Decisions, Clark.
They're on the top of my to-do list.
With Lois out of town, you don't have any excuses.
These college application deadlines are coming up soon, Clark.
I know how hard it was giving up those football scholarships
but you have to start making some decisions about your future.
I'll get it.
Clark Kent?
- Yes. - Sign here.
What is it?
It's from Dr. Swann.
Clark, Martha. I think you should see this.
We have breaking news from New York. Here is our correspondent Tom Florence.
Thank you, Carol.
We have just confirmed that Dr. Virgil Swann passed away this morning.
No further details have been released.
The reclusive billionaire will be remembered as one
of the leading philanthropists of his generation.
Along with starting the Virgil Swann charitable foundation...
I don't understand. I just talked to him last week.
I'm sorry, Clark. I truly am.
We both are.
There was still so much I needed to learn from him about Krypton and Jor-El.
We can be thankful for everything he did pass on to you.
"Kal-El, I wish I could continue this journey with you.
But now you must seek out your father.
If I sheltered you from him for too long, forgive me.
Jor-El sent you here on a mission.
He's the only one who can help you finish it.
I am returning something that is rightfully yours.
I know it will lead you to your destiny."
...searching for intelligent life in the universe.
The world will remember his many contributions.
And man will benefit from his gifts for generations to come.
I knew you would return, my son.
Why did you send me to find this?
Because you may be the last survivor of a great civilization.
A great civilization that destroyed itself!
As will yours, if you continue to refuse your mission.
The knowledge of our civilization was encoded in three stones
brought to Earth and hidden at the far reaches of the world.
Greed will drive others to hunt the stones.
But if the humans should unite them before you
they will not be able to withstand the temptation
and will drive the world to famine, war
and the Earth's ultimate destruction.
You must find the other two stones.
The fate of the world lies in your hands,
Kal-El.
- Hello? - Hey, it's Jason.
- Jason who? - Very funny.
Well, it doesn't sound like Kansas. Where are you?
Metropolis. I have to stay here for a few days oversee some things for Lex.
I didn't realize that your job required any overseeing.
Yeah. I can't really talk right now.
I just stepped out of a meeting, but I wanted to call
cause I didn't get a chance to before I left.
- Is Lex with you? - No, I'm solo.
Well, you'd better stay that way.
I know what happens to people when they run off to Metropolis.
- What was that? - Nothing.
Listen, I've gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Goodnight.
Goodnight.
If I didn't know better, I'd think you skipped out on me.
Lex. Yeah, I was going to call you. Something came up.
I had to leave work early.
To what, catch the next flight to Shanghai?
- What? - Why don't you turn around?
You didn't really think I'd hire you, bring you into my life
and not follow every step you take, did you?
I know my father gave you a map, Jason,
and I know you've figured out that it leads to a temple just outside the city
but if you think you're gonna find that stone without me, you're mistaken.
Let's go.
I thought we agreed that you would not go back down into the caves.
Dad, I couldn't just ignore Swann's message.
I know that you trust him, but... He doesn't know Jor-El the way we do.
Dad, it's not like I've forgotten who we're dealing with here.
I'm just afraid of what's gonna happen if we continue to ignore him.
Listen, I realize that he's your birth father, alright?
But he's never had your best interests at heart.
Maybe, but he's never lied to me, either.
And the trials that he's put me through. Maybe they're not all random.
Maybe he's trying to prepare me to find these stones.
Are you really sure you want to open all this up again?
The last few months, ever since you walked away from Jor-El
it's like we got the old Clark back.
Well, mom, as much as I like playing football
and trying to be normal, the truth is, I'm not.
We all know that.
Look, I've already let one of these stones slip through my hands.
Even if you were to find the stones, son, we have no idea
what's gonna happen, if you bring 'em all together.
I know, dad.
But if I don't find them, someone else will.
Ms. Lang.
Please, don't be shy.
You are looking for your elusive boyfriend, I assume.
Yeah, I was hoping that Lex could get in touch with him for me.
