Beacon - Recap

Tess arrives at the Daily Planet and ignores the stares of her employees. As she gets into the elevator to go to her office, Lois approaches her and blames her for editing her anti-VRA articles into pro pieces. Tess has no idea who did it and insists that she’s innocent, but Lois doesn’t believe her.

When she arrives in her office, Tess finds someone in her chair: Lionel Luthor. She had believed him dead, and quickly realizes he’s the Lionel from the alternate Earth. Lionel freely admits that he is, but notes that the world at large believes he’s from this Earth, and that he faked his own death. She points out that her Lionel abandoned her, and Lionel assures her that he won’t make the same mistake. He plans to be the father that she always wanted, and that he just wants to provide for her and her brother. When Tess says that Lex is dead, Lionel reveals that he knows all about the project with the accelerated Alexander clone, and how Tessa abandoned it. He demands to know where Alexander is, but Tess claims she doesn’t know. Lionel insists that the clone needs his father.



At Watchtower, Chloe wakes up in bed next to Oliver. He wakes up and realizes that she’s eager to check her laptop, and prepares to go for some “exercise.” Before he can go, they catch a broadcast of pro-hero rallies.



Clark returns home as Lois arrives from a day of door-to-door campaigning against the VRA. She informs Clark that Martha has been working to force a nationwide vote against the VRA the next day. Clark would rather focus on saving people, but Lois turns on the news, which shows Martha arriving to give a keynote speech against the VRA. As the audience cheers, Lois assures Clark that there’s still hope. However, two shots ring out on the television, and Clark superspeeds to Metropolis.



Clark arrives at Metropolis General and discovers that Martha is fine, thanks to a bulletproof vest and a grazed shoulder. He wonders why she didn’t tell him she was coming so he could protect her, but Martha insists that she had to protect him. She insists that she has to go back out, but Clark warns that people are getting violent and refuses to let her sacrifice herself. Martha reminds him that she and Jonathan vowed to protect Clark, and she can’t do anything less than Jonathan. Clark vows to find the person who shot her and leaves. Chloe comes in and says that they’re all worried about her, and Martha asks her why she left Clark in the first place. Chloe says she did it for the same reason Martha did, to let Clark stand on his own. Martha says that Chloe has always been part of the family, and can’t think of anyone better to watch over Clark.

As tensions rise between the two sides, Clark goes to the rally site and finds a stain on the platform. A hooded Oliver arrives and insists that he can’t stay holed up at Watchtower. He notes that he hasn’t found anything, and the police haven’t even found the bullet. Clark notices a shattered phone booth nearby and approaches it, but discovers that there is kryptonite dust on the pieces. He tells Oliver that the bullets were made of kryptonite and disintegrated on impact, and the killer figured that Clark would intervene. The shooting was personal, not political.

Martha arrives at the farm and discovers that Lois has been cooking and compiling files on the possible suspects. After assuring Lois that she’s always been impressed with her, Martha gives Lois the necklace that her mother-in-law gave to her on her wedding day, saying that what was important was Jonathan’s happiness. When Lois admits that she has been unable to get her pro-hero stories published, Martha talks about how Perry White started off publishing pamphlets out of a rented storage unit.



Lionel goes to an apartment in Suicide Slum and finds Alexander living in an abandoned room. Alexander draws a gun on him and says he remembers killing him. Lionel assures him that he doesn’t need the gun, takes it, and realizes that Alexander has kryptonite bullets. Looking around, he finds Alexander’s scrawled anti-Blur graffiti and realizes that the clone shot Martha. Alexander explains that he was trying to kill Clark, but the hero didn’t come to protect her. Lionel says that he’s there to protect Alexander, and no one will ever find out what happened. Alexander asks if he’ll help him kill Clark, and Lionel explains that he betrayed Lex for Clark in another life. Now he has another chance, and they’ll work together so that Alexander can rule their family dynasty, no matter what the cost.



Lois goes to the Planet and finds a box of Perry’s old mementoes from the 60s. A disguised Chloe comes in in response to her cousin’s call, and Lois explains that she’s going guerilla and needs Chloe’s help. She wants Chloe to hack into all the national newspaper websites.

