The CW's Official Description:

MUSICAL GROUP REM SUPPLY'S MUSIC FOR ENTIRE EPISODE - Clark (Tom Welling) dreams he is being pursued by a frightened young girl who needs his help. However, after he discovers she is actually a comatose neighbor who should have woken up years ago, he enlists Lana’s (Kristin Kreuk) help to uncover the truth – which puts Lana in grave danger. Meanwhile, Lionel (John Glover) demands that Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) undergo a full psychological evaluation before he hires him.

Allison Mack, Sam Jones III, Annette O’Toole and John Schneider also star. Written By: Drew Greenberg. Directed By: Terrence O’Hara.

All of the music in this episode will be from R.E.M.'s new CD R.E.M. IN TIME the best of 1988-2003. For more info about the CD, click here.

Detailed Description:

By Nadine

It's a hot afternoon and Clark Kent (Tom Welling) is staring at the quiet and peaceful Crater Lake, getting ready to go skinny-dipping. He is startled by a voice behind him, it's Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). She was also planning on doing the same. Clark offers to leave, but she tells him that the lake is big enough for both of them. "I'm game if you are", she tells him cheekily. She makes him promise not to peek, and she stands behind him and takes her clothes off. Clark is visibly pleasantly surprised, as he sees her clothes drop to the ground. She jumps in and promises not to look, as Clark does the same. As a joke, Clark stays for a long while underwater, but it freaks Lana out. They joke around, and then get closer. "I always said there should be nothing between us", says Lana. "Now there's not", replies Clark. They are about to kiss, when a scream can be heard from the forest. They see a young girl (Katherine Isabelle) seemingly running from something, who then disappears back into the forest.

We see the young girl running through the trees, screaming, and look back as if someone was chasing her. As she is running, she bumps into Clark, who obviously left Lana, got dressed and superspeeded into the woods (and dried his hair!). The young girl seems shocked to see Clark there. "He's here. Run! Run!", she tells him. Before Clark can question her further, a strange alien looking hand appears from the ground, and grabs the young girls ankle, dragging her into the ground. Clark grabs a hold of her arm, trying to pull her out, but he can't hold on and she disappears into the ground.

Clark is home explaining to his parents what just happened. However, he mentions he was alone at the lake. Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) tries to make him feel better by telling him it is not his job to save everybody, and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider) distracts him by telling about a surprise they have for him. The fact that a young girl disappeared into the ground seems to be quickly forgotten in the Kent household. The Kents take Clark out to the front of the house, where they show him a new truck they bought for him. Jonathan admits that the farm needs a new truck anyway, but that it belongs to Clark. Clark wonders how they paid for it, and they explain that they used some of the extra money that Lex gave them. Clark is glad to finally see that Jonathan is learning to trust Lex. Jonathan admits that he hadn't been giving Lex a fair chance. Clark drives off to school in his new truck.

At school, Lana catches up with Clark. He is about to apologize for leaving her - again - but she doesn't take it personally. In fact, she jokes about him getting out of the lake, "I had a good view when you left". She asks about the girl, but he tells her she just disappeared. She admits shyly that she had fun, and he agrees. She tells him that maybe, "after a while, you'll stop torturing yourself and realize that there's no reason we shouldn't be together. It's ok Clark. I'm willing to wait as long as you want". She walks away. At that moment, he catches sight of the girl from the forest, standing in the school hallway. He tells her he saw her get pulled into the ground and asks what happened. She doesn't answer. He asks her her name. "Sara Conroy", she replies. He tries to get more information, but all she can say is "He's after me, he's always after me". Suddenly, in the reflection of the trophy showcase behind her, we see the reflection of a tall figure wearing a red cape and hood. Clark turns around to face it, but there's nothing there. All he sees is Pete Ross (Sam Jones III) walking towards him. He asks Pete about the man, but Pete has no idea what he is talking about. Clark wants to confirm with Sara, but as he turns around, Sarah is no longer there. Pete wonders if his friend is going crazy, which would explain why Clark missed the history exam that was worth 50% of his grade. Clark freaks out when he realizes he forgot about the exam. Pete warns him already that he has flunked the course.

