Skinwalker — smallville

For the article about the Kawatche Indian tribe, also known as "Skinwalkers," see Kawatche.

"Skinwalker" is the tenth episode in the second season of Smallville, and thirty-first episode overall. It aired on November 26, 2002.

Summary

While moto-crossing with Pete, Clark falls into a cave and discovers two hidden treasures - ancient Native American writings that hold the key to his identity, and a beautiful girl whom he believes to be (potentially) his soulmate. Desperate to preserve the writings, Clark pits father against son as he enlists Lex's help to stop Lionel's construction crew from demolishing the cave.

Recap

LuthorCorp plans to construct a corporate plaza in Smallville that will offer high tech office space with a variety of amenities including fiber optic internet, open office plans, and a rooftop heliport. Joseph Willowbrook protests the construction, but the foreman Dan Hammond orders him off the property. Later that night, the foreman is filling the vehicles with gasoline and he hears a noise coming from the trees. He loads his flare gun when a white wolf leaps out of the darkness and knocks him to the ground. The vehicle overflows with gasoline as the foreman fires the flare up into the air. The wolf runs away, and the flare falls back to the ground and ignites the gasoline, creating an explosion and killing the foreman.

On octagonal shaped depression in the cave

Clark and Pete are riding motor bikes near the new construction site. They notice several sheriff's vehicles at the site. Clark explains that there was an explosion last night, and Pete expresses contempt for LuthorCorp. As they race back to Miller's Bend, Clark crashes and falls into a hidden cave. Kyla Willowbrook hears the crash and rushes to his aid, amazed that Clark has no injuries. Kyla says she is doing research on the caves with her grandfather. She sees paintings on the wall and describes the legend of Naman, who is prophesized to arrive on Earth in a rain of fire, have the strength of ten men, and have the power to start fires with his eyes. As she describes the prophesy, Clark notices a depression in the cave wall with the exact size and shape of the key.

Jonathan is skeptical when Clark tells him about the Kawatche Caves. Clark reminds his father that the heart of the spaceship has symbols on it that match the cave wall paintings. Despite Jonathan's reservations, Clark says he invited Joseph and Kyla to dinner.

At dinner, Joseph tells the Kents more about the legend of Naman. He admits that he does not know how to read the symbols and is worried that LuthorCorp will destroy the caves before he learns how. Martha says she can speak to Lionel about Joseph's concerns, but she also believes that the project will bring much-needed jobs to Smallville. In Clark's loft, Kyla points out a constellation of a wolf with only one eye. She says that according to legend, the wolf once had two eyes but the other star is now gone. Lana arrives and is shocked to find the two holding hands. Clark asks Lana to enlist Henry Small's help in protecting the caves from LuthorCorps.

At the mansion, Sheriff Miller tells Lionel that Joseph has been involved in civil disobedience before, and that they are investigating him in connection with the foreman's death. Lionel laments to Martha that he should have done this project in Granville. Lionel asks Lex to be his partner in this project, but Lex refuses.

A cave painting showing Naman's brother, Sageeth, turning against him.

At the Kawatche Caves, Kyla tells Clark that Naman will one day protect the whole world and that his brother Sageeth will turn against him. He notices another picture on the wall that Kyla interprets as the woman that Naman is destined to be with, and Clark notices that Kyla wears a bracelet fashioned much like the picture. She tells him that it has been handed down through the women in her family for years. The bulldozers cause vibrations, which cause Kyla to fall from a 10-foot height.

Clark superspeeds down and catches her just as a large piece of the cave ceiling comes loose above them. He covers her and the rock breaks apart against his back. When she again sees that Clark is unharmed, she sarcastically asks if he can shoot fire out of his eyes. When he turns away and does not answer, she claims that he is Naman. He admits that he does not know what he is, but is relieved that she is not scared by his abilities. Kyla says she knows what it is like to be different. He tries to explain further but she stops him and tells him that logic does not always explain the supernatural, and that sometimes you have to just give in. They share a passionate kiss.

