Clark Kent's training

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Clark Kent's training has been a major goal of Jor-El for years, and has driven much of the plot of Smallville over the years.

The training has been to prepare Clark for his destiny: to save Earth from the coming of Brainiac and General Zod. ^[1]

Jor-El has spent years trying to get Clark to start training for his destiny, several times using coercive methods to force Clark to train or punish him for not training. (Exodus, Covenant, Arrival) More recently, Clark has been willing to resume his training but Jor-El has asked him to put it aside for the time being: first in order to keep a watchful eye on Kara (Kara) and more recently, to say goodbye to Lois Lane. (Savior)

Contents 1 Powers and Abilities 2 Season Two 3 Season Three 4 Season Four 5 Season Five 6 Season Seven 7 Season Eight 8 Season Nine 9 Quotes 10 Notes 11 References

[edit] Powers and Abilities

Kryptonian technology is capable of transferring vast amounts of information at once. For example, Clark learned to read Kryptonian through accessing the key in the Kawatche Caves; a burst of energy shot through Clark, and he had learned Kryptonian. (Rosetta)

Training can also create "mental trials", such as one where Jor-El tested Clark's ability to fly by having him jump off of a virtual Statue of Liberty. (Savior)

[edit] Season Two

On Clark's 16th birthday, Jor-El began speaking to Clark through the ship, announcing that "The day is coming." Later, Jor-El summoned Clark to the storm cellar and told him to leave Smallville. When Clark refused, he burned the the symbol of the House of El on Clark's chest, stating that, at noon the next day, Clark would leave Smallville or hurt the ones he loved most.

[edit] Season Three

Three months later, when he resolved to bring Clark back from Metropolis, Jonathan Kent went to the Kawatche Caves, where he placed the Key into the cave wall and established contact with Jor-El. Jor-El made a deal with Jonathan: If he gave Jonathan Kryptonian powers to bring Clark home, Jonathan would deliver Clark to Jor-El when it was time for him to fulfill his destiny.

A year after that, Jor-El released "Kara" from the Kawatche Caves. Kara convinced Clark to come with her to the caves, but as they prepared to leave, Jonathan arrived with evidence that Kara was once Lindsey Harrison; Jor-El had been using Lindsey to lure Clark to him. When Clark refused him, Jor-El vaporized Lindsey and hit Jonathan with a bolt of energy, threatening to kill him if Clark didn't comply. To save his human father, Clark entered the portal in the cave wall and was transported to a pocket dimension where Jor-El brainwashed him as Kal-El of Krypton, an obedient version of Clark who vowed to uphold his destiny.

[edit] Season Four

Three months later, Jor-El returned Kal-El to Earth, where Kal-El began searching for the Stones of Power, using the full extent of his powers. Kal-El's crusade was cut short when Martha Kent used black kryptonite to free Clark from his Kryptonian persona.

[edit] Season Five

After Clark reunited the Stones of Power and used the Crystal of Knowledge to create the Fortress of Solitude, Jor-El told him that he could not return to Smallville, but he must instead stay in the Fortress and prepare to save Earth from the coming of Brainiac and General Zod. He began to train Clark, but was interrupted when Clark saw that Chloe Sullivan, who had been transported with him to the Arctic, followed him to the Fortress and was freezing to death. When Clark begged him to let him save Chloe, Jor-El initially forbade him to do so but acquiesced, telling Clark that he must return to the Fortress before sunset or there would be consequences.

When Clark failed to return, Jor-El took away his powers.

[edit] Season Seven

Clark approached Jor-El about beginning his training, and Jor-El had him start with his cousin Kara, telling him to watch over her as she was the daughter of Zor-El and couldn't be trusted.

[edit] Season Eight

After Doomsday attacked Metropolis, Clark discovered that Jimmy Olsen died because he had insisted on not killing Davis Bloome. Afterward, he declared that "Clark Kent is dead" and resolved to embrace his destiny.

[edit] Season Nine

Clark retreated back to the Fortress to leave behind his past and finally began his training with Jor-El. When Clark was on duty in Metropolis and saved a monorail train that had come off the tracks, he spotted Lois on the train knowing she was safe after he thought she had died in Doomsday's attack. When he resumed his training, Jor-El challenged Clark to a mental challenge of trying to fly by jumping off of the Statue of Liberty but Clark was unable to fly. Clark then asked Jor-El why he couldn't fly and believed he was granted the same powers as other Kryptonians but Jor-El tells Clark that his body is the same as other Kryptonians and that his mind was holding him back because he believes he is human or somebody is holding him back. Jor-El suggested that to fully fulfill his destiny, Clark cuts all contact with his life as Clark Kent. Currently Clark is trying to harness the ability to fly. Jor-El states that in order to fly he must clear his mind and heart.  

Later Jor-El gives Clark the ability to hear other's thoughts in an effort to teach him to hone his Kryptonian intuition, and learn to not allow humanistic assumptions inhibit his destiny.

[edit] Quotes

Jor-El: Kal-El, you have come far. One journey has ended. A new journey is about to begin. Welcome, my son.

Clark: I thought Krypton was destroyed!

Jor-El: It was, but here in your Fortress of Solitude, the geography of our planet has been replicated for your training.

Clark: I know there's a lot I can learn from you, but I have to get home. That's where I'm needed.

Jor-El: The meteor shower is only the precursor. A dark force from Krypton has been awakened, Kal-El, and its sights have been set on Earth.

Season Five, Arrival

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Clark: What do you want me to do?

Jor-El: You must do as I tell you. Study with diligence, for that is the only way to save this planet.

Chloe: Clark! Clark, can you hear me? Clark!

Clark: Chloe!

Jor-El: Kal-El, you must continue your education. You cannot stop.

Clark: She's my friend! She needs help! No, I won't let her die!

Jor-El: Each time you let your emotions guide you, the fate of the of the entire planet is at risk. That is your weakness, Kal-El!

Season Five, Arrival

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Clark: Please! I'm begging you!

Jor-El: Very well--under one condition: return to me before the yellow sun has set.

Clark: I'll be back. I promise.

Jor-El: Do not fail me, Kal-El, for the consequences will be grave.

Clark: You have my word.

Season Five, Arrival

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Clark: I haven't been the best son.

Raya: Your father was hard on himself, too. He felt guilty that he couldn't save Krypton. His only redemption was sending you to save Earth.

Clark: Save it from what?

Raya: Extinction. Your civilization is going to destroy itself, just like Krypton. You should know this. It was part of your training.

Clark: I haven't started my training. Now the Fortress is damaged. Jor-El tried to warn me, but I didn't listen. I mean, how could I trust someone who brought so much pain into my life?

Raya: Pain is a part of anyone's journey, Kal-El. You can't escape it. You must accept your destiny.

Season Six, Fallout

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Raya: The Fortress was a storehouse for all the knowledge in the universe -- at least all that we had. How could this happen?

Clark: I'm sorry. I don't know how to bring it back.

Raya: Your father wouldn't have given up so easily.

Clark: I haven't given up. I don't know what else to do. I've tried everything.

Raya: Everything except the training your father wanted for you.

Season Six, Fallout

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Clark: (Clark talking about embracing his humanity again.) I can't let that life interfere with my training again.

Season Nine, Please add episode here.

[edit] Notes

• In Superman: The Movie, Clark begins his training at the Fortress when he is 18 years old and trains for 12 years.

[edit] References

1. ↑ This was explicitly stated in Arrival