The mystery surrounding Chloe's death deepens as Clark and Lois investigate, discovering that Lex Luthor and Lois' abrasive and militarist father, U.S. Army General Sam Lane, are somehow involved. Meanwhile, Lana returns to Smallville after finding out that the symbol that appeared on her back in Paris is also on the cave wall. In prison, Lionel Luthor prepares for his murder trial and sends out a liquid-metal assassin to keep Clark and Lois from investigating Chloe's 'death'.

Lois Lane is furious at lover Oliver Queen for leaving instead of waiting till she 'makes it worthwhile' but ignores he witnessed a thug attacking a couple and was badly wounded by the carjacker he fought off. Clark reads an article about the Green Arrow striking there and drops by finding Oliver uncharacteristically careless and irritable; his X-ray vision sees Olliver injecting himself. It's a wonder drug developed for Queen Industries by Dr. Pamela Black, which almost instantly restores damaged tissue, but the scientist advices in vain against taking significant doses because lab mouse trials prove a major aggressiveness side-effect. Lex is vehemently against Lana -whose health problems are soon diagnosed a happy surprise- taking charge of fund raising for a half-way house, without telling her his reason for fearing contact with its clients, even on few occasions: he bribed Dr. Black to administer the wonder drug to its problem youths, one of which was the car-jacker. Martha Clark insists to invite Lionel for the first Thanksgiving dinner after Jonathan's death.