He sent him to go catch up on this project
and I can't seem to reach him on his cell.
Well, I would imagine reception would be rather shoddy in China.
Lex is in Shanghai, if I had to guess
I would say that your boyfriend is there with him.
I'm sorry, I thought Jason would've told you what's happening,
considering you are the one born right into the middle of all this.
You should know, Ms. Lang, how thoroughly Lex and Jason
have been studying Isobel Thoreaux your rebellious ancestor.
Looks like they aren't the only ones.
Isobel's arch rival was a duchess Gertrude
who was obsessed with finding three mythical stones.
She sent ships to the far ends of the known Earth.
But all her agents could discover was this map.
Somewhere in China.
What does this treasure map have to do with Isobel?
The map never made it into the hands of the duchess.
Isobel stole the document and hid it.
Gertrude had the exquisite young sorceress executed.
Isobel's looking for them, too.
And she's working through you using you as a vessel.
I gave a copy of the map to Jason, as well.
I'm not surprised he didn't tell you about it.
Your kinship with Isobel may not be a secret
but are you aware that Jason
is a direct descendant of the duchess... Gertrude.
Going somewhere?
China.
China? Are you serious?
And freaked out and mad and just about everything else you can possibly imagine.
- Lana, what's going on? - Which part?
The immaculate tattoo?
The fact that I seem to be harboring a 16th-century witch
or that Jason and Lex took off with a map to uncover it all behind my back?
- Why would they do that? - I don't know.
But Jason said that we were gonna figure this out together.
But it turns out he has a rather limited definition of we.
Well, maybe he has a good reason why he's not being open with you.
Don't you think you owe him a chance to explain?
Clark, you know that I don't give up on someone that easily.
But I'm not gonna just let him lie to me.
Even if it is for a good reason.
So you're gonna take off and fly halfway around the world just like that?
Lionel Luthor made all the arrangements. And I'm taking the LuthorCorp jet.
And I know, Clark, that I can't trust him.
But he gave me the name of this professor that might be able to help.
Well, then I'm going with you.
I'm not gonna drag you into this.
I'm not letting you go alone.
Jason, you can't trust my father. He gave you that map for a reason.
And now you're leading him right to the stone.
I'm not working for your father or anyone else.
Then why does the stone even matter to you?
Cause until I find out, Lana's not gonna be safe.
- Safe from what? - From my mom, from Lionel...
From you. I don't know, Lex, you tell me.
Unless you hired your own Chinese security I think we've hit a bit of a snag.
Run!
What is this?
How did Lionel know these symbols were about you?
There are two answers to that question.
And they're both three time zones way.
Clark, I'm sorry. I feel like you're the only person in my life right now
who doesn't have an agenda.
Lana, whatever their motives are I'm sure they still care about you.
Still doesn't change the fact that everybody seems to know
more about me than I do.
It must be scary to think that someone out there
has a plan for you but you don't know what it is yet.
Ever since that tattoo appeared, I feel like I've been walking around
with this huge secret.
Like, everybody only knows what's on the surface
but there's something inside of me that's so much more powerful.
And you're afraid if people know about that part of you
they'll see you differently.
How could they not?
So, what did your parents say about coming to China?
Nothing.
I didn't tell them. I left them a message.
It's funny.
The two people I ended up trusting are Lionel Luthor and you.
Well, boss...
Got any idea what we're doing here?
Well, since they took the map and brought us to the temple
I'm guessing they're after the same thing we are.
You're pretty anxious to make me your sidekick, aren't you?
Don't you think it's time we dropped the stalemate of who knows what,
and do whatever we can to get out of here?
If you want us to start spilling our guts, you go first.
Okay.
We both know my father had every inch of this place scoured
and he didn't find the stone.
Come on, Jason.
You wouldn't have lied to Lana and come all the way here
unless you knew the secret to reading that map.
No, I lied to Lana to protect her.
Oh, right. I forgot. Lana's new self-appointed hero.
She seems to have a way of attracting them.