Clark walks into the Torch office and asks Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) for her help. She jokes around with him about skinny-dipping with Lana. He is curious how she would know, and he asks her if Sara Conroy is the one who told him. She tells him she has never met anyone by that name. He presumes Sara is a new student, and is about to tell her that he thinks Sara may be Wall Of Weird material, when he looks at the wall and sees that Chloe has taken everything down. He asks her why and she tells him that she needs to move on to more serious matters, and that it was even possible that the Daily Planet was beginning to frown on her little obsession. She tells him that people have died because of that wall, and he reminds her that others have been saved. "I'm done chasing windmills Clark. From now on, it's hard news that can be backed up with facts".

Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) is sitting in his office at the mansion, when Clark walks in. Lex apparently sent him an urgent message to come to the house. "I'm having a rather strange day", says Lex. "Join the club", replies Clark. Lex asks Clark to hand him the sword that's hanging on the wall. Lex gives Clark a short history of the sword. "It was a ceremonial weapon used by a group of 16th century samurai warriors, the Katai. Legend has it, this sword was forged in the fires of Mount Fuji. The blade could cut through anything. The Katai never took it into battle. They never had to. Until the day the strongest Katai turned on his own. One by one the Katai fell at his hand. Nothing left to loose, the last of the Katai lunged at the warrior with this sword. The blade cut him clean in two. But when the warrior's armor fell, the Katai saw he wasn't even human." Then, without a warning, Lex turns around and swings the sword onto Clark. Clark instinctively puts his arm out to protect himself, and the sword shatters on Clark's arm. Lex doesn't look surprise, Clark is shocked. "Just like you, Clark". Lex accuses him of lying to him for all these years, and disappointed, he starts to walk away. Clark wants to try and explain. "It's too late!", says Lex, "The irony is, all you had to do was come to me, Clark. I was your friend. I wouldn't have protected your secret. I would have protected you. But I couldn't be trusted because I'm a Luthor". Clark protests, but Lex is unforgiving. "I'm going to dedicate myself to ensuring the whole world knows who Clark Kent is. Life as you know it is over". Lex walks out.

Clark drives home to tell his parents what just happens. As he pulls over outside his house, he finds Sara waiting for him, picking lilacs. She tells him that they are her favorite flower. She doesn't answer any of his questions, she just says, "Please don't let him take me again". "Who?", asks Clark. "The Traveler", she replies. Sara calls Clark by his name, and Clark wonders how she knows his name. At that moment, the strange creature with the red cape appears again, grabs Sara and disappears with her into the ground. Clark can't get to her in time, and falls to the ground, upset. As he hits the ground in anger, his arm suddenly goes through the ground, and he is pulled into the ground.

Clark wakes up on the couch of his house. It turns out this was all a dream, the new truck, skinny-dipping with Lana, and Lex finding out the truth. His parents run to him, and Martha explains to him that he fell asleep while studying for his History exam. Jonathan explains to his son that Clark has been asleep for a day and a half, and that they have been trying to wake him up ever since. Clark tells his parents about his dream, and how real it felt. When he mentions the name Sara Conroy, Jonathan tells him that it is the name of their new neighbors who moved in the day before, a man and his teenage daughter. They moved in to Lana's old house. They are shocked and confused as to how Clark could dream of someone he hasn't even met.

The next morning, Clark tells his parents he has been too afraid to sleep. He feels he should go visit the Conroys, but both parents tell him to be careful, that it wasn't a normal sleep, and that it strangely coincides with the Conroys' arrival. Clark wonders if Sara is keeping him asleep. Jonathan asks him to stay away from the neighbors.