Henry has started the protest against the development near the caves. He also tells Lana that the DNA tests are back, and that they confirm that he is indeed her biological father. Henry is interested in becoming a father figure to Lana.

Back at the construction site, Joseph is leading a protest when Martha asks him to meet with Lionel. Joseph calls her a wolf in sheep's clothing. Henry arrives with a cease and desist order, and Joseph tells Martha that he will speak with Lionel in court. Then, Sheriff Miller shows up to arrest Joseph for the murder of the foreman. They found a towel in Joseph's trash with blood on it that matched the foreman. Joseph accuses Lionel of framing him before he is led away.

Chloe arrives at the Talon to join the effort in saving the caves. She and Lana discuss Kyla as well as Whitney. Lana admits that they have been writing every week.

Clark asks Lex for bail money for Joseph, while at the same time accusing LuthorCorp of framing him. Lex wonders if his newfound advocacy has more to do with Kyla than anything else and decides not to donate to Joseph's bail fund. To change his mind, Clark takes him to the caves. Lex is impressed, but when he sees the depression in the wall, he is convinced.

At the Talon, Joseph and Kyla thank Clark for raising the money and getting Joseph out of jail so quickly. Martha arrives to express her regret that Joseph has gotten mixed up in the murder investigation. Joseph is adamant that he has been set up, and he is offended that Martha continues to defend LuthorCorp. At the Smallville Torch, Chloe tells Clark that the autopsy report revealed that the foreman was bitten by a wolf. Wolves have been extinct in Smallville for 90 years, but Joseph's tribe, the Kawatche, translates to "skinwalker," a reference to a Native American legend of humans transforming into animals. As she gets into her car at the LuthorCorp plant parking lot, Martha is nearly attacked by the white wolf. While not injured, she is visibly shaken as she tells Jonathan and Clark. Clark also mentions to his father that he has feelings for Kyla but suspects she knows more about the foreman's death than she claims.

The next day, Lionel is upset with Lex for having bailed out Joseph. He complains that the project has become a public relations nightmare. Lex offers to buy him out, saying he is interested in preserving the caves, but Lionel guesses that Lex knows something else about the land that makes it valuable. Kyla goes back to the Kent Farm to talk to Clark. He asks if her grandfather might be a skinwalker, but Kyla is furious by the accusation. She leaves, crying that Lionel has corrupted everyone in Smallville. At the Luthor mansion, the white wolf tries to attack Lionel, but Clark intervenes. When armed security arrives, the wolf jumps through a glass window. Clark chases after it and finds that it has been cut badly. The wolf transforms back into Kyla. As Clark holds her in his arms, Kyla says she did not want to hurt the foreman or Martha, then dies.

The next day, at the construction site, Lionel and Martha arrive to find that work has been stopped again. Clark is preventing the bulldozers from clearing the land. Lionel complains to Martha, but Martha agrees with her son. Joseph gives Kyla's bracelet to Clark and tells him to give it to the one he is destined to be with. Lex arrives to tell Lionel that in light of the petition drive, the state of Kansas has decided to exercise the historic artifacts amendment and buy the project from Lionel. LexCorp has secured the contract for the preservation of the area.

Lana finds Clark in his loft to offer her condolences about Kyla. She also tells him that Whitney is missing in action, and they embrace.

Cast

Starring

Guest Starring

Co-Starring

Mitchell Kosterman as Sheriff Ethan Miller
Rob Morton as Second Foreman
Michael Tiernan as Dan Hammond

Uncredited

Evangeline Lilly as Girl at Talon
Simone Bailly as Jacquie Gould

Characters

Sentient Species

Vehicles

Kal-El's ship

Objects

Kyla's bracelet

Concepts

Kawatche mythology

Featured Music

"Outtathaway" - The Vines
"Don't Know Why" - Norah Jones
"The Game of Love" - Santana featuring Michelle Branch
"Psycho Ballerina" - Jackpot

Title

In Native American and Norse legend, a skin-walker is a person with the supernatural ability to turn into any animal he or she desires. In Navajo legend, skinwalkers most frequently transform into a coyote, wolf, owl, fox, or crow.
In this episode, Kyla Willowbrook is a Native American skinwalker with the ability to transform into a white wolf.

