Due to being exposed to the energy from the Crystal of Water, Lionel was transformed into a Kryptonian vessel for the essence of Jor-El, Clark Kent's Kryptonian birth father, and installed with all the knowledge of the planet Krypton. Later, Lionel turned up at the Luthor Mansion, completely healthy and conscious; he denied having memory of what happened during the meteor shower. Lionel continued his normal persona, and gave Chloe clever hints about stopping Lex from winning the senatorial race against Jonathan Kent, and about Professor Milton Fine.