[Oliver] Previously on Smallville...
[Clark] Isn't it time to move beyond these mental trials?
[Jor-ei] When you decided to return to your training, I assumed you were ready.
- Tell me what you need from me. - [Jor-ei] The test of a true hero
is to struggle with feelings of loss, not to avoid them.
[Clark] I've come this far, and I'm not looking back. I can do this.
I need you to pull an address off of queen industries' database.
It's an engineer that I fired six years ago.
His name's winslow schott.
- [Chloe] What happened? - [Oliver] He snapped.
He started bringing toys to work. Then he started hiding explosives
inside the toys.
[Board member] Oliver queen, what are you doing in enemy camp?
[Oliver] I've purchased controlling interest in LuthorCorp.
Everybody down!
How does it feel to not be in control for once?
Untie me right now.
After this little fella clangs his cymbals together 53 times
it'll be the last sound you ever hear.
[Chloe] Pieces of a toy bomb were found in the wreckage.
[Oliver] Lex deserved to die, Chloe.
- This is murder. - This is justice.
Oliver crossed the line. He killed Lex Luthor.
You're making a big mistake.
- What the he” were you so afraid of? - You.
- Maybe we should start over. - It's too late for that now.
[Clark] You need help.
[Oliver] Not everybody believes in the second coming.
Is there any part of the person I used to know still there?
[Oliver] I took a look in the mirror and you were right.
I've been running away from myself for a long time now.
But now I know who I really am.
[Police sirens wailing]
[Cop] All right, people, let's set up a perimeter.
Somebody get me a damn sightline.
We don't know how many hostages are inside.
You, get me a barricade.
Last thing we need is anyone getting in our way.
Let's go. Let's move it.
[Sirens wailing in distance]
Don't bother pulling the trigger.
[Beeping]
[Screams]
[Silence]
[Overlapping voices]
[All speaking indistinctly]
Clark. Did I miss him?
- If by "him" you mean me, barely. - Not you, the blur.
Oh, he was long gone by the time I got here.
I was just trying to call you.
- From a payphone? - Apparently.
How'd you get here so fast, anyway?
My guy at met pd didn't leak this until a few minutes ago.
We all can't be as fashionably late as Lois Lane.
[Lois chuckles]
[Lois] Oh. Hello, sailor.
- What'd you just say? - Nothing.
You should get your hearing checked.
[Lois] Hot stuff.
[Opening theme song playing]
Somebody save me
let your warm hands break right through
somebody save me
don't care how you do it
just stay, stay
come on
I've been waiting for you
just stay with me
I've made this whole world shine for you
just stay, stay
come on
[Lois] God, I am dragging ass today. I should go for coffee.
No, no. What I actually need is a b12 shot.
I have to keep up with Clark.
You know, you gotta remember what the general always says.
"On certain days, you wear certain underwear."
And why today of all days you decided to go with a tho...
[Chuckles nervously]
Hey, Smallville.
You're in a good mood today.
Would be in an even better one
if our black-clad hero in hiding
would've stuck around long enough for a quote.
We'd at least know what the hell happened back there.
What happened back there is the blur saved all those hostages.
End of story.
There's always more to the story, grasshopper.
Word on the street is the bomber isn't the one who flipped the switch.
It was on a timer.
Why would the bomb be on a timer?
I don't know. I'm not a mind reader.
Why would you take hostages and not make any demands?
[Lois] No voice mails. No e-mails. Just be a big girl and get over the fact
that the blur downgraded you from confidante to sidekick to nobody.
Lois.
Computer's frozen again.
[Lois] Doesn't help that stupid intern Jeff
took the last stupid maple doughnut from the stupid doughnut box.
Here you go.
My eyes are bigger than my stomach this morning.
No. Okay, I love you.
Bump in blood sugar might help you from punching someone.
True. Give me that.
Why ever whoever did what he did,
he couldn't have picked a less interesting place to have done it.
Run-of-the-mill textile factory?
Run-of-the-mill textile factory which is a subsidiary of queen industries.
You think it'd be enough to get Oliver's attention.
[Lois] That only matters if Ollie's sober enough to give a crap.
- You might be right. - What'd you say?
- What? - What?
Chloe, thanks for meeting me.
- I know you've been busy. - What am I thinking right now?
