Smallville (TV Series)

Checkmate (2010)

Tom Welling: Clark Kent

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Quotes 

• Chloe Sullivan : Didn't you see my texts? I lost Oliver. He was tracking some armed men, followed them under the monorail, and then it was like a massive mute button went on. No radio, no beacon, nothing.

  Clark Kent : I'm sure it's fine. Just because he doesn't check in...

  Chloe Sullivan : You know, unlike some people, Oliver actually follows protocol.

  Clark Kent : What protocol?

  Chloe Sullivan : Exactly.

• Clark Kent : Why would the government take Green Arrow?

  Oliver Queen : Considering what I pay out every year, it better not be for tax evasion.

• Clark Kent : She's not wrong, you know? Waller.

  John Jones : How so?

  Clark Kent : When I saw the future, Zod and his people had already started World War III, and we weren't winning. Tess was right about being prepared. Because as much I want to believe that I've stopped that day from happening, it still might.

  John Jones : You don't have to join her.

  Clark Kent : No. But, like she said, eventually I'll have to choose sides.

  John Jones : You can't. You are here for something far greater, Clark. You will be the ambassador who bridges all the sides together.

• Amanda Waller : I have reason to believe there are aliens among us. They have designs much bigger than just getting green cards. I need your help.

  Clark Kent : To do what? Chase down rumors and UFO stories?

  Amanda Waller : What if I have proof? Actual alien blood. The keystone to World War III.

  Clark Kent : Maybe these aliens aren't here to start a war.

  Amanda Waller : If you don't stand with us, you stand against us. It's time for you to pick a side.

• John Jones : [Whooshing]  John Jones: Your identity's safe, for now.

  Clark Kent : Clark Kent: She's not wrong, you know? Waller.

  John Jones : John Jones: How so?

  Clark Kent : Clark Kent: When I saw the future, Zod and his people had already started World War III, and we weren't winning. She was right about being prepared. Because, as much as I want to believe that I've stopped that day from happening, it still might.

  John Jones : John Jones: You don't have to join her.

  Clark Kent : Clark Kent: No. But like she said, eventually, I'll have to choose sides.

  John Jones : John Jones: You can't.

  [sighs] 

  John Jones : You are here for something far greater, Clark. You will be the ambassador who bridges all the sides together.

  Clark Kent : Clark Kent: What were you doing, John? Why not include the rest of us?

  John Jones : John Jones: I would have told the team what was going on. But I wanted you and the rest of them to stay off Checkmate's radar.

  Clark Kent : Clark Kent: But you're not in this alone. Who are you working for?

  John Jones : John Jones: Let's just say that... there are more players on the board than you think. And when it comes to choosing sides, things aren't always black and white.

• Clark Kent : You want to fill us in on what happened?

  Chloe Sullivan : Definitely.

  Oliver Queen : Absolutely. Uh, so let's see. One minute, I am saving someone's bacon. Uh, next thing I know, I'm the only pig on a Pork Chop Express. Some harpy gets on a monitor. She starts telling me this is the welcome wagon and she's recruiting heroes for the U.S. of A.

  [to Clark] 

  Oliver Queen : I'm guessing you didn't get the Evite.

• Chloe Sullivan : Every surveillance feed is down. ATMs, traffic lights, convenience stores. It's like someone threw a big blanket over the whole area.

  Clark Kent : [the feeds come back up]  You fixed it.

  Chloe Sullivan : Or whoever did this finished what they started.

• Chloe Sullivan : Boy, am I glad to see your friendly face. Did you, uh...

  Clark Kent : No. I didn't tell her anything.

  Chloe Sullivan : At least we have that.

  Clark Kent : I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm sorry for everything.

  Chloe Sullivan : I think we're both a day late and a dollar short in that department.

• Clark Kent : I abandoned you. I keep seeing you on the sidelines, but the truth is, with Watchtower, you're right in the middle of the game.

  Chloe Sullivan : You didn't abandon me, Clark. You pushed me out of the way.

  Clark Kent : Maybe I thought you'd be safer there.

  Chloe Sullivan : Maybe you just didn't trust me. I've broken your confidence in me, Clark. You saw Watchtower as Big Brother and you turned away. And the less you confided in me, the less you have to depend on me. It's smart. Probably.

  Clark Kent : I didn't give you enough credit. You're the one who brought us together. You're the one who saw our potential.

  Chloe Sullivan : That potential's gonna be short-lived. Waller saw our faces, and she's not gonna stop coming after us.

• Clark Kent : [seeing Chloe held at gunpoint]  Let her go.

  Amanda Waller : I'm not being unreasonable. If you step forward, out of the shadows, I will let Watchtower go.

  Clark Kent : [revealing his face]  Release her now.

  Amanda Waller : You sure are nice to look at. But I like to have my cake and eat it, too. Mm. I want your loyalty to Checkmate.

