Most tragic character in Smallville

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Who do you think qualifies as the most or well, one of the most tragic characters in Smallville.

You could say it's Lex cause ah well, you know how that one turns out. Or Clark because it's never easy being a superhero or whomever else.

[xrayvision]

I'd say Chloe since she's the actual reporter (not Lois) plus she's the one who likes Clark the most and is willing to wait for him (as we found out in Fever) but who will probably be killed or driven insane. Poor girl. She took all that heat from Clark in Witness without any proper reason.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

I agree. Hmm...it's true that Chloe's copped a lot of flak from people around her. Being manipulated by Lionel, getting blown off by Clark so many times.

That's what I want people who view this thread to think about: All the characters and what makes them tragic.

[Lana's Devious]

I would say Lana because it's almost like everyone that she gets close to, seems to die or betray her. (Parents,Adam,Jason,Clark,Whitney,Nell,Mr.Small,Em ilie,etc.) That's a lot of losses to deal with. Plus we know that she'll never get Clark no matter how hard she tries. Everybody judges her and thinks of her as stuck up, but it takes a lot to even wake up every morning when you've experienced so many losses (I lost a lot too, it's not easy). Poor girl.

[luthorcorp]

i voted lex cause we all know what going to happen to the poor guy

lol

but still BRING IT ON!!!:D

[superman_115]

I don't agree with Lana, because she is dumb enough to get close without thinking it through. If not for Clark, she would have died many times over. Lana bring her pain and misery to herself. Like they say, Misery loves company.

I agree with Chloe a lot, but I would probably have to say Clark the most.

He has to lie constantly around those he cares about most. He is part of the reason Lex becomes full blown Evil. He is in love with a prissy Lana, when he knows Chloe is better for him and truly loves him more.

Clark gets crapped on more than anyone for he is a gomer when it comes to always doing good.

Clark is the ultimate doormat. Welcome is always written across his forehead.

[angelfire east]

Lex, he grow up with Lionel and his mind games; all the horrible thing that happened because of that, no love, treated horrible, druged, and got put in te nut house by his own father, also killed by his dad. He took the blame for his mother killing his baby brother, he also saw her finahing killing him. all the women in his life either die, betray him or leave or all three. No one has ever really loved him the way he wants and needs. Everyone in his life lies and betays him. Just look at what he becomes, that's tagic all on it's own.


All the characters have had tagic lifes (well not pete or the Kents) but Lana, her parents dying, so many stalkers. lana's problem with boyfriends in partly her own fault, she can't stand on her own, she leads on a guy and that's gotten her into trouble. But Nell does love her, she did raise her after her parents dealth. Whitney did love her and he never treated her wrong. Clark does love her, though he does mess her around. I do believe jason loved her. She has many friends who love her too. Her life isn't that bad when you conpare it with Lex's. I'm not saying the tagic things in her life don't matter just that on the whole I think she had the better life.

Chloe has had it bad too. Her mother, always falling for the wrong guy, she always get the short end of the stick in life. BUt she has a good father who loves her, she has Lois who loves her and she has friends who love her.

Clark has thing, he lost his whole panet, he has powers and has to keep secrets. But he grow up nas still has the best parents who love him no matter what, his friends love him.

[jOEL_EL]

*The song "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting is playing in the background...*

Clark Kent is heroic, self sacrificing, good, just and dedicated to truth and what used to be, but isn't any longer the "American way" (but thats a whole other topic...). CK is tragic only if you feel badly for him because of how he must lead a dual life, a situation that prevents him from enjoying all the little things that are the most enjoyable things about life and that we largely take for granted. He will always feel the isolation and hunger for that which he is destined to always be without. This really IS tragic because a large part of Clarks life will be spent as if standing outside in the cold, looking in through the window as the rest of us enjoy the candle lit feast of a lifetime of good friends, warm relationships and the love that comes only for people who are completely open and honest about themselves. You have to let a woman come inside you to be allowed inside her - in the most goodly sense of that term. True, fulfilling and life sustaining love requires an openess and trust that Clark will never be able to afford and therefore never be offered in return. It is the height of irony that the "man of steel" is helpless and powerless when it comes to loving and being loved. Only the dedicated, uncompromising love of a woman can save a man and allow him to find true happiness in life. Therefore, a part of Clark is to remain lonely in the most extreme sense because, except for his parents who will be with him only for a short time longer, he will be forever alone in the midst of a crowd, even in the midst of friends. For a long time now you could see how this growing realization weighed heavy on Clark. It is present in each and every episode to varying degrees. You can read it in the expressions on his face, in the calculated reserve of his emotions, in his measured response to both strangers and friends. His sense of isolation must make him feel desperate at times and could be why, during his senior year, he was so determined to go against his father by joining the Smallville HS football team. Maybe that was his last ditch effort to try to know what it's like to be normal and fit in.

"No man is an island" is a saying that applies to men of Krypton as well as Earth. Only by relating to others in an honest and open manner are we able to develop and grow and love and learn about ourselves and therefore about our ultimate destiny in this, the time of our life. The drive to be sociable and to have at least one or two good friends is only in ones own best interest: To be denied the mirror that such friends automatically provide is to not know who you, who you are becomming or who you might become. The drive to find a love of ones own that is special and true is powered by much more than the instinct to mate or the desire for physical pleasure. To be denied the love that nourishes the soul and allows us to thrive is to stop growing, to stop healing, to stop feeling, to stop living - and eventually - we simply fade away.

We are all born into this world to live our lives and we all eventually die and fade from memory over time. This is a tragedy. But to fade from view even as you are living your life is "tragedy" taken to a whole new level. Such is the tragic life of one Clakr Kent, visitor from another planet. In spite of all this, he yet goes on fighting evil, helping the helpless, saving those in desperate need. But who will save the saviour? You and I both know the answer to that question: No One!

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even Heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even Heroes have the right to dream
But it's not easy to be me

Up, up and away, away from me
Well it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy, or anything...

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
More than a man looking for a dream
Only a man in a funny red sheet
And it's not easy to be me.

