It hardly matters, since at this pace I will be done by March 2034, or 7.5 years from now 😭(75 shards a week). But it is fine ig; I enjoy this game, and this was my team about a month ago. Also, next week I can raise another player to diamond tier—whom should I choose?
Every time Lionel was on screen, he completely stole the scene. He had this incredible ability to switch between being intimidating, manipulative, charming, compassionate, ruthless, and even genuinely funny, sometimes all within the same episode. One minute he felt like a cold-blooded killer, the next he seemed like a hero trying to do the right thing, then he’d be acting like a normal father or businessman, and somehow every version felt believable.
The biggest thing that stood out to me was how impossible he was to read. Whenever Lionel told a lie, I genuinely couldn’t tell if he was lying or telling the truth. John Glover delivered every line with just enough sincerity and ambiguity that you were constantly second-guessing his motives. Even after watching the show, there are moments where I still question whether Lionel was being honest or manipulating everyone around him.
His range was unbelievable. In the body-swap episode where Lionel and Clark switch bodies, he didn’t just play Lionel in Clark’s body—he actually felt like Clark Kent. His mannerisms, expressions, speech, and body language changed so much that it was easy to forget it was still John Glover. Then, when the perspective switched back, he immediately became Lionel again. That episode alone showed just how talented he is as an actor.
Smallville had an amazing cast overall—Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, Erica Durance, and everyone else—but whenever John Glover was on screen, he commanded your attention. He made Lionel Luthor one of the most layered, unpredictable, and fascinating characters in the entire series.
For me, he’s the standout actor of Smallville. Does anyone else think John Glover gave the best performance in the show, or would you give that title to Michael Rosenbaum or someone else?
Also, in 7x15 when he died, I almost cried. Compared to Season 1 when I was praying for his death, he, by far, had the best character development in the show as well.
I genuinely believe that if Lana Lang had been played by anyone other than someone as beautiful and as talented as Kristin Kreuk, she would’ve been written off right after high school.
Her character felt so inconsistent. In Seasons 1–2, she was the popular, constantly distressed “cry-baby” character. In Seasons 3–4, she finally became more independent and feisty, which was a huge improvement. Then in Seasons 5–6, she seemed to fall right back into the same old patterns, and after Season 6, I think her character took a complete nosedive.
The one thing that kept the character working for me was Tom Welling and Kristin Kreuk’s incredible on-screen chemistry. If Lana hadn’t been played by someone as charismatic and talented as Kristin Kreuk, I think the character would be viewed very differently by most fans.
I just rewatched episode 6.2 and in one of the final scenes(39’-40’) lex says he has cameras at every inch of the house, so basically he’s can research Clark for five years but not look at his cams once. I know this is for plot, but it’s still strange.
Looking back, the Lex and Lana relationship can be read as a gradual pattern of emotional manipulation and control rather than a healthy romance. And frankly just textbook grooming
It starts in Season 4, where Lex presents himself as someone protecting Lana and “helping” her make decisions, even when those decisions involve interfering in her personal life. From there, his role in her life keeps expanding under the guise of concern and support.
Over time, Lex becomes increasingly involved in Lana’s relationship with Clark. He doesn’t just observe the situation—he actively contributes to mistrust between them by withholding information, shaping how things appear, and encouraging doubt. It creates a situation where Lana is constantly unsure who to trust.
When Lana confides in Lex and shares personal secrets, that trust doesn’t feel safely handled. Instead, it becomes part of a growing imbalance where Lex has more information and influence over her than she has over him.
After Lana and Clark break up, Lex immediately steps into a more romantic role. The timing is significant—he becomes her primary source of emotional support right when she is most vulnerable. In Season 5, for example, when Lana talks about the spaceship, Lex acts like he believes her, but also suggests it could be imagined, which can be seen as both validating and subtly undermining her certainty at the same time.
Across the relationship, Lex often positions himself as the only one who truly understands her while simultaneously shaping her perception of events and people around her.
Overall, their dynamic can be interpreted as one where Lex repeatedly takes advantage of emotional vulnerability, blurring the line between support and control.
I just finished s5ep16 and I’d like to share my thoughts—I appreciate a slow burn, as it’s my favorite kind of love story—but come on: the first two seasons all we do is wait for a 2.5-episode relationship;it improved once more towards the end of season 3 only for Clark to be conveniently absent again. Then season 4— don’t even get me started on Jason. The first 12 episodes of season 5 genuinely made the slow burn worthwhile, yet they ended it so poorly—how do you love someone your whole life and stop in 10 minutes by saying you don’t love her? He should have told her since season 2 about his secret; Clark has said many times that Lana is the person he can trust the most, yet chooses to trust random people over her with her secret— that brother needs to learn from Victor. I thought that would be a wake-up call, but come on: it’s been 5.5 seasons, and you don’t want to say anything because Lex killed her in a different timeline—just warn her about him. This show actually pisses me off: 10/10 potential, 5/10 execution. To be honest, I don’t care at all about this professor’s arc—he’s such a boring and dull character—and I wish they had given more focus to them or at least offered two good reasons for them. Also, why did Lex, a 28-plus-year-old man, randomly fall in love with Lana one day, a girl 11 years younger than him? I hate this show now.