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Allusions to the Superman Universe

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This article describes various allusions in the American television series Smallville. Most items relate to the various Superman-related comic books, films and other media, but are not limited to such. The list is only a small sampling of allusions, generated by viewers and comics fans, but not necessarily verified by the show's producers or writers.

Contents

Superman
Superman


[edit] Constant

  • Clark is almost always seen wearing combinations of red, yellow and blue; this is an allusion of his costume to come. He is sometimes seen wearing a combination of red, white and blue; which is an allusion to his patriotism and his future superhero slogan, "Truth, Justice and the American Way".
  • The many colors of kryptonite that appear in Smallville are very much like the varieties of the xenomineral that existed before the 1986 retcon "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and after the 2007 retcon in "Infinite Crisis". Like the comic, each color of kryptonite has its own unique effects. Green kryptonite remains unchanged.
  • Lex is often seen wearing purple and black, the colors associated with his character from the various comic and TV sources.
  • In Seasons 1-4 Smallville High School's mascot, the crow, wears a red cape, with a crest on its chest that has the letter S. Two of Superman's colors - red and yellow - are abundant in the school.
  • In high school, Clark worked on the school newspaper as a "reporter", a reference to his future job at the Daily Planet.
  • Annette O'Toole, who plays Clark's mother, played the role of Lana Lang in the movie Superman III in 1983.
  • Terence Stamp, who voices Clark's biological father, Jor-El, played General Zod in both Superman and Superman II.
  • Lois nicknames Clark "Smallville" as she did in the animated series and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
  • The Kryptonian pentagon, which will eventually become Superman's emblem, is a recurring symbol throughout the show, as is a large letter S displayed on the chest of Clark and other individuals.

[edit] Musical Allusions

The original John Williams score to the 1978 film Superman: The Movie is used as one of the series' strongest allusions to the Superman universe.

[edit] Theme A

Above is the original opening theme from the 1978 score. The movie's first act is a series of scenes showing the planet Krypton shortly before it is destroyed, providing a background story for the rest of the film. The music is used throughout the film as a musical allusion to Clark Kent's Kryptonian history.

The theme is in a major key and makes use of large intervals. These traits make it especially effective for use as a heroic theme.


Shown here is the theme as played on the Smallville series. There is one change to the original; it is in a minor key. Minor keys are used in incidental music intended to convey tension, mystery, foreboding moods, etc. This theme is often played when Clark is faced either with an imminent disaster that he resolves, or when he interacts with Jor-El and is told about his militaristic destiny. The use of a minor key helps to portray the dark mood usually associated with Clark's Kryptonian destiny and mysterious background on Smallville. But, because of it's blatant similarity to the original Williams score, it also serves as a good allusion to Clark's forthcoming acceptance of his identity as a hero.

[edit] Theme B

This is the theme from the opening credits of Superman: The Movie. This theme is probably the most well-known and easily identifiable of the entire score. It was used in all of the great action shots to accentuate Superman's heroic actions.


Here is the theme commonly used to allude to the opening credits. Again, it is very similar to the original. However, when this theme is alluded to, it is never completed. It ends on a dominant chord. In music, there are antecedent and consequent phrases. Simply hearing the antecedent part of a phrase leaves one waiting for the consequent. Another way of explaining it is that the relationship of antecedent/consequent is the same as an if/then statement in normal conversation. On the series, the theme used only quotes the antecedent part of the original. That is, it stops at a "halfway" point. A likely reason for this is that Clark is not yet Superman, but because the show's viewers know he will be, they will recognize the classic theme music written some twenty years ago.

[edit] DC Comics characters in Smallville

This is a list of characters appearing or alluded to by reference or voice-over on Smallville from the Superman comics/DC Universe. Each entry includes the episode of first appearance.

It should also be noted that while Morgan Edge and Claire Foster have had prominent roles in the adult Superman's life, they have been allegedly killed off on Smallville.

