Earl Jenkins claims that his violent shaking disease was a result of illicit experiments on Level 3 of Luthorcorp. Lionel denies that it exists, so Earl takes a plant tour group hostage. Lex offers himself in exchange for the hostages.

The Kryoptonian metallic disc is returned to Clark following the death of Virgil Swann. Placing the disc in the cave reveals a message from the spirit of Jor-El instructing Clark to find the three Kryptonian knowledge crystals and unite them before others find them and use them to self-interest. The message goes on to tell Clark that allowing a human to assemble the crystals could lead to the destruction of Earth. The first stone, retrieved by Lex in Egypt in the season opener, is in Clark's possession in the cave. The second is apparently in possession of the late Swann's associates. And the third is located somewhere in China. Clark joins forces with Lana where they venture to China to search for the stone where Lex and Jason are also on the hunt for the stone. But they end up captured by the Chinese authorities and tortured for information to the stone's location, and it leads to the spirit of Isobel once again commandeering Lana's body to fight everyone to take the stone for herself.