OSCK Superman Fans of Smallville
A Hero Embraces His Destiny
I've been thinking about what TPTB need to do to fix
Clark and can really only come up with two things because I think all
that’s wrong with him can be encapsulated by them.
1. Resolve the Lana situation RIGHT NOW one way or another. Get them married (so they have to actually put up with each other all the time and find out that their so called great love was so much hog wash and be divorced within 2 years max) OR have him wake up to the fact that she is not perfect but is in fact a selfish, self centred manipulative person. Marrying her he will find this out quick smart. At present he doesn’t see her this way simply because he doesn’t want to. Unfortunately when it comes to Lana, he’s dumb as a rock. 2nd unfortunately in his desire to be with Lana or have her like him he has at times also become a selfish, self centred manipulative person. She and/or his feelings for her don’t do anything good for him, it just holds him back and he really needs to learn or face that.
2. Have his support base (dad *prior to dying obviously, mum and Chloe) STOP telling Clark it’s not his fault when it is. They need to start being truthful. Just as he has no back bone when it comes to Lana, they have no back bone when it comes to him. Sadly Clark doesn’t even come under the heading of someone who learns from his mistakes. His support base constantly give him an out or lets him off the hook. He is never held accountable for his actions. He has only learnt to shift blame and find a scape goat.
I’ll try and outline why I think the two things above are what is wrecking his whole character:
I've never been a fan of the Clark/Lana storyline but that's because I'm not into teen romance and I knew he was going to end up with Lois so didn’t see the point. However, if it had been a normal teen romance that ran it's course for 1 or 2 seasons, I wouldn’t have minded. It passed that stage a long time ago.
His whole I've loved her since I was 5. This annoys me because he didn't even talk to her until he was 15 or 16. So the only thing he could have loved about her was her face. He has obviously built up this whole ideal around Lana, what she's like etc, to the point that I think when she talks, he hears what he wants to hear not what she is saying (if they zoomed into Clarks head when Lana was around or talking I think all we’d hear is a choir singing).
His crush on Lana has turned into an unhealthy disturbing obsession. He now reminds me of those teenagers who lock themselves away from the world, that are total whack jobs who kills the girls/his own parents and anyone else who tries to keep them apart. That’s irony because due his obsession and actions his father is dead. Yes I do blame Clark for his fathers death.
He was told someone would die, Jor El warned him that the universe would need to find a balance but Clark didn’t care. He says he wants to be normal but when it suits him, he plays god with people’s lives. Bringing back one person and knowing that someone else is going to loose their life (someone he loves) in exchange and not even caring, what does that say about him other than he thinks he’s entitled to decide who should live or die.
When he told Martha what he did and she’s ‘Oh Clark I couldn’t expect you to choose between them’ I was flabbergasted. There’s a difference between supporting your kids the right way and the wrong way. If it was me and I found out my husband of 20 odd years was dead because of my son and his inability to let go of his girlfriend, I wouldn’t be saying it was ok and not his fault. After I finished kicking his ass from one side of the room to the other, I don’t think I could stand to look at him. I believe Martha knows Clark doesn’t love Lana that’s why she keeps saying ‘maybe she’s not the right one’, but she doesn’t have the guts to straight out tell him that he doesn’t know what love is and that he needs to grow up.
In ‘Without a Trace’ a kid once told Anthony LaPaglia’s character that he should leave her friend alone (the friend was in trouble or had run away I think), he turned around to her and said ‘You’re 16 what the hell would you know’. I love that line. I wish his mum would say that to Clark the next time he talks about his love for Lana.
Every time he say’s ‘I can’t imagine loving anyone else or being with anyone else’, just ONCE I wish someone would say:
-Clark you haven’t even tried OR
-Clark you need therapy you’re totally screwed up OR
-Clark you don’t love Lana and if I have to hear you say do or listen to your same list of problems re Lana one more frigging time, I’m going to blow my head off.
Maybe then he would stop to think about how unhealthy, boring, repetitive and disturbed he sounds.
His obsession with Lana colours most everything that is wrong with him (I’m not going to say love because I don’t believe it is). His obsession with Lana and the reason he won’t let it go is in one word FEAR. Fear of growing up, fear of his destiny/calling, fear of being alone. And as a result of his obsession he is a whiny, moody, hypocritical, moralistic pussy. He has no balls, he gave them to Lana a long time ago.
His desire to be normal was natural but he is not normal and it’s time he accepts that.
