Smallville saw many characters die in shocking ways, and Tom Welling’s Clark Kent, as well as other characters, had to deal with heartbreaking losses over the course of the DC series. The Superman prequel series stands to this day as one of the most popular DC TV shows of all time. As the precursor to the Arrowverse, Smallville did an amazing job of setting up the groundwork for future DC series to thrive, with Smallville running for ten seasons.

Over its ten-season journey, Smallville saw Clark Kent go up against some impressive foes in his journey to becoming Superman. Some of Smallville‘s best villains include characters like Darkseid, Zod, Bizarro, and, obviously, Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor. A few of the series’ villains contributed to some shocking deaths, and even major characters were not safe from meeting their demise. While some deaths hurt a little more than others, here are Smallville‘s 10 most heartbreaking deaths.

10

Whitney Fordman

Died In Season 2, Episode 11

Eric Johnson was one of Smallville‘s main cast members as the quarterback Whitney Fordman, Lana Lang’s boyfriend, at the start of the DC series. While Whitney and Clark had their issues, mainly related to Clark’s clear fondness for Lana, the two ended up resolving their problems and pretty much becoming friends by the time Whitney enlisted in the army to follow in his late father’s footsteps.

Sadly, that friendship would never really materialize, as Whitney died in action when he was hit by an explosion as he was trying to bring a fellow member of the US Marine Corps to safety in Indonesia. Whitney was one of the first major deaths in Smallville, and his demise coming just as he was finding his place in the world was heartbreaking. The shapeshifter Tina Greer pretending to be Whitney and returning to Smallville only made things more tragic.

9

Clark Kent

Died In Season 5, Episode 3

Smallville saw many major characters die, and while he was the star of the show, not even Welling’s Clark Kent was safe. After failing to fulfill a promise to Jor-El that he would return to the Fortress of Solitude to continue his training, Clark was stripped of his powers. That did not stop him from trying to save others, and, ultimately, Clark was shot fatally by Gabriel Duncan while he had no powers.

Clark’s condition was critical, with the character being taken to the hospital. Clark’s death was extremely sad, as Lana Lang was alone talking to an unconscious Clark when his body went into shock and the future Superman died in his hospital bed. Thankfully, Jor-El resurrected Clark despite their previous issues, as he had a very important destiny as Superman that needed to be fulfilled.

8

Jor-El

Died In Season 9, Episode 7

While Jor-El and Krypton exploded a long time ago in Smallville‘s timeline, a clone of Kal-El’s father made his way to the small town of Smallville in one of the DC series’ final seasons. Jor-El put both his blood and Zod’s in an orb, and when it was opened years later on Earth, that led to the birth of clones for both characters. Clark finally had the chance to develop a real relationship with a version of his Kryptonian father.

However, Jor-El’s clone was not long for Smallville‘s tenure. Zod and the other Kandorians found him, tortured Jor-El, and beat him to near death. That was the state Clark found his Kryptonian father in back at the Kent Farm. Smallville then saw a bloody Jor-El take his last breath after telling Clark he was proud of him, dying in his son’s arms, which is another heartbreaking chapter in his life.

7

Alicia Baker

Died In Season 4, Episode 12

While Alicia Baker was not a major character in Smallville, her death ranks a little above some other more important players of the series due to its tragic circumstances. Alicia, like Clark, had powers. The character had the ability to teleport. Alicia started as Clark’s biggest stalker, attempting to kill Lana and even going on to use red kryptonite on Clark so they could get married.

However, their relationship took a turn for the better when Alicia saw the error in her ways and even took a bullet for Clark in order to protect his secret. Sadly, after Lana Lang and Jason Teague were attacked by a mysterious assailant, the town started blaming Alicia, and Clark doubted her. Then came her heartbreaking death, as the true villain entered Alicia’s home to make it seem like she was the attacker and left her hanging from a beam, with Clark arriving too late to save her.

6

Lana Lang

Died In Season 5, Episode 12

Smallville season 5’s “Reckoning” episode is one of the saddest and most shocking of the show, which is why there are two major deaths from the episode that made their way onto the list. The first is that of Kristin Kreuk’s Lana Lang. In the series, Lana’s death came just when things had finally gone right for her and Clark. He told her about his powers and proposed to her, with Lana saying yes.