(lyrics by Five for Fighting)

[Kaaku]

Life hasn't been easy for any of the characters of the show. But if we think about their lives up to this point, not what will happen to them in the future, I'd say that definitely Lex. angelfire east pretty much summed it up. Next I would place Clark and after that Chloe. Although this seems to be a multiple choise poll (intended?), I'll only pick Lex.

[MBCorp]

Originally posted by angelfire east
Lex, he grow up with Lionel and his mind games; all the horrible thing that happened because of that, no love, treated horrible, druged, and got put in te nut house by his own father, also killed by his dad. He took the blame for his mother killing his baby brother, he also saw her finahing killing him. all the women in his life either die, betray him or leave or all three. No one has ever really loved him the way he wants and needs. Everyone in his life lies and betays him. Just look at what he becomes, that's tagic all on it's own.

I agree 100% with this! Poor Lex.:(

[tw190]

I voted Lex.

[therip]

i voted other for that dude that threatened to blow everyone up because his brother kept dying from that liver disease...edges out lex because this guy dies

[jOEL_EL]

*The song "Tomorrow" by SR-71 begins playing in the background...*

Everything you all are saying about Lex is quite persuasive and you almost had me changing my opinion. But let me ask you this: Do you think Lex would agree with you, be impressed by your sentiments or ever come to look upon you as a sympathetic friend? I don't think so, not really. I mean, he may act like you want him to act but only if you have something he wants. It is tragic what he went through in his life up to this point but Lex is now an adult. He's a grown man who is intelligent, very intelligent as a matter of fact. In spite of his horrific upbringing he still knows the difference between right and wrong, between moral and immoral, between good and evil. In spite of his extremely bad experiences there are those in this world who have it much worse. Lex is Lex and only he is responsible for the decisions he makes and how he conducts himself from here on out. Lately Lex has been saying this alot: "I want to do something that leaves a mark on the world". Under normal circumstances this would be a good thing. It shows someone who is motivated and wants to make a difference. But not when that same person is also saying something like: "There are dark things inside me that I may not always be able to control." Yeah, like thats an excuse for doing whatever he wants regardless of how much he hurts someone else. If he feels his destiny can be realized simply by his "making a mark like never before" then how selfish is that? Screw him.

He could get the best help for his problems by professionals who are truly sincere and who dedicate their lives to helping others. For Lex to not be in steady therapy with an enlightened mental health professional in order to deal with and eventually overcome the accumulated emotional trauma he has experienced is the height of irresponsibility on his part imo. For him to run around with a billion dollar chip on his shoulder feeling sorry for himself is no different than when anybody indulges in a "pity party", to borrow a recent phrase by Lois. Unlike most of us though, Lex has the resources to act on his selfishness in ways that could bring incredible harm to others.

Never feel sorry for a man who is a billionaire, who lives in a castle, drives the latest, hottest cars, gets laid by the most beautiful women, some of whom probably really like him for the goodness they see in him buried underneath his torment, in spite of all his negativity and yes, in spite of his wealth. Also, don't pity a man who owns a corporate jet, prime real estate in Smallville, a skyscraper in Metropolis and a successful agrochemical firm. Never pity a man who retains an army of top drawer New York lawyers and travels with highly skilled body guards. Lex has all this and probably also has financial interest in any number of other corporations, both domestic and multinational. His personal influence spans the globe. In addition to having access to lawmakers in Washington DC he more than likely has access to some of the highest level advisors to the president of the United States and those of many other world leaders as well. From Smallville to Metropolis, DC to London and Riyadh to Tel Aviv, Lex is connected and "in the know". From Paris to Prague, Helsinki to Oslo, and Moscow to Tokyo, Lex Luthor's name is likely known and his opportunities for business, travel, adventure and discovery are beyond the imaginings of most of those who feel so sorry for him.

Also, keep in mind that he doesn't care about you as a person. He doesn't even want to be your friend. He just wants to "make his mark on the world" at any cost, even if that cost is your own life. After the initial pity you may feel for Lex Luthor evaporates, you may eventually agree that confused, angry, screwed-up and scared men are pitiful to behold, no matter what the cause. Give a guy like that a billion bucks and your pity may very well become fear for your own life or the innocent lives of others! Care to change your mind? Anyone?

"Is it any wonder why I'm scared
If I was a little younger would I care
Feeling like the walls are growing stronger
I don't know if this cage can hold me any longer

I'm not afraid of tomorrow
I'm only scared of myself
Feels like my insides are on fire
And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else"

(lyrics from "Tomorrow")

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Wow some very very good reasonings in this thread. Oh and to Kaaku, yep, I intended the voting to be a more than one choice because some people might feel the need to pick two of the most tragic characters etc.

I really do enjoy reading the replies especially those from jOEL_EL, very detailed and well summed up!

[TheRealClarkKent]

Chloe guys...Chloe....

[superman05]

chloe she has the story of a lifetime and she cant write it

[ckfan]

Definition of tragedy:

A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. (www.dictionary.com)

I have heard that the whole Superman story is at its heart a tragedy, which seems odd for a story about someone who saves people. But it's true that almost every character has a "tragic" quality and that's what make this story, and Smallville in particular, so interesting. Going back to the definition above, for Clark I think his tragedy is "extreme sorrow" for the reasons that joel-el mentioned, while Lex's is more of a "moral weakness" and Lana's is the "inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances."

I think the big three on SV are all tragic figures who will suffer sorrow, with Clark as the most tragic in the sense that he is trapped by his destiny. The supporting characters, not as much.

