The BEST episodes of Smallville

Every episode of Smallville ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Smallville!

Superman's teen years as Clark Kent find him agonizing over his shy, uncertain persona while dealing with his evolving powers and an infatuation with classmate Lana Lang.

Last Updated: 2/26/2024Network: The CWStatus: Ended
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Finale
star
8.40
2476 votes

#1 - Finale

Season 10 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/13/2011

The story of Clark Kent culminates in this epic two-hour series finale as Clark takes the last step to becoming the Man of Steel. With surprise guest appearances, nods to the first few seasons of the series and Michael Rosenbaum’s return as Lex Luthor, this final episode wraps up a decade-long story following one man’s journey to becoming the world’s greatest superhero.

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Justice
star
8.24
884 votes

#2 - Justice

Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/2007

When Lex's Level 33.1 project comes to fruition, Oliver Queen must bring together several of Clark's "heroic" super-powered allies together: Arthur Curry, Bart Allen, and Victor Stone.

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Salvation
star
8.22
2316 votes

#3 - Salvation

Season 9 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/14/2010

When Zod and the Kandorians launch their brutal attack on Earth, Chloe calls in some old friends to join the fight against the aliens. Clark and Zod face off in an epic battle for the control of Earth.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Tempest
star
8.17
1001 votes

#4 - Tempest

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/21/2002

A reporter closes in on Clark's secret; Chloe may depart Smallville; LuthorCorp is forced to close. At least the school dance will provide carefree moments for Clark and his friends. Then the twister hits.

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Reckoning
star
8.16
897 votes

#5 - Reckoning

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/26/2006

Clark reveals his secret to Lana, Jonathan and Lex learn the results of the senatorial election, and there is a tragic car accident on the highway that takes the life of someone Clark loves, forcing Clark to appeal to Jor-El for help.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Homecoming
star
8.14
2343 votes

#6 - Homecoming

Season 10 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/2010

In an attempt to cheer up Clark, Lois convinces him to attend their five-year high school reunion. A visit back to the home of the Crows has Clark remembering old times with Lana and Chloe, while Lois is furious that no one remembers her five days as a student. Brainiac 5.0 uses his Legion ring to visit from the future and takes Clark through his past, present and future. He shows Clark what really happened the night Jonathan died, Oliver’s current pain and Clark’s future at the Daily Planet with Lois and his role as Earth’s favorite red and blue superhero.

Directors: Jeannot Szwarc
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Ryan
star
8.04
860 votes

#7 - Ryan

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/12/2002

Ryan (from "Stray") returns and Clark has to save him from Dr. Garner of the Summerholt Research Facility. Meanwhile, Aunt Nell leaves Smallville, and Lex wants to expand the plant but runs afoul of the mayor.

Directors: Terrence O'Hara
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Stray
star
7.96
1055 votes

#8 - Stray

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/16/2002

A child who can read minds escapes his cruel parents and finds happiness with the Kents. But that joy may be brief when his parents come looking for the boy so they can use his psychic gifts in a life of crime.

Directors: Paul Shapiro
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Rosetta
star
7.94
968 votes

#9 - Rosetta

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/25/2003

Clark travels to New York to meet Dr. Swann, a brilliant scientist who holds a message for Clark from his home planet. Meanwhile Lana decides to move out of Chloe's house after they get into an argument about Clark.

Directors: James Marshall
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Isis
star
7.93
2598 votes

#10 - Isis

Season 10 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/2010

Lois decides to tell Clark she knows he’s The Blur, but she accidentally activates an ancient artifact that transforms her into the Goddess Isis, complete with superpowers of her own. Oliver and Clark reluctantly decide to ask Tess for help with Lois. Meanwhile, after Cat Grant witnesses Lois as Isis using her superpowers, she decides Lois is the Blur and sets out to prove it.

Directors: James Marshall
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Exodus (2)
star
7.90
816 votes

#11 - Exodus (2)

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/20/2003

A sense of foreboding surrounds Smallville as Clark must choose between staying with Lana and his family or fulfilling his destiny to rule the Earth. Lex and Helen prepare for their marriage, and Chloe considers Lionel's offer to investigate Clark.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Crusade
star
7.88
875 votes

#12 - Crusade

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2004

Clark returns to Smallville as Kal-El - intent on fulfilling his destiny, he goes after a powerful kryptonian crystal that Lex has obtained in Egypt. Meanwhile, newcomer Lois Lane arrives in Smallville to look into the death of her cousin Chloe, and Lana returns from Paris with a new boyfriend. Jonathan lies in a coma after the events of last year's season finale and Lionel must deal with his new life in prison.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Vortex
star
7.86
944 votes

#13 - Vortex

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/2002

Clark rescues Lana from the storm, but discovers that the spaceship is released, while Jonathan is buried alive with the unscrupulous reporter who discovered Clark's secret. Meanwhile, Lex is wracked with guilt over his critically injured father.

