A young runaway, Ryan, has the power to read minds and flees his abusive stepparents. The Kents take him in and Clark soon discovers the boy's powers and that he's immune to them. But Ryan's stepparents have plans to use the boy's powers for financial gain against...Lex.

Mikail Mxyzptlk, a foreign exchange student and bookie, has the power to control others and uses it to sabotage football games, including the one Clark is quarterbacking. Clark and Chloe figure out his secret, but he threatens to kill Chloe unless Clark throws the next game. Mikail came to Smallville via LuthorCorp, and Lex will do almost anything to learn his secret.

When a mysterious killer strikes at both Lana and Jason, Alicia is the leading suspect and even Clark comes to doubt her innocence. Feeling betrayed, she secretly tricks Clark into revealing his powers in front of one of his friends. And Genevieve returns to town with an offer for Lex, who in turn has an offer for Jason.

At a party at Crater Lake, Lois is saved from drowning by Arthur "A.C." Curry. Arthur has incredible swimming abilities, but also a secret agenda aimed at...Lex. Meanwhile, Professor Fine discussed Lex's weapons-manfucturing operations with Clark.

Lana joins a sorority to get housing for her last-minute college registration, but the sisters have a deadly agenda which involves turning Lana into a vampire like themselves and sending her against Clark. Meanwhile, Chloe applies to become an intern at the Daily Planet and runs up against the editor-in-chief, Pauline Kahn.

When Martha comes down with a strange disease, Professor Fine convinces Clark that Jor-El is responsible and that the Fortress must be trying to eliminate the father of Kal-El. But Professor Fine has an ulterior motive which comes to fruition when they arrive.

In the aftermath of Zod's activities, Clark develops a new power. Lois gets a new job, Lana takes a new step in her relationship with Lex, and Lex has to deal with a new danger. Meanwhile, an old friend of Lex's arrives in Metropolis.