Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Season 3, Episode 12 (7 Jan. 1996): “Never on Sunday”
by Grant Rosenberg, Michael Lange

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - Season 3, Episode 12

Title: “Never on Sunday”

Medium: television series episode

Original airdate: 7 Jan. 1996

Publisher:
Written by: Grant Rosenberg
Directed by: Michael Lange

7 characters in this story:

Character (Click links for info about character and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.)	Religious Affiliation	Team(s) [Notes]	Pub.	# app.
Superman (Clark Kent)	Methodist / Kryptonian religion	Kryptonians; Super Friends...  The Justice League		13,409
Lois Lane	Catholic	Raleigh College [Superman's girlfriend, then wife]		3,859
Jimmy Olsen	Lutheran	The Legion of Super-Heroes [Superman's pal]		1,896
Perry White	Baptist; Elvis worship (ordained)	[Superman's (Clark Kent's) boss; Daily Planet editor]		1,574
Martha Kent	Methodist	[Superman's adoptive mother]		827
Baron Sunday	Vodoun	[1st app: Superman (vol. 2) #26 (Dec. 1988)]		5
Ellen Lane	Catholic	[Lois Lane's mother]		23

Timecode: 0 minutes, 0 seconds: Clark Kent sleeps in his apartment at night. Something seems to be disturbing his slumber. A few notes of underscore and on odd sound (rattlers of a snake?) indicate that something ominous is about to happen. Suddenly Clark's eyes open. We see a scene of elsewhere: A vision? A dream? It appears to be the hatch of a space ship closing, confining Clark inside. The glimpse of sky through the metal hatch gets smaller and smaller as the motorized hatch continues to slide closed. Young hands lift upward toward the hatch, but can not reach it. It is as if Clark is having a flashback to the time he was placed in the space craft that brought him from Krypton to Earth. Clark's breathing is quickened. Panic and fear can be seen in his eyes. Clark cries out in pain and anguish. In his bed, we see his hands reaching out in front of him, just like the hands in the vision. The hatch seals shut completely just as a raised tattoo appears on Clark's bare chest. It is the image of a coiled snake. Those familiar with traditional Vodoun (or Voodoo) might recognize the snake symbol as a "loa," a water snake which holds special religious significance. Clark, however, would not recognize this symbol. The raised loa snake tattoo is accompanied by the sound of a snake's rattler. It seems to sizzle atop Clark's chest. Then it fades away. Clark sits up, fully awake now, breathing heavily, disturbed by this dream.

[Cut to elsewhere. Closeup on the head of a small wooden figurine. The face wears glasses. Its haircut and features are recognizable: It is Clark Kent. Somebody is poking the top of the head of the figurine with a long metal rod. The camera pulls back. We see it is not a rod, but some kind of needle, being held in the hands of a dark-skinned man. The camera pulls back more and we see the face of a black man whose eyes have slit-like pupils, so that his eyes appear to be the eyes of a large snake. These are menacing eyes, and the accompanying underscore music tells us this man has great power from some form of ancient traditional magic. Thus is the episode's principle villain introduced: He is Baron Sunday, a powerful Vodoun houngan (i.e., Voodoo priest) who is using his magic on a "voodoo doll" to cause distress for Clark Kent. Candle smoke rises behind Baron Sunday. The man smiles. End of scene. Roll opening credits.]

Timecode: 2 minutes, 5 seconds: After the opening credit sequence, the episode's title is shown: "Never on Sunday." This is something of a play on words, incorporating the name of the episode's villain "Baron Sunday." The phrase "never on Sunday" traditionally refers to tasks that observant Christians will not do because to do so would violate the Sabbath. But this episode has nothing to do with keeping the Sabbath. This is simply a religious-sounding title (a common practice for this series) which refers to the episode's starring villain, Baron Sunday. Of course Baron Sunday is an overtly religious character, as his entire persona and his soure of powers are derived from the religion of Vodoun (or "Voodoo"). But this is not the Christian religion traditionally associated with not working on Sunday as a way to observe the Sabbath.

[We see Clark Kent walking in the Daily Planet newsroom. He seems tired. He did not sleep well the night before.]

[Clark holds a red folder with a black image on the cover. The image looks like a slightly demonic face wearing a top hat. He unthinkingly looks at the folder and its contents for a moment before tossing it into the waste basket next to his desk.]

[Lois Lane comes to talk to Clark. She tells him about how she tried calling him late last night, but couldn't reach him.]

Clark Kent: I-- I was out walking.

Lois Lane: In the middle of the night?

Clark Kent: Yeah, I-- I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I just didn't want to be in my place.

[This turn of phrase seems peculiar to Lois.]

Lois Lane: What do you mean you didn't want to be in your place?

Clark Kent: I-- It's nothing. I just had a hard time sleeping, is all. You know, no big deal.

[Clark smiles, trying to dissuade Lois from pursuing this line of questioning. But Lois Lane's face shows she is not convinced she has heard the full story. She is a bit worried about him.]

Jimmy Olsen: C.K.! This just came for you.

[Jimmy Olsen approaches Clark's desk and hands him a red folder with the black image of a demonic magician on it. It is the same folder that we just moments ago saw Clark discard in his waste basket. But Jimmy had never been near Clark's waste basket. Clark takes the folder from Jimmy's hand and looks at it with puzzlement.]

Clark Kent: Jeez, I just . . . threw this in the trash.

[Clark Kent looks down at his waste basket. Nothing is there.]