[edit] Season 1

  • Pilot
    • In the Homecoming hazing ritual perpetuated by the football team, a victim is chosen and is tied up in a cornfield like a scarecrow with a large red "s" painted on his chest. Clark is chosen as the victim, which changes the painting into an allusion to the symbol on Superman's costume.
    • When Clark falls and speaks to Lana for the first time on the show, she asks him if he is a man or a Superman. She is making a reference to his copy of "The Portable Nietzsche" which contains the text of "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" in which Friedrich Nietzsche foretells the coming of a new being called the Superman.
    • As Clark is walking away from the car crash with his father, there's a red blanket draped on him like a cape.
    • John Glover plays Lionel Luthor; he has also played two other DC or DC related characters, the Riddler and Dr. Jason Woodrue.
    • The headline of the newspaper Lionel is reading in the flashback claims "Queen Industries CEO, presumed dead", a reference to the parents of the future Green Arrow and JLA teammate, Oliver Queen.
    • Clark misses his bus to school and Pete remarks, "If Clark ran any slower, he'd be extinct." Clark is the last son of Krypton.
    • Lex asks Clark that if he "believes a man can fly," which alludes to the tagline of the 1978 Superman movie.
  • Metamorphosis
    • Lex gives Clark a lead box while remarking that it was made from the armor of St. George, the patron saint of Boy Scouts. Superman is commonly referred to, often derogatorily, as a Boy Scout.
    • Jonathan nicknames Clark's barn loft hide-away, "The Fortress of Solitude".
    • Lex metaphorically tells Clark that he should use Lana's necklace as a weapon. In the comics Lex Luthor often uses kryptonite (namely a ring made out of it) as a weapon against Superman.
  • Hothead
    • Jonathan tells Clark, "You were meant for much more important things than winning football games". Glen Ford, as Jonathan Kent, in Superman, says that, whatever Clark's purpose is, "it's not to score touchdowns."
  • Cool
    • During the party at the beginning, Chloe comments on how cold it is. Clark says, "I don't know, it doesn't feel that cold to me." Chloe responds, "What are you from an ice planet? It's freezing." This alludes to the movie version of Clark's home planet, Krypton, which is indeed an ice planet.
  • Hourglass
    • Both Clark and Lex have their futures told in this episode. Clark sees himself alive but everyone he loves has passed on (also very similar to the post-bomb shot from "Kingdom Come"). This alludes to the fact that Superman is virtually immortal on Earth. Lex's future is in the White House, where he wears a glove on his right hand. This is because in the comics he wears a kryptonite ring on his right hand, and has to get it amputated because of kryptonite poisoning. He's also seen as the cause of death for millions of people as the sky turns red and rains blood on him as he smiles.
    • Lana's assigned senior citizen tells her that the Lang family first came to Smallville in 1938, the same year "Superman" was first published.
    • When asked what he would like to do when older, Clark replies "anything that doesn't involve wearing a suit and doing a lot of flying," referencing Superman's costume and flight.
  • Rogue
    • The "S" on Alexander the Great's chest plate is similar to the Superman crest. Clark ironically mentions he "can't imagine going into battle with that thing on my chest."
  • Shimmer
    • Lex buys defunct Cadmus Labs and uses it for nefarious purposes throughout the series. In the comics, it was Cadmus Labs that made Superboy after Doomsday killed Superman. In the animated series Justice League Unlimited, Cadmus Labs is a black-ops government group used to stop the Justice League should they ever decide to conquer the planet.
  • Hug
    • The episode ends with Clark remarking to Lex how two great friends became bitter enemies. He then asks him, "Do you think we'll turn out like that?" with Lex replying, "Our friendship will be the stuff of legends." The bitter irony is that it's not their friendship but their hatred of one another, which becomes legend.
  • Leech
    • Chloe refers to the boy that received Clark's power as "Superboy," and he wears a haircut and a long leather trenchcoat similar to the Superboy character from the comics.
  • Kinetic
    • Whitney makes a remark to Clark as a "personal Boy Scout," another reference to Superman's Boy Scout nickname.
  • Zero
    • This episode mentions Central City and Blüdhaven, the homes of the Flash and Nightwing/Dick Grayson.
  • Stray
    • In the final scene (at the Kent farm), the song playing in the soundtrack is "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting.
    • The climax scene was shot on location at an authentic bowling alley named "Lois Lanes Bowling and Billiards" in Richmond, British Columbia.
    • The comic book that both Ryan and Lex enjoy, "Warrior Angel," is a direct parallel to the futures of both Superman and Lex Luthor (represented by Warrior Angel and Devilicus, respectively). Warrior Angel is a parallel to Superman as shown when Ryan reads, "You're safe now," only to have Clark later tell him the exact same words in the same context.
  • Drone
    • Candidate Paul Chan's promotional poster depicts him wearing a costume similar to Superman's costume: a shield (complete with a yellow "S" on a red pentagon) on his chest and a red cape.
    • Clark runs for class president, using the slogan: "Clark Kent: The Man Of Tomorrow," which is a reference to a common nickname for Superman, going back to his earliest Golden Age appearances, and which inspired the title of the Superman comic book series, "Superman: The Man of Tomorrow" and "Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
    • Clark, when asked by Chloe what he stand for, says "Truth, Justice, and other stuff," a reference to Superman's slogan: "Truth, Justice, and the American Way."
    • When Clark asks Pete, who becomes Clark's campaign manager, why he didn't run, Pete replies: "I know my strengths. I'm more the power behind the throne, the guy behind the guy, the one who makes it all happen." This is an allusion to Pete as the Vice-President behind Lex Luthor, as well as Pete's Silver Age role in covering for Clark whenever he needed to run off suddenly to become Superboy.
    • When Clark asks Lex, "Have you ever thought about going into politics?" Lex muses, "I'd like to be President." In the comics, Lex eventually becomes President.
    • Chloe says that bees in Shuster's Gorge stung Sasha. Joe Shuster is one of the creators of the original "Superman" comic.
  • Crush
    • An Air Force recruiter tells Clark, "I see you in a uniform, flying," in reference to Clark's future flight power and costume.
    • Chloe gets mad at Clark for forgetting to sign up for the Student Journalism Conference in Metropolis. She remarks angrily, "You know, most men are from Mars, Clark, but you are from some distant galaxy that I never even heard of."
    • Pete applies to intern at Mayor Siegel's office. One of the creators of Superman is Jerry Siegel.
  • Obscura
    • Chloe says, "Clark Kent leaps tall theories in a single bound," which is a reference to the classic opening line for the Superman cartoons, radio and TV shows.
  • Tempest
    • Lana comments to Clark, "I don't know Clark, red always looks good on you," in reference to his future costume.

[edit] Season 2

  • Red
    • Lionel Luthor says to Lex, "So the son becomes the father." This is a direct quote of a Marlon Brando line in the original Superman movie.
  • Nocturne
    • Lana refers to Clark as "The Man of Steel" which is one of Superman's monikers.
    • Lex says to Clark, "I hope your mother likes helicopters." Clark replies, "My family doesn't fly much," to which Lex responds, "That's all about to change."
  • Redux
    • This episode mentions Coast City, the home of the Green Lantern.
    • The visual of Chrissy staring in the mirror cube bears a striking resemblance to the Phantom Zone in Superman: The Movie and Superman II.
  • Ryan
    • Lex, when speaking to Ryan about Warrior Angel, explains that Devilicus started as an ally but turned against Warrior Angel. Devilicus is representative of Lex's turn to evil. Devilicus also tried to convince the Warrior Angel to rule the Guardian Realm with him; this is mirrored by the comic book Lex, who tried to employ Superman. Lex makes a similar offer in the Season Four episode Onyx (see below).
    • The cover of "Warrior Angel" #1 is a redrawing of "Action Comics" #1, the first appearance of Superman.
  • Dichotic
    • In the school metal shop, Clark makes an "S" similar to the Superman symbol. He holds the "S" up in front of his chest, a reference to the placement of the symbol on his future super suit.
    • At the Talon, Ian and Chloe are talking about Ian's immense workload. Chloe is so awestruck she says, "Forget the interview, and let's just call Ripley's." Ironically, the current host of Ripley's Believe It or Not is Dean Cain. Cain played Clark Kent/Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
  • Visage
    • The fight between Clark and Tina (who has shape-shifted to look like Clark) partially resembles the fight between The Good Clark Kent and the Evil Superman in Superman III. Clark fights his evil duplicate many times in various comic titles.
  • Rush
    • After revealing his powers under red Kryptonite to Chloe, she asks him if he can fly. He laughs and ironically says "I might be an alien but I'm not a cartoon character!"
    • Pete calls Clark a "boy scout", a reference to Superman's nickname.
  • Rosetta
    • When the key is placed in the cave, the symbols on it glow red, yellow and blue - the colors that comprise Superman's costume. Also, as the key opens up to release an energy beam, it opens in the pentagonal shape of Superman's shield.
    • Dr. Swann is played by Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the 1978 film by Richard Donner, and its sequels. Reeve is considered by many to be the ultimate Superman, and his part in revealing to Clark who he really is, on the show, was a "passing of the torch".
    • When Dr. Swann sends Clark an IM, composed of Kryptonian symbols; it read, "I AM A FRIEND", the same way Superman introduced himself in the 1978 film.
    • When Chloe is telling Clark who Dr. Virgil Swann is, she says that America had dubbed him the 'Man of Tomorrow', one of Superman's common nicknames.
    • When Dr. Swann shows Clark the second screen, Clark translates it as "we will be with you, Kal-El, for all the days of your life." In the 1978 Superman film, Jor-El similarly says "you will carry me inside you, all the days of your life."
    • This is the first episode in which tidbits of music from the first two Superman movies can be heard in the background.
  • Visitor
    • In the Talon, Clark is reading a book entitled Identity Crises & Mental Illness. "Identity Crisis" is a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2004 in which Superman is a character. Numerous comic storylines over the decades have also dealt with the various identity crises of Clark/Superman/Kal-El.
  • Exodus
    • This episode introduces Terence Stamp as the voice of Jor-El.
    • Part of the dialogue between Jor-El and Clark resembles dialogue from when Clark was in the Fortress talking to his father in the 1978 film.

