, he'll find it. Lex goes back into the caves, examining the octagonal impression. Lana visits Clark in the barn, expressing her sympathy for Kyla. Lana is upset. She tells Clark Whitney is missing in action. Clark comforts Lana as she cries.
[back to top]

We start on a very dirty construction site where it looks like ground is being broken. A sign shows a few big office buildings and an offer to rent prime space in this corporate plaza. Hey, fiber-optic internet! Sign me up! The sign has the telltale Luthorcorp insignia. As employees leave for the day, a skinny guy stands at a wire fence and tells folks goodnight and that they did a good job. That and another $20 will help them pay for their kids' karate lessons that month. He turns around, and a big logo on his brown jacket says "Construx Industries." I hear they're owned by "Fiction-Ale Beverages," a subsidiary of "Made-Up Schitt Ltd." This guy looks pretty doomed to me. He turns around, and standing in front of him is a Noble Native American Elder. He is just like every Noble Native American Elder you've seen in any movie or TV show. Skinny Foreman tells the NNAE that he's trespassing. The Elder asks how he can be trespassing on land his ancestors have owned for thousands of years. Oh, here we go. Look, I know how you feel, guy, but I don't run around Texas telling people to vacate their houses because Davy Crockett and his kin stole shit from my forefathers, do I? I mean, not anymore, I don't. "Out of my way, Chief. I've got a job to get done," Skinny tells the man. Elder grabs the foreman by the lapels and warns him that he doesn't understand the consequences of what he's doing. Silly white man. Skinny asks if he's being threatened. "How can I be threatening you? I'm just an old man." How can all his dialogue consist of questions? Skinny tells the Elder that if he has a problem, to take it up with the big guy. But Frank Sinatra is dead! Elder leaves. Skinny locks the cheap fence.

Later, at night...I have no idea why Skinny has to work a night shift alone, but he emerges from a trailer to put gas into some equipment. Being a foreman is a lot of work. You have to do the work of fore men. Skinny hears some rustling in some nearby bushes, which of course should have been cleared but are still within the construction zone. The workers like foliage nearby because it's pretty. Panicked, Skinny runs to his truck, and inside a plastic case is a gun. He loads some big shell into the gun, and as he does so, we switch to Wolf-o-Vision, which is a lot like Lana's psychic vision from the "Obscura" episode, only hairier. The wolf, of course, attacks Skinny, because Skinny is a Bad White Man. In the struggle, Skinny shoots his gun, which launches a red flare into the sky. We cut to gasoline pouring out of the truck from the nozzle. Even the wolf can figure out what's gonna happen next. The flare returns back to earth, and it's Crispy Foreman Time! It sets off like five explosions in a row. The wolf watches the explosions, then walks off-screen, content that he still has acting gigs after Wolf Lake was cancelled. We hear a howl from off to the left. Damn wily ventriloquist wolf! (more...)
-- Omar G (TWoP)

While moto-crossing with Pete, Clark falls into a cave and discovers two hidden treasures - ancient Indian writings that hold the key to his identity, and a beautiful girl whom he believes to be his soulmate. Desperate to preserve the writings, Clark pits father against son as he enlists Lex's help to stop Lionel's construction crew from demolishing the cave. Kristin Kreuk, Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider also star.

Lex: (to Lionel) Sentimentality is synonymous with vulnerability. You taught me that.

Clark: Lex, have you ever wondered if you were destined to be with someone?
Lex: You're talking to someone who's fought his destiny his entire life.

Lionel: Lex, have I done something in the recent past to offend you?
Lex: There are so many ways I can answer that question.

Lex: You always told me to choose my battles wisely.
Lionel: I hope I didn't use such an obvious cliche.

Kyla: Just because something's a myth doesn't mean it's not true.

Lex: Not that I don't find the dank stench of a cave invigorating, but what does this have to do with Joseph Willowbrook?

Lionel: Altruism is not in your blood, Lex. Believe me.

The effects consisted of stock footage, some interesting "lupis-eye view" footage, a long drop, and a morph. All of these effects were very well done. I give it 6 out of 6.

The story was, for the most part, very good. The opening event was unlikely enough to bother me, and I'm not a big fan of cliffhangers that are almost unrelated to the rest of the episode, but otherwise, this was a very good episode. Yes, we've seen the "main character misses the obvious" problem before several times, but this time the character in question has a very plausible reason to blind himself to the possibility in question. Once the cave was introduced, the episode ran with a pretty tight plot and some great dialogue, especially from the Luthors. I give it 5 out of 6. (more...)
by fiziko