When she turns the vial around we see the word

Martha comes in the house and there is more appropriate and pretty well written sappy stuff. They have a nice chat, and Martha gives Lois the locket that Jonathan’s mother gave her on their wedding day. I kind of like how they break up the serious stuff that is going on with these sappy moments. It helps drive home the idea of the importance of having hope. Which Lois mentions she is worried Clark is starting to lose, and she mentions how frustrated she is that she can’t seem to get a writing gig anywhere. Martha brings up Perry White and that fact that back in the day he was a bit of an outsider and championed his cause by printing pamphlets. The look on Lois’ face as her brain formed a plan was inspired.

Now we are onto a scene of a shiny fancy sedan pulling into a crappy neighborhood. And Lionel gets out, finding himself wandering through a run down house. It looks like he won the race with Tess, because sitting at a desk is Alexander. He’s grown up, and now he has a gun which he doesn’t mind pointing at his dad. Lionel quickly takes the gun away and when he empties out the bullets he holds one up. Oh! Kryptonite bullets! And oh! Alexander shot Martha Kent. Nicely played indeed. Of course Alexander was really trying to get Clark, convinced he was going to zip in and try to save his mother. Lex asks Lionel if he will help him kill Clark, and in his own creepy way he says yes.
Down in the basement of the Planet, Lois is going through a box of Perry’s things. Protest pins and posters and a picture of a group of smiling tie dyed hippies. Chloe comes in all incognito and Lois explains to her that the best plan to help the vote is to go guerilla. She just needs Chloe to hack into some national news sites.
“All of them”
Everyone is starting to put together who the shooter was, Clark finds the crossed out symbol at the spot where the shooter was standing, and he remembers where he saw it before. He is telling this to Oliver who is getting ready to walk into what is either his or Tess’ office. There is a bit of a surprise when he sees Alexander getting fitted for a suit and Lionel sitting down and reading through some journals. Oliver thinks he can threaten Lionel by saying he will call him out on not being real. Silly boy thinking he can mess with a Luthor, he didn’t even realize that Lionel had been working behind the scenes to get himself established.
Clark goes to tell Tess the news about Alexander, and she adds to that the fact that Lionel is back in the picture too. Not wanting to be left out Oliver shows up and mentions that Alexander has been found and the “family is back in business”. Clark wooshes off to the fortress to see if Jor-el can help send Lionel away.
Speaking of family Luthor, Lionel is showing Alexander the mansion and they get a little surprise. Martha Kent is there, and oh yes she has been clued in on everything. (and oh yes you clever little writers, I noticed that you dressed her in red under that suit. Well played) Creepy Lionel tries to get in a smooch and it almost looks like she is going to do it, but instead growls a warning at him. Although she doesn’t get to storm out because Alexander knocks her out. This doesn’t please daddy too much, but then again the little ginger boy isn’t that happy with daddy.
“In two worlds you chose your son. You loved her son.”
Out comes the shiny pistol again as Alexander becomes unglued and starts throwing liquor bottles at his father. I thought for sure he was going to shoot him, yeah I kind of wished he would have but instead he just knocks him out.
Tess is digging through a trunk in the loft of the barn and is caught by Clark. She’s of course looking for the phantom zone crystal, sending Lionel away fresh in her mind. Alexander shows up with his kryptonite gun, being sure to let them know that Martha and Lionel are in the mansion which is burning. Tess manages to break through his crazy with the love she just can’t let go of. It’s enough to make her get the gun away from Alexander giving Clark the chance to zip away and head to the mansion.

Just as the fire is getting worse Martha and Lionel wake up to their fate, of course Clark is rushing in and saves his mom. Once outside she gives him a nod and he goes back in to get Lionel. I appreciate how this was done with no dialogue, it has more meaning to me in that sense. When Clark brings Lionel out he throws him to the ground, and leaves with his mother, letting Lionel stand there and watch his house burn down.

At the Planet, Lois and Chloe show Clark what they have created. It’s a website called Beacon of Hope, where people post videos of their support for the blur and other heroes. (love it!)
“You’re an American hero, Clark.”
Remember what I said about me being a big sap? Yeah this scene really got to me, there were even some tears shed. Yeah, I’ll admit it.
The next day everyone is at the Kent farm to watch the results of the vote, which passes. After a lot of hugging and smiles to celebrate Clark and Martha slip off to the kitchen. They have some more meaningful conversation, and we cut away to a great little mini scene of Clark, Lois and Chloe walking into Watchtower to bring it to life again. But that’s not the end, oh no. The episode ends with Tess up in the loft of the barn. In front of her on the table is a black case, inside of which is a syringe and a vial of nasty looking orange liquid. When she turns the vial around we see the word “cyanide”. Alexander comes up to the loft, telling Tess he really isn’t feeling well, and he is starting to forget things. She holds him to her and tells him that no matter what she is going to make everything okay. As she holds him, her arm raises and she lifts the syringe. There is very well understood pause before she lowers her hand to plunge the needle into his arm.
There is only one problem, the needle bends. Yes, bends. The last thing we see before the end credits is a very shocked and scared Tess crying. What a fantastic ending to a good episode! I hardly even remember the train wreck from last week.