Lana comes to visit Clark and give him his homework. She tells him he looks really tired, but when she suggests sleep, he refuses energetically. Finally, he decides to tell her about his dream. He's surprised that she wants to help and to know more, and doesn't think that he's crazy. She asks him to walk her through the dream. He mentions Lana was in his dream, of course, not mentioning what it was they were doing. Lana thinks it would be best if they go see Sara in person. When they get there, they meet Uncle Nicholas, who shows them up to Sara's room. Sara is lying in bed, in a coma. She has been this way for many years. he tells them that Sara is his niece. Her parents are from Grandville, just across the county line from Smallville, and they had a car crash over the bridge, while Sara was asleep in the back. The doctors believe that that is how she survived. Clark sees lilacs in a vase next to Sara's bed, and comments on them being her favorite. Nicholas wonders how he knows that, but Lana saves the day with a comment about them being her favorite too. Clark notices Nicholas' pendant of St. Christopher and comments on St. Christopher being the Patron Saint of Travelers. He admits that he prays everyday to St. Christopher that Sara's journey ends and she come back to them. He then asks them politely to leave, as it is time for Sara's medication.

Lex walks into his father's (John Glover) office as Lionel is having a massage. Lex demands to know why he is being blocked out of half of the computer files he needs to do his job, and being told that he has insufficient security clearance. He wonders if his father still doesn't trust his renewed commitment to the family business. Lex tries to reassure his father that he wants this new relationship to work. Lionel asks him why he has refused to complete the psychological profile. Lex reminds his father that they both don't believe in "that psycho-babble". Lionel disagrees, and feels that following the traumatic experiences Lex has gone through, a psychological profile could help them foresee any problems. He asks Lex to do this for him, to prove his renewed commitment, and that it is only five sessions.

Clark talks to Chloe about his dream and wonders how Sara can reach out to him in his dreams. She tells him about a theory that telepathic receptivity is increased during REM sleep. She also mentions that the river that Sara's car crashed in is filled with meteor rocks, which could explain Sara's ability. They both believe that The Traveler represents her uncle that she is afraid of. He asks Chloe to come with him to the Courthouse to get a hold of public records, but she tells him she has an article to write for the Daily Planet. He tells her he will go with Lana instead.

It's late and Clark and Lana are going through the public records. They find out that Sara's parents were very rich, that Sara inherited it all, and that Nicholas controls all the money while Sara is in a coma. Clark admits that he is tired but is afraid to close his eyes. Lana offers to go make more coffee, and a few seconds later, Sara appears. Clark understands that he must be asleep. He asks her how she gets into his dreams, but she doesn't know, she didn't know how she got into the forest, or by his house, or at school. She explains that she only understood what happened when he and Lana went to visit her. She explains that she can hear what is going on around he, that she could hear the doctors talking after the accident, and they said she should have woken up. Clark asks her if it is her uncle she is afraid of. She explains how terrible it is to be stuck within her own body, but unable to control anything. She tells Clark that everytime she feels a little better, her uncle does something, she doesn't know what, and she goes right back into a long dark tunnel. At that moment, The Traveler returns, and takes Sara away again.

Clark visits Lex and they discuss what is happening to Clark. Lex made some calls, and he found out that it is true, Sara should have woken up, but that there is no proof of foul play on behalf of Nicholas, although the doctors have only ever done routine blood test. As Clark is about to leave, he notices a sword hanging on the wall. He asks Lex whether it is an ancient samurai sword, but Lex laughs, it is only a prop from one of his favorite movies, and it is not even real. He pretends to go and strike Clark with it, jokingly, and Clark is extremely defensive. Lex tells him has to learn the difference between reality and fantasy, and that he should also get some sleep.

Clark goes to visit the Conroys, under the pretext of bringing Sara some fresh flowers. Once in the bedroom, he asks Uncle Nicholas if he could sit with Sara for a while. Nicholas agrees, and goes to get Clark a drink. Clark x-rays the medicine cabinet, then opens it, takes one of the bottles out, and superspeeds away. Nicholas comes back to find Clark gone and the medicine cabinet open. He realizes what is missing.

Clark is driving, in a hurry, presumably to get the medication analyzed, when Sara appears next to him in the car, telling him that her uncle is so angry. Clark just has time to realize that he must have fallen asleep at the wheel, and then we see the truck tumble and crash into the fields.

Lana comes to the Kent Farm, but Martha tells her that Clark isn't back from Lex's yet. Lana agrees to wait for him, and the two women sit down and talk. Lana asks her why she thinks Clark pushed Lana away. Martha admits that Clark has not been the same since Metropolis, even at home. Lana explains that she hopes that by staying in his orbit, he may decide to open up. Suddenly, their conversation is interrupted by Jonathan shouting from outside for Martha to come, quickly.