[mysecretidentity]

While Clark is the fun pick because he is forced to live a double-life, he is certainly not a tragic figure. The real tragedy of Clark isn't his double life. It is the fact, as is true with most comic superheroes, that because of who he is (a thwarter of the plans of supervillains), he endangers everyone. Quite often people we see other heroic figures, spiderman for instance, worried about protecting his friends and loved ones because he, as a superhero, will always have enemies...and SUPER-enemies at that.
However, a tragic figure is one who makes a fatal mistake or, more often, has a fatal flaw, which brings about tragic events at no choice of their own.
In this regard, I think that Lex or Chloe must be the choice. Lex (ONLY SMALLVILLE LEX) is tragic because he makes every attempt to be good, yet ironically, due to the mistrust of others and the upbringing at the hands of a villainous tyrant, Lex is turned to the dark side.
On the other hand, Chloe has the most unused potential, which is another tragic circumstance in classic drama. However, the Chloe question is up in the air since DC bought the rights to the AlMiles creation. So, as far as we know...she is alive and well, living life to her full potential FAR from metropolis...but in the much more likely circumstance that she is killed or goes crazy (as suggested in Scare) then she is tragic.

[jOEL_EL]

*The song “Perfect Memory” by Remy Zero is playing in the background…*

Thnx 4 the compliment, The Petri Dish Kid.
Thnx 4 the mention, ckfan.

Interesting references to Chloe! In terms of epic tragedy she flew under my radar but maybe this warrants more consideration. Hmm…

Idk, down the road, when it comes time to judge who is the most tragic figure, maybe Chloe is the one. At the end of the Smallville series, a time that I hope is at least 2 or 3 years away, if Chloe does die, and I really like her and hope that doesn’t happen, but if it does, then she would be quite tragic because her end would have been the result of her own fatal decision making. It was love at first sight for Chloe, way back in S1 but it didn’t take too long for everyone to know that the feeling wasn’t going to be reciprocal. On the other hand, there was a window of opportunity for something between them and it opened very briefly during the final ep of season 1. Clark did come around when he discovered that he did indeed have feelings for Chloe that maybe went beyond being good friends, which is why he asked her to the prom that one afternoon. I can still remember Chloe’s million dollar smile as she accepted and the mixed look of joy and disbelief that she wore once her back was to Clark as she walked out of the barn. Yes. I remember it like it was only yesterday…

~ ~ ~ There’s Pete! He’s smiling, excited, looking across the room, waving at the band, shouting “Alright! Remy Zero!” as they finish one song and begin playing another one that just “happens” to be Chloe’s favorite. There’s Clark approaching Chloe, asking her to dance, taking her by the hand, guiding her onto the dance floor. As they begin dancing, Clark is dazzled by the way she looks tonight, he’s holding her as she rests her head upon his shoulder and the slow music transports them into a dream, one that should last forever but in this case will last but a moment. And what a moment it was when Chloe lifts her head and gazes into Clarks eyes and as their smiles fade and their lips slowly move closer, what should have been a first kiss, forever remembered, became a kiss forever interrupted, a question forever unanswered. Was what separated Chloe and Clark at that moment JUST a coincidence? Or were there deeper forces at work, those that shift events and shape the lives of mortals and immortals alike, keeping us on some predetermined path so that we may each fulfill our own destiny? As if somehow summoned by forces that we do not even recognize, let alone comprehend, a horrific black vortex descended from the heavens to intervene and forever steel away a kiss that may have changed lives ~ ~ ~

Maybe the fatal error that Chloe makes is for her to continue to focus her life all around Clark, which lets face it, she did throughout the whole series, even when she realized it was Lana that CK truly loved in his heart and not her. Maybe, in the end, Chloe will indeed become the single most tragic figure in Smallville. Unlike Clark, Lana or Lex, all of whom are playing the cards that they were dealt by life from the beginning, our adorable yet head-strong, curious and persistent Chloe may have unknowingly aligned herself against a universal imperative and a force of nature that is as dark as it is illuminating, as uncaring as it is loving, as destructive as it is creative and as determined as it is willing to do whatever is necessary to have its way with us – even if that means intervening in our lives in the most awful way imaginable. In this way Chloe’s life would perhaps most completely meet the requirements for one that is “tragic” according to the above definitions. How could she have known that her love for Clark carried the seeds of her own destruction? How ironic that a single kiss would have set each of their lives on an entirely different path, one that would include the lifelong dedication of Clark for Chloe and the enduring and true love of Chloe for Clark, her superman. How ironic that many years after it dissipates, the force of the tempest that would have taken the life of Lana, is perhaps responsible for taking Chloe’s instead.

Nature is always parsimonious in Her use of energy – using only just enough to get the job done, whatever that may be This is a fact that is observed in all scientific studies of how Nature operates and it occurs at all levels. From the atomic and molecular scale all the way up to the galactic and cosmic, events follow the lines of least resistance and occur in ways that expend energy in the least ways possible. That it was necessary to summon the force and energy of tornadic proportions in order to separate them, perhaps indicates just how wonderful and irresistible would have been Chloe’s kiss, and just how idyllic a life her and Clark might have led had it not been for the intervention of a tempest. Their life together would’ve been – just like a dream.

[Lexgirl33]

Lex, hes had a crappy life from the time he was bald.

[Jellie]

Lex had a crappy life the moment he popped out

[Zungas]

Lana

[NYC300Z]

Lana everything happens to her


Lex would be it but it's Smallville...

[t.ko]

THE CLEANUP GUY! omg no one ever roots for the underdog.... *weeps for the cleanup guy seeing as these superpowered beings create such big destruction and mess*

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Haha....hey....finally someone decides to go for the clean up guy. I knew that there'll be people out there who would choose that....lucky I listed it as a choice.

Great one t.ko. Hey one question though t.ko, who's that in your pic and what's it from?

[t.ko]

its lionel shooting jason in Forever. i dont know exactly where i got it from but if you search around and ask for avatars then its there. i got the avatar from the forums so you can check all the avatars on the forum.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Oh I see. Nice dramatic pic.

[constancelight]

All the characters have had tagic lifes (well not pete or the Kents)

I'd have to disagree with this angelfire east

Pete's Tragic Life
--His parents divorced
--His family was conned out of the cream corn factory because of a Luthor --He never could win Chloe's heart because her heart belonged to Clark's (just like Clark's to Lana)
--He always had to live in Clark's shadow as a friend.
--His knowledge of Clark's secret forced him to relocate to a different city in his senior year of high school. That's gotta be hard on a kid whose whole family history has been rooted in Smallville for generations.
--Always loosing to Lex as Clark's best friend.