[edit] Season 3

  • Exile
    • The symbol burned into Clark's chest is the Kryptonian symbol for air; it is also the symbol most closely associated with Clark's real father Jor-El. The figure-eight shape is similar to an "S", which in turn looks very similar to Superman's chest shield. The scar tissue burns every so often, forcing Clark to voluntarily remove the red kryptonite ring he was wearing. This is very painful and Clark must get away from the public so that no one can see what is happening. At the beginning of this episode, the symbol begins to react and Clark must stagger into a phone booth outside the club. Clark collapses inside and rips his shirt open, revealing the symbol. This is a reference to Superman changing clothes in a phone booth.
  • Slumber
    • In Clark's dream, "the Traveler" wears a red cloak, which includes a cape. When Pete doesn't see "the Traveler", Clark exclaims, "How could you miss him? He had a big red cape on!" Red is one of Superman's colors; he wears a red cape.
  • Perry
    • Sheriff Adams becomes incensed when Perry repeatedly calls her Chief, saying, "And don't call me 'chief'!" Perry White often repeats this line in the comics and movies (usually addressed to Jimmy Olsen).
    • At the end, Perry tells Clark "If you ever make it to Metropolis, look me up. I owe you one." Perry will later become Clark's boss once he comes to work at the Daily Planet.
  • Magnetic
    • Referring to magnetic influence over Lana, Clark says that "Men aren't made from steel" which could be a reference to Superman's alias - the Man of Steel.
  • Shattered
    • When telling Clark of Lex's past history with mental illness, she replies "he was acting Bizarro". This is a reference to the Superman villain Bizarro, an imperfect clone of the hero.
  • Asylum
    • A newspaper headline says, "Themyscirian Queen … Pope." this is a reference to Queen Hippolyta, the mother of Wonder Woman, a future teammate of Superman in the Justice League.
  • Whisper
    • After partially recovering from blindness, Clark obtains glasses in order to see while he is regaining vision. This is a reference to the comics and movies in which Clark Kent wears glasses as part of his alter ego.
  • Delete
    • When Chloe asks her friend to publish an article she made about Dr. Garner she gives him the name of her cousin who "has no interest in journalism". The name she gave is Lois Lane who ironically works as a journalist in Superman comic books.
    • Molly Griggs is named after Lex Luthor's abusive foster mother in the current comics continuity. Her screen name, Brainwave, is also the name of a long-standing comics foe of the Justice League who has psychic powers including mind control.
  • Hereafter
    • When Jordan bumps into Clark, we see a quick image of the classic Superman 'S' symbol on a red cape, while the camera flies through space.
    • At the end, Clark finds Jonathan in the barn, down with a heart attack. This refers to Superman: The Movie as Jonathan Kent dies from a heart attack.
  • Resurrection
    • While referring to Jonathan's heart attack Clark says "I thought my father was a Man of Steel". In the comics Superman is usually referred as the Man of Steel.
  • Talisman
    • Jonathan rips open Clark's button shirt to reveal a blue undershirt, just as the future Clark rips his reporter garb off to reveal his blue super suit.
    • When Jonathan heals Clark, his mother wraps a red blanket around him, possibly alluding to the cape of Superman's uniform.
    • Toward the end, Jonathan tells Clark that if he wants, he can be the world's greatest hero, "or its most mild-mannered citizen". Clark Kent is referred to as "Mild mannered Clark Kent" and Superman is referred to as the world's first and world's greatest hero multiple times in other media.
  • Covenant
    • At the end when Clark is floating away naked he is in a five-side S-shield light similar to the S-shield he will wear in the future. The curled Clark makes the S-shaped design complete.
    • The human girl who Jor-El gives powers and uses to lure Clark to him is called "Kara", a reference to Kal-El's cousin, Kara Zor-El, who comes to Earth and becomes known as Supergirl. It may also be a reference to Power Girl.
    • On a similar note, when Lana asks who Kara is, Clark says it's his cousin.

