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"Action"
Original Air Date on October 25, 2007
Director: Cut!
Man: Kill playback. People, we're losing light.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Chloe: Thanks to you, Smallville's finally getting a close-up.
Clark: When I said they could film at the farm, I didn't realize that half of Hollywood would show up at my doorstep.
Chloe: [ Chuckles ] At least revel in the irony that they've chosen a single-theater town to shoot their bazillion-dollar "Warrior Angel" film.
Clark: I guess I never really got into comic books.
Chloe: Oh, come on. Who doesn't love the story of a small-town boy who grows up to save the world from the evil Devilicus?
Clark: I didn't know you were such an avid follower.
Chloe: I'm not. It's just right now, fiction's a lot more appealing than reality. I mean, dating is so overrated. Who really needs the extra added headache of worrying about tables for two and wardrobe remorse on a movie night. [ Chuckles ] In other words, I've had plenty of free time to create Kara's fake back-story. Your cousin's secret identity is practically Google-proof.
Clark: That's great. Maybe when she clears her head and comes home, she'll appreciate it.
Man: Sorry, guys. Got to move you back.
Clark: All that for one star.
Chloe: Clark, Rachel Davenport is not just a star. She's practically her own constellation. I mean, don't you watch movies at all? Turns out miss super diva put a moratorium on all press interviews. God, an exclusive with her would definitely put a snap back into my editor's suspenders.
Man: And roll sound! Roll camera! Here we go. Roll playback. And ... action.
Rachel: Steven, you won't believe the photos I got us, baby. Meet me at the French place in an hour.
[ Engine turns over ]
Director: Cut. That was perfect. Rachel, that's a cut. What the hell? Rachel, that's a cut. Oh, my god.
Rachel: Is it supposed to be like this? Oh, my god! Somebody help! Somebody help me!
[ Air whooshes ]
Rachel: [ Grunts softly ] So, you just totally saved my life. You're amazing.
Clark: [ Chuckles ] I didn't hear you come in last night.
Lana: I know. You were already asleep when I got home from Nell's. And you looked so cute, I couldn't bear to wake you. [ Chuckles ] But even heroes need their beauty sleep. After years of these articles, you'd think I would have figured it out.
Clark: I guess people only see what they think is possible.
Lana: Well, I, for one, am glad I've seen the light.
Clark: And I think the spotlight is better suited in Hollywood.
Clark Kent? Ms. Rachel Davenport is requesting your company on the set.
Lana: Looks like I'm not your only fan.
Rachel is very busy, so keep it short and don't ask for an autograph.
Clark: No problem.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Ms. Davenport, your guest has arrived.
Rachel: Attention, everyone. Mr. Kent and I need some one-on-one. Thank you. See you all in a little bit. Today we shoot the famous date scene. Warrior Angel's about to stand me up it's heartbreaking. In his defense, I'm sure he has a good excuse. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you ... personally. That was really brave, what you did.
Clark: After what happened, I'm surprised you're not in the hospital.
Rachel: God, no. I got my start on a medical drama. Two seasons of bad memories. You mean you haven't memorized my entire acting repertoire?
Clark: You know, I don't watch a lot of movies.
Rachel: Clark, I'm kidding.
Clark: Oh.
Rachel: You know, it's refreshing for someone to see the real me, not just the tabloid version.
Man: I'm sorry to interrupt, ms. Davenport, but this girl said she absolutely needed to speak to Clark.
Clark: Rachel, this is my friend Chloe Sullivan. She works at the Daily Planet. She'd love to interview you.
Chloe: Hi.
Rachel: Hi. Usually, I don't give interviews, but you know what? For a friend of Clark's ... sure thing.
Chloe: Wow. Okay. Except I'm ... I'm afraid I'm actually in line behind the sheriff. Um, after your crash, the police autopsied your vehicle, and it looks like someone jimmied the accelerator and cut the brake line.
Sheriff: No offense, Ms. Davenport, but the only accident here is that Clark saved your life.
