In the Smallville season one finale, “Tempest,” the town is rocked by a series of devastating tornadoes. As the storm rages, secrets are revealed, relationships are tested, and the fate of Smallville hangs in the balance. This episode is a classic Smallville season finale, full of suspense, drama, and action. It’s also a great showcase of the show’s strong cast, with many memorable performances.
“Tempest” brings multiple storylines to a head as a massive tornado (or 3) threatens Smallville. Meanwhile, Lex faces his father’s hostile takeover of LuthorCorp, and Clark must choose between keeping his secret and saving Lana.
Episode Review:
This finale masterfully weaves together multiple season-long plot threads. The literal tempest of the tornado mirrors the emotional storms brewing in various relationships:
- Lex vs. Lionel
- Clark’s growing independence from his parents
- The Clark-Lana-Chloe love triangle
- Whitney’s departure
The episode is particularly strong in showing Lex’s development. His confrontation with Lionel demonstrates how far he’s come while hinting at his future path. The parallel father-son conflicts between Lex/Lionel and Clark/Jonathan add depth to both storylines.
The special effects for the tornado sequence were impressive for early 2000s television, creating genuine tension and spectacle for the finale.
The multiple cliffhangers effectively set up Season 2 while providing satisfying culminations to Season 1’s storylines. Clark running into the tornado to save Lana is both a perfect character moment and a thrilling way to end the season.
Overall, “Tempest” serves as an excellent season finale, bringing together character development, action, and drama while setting up future storylines. It demonstrates how far the show and its characters have come while promising more excitement to come.
Detailed Plot Breakdown:
Business Wars:
- Lionel Luthor initiates a hostile takeover of LuthorCorp.
- Lex discovers Victoria and her father were working with Lionel.
- Lex is forced to return to Metropolis or lose everything.
School Drama:
- Whitney reveals he’s joining the Marines.
- The Spring Formal is approaching.
- Chloe and Clark’s relationship becomes complicated when she sees him with Lana.
Weather Crisis:
- Three tornadoes form and head toward Smallville.
- The town goes into emergency mode.
- Lana gets trapped in her truck during the storm.
Father-Son Conflicts:
- Lex confronts Lionel about the takeover.
- Jonathan and Clark argue about Clark’s growing recklessness with his powers.
- Both relationships reach breaking points.
The Big Decision:
- Clark must choose between staying hidden and saving Lana.
- He ultimately runs into the tornado to rescue her.
- The episode ends with both Clark and Lana’s fates unknown.
Multiple Cliffhangers:
- Roger Nixon threatens to expose Clark’s secret. What will Jonathan do?
- Lex is torn between helping Clark and uncovering the truth.
- Chloe sees Clark and Lana’s moment together at the formal.
Lessons:
This episode teaches us that even when things are tough, we can always count on our friends and family to help us through. It also teaches us that it’s important to be brave and to stand up for what we believe in. It is also a reminder of how hard it was to wait between seasons back in the day.
How it relates to Clark eventually becoming Superman:
This episode shows us that Clark is already a hero, even though he doesn’t have all of his powers yet. He’s always willing to help people, and he’s always willing to put himself in harm’s way to protect others. This is a quality that will serve him well when he becomes Superman.
Who stars in this episode:
- Tom Welling as Clark Kent
- Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang
- Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
- John Glover as Lionel Luthor
- Sam Jones III as Pete Ross
- Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan1
- Eric Johnson as Whitney Fordman
- Annette O’Toole as Martha Kent2
- Richard Burgi as Jonathan Kent
- Adam Brody as Roger Nixon
Special Effects:
The special effects in this episode are impressive, especially the tornadoes. They’re realistic and add to the suspense of the story. Smallville doesn’t always have the best special effects, but these were truly impressive.
Music:
The music in this episode is also good, and it helps to set the mood. It’s really cool having the Smallville theme played live at the dance.
| Song | Artist/Band | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| “What Do I Have To Do?” | Stabbing Westward | Lex standing on the helipad and Lionel making his speech. |
| “What We’ve Been Through” | Paul Trudeau | Clark tries to decide between a red or black tie. |
| “Where This Love Goes” | Sherri Youngward | Chloe announces she may be moving back to Metropolis. |
| “Breathe” | Greenwheel | Clark gets in his truck and it blows up. |
| “Let’s Go” | Gigolo Aunts | Clark assures Chloe he asked her out because he wanted to. |
| “Everything” | Lifehouse | Lana and Whitney have their last dance together. |
| The theme version of “Save Me” | Remy Zero | Performed live at the Spring Formal by the actual band. |
| “Perfect Memory (I’ll Remember You)” | Remy Zero | Clark and Chloe almost kiss, but he runs off to find Lana. |
Rating:
I would rate this episode 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s a great season finale, and it’s sure to leave you wanting more.
Photos:
Review Notes:
That dude blew up Clark!
Live performance of theme song was cool
Tornados in Kansas, well I never!
How the hell do all these 15 year old’s drive everywhere? No wonder they keep crashing cars 🙂
I guess Whitney is not coming back so as to make the Clark/Lana/Chloe love triangle keep working.
Next Episode: Season 2 Premiere “Vortex”
I am going to guess that is going to tie these stories up and that only the reporter dude is going to die so Clark’s secret stays secret. (Jonathan doesn’t kill him, tornado gets him.)