No clue. So far, it's only been Lois.
Okay.
Well, I know that my wall of weird is so three upgrades ago,
but I've spent enough time digitizing the strange
and unexplained in my life to know that you don't just catch esp.
So the question is, how do we know
that this isn't just your super-hearing on the Fritz?
As loud as Lois is, even she can't speak with her mouth closed.
Good point.
Okay, well, I'll see what I can dig up, but seriously, Clark
unless your warranty's expired,
why don't you just check in with dear old dad?
You okay?
Yeah, I'd just like to bypass Lois' inside voice from here on out.
I'm fine.
I'll keep you posted.
[Man] Can't miss this meeting, or I'm gonna get fired.
[Woman] This isn't the life I wanted.
[Man] You should've told me that before.
[Overlapping voices speaking indistinctly]
Jor-El.
Reading people's thoughts.
You said my trials had begun. Is this one of them?
[Jor-El] I planted within you the seeds for this trial
designed to self-manifest when most needed.
An event must've happened to trigger it,
some kind of error or mistake in judgment.
I don't understand.
I saved everyone in that factory.
[Jor-El] Assumptions are flaws
inherent in the human instincts you have adopted,
but they are beneath you.
What you have yet to nurture is your Kryptonian intuition.
- You shouldn't underestimate humans. - [Jor-El] Neither should you.
Being able to discern why humans truly behave as they do
will help you to better protect them.
This ability is only temporary. You must learn to focus, kal-ei.
Perception can be the difference between life and death.
[Lois] Look, I know loose lips sink ships,
but tight ones don't do a hell of a lot of good, either.
Listen, chatty Cathy, we just need one answer.
You were actually a hostage, right?
This one's getting us nowhere.
[Woman in foreign accent] Do not let them find out.
They can't send me back.
My baby needs me.
It's okay, you can talk to us.
We're not ins.
I am sorry. I saw a man.
Okay, so let me get this straight.
You're saying the guy who took you hostage
was short and fat, but also tall?
Yeah, way taller than your boyfriend there.
Um, thin.
Thin like a rail.
[Man] This is so exciting. I wonder who will talk to me next.
The FBI? Maybe Interpol.
It's clear that this is the most excitement you've had probably ever.
Now, you can mislead us, but interfering with a police investigation
to keep yourself in the limelight will only land you in jail.
Is that understood?
Huh.
Sorry.
I didn't see anything.
[Nurse] I don't care how cute he is. I better not get fired for this.
I haven't seen you eat a thing all day.
Owed you from earlier. Low blood sugar and all.
Oh, look at this. Thanks for taking care of me.
Wait.
Now we're even.
What else did you find out?
Mr. Murphy, our mystery man's puppet, just got out of surgery.
He's still unconscious.
Well, I've hit enough dead ends for today.
Really no reason for us to keep hanging out here, huh?
You're absolutely right.
Why don't we just call it a night?
That's good. I have plans.
[Lois] Little lifetime and some chunky monkey.
Or rocky road. Maybe both.
Lois.
I was hoping we could grab something to eat tonight
once we finished up.
You know, you said yourself I hadn't eaten all day.
[Lois] Ls Clark Kent asking me out on a date?
Like a "date" date?
- I'm not saying we should go on a date. - [Lois] Oh.
Just something like a date.
As sweet as that notion is, Smallville, this is Metropolis on a Saturday night.
We ain't getting in anywhere without a reservation.
[Lois] Except maybe the truck rally downtown,
but there's no way he'd...
We could probably still get tickets to the monster-truck rally
down at the coliseum.
It doesn't start for a few more hours.
[Lois] Shut up.
I'll meet you there.
Standard protocol.
Two cars at the beginning of the night, no drama at the end of it.
[Chuckles]
[Speaking in Spanish]
[Upbeat music playing over speakers]
[In English] You going our way?
Barkeep, I'm gonna need, um, something cold,
tall, wet, sexy. Put, uh...
Put one of these in it, will you, please?
Tres.
Looks like I got dollar bills. I got pesos. I got, uh...
Is that a euro? I got this purple thing. These are fun. Um...
[Women laugh]
Listen, why don't we... Just take the whole thing
and have a little vacation on me. How does that sound? Okay?
[Door bangs opens]
[In Spanish]
[In English] What are you doing with my wife?
