Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Kent
Family	Hiram Kent (father, deceased) Jessica Kent (mother, deceased) William Clark (father-in-law) Mary Clark (mother-in-law) Martha Kent (wife) Clark Kent (adopted son) Conner Kent (adoptive half-son) Unnamed child (miscarriage)
Occupation	Farmer (Kent Farm), State Senator-elect
Played by	John Schneider
Status	Deceased
Last Seen	Finale, Part 2

"Always hold on to Smallville." - Jonathan to Clark, Finale, Part 2

Jonathan Kent was Martha Kent's husband and Clark Kent's adoptive father. A longtime farmer, he ran the Kent Farm until he was elected Senator from Kansas.

Jonathan went to great lengths to protect his son's secret, including almost killing a reporter who was going to expose Clark’s secret to the world, and making a deal with Jor-El that eventually cost him his own life.

Jonathan's heart was strained while he was imbued with all of Clark's powers. When Jonathan decided to run for a seat in the Kansas Senate against Lex Luthor. Jonathan won the senatorial seat, but after a physical altercation with Lionel Luthor, whom he believed was trying to exploit Clark's abilities, Jonathan suffered a heart attack and died.

He was buried in Smallville Cemetery, adjacent to his family's farm. Sometime later, Jonathan's spirit appeared to console Clark and even attended his wedding. Jonathan's spirit later reappeared at the Fortress of Solitude to present to Clark his Superman suit, reminding his son to never let go of Smallville.

Physical Appearance

Jonathan Kent in Season One

Jonathan Kent had an average look to his person, with dark blond hair and sky blue eyes; he sometimes would have stubble, and other times he was clean shaven.

He was around the same height as his son Clark and would nearly always wear simple clothes that consisted of plaid, low collar shirts and blue jeans.

Jonathan Kent in Season Five

He also favored a dark tan/brown jacket, wearing it nearly every day of his life.

Jonathan Kent's spirit in Season Ten

Jonathan kept his hair cropped short in the early-2000s while he was seen with medium length hair in late-2005 to early-2006.

Perry White once mistakenly wore Jonathan's jacket because he didn't know that it belonged to Jonathan, and Clark also wore it once.

When he visited Clark in late-2010, Jonathan had longer hair and he wore his usual jacket with a plaid shirt underneath and blue jeans.

Personality

"You're starting to sound more and more like your father."
"I hope so, Dad." – Jonathan and Clark Kent, Jinx

Jonathan was a farmer his whole life; as a result, he had a strong work ethic and very high moral values. He believed people should be honest, ethical and, like himself, upfront and sincere.^{[citation needed]} Jonathan was close to his own father, but eventually chose to remain in Smallville because he knew that his father needed him to help run the farm. He grew to resent his father, and by the time Hiram died, Jonathan had many things he never got to say and lived the rest of his life regretting the breakdown of their relationship.

Jonathan was a firm but caring father. He was extremely influential in helping Clark adjust to his abilities and cope with being different. ^{[citation needed]} Jonathan was strict with Clark, with high expectations and trusting him to make sound and responsible choices, but because Clark is generally well-behaved and obedient, they still had an extremely close relationship.^{[citation needed]} Clark highly valued Jonathan's approval, and often told him that he wanted to be like him.^{[citation needed]} He always considered Jonathan his "real father" and suffered great anxiety over his Kryptonian heritage and destiny, but Jonathan always assured Clark that he was responsible for his own future and encouraged Clark to choose his own path. Jonathan was willing to sacrifice almost anything to protect his family, including his own health.

Jonathan was highly distrusting of people he felt were hiding their true personality, especially Lionel and Lex Luthor.^{[citation needed]} He felt great guilt in helping Lionel gain a foothold in Smallville, and openly expressed his disgust for the Luthors.^{[citation needed]} Jonathan was very wary of Clark and Lex's growing friendship, and often told Clark that he did not trust Lex, although his opinion of Lex improved after Lex made a genuine effort to help out on the farm when he was forced to live with the Kents for a time.^{[citation needed]}

On many occasions, Jonathan had shown prejudice against aliens, particularly Clark's own race. He believed that Kryptonians were evil and that Clark only escaped his "evil" nature because he was raised with human values. Jonathan also believed that emotions such as love and compassion are synonymous with humans (Although the fact that his only real contact with Kryptonians at this point in his life were the Disciples of Zod and the seemingly manipulative Jor-El would have doubtless impacted his opinion).

Jonathan enjoyed football, but managing the farm left him with little time for any other hobbies or interests.

Vessel of Jor-El

Jor-El selected or made Jonathan a Kryptonian vessel during their pact with one another about Clark Kent. Jor-El appeared to have "used" Jonathan and was connected with him in a much differently way than he was when he was "using" Lionel Luthor^{[Citation needed]}, as Lionel became a direct emissary and oracle for Jor-El wherein he would articulate Kryptonian texts and other writings whereas Jonathan was more of a mouth piece in which he would often hear Kryptonian frequencies and sounds and Jonathan didn't appear affected by the effects of Kryptonite whereas Lionel exhibited some signs as seen in Arrival^{[Citation needed]}.

In Exile, Jonathan sees no other alternative to his problem, and goes to speak with Jor-El, an artificial entity who resides in the Kawatche Caves' activation wall and is Clark's biological Kryptonian father, and uses the Key to converse with him about retrieving his son Clark Kent, who has gotten infected with Red kryptonite, and Jor-El obliges under the condition that Jonathan will return him when it is time for him to fulfill his Kryptonian calling, and within their pact, Jor-El bestows Jonathan with temporary Kryptonian powers and abilities.

Later on, in Metropolis, Clark as Kal under the influence of Red kryptonite, steals an item from a vault in LuthorCorp Plaza, and gets confronted by his father, and Jonathan runs at him extremely fast, and they fall out a window.

In Phoenix, down below, they take part in a superpowered fight, and Jonathan eventually convinces Clark to smash the ring and come home to face his problems, and then Jor-El immediately leaves Jonathan's body, although it is later revealed that he retained a direct connection with Jor-El.

