Although Smallville wanted to use Batman, it was actually better off with Green Arrow. Due to DC standing in the way of the Superman prequel series introducing the Caped Crusader, Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow was often regarded as a substitute for the character. After all, Oliver Queen did end up filling a role in Smallville’s universe akin to what would be expected of Batman.
While Batman never appearing on Smallville will always feel like a missed opportunity to a certain degree, his absence did pay off. Batman is without question the most popular of the two billionaire vigilantes, but it’s important to note that Batman never could have had the deep and emotionally impactful arc that Green Arrow ultimately received on Smallville. Because Batman is such an iconic hero and someone that DC has long been protective of, it’s hard to imagine Smallville getting the creative freedom it would have needed to make the most out of him as a character.
Why Batman’s Smallville Story Couldn’t Have Topped Green Arrow’s
Presumably, DC would’ve kept a tight leash on Batman if DC had allowed the series to use him. That wasn’t the case with Justin Hartley’s Oliver Queen, though. Being able to take liberties with Green Arrow’s origin allowed the series to cleverly rope Oliver into the Superman mythos. Not only did it give him romantic relationships with both Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane, but it also made Lionel Luthor a central figure in his backstory by revealing that the villain orchestrated the deaths of his parents. The dark path this sent Oliver on in Smallville amounted to one of his best stories, and one that the show would have been hard-pressed to do with Batman.
Over the course of his Smallville story, Oliver developed a questionable stance toward killing that created a great deal of conflict between him and Clark. It led to Oliver murdering Lex Luthor, a huge moral dilemma about the fate of Doomsday, and Clark taking over Green Arrow’s Justice League team. This dynamic wouldn’t have worked with Batman, as the Dark Knight actually shares Superman’s commitment to not killing his enemies. By using Green Arrow and having him clash with Clark over his no-killing rule, Smallville was able to take their relationship in some interesting directions on the show.
Batman Joining Smallville Early Would’ve Changed Green Arrow’s Role
Details about the creators’ plans for Smallville confirm that if DC had relented, Batman would have been introduced in the early seasons, long before Green Arrow’s landmark debut in season 6. If that had happened, much of Green Arrow’s interactions with Clark and the impact he had on Tom Welling’s character would have been redundant. By the time Oliver showed up in Metropolis, Clark would have already encountered an orphaned billionaire hero who uses his fortune, fighting skills, and gadgets to fight crime. Smallville still could’ve found room for Oliver as a guest star, of course, but it’s unlikely that he ever would’ve become one of the show’s main characters.