[edit] Season 4

  • Crusade
    • When Lois crashes her car into a cornfield, there is a flash of lightning. After a lightning bolt deposits Clark back to Smallville, there is a surge of electricity around Clark and it makes the shape of an "S".
    • Lois grabs a red blanket for the naked Clark. This is a reference to the red cape that Superman wears.
    • When Lois comes to see Clark, she and Martha talk a bit about her and Chloe falling for farm boys. Lois says "Give me a nerd with glasses any day of the week." Martha responds, "Clark has many sides." This alludes to Lois and Clark/Superman's future romance once they move to Metropolis.
    • The crystals, which are a subplot throughout the whole season, make the shape of Superman's chest shield when put together.
    • Margot Kidder makes a cameo as Bridget Crosby, Dr. Swann's assistant. She tells Martha that she "understands how it feels to love someone who has greater calling." Martha inquires, "you and Dr. Swann?" to which Bridget responds, "in another life." This is a reference to Kidder and Reeve playing Lois and Superman in the 1978 movie and its sequels.
    • As Clark/Kal-El is flying toward Lex's plane, the co-pilot turns to the pilot, after watching his approach on radar, and asks, "What is it? A bird? A plane?" This is a paraphrase of a catchphrase associated with Superman from the 1940s' radio drama and Fleisher cartoon shorts, later used in the 1950s' The Adventures of Superman's beginning dialogue.
    • Several times in the episode Lois mentions a smoking problem, which alludes to the smoking problem of the movie version of Lois.
    • During the final scene in the caves with Martha Kent, Clark fights his Kryptonian alter ego, Kal-El, and emerges the victor. A similar event occurred in Superman III and Superman IV, where Clark fought his evil duplicate and has also happened in various Superman comic titles.
  • Gone
    • Clark wonders if the legend on the cave walls about him destined to have an enemy doesn't refer to Lionel Luthor, but to Lex. In the comics and films Lex Luthor is Clark's nemesis.
    • In the scene at the caves Lana mentions that she thinks Clark and Lois are a couple, to which an indignant Clark says, "She's bossy. She's stuck up, she's rude. I can't stand her!" Lana replies, "The best ones always start that way." Clark's line is ironic as in the comics, he and Lois have long been a couple and are currently married.
    • In this episode, Michael Ironside plays Lois' father Sam Lane. In Superman: The Animated Series and the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series, Michael Ironside was the voice of Superman's enemy Darkseid.
  • Facade
    • Lois tells Chloe that the last thing she wants to be is a reporter, which is ironic as Lois Lane - in all incarnations - is an investigative reporter working for The Daily Planet.
    • Chloe mentions Lois misspelling the word serotonin in her article, making reference to the fact that Lois Lane in the films and comic books has always been a poor speller.
  • Devoted
    • After Clark throws a touchdown pass to win the big game, Chloe says, "Wow, I guess now you're gonna be some kind of 'superhero' around here". Then, when Clark announces that he will be returning to The Torch, she says, "Wow, superhero AND journalist. What are the odds?", alluding to Clark's future.
  • Run
    • Bart (the current Flash) leaves saying he wants to "go out and look for more people like us; start a club or a league or something," alluding to the JLA.
    • When chasing after Bart through Metropolis, they both leave behind blue and red streaks. This happened in an episode of the Superman Animated Series, "Speed Demons" when the two heroes raced for charity. Also, when they get to the water, Flash runs over it. In the animated series however, both of them run over it but in some comics Clark could swim at superspeed. Also, Superman could run over water in All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder.
    • When Clark comes back to the farm after racing with Bart, his dad is setting the dinner table with a red tablecloth - exactly the color of Superman's future cape.
    • At the beginning of the episode, Clark goes through a set of fake IDs that Bart has - all having names of Flash alter egos (Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West) from various comic book/TV show sources.
    • One of the crooks in Metropolis that captures Bart points a gun at him and says, "Let's see if you're faster than a speeding bullet." Superman is described in various media incarnations as being "faster than a speeding bullet."
    • When Chloe asks Clark where Bart is from, Bart pipes in that he is, "From the future" - which the comics version of him is. He was raised there in a consequence-free VR simulation, which explains his lack of understanding of such concepts as restraint and self-control.
    • Bart's hairstyle is exactly like that of John Wesley Shipp who portrayed Bart's grandfather, Barry Allen, on the TV series The Flash.
    • Bart's backpack and belt buckle both have a thunderbolt design.
  • Transference
    • In this episode, Clark discovers that Lionel is dying from liver cancer. In the comics, his son Lex discovered that his Kryptonite Ring had given him a type of cancer over the years.
    • In the beginning of the story, Lionel is attempting to switch minds with Lex and pose as his son. In the comics, when Lex learnt he had cancer, he had a clone of himself made and placed his mind in it, so he could pass off as his own son.
  • Jinx
    • A foreign exchange student - Mikail Mxyzptlk - who uses his power to manipulate high school football betting, is based on the character Mr. Mxyzptlk that has magical powers in the comic book.
    • The key to defeating Mxyzptlk in the comics, as well as on Super Friends, was to make him say his name backwards, Kltpzyxm. This is referred to during the episode when Chloe looks up his name on a search engine, and it doesn't find a match, but suggests that she try spelling it backwards.
    • Mikail uses mind control to make Clark trip during the football game. In the comics, Superman is vulnerable to Mxyzptlk's powers.
  • Spell
    • In this episode it is shown that Clark is vulnerable to magic. The comic version of Clark is also vulnerable to magic.
  • Bound
    • Towards the end of the episode Lex comes to the barn to make amends to Clark. Clark tells him "I felt like we were enemies." This foreshadows their relationship later.
  • Scare
    • Once again (first time being in Hourglass) Lex is portrayed as the president of the United States which he has achieved in the comics.
  • Unsafe
    • When Chloe talks to Lana about having sex, she reveals that she lost her virginity to an intern named Jimmy who was "cute, in a bow tie sort of way." This is a broad reference to Jimmy Olsen, who works as a photographer at the Daily Planet. Olsen has worn a bow tie in numerous occasions in comics and the movies.
  • Pariah
    • The character Tim Westcott may have been inspired by the character Pariah from "Crisis on Infinite Earths," since he can "teleport" to where "evil" is occurring. Also he pointed out that the meteor shower brought a "wave of evil", referencing "Crisis" where the creation of the Multiverse brought a wave of evil throughout the cosmos.
    • Another nod to the Crisis is when Clark cries over Alicia' death like he did to Kara in the storyline.
    • Clark catches Alicia's car in mid-air in a pose reminiscent of Superman's debut on the cover of Action Comics #1.
  • Recruit
    • When Clark says he's giving up football, Chloe tells him that she has a feeling he's destined to "do a lot more in this world than just score touchdowns." In Superman: The Movie Jonathan Kent tells Clark that he doesn't know why Clark is on Earth, but "it's not to score touchdowns."
  • Krypto
    • Clark briefly names the super dog (which is actually a LuthorCorp experiment) he befriends "Krypto," before settling on the name "Shelby". Krypto is the name of Pre-Crisis Superboy's dog in the comics.
    • A Goo Goo Dolls cover of the Supertramp song, "Give A Little Bit," is played at the end of the episode. The original song can be heard in Lois' car as she's driving through the desert in Superman: The Movie.
    • The veterinarian who checks Shelby near the end of episode is named Dr. Klein. He shares his name with a scientist from STAR Labs in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
    • After Lois gives Shelby a bath, Clark hands her a red towel, which she drapes over Shelby like a cape.
    • Shelby is the name of one of Clark's two dogs, which he had while growing up on the Kent Farm in the comics. One was a golden retriever; however, the other, a border collie, was the one named Shelby.
  • Sacred
    • Isobel wraps the Crystal of Air in a red handkerchief.
  • Lucy
    • In the comics, Lois does indeed have a sister named Lucy.
  • Onyx
    • Lex's personality gets split in two, one being good, and the other evil. The evil Lex exhibits many of the characteristics of his comic-book counterpart and serves as a foretelling of Lex's journey to darkness.
    • Lex's dark side employs the famous green kryptonite ring for the first time.
    • The "evil" Lex tries to coerce Clark into joining him, believing that together, they would be unstoppable. When Clark refuses, Lex promises to make him suffer. In multiple media (including comics and the cartoon), Lex has first tried to exploit Superman's powers, then when he cannot control him, vows to kill him.
  • Commencement
    • After the Kents are awakened by Clark's nightmare, Lois comes downstairs and in an attempt to make Clark feel better, recounts one of her own recent nightmares about "a guy wearing a red cape." Sarcastic to Lois, but humorous to the viewer, Clark's response is "That sounds horrible" --referring to his own nightmares of a red-cape wearer in Slumber.
    • Lois and Clark have a discussion about what she is going to do with her life, and she dismisses the idea of being a reporter, because of her bad spelling, a characteristic of the movie and television version of Lois.
    • Lois goes on to say that even if she did become a reporter, she'd probably end up "sitting across from the most bumbling reporter on the masthead", a reference to Clark Kent's comics and film disguise as a clumsy nerd.