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Arrival
star
7.83
1010 votes

#14 - Arrival

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2005

Lana greets two new Kryptonian arrivals from the ship, Nam-Ek and Aethyr, and their presence poses a grave danger to Clark and his family & friends.

Directors: James Marshall
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Pariah
star
7.77
861 votes

#15 - Pariah

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/2/2005

When a mysterious killer strikes at both Lana and Jason, Alicia is the leading suspect and even Clark comes to doubt her innocence. Feeling betrayed, she secretly tricks Clark into revealing his powers in front of one of his friends. And Genevieve returns to town with an offer for Lex, who in turn has an offer for Jason.

Directors: Paul Shapiro
Writer: Holly Harold
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Phantom
star
7.77
883 votes

#16 - Phantom

Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/17/2007

Clark discovers the reason Lana married Lex then and sets out to kill Lionel. Lex tries to use DNA from the last phantom to power his super-soldiers. Lois goes to a dam to search for Lex's lab but is caught by a security guard and fatally injured. Chloe's power is discovered.

Directors: James Marshall
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Absolute Justice
star
7.77
1597 votes

#17 - Absolute Justice

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/5/2010

A man named Sylvester Pemberton tracks down Chloe and tells her he knows about her team of superheroes and needs their help. However, before he can explain who he is, he is attacked and killed by Icicle. Clark and Chloe's investigation leads Clark to the former headquarters of the Justice Society of America where he meets up with Nelson AKA Dr. Fate, Carter Hall AKA Hawkman and Courtney AKA Star Girl. Courtney pleads with Hawkman and Dr. Fate to help her catch the killer that is targeting their group but they are reluctant to resume their duties as superheroes. Clark, John Jones, Green Arrow and Chloe team up to help the JSA stop Icicle before he murders another member of the group. Meanwhile, Lois receives a package from a mysterious agency called Checkmate, run by Amanda Waller.

Writer: Geoff Johns
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Commencement
star
7.76
812 votes

#18 - Commencement

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/18/2005

After a nightmare, Clark goes to the cave to confront his father Jor-El. Jor-El warns that the crystals have fallen into human hands and have triggered a new meteor shower which will annihilate the Earth unless he reunites the three crystals. Meanwhile, Lex helps Lana, who has apparently commited murder, but then turns against her to get possession of her Kryptonian stone. As disaster looms, Chloe and Lois try to find Lana while Clark attempts to reassemble the stones, and Jason returns to make things unpleasant for the Kents.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Zod
star
7.76
868 votes

#19 - Zod

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/2006

A powerless Clark is trapped in the "Phantom Zone" surrounded by the criminals his father imprisoned there. However, an unexpected ally comes to his aid. Meanwhile, Zod in Lex's body advances his plan to transform Earth into a new Krypton, while using Lana to produce an heir.

Directors: James Marshall
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Bizarro
star
7.75
955 votes

#20 - Bizarro

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2007

Lex is rescued from a watery death by a mysterious woman and must face justice for Lana's murder. Chloe's fate is revealed. Clark battles the last Phantom Zone wraith, who has all of Clark's abilities, and struggles to come to grips with all of the day's occurrences that have affected his loved ones and his destiny.

Directors: Michael Rohl
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Pandora
star
7.75
1594 votes

#21 - Pandora

Season 9 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/2009

Tess kidnaps Lois to find out where Lois went after she disappeared for weeks. Lois's memory of the future depicts a Metropolis under Zod's rule and Clark powerless under the red sun, while Chloe forms a resistance group with Oliver. After learning of these future events, Clark makes an important decision about Zod.

Directors: Morgan Beggs
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Obscura
star
7.74
868 votes

#22 - Obscura

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/14/2002

Lana has eerie visions involving a kidnapping of Chloe. Lex's ongoing inquiry into the mystery surrounding Clark takes an intriguing turn when a crop duster reveals what he saw fall from the sky during the Smallville meteor shower.

Directors: Terrence O'Hara
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Exile (1)
star
7.74
926 votes

#23 - Exile (1)

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/2003

Under the influence of red kryptonite, Clark is following a life of crime in Metropolis while his friends and parents desperately try to find him. Lex is forced to confront his personal demons on a desert island, while Lionel holds a funeral for his presumed-dead son. And Jonathan Kent must pay a high price for the power necessary to bring his son back home.

Directors: Greg Beeman
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Insurgence
star
7.73
843 votes

#24 - Insurgence

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2003

Lex hires some thugs to bug Lionel's office but things get out of control when Lionel and Martha are taken hostage, and Clark must rescue them without revealing his secrets.

Directors: James Marshall
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Hidden
star
7.73
923 votes

#25 - Hidden

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/13/2005

A krypto-mutant, Gabriel, hacks into missile codes and prepares to eliminate krypto-mutants in Smallville once and for all. A powerless Clark confronts him and is shot, and only Jor-El can save him.

Directors: Whitney Ransick
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