Prophecy 17

Key

This prophecy appeared in issue #8 of the Smallville comic. The key is simply the alphabet backwards.

Using this key allows the main message to be deciphered. The remaining bits, consisting of Roman numerals and numbers, can be deciphered using a technique similar to that used to decode Prophecy 12, Prophecy 13, and Prophecy 15. Continue reading...

Translation and Hidden Message

When the key is used to decode the prophecy, this message is revealed:

You either die on the inside or trying to get out. The choice is yours; the choice is here.

I:A:1:iii, 4:vi, 5:vi, 5:vii, 8:iv, 12:iv, 17:iv, 17:viii, 18:v, 23:iii, 36:iv, 36:vii, 41:iv, 41:v, 41:vi, 41:vii, 41:viii!!!

Never armed our souls for what the future would hold when we were innocent.

I:A:3:vi, 10:v, 11:iii, 23:i, 27:iii, 30:i, 30:ii, 31:v, 42:i, 44:ii, 45:ii, 46:ii, 52:i, 54:ii, 54:iii, 55:ix B:6:iv, 14:iii, 14:iv, 14:vi!!!

I get so lonely in this crowd. I want to scream but make no sound. And yeah, I'm lost, but maybe I'll be fine.

II:A:22:ii, 22:vii, 25:iii, 25:iv, 27:iii, 40:i, 40:ii, 43:iii B:3:iii, 10:iv, 12:iii, 18:i, 25:i!!!

Two can play this game. We both want power. In winter, we can taste the pain.

IV:A:8:vi, 10:ii, 12:v, 14:vi, 44:iii, 48:i B:7:ii, 8iii!!!

Hang your head till tomorrow. Look to the stars for your muse. Yeah, the world's better mellow.

II:A:1:i, 3:ii, 8:viii, 9:iii, 12:iii, 23:iii, 27:vii, 29:iii, 29:iv, 30:v, 38:ii, 39:i, 39:ii, 39:iii, 45:i, 52:i, 59:viii, 60:iii, 62:i

All of these sentences are song lyrics, and they can be found in the following episodes: "Hourglass," "Craving," "Metamorphosis," "X-Ray," and "Jitters."

Examine the headlines of the Ledger articles appearing after the five aforementioned episodes. The first number (uppercase Roman numeral) indicates which headline to use, the letter indicates which paragraph to use, second (standard number) indicates which word to use, and the third (lowercase Roman numeral) indicates which letter to use. By doing this,

I:A:1:iii, 4:vi, 5:vi, 5:vii, 8:iv, 12:iv, 17:iv, 17:viii, 18:v, 23:iii, 36:iv, 36:vii, 41:iv, 41:v, 41:vi, 41:vii, 41:viii!!!	translates to	Ethereal emptiness
I:A:3:vi, 10:v, 11:iii, 23:i, 27:iii, 30:i, 30:ii, 31:v, 42:i, 44:ii, 45:ii, 46:ii, 52:i, 54:ii, 54:iii, 55:ix B:6:iv, 14:iii, 14:iv, 14:vi!!!	translates to	Space between the space
II:A:22:ii, 22:vii, 25:iii, 25:iv, 27:iii, 40:i, 40:ii, 43:iii B:3:iii, 10:iv, 12:iii, 18:i, 25:i!!!	translates to	Misty for Ole S S
IV:A:8:vi, 10:ii, 12:v, 14:vi, 44:iii, 48:i B:7:ii, 8iii!!!	translates to	No escape
II:A:1:i, 3:ii, 8:viii, 9:iii, 12:iii, 23:iii, 27:vii, 29:iii, 29:iv, 30:v, 38:ii, 39:i, 39:ii, 39:iii, 45:i, 52:i, 59:viii, 60:iii, 62:i	translates to	Walls within the walls

Interpretation

You either die on the inside or trying to get out. The choice is yours; the choice is here.

These are lyrics from Dispatch's "Time Served," which was played in "Hourglass."

Never armed our souls for what the future would hold when we were innocent.

These are lyrics from Fuel's "Innocent," which was played in "Craving."

I get so lonely in this crowd. I want to scream but make no sound. And yeah, I'm lost, but maybe I'll be fine.

These are lyrics from Better than Ezra's "I Do," which was played in "Metamorphosis."

Two can play this game. We both want power. In winter, we can taste the pain.

These are lyrics from Alien Ant Farm's "Movies," which was played in "X-Ray."

Hang your head till tomorrow. Look to the stars for your muse. Yeah, the world's better mellow.

These are lyrics from The Cult's "My Bridges Burn," which was played in "Jitters."

Ethereal emptiness, space between the space, and walls within walls

These phrases surely refer to the mysterious world inside the cave walls...

No escape

Clark cannot escape his destiny... Or Jor-El.