Ep 1.12 - Leech

[Yasise]

On of the best episodes in season one, and one of my favs.

I love Eric Summers, I think is one of the best FOTW's, plus we get the conversation where Lex practically tells Clark that he knows about his abilities. If Clark would have told him the truth here, everything would've been sooo diferent...

That's interesting that you say that, because everytime I watch this episode (and that is quite often, because it's one of my all time favourites) I'm wondering about that, too.

If Clark would have opened up to Lex in the scene where he works on the fence, what would have happened? I really felt sorry for Lex, when he almost begs Clark to tell him the truth, to not holding back anything from him as he's his best friend.

Lex didn't have any best friend in his life ever and I believe he really wanted to be Clark's friend. And if something like that would happen to me, I mean, knowing for sure, that your friend is hiding something and doesn't tell you inspite of claiming all the time he is your best friend.....well, I would be dissapointed so much, too. How can you not be???

I'm afraid to say that Clark keeping his secret from Lex actually is one of the reasons, why Lex becomes evil.
How can he not? Neither his parents gave him love, nor did he get any from friends.
He always suspected Clark to have powers, and he got a lot of prove for that, but I guess he thought, Clark was a meteor freak.

We all know, that Lex has to become Clark's /Superman's nemesis, but when you watch Smallville, especially the first seasons, you can't help to wish sometimes, that it would have another end to their relationship.

I actually believe, they could have been the best friends ever, too.

[Misstaken]

Victoria: It was just good business.
Lex: You call sleeping with me business. Tsk. I hate to think what that makes you.

Victoria: We could've been great together.
Lex: I plan on being great all by myself.

Great lines! MR has an astonishing way of delivering them. He's smirking but serious at the same time.

I'm afraid to say that Clark keeping his secret from Lex actually is one of the reasons, why Lex becomes evil.
How can he not? Neither his parents gave him love, nor did he get any from friends.
He always suspected Clark to have powers, and he got a lot of prove for that, but I guess he thought, Clark was a meteor freak.

We all know, that Lex has to become Clark's /Superman's nemesis, but when you watch Smallville, especially the first seasons, you can't help to wish sometimes, that it would have another end to their relationship.

I actually believe, they could have been the best friends ever, too.

Yup, that's the beauty of the early seasons of Smallville. TPTB really did great in that area, making us believe that it could've ended differently.

Although this was a great episode, I still have problems with Eric's character. Don't know if it was the acting... but something didn't do it for me. Anyway, I'm just glad it's Aaron that plays Jimmy...

[ginnyfan]

This is a great episode if not much fun. It shows the impact abusive parents can have on their children. It's sort of like... what if Martha and Jonathan weren't supportive? What if they treated Clark like a freak?

It's also nice to see Clark getting a taste of being "normal." His joy at losing basketball was adorable.

Chloe got her first byline in the SV ledger!!!

As far as Lex/Clark friendship goes I think that Lex was being honest in "Hug" when he said that friendship was a fairytale. That power and fear are the best you can hope for. Makes me want to cry but... deep down Clark's refusal to wield his power and influence the world would frustrate Lex to the point of hatred.

I think of Duncan. Duncan didn't want to use manipulation to subdue his enemies and Lex snapped. Poor Lex. He knows Clark loves him but... he doesn't BELIEVE it. And Clark is right... knowing that Clark was a guy just trying to do the right thing SHOULD have been enough for Lex.

[marcella]

Great episode

[blackcelebration]

Ahh... the first of many Body swapping Episodes.

I actually felt sorry for Eric Summers which says a lot.

A definite highlight of Season One.

8/10

[MannaBanana]

Chloe flirting with Eric (Shawn Ashmore) the Jimmy look-a-like. Haha I think somebody DEFINATELY has a type

[Dr. Curt Connors]

It was interesting to see Clark without his powers I could understand him enjoying being normal including feeling pain. But again I get annoyed by the fact that Clark won't tell his closest friends his secret, everything could of actually gotten better if they kept it a secret. "Superboy" showed that Clark truly is a greater person as he wouldn't use powers in anger or revenge.

[vyperman7]

Fantastic episode. Just watched it for the first time in awhile last night. All this talk about S1 lately made me break out the DVD's.

Clark was more like Superman in this episode than we have seen him over the course of the whole show. He takes responsibility, he is unselfish, and heroic. "I'd stop people like you." That says it all and is one of my favorite lines from the whole series when Eric asks him what he would do if he had powers. It was also good to see Clark experience what it was like to be normal. Definitely one of my favorite episodes of S1 and easily on my top 10 list for the whole show. Not to mention the fact that it is funny to see Aaron Ashmore's twin brother Shawn playing a psychotic considering the fact that Aaron played Jimmy Olsen on the show.

My only gripe is the Kryptonite factor.

1) Kryptonite is lethal only to those who are from Krypton. Whether Clark loses his powers or not, he is still Kryptonian. It is later revealed in Asylum that Kryptonite effects Eric. He isn't Kryptonian. He absorbs Clark's powers, not his DNA.

[Nimkong]

favorite epiosde of season one,first on my top! Good story,good actor who played eric,victoria finally left,and lex was brillant!!

[SGuthrie27]

This episode SO deserves 10 rock scavenger hunts out of 10!!!! I LOVE "Leech!" It ranks as one of my top 5 episodes this season! Eric Summers was a cool character who got a much deserved return appearance in Season 3's "Asylum." I find it really funny now that his twin brother ended up becoming Jimmy Olsen in later seasons of Smallville. It was cool to see Clark powerless for the first time, and the message that not just ANYONE would use Clark's powers in a truly heroic way shows what separates him from everyone else.

[disciples of zod]

Number 1: Shawn Ashmore=ADORABLE!!!! the end.

Number 2: Best line ever

"yeah never better. Maybe we can go to the parking lot and you can hit me with your car." poor Clark.

i think this is definitely one of my favorite eps of season 1

~K

[jsm]

Clark has to live a normal life after his powers are taken by a guy who looks like he could be Jimmy Olsen’s twin brother. One of my favorite episodes from season one. 8/10

[vyperman7]

One thing I never understood is why Kryptonite lost its effect on Clark.

Kryptonite doesn't weaken Clark because of his powers. It effects him because of his genetic make up. Being powerless wouldn't change the fact that he is Kryptonian.

[Supsfan]

One thing I never understood is why Kryptonite lost its effect on Clark.

Kryptonite doesn't weaken Clark because of his powers. It effects him because of his genetic make up. Being powerless wouldn't change the fact that he is Kryptonian.

When you lose all your super abilities, you lose your super ability to be effected by green K at a fast rate :P

[jon-el87]

Another episode that shows how Clark's life could've turned out. Had Clark been found by Eric's parents, he would've been shunned and sent to a lab, the moment that he began to display his powers.

Eric also serves to demonstrate that It isn't Clark's powers that makes him a hero. It's what he does with them. And he does it, because of how Jonathan and Martha raised him.

Lois & Clark had a few episodes where Clark's powers was transferred to humans, when he's struck by lightning. I found this version more believable, as it doesn't only involve lightning, but also green K (which the show have already established as having mutagenic properties).

This episode is also the start of a plotline, that continues in "Dichotic", "Extinction" and then concludes in "Asylum", with Eric teaming up with Ian and Van to get revenge on Clark.