Jimmy Olsen: There's nothing in your waste basket.

Lois Lane: What is it?

[Clark Kent opens up the folder. It is a paper holder that contains two press passes to an upcoming performance by the magician Baron Sunday. There is also an 8.5 x 11 glossy photo of Baron Sunday, and a printed press release. The photo shows the same man that we saw inflicting a disturbing dream on Clark the night before.]

Clark Kent: Uh . . . uh, this guy, Baron Sunday.

[Clark doesn't seem to recognize the face of the man in the photo or the name. Jimmy Olsen, however, is very familiar with Baron Sunday.]

Jimmy Olsen: Oh, wow! And you weren't going to use those?!

Lois Lane: He's what, That magician?

Jimmy Olsen: "That magician"?! No. The magician! The world's greatest illusionist. This guy is so cool, he lives on his own airplane.

[While Jimmy continues speaking about Baron Sunday, Clark continues looking at the press kit folder. Clark looks concerned. Perry White calls for Jimmy Olsen, leaving Lois and Clark alone.]

Lois Lane: [sarcastically] And to think: You were just gonna throw those tickets away!

[Suddenly, Clark has a far-away look. In his mind he once again sees the metal space craft hatch closing, locking him inside the claustrophobic darkness. Clark gasps and starts to panic. He sits down in his chair, looking very much like he is staring intently at something - something Lois can't see. She starts to worry about him.]

Lois Lane: Clark?

[Clark continues to see the hatch closing. Ominous music is heard on the underscore.]

Lois Lane: Clark, what is it?

[Clark holds his hand up, still seeing the hatch close on him.]

Lois Lane: Clark, what's wrong?

[In the last glimpse of Clark's vision or day dream (day nightmare?) we see hands reaching up to the hatch. But these aren't his adult hands. They seem to be the hands of a child. End of scene.]

Timecode: 4 minutes, 0 seconds: The Metropolis Air Shuttle picks up guests from the Grand Hotel. The shuttle driver is talking to Baron Sunday, who sits in the seat right behind him.

Driver Rod Clemens: I been working [this job] about three months.

Baron Sunday: It's work you enjoy, Mr. Rod Clemens.

Driver Rod Clemens: How'd you know my name?

[Baron Sunday doesn't answer, but smiles. Perhaps he glances at the commercial driver's License and Identification Card posted above the front window. Baron Sunday is wearing dark sunglasses, so it is difficult to see where his gaze goes. But the driver thinks that is how Baron Sunday figured out his name.]

Driver Rod Clemens: Oh! [chuckles] Operator's License.

Baron Sunday: Not at all. I'm psychic.

Driver Rod Clemens: Oh, yeah. Right.

[The driver makes a face and winks, showing that he thinks Baron Sunday is joking.]

Baron Sunday: Uh, what's that accent? Uh . . . Georgia?

Driver Rod Clemens: South Carolina. Born and raised just over the state line in Parksville. Guess you ain't that much of a psychic, are you?

[Baron Sunday smiles. He is toying with the driver.]

Baron Sunday: Shall I tell you your birthday?

Driver Rod Clemens: Ten bucks says you can't do it.

Baron Sunday: [pretending to concentrate] It's . . . November 18th, 1949.

Driver Rod Clemens: [chuckles dismissively] Not even close. August 24, 1951.

[Baron Sunday shakes his head. He holds up a ten dollar bill and puts it into the driver's hand. When the driver takes the bill in hand, it is clear from a sound effect and visual effect (which he doesn't see) that some kind of mystical connection is made.]

Driver Rod Clemens: Easiest ten-spot I ever made. You wanna try for something else? How 'bout my Mama's maiden name?

[Then Baron Sunday, who rode with this driver to the hotel from the airport, disappears. He doesn't step off the shuttle. He literally disappears. But Rod Clemens isn't looking right at him when it happens. One moment the man is there, the next he is not. Rod Clemens can't be sure of what he saw or didn't seem but he is certain something strange happened. End of scene.]

Timecode: 5 minutes, 4 seconds: Lois and Clark leave the Daily Planet building.

Lois Lane: Clark, you really had me scared. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you're not up to lunch with my mother?

Clark Kent: I'm fine. I-- I'm just a little tired, that's all.

[Lois and Clark talk about the fact that Lois Lane's mother seems to be taking charge of making wedding plans, which is something that Clark is not entirely comfortable with. He wants a small wedding, and Lois Lane's mother wants a big extravaganza. As arranged by Lois Lane's mother, Lois and Clark and Lois's mother meet with Beverly Lippman, acclaimed bridal consultant (wedding planner) Lois Lane's father is footing the bill. It becomes clear that Lois Lane's mother has ideas way out of proportion to what Clark had envisioned for his wedding. Lois Lane seems caught in the middle. She doesn't really put her mother in her place, although she is trying to be supportive of her fiance's desires as well. It was Lois Lane's own dream to have a big wedding. She hasn't spoken of this much to Clark because she realized that wasn't what he wanted.]

Beverly Lippman: And what do you mean, "complicated"? You do want this affair to say something, don't you?

Clark Kent: I just want it to say that I love Lois.

Beverly Lippman: That would be doves. Three hundred. White.

Timecode: 6 minutes, 56 seconds: Cut to the Metropolis Airport. A private airplane sits on the runway. The words "BARON SUNDAY: Master of Illusion" are emblazoned on the hull. Cut to inside the airplane. The plane is full of traditional Caribbean Voodoo/Vodoun paraphernalia. Baron Sunday's dreadlock-wearing assistant, whose name is Ziggy, walks onto the plane, trying to find his boss.