[In Spanish]
[Grunts]
[Woman screams]
[In English] Really?
You know, mercy, if you wanted more face time, all you had to do was ask.
This is me asking.
Whoa, Lois.
- Why so fancy? - Monster trucks.
- Monster trucks? - Mm-hmm.
Lois, I've seen you do monster trucks before,
and this is definitely more than that.
I would say that this is strictly rhinestones-on-mud-flaps territory.
Who's the prince charming?
I never thought I'd say this out loud, but...
Clark Kent.
I know, right? It's the weirdest thing. Of the five things to do in Kansas,
Clark picked the one thing I've wanted to do for weeks.
We've been on the same wavelength like all day today.
I'll bet. Sort of like he's been reading your mind?
Like he's hearing things that you've never actually said out loud?
Exactly.
Huh. That is the weirdest thing.
Me and Clark. I don't know.
I mean, we certainly kick all kinds of ass at work,
but lately, it feels like we're more than just partners, you know?
I think I've gotten so used to carrying the load all by myself.
What if I don't have to anymore, you know?
Clark and Lois versus the world.
Oh, wow.
Kind of lost myself in there somewhere, huh?
Don't wait up.
[Door opens, closes]
[Man] He forced me to do it. It wasn't me. I'm innocent.
He strapped the bomb on me. I just work there.
He said toys weren't good enough. He wants to play a game.
He said queen will pay for what he's done to him.
Toyman.
[Toyman giggling]
[Toyman] Let the games begin.
[Toyman giggling maniacally]
[Beer bottle opens]
What the hell were you thinking, Oliver?
- They could've killed you. - Yeah.
[Grunts]
Didn't really give them a chance, did you?
And now we'll never know.
Were you even aware that one of your factories blew up?
Do you give a damn about anything anymore?
Please tell me you didn't waste all thatjet fuel
to come down here and deliver me a lecture.
Your company's failing.
Your stock is worth less than you think of yourself right now.
There's only so much more loss
the shareholders will be willing to accept.
I'm tired of making excuses.
Well, then why don't you stop making excuses?
Tell them the truth about me.
Then you can become sole ceo.
It'll be great for you. It's what you always wanted, right?
I've seen you go off the rails before, but this...
This vanishing act, huh?
These binges.
You're punishing yourself.
Oliver, what did you do?
No matter what this is about, I understand.
You know that.
Just talk to me.
You know, it sounds like you're the one who needs to do the talking.
So I guess the real question is, what is it that you want from me?
I need your pretty face addressing our shareholders.
Consider this one of the many favors you owe me.
[Chuckles]
Is that all you want?
I've learned not to expect too much from you, Oliver.
Cheer up.
You can fall down drunk in a gutter as soon as it's done.
Wheels up in 20.
[Chloe] It's a good thing he can't hear what I'm thinking, or else...
Or else what, Chloe?
Or else I would have to tell you that I don't want you breaking
my cousin's heart.
Clark, how was I supposed to react
when I find out that you've been rifling through Lois' brain
like you lost your keys in there?
You can't just trick someone into dating you.
I didn't trick her into anything, and it's not a date.
You didn't see her when she left my apartment, Clark.
Believe me, it was a date.
And to add insult to injury, now you're standing her up?
No, I asked her out, not on a date,
before I knew our bomber was an innocent man.
- Toyman's back. - Winslow schott is responsible
for the explosion at Oliver's building. That's why I didn't call Lois back.
The last thing I need is her showing up here and following me into harm's way.
Winslow's trying to smoke Oliver out of hiding. He's insane.
Yeah, he was crazy enough before Oliver framed him for Lex's murder.
If he's trying to track Oliver down,
he won't have a hard time doing it tonight.
Oliver's addressing his shareholders
at your requisite red-carpet, black-tie aoc gala.
All right, you head back to watchtower.
If winslow strikes again, we need to move fast.
Mr. Pierson.
Kirkpatrick.
[Bouncer] Let's see. "Kendall. Kennair." Ah, there it is. "Kirkpatrick."
Have a good evening, Mr. Kirkpatrick.
- Name? - Kennair.
You have a plus-one tonight, Mr. Kennair.
[Tires squeal]
- [Monster truck door shuts] - [Lois grunts]
- Lois. - I can handle this, Smallville.