[edit] Season 5

  • Arrival
  • This episode contains several allusions to the first two Superman movies made by Richard Donner:
    • The Fortress of Solitude's formation and Jor-El's attempts at educating Clark are done very similarly in Superman: The Movie.
    • The crystal that made the Fortress is the same shape as the Superman "S" shield.
    • The arrival of seemingly evil Kryptonians on Earth, the method of Phantom Zone imprisonment used on them, and Clark's powers being drained by Jor-El's spirit in the Fortress of Solitude are all reminiscent of events from Superman II.
    • Earth insignia and uniforms fascinate the Kryptonians in both.
    • On Smallville, Clark discovers their rampage on Earth via a newscast when he's been out of touch. This is similar to events in Superman II.
    • Chloe: "I know you're faster than a speeding bullet, Clark - mind taking me along for the ride?" Superman in the comics and movies is described as stronger than a locomotive and faster than a speeding bullet.
    • At least five brief snippets of footage from Superman: The Movie are used during the Jor-El projected "training sequence." Glimpses can be seen of:
      • an overhead shot of the Kryptonian city
      • the red sun flaring
      • Kryptonians highlighted in red fleeing the destruction
      • the ship lifting off from Krypton
      • the Kryptonians falling into the planet's core
  • Mortal
    • Lee: "Just trying to amp up what me and the Wonder Twins could do." Referencing the Super Friends TV series and Zan and Jayna-- the "Wonder Twins".
    • Sheriff Adams asks Clark if he'd consider a job in law enforcement... which is a big part of his job as Superman.
  • Hidden
    • When Lionel is possessed by Jor-El and speaking to Clark, the manner in which he grips the lapels of his coat while talking is spot on with the way Marlon Brando did it in Superman: The Movie while addressing members of the Kryptonian council.
    • Clark must stop a nuclear missile, and to do so he tears out the explosive component and throws it into outer space, just as in Superman: The Movie and Superman IV.
    • In this episode Clark is killed and resurrected by Jor-El. In the comics, Superman was killed battling the unstoppable monster Doomsday and brought back to life by a Kryptonian force called the Eradicator.
  • Aqua
    • Clark: "Lois, I promise, someday...you'll meet someone even more special." Alluding to the comics where Lois and Clark are married.
    • A.C.: "Come on, Superboy..." During his teenage days in the comics during the Silver Age, Clark performed super heroics in Smallville under the name Superboy.
    • As the episode ends, Arthur (future Aquaman) suggests to Clark that they start a junior lifeguard association. In a play on words, Clark responds, "I'm not ready for the JLA." This also refers to the fact that in Post-Crisis continuity, Superman declined his first invitation to join the Justice League of America.
    • A.C. dresses in orange and green - the colors of Aquaman's costume in the comics. Lois makes comments about his choice of color combinations. A.C. mentions that he is a student at the University of Miami, which would explain the color combination in this version (UM's colors are green, orange, and white).
    • Prof. Milton Fine in the comics becomes one of Superman's enemies, Brainiac.
    • A.C. calls Clark "boy scout".
  • Thirst
    • Pauline Kahn: The character's last name and general position/authority alludes to Jeanette Kahn, CEO and President at DC Comics.
    • Chloe: ".... up, up, and away." This phrase was used in every episode of the 1950’s syndicated series The Adventures of Superman.
    • Chloe: "It's the Daily Planet, the paper of record for kings, presidents, and prime ministers... not to mention future superheroes." In almost all versions of Superman, the Daily Planet is where Clark Kent is employed.
    • During the costume party, Clark dressed as Zorro. Chloe says, "Isn't the cape a bit much?" Clark responds, "I kind of like it. But the mask is uncomfortable.", a reference to Superman's costume having a cape, but no mask.
    • When Clark is caught searching a room, the girl who finds him turns around for a second and when she turns back he is gone. The camera then shows a bat decoration on a window, possibly alluding to Batman who has a tendency to leave when someone turns their back to him. Also Clark is dressed as Zorro who was one of the main influences on Batman.
    • Another Batman allusion is when Chloe sees Lana at the costume party, she is wearing a suit very similar to that of the Catwoman costume from the 60's Batman TV show.
  • Exposed
    • When Maggie Sawyer flashes her Metropolis police badge to the Kents, it's shaped the same as the five-sided Superman chest shield.
    • The name on Lois's fake passport is Margot Neil. This is an allusion to two of the actress that played Lois Lane in the past, Margot Kidder and Noel Neil.
    • Clark saves Lois in from a falling helicopter, is an allusion to Superman: The Movie.
  • Splinter
    • During the drive home in which Clark gets hit by the black truck, he is listening to "Superman" by Stereophonics, which has several references to Lois Lane and, of course, Superman.
  • Solitude
    • General Zod: As General Zod is seen coming through the porthole created in the Fortress of Solitude, the image of his person trapped in a rotating glass prison is very similar to the image in Superman: The Movie and Superman II
    • Small tidbits of the major musical theme for the original Superman movies play.
      • After betraying Clark, Fine admits that he himself is not Kryptonian but he was made by them; "I was created by Kryptonians, but I'm a whole lot smarter". In the animated series, Brainiac was the central intelligence on Krypton and allowed the planet to be destroyed while he made plans to save himself.
  • Lexmas
    • During his dream sequence, Lex's son is named Alexander. In the limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the good Luthor of Earth-Three has a son named Alexander Luthor. He appears again as a major villain in Infinite Crisis.
    • In Lex's dream, Clark is a reporter, like the secret alias of Superman.
    • Chloe remarks that Clark "run[s] faster than a speeding bullet..."
    • Alexander Luthor asks "Uncle Clark" to "make him fly."
  • Lockdown
    • When Clark finds the GPS transmitter in Lana's car, she remarks that he should consider joining the police force... a possible reference to the future Superman constantly aiding the police in stopping and capturing criminals.
    • When Martha is talking with Clark about the secrets with Lana she says "Maybe she is not the one you're meant to be with," and he says, "Mom, I can't imagine loving anyone else." In that moment Lois is arriving with her car. This foreshadows the future of Lois and Clark.
