What ‘Smallville’ Gets Right About Superman That Other Adaptations Don’t

The Big Picture

• The importance of Clark Kent’s relationship with his adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, is a key aspect of the Smallville TV series.
• Jonathan and Martha Kent instill Superman with his moral compass, guiding him to become the hero he is destined to be.
• Smallville beautifully showcases the influence of both Jonathan and Martha Kent on Clark’s life and destiny, emphasizing the vital role they play in shaping his character.

Since Superman first appeared on the page back in 1938, there have been countless interpretations of the character via radio serials, television shows, feature films, animated projects, and other non-comic book material that have sought to introduce the character to new audiences. After a few years off the airwaves, the Man of Steel returned to the screen in 2001 for the WB-turned-CW series Smallville. Telling the origin story of a teenage Clark Kent (Tom Welling) as he grew into Superman, Smallville got one thing right about the DC Comics character that other live-action adaptations have failed to highlight: the importance of his relationship with his adoptive parents.

Jonathan and Martha Kent Are Responsible for Instilling Superman With His Moral Compass

While the earliest Superman comic books didn’t highlight Ma and Pa Kent’s influence on their son’s crime-fighting career (back when they were Sarah and Eben Kent or Mary and John Kent, depending on the project), it wasn’t long before they became staples of the Man of Steel’s greater and ever-expanding mythology. Beginning with issues of Adventure Comics and Superboy during the Silver Age (1956-1970), which often retold the younger years of Superman back when he was still the Boy of Steel, Martha and Jonathan Kent became the definitive “Ma and Pa” Kent. Under those names, Superman’s parents ended up being the most important people in his life, shaping who he would become. Not everyone is equipped to handle parenting a superpowered alien from Krypton, but the Kents’ moral backbone and tough work ethic were the perfect combination for a young Clark to learn what he needed.

Over time, DC Comics flipped the script. While Jonathan usually dies before seeing Clark become Superman (or soon after), DC Comics began to keep both parents alive well into adulthood, beginning with The Man of Steel reboot penned by John Byrne. (Richard Donner‘s Superman: The Movie took to the old ways of doing things, but the comics kept them around.) Following suit, Smallville does exceptionally well at utilizing Jonathan (John Schneider) and Martha (Annette O’Toole) to guide Clark as he discovers his powers. Throughout the first five seasons, as Clark learns all his Kryptonian physiology can do, Jonathan and Martha are there to help. Without Jonathan’s guidance concerning each new ability and Martha’s complete support along the way, Smallville‘s Clark Kent would never have become Superman. This becomes more evident the longer the show goes on, highlighted in “Luthor” (Season 10, Episode 10) which depicts a broken world where Clark was raised by Lionel Luthor (John Glover) and turns out just like him.

Clark’s Parents Give Him Unwavering Support in ‘Smallville’

Part of growing up is making mistakes and learning from them; rarely in Superman-related media do we ever see Clark make drastically poor decisions. He screws up like any flawed hero, but not quite on the same level as Smallville‘s Clark Kent. Over ten seasons, Clark blows up his life, pushes his loved ones away, triggers his mother’s miscarriage, and is ultimately the reason his father dies in the series’ 100th episode (“Reckoning”). Yet, Clark learns from those mistakes every single time, becoming a better person and a better hero because of them.

For example, when Clark willingly puts on his Red Kryptonite ring in “Exodus” (Season 2, Episode 23) and leaves Smallville, he does so in part because he’s ashamed of what he’s done. However, his folks never give up on him, nor do they refuse to forgive their son for his foolishness. In fact, Jonathan even makes a deal with Jor-El (Terrence Stamp) to save Clark from his own reckless ways (a contributing factor to his later death). By doing so, Clark is forced to deal with the consequences of his actions. Because of Clark’s penchant for good, a trait instilled in him by the Kents, he’s often willing to put his own life on the line (powers or no powers) for the sake of others. He believes in Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) because his parents taught him to look for the best in people. Coincidentally, Clark stops trusting Lex later on, following in Jonathan’s judgmental footsteps.

Also, we certainly can’t forget how Martha’s love for her son manifests in “Crusade” (Season 4, Episode 1). This is part of the reason that Clark is able to come back from the mind wipe he received from Jor-El. Had it not been for Ma Kent’s willingness to put her own life on the line to save her son, he may never have returned and, likewise, Jonathan may never have awoken from his coma. In short, Smallville‘s ability to keep Clark grounded with the love of his family is part of what makes the show so special. Sure, Superboy and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman both also highlight Clark’s bond with his parents, but Smallville stands out because the show’s entire narrative is framed around it.

‘Smallville’ Highlights Jonathan Kent’s Influence on Clark, Even After His Death

By the time Jonathan Kent was killed, Clark had graduated from high school. Like previous incarnations (most notably Superman: The Movie), Smallville‘s Pa Kent dies before his son dons the cape and takes flight. But, that doesn’t stop Jonathan from being a driving influence on Clark’s life and destiny in the final five years of the show. If anything, it emphasizes how strong their bond was and how vital Jonathan’s moral lessons and stalwart character were to Clark’s upbringing.

