Smallville S3 E7 – Magnetic

Lana gets smitten again… You’d think she would learn

Smallville heats up this week as Clark Kent finds himself in a very uncomfortable position: watching the love of his life fall for a new, mysterious stranger. Lana Lang suddenly throws her wholesome image out the window, trading in her sensible coffee-shop routine for a rebellious streak that lands her in hot water with the local authorities. Clark is already known for his intense interest in Lana’s life, but his suspicions are confirmed when he realizes her new beau, Seth Nelson, isn’t just charming—he’s got a seriously manipulative superpower. Forget roses and chocolates, Seth uses a blast of meteor-rock magnetism to move objects and, alarmingly, bend people’s emotions to his will, turning Lana into his fiercely loyal accomplice. Clark will have to figure out how to short-circuit this guy without revealing his own gifts, even when the magnetically-controlled Lana points a gun right at him.

Meanwhile, the chess game between the Luthors gets even more complicated. Lex, still dealing with the fallout of his father’s machinations, decides that if you can’t beat ’em, recruit ’em. He sets his sights on the one person who has proven she has the investigative chops and the sheer stubbornness to match a Luthor: Chloe Sullivan. Lex discovers that Chloe has been digging into Lionel’s dark and secretive past and proposes a dangerous alliance. Will Chloe take the bait and risk everything to bring down the patriarch of LuthorCorp, or is this just another calculated move by the resident rich boy? Tune in as Clark struggles with jealousy, Lana embraces her dark side, and the battle lines in Smallville are drawn with magnetic force.

Episode Review

“Magnetic” is a solid, if slightly tropey, return to the classic Smallville “Freak of the Week” formula, but it manages to juice things up with some excellent character drama. While the main plot is essentially Clark dealing with yet another meteor-infected dude who gets too close to Lana, the episode is salvaged by the B-story. The chemistry and tension between Lex and Chloe are phenomenal as they form their shaky truce against Lionel. It’s a huge turning point for Chloe, solidifying her role as the intelligent, morally gray journalist willing to get her hands dirty for a story, or perhaps, for a friend. The main plot might feel a bit like a repeat—Lana is charmed, Lana acts out, Clark saves her—but it pushes the larger narrative of Clark’s trust issues and Lana’s perpetual victimhood forward, whether we like it or not. Overall, it’s a fun, action-packed hour that gives us plenty of classic angst and set the stage for some serious Luthor drama down the road.

The Cast

• Tom Welling (Clark Kent): Gets to flex his emotional acting muscles here, oscillating between jealous boyfriend and desperate hero. He’s great at conveying that “I know you’re not you” look while still holding back his secret.
• Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang): Lana gets to take a walk on the wild side, which is always entertaining. She perfectly embodies the rebellious edge, even though it’s, you know, not actually her fault.
• Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor): Rosenbaum continues to be the best part of the show, delivering that smooth, manipulative charm as he recruits Chloe. His scenes with Allison Mack are the episode’s highlights.
• Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan): Chloe shines here, demonstrating her intelligence and tenacity as she maneuvers between Lex and Lionel. Her unexpected (and strategically motivated) kiss with Clark is a classic “Chlark” moment that left us all wondering what if.
• Annette O’Toole (Martha Kent) & John Schneider (Jonathan Kent): Always supportive, providing Clark with the necessary parental advice about the perils of high school dating—even when the rival can manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum.
• Sam Jones III (Pete Ross): Pete is… still around! He gets a quick scene to show Clark the stolen cash register, fulfilling his weekly quota for being in the same room as the Kents.

The Freak of the Week:

• Kevin Zegers as Seth Nelson: Seth is a moody, magnetic teen who tries to use his powers for petty theft and, of course, to snag the school’s most beautiful girl. Kevin Zegers, who you may recognize later on from Air Bud (yes, seriously) and Gossip Girl, does a great job of being creepy and entitled, fitting the bill for a classic Smallville high-school villain. His magnetic influence on Lana is a pretty icky concept, but Zegers sells the desperation of a guy trying to keep his power (and his girl) charged up.

Special Effects

Honestly, the effects in this episode are a mixed bag. When Seth is moving small metal objects, like t zipping lockers shut, it looks pretty decent for early 2000s TV. The effects department clearly had fun with the “magnetic field” look, giving it a cool, shimmering effect.

However, things go off the rails during the climax. Clark uses his heat vision to stop Seth and Lana’s getaway by melting the road. I’m sorry, melting the road? That asphalt texture looked distractingly fake and gooey. It just turned into a black, molasses-like substance. Later, when Clark defeats Seth, he somehow uses electricity from nearby power lines to short-circuit the magnetic bad guy. The whole “electrifying the metal” thing is a bit of a scientific stretch, even by comic book standards, but we’ll allow it because the visual of Seth getting pulled in like a metallic sacrifice was pretty dynamic.

Music

This episode delivers some fantastic 2003 angst, particularly in the pivotal Lana/Seth escape scene.

• “Amazing” by Josh Kelley (Performed live by the artist at the Smallville Fair).
• “Stupid Girl” by Cold (Played when Lana and Seth are driving away in the yellow Mustang after the robbery. An incredibly on-the-nose—and therefore hilarious—song choice given Lana’s manipulated state).
• “Over You” by Michelle Featherstone (Score/background music).
• “Trouble” by Pink (Played when Seth and Lana are trapped on the melted road and the police arrive).

Rating

★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

A great example of the show balancing its formulaic Freak of the Week structure with serious, consequential character development. The Lex/Chloe dynamic alone is worth the price of admission.