Kent's tragic life
--Never been able to have a child of their own.
--Martha's relationship with her father is estranged due to Johnathan
--Johnathan's bad heart
--Martha having to sacrifice a part of her career aspirations in order to be a mother and wife
--Johnathan making the devil's deal with Lionel to sell out his fellow citizens in order to get Clark's adoption legal.
--Being protectors of Clark

As for who I choose, I went with Chloe for reasons mentioned already. But, I do agree that all the characters (Lex, especially) have tradegies in their lives.

[SmallTownSuperHero]

I pity the people who have to pay for all the damage caused by natural disasters, crazy witch-possessed women, freaks with crazy powers, beings from other planets, etc. Insurance in Smallville must be OUTRAGEOUS!

[Lobby4Chloe]

Pete Ross and Whitney.

[angelfire east]

Originally posted by constancelight
I'd have to disagree with this angelfire east

Pete's Tragic Life
--His parents divorced
--His family was conned out of the cream corn factory because of a Luthor --He never could win Chloe's heart because her heart belonged to Clark's (just like Clark's to Lana)
--He always had to live in Clark's shadow as a friend.
--His knowledge of Clark's secret forced him to relocate to a different city in his senior year of high school. That's gotta be hard on a kid whose whole family history has been rooted in Smallville for generations.
--Always loosing to Lex as Clark's best friend.

Kent's tragic life
--Never been able to have a child of their own.
--Martha's relationship with her father is estranged due to Johnathan
--Johnathan's bad heart
--Martha having to sacrifice a part of her career aspirations in order to be a mother and wife
--Johnathan making the devil's deal with Lionel to sell out his fellow citizens in order to get Clark's adoption legal.
--Being protectors of Clark

I didn't think of that, your right:)

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Hell yeah insurance is expensive in Smallville!!! Hahahah!!!

Hey I was looking at the results of the poll, like I expected Mr Lex Luthor is at the top followed by.....Lana Lang????!!!

Ok....well, I don't see her as too tragic of a figure. Chloe maybe but Lana not so much. Oh and yeah more votes for the clean up guys!!!

[Bumperjeep]

What happened to Lionel

[Muse25]

I feel for Chloe just because her mother's insane and Chloe has the possibility of going in that direction (plus other things but the list is too long :)).

I also feel for the poor cleaning crew for going to work and cleaning up after Clark :).

[commencement_rox]

Clark has the hardest time because its not easy keeping all those secrets bundled up inside of you

[Bittersweet]

I think Lex is definatly the most tragic, but Chloe is a close second for me because there is no way there is going to be a happy ending for her.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Hmm...looking at the results again. The cleaning crew are up a few notches. Lex is still in the lead...like predicted.

Keep the votes and reasons coming!

[kgirl]

Originally posted by ckfan
Definition of tragedy:

A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. (www.dictionary.com)

I have heard that the whole Superman story is at its heart a tragedy, which seems odd for a story about someone who saves people. But it's true that almost every character has a "tragic" quality and that's what make this story, and Smallville in particular, so interesting. Going back to the definition above, for Clark I think his tragedy is "extreme sorrow" for the reasons that joel-el mentioned, while Lex's is more of a "moral weakness" and Lana's is the "inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances."

I think the big three on SV are all tragic figures who will suffer sorrow, with Clark as the most tragic in the sense that he is trapped by his destiny. The supporting characters, not as much.

A very good analysis !
I agree with this.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Ooh...maybe Clark's parents are the tragic ones but meh, his Dad's a big meanie.

[vikingjedi]

I'll say Lex because the odds of overcoming his upbringing are almost insurmountable and in the end he becomes what he most feared.

[willieknight99]

naw, i would have to agree with the Lex voters. we all know who the villian of the story is....and he has admitted it remember?

[Kaaku]

Dammit, I should've voted for Chloe in addition to Lex. Well, mishaps are inevitable...

Nice analysis on Chloe jOEL_EL. It made me think, what would've happened if the tornado warning would've come even just a minute or two later?

But how come Lana Lang is holding the 3rd position? That's a bit hard for me to see, I wouldn't say that she's a tragic character.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

True...Lana Lang position 3 doesn't seem to fit right.

[doodad]

Wow I never thought I'd learn a life lesson from this website. Thanks is in order to jOEL_EL for his post #8 which is his first post in this thread. jOEL_EL can I ask how old you are?

Anyhow back on topic, as much as I learned something from your previous post, I disagree with your post #13

I think if you own the dvds and watch all 4 seasons back to back like I have, one theme that is clear is this:

Lex has tried very hard to win the hearts and acceptance of several people in smallville, and to do right by them and the town as a whole as well.

He's done a number of favors for numerous people, from saving the kent farm to fervently opposing his father when Lionel wanted to make business decisions that were harmful for the town as a whole. All with pure motives! Sure his investigation of clark was a conflict of interest, but it wasnt the driving force behind his friendship.

Many are the time that Clark came to Lex for favors, only to act like a complete jerk toward Lex during the next episode.


Do you think Lex would agree with you, be impressed by your sentiments or ever come to look upon you as a sympathetic friend? I don't think so, not really. I mean, he may act like you want him to act but only if you have something he wants.

He did for both Clark and Lana. He has nothing to gain from Lana with the Talon. It was those relationships that kept him on the moral side and as those who are closest to him continue to reject and withdraw, so does he withdraw from morality.

Despite his honest and heartfelt efforts to reach out toward others, nobody has given Lex a chance but Clark, and Clark's chance was only half-hearted. Clark has behaved anywhere from stanoffish, to being a complete jerk toward Lex for the entire show, and oft times without any discernable reason or warning. Not to mention, Clark only ever comes around to ask for money or for a favor.

I think the same tragedy you attributed to superman ails Lex as well, with a few unimportant nuances. With no sympathetic friends or family, why should Lex care for his fellow man? The second part of the tragedy there is that the transormation of Lex could have been thwarted with a few (or even 1, that being clark who is most important to lex) genuine friendships.

