Smallville: On Growing Up, Identity and Making a Hero
The moral case for building an identity slowly through a process.
Do you know who you are?
When was the first time you asked that question of yourself? Can you remember that moment? When was the last time you asked it? Have you ever stopped? Understanding yourself isn't something that happens for most people in one moment and then everything just clicks. It's a bit of a cliche to say you know who you are at a certain point in your life. People like to believe that eventually everything will change and become easy and well understood.
The truth is that rarely if ever happens. It's an ongoing process that never really ends. Especially because things around you is constantly changing. As things change, so do you. You become a different person than you thought you were. Often because of something unexpected that happens whether you want it to or not. Whether you planned for it or not. Even if you planned for it, you might end up not taking from it what you expected.
Tom Welling is known for saying that what interested him in the role of Clark Kent from Smallville was that it was about identity. Clark was searching for his identity. For the person that he wanted to become, or sometimes for the person that he is right now. He was constantly learning and growing and becoming someone new. Searching for that moment when his life will make sense and become what he's supposed to be.
It starts the story of Clark as a teenager. Someone who wants to be like everyone else, like any other person at that age. He doesn't want to be different, even though he knows he is. He wants to do things like play football and go to school dances and fall in love. That's who he wants to be despite not being anything like that. And he's constantly reminded of how different he is. In a very real way, he's denying his identity.
Over time however, he can't deny it anymore. He has to accept that he's different, even if he doesn't want to. Clark grows up as he learns to accept how he's different and why that's not necessarily a bad thing. He becomes something new. Another type of person that he didn't see coming and didn't know was inside of him. Which means he has to go along the journey again. He has to discover who he is as this new person. To build an entirely new identity.
Ultimately, his ability to make that transition, to go through the journey of being a new person and to be okay with that, is what makes him someone to look up to. He becomes someone to admire. Someone who gives you the power to go a little further, push a little harder, start a new journey. Even if you're not in a really good place, he can have hope and so can you.
His journey is what makes him a hero.
Many people see Superman as less than interesting because they don't see him as someone who struggles. All of his abilities and powers gives him a distance from the ordinary person.
Smallville is the response to that. It shows exactly how Superman does struggle, and Clark in particular. Make sure to take the time to watch it if you need help through your own process.
It’s currently available on Hulu as well as Amazon where you can get it.
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