Long before superheroes on television were a normal occurrence, Smallville tried its hand at bringing Superman back to life on TV for a new and younger audience. The result was a ten-year-long series that chronicled the young life of Clark Kent (Tom Welling) as he made his way through high school, pined after Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk), befriended Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), and briefly attempted college before moving to Metropolis to work at the Daily Planet. Here, he met the love of his life, Lois Lane (Erica Durance), and eventually stepped into his role as the “Man of Steel”. This series went through lots of changes throughout its ten years and sort of “grew up” as Clark did. Starting off as a Buffy-esque high school drama, the show quickly took hold of its sci-fi roots and ended as a straight-up superhero series in the same vein as the most recent iteration of The Flash.

Now, after twenty years since the “Pilot” aired, Smallville’s legacy on the comic book/superhero genre (and especially the CW’s Arrowverse) has continued to show. With the return of Smallville’s Clark and Lois in 2019’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, an official series Blu-Ray release this year, and talks of a possible animated series continuation in the works, it seems like Smallville is just as important as ever.

After airing 218 episodes (the “Absolute Justice” two-parter is actually two episodes, “Society” and “Legends”), Smallville officially ended in May of 2011, but some people have continued to hold on tightly ever since. So in honor of the series’ 20th anniversary, here are the top 25 best episodes of Smallville, ranked! Also, spoilers ahead, if you haven’t seen the series.. In which case, what are you doing here? Go watch it!

RELATED: ‘Smallville’: Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, and Michael Rosenbaum Look Back on the Series 20 Years Later

25. Vessel (Season 5, Episode 22)

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Say what you will about Smallville, but they always knew how to deliver one heck of a finale. This episode saw the return of Brainiac (James Marsters) as he makes one last-ditch effort to cripple the Earth while also releasing the Phantom Zone prisoner, General Zod (who is played by Rosenbaum since he possesses Lex’s body). There are some great character moments between Clark and Lex here, including an explosive confrontation where Lex not only discovers Clark’s secret (which, as usual, is soon to be forgotten) but also reveals that he’s always “wanted everything [Clark] ever had”, especially Lana. Between Lex’s startling abduction by the Black Ship, the unforeseen (and basically ignored) “end-of-the-world” Clark and Chloe (Allison Mack) kiss, and Clark’s moral dilemma of whether to kill Lex or not, this is one of the most exciting episodes of Smallville, strongly tossing Clark from one fire into the next.

Best Line: “I used to think you had this strong inner core. You were so virtuous. And yet you lie… all the time! To me, to Lana, to all the people who cared about you. What kind of sick person would do that? - Lex Luthor

24. Exile (Season 3, Episode 1)

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Three months after the shocking Season Two finale, Clark, going by “Kal”, spends his summer vacation rambling about Metropolis on a self-destructive Red Kryptonite binge away from his friends and family. This episode isolates our core cast: Clark from his life in Smallville, Lex from the world via deserted island, Chloe from her friends due to her secrets, and Lana ultimately from Clark, but “Exile” also shows the truly unconditional love that Jonathan (John Schnieder) and Martha Kent (Annette O’Toole) have for their adoptive son, despite his many mistakes. Jonathan’s deal with Jor-El (Terrence Stamp), though rash, proves to be an ultimate act of sacrifice for the sake of his one and only son, which leads directly into a “to be continued…” For the second part, watch the following Season 3 episode “Phoenix”.

Best Line: “...For my son, I’ll do anything.” - Jonathan Kent

23. Kandor (Season 9, Episode 7)

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In the middle of Season Nine’s Kandorian Army arc, a young clone of Jor-El (Jullian Sands) arrives on the Kent farm to find the kindly family that helped him in his youth (see “Relic” for that story), only to learn that his planet has been destroyed with his son among the only survivors. Clark and Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley) attempt to find his father before the clone, Zod (Callum Blue) can, which makes for great bro-bonding. But what truly makes this episode great is the elaborate backstory behind the animosity between Jor-El and the young Zod that takes place on Krypton (somewhat mirroring the Clark and Lex dynamic from earlier in the series). Seeing Krypton in full was something on many fans’ “Smallville bucket list”, and this episode delivered. The powerful imagery of Clark holding a deceased Jor-El by the episode’s end sticks with you and is eerily reminiscent of the last time his father died...