In Legacy, Johathan, after returning from the hospital, is on the roof installing a weather vane, despite his wife's concerns. Then suddenly out of no where, he hears a high pitched whine ringing sound due to his connection with Jor-El, and falls off the roof, but Clark manages to save him. Clark presses for what just happened, but Jonathan angrily says, "Damn it, Kal-El. I can get it myself", which alarms Clark and Martha, and Clark thinks it has something to do with his dad's deal. Later on, Jonathan heads to the caves with the Key, but is confronted by Lionel, and they fight for the Key, which phases through the wall and disappears. Later, Jonathan reveals to Clark that the Key in fact isn’t in the wall but is still out there. It is seen in Dr. Virgil Swann's possession.

Later on in Talisman, Clark gets stabbed by Jeremiah with Palak, and almost dies, but Jonathan through Jor-El, heals him.

Early life

Jonathan was born on 1 September 1954, or late 1961 or early 1962. He was the son of Hiram and Jessica Kent. He lived in Smallville on the Kent Farm his whole life. Jonathan attended Smallville High School, and was the star of the football team; during this time, he dated Nell Potter. At one point, he ran away from home one summer and tried out for the Metropolis Sharks.

Jonathan met Martha Clark at Metropolis University. Martha asked Jonathan for some notes, even though she was the note-taker for the class. When Martha asked how he knew she would return them, Jonathan told her, "I prefer to believe in people"; Martha still remembers thinking "I hope he marries me" at the time. Martha and Jonathan then began dating. Later, Jonathan asked Martha's father, William Clark, for her hand in marriage, but William rejected him, saying he had raised his daughter for better things than being a farmer's wife. Out of anger, Jonathan hit William, and he and Martha married anyway. On the day of his wedding, Jonathan's father gave him a compass, just in case he got lost going down the aisle. Jonathan and William remained estranged until Jonathan's death. Jonathan and Martha managed the Kent Farm together, and were respected members of the Smallville community.

Jonathan and Martha moments before the meteor shower.

Jonathan and Martha were exiting Nell Potter's flower shop in 1989 when the first meteor shower struck Smallville. On their way back home, a meteor landed close to their truck, flipping it over. Jonathan and Martha were still alive, hanging upside down in their seat-belts, when Jonathan noticed a toddler approach the truck.

Jonathan and Martha find young Kal-El in the cornfield.

He was alone, naked, and appeared to be about 3 years-old. Jonathan and Martha also found a small spacecraft in the field, and assumed the boy had emerged from it. They took the boy with them and hid the ship in the back of their truck.

While fleeing, Jonathan and Martha came across Lionel Luthor, who asked them for their help because his son Lex was unconscious after the meteors hit. Lionel was so grateful for Jonathan's quick actions that he offered him anything in return which, at the moment, Jonathan declined. When Sheriff Ethan visited the Kent Farm later on, he saw and inquired about the little boy. Put on the spot, Martha hurriedly lied, calling the boy "Clark" (after her maiden name), and claimed that they had just adopted him. Martha and Jonathan then needed to quickly make the story true, and enlisted Lionel's help to provide fake adoption papers. Lionel drew up the papers, but required that Jonathan go to Bill Ross and convince him to sell the Ross Creamed Corn Factory to Lionel.

Jonathan gives some advice to Clark.

Despite being unsure as to whether or not he could bring up a superhuman child, Jonathan's morals and upstanding spirit enabled him to raise the child properly.

When Clark had to read an essay at school in front of the entire class, parents and teachers, he was very scared but Jonathan convinced him to believe in himself and in what he had written, and gave three key phrases to get it right : "Find your center, stand your ground and speak your piece."

Season One

"Look, Clark, I'm your father. I'm supposed to have all the answers. It kills me that I don't, but you gotta have faith that we'll figure this thing out together." – Jonathan, to Clark

Jonathan reveals Clark's true origins.

When Clark was 14, he began to question his strange abilities. After emerging unharmed from being hit by Lex Luthor's car, Clark stuck his arm into a running wood-chipper in front of his shocked father and demanded answers; Jonathan had no other choice but to reveal the truth. He showed Clark the spaceship in the storm cellar and explained how Clark fell from the stars, but emphasized that it didn't matter to him or Martha.

When Clark decided to join the football team, Jonathan was concerned that Clark would hurt other players, but Clark insisted that he had his super-strength under control. Jonathan's point was proven when Clark made a super-powered leap over another player during practice. Fortunately, they reconciled when Clark quit the football team.

Clark visits his father in jail.

When Sam Phelan infiltrated the Kent's life to gain information about Clark, he framed Jonathan by placing a body in the barn and manipulated Clark into stealing for him in order to release his father. However, Clark was able to conceal his secret and turn Phelan in, and the charges against Jonathan were dropped.

The Kent Farm was plagued with long-standing financial difficulties, but Jonathan refused to accept Lex's advice or financial help, saying he did not want to owe the Luthors anything ever again. He encountered Bob Rickman, who could control people's will with a handshake, and found himself inexplicably selling the farm, but was able to get the contract voided.

When Clark's powers were transferred to Eric Summers, Jonathan tried to help him adjust to being normal, but ultimately encouraged Clark to go get them back when Eric began wreaking havoc.

Clark tries to stop a Nicodemus-infected Jonathan.

Jonathan was infected by the Nicodemus flower, and displayed strange and erratic behavior. Normally reserved, he openly made out with Martha in the kitchen, and when he learned that his loan had been rejected, he took a shotgun to the bank in a rage. Clark was able to stop Jonathan from entering the bank with a shotgun but, to his shock, Jonathan shot Clark in the chest just before he collapsed. Clark enlisted the investigative skills of his friend Chloe Sullivan and was able to find a cure.

Throughout Clark's freshman year, Jonathan and Clark frequently disagreed on Clark's budding friendship with Lex. Jonathan believed Lex to be a self-serving, destructive young man, and indirectly indicated that he did not think Lex was the best influence on Clark. Despite Lex's repeated displays of kindness and thoughtfulness, Jonathan was short with Lex and sometimes even openly rude. He was furious when Dominic Sanatori informed him that Lex had been investigating the Kents since Clark saved his life, and he and Clark had an argument about the friendship yet again. Clark seemed determined to show Jonathan that Lex was not like Lionel and always defended him. For his part, Lex idealized Jonathan and Clark's relationship, seeing it as something he could never have with his own father. He did not like being a cause of strife in their relationship, and always encouraged Clark to work things out with Jonathan.