Martha and Lana run out to the fields to find Jonathan pulling Clark out of the truck. Clark is still asleep. Lana wants to call for an ambulance, but Jonathan convinces her that he just bumped his head. Martha wonders where Clark is coming from, since Lex's mansion is the other way. They both realize he has come from the Conroys. Lana tells them she feels responsible, because she's the one who encouraged him to go over there. She also says that she's worried about Sara. Martha agrees.

Meanwhile, Clark is still dreaming. He stops the truck. Sara runs out and onto the pier. Clark runs after her, telling her that she can't keep running. Sara keeps saying that she has to get away. "I just wanna be free", she tells Clark. "You can", he answers, "in the real world. You just have to face him". But she keeps saying she's scared. He tries to explain to her that she's the one keeping them in this dream, and that he can't help her unless she wakes up, that he has no power. At that moment, The Traveler's hand comes out from the water on the side of the pier and drags Sara into the water. Clark dives in after her.

Back at the Conroys, Uncle Nicholas is about to give sleeping Sara some more medication. He is visibly upset, and is asking her how Clark knows about all of this, and how Clark knew about the lilacs. He threatens her, "I don't know what's going on in there, but it's gonna STOP!". Just as he is about to inject her, Lana walks in, telling him to stop. She tells him that they all know he's drugging Sara, but that if he kills her, there will be no more money. "Who said anything about killing her?", he said, as he grabs Lana and injects her in the neck with the syringe. Lana passes out on the floor of Sara's room. We can see Sara is dreaming from her Rapid-Eye-Movement.

In the dream, Clark has rescued Sara from the lake where The Traveler had pulled her in. Clark carries her to the shore. Sara tells him that she's ok, but that Lana is in trouble. But she can't explain any further, The Traveler appears from out of the water, in his red cape that makes it impossible to see his face. In an eerie voice, he warns Sara that this is a fight she will never win. She is scared as she watches him approach. Clark tells her they have to stop him to save Lana. Clark goes to The Traveler but The Traveler is so much bigger and taller, and grabs Clark by the neck off his feet. Unable to move, Clark begs Sara to help him, but she is still standing paralyzed with fear. The Traveler throws Clark a few feet across, and crashes onto a picnic table on the beach. Lying there, Clark begs Sara to do something, while The Traveler is getting closer to Sara and telling her she has no power, that there's nothing she can do, that he controls her and that she should just close her eyes and return to her slumber. At the same time, Clark is shouting at her to fight back, that's she is stronger than him, that he's taken six years of her life. As The Traveler continues his threats, he is unable to move closer to Sara because Sara is starring back at him, determined to fight back. The more her willpower and stare grows, the more The Traveler's strength diminishes. Finally, the clouds around The Traveler dissipate and he starts moving back, Sara is gaining her mind control back. From behind her, Clark sees this and realizes his powers are probably back too, and he uses his heat vision to burn the weak Traveler. As The Traveler burns, Clark wakes up from his dream. His mom is by his side, but he just has time to tell her that Lana is in trouble, and he superspeeds to the Conroys' house. He gets to Sara's room to find her still sleeping. On the floor by the bed, Clark sees Lana's purse and cell phone lying there.

Uncle Nick has moved Lana's car to face a tree as if the car had crashed into it. He then put a drugged and sleeping Lana in the front seat, and is now busy pouring gas all over and around the car. He takes out a light and is about to light it all up. From Sara's window, Clark x-rays the forest and sees them. He superspeeds to the location just in time to grab the light from Uncle Nick's hand. Clark grabs Nick and throws him across the path and against a tree.

Back at LuthorCorp, Lex shows up at his father's office, and announces that he has decided to meet with a psychiatrist and submit to a full battery of mental tests. He says that until now, he was dealing from a position of fear, and that the only way to prove to his father that he is his rightful heir is to deal from a position of strength. "I have nothing to hide", he concludes. "That would mean a lot to me, son", replies Lionel. "I figured you're my father, you only have my best interest at heart", says Lex in a slightly sarcastic fashion. Lionel inquires on the name of the doctor. Her name is Dr. Claire Foster. Lionel is happy with that and tells his son that she is excellent and she will help him work through any problems. "That island didn't make me crazy, dad", warns Lex. Lionel hugs his son and says, "Crazy? no, of course not.... But it will be good to have that in writing, won't it?" As Lex walks away, Lionel tells him, "Lex, when you're rich, you're not crazy... You're eccentric".

