Pete's temporary elastic powers originally belonged to Jimmy Olsen in the comics.
In Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #37 (June 1959), Jimmy drinks a serum which turns him into Elastic Lad. In this episode, Jimmy dubs Pete "Elastic Man".
Lex inspects a small Roman soldier figure. This is the same figure the good side of Lex (Alexander) was playing with in Lex's mind in Fracture. This is the first time Lex has shown interest in his good side.
Lex notes that the first meteor shower was on October 7, 1989. However, Chloe Sullivan says in the Chloe Chronicles that it was on October 16, which corresponds to the air date of the Pilot.
Pete's powers are very similar to DC Comics superhero called Plastic Man and Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) and Marvel Comics superhero Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic).