Smallville Wedding Ignites Fans

"I've been enthralled by this new interpretation of Clark Kent's story. All I can say to all of those who whine and complain is, 'What the frak is wrong with you people?'"

Great Caesar's ghost! Who knew that so many Smallville fans loathed poor Lana Lang?

I mean, we know Clark Kent is supposed to become Superman and that Supes is destined to be with Lois Lane, as foretold in decades of comic strips, comic books, television series, movie serials and feature films. But from the start Smallville has been a new interpretation of this legendary tale, not a tired old rehash. Would the world end if Clark this time were to settle with Lana rather than Lois?

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In truth, I don't see that happening, not with Lana now married to Lex Luthor and carrying his child (or is it his spawn?) and Clark increasingly distracted by other things, including the superheroes in his life (Green Arrow and Aquaman among them) and the aggressively sexy Lois.

That looks to be a good thing, according to the very vocal fans that have responded during the last week to my advance review of the Smallville episode titled Promise, in which Lana married Lex Luthor, and to the episode itself. Indeed, theirs was some of the most heated and emotional feedback ever received here at MediaVillage. Much of the harshest commentary was directed toward the on-and-off, back-and-forth relationship between Clark Kent and Lana, a couple referred to as Clana by the show's online fan community.

Check out these excerpts from their mighty missives:

Sad for Superman said: June and Ward Cleaver are hotter and sexier than Clark and Lana and a lot less dysfunctional. Am I supposed to root for this relationship?

LT said: Clark and Lana had their relationship and break up last year! Let it freaking die. Everyone and their mother are sick of it! For the love of God, quit encouraging the [producers] to focus on this crap.

Elizabeth said: This show is seriously insulting to the character of Clark Kent. He is going after a pregnant tramp on her wedding day! Give me a freaking break!

Athena said: Well that [review] was the most blatantly Clana-biased crap that I have ever read. Clana is the worst thing that has happened to Smallville and what they've done to the baby storyline -- probably to further the Clana -- is a close second.

Gabrielle said: This relationship has been so badly written during the past 6 years that it has become one of the most boring and annoying relationships I've ever seen. I despise what it is doing to Clark, and how everything in Clark's world right now revolves around a high school crush.

ClarkFan said: Lana chose to start a relationship with Lex. She chose to move into the mansion. She chose to sleep with Lex. She was not coerced to say she loved Lex or that she wanted to marry him and have his child. She made her bed and it's time for her to lie in it and grow the heck up!

Maggie said: Lana has been the self-centered, manipulative, me, me, me girl for six and a half years …Lana is obviously a borderline psycho who cannot be trusted …Lana lies like a cheap rug, has never supported Clark as a real friend, much less a love interest.

Whew!

There were similar harsh comments directed to me, as well, some in response to my ongoing interest in the tortured romance of Clana, others taking me to task for asserting that Clark and Lana have "never actually been together." In response to the latter, let me assure readers that I have been watching Smallville from the start, and I was aware that Clark and Lois dated, had sex (once) and broke up during season five. But I never really locked into them as a couple during that arc for a number of reasons. Clark had lost his powers (or given them up, depending on how you look at it) at the time that he and Lana slept together, but wouldn't even consider being with Lana again once his powers were restored because he was afraid of hurting her in the act. Clark was still keeping a huge secret from Lana during that time -- the details of his identity. Their relationship became so cold so quickly that he couldn't even kiss her with compassion, prompting Lana to confront him at one point (in the episode titled Lockdown) and ask, "Why can't we just be together?"

At the very least Lana was talking about sex when she used the word "together," but I like to think she was responding to the greater problems at hand, including a lack of honesty and a failure to communicate. Call me old fashioned, but I don't think two people can really be together in every sense unless there is complete openness and honesty between them. In that regard, Clark Kent and Lana Lang have never been as "together" as Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in the saga of Spiderman, even before they were wed. That's what I meant when I said what I said. But I admit I could have chosen my words with greater care.