[SuperVee]

Hey everyone, newbie here :) *waves*

I have to pick Ryan as the most tragic character. He was used an abused by his stepfather and then probed and prodded by doctors to the point where her developed a brain tumour.

He was such a great kid and i wish they hadn't killed him off so soon. I would have really loved to see his relationship with Clark develop a bit more.

But anyhow, he was the most tragic in my opinion :)

[Kaaku]

True, Ryan was a tragic character. Tough life for a kid. That's actually a good pick.

Btw, welcome to the threads :)

[SuperVee]

Thanx Kaaku :)

Oh, and also that kid who could see the future when he touched you? I thought he was pretty tragic. Imagine whenever you touched someone you loved, you'd see how and when they would die ...or the fact that he'll live the most lonely life because he just an't get close to anyone. He'll have to live in the moutnains somewhere a lone.
Tragic.

[Kaaku]

Yeah, but at least he was never mistreated. His parents understood him and tried to help (did he have a mother?). And he got rid of his ability in the end and could live a normal life.

[SuperVee]

Oh ya i forgot about that :\

Ok Ryan is still more tragic :D

[luna]

well,I think that Lex is the most tragic character in the series and that is because he is surrounded by many troubles.for example he was friend with Clark but the Kents didn't want him because he was Lionel Luthor's son he married twice and his wives both betrayed him and finally in the fourth season he gains the sympathy of Clark's parent's but he losese his frienship with Clark.Not to add that for unspecified reasons he became Clark's biggest enemy in Metropolis.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Hmm I have to agree that Ryan's character is pretty tragic. How come I didn't think about that?

Yeah but he was a one off kinda character. If he was around for a longer time then that'll add more depth.

[MrsTomWelling]

At first thought, I was like "well, duh, of course it's ___________ " But then as you look at this list, every single character (or non-character i.e. FOTW) could be consider tragic.

It's quite sad actually when you think each of them through. Damn, now I'm all depressed! haha.

[applecrash]

I chose Lana. She had a pretty rough childhood seeing her parents die. Her love life hasn't been great either as Adam and Jason both turned out to be pretty lousy boyfriends. When she and Clark finally got serious, he died (for a while). Now that he has his superpowers back, he's thinking about breaking up with her again.

Lana's character seems the most tragic to me.

[angelfire east]

one week rule please!!!! I knew about him dieing but the not breaking up thing.

[globalbudd3]

Hmm...interesting question. Let's see, I would say that all characters have a tragic aspect to their lives. Lana for example having lost her parents, psycho boyfriends etc. Clark having lost his parents, keeping his powers a secret and not being "normal", in terms of hiding his true self from the world. Chloe for being the "pal" and will never get the guy, and whose mom is psycho. But overall, Lex is the most tragic of all characters, in the tradition of the greek tragedies. He is after all a guy who want to do the right thing, has an unloving home but most tragic of all, will give in to the temptation of great evil.

[photogirl]

I chose lex, but chloe follows close behind. Lex, because of his father, and his whole life, and he wants so badly to be good, and we all know who he's gonna become...but Chloe isn't far behind.
Poor poor chloe...tortured over Clark, and lost her mom at a young age, has every chance of going insane, and in the end will have no recognition because Lois, who is so much like her will take her place...

[ctjj.stevenson]

The "Clean Up Guy" who has to clean up the Freaks' mess after Clark's done with them

This one was funny, so I voted for it.

[Coyote]

The classical tragic hero was a great man who started out with enormous potential and good intentions but had tragic flaws of character that dragged him down into evil. That most resembles Lex.

It's possible Chloe might turn out to be a tragic character. She isn't so far, but we don't know yet how her story will end up.

[ferd]

Lillian Luthor :(

Her story is so very tragic. Wish would could see more of her back story.

[kryptonitte]

I was thinking on the line of Lex's grandparents since it sounded like they had a very hard life and then their son is so embarrased by them that just lying about it wasn't enough he had to have them killed...Can you imagine struggling all your life for your family and that isn't enough that your son has you killed so no one knows were he came from..sad very sad..

Lillian does sound tragic and she obviously snapped when she felt he son was better off dead than in the hands of Lionel but if anything then the tragic one would be that son...He never got to grow up and live in a mansion and his mother killed him...now that is the most tragic of all.

[NarutoMajere]

The most tragic character is defentally Lex. So much trama and suffering. But the fact that he can't get sick is pretty sweet.

[THEOMYS]

Pete Ross growing up with Clark as best friend and trying to live up to Clark doing these amazing things. Then how is he repaid. He is supplanted by a Luthor, the people who cheated his family. Clark states repeadetly that Lex is his best friend. Lex the guy who keeps doing bad things replaces Pete the loyal friend.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Hmm great to see this thread is still going strong.

Well I want to add...Alicia Baker. Pretty tragic end for such a good character [moment's silence]

[a silent liaison]

No one character in ''Smallville'' has it easy, by any means. I say Clark has it the hardest simply because it is more than difficult for him to be honest with any one person. If he can be honest with them, he risks their life, and that is a huge burden on both parties.

[GooN]

i say that kid who was born and died in within like a week.....no life at all, so sad.

[Mistryman]

Lex, the guys just got everything against him!! I mean what a nobhhead of a father!!

[Mrs Kent]

Clark has a hard life, having to lie to everyone and pretend and stuff. I think the freaks have the tragic life on Smallville because they really don't stand a chance of turning back to what they were before. i.e. normal. They go to belreve and that's it.

[suave_man]

Lex has it the toughest. He had to grow up with Lionel as his father. His mother died very young as well as his brother so he was left alone with his father who always put him through different tests. The he found a friend in Clark, which was the only thing that was keeping him from the deep end and now that friendship is gone forever. At the moment, he has Lana by his side but that won't last too long. And with his father favoring Clark over him, I don't blame Lex for becoming the villain we all know he will be.

[GoldK_Clark]

Clark has it tough, he's the only one left from his home planet. He will never die, but all the people he love will eventually die. He fears to be honest with people because they will discover his secret and label him as a "freak" or be put in danger(Like Pete). He's all alone really.

