- A tearful couple appear on television to appeal for the return of their lost son, Ashley. According to Mr. Smith's analysis of the boys' DNA, 'Ashley' and Luke are the same person and, after Chrissie Jackson has called the police, a reluctant Luke is returned 'home'. He is locked in his room by the couple, who are, in fact Slitheen, as is another boy, a child genius called Nathan, though Luke knew him previously as Carl. The Slitheen get in touch with 'the Xylok', for instructions, but the Xylok turns out to be Mr. Smith, who has turned rogue and plans to destroy the Earth by releasing others of the Xylok race.—don @ minifie-1
- Maria Jackson tells her dad, Alan, all about her adventures with Sarah Jane Smith, Luke, and Clyde, since they've moved in to Bannerman Road. Alan is having trouble taking it all in, and decides to sell their house and move as soon as possible to keep his daughter safe. Maria runs to Sarah Jane's house to tell her the news and ask for her help convincing Alan to stay, but he still thinks the dangers inherent in what they do is not worth the risk. Maria passionately tells him about the wonders the universe has to offer along with the occasional hostile alien, and Alan eventually softens and decides not to move.
Later, a distraught couple release a desperate televised appeal for the return of their missing son, Ashley Stafford, who's been gone for nearly half a year. To Sarah Jane's shock, the photo of the lost teen looks identical to Luke. She and Luke go to the attic, thinking perhaps the Bane grew their archetype based on the missing boy, and Mr. Smith scans Luke and compares his DNA with that of Ashley. Despite Luke's protestations that he cannot remember anything before meeting Sarah Jane and Maria in the Bane facility, Mr. Smith says they are a match. Sarah Jane asks why he does not have a navel, and Mr. Smith explains that the Bane must have surgically removed it. There is almost no chance of a mistake. Maria and Alan have seen the news broadcast, and Chrissie comes over, having already called the police on Sarah Jane. When the police arrive, Sarah Jane tries to reassure Luke, who is confused as to why his perfect memory cannot recall his own so-called parents. Sarah Jane comforts him, saying his real parents will be able to give him a safe, normal life that she could never provide. They go outside and are confronted with Ashley's parents, who tearfully embrace Luke. He admits he does not remember them, and they furiously claim that Sarah Jane must have done something to him. Clyde, Maria, and Alan watch helplessly as the police arrest Sarah Jane and take Luke away with his parents.
At the police station, the authorities are forced to release Sarah Jane without charge when orders come down from UNIT. They warn her to stay away from "Ashley" from now on. Meanwhile, Luke arrives with Mr. and Mrs. Stafford to their house, but Luke does not recognize anything inside, despite pictures of him and supposed family traditions. That night, Luke goes to his room, still recognizing nothing, but soon finds his door has been lock behind him. Downstairs, the Staffords contact an unseen creature, happily telling it that they have the boy. Maria goes to Sarah Jane to console her, but Sarah Jane brushes her off saying it's all for the best and children have no place with her. She tells Maria to forget about her before she gets hurt, and Maria leaves, devastated. Sarah Jane goes to be alone in the attic, but Mr. Smith emerges unbidden to tells her about telekinetic experiments at the Pharos Institute, saying she needs a case to keep her busy.
The next morning, Mr. Stafford tells Luke he will no longer be attending school, and will not see Maria or Clyde again. Luke asks how he knew his friends' names, since he never mentioned them, but Stafford brushes him off, locking his windows and door. At school, Maria fills Clyde in on Sarah Jane's decision to keep them out of her earth-defending activities, and that Luke will likely be attending his old school. Worried about him, they decide to skip school and make sure he's okay, though Maria is caught by a teacher, leaving only Clyde to sneak off. Sarah Jane goes to the Pharos Institute to investigate for a "story", and is warmly welcomed and shown around by the head scientist. She shows Sarah Jane MITRE, the headset they are using to attempt to control objects with the mind alone. Though, the technology is ahead of its time, and is unstable. Sarah Jane is introduced to twelve-year-old Nathan Goss, a child prodigy who designed MITRE. He is extremely conceited and becomes angry when he finds out they showed Sarah Jane the headset. He sends them away, Sarah Jane telling him she knows someone with twice his supposed genius, which only angers Nathan more.
Clyde goes to the Stafford house and asks to see Luke, but Mrs. Stafford is extremely aggressive towards him and claims Luke is not home. Clyde confronts their strange story and lack of resemblance to their "son". To prove it, Mrs. Stafford gives Clyde a photo showing them with Ashley on his birthday, saying they gave him a skateboard, which he was apparently skilled in, and sends Clyde away. Luke goes frantic after seeing Clyde leave and tries to get his attention, to no avail. He begins to search his room for a way to escape. Clyde calls Maria and tells her about the encounter and his suspicions. He says that they claim their son was an excellent skateboarder, but Luke can barely stand up on one. He thinks the photo they gave him is a fake and heads over to ask Mr. Smith to check it out. At Sarah Jane's house, Mr. Smith says that even with Nathan Goss's supposed IQ, he should not be able to develop a telekinetic headset, and suggests Sarah Jane go back and steal one for him to analyze. Luke finds a metal ruler, which he uses as a makeshift tool to unlock his door. Downstairs, Nathan Goss arrives and tells the Staffords about Sarah Jane's visit to the Pharos Institue and that she knows about MITRE. They say their ally, the Xylok, was supposed to keep her at bay, and Nathan berates them for trusting the creature. Luke tries to sneak out, but the creaky floors give him away and his attempt to run for it fails. They take him back inside, and the Staffords unzip their foreheads to reveal that they are in fact Slitheen, made slim by new technology. Nathan reveals that he is in fact the Slitheen child formerly known as Carl, and tells Luke he plans to get revenge on him for causing the death of his father and foiling their plans to destroy earth.
Clyde makes it to number 13 just as Sarah Jane leaves, but goes upstairs to speak with Mr. Smith. Without even analyzing the photo, Mr. Smith confirms that it is a fake, revealing that he faked it. He tells Clyde that he is a Xylok, and needs Clyde to help him achieve his purpose, before zapping him away.
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