Baron Sunday's assistant Ziggy: Baron. I have the chart for this Rod Clemens. I tell you, brother, this Clemens, he's born under a bad sign, you know?

[Smoke emerges from underneath a closed door. An unlit candle bursts into flame. There is a spooky feeling in the air.]

Baron Sunday's assistant Ziggy: Heh heh. Hey, Baron!

[Suddenly Baron Sunday is behind his assistant. He taps the assistant on the shoulder, startling him. The assistant turns to face his mysterious boss.]

Baron Sunday's assistant Ziggy: Mercy! Man, you scared me!

Baron Sunday: Give me the chart.

Baron Sunday's assistant Ziggy: [handing him a piece paper] Here.

[Baron Sunday wraps a voodoo coll in the paper. He waves his hand in front of the voodoo doll. The paper chart that surrounds it bursts into flame. Baron Sunday's eyes suddenly glow and look llike the eyes of a snake, with slits for pupils. Baron Sunday's assistant watches all this happen and looks frightened. Baron Sunday holds up a voodoo needle, like the one he previously used on Clark Kent's voodoo doll likeness. Baron Sunday pokes the head of his voodoo doll (which looks kind of like airport shurttle operator Rod Clemens) in the head with the needle. As soon as the tip of the needle makes contact with the wooden head, we cut to an outside scene. At the airport, the camera focuses on an ad poster showing a man screaming. The ad copy reads: "Does your long distance calling plan make you a little mad?" The implication here is that Baron Sunday is using his voodoo powers to induce madness in Rod Clemens. Rod Clemens drives his airport shuttle right by this poster. Suddenly he starts to panic. In an extended scene, we see that Baron Sunday's voodoo powers have made Rod Clemens have a flashback to his most terrible memory: When he was a U.S. soldier in Viet Nam. Instead of seeing the reality of his driving through Metropolis, Rod Clemens thinks he is driving a military jeep through enemy territory in Viet Nam. He sees explosions and gunfire all around him. His driving is erratic and completely out of control. Bystanders and other vehicles scramble to get out of the way. Finally Superman arrives just in time to prevent Clemens from driving the shuttle right into an innocent street vendor. Of course, Clemens' erratic driving endangered the lives of the people on the shuttle as well.]

Timecode: 8 minutes, 37 seconds: Cutting back to the meeting with the wedding planner (before Clark left to stop the out-of-control airport shuttle as Superman).

Beverly Lippman: Well, there's nothing wrong with a church organ and a combo after, if you want to go the blah route. The last wedding I did had a dozen Swiss bell ringers with a fifty-piece orchestra.

[Lois Lane's mother likes the sound of that! She smiles and looks impressed.]

Ellen Lane: Swiss bell ringers! What do you think, Lois?

Clark Kent: Yes, what do you think, Lois?

[Clark's eyes show Lois that he wants her to help put a stop to this. But Lois feels caught in the middle, and isn't ready to stand up to her mother yet.]

Lois Lane: Well, I-- I've always admired the Swiss. And, uh, their chocolate is to die for. And those cuckoo clocks, wow . . .

[Clark must exit the meeting with the wedding planner to stop the runaway airport shuttle. He stops the shuttle, as Superman, but he finds that Rod Clemens himself is dead. Clemens apparently died when a Viet Cong soldier in his dream/vision shot him in the head. The fright from this vision appears to have induced death.]

Passenger: Superman! Thank God! [looking at Rod Clemens' body] Is he dead?

Superman: I'm afraid so. Did he say anything?

Passenger: He just freaked out. He yelled something about . . . Captain Ellis.

[Superman opens the dead man's shirt in time to see the same loa snake symbol appear like a large raised tattoo on the man's chest momentarily and, then disappear. End of scene.]

Timecode: 10 minutes, 34 seconds: Lois Lane and Clark Kent attend the stage show of famous illusionist Baron Sunday. Of course, at this point, they do not realize that he is a bad guy.

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen. Presenting the world's most illustrious illusionist, Baron Sunday!

[Baron Sunday performs a conventional professional magic show. He is assistant on stage by the assistant we saw earlier on the airplane, Ziggy. While watching the magic show, Lois and Clark discuss their investigation into recent events.]

Clark Kent: I'm still waiting to hear from the Army on that Captain Ellis the bus driver mentioned before he died.

Lois Lane: What was this snake-shaped welt the bus driver had on his chest.

Clark Kent: [shaking his head] I don't know. It was freaky. It just sort of appeared and then faded away.

Lois Lane: Hm.

[Baron Sunday puts his assistant Ziggy into a large segmented box, and then makes Ziggy's head (within one wooden box) appear to become detached and float in air. The box opens up to show Ziggy's face on his detached head, smiling. Superman uses his x-ray vision to check out the whole act, but can't figure out how the trick is performed.

Clark Kent: [to Lois] I can't figure out how he's doing this. He's not using any wires. There's no trap doors . . .

[After performing this trick, Baron Sunday stands still for a moment enjoying the enthusiastic applause from the audience. Baron Sunday notices Clark Kent in the audience. Their eyes lock on each other. Baron Sunday smiles right at Clark.]

