The Truth: Fans Watched Smallville For Kristin Kreuk’s Lana Lang

Sure, Welling did a great job as a young Superman. And the show produced the best live-action Lex Luthor to date. But the truth is that Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) was the Smallville character everyone was drawn to. We were all “Meteor Freaks”.

Superman As A Teenage Drama

Throughout the years of amazing Superman stories, few have captured the Man of Steel’s connection to humanity quite as well as the Smallville TV show. What began as “Superman as a teenage drama” quickly turned into a fascinating look into the formative years of the would-be icon, from his friendships and bitter rivalries to his first and awkward brushes with high school romance.

When it comes to Smallville fans, there are two very distinct – and very vocal – groups: those who loathe Lana Lang (played by Kristin Kreuk) and those who swear that she’s the best part of the show. However, it might be that no Smallville fan seems to have a neutral opinion on her character, which is another testament to how influential she is in the series.

Understanding Smallville’s Lana Lang

Since she grew up close to the Kents, Lana was one of Clark Kent’s very first acquaintances, eventually becoming a close friend and an even closer love interest as the series progresses. But, as we all know, Clark Kent only has eyes for one Lois Lane – a plot point deliberately omitted as much as possible in Smallville.

With Clark and Lois’ romance left to bloom only in the latter parts of the series, Lana became a much more pivotal character in Clark’s life. Smallville as a show was all about showing us what some of the most iconic characters in the Superman mythos were like as teenagers, including the changes they underwent during their formative years.

Lana is no exception to this – her character is virtually unrecognizable in the later seasons compared to how she was when the show began. For better or worse, Lana Lang became the centre of many of Smallville’s overarching plots, something that fans have quickly noticed.

The Meteor Freaks Loved Her

In the show’s early seasons, Lana was a true rebel. She ran away from everyone’s idea that she was destined to follow his parents’ legacy, but, at the same time, she enjoyed the benefits of her massive popularity. Season 1 of Smallville centred on Lana Lang’s change from a popular cheerleader to a self-made entrepreneur who wouldn’t let the shadows of her past determine her future.

However, as the seasons went on, Lana went through a series of changes that weren’t necessarily well-received by fans of the show. While the character begins as a rebel, some eventually see her as an eternal victim. In Lana’s defence, some of the metahumans in the show – particularly the so-called “Meteor Freaks” – seem to have an obsession with her. And that includes Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum).

Smallville Wasn’t The Same Without Lana Lang or Kristin Kreuk

Considering how much screentime the series devoted to Lana Lang’s character, it’s easy to see that her absence was incredibly noticeable in Smallville’s last two seasons. After all, she’s the only prominent female character that’s missing from the series in seasons nine and ten, even though Clark reminisces about her in the show’s final episodes.

As we mentioned earlier, everyone seems to have a strong opinion of Lana’s character in one way or another. Whether you love or hate her, there’s no denying that she might have been the sole reason so many fans tuned in each week. ‘What kind of Lana Lang will appear in next week’s episode of Smallville? Is it going to be Rebel Lana? Victim Lana? How about that creepy version of Lana, who’s obsessed with the deaths of her parents?’

Superman will always be Superman – we know Clark’s history. So, whenever a comic book or show gives us such a detailed glimpse into the characters’ lives surrounding the Man of Steel, we know we’re in for a treat. And no other piece of Superman media has done this better so far than Smallville.

Kreuk recently attended the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois. During a Q&A, she discussed her exit from the show with the crowd. “I just wanted her to be off in imaginary land,” Kristin told the moderator. “I wanted her to keep living the life that she had gone off to live, and I didn’t want to bring her back into the world. I really struggled with all of the love triangle stuff and I coudln’t see how there was uh… a storyline that became about that… just because of the nature of the show. It’s about Clark. It’s not about anyone else. Really, I mean it’s also about Lex. But I just couldn’t see how we’d come back and close this and add another closure to the story where it wasn’t just about Clark and Lois, you know.”

Tell us, do you think Kristin Kreuk’s Lana Lang was the best character to watch on Smallville?

Also, read about why Tom Welling thought he lost his Smallville role to Jensen Ackles and how this cancelled Bruce Wayne TV series inspired Smallville.