Revealing mistake: The Smallville Torch that Clark looks at online is the exact same one last seen by Lex two episodes ago in "Craving." This wouldn't be a problem, but Clark remarks that this Torch is "another scathing editorial," indicating that it is new, and Principal Kwan complains that parents have been calling all morning, which means that this issue of the Torch was published either this day or the day before. Prop department must have been saving money. (00:08:40)
Revealing mistake: When the gas pipe explodes at the beginning before the credits, the camera goes to an aerial view. You can see that the explosion started from behind the gas pipes. (00:01:50)
Deliberate mistake: The episode begins with a football game in pouring rain. After the winning goal is scored, the crowd shots show the cheerleaders' hair wet and their uniforms completely dry. (00:01:50)
Audio problem: When Sean flags down Whitney's truck, we hear his brakes squeal as he slams on the pedal. A few quick cuts later we see him do the same thing, apparently for the first time. (00:33:25)
Continuity mistake: When Sean emerges from the lake and goes to the campfire, his clothes are completely dry despite the fact that he was totally underwater for hours. (00:04:50)
Continuity mistake: When "Lex" threatens the bank manager, he points the gun at his face, but the next shot on the manager shows the gun at his throat. (00:01:35)
Continuity mistake: As Chloe leaves Clark calls out her name. In the shot from Chloe's side of the room, Clark is holding the pitchfork horizontally low in front of him. The shot switches, as Chloe finishes her turn, and now Clark is holding the pitchfork with his arm bent so that the pitchfork is no longer low in front of his waist.
Audio problem: When the thief with one arm tells his other two buddies to "check this out" the shot switches to the right side of him. In that shot you can see this guy say "check this out" again.
Audio problem: While Sean and Whitney are tossing the football at the lake edge, at one point we hear Whitney catch the ball offscreen while the camera is on Sean. The camera then cuts back to Whitney and he catches the ball on screen. (00:03:20)
Continuity mistake: In the intro to the final scene there is no light beneath the loft doors, yet at the end of the scene during the pullout a light has appear beneath them and it switched on.
Audio problem: After Clark's parents come home, after their anniversary dinner, Jonathan and Clark go to see Earl in the hospital. As the Doctor says "It looks like he's got some sort of mineral poisoning, but its not from any mineral I've seen before." For the first few words of that line her mouth does not match up to what is being said but the dialogue, and her mouth slowly come together at the end of the line.
Audio problem: The CD playing in Lex's car is heard at exactly the same volume and quality from outside the car when Lex has his windows up and when he rolls one down. (00:10:20)
Continuity mistake: Clark's hair goes from long to short and back to long as Clark, Pete and Chloe talk about Greg's tree fort.
Continuity mistake: Fordman's, the store Whitney is helping his father run, is directly across the street from The Talon. The store has a big blue sign out front with "Fordman's" written in large white letters. After Lana steals Lex's car, she drives down the street and the store is nowhere to be seen on the other side of the street.
Continuity mistake: When Chloe puts the photo of Dr. Hamilton on his desk she puts it on a book next to his arm. After the shot changes he is shown picking up the photo but now it is half resting on his arm.
Answer: The kryptonite only creates mutations when it reacts with the environment and an individual. Remember, the FDA and several environmental groups did check out Smallville after the meteor shower, but found no danger in the rocks. Obviously they're not always emitting mutating rays, or all the flora and fauna of the surrounding area would be horribly mutated.
Phoenix