[Perry White and Jimmy Olsen arrive, late for the show. Baron Sunday asks for a volunteer from the audience. Baron Sunday invites Jimmy Olsen up on stage. For the trick, Baron Sunday asks Jimmy's full name, place of birth, and birthdate. Jimmy gives him the information. James Bartholemew Olsen, born in Metropolis, etc. Baron Sunday hypnotizes Jimmy into thinking that it is his first day of second grade, and he has come to school naked. During the illusion, Jimmy thought he bumped his head on a desk, even though his head only met empty air. But this caused Jimmy real physical pain, and later, after the show, we see the event raised a real bump.]

Lois Lane: Jimmy, are you okay? You've got a bump on your head.

Jimmy Olsen: Oh, uh, yeah. I guess I was trying to hide underneath my desk and I hit my head.

Perry White: That desk was in your imagination, son.

[Baron Sunday approaches the group and explains.]

Baron Sunday: Jimmy was so convinced of what he was experiencing, his body reacted as if his vision were real.

Clark Kent: It's a pretty interesting trick.

Baron Sunday: [chuckles] No trick. I only made use of what was already in his mind. [to Clark] You're a . . . Pisces, right?

Clark Kent: Good guess, yeah. February 28--

Baron Sunday: Nineteen sixty . . . five?

Clark Kent: Close. Sixty-six.

Baron Sunday: Hmm.

Lois Lane: You're not planning on sending him back to second grade?

Baron Sunday: No. Heh heh. I have something much more interesting for a man as worldly as Mr. Kent.

[As if triggered by Baron Sunday's words, we see that something within Clark Kent's pocket momentarily glows with mystical energy. Clark does not notice this, but he does notice the way Baron Sunday's eyes lock on him, as if Baron Sunday has some type of power over him.]

Lois Lane: Well, we should get going.

[Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Perry White and Jimmy Olsen walk away, leaving the theater. After they are gone, we see Baron Sunday pulling Clark Kent's handkerchief out of his hand. This is what had glowed momentarily in Clark's pocket. Baron Sunday uses his magical Voodoo powers to teleport the handkerchief out of Clark's pocket.]

Ziggy: So, Baron, you got Mr. Kent's handkerchief.

Baron Sunday: [chuckles] Um hmm.

[End of scene.]

Timecode: 17 minutes, 3 seconds: The Daily Planet building.

Lois Lane: You catch up on your sleep last night?

Clark Kent: Back to my old self.

Lois Lane: So, even though you're looking kind of troubled and preoccupied, there's no reason for me to be worried?

Clark Kent: About me? None whatsoever.

Lois Lane: Because if there was something, hypothetically, bothering you, you would tell me.

Clark Kent: Um hm.

Lois Lane: Look, are you worried about getting married?

Clark Kent: What?

Lois Lane: It's just that, you know, we started making plans and suddenly you can't sleep at night and you're having all this incredible anxiety and--

Clark Kent: Lois, I'm not worried about marrying you. I am completely looking forward to marrying you. I'm chomping at the bit.

Lois Lane: [sigh] "Chomping at the bit"? Got it. [Pause] Did you hear from the Army?

Clark Kent: Yeah. Bus driver Clemens. Served in Viet Nam under a Captain Ted Ellis. He was a munitions expert.

Lois Lane: Oh, this is interesting. After he left the Army, Clemens spent a year in the National Intelligence Agency. Don't you know somebody at the N.I.A.?

Clark Kent: Matt Young. Oh, but I haven't spoken to him in years.

Lois Lane: Maybe it's time you renew that acquaintance.

Clark Kent: Hmm.

[They discuss the Rod Clemens news investigation. When Lois and Clark get onto the elevator to leave the office, the elevator door closing on him triggers within Clark another flashback to the space craft hatch closing, and this causes another anxiety attack for him.]

Timecode: 18 minutes, 54 seconds: Closeup on a shelf of Voodoo religious and Voodoo magical power items, including candles and Voodoo dolls. There are pictures of traditional Vodoun deities. Baron Sunday laughs an evil laugh. He picks up one Voodoo doll. Based on the doll's fate, it is apparently a likeness of N.I.A. (National Intelligence Agency) agent Matt Young, a contact that Clark Kent is meeting in his investigation into what happened to shuttle driver Rod Clemens.

Timecode: 18 minutes, 58 seconds: Lois Lane and Clark Kent meet with N.I.A. agent Matt Young as he leaves his office building.

Matt Young: I was on my way out. I hope you don't mind doing this on the run.

Lois Lane: Oh, no. Thanks for seeing us.

Matt Young: [addressing Clark] You've come a long ways since that green reporter I met in Jamaica.

Clark Kent: Heh heh. [explaining the story to Lois] I'd heard there was some gun smuggling going on down there and I thought I'd get my career in gear with an exclusive.

Matt Young: That's where I entered. I was on a routine assignment when I suddenly find myself in the middle of this gun-smuggling raid. The bullets were flying everywhere.

Clark Kent: They cut me a break and he gave me the story.

Lois Lane: Well, that's where we bring this full circle, because we're here for another exclusive. Didn't Rod Clemens work for the N.I.A. for a while?

Matt Young: [seems puzzled at first, but then remembers the name] Oh, "Rocket" Rod Clemens. Yeah, he was in my area, but only for a few months. He had some heavy personal problems. Seemed he couldn't get 'Nam out of his head.

Clark Kent: Post-war trauma?

Matt Young: In the extreme. Just before he shipped state-side he, uh, took a bullet in the chest by a sniper. Almost killed him. Why?