Yeah, it looks that way.
I don't believe you're that naive.
You're either being used by my father or your mother.
Who's ever pulling the strings, don't think for a second
they wouldn't sacrifice Lana.
In the end, I have a feeling I may be the one protecting Lana from you.
Okay, okay.
You can't do this.
Where are you taking me?
It's hard to believe we were driving by cornstalks this morning.
We are definitely not in Kansas anymore.
So, how are we supposed to find this Professor Sen?
Lionel said to just take this street until we find a green rooster.
You know, Lana, I'm not sure we should trust this woman.
Maybe we can do this on our own.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you spoke fluent Mandarin
and knew your way around Shanghai.
Ms. Lang, Mr. Kent.
I'm glad you guys made it here safely. Do you have the map?
I never really believed this existed.
You have no idea how many fortune hunters have searched for this map.
The temple seems to be located at the fork of a river.
That's odd. There's no river there.
But these symbols, they match those on the temple walls.
- So you know where it is. - I know the place well.
There's no mistaking that symbol.
Are you sure this is the only temple with these kind of markings?
On this continent, anyway.
That's all part of the temple's mystique.
There's a myth that claimed an all-powerful god
that came from another world and hid a treasure there.
The god left some kind of map to it.
But the map was stolen centuries ago by European bandits.
As far as we know, they never found the treasure.
- Can you take us to it? - Of course.
But don't show this to anyone.
As long as the stone is still out there
there are fortune seekers who are willing to kill for it.
We need to be careful. Other people may know you're here.
Lex.
No! Lex.
Look, tell them whatever they want to know! This isn't worth dying over!
Just scare him.
Find out what he knows, but don't hurt him.
I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor. I can't make such a promise.
We had an agreement.
There are people who have more money than you.
I never wanted anyone harmed!
During the cultural revolution
the government destroyed most of the ancient temples.
But for some reason, they protected this one.
Maybe because it's always been shrouded in superstition.
Villagers have refused to cross the threshold
fearful that the god will one day return as he promised.
Clark, did you find something?
Just more symbols.
Why don't you two keep searching around? I'll look more in here.
This way.
There's another chamber in the east wing.
What was that?
Run, Lana!
Tell me where this leads to.
Do you really think your friend will have such strong will?
Where is the stone!
Where is the stone?
I hope your young friend will have more sense than you.
Lana.
Leave her alone.
Lana!
- Don't! - No, no, no!
- No, I don't know anything! - She has nothing to do with this!
- Maybe not. - Leave her alone!
Wait!
- Lana! - Stop!
Did you really think I would let any harm come to this body I've possessed?
- You two again. - Isobel.
You are a resilient lad, aren't you?
So earnest, and yet so tragically doomed to pay for the sins of your ancestors.
Lana, if there's any part of you in there.
And you, greedy boy...
I can only imagine what mischief you would cause
were you to unite the stones of knowledge.
Too bad that neither of you could see what was right in front of you all along.
It was never a map.
Clark!
You put up a better fight last time.
Clark, what are you doing here?
I could ask you the same thing.
How could you put Lana in the middle of this?
- I swear, if anything happens to her... - She's here because you lied to her!
I get the feeling that Lana can handle herself right now!
If Isobel gets her hand on that stone
there's no telling what's gonna happen to Lana.
Clark, if there's anything you know that we don't?
I think I found something.
Clark, how did you just stumble on this
when my father had this place searched from top to bottom?
What do you want me to say, Lex?
It's obviously been here a long time.
Don't you want to look at this?
Hang on.
Let me see the map.
Let me see it.
Guys, this isn't a map to the temple.
It's a drawing of the temple through the tree.
That's why no one could find the stone here.
But from this perspective, the background goes on for miles.
It could be anywhere.
What if it's not in the background?
Think about it, the artist would've been standing right where you are.
What if it's located there at the base of the tree?
Nobody has sacrificed as much as I have for these stones.
They don't belong to you.
And you think they were meant for you?