  [he steps foward threateningly] 

  Amanda Waller : Nah. Anything happens to me, and bye-bye, blondie. I know you're fast. But you can't stop a bullet when you don't know where she is.

  Clark Kent : That would be murder.

  Amanda Waller : It's not murder. It's strategy. Something you could have used more of before coming here.

  Clark Kent : What more do you want?

  Amanda Waller : The location of Watchtower's central database.

• Clark Kent : You're after everyone who's ever worked at Watchtower.

  Amanda Waller : Names, faces, addresses. The Black Canary, Impulse, Aquaman, Cyborg. I need people with the abilities to end the war quickly and decisively. It's your move.

• Clark Kent : Even if I gave you Watchtower's database, you know I'll come after you.

  Amanda Waller : The Blur. He patrols the streets of Metropolis protecting every citizen he can. But he, he lets the most valuable ally fend for herself.

  Clark Kent : I did not abandon her.

  Amanda Waller : Didn't you? You left your greatest asset vulnerable. All you have to do to save her life is give one simple address.

• Oliver Queen : [blocking a knife Tess throws at him]  What, are you crazy? Tess, this isn't a cartoon. You're gonna hurt somebody.

  Tess Mercer : That's the basic idea.

  Oliver Queen : All right, then.

  Tess Mercer : Don't you come near me.

  Clark Kent : [whooshing in]  Stop.

  Tess Mercer : Stay out of this, Clark.

  Oliver Queen : Our little lady here is a Checkmate agent. She knows my identity.

  Clark Kent : Not just yours. Tess, I need some answers.

  Tess Mercer : I'm not telling you anything.

  Clark Kent : Maybe the view will change your mind.

  Tess Mercer : [he grabs her and whooshes away to the roof of a tall building, dangling her over the edge]  Let me down from here.

  Clark Kent : [pulling her back]  Tell me about Checkmate. No lies.

• Tess Mercer : A month after I started working at LuthorCorp, I was approached by the White Queen. It's Waller's code name. She wanted information about Lex's alien investigations. At first, I thought she was crazy.

  Clark Kent : But then Lex's files changed your mind.

  Tess Mercer : After I took over LuthorCorp, I saw she knew a lot more than I did. But I swear, I never told her the Kryptonians were here. I never told her about you.

  Clark Kent : [pushing her up against a pillar]  I wouldn't believe your dying breath.

  Tess Mercer : None of this should have happened. Oliver wasn't even the real target.

  Clark Kent : Then who was?

  Tess Mercer : I don't know. Something they called Watchtower.

• Clark Kent : Did this woman give you her name?

  Oliver Queen : Nope. No name. Just, uh, that her organization was called Checkmate.

  Chloe Sullivan : Wait a minute. Checkmate? When Sylvester Pemberton from the Justice Society was murdered, he warned me that they came after us and they'll come after you. His dying word was "check".

  Clark Kent : If he meant Checkmate, these are the same people who took down the JSA.

• Chloe Sullivan : I searched the archived security footage that was taken from the cameras across the city. This was taken a few hours ago.

  Clark Kent : [seeing a picture of John Jones with someone]  That was right after I confronted him. Who's he talking to?

  Chloe Sullivan : We got a hit from the passport agency. Edward Lott. He's the CEO of a consumer manufacturing company. He seems pretty high-profile for a secret-agent man.

  Oliver Queen : Well, maybe they recruit people that are already established in the private sector.

  Clark Kent : Or plant them there.

  Chloe Sullivan : [her computer beeps]  You're not gonna be happy here he was planted next. Within an hour after this footage was taken, he was on the list of Metropolis General morgue.

  Oliver Queen : Whoa, slow down, guys. You can't think John murdered this guy. Come on, now.

  Chloe Sullivan : Clark, I'll come with you. I can run some...

  [he whooshes away] 

  Chloe Sullivan : ...support on-site.

  Oliver Queen : Looks like you got benched.

• Clark Kent : Where is that?

  Chloe Sullivan : That's where I saw Oliver last.

  [zooming in] 

  Chloe Sullivan : John Jones?

  Clark Kent : Well, your buddy system works.

  Chloe Sullivan : I didn't call him.

• John Jones : Clark, what are you doing here?

  Clark Kent : Looking for any sign of Oliver. You didn't know he was missing? He was here on patrol when Watchtower lost contact.

  John Jones : I'm here on police business. But I'll keep an eye out.

  Clark Kent : It'll be faster if we work together. Unless you've already found something.

  John Jones : You need to trust me, Clark.

  Clark Kent : You first.

  [with his x-ray vision, he sees something in John's pocket] 

  Clark Kent : What do you know, John?

  John Jones : You shouldn't have done that, Clark.

• John Jones : I would have told the team what was going on. But I wanted you and the rest of them to stay off Checkmate's radar.

  Clark Kent : But you're not in this alone. Who are you working for?

  John Jones : Let's just say that... there are more players on the board than you think. And when it comes to choosing sides, things aren't always black and white.