Lois Lane: Oh, it's just an angle we're pursuing.

Matt Young: What kind of angle?

[Sudden cut to close-up on Baron Sunday's face. His eyes have that snake-like look that they take on when he uses his Voodoo power to induce flashbacks in the minds of others. Matt Young's face suddenly changes, showing he is being affected by Baron Sunday's power. Lois Lane and Clark Kent as Matt Young suddenly starts acting strangely. Matt Young loosens his tie and shirt collar. He puts his hand to his forehead. His eyes are closed. He lets out a short groan of anguish.]

Clark Kent: Matt, you all right?

[Matt Young's eyes open wide. We can hear the sound of a vicious dog barking. Matt hears this, but it is only in his mind. Lois and Clark hear nothing. We see what Matt sees: A snarling vicious dog, probably a Doberman. The dog bares its teeth threateningly. This vision induces intense panic within Matt Young.]

Lois Lane: Oh, my God! Not again.

Matt Young: The dogs!!

[Clark Kent looks all around.]

Clark Kent: There aren't any dogs around here.

[Matt Young draws his weapon, a handgun. He points it at Lois and Clark. Matt Young stares straight ahead, thinking he is facing a vicious barking dog.]

Matt Young: Stay back!

[Matt Young pulls the trigger, firing all the bullets in his gun. Clark Kent uses his super speed and invulnerability to deflect the bullets, preventing Lois from getting hurt. Clark is unhurt, but he is concerned about his old friend Matt Young.]

Matt Young: Nooo! Nooooo!!!

[Matt Young claws at his collar and tie, struggling to breathe. He screams and then collapses onto the pavement. We see the eyes of Baron Sunday, still controlling what is happening in Matt Young's mind. Matt now seems unconscious. The loa snake welt appears on his chest. Lois Lane and Clark Kent stare at it. The welt sizzles and burns for a moment, and then disappears completely.]

Clark Kent: Move back.

[Clark kneels on the pavement next to Matt Young's body. Clark uses his super strength to pull electrical cables from the base of a nearby street light. He uses these live cables and his own body as a conduit to send electrical shocks into Matt Young's body. He thus restarts Matt Young's heart.]

Clark Kent: He's got a pulse.

[We hear the sound of an police car siren.]

Lois Lane: First Clemens and now Young. What's going on?

[Clark Kent shakes his head. He doesn't know either.]

[Two policemen rush onto the scene.]

Police officer: Anybody see anything? All right, folks, where's the gun?

[End of scene.]

Timecode: 22 minutes, 20 seconds: The interior of Baron Sunday's private airplane, which is decked out with Vodoun objects and pictures.

Ziggy: No! This Clark Kent's magic is too strong, man! You've tried to kill him!

[Baron Sunday, looking very frustrated, holds a Clark Kent voodoo doll, which is holding a needle to. He tosses the needle away in frustration.]

Baron Sunday: He's been able to resist for reasons I don't understand! But he can be broken!

Ziggy: We will be the ones to pay!

Baron Sunday: Let his fears flow!

[Baron Sunday pokes another needle into the head of the Clark Kent voodoo doll.]

[Cut to Clark Kent. He suddenly feels the effects of Baron Sunday's manipulations. He is in the middle of another meeting with the wedding planner, Lois, and Lois's mother. Clark clutches his chest, having a panic attack. Clark has the same flashback he had before, of himself being closed up inside a space craft.]

Clark Kent: No!

[Clark Kent gets up from the table and stumbles outside. He is in complete agony. Lois Lane follows after him.]

Lois Lane: Clark! Clark, what's wrong?!

Clark Kent: It's too tight. I can't breathe. Agh!

[The Loa snake appears on Clark's chest again. Lois sees it.]

Lois Lane: Oh, no! Clark, come on! Snap out of it! Now!

[Clark sees the space craft hatch close completely, sealing him in darkness. End of scene.]

Timecode: 23 minutes, 29 seconds: Clark Kent has been moved to a bed. Lois Lane cares for him as he awakens.

Beverly Lippman: Is he all right?

Lois Lane: I think so.

Beverly Lippman: I've seen pre-wedding stress before, but this is taking it to a new level!

Ellen Lane: Maybe we'll just-- We'll just do this later.

[Ellen Lane and the wedding planner leave Lois Lane's apartment.]

Clark Kent: Lois?

Lois Lane: Oh, Clark. I thought I lost you.

Clark Kent: You're not getting rid of me that easy.

Lois Lane: I saw that snake on your chest and I thought--

Clark Kent: The snake. Like the others?

Lois Lane: It was there. I saw it.

Clark Kent: It's gone now. Everything's fine.

Lois Lane: Everything is not fine. You've gotta tell me what's going on.

Clark Kent: [sighs] I've been having these weird experiences.

Lois Lane: Experiences?

Clark Kent: Maybe not "experiences." More like visions.

Lois Lane: Like the other men? Before their hearts stopped? Clark, why didn't you tell me?!

Clark Kent: Well, because I didn't connect it to the others until now. I thought it would just go away. Lois, I've never really been scared. Not like this.

Lois Lane: What did you see?

Clark Kent: It's like I was being buried alive in some kind of coffin. I'm not giving into this.

Lois Lane: Oh, see, this is what you do. Your whole life is about not showing fear. You just push it right out of your head, but this fear is a part of you. Something so terrible happened that you pushed it way down and now you've gotta let it out or it could--

Clark Kent: Scare me . . . to death.