Jor El and Lex are the only ones who tell Clark that his actions have consequences, irony again as they are made out to be the bad guys. I know Lex in the Superman verse is a bad guy but I find it hard to see him as one in SV in SV I really think a lot of the other characters attitudes to him have resulted in the man he becomes.
Jor El is not a bad guy. He has tried repeatedly to help Clark save humanity but for all Clark loves humanity he loves playing the tortured loser of love/martyr more. Jor El tells Clark disaster is going to happen unless he does such and such, Clark flat out ignores him, tragedy happens and Clark blames Jor El. His parents and Chloe have now joined in. Instead of putting the blame where it belongs, back on Clark for not heeding Jor El’s warnings, sitting on his ass and doing nothing or making wrong choices.
When Clark says it’s my fault, he should be told ‘YES IT IS’ by someone other than Jor El. Let him wear the responsibility of his actions/inactions, he will learn more by knowing what he has done wrong and as a consequence become the man he should be. But because no one does tell him and instead also blames Jor El or Lex (as the case my be) he makes the same mistakes over and over, gets pissy and runs away when the going gets tough and someone else has to loose or risk their life to get him back, then the vicious cycle starts over again because he hasn’t learnt SQUAT.
The fact is, what he doesn’t like is people who tell him the truth. He likes to be coddled and stroked and to only hear sweet lies. Anyone who gives him what for or a dose of the truth is not someone he likes or he turns it around and makes them the bad guy for ever putting those doubts about himself in his head.
Clark has not progressed one iota from Season 1, he has gained new powers yes, but that is all. He has not matured, learnt to take responsibility for his actions, tried to find any kind of direction in his life, moved on or grown up. These are normal things that all teenagers learn. Clark hasn’t learnt any of these.
His so called ‘love’ has turned him into an obsessed, physco stalker who can be selfish, self centred and manipulative. He would also be a loner if he didn’t have Chloe and at times Lois around. This kind of behaviour is almost text book for a future serial murderer.
He has not learnt to take responsibility. He still views his powers as a curse instead of a blessing and has only learnt to find a scape goat when things go wrong as a result of his action or inactions.
He has not grown up one bit, after all that he has seen and been through, his first and last priority in life is still Lana. He has been kidnapped, tested on, died, his father has died, seen countless people killed in a meteor shower and the town destroyed as a result of the meteor shower but to him the worst thing that has happened to him was breaking up with Lana. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS GUY?
He has learnt nothing about life and how hard some people really have it, to him his desire to be normal is all that matters because he feels this is what is keeping him and Lana apart, people are dying from hunger, disease, war, meteor showers, murder etc but to him it’s still ALL about him and Lana.
My favourite character on tv is Daniel Jackson from Stargate, he is caring, kind, fun, has a forgiving nature and is completely selfless (not to mention totally hot), he is the epitome of being too good for this world and he’s not even a super hero. Clark in L&C New Adventures is the best Clark I’ve ever seen, I totally love him, he’s exactly like Daniel. It’s about time that Clark in SV started becoming like Daniel or Clark in L&C.
But if you want to compare Clark in SV to another teen show about a super hero then take Buffy. When the show started she was 15 or 16. When Angel turned evil she was only 17. And although Angel was her first love, she did what she had to do to protect the world. She kissed Angel, told him she loved him and sent him to hell. She tried to find a way to save him but when that didn’t happen she didn’t back down from doing what was right because she knew what her responsibility was. She was young and made mistakes but unlike Clark, Buffy learnt from hers.
In the course of 7 years Buffy changed, grew up, learnt responsibility and self sacrifice and when Angel left she didn’t spend the next 4 years boring her friends to death about Angel and how she’d never love anyone else. She moved on and had other meaningful relationships. Unlike Clark she didn’t let one relationship colour and determine her whole life.
This is what they need to do with Clark in SV if they want to do anything to save his character and saying he’s still young is no excuse. Nothing has changed for Clark in the show, he has learnt nothing nor has he made any effort to grow, grow up or move on.
At this point in time, I don't t him to be with Lois because I don't think he is good enough or deserving enough for Lois.
- Linda Australia
Dependent personality disorder is described as a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to a submissive and clinging behavior as well as fears of separation. This pattern begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts. The dependent and submissive behaviors are designed to elicit caregiving and arise from a self-perception of being unable to function adequately without the help of others.
Individuals with dependent personality disorder have great difficulty making everyday decisions (such as what shirt to wear or whether to carry an umbrella) without an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others. These individuals tend to be passive and allow other people (often a single other person) to take the initiative and assume responsibility for most major areas of their lives.
Adults with this disorder typically depend on a parent or spouse to decide where they should live, what kind of job they should have and which neighbors to befriend. Adolescents with this disorder may allow their parent(s) to decide what they should wear, with whom they should associate, how they should spend their free time and what school or college they should attend.
This need for others to assume responsibility goes beyond age-appropriate and situation-appropriate requests for assistance from others (such as the specific needs of children, elderly persons and handicapped persons). Because they fear losing support or approval, individuals with dependent personality disorder often have difficulty expressing disagreement with other people, especially those on whom they are dependent. These individuals feel so unable to function alone that they will agree with things that they feel are wrong rather than risk losing the help of those to whom they look for guidance. Individuals with this disorder have difficulty initiating projects or doing things independently.
They may go to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, even to the point of volunteering for unpleasant tasks if such behavior will bring the care that they need. Individuals with this disorder feel uncomfortable or helpless when alone, because of their exaggerated fears of being unable to care for themselves. When a close relationship ends (such as a breakup with a lover or the death of a caregiver), individuals with dependent Personality disorder may urgently seek another relationship to provide the care and support they need. They are often preoccupied with fears of being left to care for themselves.
Symptoms
People with this disorder do not trust their own ability to make decisions and feel that others have better ideas. They may be devastated by separation and loss, and they may go to great lengths, even suffering abuse, to stay in a relationship. Other symptoms include:
Inability to make decisions
Passivity
Avoiding personal responsibility
Avoiding being alone
Devastation or helplessness when relationships end
Unable to meet ordinary demands of life
Preoccupied with fears of being abandoned
Easily hurt by criticism or disapproval
Complications to this disorder may include depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and susceptibility to physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Causes
The cause of this disorder is not known. The disorder usually appears in early adulthood. This disorder is common but not well studied; however, more women than men have been found to have dependent personality disorder.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the preferred form of treatment for people with dependent personality disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive, the beliefs that underlie such thinking and resolving symptoms or traits that are characteristic of the disorder, such as the inability to make important life decisions or the inability to initiate relationships.
*************************************
1. Resolve the Lana situation RIGHT NOW one way or another. Get them married (so they have to actually put up with each other all the time and find out that their so called great love was so much hog wash and be divorced within 2 years max) OR have him wake up to the fact that she is not perfect but is in fact a selfish, self centred manipulative person. Marrying her he will find this out quick smart. At present he doesn’t see her this way simply because he doesn’t want to. Unfortunately when it comes to Lana, he’s dumb as a rock. 2nd unfortunately in his desire to be with Lana or have her like him he has at times also become a selfish, self centred manipulative person. She and/or his feelings for her don’t do anything good for him, it just holds him back and he really needs to learn or face that.
2. Have his support base (dad *prior to dying obviously, mum and Chloe) STOP telling Clark it’s not his fault when it is. They need to start being truthful. Just as he has no back bone when it comes to Lana, they have no back bone when it comes to him. Sadly Clark doesn’t even come under the heading of someone who learns from his mistakes. His support base constantly give him an out or lets him off the hook. He is never held accountable for his actions. He has only learnt to shift blame and find a scape goat.
I’ll try and outline why I think the two things above are what is wrecking his whole character:
I've never been a fan of the Clark/Lana storyline but that's because I'm not into teen romance and I knew he was going to end up with Lois so didn’t see the point. However, if it had been a normal teen romance that ran it's course for 1 or 2 seasons, I wouldn’t have minded. It passed that stage a long time ago.
His whole I've loved her since I was 5. This annoys me because he didn't even talk to her until he was 15 or 16. So the only thing he could have loved about her was her face. He has obviously built up this whole ideal around Lana, what she's like etc, to the point that I think when she talks, he hears what he wants to hear not what she is saying (if they zoomed into Clarks head when Lana was around or talking I think all we’d hear is a choir singing).
His crush on Lana has turned into an unhealthy disturbing obsession. He now reminds me of those teenagers who lock themselves away from the world, that are total whack jobs who kills the girls/his own parents and anyone else who tries to keep them apart. That’s irony because due his obsession and actions his father is dead. Yes I do blame Clark for his fathers death.
He was told someone would die, Jor El warned him that the universe would need to find a balance but Clark didn’t care. He says he wants to be normal but when it suits him, he plays god with people’s lives. Bringing back one person and knowing that someone else is going to loose their life (someone he loves) in exchange and not even caring, what does that say about him other than he thinks he’s entitled to decide who should live or die.
When he told Martha what he did and she’s ‘Oh Clark I couldn’t expect you to choose between them’ I was flabbergasted. There’s a difference between supporting your kids the right way and the wrong way. If it was me and I found out my husband of 20 odd years was dead because of my son and his inability to let go of his girlfriend, I wouldn’t be saying it was ok and not his fault. After I finished kicking his ass from one side of the room to the other, I don’t think I could stand to look at him. I believe Martha knows Clark doesn’t love Lana that’s why she keeps saying ‘maybe she’s not the right one’, but she doesn’t have the guts to straight out tell him that he doesn’t know what love is and that he needs to grow up.
In ‘Without a Trace’ a kid once told Anthony LaPaglia’s character that he should leave her friend alone (the friend was in trouble or had run away I think), he turned around to her and said ‘You’re 16 what the hell would you know’. I love that line. I wish his mum would say that to Clark the next time he talks about his love for Lana.
Every time he say’s ‘I can’t imagine loving anyone else or being with anyone else’, just ONCE I wish someone would say:
-Clark you haven’t even tried OR
-Clark you need therapy you’re totally screwed up OR
-Clark you don’t love Lana and if I have to hear you say do or listen to your same list of problems re Lana one more frigging time, I’m going to blow my head off.
Maybe then he would stop to think about how unhealthy, boring, repetitive and disturbed he sounds.
His obsession with Lana colours most everything that is wrong with him (I’m not going to say love because I don’t believe it is). His obsession with Lana and the reason he won’t let it go is in one word FEAR. Fear of growing up, fear of his destiny/calling, fear of being alone. And as a result of his obsession he is a whiny, moody, hypocritical, moralistic pussy. He has no balls, he gave them to Lana a long time ago.
His desire to be normal was natural but he is not normal and it’s time he accepts that.
Jor El and Lex are the only ones who tell Clark that his actions have consequences, irony again as they are made out to be the bad guys. I know Lex in the Superman verse is a bad guy but I find it hard to see him as one in SV in SV I really think a lot of the other characters attitudes to him have resulted in the man he becomes.
Jor El is not a bad guy. He has tried repeatedly to help Clark save humanity but for all Clark loves humanity he loves playing the tortured loser of love/martyr more. Jor El tells Clark disaster is going to happen unless he does such and such, Clark flat out ignores him, tragedy happens and Clark blames Jor El. His parents and Chloe have now joined in. Instead of putting the blame where it belongs, back on Clark for not heeding Jor El’s warnings, sitting on his ass and doing nothing or making wrong choices.
When Clark says it’s my fault, he should be told ‘YES IT IS’ by someone other than Jor El. Let him wear the responsibility of his actions/inactions, he will learn more by knowing what he has done wrong and as a consequence become the man he should be. But because no one does tell him and instead also blames Jor El or Lex (as the case my be) he makes the same mistakes over and over, gets pissy and runs away when the going gets tough and someone else has to loose or risk their life to get him back, then the vicious cycle starts over again because he hasn’t learnt SQUAT.
The fact is, what he doesn’t like is people who tell him the truth. He likes to be coddled and stroked and to only hear sweet lies. Anyone who gives him what for or a dose of the truth is not someone he likes or he turns it around and makes them the bad guy for ever putting those doubts about himself in his head.
Clark has not progressed one iota from Season 1, he has gained new powers yes, but that is all. He has not matured, learnt to take responsibility for his actions, tried to find any kind of direction in his life, moved on or grown up. These are normal things that all teenagers learn. Clark hasn’t learnt any of these.
His so called ‘love’ has turned him into an obsessed, physco stalker who can be selfish, self centred and manipulative. He would also be a loner if he didn’t have Chloe and at times Lois around. This kind of behaviour is almost text book for a future serial murderer.
He has not learnt to take responsibility. He still views his powers as a curse instead of a blessing and has only learnt to find a scape goat when things go wrong as a result of his action or inactions.
He has not grown up one bit, after all that he has seen and been through, his first and last priority in life is still Lana. He has been kidnapped, tested on, died, his father has died, seen countless people killed in a meteor shower and the town destroyed as a result of the meteor shower but to him the worst thing that has happened to him was breaking up with Lana. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS GUY?
He has learnt nothing about life and how hard some people really have it, to him his desire to be normal is all that matters because he feels this is what is keeping him and Lana apart, people are dying from hunger, disease, war, meteor showers, murder etc but to him it’s still ALL about him and Lana.
My favourite character on tv is Daniel Jackson from Stargate, he is caring, kind, fun, has a forgiving nature and is completely selfless (not to mention totally hot), he is the epitome of being too good for this world and he’s not even a super hero. Clark in L&C New Adventures is the best Clark I’ve ever seen, I totally love him, he’s exactly like Daniel. It’s about time that Clark in SV started becoming like Daniel or Clark in L&C.
But if you want to compare Clark in SV to another teen show about a super hero then take Buffy. When the show started she was 15 or 16. When Angel turned evil she was only 17. And although Angel was her first love, she did what she had to do to protect the world. She kissed Angel, told him she loved him and sent him to hell. She tried to find a way to save him but when that didn’t happen she didn’t back down from doing what was right because she knew what her responsibility was. She was young and made mistakes but unlike Clark, Buffy learnt from hers.
In the course of 7 years Buffy changed, grew up, learnt responsibility and self sacrifice and when Angel left she didn’t spend the next 4 years boring her friends to death about Angel and how she’d never love anyone else. She moved on and had other meaningful relationships. Unlike Clark she didn’t let one relationship colour and determine her whole life.
This is what they need to do with Clark in SV if they want to do anything to save his character and saying he’s still young is no excuse. Nothing has changed for Clark in the show, he has learnt nothing nor has he made any effort to grow, grow up or move on.
At this point in time, I don't t him to be with Lois because I don't think he is good enough or deserving enough for Lois.
- Linda Australia
*********************************************
Possible Explanation of Clark's inability to let go and Move on?
Dependent personality disorder is described as a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to a submissive and clinging behavior as well as fears of separation. This pattern begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts. The dependent and submissive behaviors are designed to elicit caregiving and arise from a self-perception of being unable to function adequately without the help of others.
Individuals with dependent personality disorder have great difficulty making everyday decisions (such as what shirt to wear or whether to carry an umbrella) without an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others. These individuals tend to be passive and allow other people (often a single other person) to take the initiative and assume responsibility for most major areas of their lives.
Adults with this disorder typically depend on a parent or spouse to decide where they should live, what kind of job they should have and which neighbors to befriend. Adolescents with this disorder may allow their parent(s) to decide what they should wear, with whom they should associate, how they should spend their free time and what school or college they should attend.
This need for others to assume responsibility goes beyond age-appropriate and situation-appropriate requests for assistance from others (such as the specific needs of children, elderly persons and handicapped persons). Because they fear losing support or approval, individuals with dependent personality disorder often have difficulty expressing disagreement with other people, especially those on whom they are dependent. These individuals feel so unable to function alone that they will agree with things that they feel are wrong rather than risk losing the help of those to whom they look for guidance. Individuals with this disorder have difficulty initiating projects or doing things independently.
They may go to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, even to the point of volunteering for unpleasant tasks if such behavior will bring the care that they need. Individuals with this disorder feel uncomfortable or helpless when alone, because of their exaggerated fears of being unable to care for themselves. When a close relationship ends (such as a breakup with a lover or the death of a caregiver), individuals with dependent Personality disorder may urgently seek another relationship to provide the care and support they need. They are often preoccupied with fears of being left to care for themselves.
Symptoms
People with this disorder do not trust their own ability to make decisions and feel that others have better ideas. They may be devastated by separation and loss, and they may go to great lengths, even suffering abuse, to stay in a relationship. Other symptoms include:
Inability to make decisions
Passivity
Avoiding personal responsibility
Avoiding being alone
Devastation or helplessness when relationships end
Unable to meet ordinary demands of life
Preoccupied with fears of being abandoned
Easily hurt by criticism or disapproval
Complications to this disorder may include depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and susceptibility to physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Causes
The cause of this disorder is not known. The disorder usually appears in early adulthood. This disorder is common but not well studied; however, more women than men have been found to have dependent personality disorder.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the preferred form of treatment for people with dependent personality disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive, the beliefs that underlie such thinking and resolving symptoms or traits that are characteristic of the disorder, such as the inability to make important life decisions or the inability to initiate relationships.
*************************************