- You've already done enough tonight. - What are you doing here?
[Lois] Standing in the shadow of 6.5 feet of handsome.
No, Lois, he doesn't get off that easy. Kick his ass.
Do you honestly think that stacked parking,
not having a cocktail dress and being three steps behind you
on your mystery-man story was gonna stand in my way, did you?
Or that you hid the fact that Oliver returned for the sake of an article?
Clark, you can't get rid of me that easily.
I have the Internet on my phone.
- I can explain. - Oh.
I know how the boys' club works.
You wanted to scoop me on a story. Prose before ho's.
- Now, wait a second. - [Bouncer] Good evening.
[Lois] How could you be so stupid, Lois? This was never about more than a story.
Maybe it never will be.
Foryoursake, there better be an open bar
because I think that bone dog has my purse in his truck.
[Chuckles]
You know, Lois, I don't need your help on this one. I can do it on my own.
Maybe you'd like to think that you can, but we all know there's no way.
This is my headline.
[Lois] Oh, god. Why would you let yourself get attached, Lois?
You know better than that.
They always leave.
You know what? Maybe you're right.
I'm gonna get some air. Some really private air.
I'm out of here. Good luck flying solo.
Lois.
[Man 1] Maybe I should buy her a drink.
[Woman 1] I can't afford to lose any more money.
[Man 2] Look at this party, huh?
[Woman 2] Mercer never should've...
[Woman 3] Oh, I hope this comes out in the wash.
[Man 3] Everyone said it was a gamble.
[Woman 4] This stock was supposed to put...
[Man 4] She doesn't know this suit is a rental. She can't.
[Man 5] What the hell does she really want?
[Man 6] I just can't afford to lose any more money.
[Man 7] Ifl leave, they'll follow me.
[Woman 5] Oh. So the devil came in a blue dress tonight.
Ladies and gentlemen...
Your fearless leader, Oliver queen.
[Woman 6] Look who decided to grace us with his presence.
Thank you. [Clears throat]
Thank you, everyone.
I know this has been a trying year for all of you.
And hopefully I can remain upright long enough to say what...
Needs to be said.
Obviously, whoever wrote this speech has a pretty good sense of humor.
[Investors laugh]
Excuse me. It's my...
Sorry. Technical difficulties here. One moment.
[Loud ringing]
Thanks, dad.
[Toyman over radio] Oh, yes, Mr. Queen
it's your old playmate, winslow schott.
I'm sure you remember.
You framed me for murder, after all.
And now that I've finally won your little game of hide-and-seek,
I thought we might play something that I'm a little more comfortable with.
Toyman says...
Read everything I've written, or you will die.
Toyman says
don't try to run. Don't take a step.
If you move one muscle, I will kill everybody in this room.
Toyman says you're standing on a pressure plate.
Toyman says
you're standing on a bomb.
[Laughing maniacally]
I've never truly worked a day in my life.
Too busy gagging on the silver spoon...
Wedged down my throat.
And even when given a second chance at life, I was, uh...
I was unable to see past my selfish nature.
[Toyman over radio] Oh, don't stop there, Mr. Queen.
We haven't even gotten to the good part yet.
Time and again,
I've put my own needs over the needs of my devoted employees.
In fact, the only thing I've ever been selfless enough to part with
is the blame...
For a heinous act.
No. Chloe, the trials aren't over.
I just got my training wheels taken away.
I think Jor-El wants me to use what I've learned.
Can you hack the security feeds of the building?
- He's gotta be here somewhere. - I'm on it.
My name is Oliver queen, and I am a coward.
I'm a thief, and...
And I am...
[Toyman] Too ashamed to admit
that you were really responsible for killing Lex Luthor.
You didn't think twice about blaming me for it.
Chloe, we have to get these people out of here now.
Oliver's standing on a landmine.
Just give me one second.
[Oliver] And I...
Confess.
[Fire alarm blaring]
[Man over pa] The emergency alarm has been activated.
Please move in an orderly fashion to the nearest exit. Thank you.
I'm not gonna ask. Nice one, Chloe.
[Man over pa] The emergency alarm has been activated.
Please move in an orderly fashion to the nearest exit. Thank you.
Winslow, how do I disarm the bomb?
I don't know who you are, but you're interrupting my game.