Best Line: “It seems to me like you’re a chip off the old block. After seeing how he saved our spunky sidekick, I’d say you’re both heroes.” - Oliver Queen

22. Nemesis (Season 6, Episode 19)

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After Lex is kidnapped by a grieving widow who believes that he stole her husband’s body (he did), Clark races to the rescue only to learn that the underground tunnels are lined with Kryptonite, which forces the two of them to work together to escape. “Nemesis” is a wonderful character study on why the friendship between Clark and Lex failed and the complex jealousy that exists between the two as they reveal secrets that the other had no business knowing. The saddest moment may be when Clark asks Lex if they were ever really friends, to which Lex replies that he has nothing else to compare it to, revealing that Clark was his only true friend. It’s also a crazy Lana episode in that she becomes a stone-cold Luthor, threatening her then-father-in-law, Lionel Luthor (John Glover), withholding information about LuthorCorp from the police, and only revealing her hand once Chloe tells her that Clark is in real danger (yeah, she still loves him).

Best Line: “When Lex pulled me out of that rubble, I saw a glimpse of something I hadn’t seen in years… My friend.” - Clark Kent

21. Pariah (Season 4, Episode 12)

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This one is crazy! After Clark’s teleporting, sort-of girlfriend, Alicia Baker (Sarah Carter) is accused of attempted murder on Lana and her then-boyfriend, Jason Teague (Jensen Ackles), all evidence seems to point her direction, causing a huge rift between her and Clark. This results in Alicia using her powers to force Clark to finally (albeit unknowingly) reveal his powers to Chloe by catching a car, marking the moment when Chloe starts seeing superpowered people not just as stories or “meteor-freaks”, but as human beings (which, ironically, in Clark’s case isn’t technically true). Unfortunately, Alicia is also murdered in this episode by the real killer and Clark stumbles upon her body. Thankfully, Lois is there to comfort him and talk him down from killing Alicia’s murderer. It’s a heartbreaking episode that pushes Clark further into adulthood, cementing his desire to save as many people as he can.

Best Line: “You write all these articles about the people you call freaks and you don’t even realize that someone close to you is one of them. Why are you ignoring what’s right in front of your face, Chloe? Don’t you want to know the truth about Clark Kent? - Alicia Baker

20. Arctic (Season 7, Episode 20)

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The seventh season finale served as the send-off for various cast members and series’ creators Al Gough and Miles Miller; “Arctic” is truly the end of an era on Smallville. The episode sees Clark face off against Brainiac one final time, lose his cousin, Kara (Laura Vandervoort), to the Phantom Zone, and say a not-so-final farewell to Lana as she leaves Smallville “forever”. But the ultimate climax of this episode sees Clark and Lex go head-to-head at the Fortress of Solitude, where Lex strips Clark of his powers and reveals that he knows his true name: Kal-El. This Clark/Lex moment was what many thought to be the final interaction between these characters, and culminates their seven-year-long relationship as ‘frenemies’. Also, Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore) finally proposes to Chloe in a super-cute and meaningful moment that is (sadly) interrupted prematurely by some of Lex’s goons.

Best Line: “I love you like a brother, Clark, but it has to end this way. I’m sorry” - Lex Luthor

19. Commencement (Season 4, Episode 22)

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In an extended episode that closes out Clark, Chloe, and the gang’s time at Smallville High, a second meteor shower occurs which decimates Smallville. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Smallville finale without a million cliffhangers: Lana stumbles upon the Black Ship, Clark assembles the Stones of Power, the Kent farm gets destroyed, and Lex is as obsessed with the Kawatche Caves and alien symbols as ever. There’s also a pretty iconic moment during the meteor shower where Clark saves a young boy named Henry, which (among a bunch of other references from this episode) gives off some great Superman vibes. This episode also highlights Smallville’s ability to turn just about everyone into a raging murderer at some point, but hey, they had to get Jensen Ackles on Supernatural somehow...

