Long before the ‘MCU‘ turned serialized superhero storytelling into Hollywood’s dominant formula, ‘Smallville’ quietly changed the genre on television. The series premiered on The WB in 2001 and approached Superman from a completely different angle. Instead of focusing on capes, world-ending battles, or alien invasions, the series focused on Clark Kent as a confused teenager trying to understand himself.
In a way, it could be said that the showrunners took inspiration from Richard Donner’s classic ‘Superman’ (1978), which presented the hero as a man who is more human than god-like. However, unlike ‘Superman,’ ‘Smallville’ told a much darker story with deep psychological insights into the nature of power and its effect on people.
There Was No Superman Costume
The basis for everything that happens in the series is a simple yet very strict rule from the showrunners. Namely, “there was no Superman costume, and there was no flying,” meaning Clark Kent would not wear the suit or fully fly until the final season. Therefore, the writers needed to think outside the box and create a story revolving around Clark’s psychological development.
In other words, the audience is made to see that the transformation into Superman requires much more than donning a suit. The process takes years and involves numerous failures, painful experiences, and difficult decisions. Each season of ‘Smallville’ is devoted to Clark’s gradual transition from an insecure kid into a protector and superhero.
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The long-term television structure was also an essential factor. While earlier films often rushed through the origin story in less than an hour, ‘Smallville’ stretched it across 10 seasons. In this regard, the series uses Clark’s extraordinary powers as metaphors for the awkwardness and fears of teenage life and adolescence.
The writers used Clark’s insecurities to build the plot. His struggles with revealing his true nature, fear of rejection, and desire to fit into society become the backbone of the series.
Smallville Redefined Lex Luthor
The series also offers an interesting portrayal of another major DC Comics character, Lex Luthor. Michael Rosenbaum portrayed Lex as Clark’s childhood friend until they parted ways because of their ideological differences.
Lex is intelligent, lonely, and desperate for validation from his abusive father, Lionel Luthor. However, since the audience knows that the character will eventually become the primary antagonist, each small step toward corruption carries tremendous weight.
For example, Lex’s desire to save the family farm and gain his father’s approval becomes one of the driving forces behind his actions. As a result, ‘Smallville’ delivered one of the strongest portrayals of the relationship between Clark Kent and Lex Luthor in superhero television history.
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Smallville Built A Shared Universe Before Marvel
Unlike later Marvel films, ‘Smallville’ did not have a cinematic universe and, therefore, did not need the “Avengers Initiative” that Nick Fury mentions at the end of ‘Iron Man’ (2008). However, the showrunners still introduced several future heroes to see whether audiences would enjoy following multiple heroes within one connected universe.
In this regard, ‘Smallville’ successfully created its own television, Justice League. In addition to Clark Kent, audiences met heroes such as Green Arrow, Aquaman, Cyborg, and even the Flash, played through Bart Allen’s version of the character. Importantly, none of these introductions felt artificial because all of them organically fit into Clark’s story.
Finally, ‘Smallville’ solved one of the major issues critics often raised about Superman. Many argued that the character felt too powerful and emotionally distant. To solve this problem, the series showed how Jonathan and Martha Kent shaped Clark’s personality through their guidance and values.
John Schneider and Annette O’Toole portrayed the couple throughout the series. In other words, Clark becomes a hero because of the moral values the Kents taught him.
Ultimately, ‘Smallville’ proved that a superhero origin story works best when it focuses on humanity first. Later, Marvel built its entire cinematic universe around this principle.
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