Clark comes to visit Sara in the hospital. He brings her fresh lilacs. She tells him that they've been through so much together although they've never officially met. She tells him that she has no idea how she got into his dreams. He is glad to see she is awake and getting better. Sara seems to be trying to remember some of the things that happened in the dreams. "You're obviously a special guy. I saw some of the things you're able to do". He reminds her that in dreams, things can be exaggerated and people made to look like heroes. She also tells him about some of the things she's noticed. She tells him that he's clearly in love with Lana but is resisting it. "Clark, take it from someone who's been trapped for six years. If you love her that much, don't push her away". "It's a long and complicated story, Sara", says Clark. But Sara replies, "I only know what I saw. I may have been there, but Lana is the girl of your dreams".

Lana comes to visit Clark who is studying for his makeup history exam. She thanks him for saving her. He tells her that she believed in him when he thought he was loosing his mind, and it was the least he could do. "So, I finally met Sara. All she could talk about is you. I told her I'd love to switch places, you know, find out what goes on inside your head". "It's not that exciting", says Clark. They have a really friendly conversation, where she tells him that the past few days have been different, she suddenly felt like the girl next door again. He assures her that she will always be the girl next door. She asks him if there's any chance they could do something together this coming weekend, as friends. She suggests that, since it is so hot, maybe they could go swimming at Crater Lake. "I really don't think skinny-dipping is a good idea", says Clark. "Who said anything about skinny-dipping?", says Lana, amused, "Maybe in your dreams, Clark".

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Notes:

Presumably having the music of R.E.M. was intended as an in-joke - in medical terms, REM refers to rapid-eye-movement, which occurs when someone is dreaming.

Whatever's on the front of the Kent truck when it goes off the road, it sure doesn't look like a license plate.

Clark drives a truck from his house to the Conroy's and back - ummm, why? As they keep telling us, the Conroys are in Lana's old house, which was within handy across-the-street viewing distance.

Lana seems to have forgotten all the martial arts training that let her lay out Van McNulty (twice) in the previous episode, "Extinction".

Didn't Lana find it the least bit weird that Clark's parents aren't calling an ambulance after his accident? Not to mention, Clark left unscratched.

Since when did Kansas have mountains and dense forests?

The Kents take Clark out of the house to see his new truck. As soon as the conversation outside the house is over, Clark grabs the keys and drives off to school. When we see him at school, he has his bag on his shoulder. When did he grab his bag, put it in the car to take to school?

Clark super-speed grabs the lit lighter out of Nicolas' hand. Nicolas turns around to face Clark and the lighter is still lit - the wind speed would have put it out.

When Lionel sat up on the massage table, something was missing. Something like scars from two .40 caliber S&W bullets fired into him by Smallville's former sheriff.

Isn't Clark immune to telepathy ("Ryan", "Hug")? Here Sarah seems to be...well, telepathically contacting him in their mutual dreams. And Chloe even talks about "telepathic receptivity" during REM sleep.

Apparently Nicolas isn't too smart or at the very least doesn't think well under pressure - Clark stops him as he throws his lighter at the truck to set it on fire and make it look like an accident. Wouldn't the police find his lighter in the remains?

The way Clark and Lana investigate in this episode is very similar to Clark and Lois's investigations that are to come at the Daily Planet. Even down to how Clark gets Lana out of certain death at the end.

Lex mentions his favorite Kurosawa film, 'Throne of Blood'. This 1957 film ("Kumonosu jo") is a partial remake of Macbeth starring famous Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, directed by Akiro Kurosawa. A mysterious oracle (like Cassandra from "Hourglass") predicts that Lord Washizu (Lex?) will rise to power but his friend and associate Mizu (Clark?) will rise even higher. And Washizu plots against the Emperor (Lionel?). Hmmm... interesting...

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