Things took a turn for the worse when Lana agreed to meet with Lex at his home after he lost the senator’s election to Jonathan Kent. Realizing Lana knew what Clark’s secret was, Lex ran after her, with both of them getting into their cars and Lana eventually dying in a car crash with a school bus. Clark goes from the best day of his life to his worst, and even though Lana’s death was reversed, the event ranks among Smallville‘s most heartbreaking, easily.

5

Lionel Luthor

Died In Season 7, Episode 16

Lionel Luthor is one of Smallville‘s most important and complex characters. Lionel contributed to Lex Luthor becoming the villain he was always destined to become due to his harsh treatment of Lex from a young age. Besides that, Lionel’s shady dealings affected several named and unnamed Smallville characters. John Glover was simply spectacular in the role, making Lionel utterly evil and even surprisingly sympathetic towards the end of his run in the series.

From foe to friend, Lionel became a close person in Clark Kent’s life, which is why it was so sad to see him go. After becoming a vessel for Jor-El, Lionel tried to make up for his dark past. Sadly, his attempt to repent would be cut short by his own son. Lionel dying by Lex’s hands, with Michael Rosebaum’s character pushing his father out of a window, was the most tragic ending possible to their relationship.

4

Tess Mercer

Died In Season 10, Episode 22

Tess Mercer’s death was heartbreaking for a variety of reasons, and elements like who killed her and how late in the series’ run the death happened led to Tess ranking in the upper half of the list. Tess was Lex’s half-sister. With Michael Rosenbaum leaving Smallville at the end of season 7, Cassidy Freeman’s Tess came in to essentially fulfill Lex’s role in the series, becoming the new CEO of LuthorCorp and taking an interest in Clark Kent.

However, Tess would trail her own path in Smallville. By the end of the series, she was one of Clark’s most trusted and close friends. Sadly, Lex Luthor’s return in the Smallville series finale spelled tragedy for Tess. The character had survived up until the series’ final episode only to be stabbed to death by her brother. At least Tess dosed Lex with a neurotoxin that made him forget Clark’s secret and his Smallville past.

3

Jimmy Olsen

Died In Season 8, Episode 22

Smallville did right by many of the most important characters from the Superman mythos. That is why it came as such a shock when the series decided to simply kill Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s best pal, years before Clark ever took to the skies as the Man of Steel. At the end of Smallville season 8, Aaron Ashmore’s Jimmy Olsen was fatally stabbed by Davis Bloome, the human form of Doomsday.

The heartbreaking moment included Jimmy managing to kill Davis and keep Chloe safe, professing his love for her as he died in Chloe’s arms. As one of the most famous Superman-related characters, and given his positive impact on the series and the rest of Smallville‘s core characters, Jimmy Olsen’s death stands as one of the saddest and biggest events in the DC TV series’ history.

2

Ryan James

Died In Season 2, Episode 8

Despite not being a major character, Ryan James had easily one of the most heartbreaking deaths in Smallville. Ryan was a young boy who ended up becoming Clark’s “little brother” for a short time, and despite last appearing in season 2, ended up having a lasting impact on Welling’s Clark Kent. Ryan possessed telepathy, allowing him to read people’s minds and their emotions, though his powers were only surface-level.

In season 2, Clark and the kid discovered that the source of his powers was also killing him, as Ryan had an inoperable brain tumor. After the discovery, Smallville proceeded to show some of the most compelling moments from Welling’s time as Clark Kent, with the character trying to comfort Ryan as they spent the boys’ final days together. Clark picking up Ryan’s favorite comics from his empty hospital bed hit like a truck, cementing the character’s place on the list.

1

Jonathan Kent

Died In Season 5, Episode 12

There is no other character in Smallville who could have taken the number one spot on the list from Jonathan Kent. John Schneider’s version of the classic Superman character stands to this day as the best live-action portrayal of Jonathan Kent. In the series, Jonathan’s love for his son and the people of Smallville was spotlighted at every turn, with Schneider’s character helping Clark on his journey to become Superman and becoming himself a champion of the people as the elected Senator of Kansas.

However, Jonathan would never get to fulfill that role. In order to save Lana’s life in the season 5 episode “Reckoning,” Clark managed to reset the day with Jor-El’s help, but that meant someone else had to die. In the end, that person was Jonathan, who died from a heart attack, something Clark could not save him from, thus making the death of Clark’s father the most heartbreaking one in Smallville.