Notes

Antagonist: Kyla Willowbrook
Clark uses the following abilities in this episode: super strength, super speed and Invulnerability
In the scene where Clark and Kyla go stargazing in his loft, she points out a star, which is now missing. This is a possible reference to Rao, as it was destroyed as part of Clark's origin story. It also suggests that it was less than 15 light years away, as otherwise it would still appear in the sky; however, Krypton is in another galaxy.
- Of course, Kyla's information is based on a 400 year old legend. As noted in Talisman, the story has been passed down verbally only and there are many interpretations. So, information held by Kyla should be taken with a grain of salt.
Henry Small is confirmed to be Lana's biological father in this episode, not Lewis Lang as had previously been believed.
When Lex is talking to his father at the caves, Lex's sunglasses appear and disappear.
This is the first mid-season finale that does not feature Whitney Fordman.
When Lex tells Lionel that Lexcorp has secured the contract to manage the land around the caves, the head on shots of Lex show him wearing sunglasses (and since Lionel is blind at this point, they are both wearing dark glasses). But in the shots of Lionel's face from behind Lex's head, the left side of Lex's head is visible and he isn't wearing glasses at all. The shot changes twice making this mistake fairly obvious.
According to legend, the visitor from Krypton brought green rocks, that granted superhuman abilities. This would make the Kawatche tribe the earliest known case of Meteor Infection. It is unknown if this legend is true (see above note concerning Krypton's location).
This episode introduces the Kawatche Caves, a concept original to Smallville. DC Comics would later incorporate the Kawatche Caves into the mainstream DC universe, making their first comic book appearance in Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #4 (February, 2024).

Spoilers

This is the first time we see the heart of the ship (although it isn't revealed to be that until Rosetta) since the Pilot. And like the ship, the heart has also changed in appearance since it was last seen.
Joseph Willowbrook hands Clark Kyla's bracelet with the words, "For the true love in your life." Clark has never, on-screen, handed this bracelet to his true love, Lois Lane, as of Finale, Part 2.
Lana mentions not getting letters back from Whitney recently, foreshadowing the reveal of his death in Visage.

In Other Media

The Kepakapawnees in Superboy #116. — The Kepakapawnees in *Superboy* #116.

The Kawatche tribe is original to the continuity of Smallville. However, Superboy #116 (October, 1964) features artifacts of a Native American tribe called the Kepakapawnees, who had a totem pole consisting of wolf-heads. The Kepakapawnees also had a legend of a great protector (though, of the wolves, as opposed to the whole world) one day appearing. The same story involves people being transformed into wolves (though, aliens, as opposed to members of the Native American tribe).

Continuity

Joseph Willowbrook returns in Season Three to help Clark understand his connection to the Kawatche people in Talisman.
Clark learns the meaning of the symbols on the cave wall and the purpose of the ship's heart shortly afterward in Rosetta.
Kyla is mentioned by both Pete and Clark a few episodes later in Rush, when talking about the caves.
Henry Small was last seen in Lineage.

Locations

Smallville
- Smallville High School (Torch)
- Luthor Mansion
- Kent Farm (house, loft)
- Talon
- Kawatche Caves (first appearance)
- A corporate plaza worksite

Quotes

Kyla: You don't understand. My grandfather's been searching for this wall his whole life. It was prophesied that Naman would fall from the skies in a rain of fire. They say that Naman will have the strength of ten men and will be able to start fires with his eyes. It probably sounds silly.

Clark: Not to me.

Clark: Lex, have you ever wondered if you were destined to be with someone?

Lex: You're asking someone who's been fighting his destiny his entire life.

Chloe: What is it about Kyla that breaks through Clark's shining armor?

Chloe: Maybe we should just stop falling for guys who are trying to save the world.

Lionel: Lex, have I done something in the recent past to offend you?

Lex: There are so many ways I could answer that question, Dad.

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Comics: The Comic · Season 11 · Miniseries