They were left for nobody.
The god of this temple hid them for his return.
How'd we get away from the guards?
It was Isobel.
What'd I do?
Did you find the stone?
It's gone.
Kinda hard to take a college application essay seriously
after the last couple of days, isn't it?
I was just trying to figure out
if hidden temples and body-snatching witches
fits under "Community Service" or "Extracurriculars."
Did I come at a bad time?
You seemed kind of startled when you saw me.
No, I just..
I thought maybe you were my parents.
I've been avoiding them ever since we got back.
And the real reason would be?
Seeing you speak Latin and throw those guys
around the room like toothpicks is kind of weird.
And even when Isobel's gone sometimes I look at you,
and there's a part of you that I don't recognize anymore.
- What? - I'm sorry. It's just that...
Do you know how funny that sounds coming from you?
Somehow, I think that the only way
that I'm going to be able to put Isobel
and all of this other stuff behind me is if I find all three of those stones.
I'm sure they'll end up in the right hands.
I hope so.
Because right now I kinda feel like
some random piece of a puzzle I'll never understand.
Maybe we're not supposed to understand it just yet.
I get the feeling that our lives are a lot less random than we think.
Maybe.
Goodnight, Clark!
- How was China? - Full of surprises.
Lex, what happened?
Even though getting pistol-whipped wasn't exactly my idea of fun,
I have to admit, it's good to have the old dad back.
No, I had nothing to do with what happened to you in China, son.
I have abandoned my search for the stones.
Come on, dad.
You stole copies of my map and gave them to Lana and Jason.
You used them.
No, Lex, it was you who was using them.
And you'll do far worse to find those stones.
You have a ferocious desire to find all the answers, son,
but don't let your search for those stones
turn into your personal Tower of Babel.
I'm not trying to get closer to God, dad.
I'm trying to solve the riddles he's laid out for me.
Did you ever think there might be a reason why we weren't given the answers?
- To challenge us? - Or maybe to humble us.
Knowledge comes from finding the answers, yes,
but understanding what the answers mean is what brings wisdom.
Men who didn't understand the difference have been the ruin of
some of the world's greatest civilizations.
Is that why you stopped looking for the stones?
Because you're afraid?
No, I stopped because I realized that even if I find the three stones
I'm not gonna find what I'm really looking for.
Neither will you.
Can I at least come in?
I guess I don't have to ask why I haven't heard from you
since we got back from Shanghai.
I'm sorry I lied to you.
I don't even know which lie you're apologizing for.
That you said you were in Metropolis when you really were in China
or that you've been working with your mom all along?
I wasn't honest about China because I didn't want to put you into danger.
If you remember a certain torture chair I'd say that's pretty decent foresight.
You have to believe me.
Give me one good reason.
Okay.
Is that good enough?
Jason, how did you...
I got there right before Lex.
I saw you and Clark knocked out.
And there it was, right in front of me.
I didn't want Lex or Clark to know about it so I mailed it to myself from China.
- Did you tell your mom? - I got it for you.
All I care about is protecting you, okay?
You're the only one in my life that matters to me.
Blink twice if you can understand me.
I do hope you brought us a souvenir.
I know that going to China is grounds for a serious lecture
but I didn't have a choice.
Alright, Clark.
At least please tell us that the stone is safe in the cave with the other one.
Look, even though there was Kryptonite guarding the original map
I got the stone in my hand.
But I lost it.
Clark, I don't understand.
If these stones were intended for you to find
why would they be surrounded by Kryptonite?
That makes me wonder if they really were meant for me.
But right now we have another problem.
Before he died, Dr. Swann sent me one last e-mail.
He said he'd been searching for the stones for years
and even with the vast resources at his disposal, it was futile.
I was his last hope.
And that's why he asked Bridgette Crosby
to give me the one stone he did find.
- Which stone? - That's the thing.
I called her numbers. They were all disconnected.
No one even claims to have known her.
It's like she never existed.
Kal-El.
You must write your own destiny.