As a high-school freshman, Clark developed new powers, strengthened his existing ones, and received the unwanted attention of Roger Nixon, an investigative reporter hired by Lex. After confirming Clark's invulnerability, Nixon finally confronted Jonathan about his unusual son the same day several tornadoes hit Smallville. When Nixon threatened to expose Clark's abilities, Jonathan exited the safety of the storm cellar to track Nixon down.

Season Two

"No, I didn't shoot Lionel. But I let my anger get the best of me. I... I haven't exactly kept it a secret how Jonathan Kent feels about the Luthors. What jury could possibly believe me now?" – Jonathan, to Martha, Suspect

During the tornadoes, Jonathan exited the storm cellar against Martha's protests to go track Nixon down and prevent him from exposing Clark's powers. They were trapped underneath a building for almost a full day. While trapped, Jonathan received harsh criticism from Nixon, who said that Clark was a world wonder, not his farmhand. Jonathan stood his ground, maintaining that Clark was merely the son he raised. When they were rescued by Clark, Nixon incapacitated Clark with green kryptonite and tried to kidnap him, and Jonathan fought Nixon brutally. However, the matter resolved itself when Nixon was shot by Lex just as Nixon was about to deliver Jonathan a fatal blow.

Jonathan helps Clark learn to control his heat vision.

When Clark suddenly developed heat vision, Jonathan was able to reassure him that he was not a danger to others by helping him learn to control it. He was also influenced by the pheromones of Desirée Atkins and almost killed Lex, but Clark was able to stop him.

Clark defied his parents and told his best friend Pete Ross his secret. Jonathan and Martha were angry at first, but decided that Pete could be trusted after all. Pete's help proved invaluable when he had to help Jonathan subdue Clark when he became volatile and reckless under the influence of red kryptonite.

When Jonathan's father-in-law, William Clark, came to visit, Clark asked Jonathan to explain why they didn't get along, and Jonathan was forced to reveal his and William's shaky past. In addition, when Rachel Dunleavy came to town claiming to be Clark's mother, Jonathan was also forced to reveal his role in helping Lionel Luthor gain influence in Smallville.

Jonathan and Martha discuss her new job.

Martha gained the opportunity to be Lionel's personal assistant after he was blinded during the tornado storm, and the job caused friction in her relationship with Jonathan. When Jonathan broke his leg trying to repair the tractor, Martha felt extreme guilt for not being there to help and offered to quit. Jonathan told her his concerns that the Luthors come first, but knowing that she really enjoyed her job, told her not to quit if she didn't want to. However, when she and Lionel were kidnapped and held hostage in LuthorCorp, Martha learned that Lionel was investigating Clark and decided to quit. Surprisingly, Jonathan recommended she stay, in order to be close to Lionel and see what he knew.

Jonathan's issues with Lionel came to a head when he was framed for shooting him by the sheriff of Smallville, his old friend Ethan Miller. Jonathan's name was cleared, but he regretted vocalizing his distaste for the Luthors so publicly.

Jonathan's perception of Lex improved when Lex was kicked out of the Luthor Mansion and sought refuge at the Kent Farm. Jonathan gave Lex strenuous and unpleasant farm chores, but Lex pulled his own weight. He admitted that he was surprised and pleased at Lex's work ethic, telling him that he would have made a fine farmer. Jonathan and Lex parted on good terms, but Jonathan was injured again by Lucas Luthor, who cold-cocked him with a gun.

Jonathan faced the reality of losing his family when Martha and Clark were infected with kryptonite spores and became deathly ill. The seriousness of the situation was heightened when Jonathan learned that Martha was pregnant. Determined not to lose his family, he broke into the Disease Control Agency warehouse to reclaim the key to activate Clark's ship and cure both Clark and Martha. The Kents prepared for their new arrival with hope and excitement.

Jonathan tries to assure Clark that he can make his own choices.

Shortly afterward, Clark was contacted by Dr. Virgil Swann and learned more about his alien heritage than ever before. Jonathan supported Clark when he opened the ship for the first time, and they read a message from Clark's birth father together. Clark began to panic and got upset when he realized that his biological father intended for him to conquer Earth, but Jonathan assured him that he was not bound to any fate and could choose his own destiny.

As he prepared to marry Helen Bryce, Lex asked Jonathan and Martha to sit at the table with him and Helen at the wedding. Jonathan gave Lex a compass as a gift- a Kent family tradition, with the compass making sure that the groom didn't lose his way when he was walking up the aisle-, and told him that he thought he was turning into a fine young man.

When Clark encountered his Kryptonian father Jor-El for the first time, he was informed that the time had come for him to fulfill his destiny. Clark resisted and devised a plan to destroy the ship. However, Jonathan and Martha were on the way home, and the pulse from the exploding ship caused their truck to roll. Jonathan was uninjured, but Martha suffered a miscarriage. Extremely guilty and upset, Clark had to tell Jonathan that it was he who caused the explosion. Faced with the burden of his and Martha's grief, Jonathan never directly blamed Clark for the loss of the baby, but he angrily informed Clark that he should consider the consequences of his actions. Clark's own guilt, coupled with Jonathan's words, caused Clark to dose himself with red kryptonite and run away from home.

In-between

"He's out there, Martha, and he's out of control... I never should have turned my back on him..." - Jonathan to Martha, Sojourn

Jonathan informed Martha what happened to Clark (who in turn was informed by Pete). He was determined to find Clark, as he felt guilty for turning his back on him. Jonathan also talked to Bob Kendrick from Metropolis Fidelity Insurance about the damage to the farm. He leaves MFI with the insurance for the farm being rejected, and catches a glimpse of Clark riding by.

Season Three

"Clark, I've always told you to take responsibility for your own decisions. Now why don't you let me take responsibility for mine?" – Jonathan, to Clark, Legacy

Jonathan goes to Jor-El for help.

Jonathan and Martha waited anxiously for Clark to return home after he ran away to Metropolis, even as the Kent Farm went into foreclosure and they prepared to move off of Jonathan's family's land. When Pete showed them evidence of Clark's escalating crimes, Jonathan resolved to force Clark to come home. However, Martha pointed out that Jonathan could not stop Clark or force him to do anything, so Jonathan went to the Kawatche Caves, where he established communication with Jor-El. They struck a fateful deal in which Jor-El temporarily bestowed Jonathan with Kryptonian powers.