Best Line: “Even if I could spell, the last thing I would do is spend my time in a newsroom. With my luck, I’d probably end up across the desk of the most bumbling reporter on the masthead.” - Lois Lane

18. Blank (Season 4, Episode 19)

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Finally, a Clark-Chloe-centered episode that dives deep into their friendship and Chloe’s ability to keep Clark’s secret! After Clark loses his memory due to a meteor-freak with the ability to give someone short-term memory loss (or worse, if you’re a Kryptonian), Chloe has to look after him while his parents are out of town. Chloe teaches him how to use his superpowers while also trying to keep him away from Lex. This episode is a hoot! While amnesiac Clark is definitely the star of the show (of course he would still fall in love with Lana), Chloe keeps it all together, proving herself to be the best friend any superhero could have. Even when Lex tries to take advantage of the situation, the amnesiac Clark knows that he can trust Chloe more than anyone else in the room, something normal Clark wouldn’t learn until next season…

Best Line: “You had a clean slate to start all over with and you made all the same choices. Except for one… You trusted me.” - Chloe Sullivan

17. Luthor (Season 10, Episode 10)

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Parallel earths and multiverses are all the rage nowadays, but back during Smallville’s tenth season, they tried it out with “Luthor”. Here, Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman), who turns out to be Lionel’s illegitimate daughter, and Clark accidentally open a portal to Earth-2, switching Clark Kent with Clark Luthor. The evil Clark Luthor is everything our beloved Clark Kent isn’t, to the point that he can both fly and kill without a second thought. Honestly, Tom Welling really sells it as C.L., with a frightening intensity we haven’t seen in his performance since the days Clark was on Red K. This episode also introduces a parallel Lionel Luthor, one who hasn’t had years of a redemption arc and has fully embraced his villainy in ways the original Lionel never could. With complex themes of nature versus nurture, this episode explores the idea that, as Clark says, “Luthor blood is Luthor blood. It’s poison.” and how true that actually may be...

Best Line: “The heart, it’ll blind you, son. You want to be your own man. That’s natural. But remember, Clark, I am your father and I alone raised you in my own image to become the man you are today.” - Lionel Luthor of Earth-2

16. Legion (Season 8, Episode 11)

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The immediate follow-up to the Chloe/Jimmy wedding fiasco in “Bride”, this episode deals with the fallout. Doomsday is on the loose, having abducted Chloe and infected her with Brainiac, and the Legion of Superheroes arrive from the 31st century just in time to help Clark stop the evil Kryptonian A.I. for good. While it’s fun to hear the Legion tip-toe around Clark’s destiny as Superman, what’s better is Clark inspiring them to true heroism. He stops them from killing Chloe to get to Brainiac by instead, performing a “techno-exorcism” on her. Speaking of Chloe, Allison Mack’s portrayal of Brainiac is haunting, and watching her taunt the confused Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer) with his destiny as the Kryptonian Destroyer is a real creep show.

Best Line: “If your code was really based on me, your number one rule would be, ‘Do not kill.’ Ever. If you ever believed in me, and even if you don’t know, help me.” - Clark Kent

15. Phantom (Season 6, Episode 22)

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After a season of tracking down Zoners from the Phantom Zone, working to take down 33.1, and dealing with Lex and Lana’s marriage, Clark is finally onto the last phantom wraith. This episode features the return of Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris), Lois’ investigation into Lex’s super-powered army, and Lana’s final rejection of her marriage to Lex after he hits her. There’s a lot going on in this one, but there are some really great moments too. One of the best is the reveal that Chloe’s hidden (and short-lived) meteor-power is empathetic healing and a really sweet goodbye between Clark and Martha as she leaves for Washington D.C. to take Jonathan’s senate seat. The drama between Lana and Lionel also comes to a head here as Lana makes some pretty shocking decisions leading into her intense storyline for Season 7. And that’s not even to mention the final five minutes, which sees the introduction of one of the show’s most iconic villains: Bizarro.

