Clark time.
Clark time is when Clark Kent's perspective is shown when he's using his super speed ability. This ability is never referred to in the series through dialogue, but was confirmed in DVD commentary for the second episode of the series, Metamorphosis.
Physical Appearance[]
Clark time as shown in Jinx.
When Clark is in super speed mode, everything and everyone is slowed or frozen. As Clark moves, he makes a zooming sound and generates sonic pulses by breaking the sound barrier.
Powers and Abilities[]
Solo Clark time[]
Clark time as shown in Shield.
When Clark is operating at super speed, somehow he is able to see the world as it would normally be seen except moving very slow or not at all. Other speedsters also experience this, such as Emily Dinsmore, Bart Allen, Zod, and Kryptonians under a yellow sun.
Clark can see the world in slow motion even while standing still, as seen in Heat, Accelerate, and Forsaken when he used his super speed and heat vision together while in Clark time. He also triggered Clark time when he dodged a bullet for the first time and when he was shot at by Lex. This suggests that Clark time can only be achieved through concentration.
[]
Bart saving Clark's dad, moving even faster than Clark.
When two speedsters are both moving at super speed, they can share Clark time together; this means that they are able to perceive one-another's super fast movements while the rest of the world appears as if it is moving slowly or not at all. During encounters with Bart Allen, it is shown that if one speedster is faster than another, it may be difficult for the slower speedster to track their movements (Accelerate, Run).
Vulnerabilities[]
"Activating" Clark time requires some amount of concentration, and is therefore not an automatic effect for speedsters.
When Brainiac disguised himself as the "spirit" of Jonathan, he vanished into thin air, but Clark didn't notice he used super speed. (Oracle)
The first time was when solar flares were messing with his powers in Perry, and the second was when he had lost his memory and did not have any control over his speed Blank.
Clark was first forcibly removed from Clark time in Stiletto, when he runs into a cloud of kryptonite counterfeit banknotes. He remains in normal speed while the banknotes gradually moves quicker before they are restored to normal speed.
In Fortune, when hungover after drinking enchanted alcohol, Clark discovered his powers were weakened. When he attempted to super speed for the first time while hungover, he seemed to accidentally smash into a wall mid-run, though he was not hurt.
Known Examples[]
Clark has shared "Clark time" with several other super speedsters:
Emily trying to run away at super speed from Clark.
- Emily Dinsmore tried to run away at super speed from Clark. (Accelerate)
- Clark and his father grappled each other at super speed when Jonathan was imbued with Jor-El's powers. (Phoenix)
- Bart Allen (Run, Justice)
- Jeremiah Holdsclaw tried to stab a super speeding Clark with Palak. (Talisman)
- Brainiac tried to impale Clark at super speed with the black crystal. (Solitude)
- Zod attacked Clark at super speed in the Luthor Mansion. (Zod)
- Wes Keenan attacked Clark at super speed in the Kent barn. (Prototype)
- Clark and Bizarro dashed at each other with white light coming off them during their melee at the dam. (Bizarro)
- Lana Lang when she received kryptonian powers and battles Clark. (Wrath)
- Zor-El when Clark attacks him. (Blue)
- Maxima can also super speed when Clark was speeding to Jimmy at the Ace of Clubs. (Instinct)
- Lana Lang burst out at super speed, after gaining her power suit from Project Prometheus. (Power)
- Clark yanked Davis Bloome at super speed with one arm and Davis tried to get him off at the same speed. (Beast)
- Clark attacks Zod from behind. (Salvation)
- Clark and Conner Kent fight. (Scion)
- Alia runs in super speed towards Clark and Lois. (Pandora)
Other metahumans can also enter into a shared "Clark time" moment. Examples include:
Raya confronts Baern.
- Raya shared her own "super speed time" with Baern when they were fighting in the Kent barn. (Fallout)
- Kara was able to keep up with Brainiac in space. (Veritas)
Notes[]
- Clark time shows that when Clark uses his super speed, it is as if time itself has frozen or greatly slowed down.
- Clark time, both in concept and in name, is never referred to in dialogue.
- Clark time is first displayed in the second episode of the series, Metamorphosis, when Clark saves Jonathan from what could have been a fatal fall. According to the commentary of that very episode, this is referred to by the Smallville crew as "Clark time".
- Throughout the series, Clark time was used as an indicator of Clark's top-speed. As he got faster and faster, other people slowed down and even stopped moving entirely.
- Logic would dictate, that Bart Allen, Maxima, Davis Bloome, John Jones, Emily Dinsmore, Kryptonians and Atlanteans (only while underwater) are the only canonical ones who could perceive this.
- Clark time is first described in the series by Lana Lang in Wrath, who has temporarily gained kryptonian abilities. According to her, "I was moving, and everything else was frozen".
Appearances[]
- Season One: Metamorphosis, Jitters, Rogue, Hug, Zero, Drone, Crush, Obscura
- Season Two: Heat, Ryan, Suspect, Prodigal, Accelerate
- Season Three: Phoenix, Extinction, Resurrection, Crisis, Talisman, Forsaken
- Season Four: Run, Jinx, Bound, Sacred, Lucy, Blank
- Season Five: Splinter, Solitude, Exposed, Lexmas, Fanatic, Lockdown, Vengeance, Fade, Vessel
- Season Six: Zod, Sneeze, Arrow, Fallout, Justice, Freak, Progeny, Prototype, Phantom
- Season Seven: Bizarro, Wrath, Gemini, Siren, Arctic
- Season Eight: Plastique, Instinct, Prey, Identity, Power, Stiletto, Beast, Doomsday
- Season Nine: Crossfire, Pandora, Disciple, Checkmate, Salvation
- Season Ten: Lazarus, Shield, Supergirl, Homecoming, Isis, Ambush, Scion, Booster, Finale Part 1
Clark's feet releasing his speed aura
See also[]
Clark Kent's powers and abilities in Smallville
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