Jonathan and Clark fought until he successfully convinced Clark to smash the red kryptonite ring and return home to face his problems. Lex also returned home and, as thanks for accepting him into the family- as well as the compass Jonathan had given him, which had helped Lex make his way to the island where he had lived for the last few weeks-, he absolved the Kents of their debt and bought their farm in their name. Jonathan's terms of his deal with Jor-El were not immediately revealed, but the consequences of his temporary superpowers began to manifest as chronic cardiac problems; as a result, Jonathan's health began to decline.

Jonathan saves Clark after he is shot with a kryptonite bullet.

When Clark was shot in the hand and shoulder with a kryptonite bullet by Van McNulty, Jonathan and Martha saved his life by digging it out with pliers and a knife. Jonathan also helped Clark adjust to a period of temporary blindness and helped him hone and control his newest ability, super-hearing. Jonathan was also one of several people affected by hypnotic e-mails and tried to kill Chloe, but she and Clark stopped him and broke the trance.

Clark calls for help after finding Jonathan collapsed.

Jonathan suffered his first heart attack in early 2004, and had an extended stay in the Smallville Medical Center. Clark was convinced that Jonathan and Jor-El's deal was the reason for Jonathan's declining health, and was extremely guilt-ridden, but Martha and Jonathan tried to assure him that it was not his fault. Jonathan later admitted to Clark that Jor-El's deal is probably why he had a heart attack, but he emphasized that he did not regret his decision. Jonathan was later recommended to have bypass surgery. He was initially reluctant to undergo the surgery, but Clark and Martha reiterated how important he was to their family. However, during the surgery, Garrett Davis took the entire hospital hostage in an attempt to save the life of his brother, Vince, even demanding that Jonathan's liver be given to Vince to save his life. Clark was able to subdue Garrett, and Jonathan's surgery was a success.

When Clark began dating Alicia Baker, Jonathan caught Alicia and Clark making out in his bedroom in their underwear, and he and Martha expressed their strong disapproval of her.

When Clark heard a phone call from the future in which Lana Lang was being chased, he had Lana stay at the Kent Farm to keep her safe. Jonathan offered to watch over her while Clark and Chloe investigated the mysterious call. Jonathan let Chloe borrow his truck, but Lana's would-be attacker, Adam Knight, used it to track Lana down. He knocked Jonathan unconscious and abducted Lana, but Clark was able to save her.

Lionel and Jonathan fight over the key.

In addition to his heart problems, Jonathan began to hear the beacon noise made by the key. He fell off the barn roof, but Clark was able to save him. Jonathan then began to display strange behavior, and talked openly about how he regretted many of the choices he made in his life. He was drawn back to the Kawatche Caves where he and Lionel had an intense physical fight over the key before it flew into the cave wall and disappeared. Jonathan was seemingly returned to normal, but he could not explain what made him go to the caves and again did not tell Clark the circumstances of his deal with Jor-El. He continued to deal with his declining health problems, expressing to Martha that he was depressed and angry.

Jonathan heals Clark with the help of Jor-El.

Jonathan saved Clark's life again when he was stabbed by Jeremiah Holdsclaw and almost bled to death. As he administered pressure to Clark's wound, his hands emitted a burst of energy and the wound instantly healed; Jor-El had used Jonathan as a vessel. Professor Joseph Willowbrook returned to tell Clark his theory that Clark was the fabled savior Naman, and Clark talked to his father about the anxiety he felt over his destiny. Jonathan again assured him that he had the choice to make his own future.

Jonathan and Jor-El's deal was finally revealed at the end of Clark's junior year, when Jor-El attempted to convince Clark to accept his destiny by luring him into a pocket dimension with the reprogrammed Lindsey Harrison posing as a Kryptonian named Kara. Kara appeared at the farm and persuaded Clark to enter the dimension. She exposed the details of Jonathan and Jor-El's deal: That Jonathan would give Clark back to Jor-El when it was time for him to fulfill his destiny. Both Martha and Clark were extremely upset that Jonathan had made such a decision without telling them; Jonathan claimed he did not realize Jor-El would demand Clark back so soon. However, he had suspicions of Kara's true motives, and asked Chloe to run a trace on her fingerprints. When Chloe revealed that Kara was, in fact, Lindsey, Jonathan realized that Jor-El was deceiving Clark, and went to the caves to confront him and stop Clark from entering. Jor-El began to strangle Jonathan to force Clark to return to him, and Clark sacrificed himself to save his father's life. He disappeared into Jor-El's pocket dimension, and Jonathan was left in a coma.

Season Four

"As much as I loved my father, I... a part of me still resents him for needing me that much. I don't want you to feel that. That's not the kind of father I... I ever wanted to be." – Jonathan, to Clark, Forever

Jonathan was comatose for three months in the Smallville Medical Center, during which time Clark's whereabouts were unknown. He miraculously and suddenly awakened when Clark returned reprogrammed as Kal-El and Martha used black kryptonite to restore him as Clark. However, Jonathan's heart problems continued, and he was prescribed a variety of medications to combat them.

Clark and Jonathan argue about football.

The football issue again caused conflict in Jonathan and Clark's relationship when Clark joined the team again against Jonathan's wishes. Clark insisted that he was much older and able to control his powers, but Jonathan again thought Clark would hurt another player. However, Clark stood his ground and Jonathan allowed him to stay on the team.

Jonathan was almost run down in Metropolis by a sleepy driver, but his life was saved by Bart Allen, a young man who could run faster than Clark. When Clark and Lionel switched bodies, Jonathan didn't seem concerned by Clark's strange behavior (unlike Martha), but he was injured when Lionel-in-Clark threw him across the kitchen.

Clark tries to make Jonathan understand why he has to play.

During one of Clark's football games, Clark was controlled into tripping by Mikhail Mxyzptlk and caused one boy to suffer a minor injury. Jonathan told Clark to quit, but Clark was firm in his belief that the injury was not his fault. He told Jonathan that he makes a conscious decision to react normally with every physical contact, and that there was no way Jonathan could ever understand. Jonathan conceded, and Clark went on to take the football team to a state championship.

Jonathan listens when Clark's girlfriend dies.