Best Line: “I’m you. Only a little more bizarre…” - Bizarro

14. Hug (Season 1, Episode 11)

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This Season 1 episode perfectly characterizes the “freak-of-the-week” episodes from the early days of Smallville: A meteor-infected person uses their powers for less-than-admirable means only to go full-crazy and start killing those who get in their way, but not before Clark Kent can save the day. Except unlike most episodes, this one features not one, but two meteor-freaks: one good and one bad. The episode plays some major foreshadowing cards relating to Clark and Lex’s destiny to become enemies (especially when Lex open-fires on Clark with a semi-automatic). But it also manages to slip in some heartfelt moments that perfectly exemplify the height of their friendship as well. Plus, the scene where Chloe is forced to make out with Clark is pretty funny and comes right out of nowhere.

Best Line: “Trust me, Clark. Our friendship is going to be the stuff of legend.” - Lex Luthor

13. Descent (Season 7, Episode 16)

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Possibly the most aptly-named episode of the series, “Descent” chronicles Lex’s final descent into darkness, finally embracing his identity as a Luthor. This season’s Veritas plotline ramps up here as Lex frantically searches for the true identity of the mysterious “Traveler”. With Lionel’s shocking death in the opening moments of the episode, it’s clear that Lex’s quest has become his complete obsession. Chloe, Lois, and Jimmy all manage to get caught in the crossfire as Lex works to quickly cover up his patricide (which leads to some great Lois/Jimmy team-up moments). Afterward, Lex brutally murders the last good part of himself in a horrific scene in the Luthor Mansion’s fireplace. The final moment between Clark and Lex is probably the most powerful as they stand at Lionel’s grave, neither saying a word.

Best Line: “I was raised in your shadow. Now you’re going to die in mine. No one will even remember your name.” - Lex Luthor

12. Memoria (Season 3, Episode 19)

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At the height of the “cold civil war” between Lex and Lionel, this episode had both Luthors using the same Dr. Gardner (Martin Cummings) and his experimental memory treatment to further their own curiosities: Lex to learn a secret from his father’s past that he has since forgotten, and Lionel to learn more about where Clark came from. Lex’s heartbreaking childhood flashbacks are especially compelling, and once we learn of his mother’s murder of his younger brother, Julian, we’re both shocked and horrified. This leads to a Lex/Lionel scene that takes the cake as their best interaction on the whole show, where Lex reveals the truth to his father, only for him to reject Lionel’s plea for forgiveness (“Yes, dad. Maybe then you would have actually loved me.”) The sweetest moment, though, is between Clark and his parents when he describes his first memory, only to learn from them that his first words were his birth-mother’s name: Lara.

Best Line: “You know, Clark, I always thought that your parents’ corn-fed hokum made you weak, but clearly I have underestimated your dark side.” - Lionel Luthor

11. Arrival (Season 5, Episode 1)

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The immediate follow-up to “Commencement”, this episode picks up where the second meteor shower leaves off. Here, Clark uses the Crystal of Knowledge to create his epic Fortress of Solitude, Chloe reveals that she knows Clark’s secret, Lana and Clark try again, and the Disciples of Zod arrive to pronounce their master’s coming. As Season 5 began a new era for the series, Clark was quickly ushered into his new status quo, ending the episode powerless after (once again) ignoring Jor-El’s warnings. “Arrival” is an excellent adventure that further expands the Superman mythos that inspired the series (with plenty of references to the 1978 classic Superman: The Movie) while remaining true to the show’s roots. Plus, ending the episode with a Depeche Mode montage is one of the most Smallville-things the series could do.

Best Line: “Kal-El, you have traveled far. One journey has ended. A new journey is about to begin. Welcome home, my son.” - Jor-El

10. Insurgence (Season 2, Episode 12)

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After Lex learns that Lionel has bugged his office, he attempts to do the same to his father, only for everything to go wrong when Lionel and Martha arrive and surprise Lex’s team. As they’re taken hostage, Clark and Jonathan must figure out a way to get Clark into the building before it’s too late. The stakes are as high for the Kents and Luthors as they’ve ever been thus far, with the marital conflict between Jonathan and Martha at an all-time high. Lionel’s constant secrecy about looking into Clark’s secret, and Lex’s own motives to overthrow his father all come to a head at once. There’s so much tension in this episode that you could cut it with a knife, but that’s part of why it’s so good. Clark’s trouble with the Metropolis PD only puts him further on their radar before he and Jonathan come up with their master plan. This episode also marks the first appearance of the Daily Planet, which Clark uses as a springboard to jump off and into LuthorCorp, his first “single-bound”.

