01x07 - The Way of All Flesh

[bunniefuu]

- Ready for your dinner, Mr. Corben?
- Bring it in, Ralph.

Perfect.

Yes?

Mr. Corben, I hope you
don't mind me asking...

...but after all these months,
I just gotta know:

How do you rate all this?

Ralph, the trick is to never underestimate
the value of a good friend.

And always keep your mouth shut.

You having those pains again?

It'll pass. Always does.

You can go.

Maybe it's all that rich food.

Mr. Corben!

You're out of your mind. I'm too young.

I exercise, I take supplements.

It's a virus, Mr. Corben.
None of that matters.

There's gotta be some medicine.

It's a very rare disease.

We don't... There might be an
alternative treatment.

What kind of treatment?

For now, you'll just have to trust me...

...and a certain good friend.

Wait a minute. You know my fr...

Relax, Mr. Corben.
And conserve your strength.

You'll be needing it.

On your right.

Slowpoke.

- What's going on?
- Some kind of expl*si*n.

- Did you know about this?
- No, but who cares?

Let's get off this rock.

Some kind of parole, huh?

I can't steer.

They're all yours.

Mind if I borrow something?

Don't quit. We're almost there.

We did it, doc.

The smell of freedom.

Never thought I'd see the day.

Come on, we have to hurry.

No one's been more loyal
to me than you, John.

You could've implicated me
in the Lexo suit affair, but you didn't.

For that, I'm going to reward you.

This sure doesn't feel like
a reward, Luthor.

It's the only way to save your life.

You have to do it.

Don't worry. You'll look exactly
as you do now.

But I'll be metal on the inside.

Better than metal.

Metallo, a virtually indestructible alloy.

That the Kryptonite?

The source of your power
and Superman's destruction.

You want that, don't you?
After what he did to you?

What do I have to lose?

Indeed.

Thanks to Superman,
all but one of the inmates...

...were back in their cells
soon after the att*ck.

As yet unaccounted for
is John Corben, a mercenary...

...who police describe
as extremely dangerous.

Several months ago,
he stole a high-tech...

...Lexo suit and battled Superman
to a virtual standstill.

Police are investigating connections between
the m*ssile att*ck and Corben's escape.

I'd like to know who has access
to air-to-surface missiles.

These days, almost anyone.

One way or another,
Corben won't be free for long.

- How's that?
- Corben's medical records.

I have a friend at Stryker's.

Orozco's retrovirus?

One hundred percent fatal.

But the only place it's native to
is some little island off South America.

Kent, Corben was a mercenary...

...and a fugitive from
at least five countries.

That's a recipe for a frequent flier
if I ever heard one.

Well, how do you feel?

Great. Better than I have in weeks.

Shall we test out that theory?

Hit that, please.

Impressive.

Wasn't even trying.

Satisfied?

Now, if you'll please stand still.

Hey, wait a minute.

Your skin is also made from Metallo.

But I can't feel anything.

It's like I'm controlling my hands
from outside my body.

Some adjustments need to be made,
that's all.

But first, you have a job to do.

- Superman?
- Yes.

I have a luncheon to attend.
I expect to hear...

...the tragic news about him
just before dessert.

Dessert?

I haven't had anything to eat or drink
since the operation.

I haven't wanted anything.

The only hunger you should have
is for power, my friend.

The only thirst, for revenge.

Roses.

Roses.

Would you like a rose?

No, thanks.

They smell wonderful, see?

I don't smell anything.

But they're very fragrant.

Get away.

He's on the tracks.

Get off of there, you jerk.

Last stop, everyone!

Last stop.

Whoever he is, he appears to have
strength like Superman's.

b*ll*ts have no effect on him.

Do we have another alien in our midst?

The att*ck began minutes ago, when
the man single-handedly derailed a train.

Police are still trying to identify him.

Corben?

How did you do it, Corben?

A drug? Some kind of operation?

Elective surgery.

- Jealous?
- Not likely.

You're going back to prison.

- I'm as strong as you are now.
- Almost.

No, stronger.

What's the matter, guy?
You're looking a little green at the gills.

I think you're jealous of me...

...because now I'm the real man of steel.

That was rather desperate.

You humiliated me, Superman.

Took me in by the scruff of my neck
like I was a kid.