Jonathan and Martha were part of several victims of an airborne toxin that caused several Smallville residents to hallucinate their worse fear. Clark found them passed out, and was able to help Lex create an antidote and save them. Shortly afterward, Clark reunited with Alicia Baker, and Martha and Jonathan once again told Clark that they disapproved of their relationship. However, under the influence of red kryptonite, Clark ran away with Alicia and "married" her in Las Vegas. Although the marriage wasn't legal, Jonathan was so angry with Clark for his lapse in judgment that he wouldn't even face him. When Alicia died, Jonathan and Martha were uncharacteristically smug and didn't offer Clark any useful coping advice.

Clark received a football scholarship from his parents' alma mater Metropolis University. However, when he met Met U football player Geoff Johns, who admitted that he had been forced to start using his powers in college due to the added pressure of the game, Clark decided that he would not be able to play college football and conceal his powers, and turned down his scholarship.

Jonathan was bitten in the arm by a kryptonite-enhanced Rottweiler, but saved by another dog, a golden retriever. Clark learned that they were products of a failed LuthorCorp experiment, and Jonathan warned him that they would most likely be destroyed. Clark pleaded with Jonathan to let him keep the golden retriever. Jonathan relented, and Martha named him "Shelby."

Jonathan and Martha chaperoned Clark's senior prom, even though Clark didn't want to go. Jonathan's presence proved invaluable when the spirit of would-be Prom Queen Dawn Stiles possessed Chloe. As Dawn, Chloe pushed Jonathan down the stairs, but he was revived by Clark. When Dawn's spirit leapt into Clark, Jonathan forced her out with green kryptonite and restored Clark to normal.

Clark and Jonathan argue about where he will go to college.

As Clark's high school graduation approached, he revealed to his parents that he had turned down his Met U scholarship to attend a closer college. Jonathan and Clark both knew that he would be unable to run the farm without Clark, but Jonathan urged Clark to make his decision based on what he wanted, not what was best for the farm. He admitted to Clark that he resented his own father for needing him and didn't want Clark to feel the same way. However, Clark displayed the maturity and sound reasoning his parents instilled in him, insisting that he wanted to stay and help with the farm.

Jason holds the Kents hostage.

On the day of Clark's graduation, they received word of another impending meteor shower, and Jonathan and Martha were forced to evacuate. Clark revealed that he had to stay behind because he had neglected to fulfill Jor-El's task of reuniting the Stones of Power. Jonathan and Martha reluctantly prepared to leave without him, but they were taken hostage by Jason Teague, who threatened to kill Martha unless Jonathan told him where Clark hid the Crystal of Knowledge. However, Jonathan managed to attack Jason by surprise, but a meteor hit the Kents' house.

Season Five

"This is your destiny, son. You are going to touch the lives of so many people. Not just as a man, but as a symbol. You're a symbol of peace. You're a symbol of justice." – Jonathan, to Clark, Void

Lana, Martha, and Jonathan are held hostage.

Jonathan managed to survive the second meteor shower with minor injuries, but Martha was more seriously hurt. Lois Lane arrived to help Jonathan get Martha to the hospital. When Martha and Jonathan returned home, Clark announced that Jor-El had stripped him of his powers. Jonathan and Martha were shocked, but Clark maintained that he was glad to see them go. Shortly afterward, Jonathan, Martha and Lana were taken hostage by three metahuman fugitives who forced Clark to infiltrate a LuthorCorp facility and steal a serum to which they had become addicted. With Chloe's help, Clark was able to save the day without his powers.

When Jonathan and Martha found out that Clark and Lana had begun a sexual relationship, he gave Clark a stern lecture on responsibility. However, the subject was forgotten when, that same day, Clark was shot by Gabriel Duncan. Clark died at the hospital, but was resurrected by Jor-El who was using Lionel as a vessel. With his powers restored, Clark saved the entire town again, and Jonathan told him that he was very proud. Jonathan asked if Jor-El wanted anything in return, but Clark denied this. Jonathan seemed skeptical, but he was, no doubt, so glad to see Clark alive again that he did not press the issue.

Senator Jack Jennings comes to visit.

Jonathan's oldest friend, Kansas State Senator Jack Jennings, came to visit the farm in the fall to ask Jonathan to drum up support for his campaign. However, it was soon disclosed that Jennings had been having an affair with a stripper, Melissa Paige, who turned up dead. Jennings maintained that he had nothing to do with her death, but he admitted to the affair. Jonathan took him to task for failing in his duty to be a moral role model, and Jennings decided that the scandal was too detrimental to his campaign and chose to drop out to work on his personal problems. He suggested that Jonathan run in his place. Jonathan was skeptical at first; Martha objected because she was afraid it would put unwanted attention on their family, but Clark was unwilling to be the cause of Jonathan's reluctance.

Clark attacks Jonathan, believing his parents have turned him over to Lionel.

While deciding to run, Jonathan was approached by Lionel, who offered financial support against Lex, claiming that it would be dangerous for Lex to win his first foray into politics. However, Clark had become infected with silver kryptonite and hallucinated that Jonathan was planning to turn him over as a test subject in exchange for Lionel's money. In a rage, he assaulted Jonathan and Martha before he was subdued by Chloe. Jonathan and Martha learned that Chloe had learned Clark's secret a year ago. When Clark was restored to normal, he urged his father to make his decision on what he thought was best and to not let fear of his secret being exposed ruin their family's life.

Clark's deal with Jor-El was revealed when Martha contracted a strange Kryptonian illness. Clark admitted that Jor-El predicted that his life-force would be exchanged for one of his loved ones. Worried about Martha's deteriorating condition, Jonathan was angry that Clark had not told him and instructed him to handle the situation. However, the illness was caused by Professor Milton Fine; Clark defeated him, and Martha was cured. Jonathan approached Clark again and, in softer tones, advised him not to dwell on Jor-El's warning and live life to the fullest.

Jonathan comforts Clark, who arrived too late to save Lana's life.

The Kents learn that Jonathan has won.