Best Line: “If I find out you had anything to do with what’s going on out there, you will pray to God that you never set foot in Smallville, you believe me.” - Jonathan Kent

9. Salvation (Season 9, Episode 22)

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The conclusion to Season 9’s Kandorian arc sees the cloned General Zod and his super-powered Kandorians ready to take over the world. The “Super-Friends” assemble to take them on, only for Clark to choose to sacrifice himself and take the Kandorians to a “New Krypton”, far away from Earth. It’s here that Lois finally recognizes that Clark and the Blur are one and the same and admits that she would leave her big career opportunity behind for him. Clark’s tough decision to leave Earth is a hard one to accept as he decides to fully embrace his Kryptonian side, but one that we know won’t be permanent. The final fight between Clark and Zod is the most well-choreographed on the entire show and a powerful representation of Clark’s heroic heart. Also, Clark’s vision of the future (and his new super-suit) is just the boost he needs flying into the show’s final season...

Best Line: “You already destroyed my first home, I won’t let you take this one.” - Clark Kent

8. Rosetta (Season 2, Episode 17)

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An incredibly important episode, this one features the introduction of “Man of Tomorrow” Dr. Virgil Swan (played by original Superman star Christopher Reeve) who reveals to Clark a message sent across the stars to him. This message includes the show’s first mention of Krypton and reveals his birth name to be Kal-El. With countless iconic moments, including Clark sleep-flying to the Kawatche Caves, the Kryptonian symbol for “hope” burned in the barn, and the John Williams “Superman March” being weaved into Mark Snow’s super-score, there’s a lot to love about this powerful episode. “Rosetta '' also serves as a huge “passing the torch” moment for Superman fans as Christopher Reeve hands Tom Welling the cape to continue his legacy. Oh, and there’s a super-cute “sister” moment between Chloe and Lana that might make you shed a tear...

Best Line: “You won’t find the answers by looking at the stars. It’s a journey you’ll have to take by looking inside yourself. You must write your own destiny, Kal-El.” - Dr. Virgil Swan

7. Finale (Season 10, Episodes 21-22)

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After ten years of waiting for Clark to put on the tights and finally take flight, the series ended with him finally embracing his identity and going public as Superman. While parts of “Finale” might be a bit underwhelming (including Clark’s “fight” with Darkseid), this epic conclusion is the culmination of ten years of trials that Clark had to go through in order to embrace his destiny as the Man of Steel. Here, he finally (sort of) marries his true love, Lois Lane, says goodbye to his best friends, Chloe and Oliver, apologizes to Lex (who finally returns) after all these years, and officially moves on from Smallville. Lex’s return works wonders as the Earth-2 Lionel makes a deal with the dark lord to restore his son’s life, only for Lex’s memory of Clark to be taken away by his sister, Tess. It’s a powerful two-hours and a wonderful conclusion to all the years Clark spent preparing to take flight. In closing the series out with a flashforward to the future (which includes some Jimmy Olsen and Perry White), Smallville proves that even if things didn’t always go as planned, they always work out in the end.

Best Line: “Always hold on to Smallville.” - Jonathan Kent

6. Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1)

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While “Finale” is pretty great, the Smallville “Pilot” is even better. The first episode, released in October 2001, does everything you could hope for a pilot to do. Starting with the explosive meteor shower that brings Clark to Earth in a reign of fire, the show quickly establishes the world of Smallville. Clark’s relationship with his parents, his friends, Chloe and Pete Ross (Sam Jones III), and his love for Lana Lang are quickly introduced, all before that fateful moment on the bridge where he would begin his complex friendship with Lex Luthor. It’s here that we immediately fall in love with the awkward farm boy that is Clark Kent (who carries a skateboard for the first and only time in the series). Even when his rival for Lana’s affections, the football star Whitney Fordman (Eric Johnson), strings him up in a cornfield (with some serious Jesus imagery), we don’t see Clark as anything but the strongest guy in the room, both in physical strength and his unwavering character.

Best Line: “So what are you? Man or Superman?” - Lana Lang