Lois Lane: Like the others. Now, what links you to them? You only know one of them.

Clark Kent: Yeah, Matt Young.

Lois Lane: Tell me what happened in Jamaica.

[End of scene.]

Timecode: 25 minutes, 31 seconds: Baron Sunday's private plane sits on the runway at the Metropolis airport. It is night time. Inside we see Ziggy walking nervously. Smoke seeps through the gap between a door and the floor. The smoke seems to creep up on Ziggy. Suddenly Baron Sunday's voice is heard.

Baron Sunday: Going somewhere, Ziggy?

Ziggy: No, man!

Baron Sunday: Were you going to abandon me?

Ziggy: Nooo!

Baron Sunday: Are you that afraid of Clark Kent?! He will die. I'm getting closer.

[The smoke starts retreating from the room, back under the door. This whole time, we never saw Baron Sunday. We only heard his voice. He was apparently manifesting himself as the smoke that came into the room.]

Baron Sunday: Ah, he's here. Maybe you'd like to warn him. Here's your chance.

[Ziggy opens the door to the airplane. Lois and Clark are standing there.]

Clark Kent: Is Baron Sunday here?

Baron Sunday: Yes, he is.

[Baron Sunday is suddenly standing at the end of the room, next the door from which smoke seeped into the room. Ziggy motions for Lois and Clark to enter.]

Baron Sunday: Um hmm. Mr. Kent. Miss Lane. You've met my assistant, Ziggy. Welcome to my humble abode.

Lois Lane: Well, I've heard a lot about it, but . . . this is really incredible.

Baron Sunday: I love flying. It gives me a sense of freedom. Soaring over the towns below like a giant bird. Possibly you know what I mean, Mr. Kent.

[Baron Sunday suddenly has two wine glasses in his hands. He hands them to Lois and Clark.]

Lois Lane: Heh heh. You must be very popular at parties.

Clark Kent: We needed to speak to someone with your expertise.

Baron Sunday: Oh?

Clark Kent: We're looking for information on hallucinations. A kind of hallucination that might be conjured up on a person's head by someone else?

Lois Lane: Uh, yeah, we were wondering if you could tell us how you created Jimmy's visions.

Baron Sunday: Oh, I looked into the depths of his mind and triggered a memory that was unique to him.

Clark Kent: Is it possible to trigger a hallucination from far away?

Baron Sunday: Mr. Kent, I'm a firm believer that anything is possible.

[Lois Lane sees somethat that interests her on the floor. She drops her purse on purpose so she can pick up the object: a bent voodoo needle. She puts it in her purse.]

Clark Kent: Two people in Metropolis have experienced frightening hallucinations. One of them is dead. The other one is in a coma.

Baron Sunday: I find most of life to be a frightening hallucination. If I believe I am frightened, or hungry, or sad . . . voila! . . . I am all these things.

Clark Kent: Are you saying that these peoples' bodies shut down because they believed something was killing them?

Baron Sunday: It's a fascinating theory. When our belief in death overpowers our belief in life, it is the end.

[Baron Sunday looks at Lois and Clark ominously. End of scene.]

Timecode: 28 minutes, 43 seconds: The next day, Lois Lane examines the bent voodoo needle under a light in the offices of the Daily Planet.

Clark Kent: what do you have there?

Lois Lane: I'm not quite sure. I found it on Sunday's plane. I read that story you wrote on gun runners in Jamaica.

Clark Kent: Be kind. It was the first big story I ever covered.

Lois Lane: You really nailed that guy, John Hendrix.

Clark Kent: He was the main man. Hired by an anti-Castro group to run guns to a drop-off point in Jamaica. From there they'd go to Cuba, but the Nationales--

Lois Lane: --found out and busted in on the party. You don't mention Matt Young or the N.I.A.

Clark Kent: They were just brought in to put a happy face on the whole situation. In fact, Young only gave the the story with the understanding that his name wouldn't be mentioned.

Lois Lane: Hendrix was killed in a raid. It's not like he'd be around to argue what Young said.

Clark Kent: Are you saying there's more to this story? Some kind of conspiracy?

[Jimmy Olsen brings in some research materials they asked for, including an old photo of John Hendrix. Lois and Clark realize that Baron Sunday is the man who was previously known as John Hendrix.]

Timecode: 30 minutes, 9 seconds: In Baron Sunday's quarters, we see an elaborate tapestry featuring the Loa snake symbol. The camera pans further and we see that this tapestry is part of something that Baron Sunday is lying down on. Baron Sunday seems to be asleep in his quarters. The door opens. Ziggy walks in. Ziggy walks across the room and exits the airplane. As soon as he does this, Baron Sunday's eyes open. Baron Sunday smiles an evil smile.

Timecode: 31 minutes, 8 seconds: Lois Lane's New Age psychic counsellor Star waves two metal wands around Clark Kent's head.

Star: Well, congratulations. You're certainly not possessed.

Clark Kent: Thank you.

Star: [to Lois] Handy having me live downstairs, isn't it? [to Clark] Clark, these visions you're having: There is a possibility that you're just nuts.

Lois Lane: Oh, he's not nuts.

[Star gives Lois a disapproving look. Star does not think that Lois should question her professional opinion.]

Lois Lane: We've been through every logical explanation. We think that maybe the visions have something to do with the metaphysical, or the, uh, supernatural?

Star: Magic. It's okay. You can say it. I knew she'd get around to seeing things my way.

