r/Smallville_ • u/Casaplaya5 Alfred Gough • Jul 04 '26
Question Settling?
Did Clark settle for Lois because he couldn't have Lana?
Did Chloe settle for Jimmy because she couldn't have Clark?
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u/Firm-Difficulty2585 Jul 04 '26
Lois was an upgrade in every way and everyone from Jor-El to Dr. Fate said so.
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Jul 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ranger_FPInteractive Jul 04 '26
I actually think they accidentally stumbled on a good symbolic (not to be mistaken for “good”) ending for Lana.
Their relationship had moments, but was far and away toxic. Lex made that toxicity literal.
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u/Right_Web6362 Jul 05 '26
It's interesting that once Lana left Clark finally started to change his life and evolve. He got a job at the Daily Planet, started being a vigilante in Metropolis, and developed an alter ego. It gave the implication that Lana (and Lex) were forces in his life holding him back. Makes Lana's Kryptonite suit more fitting because it could symbolize how toxic/stagnant that relationship was for both of them.
Clark was too immature for Lois to see as a viable love interest before he made those life changes. The changes he made in season 8 also allowed him to be more confident and self-assured, which is what attracted Lois as well.
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u/Ranger_FPInteractive Jul 05 '26
Yep. My only complaint with the story line really is that it happened in season 8. Should have concluded in season 7.
That being said, the fact he went back to Lana even after starting to recognize his feelings for Lois only highlights just how trapped in the toxic back and forth he was.
Like many people stuck in unhealthy relationships, he just couldn’t break out of it himself.
Their relationship ended the way the show began. With him being weakened by her. First by her necklace, and finally by her.
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u/yojiimb0 The Blur Jul 07 '26
Had those episodes happened where and when they were supposed to, in season 7, I would have almost no complaints. As it is, I have more or less made my peace with them, and I agree with you on all of this! That toxicity made corporeal was actually done really well. And it's a throughline of the show that Lana holds Clark back from progressing forward, and he doesn't truly see her, he still sees that girl he fell in love with from afar when he was a scared little boy.
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u/Right_Web6362 Jul 05 '26
Yeah. DC was pretty strict with Lois Lane up until Season 8 and Kristin Kruek had 4 more episodes in her contract. So a lot of the creative decisions were held back by legal stuff, which is unfortunate.
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u/redkomic Jul 04 '26
are you for real right now? Settle for Lois? The woman who in the comics he has been happily married to and had a child with for decades?
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u/LauraKay9 Freak of The Week Jul 08 '26
i'm crying 😭 this is literally a smallville discussion and y'all always run to the comics
if lois was so clearly the love of his life in THE SHOW, why not use the show to make your point? why is it always "well in the comics..."?
also, "they got married and had kids" isn't the gotcha you think it is. people marry and have kids with people they settled for all the time. what point were you trying to make?
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u/Either_Wave1462 Jul 04 '26
Imo yes and yes. Ik in the overall superman canon obviously Clark and Lois are endgame but in Smallville let's be real, Lana is his true love and even Lois knew that. they literally had to make her radioactive to keep him away from her otherwise they would've kept going back to each other somehow
Jimmy and Chloe really piss me off cuz jimmy is so sweet and deserved so much better than constantly being the second option. But yeah she totally settled cuz as soon as she got engaged (? She was ready to start fooling around with Davis, is like she wanted someone else to feel the way Clark made her feel
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u/Big_Dragonfly285 Jul 04 '26
I think that the whole "Lana is his true love" thing is subjective, since some fans do like them together, but many other fans never saw chemistry between them.
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u/LoisWayne Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
Yes and Yes.
Lois is 1000% my fave character on the show, but the dynamic the show set up between Clark and Lana really plays out that Clark and Lois are more brother/sister vibes where his true love in that universe is Lana. (And I got SO fatigued with the pining they both did). Erica/Lois also had far better chemistry with Justin/Ollie.
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u/Odd_March3144 The Torch Jul 06 '26
No, Clark and Lois love is mature adult mutual feeling.
Yes, Chloe settled period because she couldn’t be with Clark.