[ Exhales sharply]
Lois: It's Lois Lane, L-A-N-E. Lane! No time for chitchat, chasing a lead.
If you were on point, you wouldn't have let the Ledger scoop you on the Davenport story. Head out to the set and sniff out a scandal.
News flash ... white-collar crime is this season's Hollywood D.U.I.
Lois: LuthorCorp recently purchased 100 acres of land a mile from the dam where Lex was building his toy soldiers.
Grant: And I'm stifling my yawn because?
Lois: Because it's not one of Lex's "look at me, I've changed" stories.
Grant: This fiction should come with NoDoz. Besides, orphanages, hospitals ...
Lois: Nobody goes to bed Satan and wakes up Oprah. It's a front.
Grant: You're new here, so maybe you didn't read the memo, but you need proof to write a story. There's nothing on the property except a lone cabin and a bunch of "danger, no trespassing" signs. Do yourself a favor, Lane. Drop the lead.
Marilyn: You decided to join us.
Lionel: [ Hoarsely ] Water.
Marilyn: Oh, of course. You must be parched.
Lionel: [ Gulping ] [ Exhales sharply ] Where am I? Who are you?
Marilyn: I'm Marilyn.
Lionel: Why haven't you taken me to a hospital, Marilyn?
Marilyn: Wow. Not even a "thank you" before you start asking for silk sheets.
Lionel: Aah! What is ... I ... [ Grunts ] What the hell is this? You unlock it, Marilyn.
Marilyn: You know I can't run that risk. Not even for Lionel Luthor.
Lionel: They're gonna find me, Marilyn. It's only a matter of time, you know.
Marilyn: As far as I know, there's not a lot of people looking. Maybe it's time you found some better friends. It's Marilyn. He's finally awake.
Rachel: Tell me the truth. Are you different than other men?
Clark: How can you ask me that? You barely know me.
Rachel: I know you enough to see you walk around with a secret so powerful it won't let you close to anyone.
Clark: Um, "You should be with someone who can give you the love you deserve."
Rachel: You are that someone. But you want to lie and run away. Why?
Clark: Um, uh, "Penelope, if I ever hurt you" ...
Rachel: you can't hurt me if you love me.
Clark: Whoa.
Rachel: It's okay. It's part of the scene.
Clark: Yeah, but I have a ...
Lana: Girlfriend.
Clark: Lana.
Rachel: [ Scoffs ] Rehearsing lines.
Clark: This is, um ... Rachel.
Lana: I know. I'm Lana.
Rachel: Hi.
Lana: Hi. I hope that Clark saved some of those lines to rehearse with me later.
Rachel: [ Chuckles ] You know what ,I'm gonna go to the kitchen, have some cookies, and drink whole milk.
Lana: I didn't realize that Rachel was actually staying here.
Clark: I figured the farm was more off the radar. No one would look for her here.
Lana: Well, I didn't want to freak her out, but Chloe might have found a clue about the attacker. She got sidetracked by her editor, but she e-mailed us this. Warrior Angel internet blogs. Not all the fans are enthusiastic about the film's interpretation.
The movie stays true to the mythology in all ways but one. In the comics, Warrior Angel's girlfriend dies. And in the movie, she doesn't. Blogs, message boards, fan forums ... these are all pretty extreme. How are we supposed to narrow this down to the one psycho who's willing to kill?
Clark: There's one poster, Devilicusrebel, who's becoming more and more aggressive. "When will Davenport learn our hero lives in solitude? Her blood will unleash the truth"?
Grew up on a farm with two dogs, only child, home-schooled. Looks like our 19-year-old from Minnesota keeps a flawless record.
Lex: Keep searching. I just read about your heroics in the paper. Who needs Warrior Angel when we've got our own Clark Kent?
Clark: Actually, that's why I'm here. I was wondering if you could help me with a reference. You're the biggest Warrior Angel fan I know.
