In one’s life, you meet people who end up molding you into the type of person that you will one day be. Each person gives a bit of themselves to enable you to be a better, more rounded individual. Clark Kent is no different. He has come in contact with many different kinds of people, some friendly and some not. Some who were helpful, while others hurtful. But out of all of these, none have been more influential than the many women that he has met thus far in his life’s journey.
If you have to pick a point to start from, it has to be Lara, his Kryptonian mother. As the world around her was destroying itself, she was only concerned with the safety and well being of her infant son, Kal-El. With a gentle touch and the love of a mother, Lara sent her baby hurtling through the stars, never to be seen again. Clark has only heard his real mother?s voice, but he knows how much he was loved. What Lara worried about the most was if any one would love him. Her ultimate sacrifice allowed her only child to have a better life than she could provide.
(Left) The Kent family - Jonathan, Martha & Clark (Right) Martha in the episode "Arrow".
The next woman in Clark’s life is Martha Kent. She first laid eyes on this precious child on the day of the meteor shower in Smallville. She and Jonathon, with the help of Lionel Luthor, adopted Clark as their own. From the beginning, it was Martha who tried to help her son to have a normal life. She was the go-between with his Earth father when it came to dealing with more “human” matters. Martha has always helped and cautioned him when it came to his love life. She has always been there to offer advice, love and support to his son. Being strong and smart, she has aided him to be a better man by helping him to understand the ways of the heart by showing him with examples of her love for Clark’s dad, Jonathon Kent. Now that she is a Senator, Martha is showing him how to help others by looking out for others’ best interests. Clark loves his mother and his mother would do anything to protect her son. Many times, Martha has been the one to rescue Clark. When he came back as Kal-El after being missing for three months, it was she who separated Clark from Kal-El. Martha Kent would die to save her son, she loves him that much.
Since Clark was 5 years old, he has been in love with one girl. Her name is Lana Lang. For many years, she lived in the house nearest to his. They went to the same high school, and even shared some classes together. She is his beautiful raven haired girl next door, and it was love at first sight. For so long, Clark pined after her, only to be denied because she had other boyfriends. They have tried to work as a couple only to have his secret ruin them. Lana has proven to be a smart, independent woman, to a degree. She still allows herself to be manipulated by a man. Now it is Lex Luthor, Clark’s enemy. It has broken Clark?s heart that Lana went to Lex. But, Clark was unwilling to let her all the way in because he felt she would be in danger. Where will they go from here? It is a guess. One can only hope that they could go back to better times of innocence, a sense of purity and love. Clark Kent will always have a place in his heart for Lana Lang, no matter what happens in the end.
The three women of Clark's teenage life. Chloe and Lana in the episode "Lexmas" and Lois in the episode "Wither".
Chloe Sullivan entered Clark’s life when she was eight years old. She was his first kiss ever and carried a crush for him for many years. Clark and Chloe dabbled briefly in a romantic relationship but it was soon abandoned when Chloe realized that Clark only loved one woman: Lana Lang. So they allowed themselves to go back to being friends, and Chloe has become one of his closest friends. She was his editor at ‘The Torch’ and helped give him the journalism bug. They have had many crazy Freaks of the Week adventures and she helps him solve them with her vast resources through the computer and friends in all types of jobs. Once Chloe found out about his secret, she has been an even bigger asset by helping him to keep it and to warn him of any danger that she comes across. She has become the Robin to his Batman, the Mr. Watson to his Sherlock, Donkey to his Shrek. She has always tried to help Clark realize his full potential, whether he wanted to see it or not. Their love life may be long gone, but she has always been the sister he never had.
If you are going to mention Lana and Chloe, you can not forget to mention one of the biggest pains in Clark?s life at the moment. None other than Lois Lane. Most of the time, Clark and Lois tend to pick on each other. She gets on his nerves being so bossy and over bearing. She thinks he is a wimpy, goody-goody farm boy whom she calls ‘Smallville.’ There is no love lost between them. She busts his chops most of the time and doesn’t give him much credit for anything. But there are times when they have their moments. It is like a brother/sister relationship at the moment but is there more slightly under the surface? Is her rough exterior crumbling ever so slightly and is she warming up to that Clark Kent charm? Maybe not yet, but some day she will.
