In the 2000s television series Smallville, Lana, played by Kristin Kreuk, is again the (often forbidden) love interest of the young Clark Kent, with at least some of each episode devoted to their potentially romantic relationship. Lana's character featured in a number of episodes in which she is exposed to temporarily power-bestowing and/or personality-changing events, or needs to be rescued from life-threatening danger.
Throughout the series, Clark feels guilt because of the death of Lana's parents, who were killed by the meteor shower that accompanied Clark's arrival on Earth. Lana was watched over by her aunt after their deaths, though she eventually moves out later in the series. She has always had a special interest in the meteor shower, and has a suspicion that Clark knows more about the incident than he lets on.
In a marked contrast to the redhead Lana Lang who appears in the Superman comic books, Kreuk is a brunette with an olive complexion, being part Chinese, part Dutch. Lana is said to be descended on her mother's side from a French witch, Countess Marguerite Isobel Theroux, whose vengeful spirit returns at one point to possess her (in an early draft, Lana's lineage was listed as one-part Native American).
In Smallville, Lana and Clark's relationship is depicted (at least initially) as the complete reverse of the post-Crisis version, whereby it was Clark who long pined over Lana without the other really knowing. This initial scenario also incorporated elements of the 1978 movie continuity by introducing the character of Whitney Fordman, Lana's quarterback boyfriend and Clark's antagonist at the beginning of the series. Although their relationship goes through many permutations in which Lana does develop her own genuine feelings for Clark, the series ongoing premise very much relies on a hitherto unprecedented notion that Clark had been deeply in love with Lana throughout his entire youth.
In the 100th episode of the series, Clark revealed his powers to Lana, and she agreed to marry him. Smallville's Lex Luthor soon discovered that she knew Clark's secret, however, and chased her down the road in his car while he was drunk, leading to a horrible car crash in which Lana died. Appealing to Jor-El, Clark was able to go back in time and save Lana's life (this time neither proposing or revealing his superpowers). Unfortunately, this came at the cost of Clark's adopted father, Jonathan, whose heart gave out following a tumultuous confrontation with Lex's unscrupulous father, Lionel Luthor.
Following the 100th episode, Lana and Clark's relationship was depicted as being on the rocks, and Clark soon broke up with Lana after telling her that he did not love her anymore. Lana then began a new romantic relationship with Lex Luthor, much to Clark's dismay. In the season five finale, their relationship was tested when Lex unexpectedly developed Kryptonian powers, but Lana ultimately decided to remain loyal to him, not realizing that his identity had been assumed by General Zod.
After Clark defeated General Zod and set Lex free, Lana began living with Lex. Soon after, Lana felt that holding on to the failed relationship with Clark was not helping her develop future relationships as was the case with her current relationship with Lex. After coming to a decision to move on, she had sex with Lex at his mansion.
The sixth season sees Lana becoming something of a minor celebrity as she dates millionaire Lex Luthor, being hounded by paparazzi who have dubbed her "the new Lex Girl." During the November 2006 Thanksgiving episode, Lana revealed that she was pregnant. At the very end of the following episode, Lex proposed to Lana. Two episodes later, Lana comes to terms with her unresolved feelings for Clark and says "yes" to Lex's proposal, even though she confirmed that she still loved Clark. In the sixteenth episode of the season, "Promise", Lana decides not to marry Lex after finally discovering Clark's secret. However, Lionel intervenes and threatens to kill Clark unless she marries Lex. In a reversal of roles, Lana decides to protect Clark and goes through with the marriage, becoming Lana Luthor.
On March 22, 2007, the episode revealed that Lana had miscarried, and an episode that aired on Thursday, April 19, 2007, that revealed that she had not really been pregnant, but that somehow she had taken pills that stopped her menstruation, and had given the impression she was pregnant. A previous episode showed Lex burning the medical files relating to her pregnancy and miscarriage, implying he was involved in faking the pregnancy.
On April 3, 2007, the episode revealed that Lionel is sending Lana to spy on Lex on what he is doing. Lionel told Lana on the episode "Nemesis" that Clark's life can depend on what Lex is doing.
On May 17, 2007, in the Smallville season six finale, "Phantom", Lana is "killed" in a car explosion after telling Lex that she was leaving him. A bomb was placed inside her car, although it is still unknown who put the bomb inside the car, and if she survived somehow, although other possibilities may always exist.
Source: wikipedia.org |
