Smallville: Season 1, Episode 4 "X-Ray"

 Smallville: Season 1, Episode 4 "X-Ray"

Nov 06, 2001

Well, “X-Ray,” was lots of fun to watch. It had an interesting villain, a shape-shifter, who delivers headaches to Lex Luthor and Lana Lang because of her actions. The villain-of-the-week plot was good, but nothing that compares to what else happens. First, we get hints of evil Lex. Lex blackmails a news reporter so he can have the media under his wing. Most importantly, as the title of the episode suggests, Clark delivers a new superpower in which anyone familiar with Superman lore would know…x-ray vision. It was funny trying to watch Clark struggle to harness his new power. We got a strong episode with great performances and an engaging story that is worth every second.

In this episode, we meet Tina Greer. Tina is a teenage girl who has the power to transform into any person she wishes. Pretending to be Lex Luthor, she robs the Smallville Bank. She also accidentally kills her mother, Rose. She becomes obsessed with Lana and her family…to the point where she takes over Lana’s identity. Lana is struggling with her own demons regarding her deceased parents and her Aunt Nell. Clark, of course, discovers he has x-ray power. He has to somehow keep his power secret from Chloe, Pete, and Lana. At least his parents are supportive. Lex is blackmailed by a reporter named Roger Nixon, but the youngest Luthor eventually turns the table on him. Lex wants to investigate Clark to figure out how exactly he was saved during his car accident.

Overall, this was a well-balanced episode that manages to keep the fine line between humorous and serious. It was great to see Clark discover his new power, learn how to use it, and how to harness it. Michael Rosenbaum has been killing it as Lex this season and he takes it to a new level here. It looks like he may be closer to discovering who Clark really is. Lex cannot know this early, right?

My Grade: A-


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