Now it's payback time.

Get in, hurry.

He's not going anywhere, Ms. Lane.

Corben.

You remember me. Good.

I've thought about you a lot.

Especially these last few months
in prison.

Corben, if you so much as...

l...

l... I didn't feel anything.

See if you feel this.

I can't even feel a kiss.

What did they do to me?

Are you all right?

Getting there. Sorry about your car.

Yeah, the insurance company'll love this.

At least you got him.

For now.

I want those adjustments now.

What adjustments?

The ones Luthor told me about
when I said I couldn't feel my hands.

Those adjustments.

Well, the adjustments were yours to make.

Mine?

You're telling me...

There'll always be a certain numbness,
a lack of feeling.

- But you'll get used to it.
- I don't want to get used to it.

Mr. Corben, the operation gave you
almost infinite strength.

You can never get sick.
You're invulnerable to injury.

You'll never feel pain again.

And what about pleasure?

That was never part of the equation.

Find me a body. Change me back.

I have to feel.

We... We can't.
The transplant is permanent.

It's all fake.

A fraud.

There's the reality.

The metal behind the man.

It's all I am now.

It's who I am.

Metallo.

I'm sorry, Dr. Vale resigned.

Lucky stiff came into some money.
Couldn't get out of here fast enough.

I'll bet he didn't say
where he was going.

How'd you guess?
This was his office.

- You're welcome to look around.
- Thanks. We shouldn't be long.

There's got to be a link to Corben.

And then what? It's not going to stop
his next rampage.

I don't care how tough he is,
he's got to have a weakness.

You talk as if it's our job
to stop him, Kent.

After what I saw,
I don't even think it's Superman's.

- What are these?
- They call them sharp boxes.

They're for used needles, razors.

Lovely.

Well, what do you know?
Parking validation.

Now, there's a page-one headline.

Kent, it's from LexCorp.

It's so big, Mr. Luthor.

I've never seen a yacht this size.

I've given the crew the day off, my dear.

But the ship is fully automated.

Shall we go for a short cruise?

How's the caviar, Luthor?

Rich and delicate?

Just melts in your mouth, doesn't it?

You like my new look? I hope you do.

Because it's the last thing you'll ever see.

Is there a problem, John?

I can't taste anymore.

I can't smell.

Can't... Can't...

Now it's your turn.

You didn't think I'd leave you like this?

I told you it was temporary.

Liar! The doctor
can't do anything for me.

Maybe not now, but someday.

People all over the world
are working on this.

It'll take time, but what do you care?
You're practically immortal.

So go ahead, k*ll me if you want to,
but what then?

You don't know how this feels.
It's driving me crazy.

Get below.

I've got to get you out of here.

A lab off the coast can repair your skin.

But don't forget,
you still owe me Superman.

Patience, Luthor.

It's something we're both going to need.

Maybe not.

Where's Corben, Luthor?

- Who?
- I know about Dr. Vale.

It won't be long before the
police find him.

And what makes you think
there's any of him left to find?

Allow me to introduce
my recreation director.

I'm ready for that rematch.

We have to talk, Corben.

Come closer.

I can't hear you.

Listen to me, Corben.

You're being duped.

Luthor's the one who set you up.

You didn't know I could focus it
like that, did you?

Finish him. Now!

Some enemy.

Luthor's your enemy.
He did this to you.

Yes, he saved me from that virus.

Otherwise I'd be dead by now.

Here's your virus.

- What's this?
- The doctor... put it in your food.

How else do you think you got
such a rare disease?

- But why would he...?
- Luthor... told him to.

The Kryptonite's gotten to him.
He's delirious.

I'm not so sure of that. I'll be right back.

Don't be a fool, Corben.

Don't you see? He'll turn us
against each other to save his own skin.

- Who knows what's in that vial?
- Then why don't we test it?

Corben, no.

No.

Come on, Luthor. Drink up.

It did wonders for me.

Help! Help!

I can't float!

Bon voyage.

Help. Help.

I can't... Help...
Help...

You'll excuse me if I don't see you home.

You'll never pin this on me.

The virus is destroyed,
and Corben's lost at sea.

Even if you found him, there'd still be
that Kryptonite to worry about.

I don't think I'm the one
who should be worrying.