Smallville 1.15 - "Nicodemus"
compiled by Signe
Airdate: March 19, 2002
Writer: Michael Green
Director: James Marshall
Story:
Dr. Hamilton's experiments on a mysterious flower cause havoc in Smallville, as exposure to the flower cause Clark's family and friends to act bizarrely out of character and ultimately threatens their lives.
How the title of the episode figures in, and how/if it's referred to in
story:
The Nicodemus flower is at the center of the episode - Dr. Hamilton has irradiated
dormant seeds with meteor fragments and managed to grow a plant.
Unfortunately the flower's pollen causes severe behavioral changes,
including loss of inhibitions, and eventually sends affected people into
anaphylactic shock and death.
Featured Cast:
James Beales
Jim Alexander (bank manager) we hear him on the telephone, but don't see him
in person.
Recurring Cast:
Dr. Steven Hamilton
Principal Kwan
Whitney Fordman
VOTW/FOTW , their special power/ability and how they got it:
Nicodemus flower it alters people's behaviour, causing them to lose their
inhibitions, and eventually causes death if untreated.
Firsts:
Mention of Nicodemus flower and Nicodemus Diary.
Pete tells Clark why he dislikes Lex "he screwed my family out of the cream corn factory."
Martha tells of first meeting Jonathan (he was at Met U to take finance course, she asked for his notes although she was class note-taker).
The first time Lana kisses Clark.
Locations:
School's swimming pool.
Windmill in Coopers Field we see Metropolis skyline from the top of the windmill.
Dr. Hamilton's lab (set up
in a barn).
Gadgets, Objects, Accoutrements:
Jonathan's shotgun.
Nicodemus Diary Lex borrows it from the library.
Ceramic hula doll (on Beales' dash).
Nicodemus flowers.
Photo of Dr. Hamilton on Chloe's computer.
Can of whipped cream with the brand name taped over.
Pete's gun.
Discoveries (made by characters, etc.):
Doctors in Metropolis discover an antidote to the Nicodemus
flower, an
old Native American remedy.
Pete reveals his attraction to Chloe (she may already be somewhat aware of this, but not perhaps that he's jealous of her attraction to Clark).
Clark discovers that Pete dislikes Lex.
Exposition:
Lex reads from the diary: "Apparently, in 1871, a strange contagion struck the Morelly Settlement, and 200 people died almost over night. A priest, who witnessed the scene, left a diary. His last entries described how the settlers began acting out of character. He claimed a local flower was to blame."
Relationships (highlights, tone, progress):
Lana dumps Whitney under influence of Nicodemus flower.
Clark walks in on Martha and Jonathan kissing in the kitchen when Jonathan is under the influence of the Nicodemus flower.
Pete is jealous of Lex because he feels that he and Clark are not so close since Clark's been friends with Lex.
Lana (under influence of Nicodemus flower) asks Clark if he's in love with her (he doesn't answer) and comes on strongly to Lex in the Talon.
Pete (under influence of Nicodemus flower) reveals his feelings for Chloe and his jealousy of Clark.
Lex and Dr. Hamilton: Lex is a little sarcastic and seems irritated with Hamilton in their first scene. He says he hired Hamilton to study meteor rocks, not plants, and says he's not here to bankroll Hamilton's pet projects. Hamilton says it's a "first step," and that Lex needs to understand that or find someone else.
Clark and Chloe: Chloe notices Clark's attraction to Lana and says that "there are other girls out there that don't require crossing an emotional minefield."
Clark and Lex: this is one
of the first times Clark "manhandles" Lex (when he is asking him about
Hamilton). Lex equivocates a fair amount with Clark in this episode, and never
does come clean about his involvement with Hamilton. Clark fakes being angry
with him before throwing him into the pillar, but apologizes afterward.
Clark and Lana: Clark seems shocked but pleased at Lana's transformation, and
they are close enough in this episode to climb the windmill together.
Chloe and Pete: Pete has apparently confided his jealousy of Lex to Chloe.
Character Specifics:
Jonathan Kent listens to country music in the truck.
According to Martha's
story of their meeting, Jonathan trusted her with his notes, saying: "I
prefer to believe in people."
Martha pretended to need to borrow Jonathan's notes, not letting on that she was
the class note-taker.
Martha is concerned at Jonathan's rudeness to Lex, and at Jonathan's apparent
fever, and offers to make him soup.
Lex has recently bought Cadmus labs (a small research facility outside Metropolis).
When asked what her deepest desire is, Lana says she'd like to climb the windmill in Chandler's field and see the Metropolis skyline, but she doesn't have the guts to do so. Pete says his deepest desire is to make out with a girl across the corridor.
