Hey there, fellow Smallville fans! Welcome back to the rewatch. We’re deep into Season 3, and today we’re looking at an episode that finally gives Pete Ross something to do other than hold Clark’s jacket or look worried in the hallway. Put on your seatbelts, because we’re diving into “Velocity.”
TV Guide Preview
Pete Ross finds himself in the literal fast lane when he joins a group of illegal street racers who have figured out that “meteor rocks” make for some seriously fast engines. But when a local thug named Dante demands Pete throw a race to cover a debt, Pete realizes that running with the big dogs usually leads to getting bit. Can Clark save his best friend without exposing his secrets to a crowd of gearheads, or has Pete finally driven himself into a corner he can’t super-speed out of?
Meanwhile, the mystery of Adam Knight takes a dark turn at the Talon. Lana begins to realize that her new tenant is hiding more than just a brooding personality and a talent for piano. As Adam’s health starts to fail, the truth about his connection to Lionel Luthor and a mysterious serum starts to bubble to the surface. It’s a race against time on the road and in the lab, proving that in Smallville, your past is the one thing you can’t outrun.
Episode Review
“Velocity” is a bit of a “time capsule” episode. It was released right when the Fast & Furious craze was hitting its peak, and you can definitely feel the show trying to tap into that high-octane energy. It’s great to see Sam Jones III (Pete) get a lead storyline, as he’s often pushed to the sidelines. The conflict between Clark and Pete feels very real here—it’s that awkward moment in a friendship where one person is growing up and the other is making massive mistakes.
The episode handles the “teen rebellion” trope well enough, though the stakes feel a bit smaller compared to the usual “world-ending” Lionel Luthor schemes. However, the B-plot with Adam Knight is where the real Season 3 tension lies. It keeps the overarching mystery moving while the A-plot provides the action. It’s a solid, middle-of-the-road episode that manages to be fun even if the “cars powered by Kryptonite” logic is a bit of a stretch!
The Stars & Freak of the Week
The main cast is all here, but this is really Sam Jones III’s episode to shine. He plays Pete’s desperation and mounting fear perfectly.
Our Freak of the Week—though he’s more of a “Jerk of the Week”—is Jason Dante, played by Ryan Merriman. You might remember Ryan from The Luck of the Irish or Final Destination 3. Dante isn’t actually a meteor-infected person; instead, he’s a tech-savvy criminal using refined Kryptonite as a nitrous-oxide substitute. He’s smug, punchable, and serves as a great foil for Pete.
Special Effects
Alright, let’s talk about those 2004 digital cars. The CGI in the racing sequences is… well, it’s very “early 2000s TV budget.” When the cars are zooming and the green glow is kicking in, it looks a bit like a PlayStation 2 game. However, the practical stunts—the actual cars flipping and the crashes—look great. Clark using his heat vision to pop a tire while moving at high speed is a classic “stealth hero” move that still holds up.
Music
Smallville always had an elite soundtrack, and “Velocity” brings the rock:
- “The Way It Is” – Tesla
- “Raw” – Static-X (Perfect for the racing vibe)
- “Everything” – Alanis Morissette
- “Real Good Time” – Alden
- “Evilize” – Moonshine
Rating
⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 Stars)
It’s a fun ride with some great character moments for Pete, even if the “Nitrous-Kryptonite” plot is a little silly.
Complete Synopsis & Plot Breakdown
The episode kicks off with Pete getting involved in the underground street racing scene. He’s modified his car using a “fuel cell” containing refined meteor rocks. During a race, Pete’s rival, Dante, realizes Pete’s car is unnaturally fast. Pete wins, but Dante isn’t happy. It turns out Pete owes money to some shady characters, and Dante uses this to blackmail Pete into throwing the next big race.
Pete asks Clark for help, but not the “save me” kind of help—he wants Clark to use his powers to help him win or fix the situation. Clark, being the moral compass he is, refuses to use his gifts for illegal gambling and racing. This creates a huge rift. Pete, feeling overshadowed by Clark’s “god-like” status, snaps and tells Clark that not everyone has it as easy as he does.
Things get dangerous when Dante threatens Pete’s life. During the final race, Pete is supposed to lose, but he realizes he can’t let Dante win. Dante tries to run Pete off the road. Clark arrives just in time, using his super strength and speed to stop the cars from flying off a cliff. Dante is arrested, and Pete is safe, but his car is totaled and his relationship with Clark is strained.
In the subplot, Lana discovers Adam Knight is injecting himself with a mysterious glowing serum. She finds out he was actually dead and was brought back to life by a LuthorCorp project. When Adam becomes violent and obsessive, Jonathan and Clark have to intervene. Lionel eventually “disposes” of the Adam problem, leaving Lana shaken and more distrustful of the Luthors than ever.
Lessons & The Path to Superman
The Lesson: Loyalty doesn’t mean enabling. Clark learns that being a friend means saying “no” when someone you love is heading down a self-destructive path. Pete learns that trying to compete with a “superman” by taking shortcuts (Kryptonite) only leads to disaster.
Becoming Superman: This episode highlights Clark’s growing integrity. He’s tempted to help his friend win just to make Pete’s life easier, but he realizes that using his powers for personal gain or to subvert the law—even for a friend—is a slippery slope. Superman is defined by his restraint just as much as his strength. We also see Clark dealing with the “loneliness of the secret.” Pete is the only peer who knows his secret, and seeing that friendship fracture shows the heavy burden Clark carries.
Photos
Review Notes
A Pete centric episode…cool
Clark as usual blames himself for Dad’s heart attack. Sometimes hes just a tad over-angsty.
This episode is giving me weird vibes with the upward shooting dialogue camera angles ugh who directed this?
Jeannette Szwark is the answer known for… Somewhere in Time and Jaws 2… (Christopher Reeves connection.
Adams secret is getting weird with the bleeding eyes… Chloe is on it
Pete’s jealousy is showing but Clark is not helping acting like daddy.
WTF Lex basically told Clark to fuck off for 20k which is peanuts to him.
Damn Adam turned bad quick.
Clark didnt even try to save dude. Weird choice.
Clark still being a dick to Pete basically not accepting his apology etc was also a strange choice, just continually isolating himself.
Discover more from Entertainmentnutz
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.