Lex: Was a fan. I haven't picked up a comic since we were friends. Back when I saw life as black and white. When I realized good and evil was gray, the stories lost their magic. Though I have to admit, yours is the last nose I'd expect to find in a comic.
Clark: Someone wants Rachel Davenport out of the movie.
Lex: This could be a clue to the next attack. "A Hero In Solitude." Issue number 5.
[ Air hisses ]
Lex: One of my favorites. It's the first time the archrival Devilicus gets the upper hand. Warrior Angel's girlfriend gets in over her head. In trying to expose Devilicus' darkness, she goes face to face with one of the most powerful villains in the Fantasy Comics universe. So Devilicus does something no reader sees coming. He shoots her. Warrior Angel can't get there in time, and she dies in his arms.
Clark: I read the script. In the movie version, Warrior Angel saves his girlfriend's life.
Lex: Sounds like Hollywood went for the happy ending. In the comic-book world, when you're destined to save mankind, you're destined to be alone.
[ Gun cocks ]
Ben: Here you are, sir. Loaded, ready to go.
Director: Thanks.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Director: All right, we're rolling. Rolling! And ... action.
Warrior Angel: [ Panting, gasps ] You'll never live to expose me.
Devilicus: If it's not me, it'll be someone else. Sooner or later, you'll be seen for who you really are.
[ Air whooshes ]
Director: Cut! All right, that was good. Let's do it again.
Ben: Nice catch ... superhero.
[ Beeps ]
[ Door uks ]
Lois: Okay. Wow, I am really good at this.
Lex: Remind me to change my locks.
Lois: Lex. I thought you were being honored by the green cross tonight.
Lex: Where did you get this? You know, Lois, journalists have spent the last decade unearthing my life, turning whatever dirt they can find into bad headline puns. Do you really think you're different? I don't have any secrets left.
Lois: It's not a secret that you purchased land by the dam where you were conducting illegal experiments?
Lex: I never authorized the purchase of any land by the dam.
Lois: Well, not to be callous, but with your dad M.I.A., there aren't a whole lot of Luthors around these days with authorization privileges.
Man: Mr. Luthor?
Lex: Escort her off the premises.
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Grunts, gasps ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Glass shatters ]
Marilyn: Careful, Lionel. We're not all millionaires.
Lionel: Look ... I was wrong earlier. I should thank you ... for everything. To be honest, it's starting to get a little lonely all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. It's nice having company. But I don't have time!
Marilyn: Aah! [ Groans ]
[ Camera shutters clicking ]
Reporters: Here he comes. What's it like dating a Hollywood starlet? Is it true that Rachel's staying here at your farm? Would you like to make any comment? How long have you been dating? Are you an aspiring actor? Do you have any future plans?
Clark: Rachel, the sheriff said that he wasn't able to come up with any more ... leads. This place is surrounded by paparazzi. What are you doing?
[ Exhales sharply ]
Rachel: More like undoing six hours in a body harness and the stress of a death threat.
Clark: Rachel, if the paparazzi found you, then the person who attacked you knows you're here.
Rachel: [ Sighs ] So much for de-stressing. Can you excuse us, please?
Masseuse: Certainly.
Rachel: Can you hand me that robe over there?
Clark: Yeah. Rachel, what's this?
Rachel: A messenger delivered it.
Clark: Warrior Angel comic book?
Rachel: What's going on, Clark?
Clark: Let's go. We're leaving now. This place isn't safe anymore.
Lionel: [ Panting ] It's you. Thank god.
Lana: [ Breathing heavily ] How did he escape, Marilyn?
Marilyn: I don't know.
Lana: I'm not paying you to make mistakes.
[ Cell phone rings ]
Lana: Don't say a word. Clark, hi. Just watching a movie with Aunt Nell. Of course, I'll pick up Rachel as soon as I can. Okay.
Clark: Chloe, I'm glad you're still here.
Chloe: Yeah, well, overtime really helps me resist all temptation to grace Jimmy's MySpace page. What's up?
