The Adventures of Superboy (1988) s03e09 Episode Script
Test of Time
[♪ music ♪]
Rocketed from a distant
planet
to a bold new
destiny on earth
found by a Kansas family
and raised as Clark Kent
he learned he possessed the
strength of steel
the speed of light
and the desire to help all
mankind
He is Superboy.
[♪ music ♪]
This has been a colossal
waste of time .
Nothing like fresh air
and a little exercise.
Even if we didn't see a
whippoorwill or whatever.
Will o' the wisp.
Flickering lights
seen mostly at night.
I know, Lana.
And mostly over marshy ground.
Also known as burning swamp gas.
This wasn't anywhere near a
swamp.
It was seen by a
reliable witness,
and it was in broad
daylight.
[rattle]
Did you hear something?
Shhh.
I think it's just your
imagination.
Nothin' much going on
around here.
So, why'd you come if you
weren't interested?
'Cause I didn't like the idea of
you tromping through
this kind of countryside
by yourself.
And you wanted to protect me?
Well it can get
pretty wild out here.
Clark. It's not that I don't
appreciate the thought.
But I am capable of
taking care of myself.
You know we probably should be
heading back soon.
It's already 2:30.
I'm not giving up.
If we find whatever
this thing is,
we could rack up some major
points, back at the Bureau.
What are you looking at?
Out there on the horizon.
I don't. I don't see
anything, Clark.
I, I I thought I saw
Oh, my, God. This must be it.
It's heading this way, Clark.
Lana, get back.
[screams]
[yelling]
Lana?
Lana?
If you can hear me,
blink your eyes.
Please be OK.
I better get a doctor. Listen.
It happened to everyone.
Except to me.
Can you hear me?
Can anybody hear me?
Hello.
Hello!
That's what time it was
when I left Lana.
It hasn't stopped.
It's just been slowed down.
It's all been slowed down.
They're not frozen.
They're just moving in slow
motion.
Wait a minute.
If the blades aren't turning
fast enough to hold it up, how
What if it isn't them?
What if it's me?
They haven't slowed down.
I've been sped up.
That's why they can't
see me or hear me.
I'm moving too fast.
And what if I can
never get back.
This has to be the effect of the
will o' wisp.
It has to.
But how?
Why?
You're headed for an accident.
[phone rings]
Hello.
Is anybody here?
[phone ringing]
Hello.
Is someone there?
Hello!
What's going on?!
It's moving.
And it's real.
Who's doing this?
Where are you?
[tires screeching]
Nothing seems to affect him.
I wonder why he changed his
clothing,
I don't know.
Appears we have a lot more to
learn about these beings.
Maybe
Maybe we should try somewhere
else.
No.
We're running out of time.
In a little while,
we're going to be
I said no.
This place is perfect.
The yellow sun, the mixture of
ultraviolet and infrared,
Look. We'll all being
rejuvenated here.
We'll all be killed.
You're afraid of him aren't you?
I'm being careful, that's all.
But what about you?
What do you mean?
You and him.
It's personal now isn't it?
Dear Lord, it's happened
to you too.
- Who are you?
- My name's John.
It's so good to see
another human being.
Especially one
that's moving around.
Yes it is.
Any idea how this happened?
I don't know, but I think
someone sped me up to
to try to isolate me,
to kill me.
Kill you?
My god, why?
I'm not sure, but
maybe they're after you, too.
Oh me? I didn't do
anything to anybody.
All the same, I'd like to get
you someplace safe.
I think I know just the place.
We were married in here.
We'd come every Sunday.
And the Mill closed and most of
the congregation just left town,
I still come back here now and
then.
Lots of memories?
Yeah.
But none of them with any
future.
There's got to be some way
to get out of here.
Not for me.
Doesn't really matter.
Been a long time since anybody
even noticed I was gone.
How about you?
Anyone special.
Sort of.
And you're concerned about her?
There were a few things I would
have wanted to have told her.
She must be important to you.
Let's just say, the thought of
never seeing her again
is difficult for me to accept.
Whoever's doing this must be
after something. But what?
[laughter]
[gunshots]
I think it is quite obvious.
What are you doing?
I'm killing you.
[laughs]
What are you?
A robot.
Who sent you?
Why are they trying to kill me?
You have been quite lucky.
But the tests to come,
will not be so easy.
Tests? What kind of tests?
You will never beat us.
You will never beat us.
No one can. No one can.
None of you. None of you.
None of you. None of you.
None of us?
That was pointless.
No it wasn't.
I know exactly what to do with
him now.
But we can't stay in the
acceleration mode much longer.
Just a little more time.
That's all I need.