You can’t mention the women in Clark’s life with out mentioning two women that helped bring out two of his powers. The first is Tina Greer, a shape shifter who was in love with Lana Lang. When she appeared, Clark developed his X-ray vision. She even went so far as to morph into Clark to try and win Lana over. Ultimately her plan to get Lana failed, but her appearance still managed to bring out a rare ability in Clark.
(Left to right) Tina Greer and Desiree Atkins are two of the women who helped bring out Clark's powers. Kyla Willowbrook and Alicia Baker are just two of the women who diverted Clark's hear away from Lana Lang.
Another woman who helped him gain one of his powers is Desiree Atkins. She controlled men by using pheromones. She had control of Lex and they ended up getting married. When Clark first saw her, he developed a more hormonal power; heat vision. Clark had to learn control it, so he wouldn’t send the whole place up in flames. He defeated Desiree in the end and saved Lex and Jonathon from killing each other. Even if she was a Freak of the Week, she still helped Clark to gain a super power.
There have been a few girls that Clark has met along the way whom have momentarily diverted Clark?s heart away from Lana Lang. The first was Kyla Willowbrook. She was a Native American who could change into a wolf. She was trying to keep the Luthors’ from destroying the Kiwatchie Cave. Kyla also figures out part of Clark’s secret for she believed that he is “Naman.” Clark develops a relationship with her for a brief time but she died before anything else could happen.
Clark then met Alicia Baker, who was a teleporter. He told her some of his secrets and he fell in love with her. The first time they met, she tried to kill Lana but was stopped and sent to Belle Reeve. When she got out after being supposedly cured, Clark again started a relationship with her. It got him in trouble because she gave him Red Kryptonite and they ran off to Las Vegas where they got married. Fortunately it was annulled, but they continued to date. Soon after, Alicia was accused of attacking Lana and a few other people. She was killed by a Freak of the Week in the end, leaving Clark extremely depressed. This was the first time that Clark was able to be free to love someone, and be himself. Even though they had a warped relationship, it still was a good thing because he could be who he truly was.
Lastly, in the “Diversionary Girls” department, we have Simone. She was able to hypnotize Clark into falling in love with her. He even made out with this girl in front of Lana. And Simone had him try to kill Lex as well. He breaks free from her clutches but the damage of what Clark had done to Lana had already been done. Through Simone, Clark realized that if there was one thing that was hurting Lana, it was him. He decided to tell her that he no longer loved her; his first successful job at lying to her, and ended their relationship. Is Clark doomed to be alone for ever?
There have also been two women that were Kryptonians. Actually we find out that the first one he meets is not actually a Kryptonian after all. Jor-El had just used this woman who called herself Kara as a vessel. She was there to make sure Clark started his training. She kept telling him that everyone would leave him, and betray him. So, he relents and goes with her to the Kiwatchie Caves where Jonathon reveals that she is not this Kryptonian named Kara, but an actual Earthling. It didn’t matter actually because Clark allowed himself, to save Jonathon, to be sucked into the portal where Clark was to be reborn. Kara briefly showed him that he would never be one of them. He was different and maybe he needed to learn about his true heritage.
Raya with Clark in the Fortress of Solitude in the Season 6 episode "Fallout".
Then Raya appeared. She was the true Kryptonian who helped him escape from the Phantom Zone. It seems she was an assistant to Jor-El and maybe something more. At Clark’s escape he thinks she is killed but she returns to Smallville to help him since there were other Zoners who escaped with him. She tells Clark that he was not only sent to Smallville because his father had been here before and knew he would be cared for. The main reason in because he was to be Earth?s protector. The reason that he never known this was because he had not completed his training. Raya shows him how to reanimate the Fortress of Solitude and helps him to embrace his destiny. Through her death, Clark is more eager and accepting of the fact that he is different and that he needs to answer the calling that he has. He is ready to pick up the mantle and become a true hero.
As you can see, it takes a lot of different kinds of women to make Clark Kent the man he is right now. Some have been great assets and others have been nothing more than trouble. But he has learned something from each and every one. There will be more women, and men for that matter, in Clark’s life that will impact his journey in some way. To be great, you need others to lean on and to learn from. Clark is just beginning to make that step towards greatness; there are a lot more acquaintances to make and knowledge to gain. But we must never forget the first women who have made and impression on his life.