I can't go changing the rules for someone who isn't even playing.
- This isn't a game. It's a man's life. - No. It is a game.
And toyman makes the rules now.
What you're doing is pointless. Oliver would never let those people die.
[Man over pa] Please move in an orderly fashion to the nearest exit.
But you already know that, don't you? You don't allow for human error.
You have to control who wins.
That's why you put a timer on the factory bomb.
The pressure plate that Oliver's standing on is fake, isn't it?
It's on a timer.
You follow my work.
It's always nice to have a fan.
How long does Oliver have?
Not long enough.
You know what, toyman, I might be your biggest fan.
I know that the real winslow schott
would wanna live and dance on Oliver's grave.
[Toyman] Five, four, three, two, two, two,
two, two, two...
No one wins a game if you both lose.
[Grunts]
How'd you know the pressure plate wasn't real?
I didn't.
Oliver...
I waited till the last person got out, Clark.
I knew the explosion wouldn't kill you.
Winslow... yes, the real winslow. Has been arrested.
Chloe was able to follow the feed from the earpiece.
He's on the way to stryker's as we speak.
Speak your mind, Clark.
I haven't been paying enough attention to everything.
There's been danger all around me that I haven't seen.
Warning signs that I haven't noticed.
And people in need that I've neglected.
I didn't realize how bad things are.
I haven't been here for you. I'm sorry.
Well, with all due respect, Clark, I'm not sure I'm worth your concern.
You know, when I was reading that speech in there,
when I decided to, uh...
That speech wasn'tjust a laundry list of all my sins. It was...
It was a fact sheet.
Ever tell you how old I was when my parents died?
Five.
I never really knew them very well.
Everything about my life is not really mine.
It's theirs.
I didn't earn it.
And it's all a lie.
You of all people know what it's like to wear a mask, right?
That's all this is.
The queen name.
Green arrow.
Masks.
And I just realized there's nothing underneath them.
There is something behind those masks. You're just afraid to face it.
You're not running away from who you are.
You're running away from who you think you're becoming.
But you don't have to face it alone.
Just because you've given up on Oliver queen doesn't mean I have.
Thank you.
[Sirens wailing]
Sounds like they're playing your song.
Go on, get the hell out of here. Go be a hero. Go.
[Oliver yells]
I want my lawyer!
Hello? Hello?
I want my lawyer! I know you can hear me out there!
Loud and clear, Mr. Schott.
Oh, I know you. You're Oliver queen's business partner.
Sorry about trying to kill your boyfriend.
You're not here for revenge, are you?
[Chuckles]
Something like that.
Leave Oliver the hell alone.
[Screams]
- Pretty please? - Help! Someone!
[Grunts]
Help!
The guard will be back here any minute.
You're crazy.
That guard is going on administrative leave,
and he and I have a little agreement.
See, you tried to escape.
And he was only defending himself when he shot you in the knee.
No. No, please.
They'll put me in solitary.
No. No.
Which is exactly where you'll need to be
to spend some quality time with your new toy.
What new toy?
It's...
It's beautiful.
Yes, it is.
It's a meteor-rock-powered heart, and you're gonna tell me how it works.
[Photocopier whirring]
You missed all the excitement last night.
If I remember correctly, it wasn't my excitement to have missed.
Was it?
I was expecting to read about the exploits
of Metropolis' journalistic savior this morning.
Well, that's the thing. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew.
Really?
What's this?
It's, uh...
It's me asking for help.
I didn't exactly finish my story last night,
and I missed the deadline.
Okay.
I guess I'm not ready to fly solo just yet.
The sky is a big place.
Uh-huh.
Wow.
There.
Looks like you've got one too many names on there.
I just thought you'd wanna have some creative input.
Lois, I am sorry for letting you down.
Is this an olive branch?
Because there better be a whole tree somewhere in here.
And maybe a new pair ofjeans, too.
You know, it's not every day Lois Lane allows herself to be stood up.
Well, then it's a good thing it was only like a date.
Huh.
I don't even know how someone
would get a second date after messing things up like that.
Well, if people were to try that again...
They might wanna do it on a slower news day.
Hypothetically speaking.
Well, those don't come along very often.
I'm sure people would make sure they got it right the next time.
Hypothetically speaking, of course.
My thoughts exactly.
[Closing theme music playing]