Clark Kent (Earth-167)

"The multiverse has a way of aligning fates...It's written in the stars and in this book, or I wouldn't know that on this Earth, Clark Kent is Superman. Where I come from, that would be ridiculous. He can't see past his glasses." —Lex Luthor[src] This article is about the character set in the Smallville universe. This article only contains information relevant to the Arrowverse. For information regarding that universe, please see Clark Kent.

For other uses of "Superman", see Superman (disambiguation).

Clark Kent
Biological Information
Species	Kryptonian
Status	Alive
Universe Information
Home universe	Earth-167
General Information
Occupation	Vigilante (formerly) Farmer
Family	Lois Lane (wife) Unnamed (daughters)
Alter ego	Superman (formerly)
Actor	Tom Welling

"Sounds like a job for... us."

—Clark Kent to Lois Lane^[src]

Clark Kent was a Kryptonian resident of Earth who operated as the superhero Superman. Some time after, he willingly gave up his powers and retired from vigilantism to live a mundane, yet satisfying farming life in his hometown Smallville with his wife, Lois Lane, and their two daughters.

Following the destruction and recreation of the multiverse, Clark and his family became residents of the identical Earth-167 in the new multiverse, presumably unaware that the Anti-Monitor Crisis occurred.

Biography

Original multiverse

Early life

Photograph of Clark as Superman.

Like the majority of his doppelgangers, Clark Kent grew up to become the hero known as Superman, operating in Metropolis. Clark had special powers, with only Kryptonite having serious effect on him. He also had encounters with Lex Luthor, enough to know him very well, even after Lex became the president years later. At some point, Clark had begun a relationship with Lois Lane, who had wrote about "Superman" at least once for the Daily Planet in an exclusive interview. However, unlike his doppelgangers, Clark willingly gave up his powers and retired from vigilantism to live a normal mundane yet satisfying farming life in his hometown Smallville with his wife Lois and their two daughters.

Anti-Monitor Crisis

During the Anti-Monitor Crisis, Clark was chopping wood on the Kent farm when the Clark Kent and Lois Lane of Earth-38 and the Iris West-Allen of Earth-1 appeared to warn him that the multiverse was in danger and that Lex Luthor was planning to kill him. He dryly said he didn't know the President was in town. Before they could explain further, the Lex Luthor of Earth-38 appeared and made them disappear with the Book of Destiny, then introduced himself.

Unimpressed, Clark said he wasn't Lex. Lex said no matter the universe, Superman would always be his enemy. The Book of Destiny told Lex that his true name was Clark Kent, but he believed that was only true in this universe and that the Clark Kent in his universe couldn't possibly be Superman, to Clark's amusement. Lex declared that he would kill him and every other Superman in the multiverse. Lex pulled out a piece of Kryptonite, but because Clark had given up his powers, it had no effect and Clark snatched it out of his hand and threw it into a field. Lex was incredulous that Clark would give up the powers of a god, so Clark explains that he did it to have a family. When Clark was distracted by Lois calling for him, Lex angrily tried to punch him, but Clark easily caught the punch and decked him. Lex said killing a powerless Superman would be no fun and left through a portal, saying Clark and his world were doomed anyway.

Lois walked up and asked if he was talking to himself. Clark explained everything that he learned, but Lois laughed and thought he was joking. She said their daughters had just made a mess, so they joined hands and walked back into their home to deal with it.

Later, just as Lex stated, Earth-167 and all other universes were wiped out by waves of antimatter from the Anti-Monitor, leaving the seven Paragons the only survivors of the multiverse.

New multiverse

When the multiverse was recreated, Earth-167 was remade in the new multiverse, with Clark and his family becoming residents of the new universe. He presumably lived his life the same as he had in the original multiverse, unaware the Anti-Monitor Crisis ever occurred.

Powers and abilities

Powers

• Kryptonian physiology: Normally, like all Kryptonians, Clark's capabilities are no greater than a normal human of his physical conditioning. However, once charged by the energy spectrum of a yellow sun, he becomes able to perform various inhuman feats. While generic for his race, having grown up essentially his entire life with these powers have allowed him to store up energy in greater quantities and metabolize it into his body with greater efficiency; this combined with a lifetime of experience and practice with these abilities allows him to use them with far greater control and an equally greater levels of raw power compared to other Kryptonians, leading Lex Luthor to compare him to a god. Though Clark has given up his powers to have a family with Lois, he is still a Kryptonian, comparable to a human male at peak physical condition.

Former powers

"You gave up your powers? You were basically a god. You could fly. You could see through walls. You had super strength."