Clark Kent: The visions are getting clearer. I'm enclosed in something. There are voices. And colors. Blue and red and really loud noise like thunder. And it's terrifying.

Star: Make them come into focus. Sometimes you shine a lot on things and they don't seem so scarey at all.

[Suddenly the two rods Star is holding force her hands to point to a box across the room.]

Star: Whoa!

Lois Lane: What? What is it?

Star: Lois, it's your purse! Is there something evil in your purse?

Lois Lane: Just my credit cards.

Star: Dump it out!

Timecode: 32 minutes, 23 seconds: Ziggy walks in downtown Metropolis. He seems disturbed. Back in his airplane quarters, we see Baron Sunday focusing on Ziggy. He uses his powers on his disloyal assistant. Using his voodoo powers, Baron Sunday can actually see where Ziggy is, from a long distance. Suddenly Ziggy turns and looks around. He knows someone is watching him.

Timecode: 32 minutes, 43 seconds: Lois Lane dumps out her purse. Star picks up the bent Voodoo needle.

Star: What are you doing with this?

[Star seems frightened.]

Lois Lane: Well, I just picked it up . . . off of Baron Sunday's plane.

[Clark Kent sighs.]

Star: A bokor would stick this needle in a doll, and cast a spell on his enemey.

Lois Lane: A bokor?

Star: Voodoo, Lois.

[Ziggy has come to Lois Lane's apartment building.]

[Clark looks at the needle.]

Clark Kent: Could something like this cause hallucinations? Kill someone?

Star: I don't practice it myself, but that's what I've been told.

Clark Kent: If someone cast a spell on you, how would you stop it?

Star: [shudder] The black arts is not easy to ward off. The magic has to come from within. The evil has to be displaced. You have to get touch with something dear to you, more powerful than the spell. Sometimes I hang onto a charm, a keepsake, a family heirloom.

[A knock at the door is heard. It is Ziggy. Clark lets him in.]

Ziggy: Mr. Kent, I've come here to warn you.

[In his airplane, Baron Sunday concentrates on Ziggy. He gets a voodoo doll that looks like Ziggy and he rips the doll's arm off. A Lois Lane's apartment, Ziggy writhes in agony. Ziggy falls to the floor. The Loa symbol welt is on his chest. Clark check's Ziggy's pulse. He shakes his head, telling Lois and Star that Ziggy is dead now.]

[End of scene.]

Timecode: 34 minutes, 58 seconds: Detective Lundgren of the Metropolis Police Department arrives at Lois Lane's apartment. When he looks at Ziggy's body, the body looks like a corpse that has been dead for many years, rather than just thirty minutes.

[Lois Lane and Clark Kent are at Metropolis airport, walking toward Baron Sunday's airplane.]

Lois Lane: If we're in the world of the walking dead, my vote is that John Hendrix and Baron Sunday are the same person.

Clark Kent: That's pretty much where I went.

[As they continue to walk from their parked vehicle to Baron Sunday's airplane, Lois Lane walks behind Clark. Unseen by him, she slips the engagement ring off her finger. She sneaks up behind Clark and slips the ring into the pocket on the side of his suit coat. Lois does this because she is recalling the words of her psychic counsellor Star, who told her that when facing evil magic she sometimes hangs onto a "charm, a keepsake" or "family heirloom" that represents something more powerful than the evil magic. Lois Lane knows that the ring represents the powerful love between her and Clark, and she hopes that if Clark ends up having to battle Baron Sunday, the charm will help him.]

Timecode: 36 minutes, 46 seconds: Lois and Clark are on Baron Sunday's plane, talking to the mysterious magician:

Clark Kent: You're assistant, Ziggy, came by to warn us about something. But before he could, he dropped dead.

Baron Sunday: And you think he wanted to warn you about me?

Lois Lane: We'll never know. Unless your friendly bokor could bring him back to life. Again.

Baron Sunday: Your secret's out, Hendrix.

[Baron Sunday shrugs his shoulders, but remains silent.]

Lois Lane: Were you raised from the dead, too? Like Ziggy?

Baron Sunday: I never quite passed over. I was found by practitioners of the ancient arts. Given certain powers. But it didn't make up for what had happened to me.

Clark Kent: I know what you've been through. And I know the part that I played in it. You and I were both set up . . . by pros.

Baron Sunday: [threateningly] You have no idea what I've been through. My life was ruined, and my family's. The only thought that kept me going was the thought of revenge! And now it's time to finish the job!

[Baron Sunday's eyes turn once again into their snake-like form. Voodoo power flows through him. Suddenly, the voodoo doll that looks like Clark Kent is in Baron Sunday's hands. Baron Sunday jams a voodoo needle into the doll's head. Clark Kent reacts instantly, doubling over and gasping for breath. Lois wants to help, but is stunned by Baron Sunday's power and can't approach him or Clark. Clark valiantly tries to crawl or stumble toward Baron Sunday, but he is in too much pain, and distracted by the vision of the hatch closing in on him. Baron Sunday is easily able to kick Clark Kent out the airplane window and down the staircase. Clark ends up in a crumpled heap on the runway.]

[Baron Sunday slams the airplane hatch closed and has his airplane take off. Lois Lane appeared weakened, but she tries to approach him to attack him.]

Baron Sunday: Air Sunday is about to leave the gate. This is a non-smoking flight . . .

