Thugs pummel Clark who is powerless to stop the robbery of a LutherCorp truck carrying kryptonite.

What's up with Lana? Lana has been practicing for an equestrian competition. She's thrilled that her dad Henry Small will attend. Henry's wife Jennifer tells Lana she plans to seek a divorce. Jennifer can't accept that Henry's priority is Lana and a happier time. Lana tells Henry they should put the father-daughter relationship on hold and he should try to mend his marriage.

What's up with Clark? Guys wearing alien masks hijack a LuthorCorp van, stealing the contents. Clark pulls up on the crime in progress. One guy throws Clark into a field. Clark is surprised at his strength, similar to his own. With his x-ray vision, Clark sees a metal plate in one guy's skull.

Guest-star Zachery Bryan portrays Eric Marsh. Zachery is best known for his childhood role as "Brad Taylor," eldest son of "Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor" on family comedy favorite Home Improvement.

Who is Eric Marsh? Clark discovers that the their who threw him is Eric Marsh, Smallville High baseball star. Pete says Eric was a Little League bench warmer who now holds Smallville's High's record batting average. Clark suspects performance-enhancing drugs. They learn that Eric was a straight-A student who was a victim of a chemical explosion over the summer at chemistry camp...reason for the plate in his head.

Clark follow Eric to a foundry and sees him refining kryptonite. Eric is inhaling refined kryptonite to gain strength. The guys discover Clark and hold him down. Eric beats Clark, throwing him in the flaming blast furnace. The thugs take the kryptonite they hijacked from the LuthorCorp van and leave. Clark bursts out of the oven, nude. What's up with Chloe? Chloe is upset that Clark missed a story deadline. His excuse was that he was helping Lana. Chloe feels she's always the back-up plan. Clark denies it, and quits the Torch. Chloe tells Clark they should put their friendship on hold.

Chloe breaks the story of the LuthorCorp van hijacking in the Torch. She goes to the hospital with hopes of interviewing the van driver. Lionel is there. Chloe probes to find out what was in the truck. Lionel vaguely answers it was industrial material and hints at corporate espionage.

Later Chloe finds the Torch newsroom has been vandalized. Lionel visits Chloe in the ruins of the Torch office, noticing her 'wall of the weird.' Lionel tells Chloe he has given the school a gift to rebuild the Torch and improve the journalism dept. He also tells Chloe he could use his influence in Metropolis to get her a column in The Daily Planet. Chloe, always the curious journalist, questions Lionel's motivation. Lionel says he is after the same thing that she is, the truth.

What's up with Jonathan? After telling his parents about the attack at the foundry, Clark gives an anonymous tip to the police and Eric is arrested. After his release, Eric threatens Clark with what might happen to those he cares about. Clark rushes home to find his parents tied up, hanging from the walls in the barn, which has been vandalized by Eric. Clark pleads with his parents for their own safety. Finally Jonathan agrees to take Martha to Metropolis for a few days. Before he leaves, he tells Clark that although Eric and the thugs can match his strength, they do not have his other gifts, which he should use to his advantage.

What's up with Lex? Lionel makes a personal visit to congratulate Lex on his upcoming wedding. Lex knows his visit is for other reasons. Lex questions the contents of the van. Lionel accuses Lex of setting up the hijacking. Lex denies it. Lionel won't tell what was in the van.

Lex visits Eric in jail to find out what was stolen in the trucks in exchange for bail. Clark tells Lex about the physical threats to his parents and discovers Lex bailed Eric from jail. Clark and Lex devise a scheme of a false delivery of meteor rock to draw Eric out. Lex refuses Clark's urging to get police involved.

How it ends: Without Lex's knowledge, Clark intercepts the decoy delivery, fighting Eric and the guys who have hijacked the second truck. Eric is arrested again. Pete buries the stolen kryptonite in the woods. Lana tells Clark that her dad won't be in attendance at the equestrian competition. She says she won't compete. Clark encourages her. She agrees to compete when Clark says he'll be there for her.