Under the influence of the
Nicodemus flower, Jonathan grows alternately amorous, surly, angry and violent.
He indicates bitterness at having done "nothing but give back to this
town" while the town has done nothing but screw him over.
Also under the influence of the flower, Pete lets out his attraction to Chloe
and all his hostility toward Lex.
Lana stops repressing her feelings when under the influence of the Nicodemus flower and lets them all out! She comes on to both Clark and Lex and climbs the windmill, something she had previously been too scared to do.
Hair and Clothing:
Lana dresses all in black (knee high boots and a short
skirt), with heavy makeup, under influence of Nicodemus flower. She later strips down to red
lace underwear. Prior to her
contact with the flower she wears her typical pink (sweater).
Martha describes Jonathan as 'all denim and flannel' while he was at
Metropolis U.
Memorable Lines and Passages:
Jonathan to Lex "You see, I don't like Lex Luthor, I don't
like Lionel Luthor and I don't like your friendship with my son." (Under
the influence of the Nicodemus flower).
Clark to Lana (when Lana is under the influence of the Nicodemus flower and dressed accordingly) "I think the operative word is 'gulp'".
Lana to Clark "You're not made of steel, are you?"
Lana to Lex, regarding her usual self "I'm sick of her and all her talk of dead parents."
Accidents, Explosions, Random Acts of Destruction:
James Beales, under the influence of the Nicodemus flower, drives crazily while
also talking on his cell phone, running into the back of Jonathan's truck, and
eventually going off the road and flipping over. The car explodes shortly after Jonathan drags him out of it.
Lana pushes Clark into the
school pool.
Lana throws something breakable (can't see what) at Lex in the Talon.
Lana falls from the windmill under influence of the flower.
Clark bops Pete on the head to knock him out and keep him from shooting Lex.
Injured/hospitalized:
Lana, Pete and Jonathan are all hospitalized because of
fever/coma caused by Nicodemus flower (we don't see Pete there, but learn that
he was there after he's recovered).
Clark pushes Lex into the wall of his study (an act to save him from Pete) Lex hurts his head.
Clark is shot by Jonathan, multiple times, but appears to suffer no injuries at all.
Killed/Deceased:
James Beales is hospitalized because of his car crash and
exposure to Nicodemus flower, goes into a coma and later dies.
Literary/Art/Historical References:
Pop Culture References:
Clark describes Lana as
being 'an alpha Lana' while under the influence.
Noteworthy Use of Clark's Superpowers:
Clark superspeeds after Jonathan when he drives to the bank with a shotgun (and
gets shot by accident).
Clark superspeeds the gun out of Pete's hands when Pete is about to shoot an unconscious Lex.
Clues to Timeframe:
Aired 19th March 2002. People are dressed fairly warmly
when outside, so early spring would seem likely.
Vehicles:
James Beales crashes his car, which then explodes after
Jonathan has pulled him out.
Lana steals Lex's car (a silver Porsche) and drives to the windmill in Chandler's Field.
Chloe drives an old red car.
Daily Planet delivery truck, bearing the slogan Daily Planet: Straight From the Source.
Random:
There are banners up for the State Swim Meet in the school
pool.
The Smallville Savings and
Loan bank turns down the Kent's request for a loan this has not been resolved by
the end of the episode.
Lex mentions to Lana that The Talon closes at 9.
A waitress at the Talon reminds Lana that "Nell's in Metropolis and you're
the Assistant Manager," indicating that Nell did manage The Talon for a
brief time.
The Talon marquee reads: "Now Open. Poetry Reading Thursdays".
Beales indicates that Lionel Luthor has commissioned his research on the
Nicodemus flower.
Lex drinks orange juice in his first scene.
Superman
Myth References:
Lana says to Clark: "You're not made of steel. Or are you?"
Suggested Subtext:
Jonathan tells Lex, in a voice dripping with hostility:
"I don't like your friendship with my son." Pete indicates jealousy
that he and Clark aren't as close as they used to be.
Between Lana and Clark in the Torch office and in the swimming pool scene.
Lana comes on to Lex in the Talon.
Mistakes or Errors in Continuity:
The Metropolis skyline can be clearly seen from the top of the windmill
however, we later learn that Metropolis is a three hour drive away.
Music:
Jonathan listens to 'Good Ole Boys', which was the theme to his previous
series, The Dukes of Hazzard. It is
the original version of the song playing as recorded by country singer, Waylan
Jennings, as used in the Dukes opening credits.