Clark dies for a few moments in “Void” (Season. 5, Episode 17) and encounters his father in the afterlife. There, Clark tells his father that he can’t live on without him, but Jonathan believes in his son. “This is your destiny,” Jonathan tells Clark, urging him back to the land of the living. “You’re a symbol of peace, you’re a symbol of justice.” It’s an excellent moment, but not the only one that highlights how Jonathan continues to help his son from beyond the grave. Later, Jonathan continues to guide Clark as a spirit in “Lazarus” (Season 10, Episode 1). He again urges his son to continue toward his destiny, something that will finally be fulfilled come the series finale. But, first, he must visit the world where he was raised by Lionel Luthor.

Twice, Clark ventures to Earth-2. The second time, he confronts a broken and alone Jonathan Kent. Finally becoming the man his own father raised him to be, he inspires Jonathan’s doppelgänger to continue living and make amends with Martha in “Kent” (Season 10, Episode 17). Having come full circle, this moment reminds us that not only would Clark have become a monster had he been raised a Luthor, but the Kents themselves would’ve lived vastly different lives. So, when the ghost of Jonathan Kent hands Clark his cape in the show’s final episode, it’s no wonder that Smallville‘s finale is the most fitting transition from man to Superman we’ve ever seen unfold on our screens.

‘Smallville’ Also Beautifully Showcases Martha’s Role in Clark’s Life and Destiny

Jonathan isn’t the only one who plays ball in the parenting game in Smallville. Martha is just as vital to Clark’s journey, especially in the later years. Though she’s only part of the main cast for one season following Jonathan’s death (taking his Senate seat and moving to D.C. at the end of Season 6), Martha protects Clark in entirely new ways. Jonathan was the go-to when it came to new abilities and morality plays, while Martha always fought to protect her family from the shadows, a trait Clark later picked up in Season 9.

During the second season, Martha takes a job with Lionel Luthor in order to keep their family afloat, but also to protect Clark’s secret, which Lionel was dangerously close to uncovering. While Jonathan often took the physical approach to the Luthor threat (which ultimately cost him his life), Martha was much more tactical. She uses her position to learn what Lionel knows about Clark and destroy it, and eventually does the same with her political power later on, posing as the Red Queen to infiltrate Checkmate and protect Clark’s identity from world leaders.

While Martha’s role in espionage was entirely crafted for the sake of Smallville, her kind demeanor and heartwarming character are straight from the comics. When Clark accidentally kills an alien tyrant in Season 6, he recognizes the mistake he’s made in taking a life. He knew it was his only choice, but he also knew that he was raised better than that. Martha reassures her son that those emotions, that conflict, are part of what makes him human (well, you know what she means). She’s right, after all, and it’s Clark’s view of himself as one of us that connects him to humanity. When he loses that connection, things usually get dark quickly, and we’re not just talking about his Season 9 trench coat.

‘Smallville’ Succeeded Where ‘Man of Steel’ Failed, and ‘Superman & Lois’ Carries the Torch

Part of why Smallville is still so beloved after all these years is that the show never wavered in its morality. The Kents’ strong sense of morality is ultimately what pushes Clark to develop his own. Despite their flaws concerning anger (Jonathan) and deception (Martha), which Clark ultimately inherits and is forced to work through himself, the Kents’ sturdy backbone is what puts Clark on the path to becoming a hero in the first place. He goes from always being at the right place at the right time to actively seeking out people to save, something his parents never dreamed of when he was in high school.

By contrast, Zack Snyder‘s controversial Man of Steel features a Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) who isn’t sure if his son should save people. Of course, the end to this line of thinking results in Jonathan’s arguably senseless death, and as a result, Clark (Henry Cavill) travels the world in self-discovery before publicly revealing himself. “People are afraid of what they don’t understand,” Jonathan tells his son, later reminding him that he has to decide who he is going to be — a man of good character or bad. While this thought doesn’t seem too far off on the surface, the twisting of Pa Kent’s moral compass ultimately points Clark in a different direction. “I don’t know, maybe,” he explains when a young Clark asks if he should’ve let a school bus full of kids die. That’s not the Jonathan Kent we know, and it’s certainly not the one Smallville portrays.

Thankfully, the Smallville legacy lives on in shows like Superman & Lois, where Tyler Hoechlin‘s Man of Steel takes on both the Jonathan and Martha roles in order to protect his twin sons and teach them the best way to live. His example as a hero is a lot to live up to, admittedly, but it stems from the way his parents raised him. If there’s one thing that makes Smallville worth an extensive watch (or a hundredth rewatch if you’re anything like this author), it’s the show’s intricate and powerful interpretation of Ma and Pa Kent.

Smallville can be streamed exclusively on Hulu.

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