Smallville S1 E19: Crush

In this episode, we meet Justin Gaines, a former classmate of Lana Lang’s who returns to Smallville after a tragic accident. Justin was hit by a car and lost the use of his hands, but he gained the ability of telekinesis. He seeks revenge on the person who caused his accident, and he also tries to win Chloe’s love. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor’s former nanny, Pamela Isley, returns to Smallville and tries to reconnect with him.

Episode Review

This was a good episode with a lot of suspense and drama with limited action. The ending of the Freak of the week was a little truncated though to make room for the drama it felt like. I really enjoyed the story of Justin Gaines and his quest for revenge. It was also interesting to see Lex Luthor’s reaction to Pamela’s return. Meanwhile, Chloe deals with her growing feelings for Clark, and Whitney faces family troubles.

This episode effectively balances the “meteor freak” storyline with deeper character development. Justin’s tragic transformation from talented artist to vengeful villain is compelling, while Chloe’s emotional journey adds depth to her character.

The exploration of Chloe’s feelings for Clark is particularly well-handled, showing her vulnerability while maintaining her strong personality. Their friendship is tested but ultimately strengthened by the events of the episode.

Whitney’s subplot about his father’s illness adds a human element to his character, making him more sympathetic and showing that even the “popular jock” deals with real problems and also how loved ones do with Lana’s reactions.

The telekinesis effects are well done for the era, and Justin’s use of his powers creates some genuinely tense moments. His transition from sympathetic figure to dangerous villain is believable and tragic.

Overall, “Crush” successfully combines supernatural elements with genuine emotional stakes, while advancing several important character arcs. It’s a strong example of how Smallville balances its various elements – teen drama, superhero action, and character development.

Detailed Plot Breakdown:

1. Justin’s Introduction:
   • Justin returns to school after a car accident that damaged his hands.
   • He demonstrates telekinetic abilities gained from meteor rock exposure.
   • We learn he has a crush on Chloe, who helped him during his recovery.
2. Chloe’s Dilemma:
   • Chloe struggles with her feelings for Clark.
   • She’s torn between her friendship with Clark and her growing connection with Justin.
   • Clark shows signs of jealousy about Justin and Chloe’s relationship.
3. Whitney’s Subplot:
   • Whitney’s father is seriously ill.
   • He struggles to balance school, football, and running the family store.
   • Lana tries to support Whitney through this difficult time.
4. Justin’s Revenge:
   • Justin uses his powers to attack people he blames for his accident.
   • His obsession with revenge grows increasingly dangerous.
   • He particularly targets Principal Kwan, who he thinks was involved in the accident.
5. Clark’s Investigation:
   • Clark becomes suspicious of Justin after Principal Kwan’s car accident.
   • He works to protect Chloe when Justin becomes dangerous.
   • Clark must find a way to stop Justin without revealing his own powers.
6. The Confrontation:
   • Justin’s powers spiral out of control.
   • He threatens Chloe when she rejects him.
   • Clark intervenes to save Chloe and stop Justin.
7. Resolution:
   • Justin is apprehended.
   • Chloe and Clark’s friendship is tested but survives.
   • Whitney and Lana deal with his father’s declining health.

Who Stars in This Episode

• Tom Welling as Clark Kent
• Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang
• Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
• Sam Jones III as Pete Ross
• Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan¹
• Eric Johnson as Whitney Fordman²
• Adam Brody as Justin Gaines
• Erica Durance as Pamela Isley
• Richard Burgi as Principal Kwan

Freak of the Week

Justin Gaines (Adam Brody) is the Freak of the Week in this episode. He has the ability of telekinesis, which he uses to get revenge on the person who he thinks caused his accident.

Special Effects

The special effects in this episode are good. The scenes where Justin uses his telekinesis are well done although basically he can just throw stuff with his mind.

Lessons Learned

This episode teaches us that revenge is not the answer. It only leads to more pain and suffering. It is also important to forgive and move on.

How This Relates to Clark Eventually Becoming Superman

This episode shows that Clark is capable of using his powers for good. He helps Chloe to stop Justin from getting revenge. This shows that Clark has the potential to be a great hero.

Photos

Review Notes

• This episode was directed by James Marshall and written by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough.
• It aired on May 7, 2002.
• Chloe and Clark both have points where they feel jealous.
• This episode is the last appearance of Principal Kwan.
• The opening and several scenes in this felt like a horror movie homage
• Clark really wants to be a Ho it feels like he wants them both.
• Damn, they use cars a lot in this as now they killed off Kwan with a car.
• The chainsaw exploding was just funny.

When Chloe and Clark are at the school paper it really felt like Chloe told Clark to F off, it was actually thank you, but was delivered as Fuck You. Funny.

Chloe says to Clark when realizing that Clark forgot about a conference, “Most men are from Mars, but you are from a distant galaxy I’ve never even heard of!”.

Remember the angel in the pilot, its back… Clark is in the same head-on shot in a cemetery with an angel in the background at the end.

Clark: I’ve got these two amazing friends who both happen to be girls.
Lex: For argument’s sake, let’s call them “Lana” and “Chloe”.

The ending of this episode felt rushed. There was no real end to the Freak character arc, Clark yeets him and its the end basically although Chloe later says he is in a mental hospital but no real consequences for killing the wrong guy.

Featured Music

Next Up

S1 E20 Obscura: Lana is the thumbnail, is she going to be the freak?