—Lex Luthor^[src]

• Solar energy absorption: While Clark's powers are dependent on the energy spectrum from a yellow sun, the stored up energy allows him to use his powers without constant exposure to the solar radiation until finally depleted. Yet, as his body is near-constantly exposed to such energy and able to passively absorb it, this essentially keeps his reserves fully charged near-constantly. Direct exposure to sunlight will also accelerate his recovery from any injuries he does manage to sustain.
  • Flight: Clark can manipulate his gravitational field to generate thrust and propel himself through the air at tremendous hypersonic speeds, much faster than he can travel by foot. As such, he can levitate and fly past Earth's atmosphere and near the planet's orbit.
  • Superhuman strength: The greatest display of Clark's abilities lies in his super strength - his chief superpower, with his muscles empowered by Earth's yellow sun coupled with the raw energy this conditioning causes to surge throughout his physiology, Clark's full strength is virtually incalculable. Even after giving up his powers he still maintained his strength, able to easily overpower Lex Luthor.
  • X-ray vision: Clark is able to see through solid objects; except for lead.

Abilities

• Peak of physical human condition: Although Clark gave up his powers, he still retains a strong physique. He was strong enough to land a punch on Lex Luthor, even when the latter was empowered by the Book of Destiny.
• Skilled hand-to-hand combatant: Clark proved to have at least competent skill in unarmed combat, as he was able to catch Lex Luthor's fist and throw a solid counter punch back at him, with enough force to actually stumble Luthor, despite Clark being effectively at human level ability and Luthor being empowered by the Book of Destiny. Having been a veteran superhero, it's likely he was more experienced than he displayed.
• Skilled farmer: Clark has proved to have some good farming skills; as seen when he was chopping wood with an axe.

Former weaknesses

• Kryptonite: Like all Kryptonians, even while empowered, Clark is vulnerable to the exposure of Kryptonite, a radioactive mineral from his home planet Krypton. Depending on the nature of the said Kryptonite, it will cause a different adverse effect on him.

Equipment

Former equipment

• Superman suit: Whilst fighting crime as Superman, Clark wore a protective Kryptonian suit.

Appearances

Batwoman

Season 1

• "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two"

Supergirl

Season 5

• "Deus Lex Machina" (flashbacks)

Trivia

• When Clark reveals to Earth-38's Lex Luthor that he had removed his own powers, Lex was shocked. This caused Clark to say, "Can't say I missed these chats." This is a nod to the series finale of the WB/CW television series Smallville (2001-2011), where the resurrected Lex (played by Michael Rosenbaum) confronted and criticized the TV series' main protagonist Clark for hiding his abilities and refusing to embrace his destiny.
• Just like Clark in the series, the farmer clothes of the Clark in the Arrowverse are similar to the iconic Superman colors, with him having yellow gloves and a red flannel shirt.
• Throughout Smallville, it was noted in prophecies that if the TV series' main protagonist Clark were to retire as Superman while Lex is President, Lex would be responsible for millions of deaths on Earth. However, since Superman was able to defy his destiny and live a normal life without worry of humanity's destruction, it can be assumed Lex (who was poisoned into total amnesia by his half-sister, Tess Mercer, in the series finale) also subverted his destiny and changed for the better while acting as President.
• The concept of Clark and Lois returning to Smallville to live on the Kent farm with their two children would later form the main plot of Superman & Lois (the main differences being that the Clark of that show would keep his powers and have 2 sons instead of daughters).

Behind the scenes

• This incarnation of Superman as portrayed by Tom Welling, who played Clark Kent in Smallville, is supposedly set a year after the flash-forward ending (in the year 2018) in the series finale, which is therefore eight years after Clark formally embraced his identity as Superman.
  • Tom Welling wouldn't have agreed to appear in Crisis on Infinite Earths if he'd been told he had to suit up as Superman, as Smallville was known to have a "no tights, no flights" rule for Welling during its entire ten-year run.
• A few Daily Planet newspapers are hung on the wall. One features an image of Clark's shirt rip from the Smallville series finale.
• Clark Kent giving up his powers might be referencing a young Clark saying, "I'd give anything to be normal," in the very first "Pilot" episode of Smallville, written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.
• Clark choosing to give up his powers to live a peaceful life is reminiscent of the ending of the story "Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?", in which with the Silver Age Superman, having had his secret identity exposed and having suffered through the deaths of many of his friends and allies, giving up his powers via Gold Kryptonite to live a peaceful life with his family under a new name.
• Showrunner Marc Guggenheim stated that the Clark and Lois from Smallville still had their happy ending.
• The official comic book continuation of Smallville ended with a Crisis on Infinite Earths adaptation.

References

Other versions of Clark Kent (Earth-167)
To see other versions of this character, click the Earth name below for that Earth's counterpart of Clark Kent.
New multiverse
Earth: Prime • 96 • TUD25
Original multiverse
Earth: 38 • 96 • 99 • 167 • TUD22
Transmultiversal multiverse
Earth: 38A