    • Lex's aide's name is Samantha Drake, a possible reference to Tim Drake, the third Robin and partner to future Superman ally, Batman.
  • Reckoning
    • Small tidbits of the major musical theme for the original Superman movies play.
    • When Clark proposes to Lana in the Fortress of Solitude, he forges a diamond from coal with his bare hand, as Superman did for Lana, in Superman III to replace her original ring that was stolen.
    • When Chloe and Clark are discussing how he came back through time, she sarcastically asks him if he reversed the spin of the Earth's axis, which he did in the 1978 Superman movie.
    • Jonathan Kent has a heart attack, as in the 1978 Superman movie. Furthermore, the heart attack occurred in the same part of the driveway as in the movie, and Martha's cry "Jonathan!" was very similar to the same cry in the movie.
    • When Clark and Lana confront Clark's parents about the engagement, Jonathan says "Lana, we can't imagine Clark spending the rest of his life with anyone but you." Immediately after he says this, Lois appears to make an announcement.
  • Vengeance
    • Andrea tells Clark that her mother worked with an organization called Acrata, which fought organized crime. In the comics, Andrea Rojas is in fact a superhero known as Acrata, with the powers of teleportation and is a skilled martial artist.
    • Andrea (The Angel of Vengeance) wears glasses in her everyday life, but removes them for her crime-fighting role.
    • Andrea changes out of her costume in a phone booth like Superman does in some incarnations. She explains, "The janitor was in the bathroom."
    • Chloe asks Clark, "Do you think you could ever do what she did? Play the mild-mannered reporter by day and a crime-fighter by night?" to which Clark replies that he'd like to help people but without hiding his face because that's who he really is. This becomes a motivation for him to not wear a mask when he grows up.
    • There are several allusions to both Superman and Batman and why they refuse to commit murder, even in the extreme cases. The Angel of Vengeance can even be viewed as an analogue of Huntress, who is more brutal towards criminals than anyone in Batman's team.
    • At the end, when Martha is watching the videotape of Jonathan and Clark, Jonathan holds Clark's hand up and proudly proclaims "This guy is the Man of Steel", which of course is one of Superman's monikers.
    • There are several Batman allusions scattered throughout the episode, including:
      • When we are introduced to Andrea in Suicide Slum and several times thereafter, the music cue references either Danny Elfman's music cues for original Batman movie, or the subsequent "borrowing" of those cues for the various Batman animated series.
      • Andrea describes herself as being "blind as a bat" without her contacts.
      • Andrea was inspired to fight crime because of the death of her mother at the hands of a mugger.
      • Batman is driven in part by vengeance, which often puts him in conflict with Superman in the post-Crisis universe.
      • Andrea's last name is Rojas, a possible reference to Chief Rojas of The Batman TV show.
      • When Andrea realizes that Clark is like her, she says she could use a sidekick to which Clark responds he's not a sidekick. In the comics, unlike some current heroes such as Nightwing and Red Arrow, he was never a sidekick.
  • Cyborg
    • The character of Victor Stone is Cyborg, in the comics a member of the Teen Titans.
  • Hypnotic
    • Clark bends an aluminum bat into the shape of an "S". Although Clark says it's for "Simone", it could be interpreted as an allusion to the "S" in Superman.
    • In this episode, it shows that Brainiac survived by making many copies of himself, something he did constantly in the Superman and Justice League animated series.
  • Void
    • When Lex's mother Lillian is warning Lex about his evil future, Lex is seen wearing a black glove. In the comics, Lex wears a black glove after his right hand is amputated due to the fact that the long-term radiation exposure from the kryptonite ring he wears gives him cancer.
  • Mercy
    • Mercy is also the name of one of Lex's aides.
    • Part of Martha Kent's speech refers to "truth, justice, and the American way", to which Clark adds, "sounds like words to live by".
    • Lionel, who knows Clark's secret, calls him a "strange visitor from another world." The same words were used to introduce Superman in the 1940s Fleisher cartoons and 1950s television series.
  • Fade
    • Lois asks Martha "Why can't I just meet a decent guy from a decent family who happens not to be a psychopath?". Martha responds, "I used to attract the dark mysterious type, too, until I met Jonathan." Lois also mentions, "What worries me is that when my Jonathan finally does come around I'll be looking the other way...". This is all ironic, because in the comics, Lois ends up with a Kent, Clark Kent.
    • When Graham first meets Lois, he asks if she's Clark's girlfriend, to which Lois replies, "Not in this lifetime". In the comics, she is married to Clark and there was a Silver Age comic called Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane.
  • Oracle
    • Clark's birthday cake is red, yellow, and blue, along with the party decorations. The sign reading "Happy Birthday Clark" is also red lettering with a yellow outline on a blue background, similar to Superman's costume "S".
    • Lois gives Clark a diary as a present which has his initials printed on, C.K.. C.K. is frequently used by Jimmy Olsen in Lois & Clark, the New Adventures of Superman and Smallville.
  • Vessel
    • Jor-El describes the vessel as the "brain interactive construct - an advanced technology that will stop at nothing until its master, Zod, has been released." The words "Brain InterActive Construct" can be construed as a hint to Fine's true identity as Brainiac.
    • In a deleted scene, Lois is trying to buy plane tickets online and says "there's something wrong with this little Brainiac", a reference to Milton Fine and the virus he has begun to spread.
    • Clark answers a phone in a phone booth.
    • The spinning-pane-of-glass graphics used to represent the Phantom Zone are similar to those used in the movies.
    • Jor-El reveals that he imprisoned Zod in the Phantom Zone. In Superman: The Movie, after Zod's trial is over and before Jor-El leaves Zod and his cohorts to their fate, Zod claims that as his is the final vote in the council (which must be unanimous), Zod will hold him personally responsible (and by proxy, his heirs). Also in this episode, Zod (in Lex's body) claims that he is back for revenge against Jor-El's heir, Kal-El/Clark.
    • The "Superman" theme song is played when Clark is shown trapped in the Phantom Zone.