Clark: The fan stalking Rachel must have seen me catch that bullet. He's the only one who knew it was real. Now he thinks I'm a superhero.
Chloe: Oh, my god, Clark. This guys' blog gets, like,10,000 hits a day. One post, and all of a sudden you're everybody's favorite boy wonder.
Clark: Can you track this Warrior Angel comic to its owner?
Chloe: I'd be a pretty lame sidekick if I couldn't.
Clark: Okay, when I was scanning all of those blogs, I came across a collector who tracks Warrior Angel comic sales. Maybe he's registered this one. Here we go. Cosm comics in Metropolis sold one to a Ben Meyers last week. 815 Vine Street.
[ Knock on door ]
Clark: Ben?
Ben: [ Chuckles ] I knew you'd find me. Only a real hero would.
[ Beeps ]
Clark: You're the production assistant from the movie. Where are you?
Ben: Oh, come on. If I told you that, you'd never let me go.
Clark: You're behind the attacks, aren't you?
Ben: Warrior Angel was all I had. He gave me something to believe in. He gave me hope.
Clark: Warrior Angel wouldn't try to kill someone.
Ben: You can't mess with someone's idol. That's exactly why nobody believes in heroes anymore. Including you, Clark. And that's where I come in. Just like Devilicus made Warrior Angel stand up and save the world. You need help. You just don't know it yet.
[ Beep, static ]
Lex: Dad? You're alive. I never gave up on you.
Lionel: Lex, why did you do this?
Lex: But I see you've given up on me.
[ Shotgun cocks ]
Marilyn: Don't you make me pull the trigger.
Lex: Easy.
Marilyn: We can't all be heroes, Lex. Besides, I read about you Luthors. Lionel would rather stick around and have his other wrist broke than be saved by you.
[ Grunts ]
Lex: Dad. Dad! Dad!
[ Breathing heavily ]
Rachel: Lana, I'm sorry for what you saw in Clark's loft.
Lana: Rehearsing lines? [ Chuckles ]
Rachel: It's in his eyes. You're the center of Clark's universe. I've only seen love like that once in my life.
Lana: What happened?
Rachel: [ Chuckles ] The director yelled "cut."
Ben: Updated call sheets.
RacheL; Oh, god. I can't escape work for three seconds? How did you find me?
Ben: Destiny.
[ Electricity crackles ]
Ooh!
[ Grunts ]
Ben: Sorry, Lana. But there's a hero living among us, and there's only one way he'll accept his calling. You need to die.
[ Electricity crackling ]
Chloe: [ Panting ] What did you mean when you said that he was trying to make you accept your destiny?
Clark: That I was supposed to stand for something greater. It was my job to save the world.
Chloe: He didn't think organic farmer was a close second?
Clark: This guy's delusional, Chloe. You couldn't possibly agree with him.
Chloe: Do you want to cue my editorial, or do you want to help me find the guy who's gonna out you?
Clark: What about his hard drive?
Chloe: Might help. I think it's too rational. I mean, if Ben is this fractured, we're gonna need to loosen a few screws of our own. Approach his next move like someone who's blurred the line between fiction and reality.
Clark: So let's think. If I'm Devilicus, what is the worst possible thing I could do to Warrior Angel to make him accept his destiny? Lana.
Lana: Let me go!
Ben: I can't. [ Panting ] Don't you see? Clark was made for a greater glory, but until he gives up his own desires and focuses on the rest of the world, thousands of lives are at stake.
Lana: And mine doesn't matter?
Ben: I know it's not easy being a superhero's girlfriend, Lana, but Clark has to face his destiny alone. And you're standing in the way.
[ Air whooshes ]
Clark: [ Grunts ] Lana.
[ Air whooshes ]
[ Metal crunches ]
Grant: This is crap.
Lois: Are you reading it upside down?
Lionel Luthor lives.
Lois: And he was found on LuthorCorp land that no one in the company claims to have purchased. Now, did Lex use my tip to find his father, or has he been keeping him there all this time?
