Jordan’s story in Superman & Lois season 2 proved how ridiculous Smallville’s flying rules were. In the Superman prequel series, Tom Welling’s character remained grounded throughout the show’s ten-year run. It wasn’t until the series finale that Clark finally acquired the iconic Superman power and completed his arsenal of Kryptonian abilities.
Smallville’s depiction of its teenage Clark Kent was governed by a strict, “No Flights, No Tights” rule which the creators were adamant about not breaking. As a result, Clark didn’t get to wear his trademark Superman suit, nor could he fly except under special circumstances. He was able to use classic Superman powers like heat-ray vision, x-ray vision, and super speed, but all of his problems had to be solved without soaring through the sky. Though Clark eventually became aware that his Kryptonian physiology enabled him the power of flight, he was incapable of controlling it properly. Fellow Kryptonians like Supergirl and General Zod mastered it without much training, whereas Clark had to wait ten years to finally learn how to fly.
Where the Arrowverse is taking Jordan’s story in Superman & Lois shows just how absurd it was for Clark to have so much trouble with flying. Since Alex Garfin’s Jordan Kent is the Man of Steel’s teenage, super-powered son, his story naturally has a lot of parallels to Clark’s. They frequently share a lot of the same coming-of-age problems, but one thing they don’t have in common is Clark’s flying struggles. Despite being told that he’ll never have more than a hundredth of Superman’s power, Jordan has already figured out how to fly. He had some mild difficulties with it during the season, but he’s already overcome them. Jordan learning how to fly at 15 stands in stark contrast to Clark being grounded until he was in his mid-20s. After all, Smallville’s Superman is a full-blooded Kryptonian who isn’t held back by Jordan’s limitations.
What Jordan’s Smallville Difference Means For His Arrowverse Story
Since Jordan isn’t hampered by a “No Flights, No Tights” rule on Superman & Lois, there are numerous avenues the show can take with his character. Clark’s story was a bit more restrictive in Smallville, as its biggest rule meant that no matter how long the show was on their air, Clark still couldn’t become Superman or fly. Superman & Lois, on the other hand, has a lot more freedom and can do what it pleases with Jordan’s superhero journey. And since he already has flying under his belt, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he has all of Superman’s powers. As things stand, the only major ability that’s still eluding him is x-ray vision.
Unlike Smallville’s Superman, Jordan may be ready to become a full-fledged superhero before he even gets out of high school. Looking at how fast he’s developing his powers and how formidable he is by the end of Superman & Lois season 2, Jordan looks like he’s well on his way to becoming the Arrowverse’s very own Superboy. And if what’s happened thus far is any indication, getting a costume won’t be a ten-year process either.