[Rala]

I'm going to have to go with Lex here, because we all know where these characters end up. This is also why I love the idea of Smallville and watch it every week. If anything, I can watch Lex smile, fall in love, try to get close to his father, etc. and know that he's going to end up The Big Bad one day. Tragic.

[watcher4]

Jonathan and Alicia-because they are dead.
Lionel-because he is probably going to be dead
Lex-because he has got sooooo many things against him. Is there any hope for him to become anything but totally evil?
Lana-because she appears to always be the victim (IMHO)

[Tomsgurl88]

To me there are two main tragic stories in Smallville and one is of course lex Luthor and the other is the Clark and Lana relationship.

First off with Lex, this guy has had a COMPLETLY unhappy childhood and life bascially. I mean his father has always treated him like crap and still continues to, he watched his shut in mom murder his baby brother for which he was blamed for by Lionel until he found out the truth, He has been burned by every woman he has ever had a relationship, the guy has ZERO friends except of course for Lana currently. And all of these things are building and building up to where unfortunetly we know he's going to end up, and that's why Lex Luthor's life is completley tragic to me.

Second, the Clark/Lana relationship, these are two people who could of been completely happy with each other and could of spent the rest of their lives together, in the 100th episode it was heartbreaking to watch how happy they could of been if tings didn't go down the way they did. But ultimetly and obviously they just aren't meant to be.

[Insight]

Lex... at least up until Lexmas. I agree with Tomsgurl88, Lex has never really had anything to build a way to cope with the things in his life, i.e. father, friends, etc. Everyone else in the show has at least had some positive influence like family or friends. But after Lexmas, he lost his excuse because his mother showed him how to get what he really wanted and he ignored it. ......... But, did he ignore it because he has never had anyone to rely on except himself?

Hmmmm?

[GottaLoveHotSuperHeros]

Originally posted by GooN
i say that kid who was born and died in within like a week.....no life at all, so sad.

yeah, him too

but the bug boy. was his name greg arkins? (2nd episode ever)
he's pretty sad and didn't he die because of the bugs?

also some other FOTW(s) like the bee chick in season 2 or 3
some others

[bongoboy]

Originally posted by MBCorp
I agree 100% with this! Poor Lex.:(

Who's the most tragic??

Lex?

Hitler was also mistreated as a child.....

Poor Hitler?? ;)

Clark: Super strength. Fast. Can fly. See through things. Has only one weakness. Super hearing. Can live in space and visit other worlds. Loving family. Cool friends yada yada yada.

It isn't Clark! :)

Chloe? Dealing with a teenage crush. Bright. Talented. Cute....

It ain't Chloe!

Lana? Had her legs broken many times. Nearly been killed over and over. Is the fixation for all sorts of freaks. Gorgeous. The world is likely her oyster.

I think she's had a hard time. But hardly tragic.

Pete? Son of a successful nuclear family. Had fun with Clark but never got Chloe in the series. Gets Lana eventually! Loses Lana.

He probably becomes an alcoholic.

Not that tragic though.

Lionel? NO! :)

Lois? Cute well built spunky sassy and intelligent. Has a superhero in her future...

It isn't Lois.

Martha Kent. Loving family. Super son. Fresh farm air. Loses her husband.

Sad but not tragic.

Johnathon Kent? Has heart trouble. Been shot a few times and bashed about the face with an axe handle and has a hard time dealing with gravity.

Sad that he doesn't get to see his son become Superman. But I think he would not be surprised at what his son does.

Ryan was a tragic character. As was Evan.

Those two get my vote.

[Dannyblue1]

What makes Lex especially tragic to me is that, when you look at his life, you can see so many points where, if things had just gone a little differently, he wouldn't have become the villain we know he will become. It just seems like, at all the critical points in his life, the absolute worst possible thing happens, pushing him farther towards the dark side.

Like I've said before, if Lex was destined to be evil, Fate has had to work mighty, mighty hard to push him in that direction. I can almost imagine Fate wiping its brow, saying, "Geez! How much more I gotta do to get this guy to go full out evil already?" Because most people would have been driven over the edge long before now if they'd gone through half of what Lex has gone through. And Lex still isn't quite there yet.

[GottaLoveHotSuperHeros]

Originally posted by watcher4
Jonathan and Alicia-because they are dead.
Lionel-because he is probably going to be dead
Lex-because he has got sooooo many things against him. Is there any hope for him to become anything but totally evil?
Lana-because she appears to always be the victim (IMHO)

Alicia died? I don't think so... :confused:

[SilverLightning19]

Yep unfortunatly Alicia died dang those writers give me 5 min alone with them and she will be back on in a heartbeat lol

[GottaLoveHotSuperHeros]

when was this? i don't remember how

[bongoboy]

She died in Pariah. She takes a bullet for Clark, not knowing he is safe, and dies.

[IVODARK]

She knows he's safe. She takes the bullet to protect Clark's secret.

[bongoboy]

Are you sure? Had she seen him take a bullet before? I cannot remember right now.

[IVODARK]

No, she hadn't, but that was just another plot hole. But the fact is that she literally says to Clark that the reason she took the bullet was to protect his secret, because she knew it wouldn't harm him. How did she now this? I guess we are to believe Clark told her off camera.

[bongoboy]

Cheers mate, thanks.

[Clark+Lois]

i would have to say Lex Luthor because of what he is trying to do from becoming an evil person. but he still will become evil.

[luthorian]

i loved the lex from first season so it's been tragic to see him go

[mortalreckoning]

my apologies if this has already been said...

I believe Clark is the most tragic character
Think about it...

1~his home planet and his people are to all intents and purposes, dead...gone

2~He's sent to a planet galaxies away, where he can never openly be himself, where he'll always be different

3~Because of who and what he is, he's forced to defend a world and a species that is self-destructive and often is this*close to destroying itself in it's own stupidity

4~Any relationship he has is transient at best, either because of the risk involved for anyone to be with him or because, by human standards he is all but immortal, outliving all whom he loves, leaving him inherently ALONE

what is more tragic than all that? :(

[krypton_gurl85]

Originally posted by bongoboy
She died in Pariah. She takes a bullet for Clark, not knowing he is safe, and dies.
no she waz hung by that one guy, remeber?? it waz either pariah or unsafe.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

It was Pariah. In Unsafe she took a bullet for Clark but recovered. In Pariah some dodgy meteor freak guy tried to frame her for a series of attacks and when she found out about it, he hanged her.

