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The third season of Smallville began airing on October 1, 2003, on The WB television network, and concluded its initial airing on May 19, 2004 with 22 episodes.

Summary[]

Clark returns to Smallville after his self-imposed exile in Metropolis to face his problems. His and Lana's relationship ends faster than it begins. He meets Perry White, learns more about his biological father, and gains a new ability (super hearing). Finally, sacrificing himself to save his father, Clark agrees to fulfill the destiny that Jor-El wants; pulled into the Kawatche Cave wall, he is transported into space.

Lionel conspires with his old friend Morgan Edge, who arranged for Clark's vial of blood to be stolen. He retrieves the sample and uses the vial in an attempt to cure his terminal liver disease, testing the treatment on a new subject, Adam Knight. When Chloe and Lex learn that Lionel killed his parents, Lionel conspires to make it look like Lex has a psychotic break and institutionalizes him, where he gives him a treatment to make him forget Lionel's misdoings. However, Lex is brought back home where he undergoes several psychiatric evaluations. In attempt to get rid of witnesses for his impending trial, Lionel plans attempts on Chloe and Lex's life.

Season Three takes place during Clark, Lana, Pete, Chloe and the rest of their classmates' Junior year at Smallville High School at ages 16-17.

Opening Credits[]

This was the only season where no main cast changes were made, nor was anything else in the credits, so the Season 3 opening credits were the same as the Season 2 opening credits, as follows:

Toms2 Kristins2
Michaels2 Sams2
Allisons2 Johngs2
Annettes2 Johns2
Oc2-34 Oc1-43

Recurring Characters[]

The following Recurring Characters appear in more than one episode this season:

The following Recurring Characters appear in only one episode this season, but also appear in other seasons:

Recurring Locations[]

Episode List: 2003–2004[]