[edit] Season 6

  • Zod
    • Raya mentions that Phantom Zone contains criminals from the "28 known galaxies", also mentioned in the 1978 film.
    • The Phantom Zone is depicted as a desolate wasteland as it is in the movie Supergirl.
    • General Zod states to Lana, "Zod doesn't take orders, he gives them." Ursa pointed this out in Superman II.
    • The House of El symbol is identical to Superman's chest emblem from Superman Returns.
    • Believing himself victorious, General Zod orders Clark to "Kneel before Zod." He frequently says this in Superman II.
    • The way Clark kneels before Zod , grabs his hand, and looks to the ground are exactly the same as Superman does in Superman II.
    • As before, Zod extending his hand to his 'defeated' enemy leads to his undoing. (In Superman II, Superman crushes his hand, and in this scene, Clark hides a device in his hand, which binds Zod).
    • When Zod's "spirit" is torn out of Lex's body, he is modeled after actor Terence Stamp (as he appeared as Zod in Superman II).
    • Jimmy Olsen calls Clark "C.K." In Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Jimmy almost always referred to Clark by this nickname.
    • Like in nearly every other Superman media, Jimmy Olsen tries to impress Clark by calling himself James instead of Jimmy.
  • Sneeze
    • When Chloe asks Clark to come to the lake with her, she gives him a red kite, which he briefly holds in front of his chest, in the pentagonal shape of the Superman logo.
    • When Chloe reads Lois' article, she remarks about several spelling errors. Lois' terrible spelling was a running gag in the Superman films.
    • Lois states that she has decided to pursue a career in journalism, which is what she does as an adult in all other media portrayals.
    • When Lionel confronts Oliver Queen, Lionel remarks that he has made quite a name for himself in Star City. Star City is the Green Arrow's hometown in the comics.
  • Wither
    • Martha Kent asks Clark if he would like to go to Lex's costume ball. He responds by saying, "Costumes really aren't my thing."
    • Oliver Queen's costume at Lex's party is almost identical to the Golden Age Green Arrow costume, though he is supposed to represent Robin Hood.
  • Arrow
    • Chloe refers to Clark as the "Man of Steel".
    • When Oliver questions Clark's mission to stop the Green Arrow because of differing philosophies in what is right and wrong, it is similar to Superman's first encounter with Batman within the comics. In Man of Steel #3, Superman attempts to apprehend Batman because he doesn't agree with the way Batman handles crime outside the law. Though later they settle their differences, much in the same vein as Oliver and Clark at the end of this episode.
    • After the confrontation between Oliver and Clark, a small sample from the song "The Planet Krypton", from the Superman films, can be heard in the soundtrack.
    • The Green Arrow makes use of different "trick arrows" (most notably the gas releasing arrow), very similar to his comic book counterpart.
    • Lois calls Oliver/Green Arrow a "bleeding heart liberal". He is well known as a liberal in the DC Universe.
    • Lex calls the object Zod left behind from his attack the black box; in Superman II he uses a "black box" to find the Fortress of Solitude.
  • Reunion
    • Oliver tells Clark that he considered making a "boxing glove arrow". In the comics and television show, a "boxing glove arrow" is one of his many trick arrows; in Justice League Unlimited, it is in fact the first one demonstrated.
    • Before being killed, one of Oliver's friends tells him that he should be getting back to Gotham. Gotham City is the home of the crime-fighting vigilante, Batman.
  • Fallout
    • The city shot of the area where Lana meets Dr. Groll is that of Gotham City from Batman Begins.
    • Baern calls Clark the "Last Son of Krypton", this is one of Superman's many monikers.
    • When talking about the black box, Raya calls the Brain InterActive Construct "Brainiac".
  • Rage
    • Oliver Queen becomes addicted to a syringe-injected super drug. In the comic, Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy became a heroin addict under his watch.
  • Static
    • Jimmy says that Clark likes to "fly solo". In the comics when not with the Justice League, Clark as Superman is usually shown literally flying solo.
    • When chasing after Aldar's killer, Clark steps on an Oreo. Oreos are J'onn J'onzz's (Martian Manhunter) favorite type of food.
  • Hydro
    • When Linda is talking to Chloe Sullivan, she describes her new office as having a view clear to Gotham. Gotham City is the home of Bruce Wayne.
    • On a similar note, one of the scenes shows a shot of Gotham City from Batman Begins.
    • The name of Tori Spelling's character is Linda Lake. Linda Lake is another of several names within Smallville with the initials "L.L."
  • Justice
    • Lex shows Lionel a photo of a person moving at superspeed, and says, "Whoever is trying to find Level 33.1 can move faster than a speeding bullet." This is a reference to Clark. Also, when Lionel sees the photo, he thinks the person is Clark.
    • When eating food at the Kents' house, Bart is shown to eat a lot of food, claiming he burns a "lot of calories". Flash does this in the comics and TV shows.
    • Chloe tells Lois she thinks green is Oliver's color.
    • Bart's codename is Impulse, a reference to his former alias in the comics before he became the Flash. Also, Victor Stone chooses the name Cyborg, Arthur Curry chooses the name Aquaman, their superhero names in the future.
    • Clark's codename is Boy Scout, which is a reference to Superman's semi-derogatory nickname.
    • Bart says he's been thinking of the name their team should have, to which Oliver says "Justice" should be one of the words in it.
    • When talking to Chloe in Queen Tower, Oliver says, "Green Arrow to Watchtower." The Watchtower is an orbital space station that the Justice League operates from.
    • Chloe's role as a computer-using coordinator for the team resembles the comic book character Oracle.
    • When Clark and the League are walking away from the exploding facility, it is reminiscent of the opening of the Justice League animated TV show.
    • Oliver complains about Clark not being a team player to the Justice League. Clark has the same conversation in the comics with Bruce Wayne/Batman.
    • Chloe says that Artemis Global Consortium is part of JL International. JL International was one of the incarnations of the Justice League.
  • Labyrinth
    • In Clark's dream world, John Jones tells Clark that he's from Mars. John Jones is the alien superhero, Martian Manhunter.
    • When trying to take down John Jones, a security guard holds up a lighter and John backs away in fear. This is an allusion to Martian Manhunter's vulnerability to fire.
  • Crimson
    • Clark and Lois go up to the Daily Planet rooftop, one of her and Superman's continuing meeting spots in the comics.
    • Lois makes the remark about Clark "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." This is one of Superman's many catch phrases.
    • Several times in this episode, characters find the idea of Clark and Lois funny, yet in other media the two are known famously for their romantic relationship.
    • Chloe gives Jimmy a bow tie as a Valentine's Day present; she says it suits him.
    • Star says she has a sixth sense about people, and that she feels Clark and Lois' destinies are entwined.
    • Lois tells Clark that Lana is his past, and she is his future. This is true in the comics.
  • Trespass
    • When Lana was searching through Chloe's computer to confirm her suspicions about Clark's secret she came across a folder which was named 'CK'. 'CK' was a nickname of Clark that was given to him by Jimmy Olsen in Lois & Clark: The new Adventures of Superman and Smallville
  • Combat
    • Richtor Maddox suggests and calls Clark "The Man of Steel".
    • Lois' disguise is similar to Cathy Lee Crosby's Wonder Woman costume.
    • Titan's green clothing and protruding spikes bears (very slight) resemblance to Doomsday, the monster that kills Superman.
  • Nemesis
    • The name Reeves Dam is a reference to two former Superman actors, Chris Reeve and George Reeves, stars of the first four Superman movies and Adventures of Superman television show, respectively.
  • Noir
    • The 1940s Clark Kent leads a double life as a reporter by day and a crime-fighter by night, alluding Clark Kent as Superman. Clark also wears a glasses as a reporter and works at the Daily Planet.
  • Prototype
    • The name of the farmer Clark mentions is Ben Hubbard. He is the man who took over the Kent farm and cared for Martha in Superman: The Movie and Superman Returns.
  • Phantom
    • The Martian Manhunter wears a blue coat. His current costume in the comics is blue.
    • The final phantom is Bizarro. Bizarro is Superman's evil imperfect clone from the comics. In the last few seconds of this episode he appears in his gray skinned form from the comics.
    • While green kryptonite is poison to Clark Kent, it powers up Bizarro. In Silver Age comics, the villain Ultraman, another reversed counterpart of Superman, is energized by Kryptonite. Bizarro is also described as the creation of an experiment on Krypton, a background shared by Doomsday, another bone-skinned comics enemy of Superman.
    • Bizarro tells Clark that he is him, only a little more bizarre.