If we don't make it back home,
they won't go ahead
with the colonization.
Relax.
Enjoy the light.
Help. Somebody help me.
Clark?
Clark?
Clark.
Clark?
Superboy.
Let her go.
We've come a long way for this.
The heat. The light. Our planet
has almost none anymore.
But this one does.
And now it's ours.
You were the cause of this?
Who are you?
We're your new masters.
I wouldn't count on that.
I would.
We've got her, remember?
I said, let her go. She's ours.
Unless.
Unless, what?
Unless you surrender to us.
Tests.
Give up, or we'll leave with
her.
Go ahead.
What?
You'll never see her again.
That's just something I'll have
to live with.
But I don't ever give up.
None of us do.
See how much stronger they've
gotten since the last time.
You're lying.
We've seen you try
to protect others.
But never to the point of
surrender.
For us that's the ultimate
humiliation.
Please. Don't leave me.
Nearly out of time.
We've got to get out of the
acceleration mode.
- Why did you let her go?
- It's over. Our time's up.
How, how could you do this to
me?
They were testing me, looking
for weaknesses,
I'm sorry.
Yeah. I, I I figured that
out, too.
I think they still have Clark.
I know you have a weakness.
We'll be back for more tests
later.
Let's go while they've given us
the chance.
No you won't.
You wanted to test a typical
human being
to see if you could
win a war with us.
But you couldn't find any
weaknesses,
because there aren't any.
We're all like me.
Some are even stronger.
You're lucky you didn't take
Lana.
Yeah.
Better we shouldn't go back, not
like this.
You killed us.
They thought you were typical
human?
How did you figure it out?
The robot didn't recognize me.
He kept saying "None of you" as
if I were typical.
Later.
[yells]
[explosion]
Hey, are you OK?
I just looked away for a second.
It was like you came out of
nowhere.
What about Superboy?
Superboy? All I saw was you.
That's funny.
Lana, where've you been? I've
been looking all over for you.
Me, well where were you?
You're not going to believe what
just happened.
I saw another one of those
will o' the wisps.
And I went after it.
Then I got lost.
Say, listen. Can I give you
folks a lift somewhere or
Yeah. Um, we got to get back to
the Bureau
Thanks.
My protector.
Lana. I can't be everywhere at
once.
No, I suppose you can't.
[man] So, uh, what's this Bureau
thing?
[♪ music ♪]
Rocketed from a distant
planet
to a bold new
destiny on earth
found by a Kansas family
and raised as Clark Kent
he learned he possessed the
strength of steel
the speed of light
and the desire to help all
mankind
He is Superboy.
[♪ music ♪]
This has been a colossal
waste of time .
Nothing like fresh air
and a little exercise.
Even if we didn't see a
whippoorwill or whatever.
Will o' the wisp.
Flickering lights
seen mostly at night.
I know, Lana.
And mostly over marshy ground.
Also known as burning swamp gas.
This wasn't anywhere near a
swamp.
It was seen by a
reliable witness,
and it was in broad
daylight.
[rattle]
Did you hear something?
Shhh.
I think it's just your
imagination.
Nothin' much going on
around here.
So, why'd you come if you
weren't interested?
'Cause I didn't like the idea of
you tromping through
this kind of countryside
by yourself.
And you wanted to protect me?
Well it can get
pretty wild out here.
Clark. It's not that I don't
appreciate the thought.
But I am capable of
taking care of myself.
You know we probably should be
heading back soon.
It's already 2:30.
I'm not giving up.
If we find whatever
this thing is,
we could rack up some major
points, back at the Bureau.
What are you looking at?
Out there on the horizon.
I don't. I don't see
anything, Clark.
I, I I thought I saw
Oh, my, God. This must be it.
It's heading this way, Clark.
Lana, get back.
[screams]
[yelling]
Lana?
Lana?
If you can hear me,
blink your eyes.
Please be OK.
I better get a doctor. Listen.
It happened to everyone.
Except to me.
Can you hear me?
Can anybody hear me?
Hello.
Hello!
That's what time it was
when I left Lana.
It hasn't stopped.
It's just been slowed down.
It's all been slowed down.
They're not frozen.
They're just moving in slow
motion.
Wait a minute.
If the blades aren't turning
fast enough to hold it up, how
What if it isn't them?
What if it's me?
They haven't slowed down.
I've been sped up.
That's why they can't
see me or hear me.
I'm moving too fast.
And what if I can
never get back.
This has to be the effect of the
will o' wisp.
It has to.
But how?
Why?
You're headed for an accident.
[phone rings]
Hello.
Is anybody here?
[phone ringing]
Hello.
