| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | |
| Season 1, Episode 19 | |
 | |
| Air date | March 13, 1994 |
| Written by | H. B. Cobb Deborah Joy LeVine |
| Directed by | Randall Zisk |
| Episode Guide | |
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Lex Luthor creates a clone of Superman and teaches him to believe he is meant to kill and succeed the original Superman.
Plot[]
Superman appears to save a downing plane in Paris, France - all while Clark Kent is in the Daily Planet newsroom. Clark is further mystified when he examines the plane and finds the handprints in the steel hull match his.
Jimmy Olsen is mystified as well when Perry White starts wearing a toupee and inquiring about whitewater rafting and other dangerous pursuits. Lois is saddened that Superman is suddenly devoting a lot of time to international acts of heroism, thinking it shows Superman is not as attached to her as she thought.
After days of search, Superman finds his double, who appears identical to him and claims to be as old as he is, but has a childlike attitude. The double says that his father told him Superman is his enemy, and he promised to never tell who his father is. Superman says he wants to be the double's friend, but the double returns to his home. His father is Lex Luthor, who has raised him on credos such as "Might is right" and tells him his destiny is to destroy the old Superman so that they can rule the world.
Breaking Luthor's rule not to fly in Metropolis, the double defuses a hostage situation and is approaches by Lois. Lois is baffled that he is extremely rough with the criminals and does not seem to recognize her. The double finds Lois attractive, and his interest is piqued when Luthor orders him to stay away from her. He makes a date with her via messenger; Clark reads the invite with supervision. The date goes well at first, but when Lois questions his earlier behavior the double answers "Might is right" and forcefully kisses her, making her realize he is not Superman. Clark barges in, furious at the double's treatment of Lois. The double tries to eject him, but Clark grabs his arm in a hold he cannot break. The double realizes Clark is Superman and departs.
Lois hypothesizes that the double is a clone, but Dr. Fabian Leek, who claimed that human cloning would soon be possible in a recent article, now says that he was overly optimistic and the breakthrough is much more difficult that he thought. Superman finds the double in space and questions his claim to be as old as him, reasoning that the double has no memories of growing up because he was created only recently. The double claims to disbelieve him and says he may tell people Superman's secret identity, but he is shaken by Superman's words. When Luthor fails to give the double an answer to why he has no memories, he opts to keep mum about Superman's identity. He also overhears Dr. Fabian Leek telling Luthor that due to the cloning process being imperfect, he is dying.
Lois realizes a lock of hair Superman once donated to a charity auction could have been used as DNA material. The buyer, Doyle Alexander, says the hair was stolen the day after the auction and never recovered.
Realizing that Perry's strange behavior began shortly after his annual medical exam, Jimmy snoops in his office for the results, but instead finds a note on his day calendar for March 17: "Metropolis Bridge JUMP 11:00 PM". He tells Perry he has his full emotional support and gives him a hotline number. Despite this, Perry makes the jump as planned - with a bungee cord. He loses the toupee in the jump, as well as any desire to continue with his midlife crisis, which was the true cause of his odd behavior.
Still pretending to be Superman, the double abducts Lois in order to lure Superman into battle. With the double's powers already fading, Superman defeats him with little trouble, but refuses the double's demand that he kill him. He maintains that the two of them can co-exist and that respect is earned through caring about people, not power. The double tells him that he is dying and returns to his home. He tells Luthor he now knows that he was created as merely a pawn to kill Superman. Dr. Leek shoots the double, who is no longer bulletproof, but the double throws him into his sleep tank and threatens to kill Luthor unless he turns over the lock of hair used to create him.
The double gives Superman the lock of hair and says to ensure no one clones him again, he must also incinerate the double. Superman is hesitant, but the double is dying already, and reassures him, "It's not really the end, as long as you're still here... brother." Superman flies the double into the sun as per his last wish. Despite everything, the double keeps his promise to never tell who his father is.
Clark tells Lois he is saddened by the double's death, because Superman could have had someone to talk to and share his troubles with.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman
- Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane
- Lane Smith as Perry White
- Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant
- Michael Landes as Jimmy Olsen
- K Callan as Martha Kent
- Eddie Jones as Jonathan Kent
- John Shea as Lex Luthor
Guest starring[]
- Michael McKean as Dr. Fabian Leek
- Sam Rubin as newscaster
- Ira Heiden as messenger
Trivia[]
- Michael McKean went on to play Perry White in several episodes of Smallville.
- In the comics, the clone that Lex makes decays and becomes Bizarro.
- Martha Kent suggests that Superman's double could be a version of him from a parallel universe. An alternate Superman would later visit from a parallel universe in the episode "Lois and Clarks".
- The episode's finale contains a plot hole: the Superman clone tells Lex Luthor "I want the lock of hair", but Lois and Clark never told the clone about the lock of hair.
Quote[]
Jimmy: "Chief, are you sure you're okay?"
Perry: "Yes, I'm okay. Why is everybody asking me if I'm okay? I'm okay, okay? Okay, the very next person that asks me if I'm okay is gonna get fired! Okay?"
Everyone else: "Okay!"