Synopsis and Plot Breakdown

Act I: The New Guy and the Snow Globe

The episode opens at the Smallville Fair. Seth Nelson, a seemingly shy new student, is watching Lana. He tries to win a Kryptonite-infused snow globe from a carnival game, fails, and gets hit in the head by a metal prize, absorbing the meteor rock’s energy. Meanwhile, Clark is trying to accept that Lana is dating again, which becomes difficult when Seth shows up at the Talon and uses his new magnetic powers to charm her, literally. Lana is instantly drawn to him and agrees to a date.

Act II: Manipulation and Investigation

Lana begins acting completely out of character—she’s reckless, rude to Clark, and embraces danger. Clark, sensing something is deeply wrong, finds Seth using his powers to rob an ATM. He realizes Seth can magnetically manipulate not just metal, but the neurological impulses of people nearby, specifically Lana. Seth, realizing his powers are fading, needs Lana to stay close so he can recharge the magnetic field.

In the B-plot, Lex’s private investigator, Mason, informs him that Chloe has been digging into his family’s past, specifically looking at the death of Lex’s grandparents and the connection to Lionel. Lex, ever the opportunist, confronts Chloe and, instead of threatening her, proposes an alliance, arguing they both have the same goal: bringing down Lionel.

Act III: The Reckoning and the Robbery

Seth, needing money to leave Smallville, manipulates Lana into robbing the Talon’s cash register. Lex spots her stealing and realizes she’s under duress. Lana and Seth flee in a bright yellow Mustang, but not before Lex steals Chloe’s computer from the Torch office as a bargaining chip to force her hand. The police catch Lana, and she’s thrown in jail. Clark confronts Seth about Lana, but Seth is quick to demonstrate his new confidence, using his powers to slam lockers shut.

Act IV: The Breakout and the Duel

Seth breaks Lana out of jail using his magnetic powers to manipulate the locks and nearby security. Meanwhile, Clark uses a compass to track the magnetic energy trail left by Seth’s escape. He confronts them in the Kent barn. Lana, still completely under Seth’s influence, pulls a gun and fires at Clark. Clark reveals he is bulletproof, surprising Seth, who now realizes he’s dealing with more than just a farm boy.

Act V: Short Circuit and Alliance

Seth unleashes his full magnetic fury, throwing every metal object in the barn at Clark. Clark manages to melt the road with his heat vision to stop Seth’s escape route, leading them back to the barn where he defeats Seth by using his powers and a live power line to essentially short-circuit the magnetic field, leaving Seth comatose. Lana, freed from the magnetic influence, is stunned and remorseful over her actions. Lex returns Chloe’s laptop, and she agrees to his deal: she will feed him information on Lionel in exchange for his protection, officially making her Lex’s double agent. Lana and Clark have a final, difficult conversation where she admits she needs a relationship that’s honest and real, with or without him, reaffirming the distance between them.

Lessons Learned and The Man of Steel

“Magnetic” is a crucial episode for Clark’s journey because it forces him to grapple with the difference between protection and control, a theme that will haunt his early career as Superman.

Lessons Learned:

1. Trust is Power: This episode is a brutal test of Clark’s emotional intelligence. He struggles with jealousy and watches Lana make terrible decisions. The key lesson here is that his powers cannot fix everything, and his greatest challenge isn’t the physical threat, but the emotional manipulation of those he loves. He has to trust his gut and his friends (like Chloe) to help, rather than relying solely on his abilities.
2. The Cost of Secrecy: Lana’s final rebuke to Clark—that she needs a relationship that is honest—lands like a punch. This episode shows Clark that his secret isn’t just protecting him; it’s actively driving people away and making them vulnerable to manipulation. He sees firsthand that not trusting someone with his truth can leave them exposed to lies and control.

Relation to Superman:

The Clark Kent of “Magnetic” is still the Superboy version—jealous, prone to stalking (as noted by some characters), and overly fixated on Lana. However, the B-plot foreshadows his future in the world of Metropolis.

• The Power of the Press: Chloe’s alliance with Lex, while dangerous, shows Clark the power of investigation and the press as a weapon against corruption. The future Superman will need allies like Lois Lane and his future friends at the Daily Planet to tackle threats that can’t be punched.
• The Greater Evil: Seth Nelson is a localized, small-town threat. The Lex/Chloe plot dealing with Lionel and his long history of murder and manipulation is the real threat. This episode teaches Clark (and the audience) that LuthorCorp and its corruption are the bigger villains, preparing him for the Lex Luthor who will become his true nemesis in Metropolis. The emotional manipulation Seth performs is a perfect mirror of the psychological manipulation Lex will perfect against Clark.

Review Notes

Man Lana falls in love with any dude at any time, or was I right and he is using magnetism to make her?

OK so his powers are magnetism, and …magnetism so its a combination of what we thought.

Clark is very jealous

Lex going to Chloe…

Man its a good thing I didn’t have his power in high school or I would be in jail for sure.

Man Clark is a stalker and a half

That’s some really bad green screen on the Ferris wheel

Called out on his stalking…

They know how to read an MRI lol

They are walking to edge of making Clark unlikeable at times.

Melting the road is funny.

OK Lex takes Chloe to the morgue, at least he points out how dumb that seems.

Seth breaks Lana out of jail.

I kind of hope she shoots Clark.. but na clark electrocutes seth

Lex again being the most humane person on this show other than the Kents in his talk with Lana

Lana telling Clark hes an idiot again

Next Week Shattered – umm something gets shattered, I’m guessing at emotionally maybe the Clark /Lana thing hits some sort of breaking point.