Smallville’s Superman Origin Was Ruined by the Arrowverse

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While most Superman adaptations jump right into the action, this show took a different approach, carefully detailing Clark Kent’s beginnings. It spent so much time exploring his origin story that the series culminated with him finally becoming Superman – a triumphant moment that delivered on a decade-long promise to viewers.

Throughout the series, Clark Kent gradually accepted his destiny as Superman. In the final scene, he dramatically revealed his iconic costume by opening his coat, bringing the show to a close. Tom Welling’s take on Superman’s beginnings has become incredibly important to the character’s history, and today, it’s hard to think about Superman without also thinking about Smallville. Later attempts to expand on the story didn’t quite fit with what the show had established.

Clark’s Future Was Revealed in Smallville

A major element of Smallville was dramatic irony. The show’s characters were always in the dark about Clark’s ultimate destiny, but viewers generally knew where his story was headed: becoming Superman with the iconic S-shield, cape, and a life split between the Daily Planet and the Justice League. This was common knowledge. Even those unfamiliar with the details could sense his incredible potential.

The introduction of the Legion in Season 8, Episode 11, “Legion,” was particularly captivating because they arrived from the 31st century, altering Superman’s destiny by revealing themselves to him.

The core idea behind “Legion” is that people living a thousand years in the future would still remember Clark Kent as an extraordinary figure. They believed he’d have a lasting effect on the entire galaxy, and they even knew the specific way he would achieve this.

Lightning Lad (Garth) of the Legion noticed that this new hero wasn’t like Superman at all – no glasses, no costume, and no flying. It showed how well everyone knew Superman’s secret identity as Clark Kent, expecting to see him as the mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet, even while secretly operating as a superhero.

This wasn’t the only hint of Clark Kent’s potential. In Season 10, Episode 4, “Homecoming,” Clark travels to the future and meets Lois Lane (Erica Durance), who already knows he’s Superman. Throughout the episode, she tries to protect his secret while also showing him that he will become a famous hero. He even gets a glimpse of his future self.

Simply reassuring him about the future is enough. He’ll eventually find a way to manage his heroic duties with his personal life, and his true love will remain by his side. It’s a heartwarming look into his character, and it even gives him extra drive to succeed.

Clark Later Appeared in the Arrowverse, Retired From Life as Superman

The hopeful conclusion of Smallville wouldn’t last. During the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline, Clark encountered other heroes and a different version of Lex Luthor. He teamed up with Supermans played by Tyler Hoechlin, Lois Lanes portrayed by Elizabeth Tulloch, and Iris West-Allen as played by Candice Patton, all of whom worked to protect him from Lex Luthor, played by Jon Cryer.

Lex Luthor was determined to eliminate all Supermen throughout the multiverse, putting Clark Kent from Smallville in serious peril. However, he didn’t realize that not every Superman relied on immense strength and invulnerability.

The Arrowverse storyline showed Superman gradually losing his superpowers. While he wasn’t physically harmed, his usual weaknesses became a problem, and he could no longer fly or use his heat vision. Despite this, he remained strong and could still fight. He and his wife, Lois Lane, retired to a farm to raise their two daughters, but unfortunately, his story didn’t have a happy ending.

Everything he had built would be wiped away, effectively erasing his story. He’d be remembered only as a farmer who gave up trying to be a hero after losing his abilities, and the great savior everyone expected would never emerge.

The Arrowverse Disputed Clark’s Alleged Future

As a big fan of Smallville, I always felt a little disappointed by what happened with the Arrowverse. Instead of respecting the beautiful ending Smallville already had, it felt like they tried to rewrite it, giving us a different conclusion. And honestly, that one scene they added? It was incredibly divisive and people still talk about how much they disliked it!

The whole point of Smallville was to show Clark Kent becoming the hero he was meant to be. Over ten seasons, he struggled with his fate and ultimately learned to balance his life as both Clark Kent and Superman. It was a clever idea, so the thought of a short special undermining all of that is disappointing. There simply wasn’t a good reason to risk damaging the show’s lasting impact.

Thankfully, that didn’t come to pass. Even though Tom Welling’s version of Clark was shown, his story wasn’t forgotten. While it wasn’t obvious at first, his world wasn’t destroyed forever. Earth-167, his home, was actually restored when the universe was reset, fitting with the larger story. The reset is what seems to have started the show in the first place.

I always saw Smallville as a story that set the stage for everything else, not a prediction of what was to come. It really felt like the beginning – the events directly caused the creation of this new Earth-167 and another meteor shower, essentially restarting the whole cycle. It wasn’t about hinting at the future, but about causing it.

Both storylines can work together, but bringing Tom Welling back as older Clark felt unnecessary. It was a brief nod to fans that didn’t really add anything to the story, and his character’s exit wasn’t particularly memorable. Ultimately, it didn’t meaningfully affect Smallville‘s overall narrative or its lasting impact.

Bringing in elements from the Arrowverse felt unnecessary. It seemed like a way to benefit from a past hit show without a good reason for the connection. Smallville already established the direction of Clark Kent’s story, so there wasn’t a compelling reason to potentially damage that established path for a brief appearance in Batwoman.

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2026-04-09 06:37