Grant: You went behind my back. The rules were, stay away from the Luthors.
[ Sighs ]
Lois: Careful, Grant, you're starting to sound like you care about me.
Grant: More like annoyed ... that I'll have to baby sit you Friday night. The planet's being honored. You're going with me to accept.
Lois: [ Laughs ] Tempting. I take notes and look pretty, you get to sit at the bar and schmooze with all the important people.
Grant: I was thinking more along the lines of, you getting some face time with the who's who of Metropolis and rescuing me from some long-winded speeches.
Lois: You asking me on a date?
Grant: God, no. I'm your boss. You know what? That's it. You're fired from being my plus one.
Lois: [ Scoffs ] You can't fire me. I never accepted. Here. Something tells me you don't want to be scooped again by the Ledger. Oh, and for the record, if I had been your plus one, you would have been my arm candy.
Lionel: Lex told me you're living here now. Well, you haven't wasted much time getting back to your roots, have you?
Lana: Lionel, I heard what happened. Are you okay?
Lionel: It's hardly reassuring to read your own obituary, but you should know that, I suppose, shouldn't you?
Lana: They said that you were being held captive by a crazy woman.
Lionel: [ Laughs ] Indeed I was. You.
Lana: I would never be involved in something like that.
Lionel: Oh, please. That line stopped working for you the day you faked your own death. Lex gave me the details, which leaves only one question unanswered. How much does Clark know?
Lana: I'm sure that he's thrilled that you are alive and well.
Lionel: I'm sure that you have managed to convince yourself that you did everything for the sake of Clark Kent. That your love could protect him half a world away. Finding your body and paying your captor seems rather complicated from a hotel in shanghai. You may have lost the Luthor name, but it's the Luthor instincts that keep those claws of yours sharp. Lana, please listen to me. You are on the edge of a dangerous precipice. You could easily tumble down into someplace very dark ... and very hard to escape.
Lana: I hope you don't plan on spreading these lies to Clark.
Lionel: Lies? I don't believe your good intentions. You're not trying to protect Clark. This is about retribution. Let him go, Lana, before it's too late.
Ben: Lex Luthor. What are you doing here?
Lex: I thought you might enjoy this. Here.
Ben: [ Gasps ] These are the rarest Warrior Angel comics ever. They're worth a fortune. Why are you giving me this?
Lex: Because I've been known to believe in something after the whole world tells me I'm wrong.
Ben: Devilicus ... he said that exact line to the president in issue ... 175.
Lex: Ben, they dragged you in here kicking and screaming because you claim you saw a man with superpowers swipe a bullet out of thin air. I'm here to listen.
Ben: There's nothing to say. It was all in my head.
Rachel: Help, somebody! [ Laughs ] Got ya Clark: Did you ever consider a career in acting?
Rachel: [ Chuckles ] I wanted to say goodbye. But don't worry ... I'll be back for the sequel.
Clark: What's this?
Rachel: Thanks ... for showing me Smallville had more to offer than a tax break. It's a little something from the movie. Every hero needs one. I signed on to Warrior Angel for publicity and a paycheck, but after meeting you, I'm starting to believe that heroes really do exist. There's something special about this one, Lana. Hold on to him.
[ Engine turns over ]
Clark: I sure hope that comment about a sequel was a joke.
Lana: [ Chuckles ]
Clark: You okay?
Lana: Just thinking about what Ben said.
Clark: Oh, Lana, don't. Ben was a crazy fan ... who got locked up in belle Reve.
Lana: He needed hope, and he's not wrong. Millions of people look up to Warrior Angel.
What if those people could look up to you instead?
Clark: Well, Lana, there's not even a million people in Smallville.
Lana: Clark, I just want to grab onto you and never let you go ... but one day the world will need you more than I do, and I don't want to be the one holding you here.
Clark: I'm not going anywhere. For the first time in my life, I have everything I've ever wanted, and it's right here on this farm with you.
Lana: Okay.
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