→ see also Category:Screencaps from season 3

Image Title Writer(s) Director(s) Airdate #
Sv301 Exile Writer: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar Director: Greg Beeman 10/01/03 #45 301
Clark is living a life of crime in Metropolis, so Jonathan makes a deal with Jor-El to bring him home. Lex is stranded on a desert island, while Lionel holds a funeral for him.
Smallville302 080 Phoenix Writer: Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson Director: James Marshall 10/08/03 #46 302
Lex Luthor returns from the dead and faces his father and his wife. Clark also returns to Smallville and tries to repair his relationships with Lana and Chloe. Morgan Edge follows Clark to Smallville demanding the package Clark stole for him.
Smallville303 415 Extinction Writer: Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer Director: Michael Katleman 10/15/03 #47 303
Van McNulty is avenging his father's murder by killing metahumans. Clark is shot with a kryptonite bullet. Lana has to deal with her growing prejudice against kryptonite-infected people, and Lex decides that his own physiology might be responsible for his uncanny ability to cheat death.
Sv304 Slumber Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg Director: Terrence O'Hara 10/22/03 #48 304
Sarah Conroy moves in next door and immediately enters Clark's dreams. Clark and Lana learn that she is being artificially kept in a coma by her uncle who controls the money only as long as she lives incapacitated. While, Lionel demands that Lex undergo a full psychological evaluation.
Sv305 Perry Writer: Mark Verheiden Director: Jeannot Szwarc 10/29/03 #49 305
Perry White arrives in Smallville in search of alien stories for a tabloid news show. He devises a dangerous scheme to expose Clark's superpowers, and Lex learns that Perry has powerful incriminating evidence of Lionel's shady past.
Smallville306 198 Relic Writer: Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson Director: Marita Grabiak 11/05/03 #50 306
Clark discovers that Jor-El was on Earth forty years ago. Lana helps Clark discover the truth about who killed her great Aunt Louise. Lex learns that his grandparents were murdered, and he begins to suspect his father.
Sv307 Magnetic Writer: Holly Harold Director: David Jackson 11/12/03 #51 307
Clark is jealous and suspicious when Lana suddenly becomes attracted to Seth Nelson and begins to act rebelliously. Meanwhile, Lex discovers Chloe has been investigating his father and offers her his protection.
Smallville308 601 Shattered Writer: Kenneth Biller Director: Kenneth Biller 11/19/03 #52 308
Morgan Edge and Lionel conspired to break Lex's fragile psyche. Clark, Lana and Chloe try to help Lex, but Lana is very badly injured, and Lex is committed at Belle Reve Sanatarium.
Smallville309 248 Asylum Writer: Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer Director: Greg Beeman 01/14/04 #53 309
Lex has been suffering for a month in Belle Reve, but when Lionel orders radical electroshock therapy, Clark finally decides to throw caution to the wind and break him out. Unfortunately, Van, Ian and Eric are ready to take him out. Meanwhile, Lana meets Adam Knight during her physical therapy.
Whisper152 Whisper Writer: Ken Horton Director: Thomas J. Wright 01/21/04 #54 310
Clark is temporarily blinded by his own heat vision reflected through kryptonite. He develops super-hearing to compensate. While Nathan Dean kidnaps Pete, Lex fires Chloe's dad, and Lana tells Clark she is seeing someone new.
Smallville311 201 Delete Writer: Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson Director: Pat Williams 01/28/04 #55 311
Clark and Lana each make an attempt on Chloe's life after receiving mysterious e-mail messages. Lex helps uncover the source of these emails and, Lana rents the apartment above the Talon to Adam.
Hereafter039 Hereafter Writer: Mark Verheiden & Drew Z. Greenberg Director: Greg Beeman & James Marshall 02/04/04 #56 312
Coach Altman is so distraught over his daughter's death that he tries to kill Lana, himself and Megan Calder. Jordan Cross foresees their deaths and enlists the aide of Clark to thwart the plan. Meanwhile, Chloe spies Adam Knight taking drugs, and Lex discovers something, too.
Sv313 Velocity Writer: Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer Director: Jeannot Szwarc 02/11/04 #57 313
Jason Dante threatens to kill Pete Ross. Clark has to lie, steal and cheat to save his friend. While Lana discovers that Adam Knight is Chad Nash, Chloe discovers that he is taking a serum of strange platelets, and Lex blackmails his physician, Lia Teng.
Smallville314 361 Obsession Writer: Holly Harold Director: James Marshall 02/18/04 #58 314
Alicia Baker becomes obsessed with Clark and threatens to kill Lana. Clark discovers her weakness. Lana discovers that Adam Knight has been spying on Clark, and she asks Lex to help her evict him.
Smallville315 395 Resurrection Writer: Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer Director: Terrence O'Hara 02/25/04 #59 315
Garrett Davis is holding hostages at the hospital until his brother receives a new liver. Clark steals a vial of a serum, which may revive him. Lana tells Clark Adam Knight's secret, and Lex tracks down Lia Teng.
Smallville316 491 Crisis Writer: Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson Director: Kenneth Biller 03/03/04 #60 316
Clark receives a panicked call from the future. Adam is going to shoot Lana. Lex finds his staff murdered and suspects it's Lionel.
Smallville317 528 Legacy Writer: Jeph Loeb Director: Greg Beeman 04/14/04 #61 317
Clark discovers that Jor-El is sending Jonathan messages through the key. Lionel makes a deal with Dr. Swann. Meanwhile, Lex continues helping the FBI investigate Lionel, and Lana gives up on a relationship with Clark.
Smallville318 373 Truth Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg Director: James Marshall 04/21/04 #62 318
No one can lie to Chloe after she accidentally inhales a mysterious kryptonite-gas, but it has fatal side effects and Clark must find an antidote before she dies.
Memoria510 Memoria Writer: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar Director: Miles Millar 04/28/04 #63 319
Lawrence Garner tries to help Lex regain his lost memories. Clark tries to stop him and ends up receiving the same experimental treatment.
Sv320Luthor Talisman Writer: Kenneth Biller Director: John Schneider 05/05/04 #64 320
Jeremiah Holdsclaw steals Palak from the Kawatche Caves and receives super powers leading him to believe that he is Naman. Clark must stop him before he kills Lionel. Meanwhile, Lex and Lana sell the Talon, and Chloe discovers that Pete's parents are divorcing.
Sv321 Forsaken Writer: Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson Director: Terrence O'Hara 05/12/04 #65 321
Emily Dinsmore returns to prevent Lana's departure to Paris. Clark decides to tell Lana his secret to prevent her departure to Paris(but he chokes up at the last minute). Pete decides to move to Wichita after Frank Loder tries to beat Clark's secret out of him. While Chloe finally comes through for Lex, and he restores her deleted voice mail confession from Lionel.
Smallville322 603 Covenant Writer: Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, Alfred Gough & Miles Millar Director: Greg Beeman 05/19/04 #66 322
Kara comes to entice Clark to return to Jor-El. Jonathan reveals the deal he made with Jor-El. Lionel helps Clark discover Lex's room of obsession, and Lana leaves for Paris. Meanwhile, Lionel is denied bail, but Chloe and her father are killed in an explosion.

Notes[]

Smallville comic trivia[]

In Other Media[]

Gallery[]

Promotional images[]

See also[]

Season Three in Smallville
Details EpisodesCharactersScreentimeBody countMusicOpening CreditsScreencaps
Backstage DirectorsWritersDVD
Seasons in Smallville
TV Season OneTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTen
Comics Season ElevenContinuity
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