[edit] Season 7

  • Bizarro
    • Season 7 introduced Smallville's version of Bizarro. Just as in the comics, Bizarro wears a different set of clothing than Clark Kent. He wears a dark navy blue jacket and a maroon shirt as an opposite to Clark's bright red jacket and blue shirt. In addition, his voice is deeper.
    • Just like in the comics, Bizarro has some different powers than Clark Kent. His heat vision looks more like orange lighting than heat vision, suggesting it is hot enough to turn the air it passes through into ionized plasma. Bizarro gets weak in yellow sunlight while Clark gets stronger.
    • The scene were Lex is underwater and sees Kara for the first time resembles a scene in Supergirl: the Movie. In both versions, she lands on Earth in the water and flies out of the water into the air. This may also reference the "earth-born angel" phase of the post-Crisis Supergirl.
    • Chloe refers to Clark's copy as "Bizarro" for the first time.
    • Kara takes off and flies toward the camera similar to the way Christopher Reeve flew toward the camera at the end of the four Superman films.
    • A similar music to "Superman theme song" is played when Clark is fighting against Bizarro.
  • Kara
    • This episode has a second mention of Ben Hubbard; the first was in Prototype.
    • Chloe mentions that she should have known that Kara Kent is Clark's cousin by the primary colors. Almost every version of Supergirl's costume is a feminine version of Superman's blue, yellow and red costume.
    • Chloe names Kara Supergirl.
  • Fierce
    • Jimmy Olsen and Kara Kent have an obvious physical attraction for each other. This is a reference to the comics where Jimmy Olsen has an attraction for the Linda Danvers/Supergirl.
  • Cure
    • Dr Curtis Knox is played by Dean Cain, who played Superman in the television show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
    • Curtis Knox's initials are "C.K.", which are the same as Clark Kent's.
    • Dr Knox might be Smallville's version of Vandal Savage. Both are immortals who have been around for centuries. Both harvest metahuman organs for life extension and claim to have been Jack the Ripper. Also, when Lex shows Clark the photos of Knox on his phone, one of the pictures shows Knox next to Adolf Hitler. In the comics, Vandal Savage was an ally of Hitler.
    • Kara calls John Jones "this Martian Manhunter".
  • Action
    • Clark gets a red cape from Rachel Davenport, the actress that he saves.
    • Clark asks Lex about a quote from a "Warrior Angel" bulletin board: "Our hero lives in solitude", a possible reference to Clark and the Fortress of Solitude.
    • The comic that belongs to Ben Meyers resembles the cover of Action Comics #1, the 1938 serial that introduced Superman to the world.
    • Rachel says that she signed on to the Warrior Angel movie for "publicity and a paycheck." It is well-known that Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando signed onto Superman: The Movie to play Lex Luthor and Jor-El, respectively, for the same reason.
    • Sadie Blodgett, the name on the swipe card that Lois uses to access Lex's office was an alias that the comic Lois used once.
    • Ben tried to kill Rachel a number of times in the episode. This is similar to the storyline of the Superman: the Animated Series episode "Target", in which Luminous attempted to kill Lois Lane.
  • Lara
    • In the lab, when testing Kara Kent's crystal, Agent Carter is told that it contains "seven percent unknown material." This is an allusion to Superman III, in which Gus Gorman analyzes a kryptonite sample in order to determine how to synthesize it. The computer shows that there is 0.57 percent "unknown material." The scene in the movie is very similar to the one shown in the episode.
    • Helen Slater's appearance as Lara-El is an allusion to the film Supergirl, which she starred in.
  • Blue
    • Clark's description of his mother "calling out" to him is similar to the his being drawn to a crystal hidden in his barn in Superman: The Movie.
    • Grant Gabriel alludes to Lois Lane's poor spelling. In the Superman films, Lois Lane's spelling was notoriously bad, often being corrected by Jimmy Olsen.
  • Gemini
    • Lois Lane's line that her future boyfriend and her will not work together is a reference to the fact that she and Clark will wind up together and, ironically, will work together at the Daily Planet.
  • Persona
    • Brainiac asks Bizarro about Clark by saying, "Where is the boy scout?" Later, Bizarro tells Brainiac that "the boy scout's back".
  • Fracture
    • Amnesiac Kara goes by the name "Linda," which might be a nod to "Linda Lee Danvers," one of Supergirl's personae.
  • Sleeper'
    • Lex sees a passport left by his father. On the bottom, it says, "Travel Far Son - Dad". This a direct quote from Marlon Brando in Superman: The Movie; Jor-El says to his son, "You will travel far, my little, Kal-El, but we will never leave you, even in the face of our deaths."
    • The idea of Brainiac wanting to kill Clark before he becomes Superman alludes the plot in the Superman: the animated series episode "New kids in town".
  • Apocalypse
    • The footage of destruction of Krypton was from Superman: The Movie
    • The first time Jimmy Olsen is seen in the alternate reality shows his view-finder searching the office of the Daily Planet. This is a reference to Superman: The Movie, in which Jimmy's viewfinder was used to scope out the office on Clark's first day in Metropolis.
    • Jimmy's outfit strongly resembles the Jimmy Olsen from Superman Returns.
    • In this episode Lois mentioning that she was won a Pulitzer Prize. In Superman Returns, she did win for the article "Why the world doesn't need Superman."
    • This is the first time that Lois Lane called Lex Luthor by his last name. In the comics, Lex was called by his last name,"Luthor"
  • Arctic
    • Lex refered Clark as "mild manner farmer who is secretly a strange visitor from another planet."
Retrieved from "http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/Allusions_to_the_Superman_Universe"
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