Actually, there was one brief period when I felt Clark and Lana were together -- in the opening scenes of Reckoning, the 100th episode of the series and the one in which Clark's beloved father Jonathan Kent died. Lana died in that episode, too, but before she did, Clark came out to her and brought her to the Fortress of Solitude. "I want you to know who I really am," he said -- and then he asked her to marry him. After learning that the boy she loved was a super-powered alien being from another world, Lana still wanted to be with him. They were briefly "together" in a real sense, until Lana died in an accident and Clark (with Jor-El's help) went back in time and chose not to come out to her on the second pass. The decision to do so saved Lana (and left her with no memory of his revelation) but it doomed his dad.

In addition, their breakup in season five was hardly genuine, in that it came about as the result of extraordinary interference by Lex and Simone, the latter a woman with a hypnotic amulet who lured Clark into bed just in time for Lana to walk in. Clark decided once again to protect Lana from further physical and emotional harm at all costs and told her he didn't love her. Lana told him she was tired of waiting for him to grow up and said their relationship, such as it was, was over forever. Exit Clark the Ex. Enter Rebound Lex. A series of events followed that resulted in Lana becoming Lex's wife last week.

In any other franchise this would all be one long torturous build up to a happy ending for the couple at its center.

I'd still like to see Clark and Lana together, and I don't really care if it didn't play out that way in the Superman comic books and movies. Smallville has always been an exciting new take on an oft-told story, and what would be the point of simply telling the same old story yet another time? Several readers agree with me, as evidenced in the majority of responses MediaVillage received before and after the wedding episode had been telecast.

Kimberly said: The whole reason a lot of people continue to watch Smallville is because of Lana and Clark. I know several people that stopped watching after Lana and Clark broke up! I am a Clana fan all the way. Kristin and Tom have the best chemistry I've seen on TV in years!

Carla G said: Thanks Ed! You said it best when you wrote: "Clark and Lana will once again make clear that they are the sexiest, deepest and most romantic couple on television." I agree with you wholeheartedly! Clark and Lana's relationship is part of the reason this show has lasted for so long! I'm glad I'm not the only who sees the chemistry between Kristin Kreuk and Tom Welling. Don't listen to all the hateful comments. They're just bitter because you didn't mention Chloe.

Marie said: I really don't understand other Websites that are unhappy with the Clark/Lana relationship. The tale of unrequited love has never been done better than in Smallville. Thank you for your review. It's about time at least one publication saw the Light.

CY said: Clark and Lana belong together. In the comics, they eventually end up together -- 700 years later in the future, but they are together. This show has always been about Clark and Lana. And Clark having this love for Lana will pave the way for our future Superman.

Imzadia13 said: I've been enthralled by this new interpretation of Clark Kent's story. All I can say to all of those who whine, complain, and criticize is, "What the frak or frell is wrong with you people?" I appreciate having something to view that's a bit off the beaten path and peaks my imagination… I'm still having fun. You should all be still having fun, too.

Diana said: I keep hoping each week that something will happen to bring Clark and Lana the star-crossed lovers together, but each week the writers continue to disappoint the Clana Fans. After all their angst, suffering and sorrow, are the writers planning to keep them apart forever? This will be the only series I have ever known that will write the story this way.

(Another) Ed said: The Smallville wedding episode was compelling and a bit depressing but it was highly effective drama. I think Clark has to ultimately end up with Lois Lane. I would like to see the show slowly shift that way. But I hope for a happier ending for Lana than remaining married to Lex Luthor!

Additionally, we received several votes of support for a relationship between Clark and Chloe, which would make sense, given how open and honest and thoroughly involved in each others' lives these platonic friends have been for so many years, and how Chloe has bravely kept her true feelings for Clark in check and learned to live with them. (Allison Mack, the talented actress who portrays Chloe, has through the years made the character consistently sympathetic but never pathetic.)

Clark and Chloe together? That wouldn't suck -- but strident Superman fans might have a collective meltdown. I assume Clark in episodes to come will somehow become involved with Lois -- that kiss they shared earlier this season certainly hinted at the promise of lust and love to come. Okay, so maybe Lois didn't know she was kissing Clark at the time, but all it would take is a second smooch to clue her in and set a new storyline in motion. That would further distress Clana fans, but the very vocal Clois crowd would be overjoyed.

Note: The comments above are excerpts from longer SoundOffs. To read them in their entirety and to see what other fans have to say about Smallville check out our SoundOff section.

And one more thing: CY, can you please write again and explain how Clark and Lana end up together 700 years in the future? Neat trick, that!