Episode 1.14
“Zero”
A Non-FOTW!!!
Despite one or two stretches, Zero is the first real attempt by Smallville to branch out into an overlying arc of sorts. While the show is supposed to be the younger Clark Kent and his development towards eventually becoming Superman, it somewhat falls short as Clark’s journey is not very far. He always was the boy scout, he always tried to do good and while seeing him not quite as comfortable in his own skin is entertaining, it is not nearly as compelling as his opposite’s journey. Lex’s journey is by far the more intriguing part of the show as we see, sadly, that despite his best efforts, and truly altruistic motives, he is damned to eventually becoming the super villain we all know he’s destined to be.
This is one of those heartbreaking moments. And it is done with a bit of style. The events of Club Zero were alluded to in “Rogue” by Sam Phelan, but was never fully explored. All we knew is that Lex had gotten into a bit of trouble there, but that Sam had helped cover it up. That was the extent of it. Wisely after letting it simmer for a bit, we return to those events, this time as the crux of an episode. What it came down to was that Lex and a friend, Amanda Rothman had gone to this club where they find Amanda’s fiancee, Jude Royce, there with two gorgeous women after he had told her he was going away on business.
There was a struggle as Amanda started leaving, and Royce went after Lex, blaming him for bringing her there and there was gunfire and Royce was killed. Who exactly killed him is questionable as it might have been one of Lex’s bodyguards or perhaps even Lex himself.
But years later, Royce seeminlgy comes back to get revenge on Lex and whomever he comes in contact with, like Lana at the Talon or the Kents and their farms.
Meanwhile in a subplot, when their classes are assigned to do a biography about a fellow classmate , Clark gets Lana, while Chloe gets Clark. Chloe of course goes overboard and starts sticking her nose into Clark’s adoption, etc. Clark lashes out at her, afraid she is getting too close to his secrets. Eventually the two make up and Chloe agrees to drop it which she does…publically. At home she keeps his files on her computer for further research on her own.
At the end of the episode, “Royce” kidnaps Lex and brings him back to the now closed Club Zero where he hangs him upside down to torture him. We learn that Roy Rothman, Amanda’s brother is behind the abduction and he found a “double” of Jude in a small town so he hired him to “play” Royce.
Ok that’s a bit of a stretch. I don’t know if they didn’t want to use the identical twin, cousin or even clone explanations…but finding someone who looks THAT close to someone…it threw me out for a few moments and reeked of being forced but I digress.
It seems Amanda had killed herself and Roy was trying to take revenge as everything stemmed from that night and Lex killing Royce was a big catalyst.
Lex reveals that the truth is it wasn’t him at all who had killed Royce, it was in reality Amanda, but because he knew his father wouldn’t pay off Sam Phelan or whomever to cover it up, Lex took the fall, knowing he’d get away with it. To protect Amanda. Roy doesn’t believe him, but of course Clark shows up and saves the day.
The great part is at the end of the day, we don’t TRULY know which story is real. We want to believe Lex and at this point of the show we probably can…but should we?
B+
References: The episode names two cities: Central City (home of DC’s The Flash) and Blüdhaven (home of DC’s Nightwing)