[Baron Sunday uses his voodoo magic to make a flame appear in the palm of his hand. Lois, seeing how powerful and dangerous he is, stops her advance toward him.]

Baron Sunday: . . . unless I decide to have you burst into flames.

[Baron Sunday is satisfied that Lois has stopped coming toward him. He makes the flame disappear.]

[The airplane takes off into the air. Clark struggles mightily to overcome the voodoo attack on him. He is mostly paralyzed by fear caused by the vision of the space craft hatch closing in on him. He tears at his clothing, trying in vain to loosen his collar and clothing so he can breathe better. The engagement ring that Lois Lane secretly slipped into Clark's suit coat pocket falls out onto the pavement, unseen by Clark.]

Lois Lane: What's happening to Clark?

Baron Sunday: His own fear is destroying him. He's resisted up 'til now, but he's been weakened by each attack and is ready to surrender.

Lois Lane: Young may have set you up, but Clark is a good man. The best man I ever met. He might've made a mistake, but it's not fair that he should die.

Baron Sunday: [shrugs] Life isn't fair.

[On the airport tarmac we see Clark Kent looking more like Superman, now that his street clothes have been mostly torn away. Superman continues to struggle with the vision. In a voice over, we hear the words of Lois Lane and then Star, speaking words from earlier scenes in the episode.]

Star: [voice over] The evil has to be displaced. You have to get touch with something dear to you, more powerful than the spell.

Lois Lane: [voice over] This fear is part of you. It's time to let it out.

[These voice-overs suggest that Superman may be able to overcome Baron Sunday's attack either through overcoming his fear of the vision, or by using the love he has with Lois Lane, perhaps in conjunction with the wedding ring. These actually seem like two separate solutions, and Superman apparently ends up using both of them.]

[For the first time, there are new elements in Superman's vision. In addition to the metal hatch, he sees a kindly man in a strange other-worldly outfit peering from outside the hatch. This is Superman's birth father, Jor-El. Then we see Superman's birth mother, Lara looking into the tiny spacecraft through the hatch. Also in the vision, we see the familiar colors of the red, yellow and blue blanket that was placed in the spacecraft with Superman as a baby. The blanket has the familiar stylized "S" symbol of Superman's costume, which actually came from his family crest on the blanket. The hatch closes once again as explosions are heard all around. In Superman's mind's eye, he sees the tiny space craft soaring into space, away from Krypton as his doomed birth planet explodes. Longtime fans of Superman, of course, probably realized what Superman's vision was as soon as they first saw it in this episode's opening scene. But Clark Kent/Superman never realized what he was seeing until now. But now, we can see on Superman's face that he realizes what he has been seeing. Superman now realizes that the vision that frightened him was actually his recollection of his parents saving him. He no longer needs to fear what Baron Sunday's voodoo powers have caused him to see.]

[While struggling on the airport runway, Superman has also found the diamond ring. He now looks down at the ring in his hand. He feels strength and resolve. Baron Sunday's spells no longer have power over him. Superman flies to the fleeing airplane and rescues Lois Lane from Baron Sunday, who was about to murder her by shoving her out of the plane in mid-flight. Baron Sunday is unable to put up much a fight against Superman, who has overcome his principle attack spell of causing a victim to experience a frightening memory. Superman grabs Baron Sunday by the throat, lifts him into the air, and then shoves him into a chair and ties him up with seatbelts.]

[Cut to a few minutes later. Baron Sunday's airplane is back on the runway of the Metropolis Airport. Police cars have arrived, having been summoned by Superman and Lois. Superman and Lois talk outside the plane. Police are inside the airplane.]

Lois Lane: So all along, your hallucination was based on a traumatic experience you had when you were a baby.

Superman: Once I faced it, I saw it wasn't a coffin I was seeing. It was the capsule my parents sent me to Earth in.

Lois Lane: Sunday couldn't kill you. Your vision wasn't about death, it was about life.

Superman: As I was remembering, I could feel the love and sadness of my parents, sending their baby off into the cold universe.

Lois Lane: And into my life.

[A policeman emerges from the airplane hatch and calls down to Superman, explaining that he can't find any sign of Baron Sunday. Somehow, the villain escaped. The camera cuts to the edge of the runway, where a massive snake, looking like a huge boa constrictor or perhaps a voodoo loa snake, slithers out of view behind barrels and storage containers. The snake is Baron Sunday, using his voodoo powers to temporarily transform himself and escape.]

[Later, Lois and Clark are at Lois Lane's apartment with Lois Lane's mother and wedding planner Beverly Lippman, who continue to make elaborate plans for the upcoming wedding. Lois and Clark, weary from their adventures as well as the endless planning of the older women, have managed to find a private moment outside on the balcony.]

Lois Lane: [speaking about her mother] I don't think I've ever seen her have so much fun. It's scary.

[Clark Kent pours a drink for himself and Lois into flute glasses.]

Clark Kent: [clinking his glass to hers in an impromptu toast] To life.

Lois Lane: Life.

Ellen Lane: [calling from the other room.] Lois! For Heaven's sake, this isn't my wedding. Are you going to participate or not?

Lois Lane: [speaking up loudly so her mother can hear] You're doing fine, Mom. You just do what you do best, and so will we.

[Camera pulls back. Fade to black. End of scene. End of episode.]

The process of listing characters who appeared in this source is not yet complete. Webpage for Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - Season 3, Episode 12 (7 Jan. 1996) created 5 April 2008. Last modified 11 June 2014.

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