Jonathan's campaign was in full swing by Christmas of 2005. He hired Lois Lane as his campaign manager, and she and Martha managed his finances. However, Martha was approached by Lionel, who again offered to finance Jonathan's campaign. Not wanting him to lose simply because they were out of money, Martha accepted his offer. When Jonathan found out, he blamed Lois, but later had to apologize when Martha admitted responsibility. Jonathan decided to mortgage a sizable portion of the farm, known as the "Back Forty," to pay Lionel back. When Samantha Drake, a deranged fan of Lex, began stalking Jonathan, she and her henchmen beat him up and tied him from the rafters of the barn. He was not seriously injured, so Samantha hatched a new plan to force Lois to shoot Jonathan during a speech. However, Clark and Lois were able to stop Samantha, and Jonathan was saved. It was revealed, though, that the stress the campaign was beginning to affect Jonathan, and he began to have heart trouble again. The attack bolstered Jonathan's popularity even more, and on January 26, 2006, Jonathan defeated Lex in the election and won the race. They held an election party at the Talon in his honor. While the producers never revealed which party Jonathan Kent belonged to, he was a staunch advocate of farm subsidies.

Unfortunately, this night, Jor-El's prediction came true. The night of the election, Jonathan received a phone call asking for a meeting at the barn, and he left the party to meet the caller. Newly engaged to Clark, Lana was killed in a car accident. Clark was devastated, and Jonathan drove by the scene and stopped to comfort him. Clark begged Jor-El to reverse time so he could prevent Lana's death.

Jonathan's last moments.

In the altered turn of events, Jonathan met the caller: Lionel. Lionel asked for a partnership in his term, and showed Jonathan a photograph of Clark emerging unscathed from an explosion. Jonathan reacted with anger and declared that the Luthors would not ruin his family. He beat Lionel up in a rage, and told him to stay away from them. Martha and Clark arrived home to find Jonathan staggering out of the barn. He collapsed into his family's arms, and died that night.

The entire town of Smallville attended Jonathan's funeral, including both Luthors. Clark confessed to Martha that he blamed himself, but she tried to assure him that there was nothing he could do.

Post Mortem

Season Five

Clark sees his father again after being injected with the Limbo drug.

Sometime after Jonathan's death, Clark was injected with the Limbo drug, a kryptonite-based serum that gave him the chance to "cross over" and see his father. Jonathan informed Clark that he will become a symbol of peace and justice on Earth, and that Lionel knew his secret. He "pushed" Clark back to life, vowing to always be with Clark.

On his nineteenth birthday, Clark saw Jonathan's spirit at his gravestone, and was surprised and confused when Jonathan instructed him to kill Lionel. Jonathan also appeared to Martha, urging her to convince Clark to kill Lionel. However, the apparition was revealed to be a trick by Brainiac; Lionel had become the Kryptonian vessel for Jor-El, and Brainiac attempted to manipulate Clark into eliminating him. Clark discovered Lionel's meeting with Jonathan the night of his death, and almost succeeded in killing him, but Lionel successfully talked him out of it by pointing out that Jonathan would never want Clark to take a life.

Season Eight

Jonathan & Martha Kent

After almost dying when he was shot through the heart while temporarily powerless, Clark saw a smiling, happy Jonathan and Martha, and a very young Lana Lang in his dream sequence. He later admitted to the Martian Manhunter that he felt he had been holding onto a life on the farm that had not existed for a very long time.

Season Nine

When Clark and Lois got back from their get away trip, Zod was at the Kent House when he called up Lois. He was pretending to be the Blur and asked her to spy on Tess and try to find anything useful. While he was talking on the phone, he picked up a picture with Clark and Jonathan on the shelf right next to the stairway. Later, Perry White (Martha's new boyfriend) wore Jonathan's jacket, which made Martha believe that it was Jonathan and becoming upset when she realized it wasn't.

Season Ten

"Not a day goes by, Clark, when I don't regret not being able to be right here for you. I would do anything, I would give anything to able to get a second chance to get it right. You got that second chance, son. You could be the greatest hero the world has ever known. " - Jonathan to Clark, Lazarus

The spirit of Jonathan attempts to comfort Clark.

Jonathan appeared on the farm, consoling Clark after his meeting with Jor-El. Jonathan told Clark that he would be a great hero but first he had to overcome the greatest trial he will ever face, saying Jor-El was right about a dark force that was coming. Clark asked him what this force was, but when he turned back, Jonathan was gone.

Clark bids his father a final farewell

Upon returning from the future and taking the advice of Brainiac 5 into consideration, Clark, clad in his updated Blur costume, went to Jonathan's gravesite, where he admitted that he had been unable to let go of the past, and of him. Saying that he will always keep Smallville in his heart, Clark stated it was time for him to move on. Taking Jonathan's old watch, Clark buried it under the grass of Jonathan's grave and says a final "good-bye" to his father, promising to become the man his father brought him up to be.

Jonathan with Martha at Clark's wedding

When Martha came back to the farm for Clark and Lois' wedding, she saw an image of Jonathan's face in a picture of the two of them. She then argued with Clark about selling the farm and about Jonathan. Martha said that Jonathan was with them both and Clark could see him too if he allowed himself to. Clark explained that he had before. When Clark left, stating he had to get rid of the past to move on, Jonathan's ghost stood in the house, looking sad over his son's decision.

Jonathan speaks to Clark

Clark, confused, visited Jonathan's grave again where Jonathan's spirit appeared to him like he had before. He tried to convince Clark not to leave the past behind and to let him and his mother be there for him. He later appeared at Clark and Lois' wedding to Clark, nodding at him as he walked down the aisle and then, unseen to anyone else, took a seat next to Martha to watch the wedding.

The Kent family reunited

When the planet Apokolips was coming to Earth, Jonathan spoke to Clark in the loft about how this was his time and that he had to let Jor-El guide him from this point on because he was starting a new chapter in his life. Martha arrived and Jonathan and Martha comforted Clark, the Kents reunited as the end of the world loomed. Clark left to go face the threat while Jonathan and Martha watched him depart the farm.

Jonathan hands Clark his suit

After Clark defeated Darkseid, he went to the Fortress where Jonathan handed him the suit, telling him to always hold on to Smallville. He proudly gave his son the suit which Clark accepted and then took flight with the suit, accepting his destiny.

Alternate Realities

Season Seven

The Kent family in a world without Clark

In an alternate universe where Clark never arrived on Earth, Jonathan was alive and still lived on the farm with Martha. They had an adopted son, who they have also called "Clark."

Season Ten (Earth-2)

See: Jonathan Kent (Earth-2)

In the Comics

Jonathan Kent as he appears in the comics.

