10 Best 'Smallville' Episodes, Ranked

Everyone knows and loves Superman. But not many know much about Superman's early years after he was discovered and adopted by the Ma and Pa Kent. In media, his high school years have never really been touched on. That is, besides the astounding 2001 series known as Smallville. Starring Tom Welling as the man of steel in high school, the series depicts Clark Kent trying to survive in high school and tells the origins of Clark and Lex Luthor's (Michael Rosenbaum) iconic hatred of each other.

Smallville is often credited as the entire reason that the incredibly beloved Arrowverse, and superhero television in general, were possible and as loved as they currently are. The critical reception of the series, all the way through its 10-season run, is legendary, not just in the superhero space, but the overall television space as well.

Smallville

Release Date October 16, 2001

Creator Alfred Gough, Miles Millar

Seasons 10

Studio The CW

10 "Bride"

Season 8, Episode 10 (2008)

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Smallville Season 8, Episode 10, "Bride" is a monumental episode not just because the TV episode features the emotional wedding between Day 1 character, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) and iconic Superman character, Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore), but because it features the return of the one and only Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). Not to mention, the ever horrifying Doomsday (Dario Delacio).

For a wedding episode, this entry in the Smallville series is actually quite fast-paced and action-packed. It does a lot for Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Clark's potential relationship, developing it further. It's a huge moment for the series and serves as one of the best mid-season finales in the entire show.

9 "Descent"

Season 7, Episode 16 (2008)

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Lex and Clark's paths begin to converge as Lex attempts to discover more about the "Traveler," a nickname given to Clark by Veritas. Lex takes a huge leap in his character arc when he pushes his father, Lionel Luthor (John Glover) out of a window, brutally killing him.

The interaction between Clark and Lex at the end of the episode, over Lionel's grave, is an impactful moment and serves the plot incredibly well. Especially given the fact that this episode is such a huge one for Lex, truly showing off his dark side and descent into it. With this being part of the final handful of episodes that would feature Michael Rosenbaum in the cast as a main character, the shift of focus to him is a welcome one and executed extremely well.

8 "Phantom"

Season 6, Episode 22 (2007)

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Featuring the reappearance of John Jones (Phil Morris), aka the Martian Manhunter, who returns to help Clark take on Lex, who's looking for the last Phantom Zone Wraith. Meanwhile, Lana attempts to leave Lex as she has discovered all the despicable actions he's taken.

Not only does this episode contain high drama but great action, as well as Clark discovering that Lionel threatened Lana to get her to marry Lex. She decides to leave Smallville and admits to Clark that she's always loved him. Clark also faces off against the final Phantom Zone escapee in a thrilling action sequence that contrasts the intense drama perfectly.

7 "Commencement"

Season 4, Episode 22 (2005)

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Season 4's big finale, Smallville Season 4, Episode 22, "Commencement," features another meteor shower headed for Smallville, Lana (possessed by Isobelle) murders Genevieve Teague (Jane Seymour), Clark is informed he must find all the crystals, and all while the students of Smallville high have their graduation.

Season finales are always fan-favorites and Season 4 is one of them, for good reason. Many claim it to be the best episode of the fourth season overall. With large scale thanks to the incoming meteor shower, suspense provided by the conflict with Lana now potentially being wanted for murder and tension that comes from Clark's race against time, Season 4's finale has everything that makes a Smallville episode great.

6 "Justice"

Season 6, Episode 11 (2007)

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As the roster of external DC characters in the Smallville universe began to grow, fans began to ask the obvious question: "When are they doing the Justice League?" Smallville Season 6, Episode 11, "Justice" begins to do just that. As Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) seeks out help, he finds just that with the likes of Impulse (Kyle Gallner), Cyborg (Lee Thompson Young), Aquaman (Alan Ritchson) and, of course, Clark Kent.

Audiences obviously loved this episode. Because who doesn't love a good superhero team up? The team dynamic between the five heroes is really well done and the episode itself has a great blend of action, humor, and drama. Some go even as far as to say this could have easily served as a soft pilot of a Justice League series.

5 "Finale"

Season 10, Episode 21 (2011)

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Ending the run of a ten-season series that was running for ten years needed to be done exceptionally well and, thankfully, for the cast and crew of Smallville, they managed to pull it off with grace. Clark Kent has one last step in his journey to becoming the iconic hero known as Superman, and it's going to be anything but easy, as the planet of Apokolips heads for Earth. All the while, he has his own wedding to attend!

Smallville began as a series that many wondered whether it'd be able to pull off the scope and scale "necessary" to execute classic Superman stories. While Smallville proved itself and the idea that there didn't need to be large-scale stories to do well, they decided to go fully ambitious with the big, two-hour finale. It does a spectacular job at wrapping up all the primary plot points while still setting up the big future to come as the iconic Superman, especially with that iconic Superman suit featured at the end.

4 "Rosetta"

Season 2, Episode 17 (2003)

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Clark seeks out Dr. Virgil Swann (Christopher Reeve) as he attempts to discover exactly where he truly came from before he landed on Earth. Luckily for him, Dr. Swann has information about Clark's home planet that could prove useful to him. Meanwhile, Lana and Chloe get into a heated argument about Clark.

How in the world could an episode featuring the legendary Christopher Reeve not be well-made? But this amazing cameo isn't what makes the quality of the episode good. The episode's execution of the mystery of Clark's origins is handled incredibly well and keeps the audience thinking the entire time, even if they know about Clark's comic origins.

3 "Salvation"

Season 9, Episode 21 (2010)

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Things grow dire as Zod releases his army onto Earth as the struggle for the Book of Rao continues. Lois, Chloe and Green Arrow all get involved as Clark and Zod battle for control of the planet, with some external help off-screen from the rest of the Justice League and Justice Society.

Many critics and audiences alike did not enjoy the finale of Season 8. So going into Season 9's finale, everyone was nervous to see if they'd be able to pull off another ambitious finale, or if they would fail. Safe to say, the crew and cast of Smallville absolutely blew Season 8's finale out of the water. The character development for not just Clark, but everyone, was astoundingly pulled off.

2 "Homecoming"

Season 10, Episode 4 (2010)

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In the 200th episode of the series, Clark is not in a great mental spot as he ponders his place in life. Noticing his plight, Lois convinces him to attend their five-year high school reunion and Brainiac 5 brings Clark on a journey through his past, reminiscing on the past seasons of the show.

Every big, monumental episode of a CW series always tends to show the past of the show, to display how far the series has come since the first episode. Much like what The Flash did for their 100th episode. The trip this episode takes through the past does a great job highlighting Clark's character arc over the course of the series and enhances where he's at in his arc in the modern day.

1 "Reckoning"

Season 5, Episode 12 (2006)

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After much consideration, Clark decides it's time to reveal the secret, that is his powers, his origin and the Fortress of Solitude, to Lana. Unfortunately, though, Lana is soon hit by a school bus and tragically loses her life, with Clark not getting there quick enough to save her. So when Clark is given a crystal that will set the day over again, he chooses to save Lana, only for events to turn out worse and his father, Jonathan, dies instead.

Clark losing one of his rocks in this life is incredibly depressing. The emotions handled in the writing of this episode are excellent. It's a rollercoaster of emotions as the audience watches Lana die, gets her back and then has to watch Pa Kent die soon after. It's not easy to write to draw such emotions out of an audience and the writers of this episode, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Alfred Gough, manage to not just pull it off, but absolutely kill it! The only thing Superman can't fix is death.

NEXT: The Best 'The Flash' Episodes, According to IMDb