Airing initially in 2001, the Smallville television series ran for 10 years, helping to develop the legacy of the iconic figure Superman. Portrayed by actor Tom Welling, the series based on the DC character took the legendry character in a new direction. Instead of showing the Superman audiences had been seeing since George Reeves back in 1952, fans were introduced to a teenage Clark Kent and followed his life through to adulthood and learned what kind of experiences and training goes into creating a hero like Superman.
The series gave depth to a character that had none to the general public and helped to ground him and make his character more likable.
10 Lex & Clark Grew Up Together
As a lifelong enemy of Superman, the evil Lex Luthor needed to be featured in the series. So, the writers chose to make Lex a key figure in Clark’s early life as we watch them grow close almost like brothers. As Lex spirals further and further into insanity due to his obsession with Clark’s powers and the disappointment of his father, Lex’s story is tied directly to Clark’s, making their constant battling feel sadder than in the original continuity. Lex acts less like a mad scientist, and more like a reminder to Clark of the person he couldn’t save.
9 Clark Made A Lot Of Mistakes
Whether it be through the corruption from some form of kryptonite, or through his own doing, Clark made many mistakes in his heroics throughout Smallville. He would lose fights, act out of aggression, or make the wrong decision. This made the great Man of Steel fallible. It shows that the creation of such an icon takes time, effort and a lot of practice before the title of Superman could be attained. It breaks the longstanding opinion that he is too perfect, adding greater depth overall to the hero.
8 He Met With The Justice Society
After Clark had left his small-town home of Smallville, he moved to the great bustling city of Metropolis. In his time there, he encountered many things that further defined his character as a superhero. One of those primary experiences was his encounter with the Justice Society of America. These were the first superheroes Clark had encountered. Figures such as The Flash and The Green Arrow were just miscreants and lawless vigilantes out for their own reasons. The JSA were genuine superheroes and would go on to inspire his mantle as Superman.
7 Clark Met The Justice League Early In His Career
On a wider scale, Smallville was also a retelling of the DC timeline, featuring a great number of characters from across the large lexicon of comics. From The Flash and Cyborg, to even the Legion of Superheroes all the way from the 31st century, the series features dozens of beloved characters to make the world feel much wider than where it started in the little town of Smallville.
Clark met each of these figures before he became Superman and established many of his lifelong friendships early in his career.
6 Clark Was A Vigilante Before He Became Superman
During his time in Metropolis, Clark saw that his powers could be put to good use to battle crime in the city. Using his blinding speed, Clark would apprehend criminals in a colored blur before anyone knew what was happening. This earned him the moniker, the Red-Blue-Blur, becoming the city’s new favored protector in a time that forgot the efforts of the Justice Society of America, and would later become the foundation for the classic red and blue color scheme for his first Superman costume.
5 The Meteor Shower Meant More
The meteor shower of Smallville had a greater lasting effect on the town, and Clark himself as he constantly had to face pieces of his home. The rapid increase in enhanced humans was also what inspired Clark to use his powers for good. From social outcasts to coaches with severe anger issues, Clark used his abilities time and time again to protect the innocent. He battled enemies across Smallville while working to hide his identity. It was these first encounters that led Clark on the path to becoming Superman.
4 Clark Learned About The Timeline & The Multiverse
Clark was introduced to concepts such as a greater timeline and the multiverse at a much earlier stage in his career than is portrayed in the comics. From the tyrannical rule of Clark Luthor, also known as Ultraman, to the further future in the realm of the Legion of Superheroes—Clark was well-versed in the greater cosmic scale of the universe before he even took up the mantle.
Seeing the larger cosmos gave him the wisdom to consider greater powers and further improved his awareness in creating the perfect image of the icon of Superman.
3 The Superhero Community is Developed Because Of Him
For many of the other superhero characters in the series, it was Clark’s actions that inspired them to step up and choose a better path to walk or return to the world of heroics in the case of the Justice Society of America. He and his friend Chole managed the unfortunately-named ISIS foundation to help those with powers learn to fit in society. Clark was the catalyst to the beginning of a golden age of heroes and assembled the foundation for what would later become the first Justice League on his Earth.
2 He Didn't Start With A Suit
What drew many to the concept of Smallville was that it was a Superman show without Superman. Clark was the main character, not Superman. He had no alter ego, he never flew, and mainly, he had no suit. The show’s creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar made a note to never feature Clark wearing the suit throughout the series, only ever featured in the finale where Clark finally settles on the title of Superman officially. Removing the suit and title allowed audiences to learn more about the human side of Clark.
1 His Alien Origins Are More Deeply Explored
The early seasons of Smallville are almost entirely devoted to Clark’s alien origins as various characters including the Kent family, are trying to learn where the meteor shower came from, why its remains can create powers, and where Clark’s powers came from. Ancient ruins and Kryptonian ships are major plot points as they are discovered, stolen, and studied, forcing Clark to face the thing that reminds him that he is not human and he must confront it head-on. This allows the audience to learn about the separation that Clark feels from the human race he has sworn to protect.