Clark finds the spot where the shooter opened fire on Martha, and discovers that he scratched an anti-Blur symbol into the metal. The only other place he saw the symbol was on the wall of Alexander’s cell. He calls Oliver and brings him up to date, and figures that Alexander is the shooter. Oliver assures his friend that they’ll find Alexander, and then enters his office. He finds Alexander there, having himself fitted for a new suit. Lionel is there, reading his counterpart’s journals, and explains that he’s been reclaiming his assets for months. He’s bought out Oliver’s assets and the LuthorCorp board has welcomed him back. Lionel dares Oliver to hit him, reminding him that he killed the Queens in both worlds. Oliver restrains himself and asks Alexander if he tried to prove he had the killer instinct. Lionel points out that no one will take the word of Oliver, a convicted felon, and he was a fool to trust the people he’s sworn to protect. Oliver says not to underestimate the common people, and once the vote passes and his name is cleared, he’ll come after Lionel. As he goes, Lionel tells him that the people will turn against him again, and Alexander says that it’s their turn.



Clark meets Tess at her office and tells her who the shooter was. Tess tells him that the alternate Luthor is there and knows about Alexander. Oliver arrives to tell them what he’s discovered. Tess suggests that Clark use the mirror box to send Lionel back, but he explains that he destroyed it. He goes to the Fortress to see if he can persuade Jor-El to do something, and tells them not to do anything until he returns.

At the Luthor manor, Lionel introduces Alexander to his home and tells him that he’ll be safe there. Martha is there, well aware of Lionel’s origins, and warns that Alexander needs help. Lionel sends Alexander outside, and Martha says that he doesn’t belong there. She warns that if Lionel tries to hurt Clark, she’ll destroy him. Lionel says that he finds her attractive and shows her his counterpart’s journal, noting that he had strong feelings for her. He reminds her of a present that the other Lionel gave her, and asks if Martha told Jonathan. Lionel learns in, but Martha repeats her threat, saying he won’t use Clark to kill Lex Alexander clubs her unconscious and asks Lionel if she’s telling the truth. Lionel calls him son and runs to Martha’s side, and Alexander says that in both worlds, Lionel loved Martha’s son. In response, Lionel insists that he was wrong, but Alexander says that he won’t get any second chances. As he breaks into a fury, Alexander says that he knows his body is accelerating, and with his memories of Lex he knows that Lex despised all of them. Lionel tries to persuade him to control his heat, but Alexander clubs him down. The boy starts a fire and tells Martha that he’s taking pity on her so that she doesn’t have to watch Clark die.



Tess is going through Clark’s belongings at the loft when he returns. He realizes that she intended to use the Phantom Zone crystal to banish Lionel and Alexander, and that he only used it against Slade Wilson when he had no other choice. When Tess wonders how he can be so good, Alexander steps out of the shadows and notes that no one taught Clark to hate the way that Lionel taught him. He tells them that he took care of Lionel and Martha, and then draws a gun with kryptonite bullets. As Clark collapses, Alexander explains that he’s set the manor on fire. Clark tries to get through to him, saying he’s not a killer, but Alexander insists that he’s the last Lex Luthor and there’s no coming back. Tess says that she can understand him, knowing that he’s lived in the darkness so long that he can’t step into the light. She tells Alexander that Clark changed things for her, and he can do the same for Alexander. Alexander asks why Clark would help his enemy, and Clark says that he has Tess, which makes all the difference. Tess admits that she’s not perfect, but she’ll always be there for him. Alexander gives her the gun and she throws it away, allowing Clark to recover.

Clark superspeeds to the manor and gets Martha out, as Lionel looks on. Outside, Clark hesitates and then goes back and rescues Lionel. He tosses Lionel onto the ground in front of Martha and warns him that it isn’t over, and then leaves with Martha as Lionel looks as the destruction of the manor.



Later at the Planet, Lois tells Clark that he had a big win, but he’s worried that they’ll lose the anti-VRA votes. Chloe is waiting for them, and shows them a Beacon of Hope website. On it are videos of support from the Blur’s many supporters. Chloe assures him that there are hundreds of thousands of supporters, and all they needed was a place to be heard.



The next day, Clark, Chloe, Oliver, Lois, and Martha are at the farm. The vote is held and the VRA is repealed. Clark thanks Lois for her support, and she tells him to thank Martha and Perry for inspiring her. Clark admits that he should have had more faith, and tells Martha that it may be time for him to reveal his face to the world to be a true beacon of hope. He tells his mother of what he’s seen of the future, and wonders how he can treat Clark Kent as a disguise. Martha insists that he’ll still have the values she and Jonathan taught him, no matter what, and that Jonathan would be proud of him.

Clark, Lois, and Chloe go to Watchtower and reactivate it.

At the Kent barn later that day, Tess considers a syringe filled with cyanide. Alexander comes in and she quickly hides it, and he tells her that he feels sick. Tess confirms that he’s starting to forget things, including what he did to Lionel and Martha. Alexander wonders what happens if he forgets her, and she hugs him while promising that she’ll make everything okay. Tess jabs him in the back with the syringe, only to watch it break against his impervious skin without him feeling it.



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