Clark and Chloe search for Lana, who has it in her head that things will be better between her and Clark if they were on "a more-even keel," and goes off on her own in search of a suit developed by Luthor, Corp. that will make her invincible.

Oliver is tortured incessantly by Rick Flag until Chloe, who used the Dr. Fate's helmet to find him, exchanges herself for him. Awakening in a secret LuthorCorp lab among partial Lex clones, Tess meets young Alexander before the bloodthirsty, dying senior knocks her down and uses Lois, who enabled Clark's healing by removing the fatal blue kryptonite, to set a sadistic trap. Despite his success, Clark lets his confidence be undermined by Jor-El in the ice fortress, but reconsiders after a pep-talk from Jonathan.

Oliver tracks down his tormentor Rick Flag, learns he exchanged him for Chloe, who died poisoned, and informs Clark, who helps him work out Chloe actually staged her fake death. On her Daily Planet assignment in Egypt, Lois meets archaeologist Carter Hall ans soon suspects his story about a reincarnated Pharaonic prince is autobiographic. Clark dislikes her staff replacement Cat Grant, but saves her from never identified, yet infallible assassin Deadshot and learns he was the actual target, actually hired by Flag, knowing Superman's weakness is his noble need to protect.

Clark is far from impressed that Lois barely dares rebuke her kid sister's mean pranks on both of them, while squirming for each, even offensive, whim of Pa, full general Sam Lane, as their Thanksgiving guest. Clark firmly but politely hosts the Lanes, while reasoning against the general's support for a bill to make 'registration' compulsory for superheroes, an obvious trap given the congressional supporters' antecedents. While Oliver investigates them, Clark saves everybody from proponent Rick Flag's Machiavellian rocket attempt on the general's life. Only when Lois finally sides with Clark against Pa, he reveal his ulterior motive for exaggerated rudeness.

Clark, Oliver, Lois and Dinah are back home after long VRA captivity, with confused memories and robbed of all superhero-powers. They believe they have been tortured in an experimental lab by none other than Chloe, hence fear she switched sides. Then she, or rather her avatar, appears in dreams to each of them, claiming they only lost their powers in a virtual illusion, which can nevertheless kill them for real. She calls upon them to trust her, break the virtual spell by believing it fake and thus escape back into reality, with Rick Flag's team. Oliver does so quickly, and is reunited with his true love. Clark wants to, but finds it extremely hard, until Lois joins in.