Why didn't Clark use X-ray vision!?

[The Great Ymmij]

The FOTW was a chameleon. So that means he doesn't just vanish when he blends with the surroundings. His body is still there, so I was wondering why Clark couldn't just use X-ray vision to look at his skeleton. Jeez, Clark needs to take full advantage of all his powers...

[j-kent]

that was just a name. His ability is to go invisible. The concept of being invisible is that light passes straight through the whole body. When x-ray is taken or Superman uses his x-ray vision it is only effective to see through opaque and solid objects. So...how can you see something that is not even there or let alone see through them?

[The Great Ymmij]

No, I'm pretty sure he was solid but just blending with the surroundings. Like when you saw him coming back to his body when he picked up the gun in the hospital, he was solid alright. If he was not even there, then well he really would not be there. But he very much was.

[Superchica]

well, technically i thought the same thing. but i guess he was just invisible. he had to turn "solid" in order to kill someone..... but then again, he did manage to bleed, and even touch lois' shower curtain, so, perhaps, clark just forgot to use that super power...................

[hahnyc87]

No, he is INVISIBLE. Not blending with his surroundings. Clark isnt that dumb. Invisible means that light has bent around the object in such a way that the light doesnt reflect back to our eyes and therefore it cant be seen. Therefore, xray doesnt do any good.

[All about Clark]

Or maybe he just wanted to tell Lois "Quiet". hehe

[AnimeJoe]

What about the episode where that girl was obsessed with Lex? When her brother became invisible didn't Clark use his X-ray vision to spot him?

[j-kent]

Originally posted by The Great Ymmij
No, I'm pretty sure he was solid but just blending with the surroundings. Like when you saw him coming back to his body when he picked up the gun in the hospital, he was solid alright. If he was not even there, then well he really would not be there. But he very much was.

I don't think you get it man..the whole concept of invisible...of course he is solid, but he is invisible- essentially meaning he is "see-through" not that he's gone. He's still there, he's not INCORPOREAL or ghost-like, but the concept of this invisibility means his cell structure throughout his whole body bones, skin, muscle, all) enables light to pass through.

No one said he wasn't solid...the better word is opaque if it helps you better understand. Our bodies are opaque- light virtually cannot pass through it- but his ability was to let light pass through him.

If his ability was to blend in with his surroundings. Then he wouldn't be able to just "vanish" in thin air. He would have to walk up to a wall or something- then blend in (so angle will not give away your presence), in which he didn't. The chameleon title was just a name- need not to look at it superficially.

However, invisibility in various sci-fi's have there own style of invisibility. There are those who go invisible incoporeal in which they are like ghost, and the more scientific approach on invisibility is that you are there, but what I explained above. Graham was obviously the latter since he was able to kill in that form. So it's probably more appropriate to say he's transparent I guess...but it's kinda all common sense anyway...

[TampaVille]

Basically, I think Clark didn't try to use his x-ray vision because the writers didn't think it was important... either they didn't think of it, thought we wouldn't notice, or said "the guy's invisible, what would Clark be trying to x-ray?"

For an inside-the-plot explanation, maybe Clark didn't bother trying because he didn't think he could see through something invisible. True, he used his x-ray in the season 1 episode (I think it was "Shimmer") to see the kid's skeleton, but then again that guy was using kryptonite rose oil to turn invisible (speaking of which, why Chloe hasn't pattented and sold the hell out of that compound is beyond me). Regarding whether it would have worked here or not... I think that's beyond speculation. It worked season 1, it didn't work in L&C when that Clark had to fight invisible bank robbers (I miss that show...), so who knows.

Then again, maybe it's fair to say that Clark took a moment to check with x-ray vision "off camara" so to speak.

[smallvillerocks45]

I was wondering the same thing. Honestly, Clark could have caught him way beforehand had he used it...unless, of course, the "meteor rock factor" made the chameleon-like power immune to Clark's powers.

[Poetic Chaos]

Because his insides turn invisible too.

[NotTodayPete]

in the season 1 episode they explained that the liquid refracted light, which was a different type of invisibility than this.

[constancelight]

Originally posted by The Great Ymmij
The FOTW was a chameleon. So that means he doesn't just vanish when he blends with the surroundings. His body is still there, so I was wondering why Clark couldn't just use X-ray vision to look at his skeleton. Jeez, Clark needs to take full advantage of all his powers...

I thought the same thing. But then I figured, he could make his skeleton invisible too.

[shuyin131]

Yet another plot hole that the writers screwed up on. What's new these days, the writers are doing a terrible job.

I understand the type of invisiblity that Graham was using, and that it's not detectable by X-Ray vision, but we didn't even see clark TRY to use his X-Ray vision. I think that they should have incorporated X-Ray vision at least, to show that he was undetectable in his field of vision.

[wb-superman]

I think it would be kinda kool if Clark had a heat vision thing like the Predator movies.

[Superchica]

yup. i agree

[screenscribe]

there were a number of plot holes in this episode. Invisibility should have popped up instantly to Chole (unless she didnt' cross reference "chameleon". Clark using his X-Ray vision. Clark's being obtuse about Chole's feelings towards him. Clark openly using his powers to get into the mansion. (if security was beefed up then he had to use them to get in). His controlling nature is getting very annoying. He is getting mroe and more like Lex in that aspect. It wasn't a very well written episode.

[godsmack23]

the difference bwtween lex's stalker and Graham was that they painted themselves to go ghost, other than graham had the ability to turn invisible thus not being able to see him

[Baron Karza]

Well, yeah I suppose the invisible bones thing might be an explanation, but I'm pretty sure Xrays would behave the same even with invisible bones of normal mass.

What can I say? They flubbed it again. But Clark will gain the ability to do the Predator thing some day. Remember he can see clear thru both extremes of the EM spectrum.

[Quadrotriticale]

Yeah he should of been able to see him with his Xray vision. They dropped the ball again.

[CSBen]

I don't really care about the scientific aspect of it, however if X-Ray vision didn't work, they could of at least spent 2 seconds showing it didn't work.. :/

[The Great Ymmij]

Exactly what I thought.

[Timester]

Super-hearing...

Yes, Clark without Chloe's computer can't think... :\

It only took 2 seconds to me to think this "Use X-Ray... Wait, the guy is invisible. Super-hearing then."

[superspider02]

yea liek others said about being invisible makes it not possible for clark to use his xray powers to find the person.

[j-kent]

I do think Superman should actually have infrared vision as well which would enable him to actually see Graham. You'd think if he can project heat vision from his eyes...he would actually have HEAT VISION- to see heat. Seriously though...