Jonathan Kent, also known as Pa Kent, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. The Kents are the adoptive parents of Superman. They live in the small town of Smallville, USA. The couple is usually portrayed age-wise as either late middle age or elderly, in most versions of Superman's origin story, Jonathan and Martha Kent were the first to come across the rocket that brought the infant Kal-El to Earth, with their adopting him shortly thereafter, deciding to rename him Clark Kent. When the comics originated, adoption was not common, and it had to be established that the Kents adopted because they couldn't have biological children, which meant that Martha had to be beyond childbearing years, or infertile.

In Superboy vol. 1 #145, Jonathan and Martha are rejuvenated physically and appear younger due to the influence of an alien serum. After Clark graduates from high school, Jonathan and Martha take a vacation to the Caribbean Islands, where they contract a fatal and rare tropical disease after handling materials from a pirate's treasure chest they had exhumed; despite Superboy's best efforts, Martha dies, with Jonathan dying soon thereafter. Before dying, Jonathan reminds Clark that he must always use his powers for the benefit of humanity. Clark mourns his parents and moves to Metropolis to attend college.

In Superman and Superboy stories prior to 1986, both the Kents die before the beginning of Clark's adult career as Superman. However, Jonathan did receive one opportunity to see his adopted son as the Man of Steel. After Superboy assists a group of interplanetary farmers from an alien world, they repay him by granting Jonathan's subconscious desire to see Clark in the future as Superman. Using their advanced technology, they place an artificially-aged Jonathan years into the future, warping reality to make it appear that he had never died, and had maintained contact with his son all along. After spending 30 hours in the future with his adult son, Jonathan is returned by the aliens to his proper time period. The incident is removed from everyone's conscious memory, and the timeline is restored to normal.

In the 1986 The Man of Steel limited series, that was a reboot to Superman's origin, one of the changes were made was keeping Jonathan and Martha Kent alive into Clark's adulthood. The Kents have the same role as in the earlier stories, instilling within Clark the morals needed to become a strong and heroic figure.

In the Man of Steel mini-series and afterwards, the Kents remain farmers through Clark's adult years, although a storyline features them having opened a general store in Smallville. Although Jonathan is still alive in the comics, he suffers a heart attack after The Death of Superman storyline, and he meets Clark in the afterlife and encourages him to return to life with him.

Jonathan and Martha Kent as they appeared in Superman: Birthright.

The Kents were altered in 2003's Superman: Birthright limited series, which again revised Superman's origins. Jonathan and Martha are depicted as far younger at the time of Clark adopting his Superman identity than in past portrayals, appearing here to be scarcely middle-aged. The Kents' appearances were altered to resemble the younger versions of actor and actress from the show. Although now shown wearing glasses, Jonathan has a full head of blond hair. This younger portrayal of the Kents has persisted in the regular DC Universe since Birthright was published.

As it currently stands, Jonathan loves his son very much, but had a more strained relationship with him. He was critical of Clark for "showing off" by playing football with his human peers, and the strain in their relationship is such that father and son barely spoke to each other in Clark's late teens. Jonathan had conflicting feelings regarding Clark's powers and his decision to use them for the benefit of humanity; he seems to feel that he has lost the affections of his newly-adult son, partly due to Clark's fascination with his Kryptonian origins. Jonathan was not particularly encouraging in the formation of Clark's Superman identity or mission, although they eventually reconciled.

As Clark's role of Superman went on, Jonathan eventually learned how to not only accept Clark's life as Superman, but became a major encouraging factor, acting as a source of advise for Clark in regards to important decsions that Superman needed to make. Jonathan and Martha also began to open their home to Clark's extended Kryptonian family, including Krypto, Mon-El, the Matrix Supergirl, and most notable Clark's clone, Superboy (AKA Conner Kent/Kon-El). The few members of Superman's family (in the current continuity) who they did not share particularly close ties to were Power Girl (AKA Karen Star), who was an alternate universe version of Supergirl and Supergirl herself (Kara Zor-El), who chose a life of independence from her cousin's life, upon arriving on Earth. Jonathan also became a grandfather to Clark's foster son Christopher Kent.

Unlike the series, Jonathan didn't have any political ambitions, though he was running for city counsel in an unresolved Superboy storyline. He is consistently portrayed as a man with a strong moral focus, who is simply happy with living his life on the family's farm with his wife by his side.

The death of Jonathan Kent.

In may incarnations of Superman in comics and other media, Jonathan had died many times before seeing his son as the Man of Steel, but the character staying alive in Clark's adulthood has proven to be an interesting addition to Superman's supporting cast.

In Action Comics #870, Jonathan died of a heart attack after saving his wife from an incoming attack from Brainiac. Although Jonathan died his legacy continues somewhat as Martha Kent suggested to the Daxamite superhero Mon-El, a brother-like figure to Superman that he use the name for his human identity.

Jonathan and Martha's graves.

In the New 52, both Jonathan and Martha Kent have passed away and Clark Kent has to grow into his role as Superman without them. They were still not elderly when they found Clark, but they die before his time, due to injuries sustained in a car accident the night of Clark's prom. Clark was informed of the accident while he was dancing with Lana Lang and when he arrived at the hospital Martha had already passed away but Jonathan was still alive. He asks his son to take him in the farm because he wants to die at his home. There in his deathbed Jonathan makes a speech as his final words, urging Clark to use his powers for the benefit of humanity.

In Batman/Superman series it is revealed that Jonathan and Martha's counterparts in Earth-2 are still alive and live in the Kent farm admiring their son as Superman.