Is someone there?
Hello!
What's going on?!
It's moving.
And it's real.
Who's doing this?
Where are you?
[tires screeching]
Nothing seems to affect him.
I wonder why he changed his
clothing,
I don't know.
Appears we have a lot more to
learn about these beings.
Maybe
Maybe we should try somewhere
else.
No.
We're running out of time.
In a little while,
we're going to be
I said no.
This place is perfect.
The yellow sun, the mixture of
ultraviolet and infrared,
Look. We'll all being
rejuvenated here.
We'll all be killed.
You're afraid of him aren't you?
I'm being careful, that's all.
But what about you?
What do you mean?
You and him.
It's personal now isn't it?
Dear Lord, it's happened
to you too.
- Who are you?
- My name's John.
It's so good to see
another human being.
Especially one
that's moving around.
Yes it is.
Any idea how this happened?
I don't know, but I think
someone sped me up to
to try to isolate me,
to kill me.
Kill you?
My god, why?
I'm not sure, but
maybe they're after you, too.
Oh me? I didn't do
anything to anybody.
All the same, I'd like to get
you someplace safe.
I think I know just the place.
We were married in here.
We'd come every Sunday.
And the Mill closed and most of
the congregation just left town,
I still come back here now and
then.
Lots of memories?
Yeah.
But none of them with any
future.
There's got to be some way
to get out of here.
Not for me.
Doesn't really matter.
Been a long time since anybody
even noticed I was gone.
How about you?
Anyone special.
Sort of.
And you're concerned about her?
There were a few things I would
have wanted to have told her.
She must be important to you.
Let's just say, the thought of
never seeing her again
is difficult for me to accept.
Whoever's doing this must be
after something. But what?
[laughter]
[gunshots]
I think it is quite obvious.
What are you doing?
I'm killing you.
[laughs]
What are you?
A robot.
Who sent you?
Why are they trying to kill me?
You have been quite lucky.
But the tests to come,
will not be so easy.
Tests? What kind of tests?
You will never beat us.
You will never beat us.
No one can. No one can.
None of you. None of you.
None of you. None of you.
None of us?
That was pointless.
No it wasn't.
I know exactly what to do with
him now.
But we can't stay in the
acceleration mode much longer.
Just a little more time.
That's all I need.
If we don't make it back home,
they won't go ahead
with the colonization.
Relax.
Enjoy the light.
Help. Somebody help me.
Clark?
Clark?
Clark.
Clark?
Superboy.
Let her go.
We've come a long way for this.
The heat. The light. Our planet
has almost none anymore.
But this one does.
And now it's ours.
You were the cause of this?
Who are you?
We're your new masters.
I wouldn't count on that.
I would.
We've got her, remember?
I said, let her go. She's ours.
Unless.
Unless, what?
Unless you surrender to us.
Tests.
Give up, or we'll leave with
her.
Go ahead.
What?
You'll never see her again.
That's just something I'll have
to live with.
But I don't ever give up.
None of us do.
See how much stronger they've
gotten since the last time.
You're lying.
We've seen you try
to protect others.
But never to the point of
surrender.
For us that's the ultimate
humiliation.
Please. Don't leave me.
Nearly out of time.
We've got to get out of the
acceleration mode.
- Why did you let her go?
- It's over. Our time's up.
How, how could you do this to
me?
They were testing me, looking
for weaknesses,
I'm sorry.
Yeah. I, I I figured that
out, too.
I think they still have Clark.
I know you have a weakness.
We'll be back for more tests
later.
Let's go while they've given us
the chance.
No you won't.
You wanted to test a typical
human being
to see if you could
win a war with us.
But you couldn't find any
weaknesses,
because there aren't any.
We're all like me.
Some are even stronger.
You're lucky you didn't take
Lana.
Yeah.
Better we shouldn't go back, not
like this.
You killed us.
They thought you were typical
human?
How did you figure it out?
The robot didn't recognize me.
He kept saying "None of you" as
if I were typical.
Later.
[yells]
[explosion]
Hey, are you OK?
I just looked away for a second.
It was like you came out of
nowhere.
What about Superboy?
Superboy? All I saw was you.
That's funny.
Lana, where've you been? I've
been looking all over for you.
Me, well where were you?
You're not going to believe what
just happened.
I saw another one of those
will o' the wisps.
And I went after it.
Then I got lost.
Say, listen. Can I give you
folks a lift somewhere or
Yeah. Um, we got to get back to
the Bureau
Thanks.
My protector.
Lana. I can't be everywhere at
once.
No, I suppose you can't.
[man] So, uh, what's this Bureau
thing?
[♪ music ♪]