I am still so pissed off that they killed Alicia. I really loved her story arc.

[GOBBluth]

On the subject of tragic characters, I have to give it to the obvious character: Lex.

Lex was born into a very cold family, he was raised to be a cold person, which he wasn't and isn't...some of the time. There are many parts of him which have not been iced over yet, and that keeps the character interesting.

His first wife tried to kill him...his second wife tried to kill him....and he has almost no freinds.

He has Lana...Clark has left him, Chloe never really like him much...and even his father, though he's always been against him in one way or another...he has now aligned himself with Clark.

Considering his dark future, where he not only is responsible for a LOT of death and destruction...but goes through tramatic experences involving his futrure wives and daughter...he even lost his clone(who he treated like a son) recently...

Lex has gone through some bad stuff...and it only gets worse from here, I mean he's possesed by a Kryptonian supervillain now...

BUT since it was urged in the first post not to pick Lex or Clark...I'll say that besides those two characters...I have to choose Jonathan and Martha Kent.

All the stuff they go through for Clark/because of Clark...how many times have they almost died...and then Jonathan does die, and Martha is left alone?

Soon her son is going to leave her...it's really depressing for that poor woman I'm sure.

[Mrs Kent]

Originally posted by mortalreckoning
my apologies if this has already been said...

I believe Clark is the most tragic character
Think about it...

1~his home planet and his people are to all intents and purposes, dead...gone

2~He's sent to a planet galaxies away, where he can never openly be himself, where he'll always be different

3~Because of who and what he is, he's forced to defend a world and a species that is self-destructive and often is this*close to destroying itself in it's own stupidity

4~Any relationship he has is transient at best, either because of the risk involved for anyone to be with him or because, by human standards he is all but immortal, outliving all whom he loves, leaving him inherently ALONE

what is more tragic than all that? :(

I so do, agree with you. I just wanted to add also, Clark has saved many lives and has never received a pat on the back for it and just because he is so special has never expected a pat on the back.

[Watching Smallville]

Originally posted by mortalreckoning
my apologies if this has already been said...

I believe Clark is the most tragic character
Think about it...

1~his home planet and his people are to all intents and purposes, dead...gone

2~He's sent to a planet galaxies away, where he can never openly be himself, where he'll always be different

3~Because of who and what he is, he's forced to defend a world and a species that is self-destructive and often is this*close to destroying itself in it's own stupidity

4~Any relationship he has is transient at best, either because of the risk involved for anyone to be with him or because, by human standards he is all but immortal, outliving all whom he loves, leaving him inherently ALONE

what is more tragic than all that? :( I would agree, except that Clark is happy. His circumstances are tragic, but ultimately he lives a successful and fulfilling life.

Lex, on the other hand, is someone who craves what he could have, but his desire for power is like an addiction that sabotages his potential for happiness.

[angelus666]

Originally posted by jOEL_EL
*The song "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting is playing in the background...*

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even Heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even Heroes have the right to dream
But it's not easy to be me

Up, up and away, away from me
Well it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy, or anything...

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
More than a man looking for a dream
Only a man in a funny red sheet
And it's not easy to be me.

(lyrics by Five for Fighting)

Whoa thats the first thing I thought of when I read this thread.

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Originally posted by Watching Smallville
Lex, on the other hand, is someone who craves what he could have, but his desire for power is like an addiction that sabotages his potential for happiness.

Wow...some really powerful powerful words there. I've never heard anyone describe Lex any better. This can basically sum up the Lexmas episode. Brilliant! :)

[Watching Smallville]

Thanks. :) SV's Lex is such a brilliant character. He will probably be the show's most compelling legacy to the Superman mythos.

[mortalreckoning]

Originally posted by Watching Smallville
I would agree, except that Clark is happy. His circumstances are tragic, but ultimately he lives a successful and fulfilling life.

how do you define successful and fulfilling?

what has he been successful at, outside of graduating from high school?

what in his life is fulfilling?

at this point, his using his powers to save others he still sees as a burden (remember his ever present desire to be 'normal'?)
AND at this point, his love life has crashed and burned

yes we know his future is yet to become, but the thread said "In Smallville", so my conclusion is based on seasons 1-5 of Smallville

[The Petri Dish Kid]

Originally posted by Watching Smallville
Thanks. :) SV's Lex is such a brilliant character. He will probably be the show's most compelling legacy to the Superman mythos.

Wow! :) Where do you come up with such awesome Lex describing lines? I wish I could do that. For me, the Lex character of Smallville is just indescribable.

[Watching Smallville]

Originally posted by mortalreckoning
how do you define successful and fulfilling?

what has he been successful at, outside of graduating from high school?

what in his life is fulfilling?

at this point, his using his powers to save others he still sees as a burden (remember his ever present desire to be 'normal'?)
AND at this point, his love life has crashed and burned

yes we know his future is yet to become, but the thread said "In Smallville", so my conclusion is based on seasons 1-5 of Smallville
The key word in my post was Ultimately. So I am thinking about his future.

Even in Smallville, the life he has with his parents, the loyalty of his friends -- I consider those things part of success. And the many times he has helped people. Definitely part of a successful life.

Originally posted by The Petri Dish Kid
Wow! :) Where do you come up with such awesome Lex describing lines? I wish I could do that. For me, the Lex character of Smallville is just indescribable. I love the character, too. :D

[Deana]

Martha: "We can't have children. Oh look, a BDA just fell from the sky. We will love him as our own.

How are we to know that he will cause us so many problems? The Death of my unborn child. The death of my husband for his girlfriend. The destruction of our house.

Oh why didn't we find Lois Lane instead of BDA."