Appearances

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three: Exile, Phoenix, Extinction, Slumber, Perry, Relic, Magnetic, Shattered, Asylum, Whisper, Delete, Hereafter, Velocity, Obsession, Resurrection, Crisis, Legacy, Truth (Mentioned only), Memoria (Mentioned only) Talisman, Forsaken, Covenant
• Season Four: Crusade, Gone, Façade, Devoted, Run, Transference, Jinx, Spell, Bound, Scare, Unsafe, Pariah, Recruit, Krypto, Sacred, Lucy, Onyx, Spirit, Blank (Deleted Scene), Ageless, Forever, Commencement
• Season Five: Arrival, Mortal, Hidden, Exposed, Splinter, Solitude, Lexmas, Fanatic, Lockdown, Reckoning, Vengeance, Tomb (Mentioned only), Void, Fragile (Mentioned only), Mercy (Mentioned only), Fade (Mentioned only), Oracle, Vessel (Mentioned only)
• Season Six: Zod (Mentioned only), Sneeze (Mentioned only), Rage (Mentioned only), Subterranean (Mentioned only), Justice (Mentioned only), Labyrinth (Mentioned only), Crimson (Mentioned only)
• Season Seven: Fierce (Mentioned only), Wrath (Mentioned only), Hero (Mentioned only), Descent (Mentioned only), Apocalypse (Mentioned only)
• Season Eight: Odyssey (flashback only), Abyss (Mentioned only), Hex (Mentioned only), Eternal (flashback only)
• Season Nine: Hostage (Mentioned only), Salvation (Mentioned only)
• Season Ten: Lazarus, Kent (Mentioned only), Finale, Part 1, Finale, Part 2
• Season Eleven: Detective (flashback only),  Haunted (flashback only),  Argo (flashback only),  Olympus (flashback only)
• Smallville Miniseries: Alien (flashback only)  
• Smallville Comic: Raptor, Paterfamilias, Chimera, Part 1 (flashback only), Chimera, Part 2, Sojourn, Parenthood, Nature

Trivia

• Jonathan Kent's first appearance was in 1938's Action Comics #1.
• In this new younger incarnation, Jonathan's hair had a medium-dark blond color and appears to be almost the same height as Clark.
• Jonathan's birthday is listed as September 1, 1954 on his grave and he died January 26, 2006. However, when Jor-El visited Earth in 1961 when he met Hiram and Jessica Kent, Jonathan had not yet been born.
• Jonathan was almost named after the singer Gene Autry.
• Jonathan's favorite book was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Jonathan played football for the Smallville Crows, and helped them win their first state championship for the 1979-1980 school year under Coach Walt Arnold. His son Clark also led the team as quarterback to a state championship in 2004.
• Jonathan earned a full scholarship to Metropolis University.^{[citation needed]}
• Jonathan was frequently seen drinking out of a yellow cow coffee mug.^{[citation needed]}
• Jonathan sometimes wears eyeglasses.
• In 2007, both actors who portray Clark's Kryptonian and Earth fathers, John Schneider and Terence Stamp (who provides the voice of Jor-El), worked together on The Word of Promise audio CD. Schneider played James, and Stamp played the voice of God. Coincidentally, Jim Caviezel, who reprises his role of Jesus (The Passion of the Christ), auditioned for the role of Superman in Superman Returns.
• Jonathan was the third main character who died, and the first main character who knew Clark's secret who died.
• According to an interview with Greg Beeman it was John Schnieder who convinced the writers to write his character in the Fortress scene giving Clark the suit in Finale, Part 2.
• Jonathan Kent may be the last blood member of the Kent family.
• Jonathan was Clark's hero when Clark tell the alternate Jonathan in Kent.
• Jonathan had no lines in Crush.
• The alternate Jonathan was at Oliver's funeral so they have met at least once in Kent.
• When Jonathan Kent impulsively shoots Clark Kent, he has a severe form of Hepatic encephalopathy (confusion and coma) in Nicodemus when he says "Clark, where am I?" ^{[citation needed]}

Notes

• In Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Superman: The Animated Series, Jonathan is still alive and well.
• Jonathan built Clark's loft in the barn and called it his "Fortress of Solitude."
• Jonathan and Clark went on an annual fishing trip from the time Clark was 7 until he was 14 when Clark admitted he did not like fishing anymore.
• Jonathan was born around 1961 or 1962, and graduated from Smallville High School in 1980. He turned down his scholarship to Metropolis University, but Hiram's death date (seen in Legacy) means that he died when Jonathan was around age 19. Presumably, after his father's death, he attended Met U anyway, since he met Martha there. There is some confusion as to how old Jonathan Kent really was as his grave in Homecoming gave his birth date 1954.
• Jonathan was good friends with Sheriff Ethan Miller before Ethan framed him for the attempted murder of Lionel Luthor.
• In the comics, Jonathan has a deceased brother and sister-in-law. These aren't established to exist in Smallville continuity. However, the fact that Kara managed to come to Smallville (a small town, where Jonathan lived all his life) and was successfully passed off as Jonathan's niece, implies that Jonathan might've had a brother.
• In Smallville and the comics, Jonathon dies both times by a heart attack and also dies directly or indirectly from Brainiac. As Brainiac was the antagonist in season 5, he indirectly was manipulating Clark many times caused his heart to get worse of the stress and anger. In conclusion, Brainiac not only destroyed Clark's homeworld but also indirectly and directly caused the death of Clark's adoptive father.
• Jonathan is the first of the four non-Kryptonian characters to have spoken to Jor-El. (Exile) The other three are Martha, Chloe, and Lois. (Zod, Traveler, Prophey).

Other faces of Jonathan Kent

Ed Cassidy as "Eben" Kent in Superman movie serial (1948).

Tom Fadden as "Eben" Kent in Adventures of Superman television series (1950).

Jonathan Kent in New Adventures of Superman.

Glenn Ford as Jonathan Kent in 1978's film Superman.

Alan Oppenheimer as the voice of Jonathan Kent in the Ruby Spears Superman animated series (1988).

Stuart Whitman as Jonathan Kent in Superboy.

Eddie Jones as Jonathan Kent in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Mike Farrell as the voice of Jonathan Kent in Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League.

Mike Farrell as the voice of Jonathan Kent in Superman: Brainiac Attacks.

Jonathan Kent in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

Paul Eiding as the voice of Jonathan Kent in Superman vs The Elite.

Mark Rolston as the voice of Jonathan Kent in Young Justice: Invasion.

Jonathan Kent in Superman: Unbound.

Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel.

Jonathan Kent in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.

Tom Gibis as the voice of Jonathan Kent in JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time.

Relationships

Male Relationships

• Jonathan and Lionel
• Clark and Jonathan
• Lex and Jonathan

Female Relationships

• Martha and Jonathan
• Lois and Jonathan

Love Triangle

• Lionel, Martha and Jonathan

See also

• Episodes featuring Jonathan Kent
• Jonathan Kent's near-death experiences
• Kents
• Kent Farm
• Jonathan Kent's grave