In case you're wondering, I pick the Kent's. Martha Kent to be exact.

[LusciousLois]

Lana. Her stupidity is tragedy. :D

[Mr. Alexander]

Pete, he gets kicked out of smallville...haha kidding, of course Alexander...

[Avalon Rose]

In my opinion Clark, Lex, and Alicia are the most tragic characters. I really felt sorry the way that she had died in the forth season.

[smallvillefanforlife]

id say martha and jonathan cause we knew they were going to die from the beginning its going to happen, see chloe is open to anything just like lionel

[Naomi]

Lex. Being blamed for his Mum killing his baby brother.

His father putting him through electroshock therapy without anesthetic

Lionel sending away Pamela, after Lex's mother died, so that he would have no emotional support whatsoever. His father teaching Lex to be ruthless, and to only put value on power

Being bullied, and having no friends to come to his birthday parties

The other characters all have some family to love and support them at least.



And Lillian, in Void, warns him of more pain to come

[Alicia's Sweetie]

Alicia -- She had a wonderful arc. She and Clark made a wonderful couple and that they were a couple made sense. Clark loved her even though she used Red K on him. Everyone was against her except him, then he has doubts. He finds out he was right about her too late, she dies. Clark almost kills the person responsible, this is a major action for Clark. Then next week he's playing football with no worries. What the hell, didn't the writers see the graveyard scene. Some grief was called for. That's like going from Reckoning (with JK's death) to Aqua (where everybody is all smiles at the lake). Alicia was a tragic character that was tragically forgotten.

Gunn

[Zungas]

Couldn't agree more.

[Avalon Rose]

Originally posted by Alicia's Sweetie
Alicia -- She had a wonderful arc. She and Clark made a wonderful couple and that they were a couple made sense. Clark loved her even though she used Red K on him. Everyone was against her except him, then he has doubts. He finds out he was right about her too late, she dies. Clark almost kills the person responsible, this is a major action for Clark. Then next week he's playing football with no worries. What the hell, didn't the writers see the graveyard scene. Some grief was called for. That's like going from Reckoning (with JK's death) to Aqua (where everybody is all smiles at the lake). Alicia was a tragic character that was tragically forgotten.

Gunn

This is exactly why I voted for her. It was just so pathetic what had happened. If she would have lived, I would be a total shipper of her and Clark because I thought in some ways that they were totally sweet together.

Another I thought was really tragic was that boy ( I totally forgot his name), that was born and aged so fast over a couple of days time and then blew up. If only his father had given him a bone marrow transplant, he would have lived. And his father died by accident. That was a totally sad episode.

And Jitters, with Tony Todd. I just love Tony as an actor ever since I first saw him in Candyman. I felt for his character too, but not as much as I have the boy and Alicia.

[no-lex]

I would say Lana.
She has lost the one person she trully loves and is now set for a life of corruption with Lex. Her character in the first 4 seasons would never have betrayed clark with Lex, she knows how clark and Lex feel about each other, she knows that clark is essentialy a good person and that she really can't trust Lex, but now she has chosen lex over all her other friends. Lex may love her now, but it's more a case of he loves her because clark loves her. Lex wanted everything clark had, he is going to go downhill fast and drag Lana with him. In the end, lex wont care for anyone ut Lex, Lana will have lost all hope of anything meaningfull with clark, he won't trust her and neither will any of her friends. As she is being written now, and with the story arc they seem to be persuing, she will be left on her own, no friends, no clark, no Lex and no hope for redemption.

[Zungas]

It's devastating to lose a parent at a young age...which has happened a lot in SV.

[rae19780625]

Originally posted by Avalon Rose
This is exactly why I voted for her. It was just so pathetic what had happened. If she would have lived, I would be a total shipper of her and Clark because I thought in some ways that they were totally sweet together.

I agree... Alicia was my favorite character and I hated that they couldn't give her more time with Clark. What really sucks is that she died before Clark could even apologize to her for thinking she was the one trying to kill everyone (in Pariah). :(

[Ladyhawk]

Lex has the most tragic story - because we saw how he was shaped - and what led him to make the bad/wrong/evil decisions he is now. He desperately wanted friendship, honesty in that friendship, a family. He was shunned at every turn (pa kent, the women he loved who used him, tried to kill him). He tried to recover from his past by doing good. Guess it didn't work eh? Tragedy at it's best.

[InLove_with_Chloe]

My choice is no surprise: CHLOE.
Because, let's face it, she will never get the man she loves. Although she would be perfect for him...:(
And what's more important than love?

[krypton_gurl85]

the FOTWs.....they all either end up dieing or in Belle Reeve. :( poor things.

[Ireallylikethisshow]

The FOTWs... they have it pretty hard, and the ppl who clean up the FOTWS, bad job

[JShepherd24]

They are all such tragic characters...it is what makes the show so interesting. Martha must deal with being alone after losing her husband, Lex had a terrible childhood and an evil future, Lana has witnessed such tragedy in her life with so many people leaving her in one form or another plus always being a victim, Chloe has dealt with the only man she loves not loving her back plus she has had her share of being the victim, and finally, Clark has always felt alone on the earth. He will continue to feel this way until he eventually falls in love with Lois Lane.

And poor Lois has her share of past and future problems as well.

It's terrible, but I can't select just one tragic character.

[thehenry89]

my hands are rebbeling against me as i write this but i have to say that lana is the most tragic of all the charachters on smallivlle. if TPTB could only give her a nice normal steady boyfriend (who's not clark) pete perhaps. she's had so much tragedy in her life plus she has monumental bad luck with men. every single last one of her boyfriends has tried to kill her. i'm suprised she aint drooling in a padded cell in belle revee.

[lilkoolmaria]

Clark Kent. How is Chloe tragic?

[brother_of_krypton]

I pick Clark...for one, he's the last of a dead race, and he'll never find another person from his homeworld, lest inb the PH...also, he has such a burden to carry on him. As he gets older, he accepts more and more of who he is and, in turn, pushes the world and the ones he loves further and further away so he can fulfill his destiny....tragic people, tragic...