Welcome back to Rewatching Smallville, my weekly dive into the iconic series that explores Clark Kent’s journey before becoming Superman. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the show, you’re invited to join in each Tuesday as I revisit episodes and share my thoughts and observations. Be sure to share your own memories and theories in the comments below!

There’s something oddly satisfying about watching the good guy go bad. It’s like seeing that straight-A student finally snap and tell the teacher where to shove that pop quiz. And in “Exile,” the Season 3 premiere of Smallville, we get to witness Clark Kent’s transformation from farm boy with a hero complex to a slick, motorcycle-riding rebel who rips ATMs out of walls when he needs pocket change. Who says crime doesn’t pay? Certainly not “Kal,” Clark’s red kryptonite-fueled alter ego who’s living his best life in Metropolis.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s rewind.

Previously on “Teenage Alien Problems”…

For the uninitiated, Smallville follows a young Clark Kent (played by Tom Welling and his impeccable jawline) before he becomes Superman. He’s just a farm kid in a small Kansas town who happens to be able to bench-press tractors and shoot fire from his eyes. The show had spent two seasons establishing Clark as the ultimate Boy Scout – always saving the day, struggling with his alien heritage, and pining after the girl next door, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk).

Season 2 ended with a bang: Clark’s spaceship went boom, his pregnant mother Martha (Annette O’Toole) lost her baby in the aftermath, and his biological father Jor-El (voiced by Superman II‘s Terence Stamp) demanded he fulfill his destiny. Clark’s response? Slip on a red kryptonite ring – which removes all his inhibitions and moral compass – and skip town on his dad’s motorcycle. Oh, and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) was presumed dead after his new bride sabotaged his honeymoon plane. Just another day in Smallville!

Red Ring, Red Flag

“Exile” picks up three months after Clark’s dramatic exit, and he’s now living in Metropolis under the name “Kal.” The red kryptonite has turned our farm boy into a leather-jacketed bad boy who spends his nights robbing ATMs, buying sports cars, and clubbing at a place called Atlantis (subtle foreshadowing to Aquaman, perhaps?).

Tom Welling clearly has a blast playing bad Clark. After two seasons of earnest frowns and heroic posturing, Welling gets to smirk, strut, and generally act like the high school quarterback who knows he’ll never face consequences. There’s something darkly amusing about watching Clark use his powers for petty theft and intimidation. This is a kid who once agonized over using his x-ray vision to peek at a math test, now casually catching bullets in mid-air during bank robberies.

But all is not well in Kal’s paradise. A mysterious Kryptonian symbol has been burned into his chest, and it causes him pain whenever he takes off his red kryptonite ring. It’s like the universe’s most aggressive tramp stamp, constantly reminding him of the heritage he’s trying to escape. When Clark briefly removes the ring to call his mother, we see the real Clark beneath – homesick, guilt-ridden, and on the verge of tears. But like any good addict, he slips the ring back on rather than face his feelings.

Metropolis: Where Crime Lords Always Find You

What’s a super-powered delinquent to do in the big city? Apparently, catch the eye of Metropolis crime boss Morgan Edge, played with delicious menace by Rutger Hauer. In a scene that feels straight out of a mob movie, Edge approaches Clark in his penthouse apartment after his goons’ bullets bounce off our hero’s chest.

“I set up this test so I could see with my own eyes if you were man or myth,” Edge drawls. “And clearly, you’re both.”

When Edge asks about the scar on Clark’s chest, Clark responds with the episode’s most biting line: “My dad’s a real bastard.” Ouch. It’s clear Clark is referring to Jor-El. Though Jonathan Kent, farmer of the year and collector of flannel shirts, would be devastated.

Edge eventually recruits Clark for a job – breaking into LuthorCorp to steal something from Lionel Luthor’s office. Because nothing says “subtle use of superpowers” like corporate espionage against the richest man in Kansas.

Island of Dr. Lex-eau

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor isn’t dead – he’s just stranded on a deserted island, sporting a beard that says “I’ve given up on civilization” and hallucinating a companion named Louis Leery. Lex’s island storyline works as both physical and metaphorical isolation. He’s literally separated from his world, but also mentally isolated with only his inner demons for company.

Michael Rosenbaum brilliantly portrays Lex’s deteriorating mental state as he argues with his only “friend” on the island. Louis keeps insisting that Lex belongs on the island, that he should accept his fate rather than fight it. It’s like the world’s worst life coach giving a TED talk about embracing abandonment.

The twist – that Louis is just a figment of Lex’s imagination – isn’t exactly M. Night Shyamalan territory, but it works to show how far Lex has fallen. When he finally “kills” Louis with a machete, it’s both disturbing and cathartic. Lex has literally hacked away the part of himself that was willing to give up. If that’s not foreshadowing for his eventual transformation into Superman’s greatest enemy, I don’t know what is.

The Search for Clark Kent

Back in Smallville, everyone is dealing with Clark’s absence differently. Martha and Jonathan Kent are facing foreclosure on their farm because apparently alien superpowers don’t help pay the mortgage. Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) is writing a column for the Daily Planet and secretly investigating Clark for Lionel Luthor – a deal she made to protect Clark but which is rapidly becoming a Faustian bargain.

And then there’s Lana Lang, whose response to Clark’s disappearance is to put up missing person fliers like he’s a lost cat. The award for “Most Awkward Conversation” goes to Chloe and Lana’s café chat, where Chloe tries to tell Lana that Clark chose to leave, while Lana insists he’s just waiting for “the right person to find him.” The subtext is practically text at this point – Lana thinks she’s Clark’s emotional savior, while Chloe knows better but can’t say why.

When Lana does finally find Clark, she gets taken on a joyride to Club Atlantis, where Clark essentially tells her to embrace his new lifestyle or get lost. It’s the date from hell, and Lana knows it, sneaking away to call the Kents. Clark’s “Kal” persona catches her red-handed, leading to a painful phone conversation where he tells his parents they were “never his parents anyway.” Teenagers say the darndest things, especially when possessed by alien mood rings.

Deal with the Devil… I Mean, Alien Father

The emotional core of “Exile” comes from Jonathan Kent’s desperate attempt to save his son. After learning about Clark’s whereabouts, Jonathan does what any good father would do – makes a Faustian bargain with his son’s biological alien father.

The scene in the Kawatche caves where Jonathan confronts Jor-El is electric. John Schneider brings raw emotion as he rages against “what kind of race” would push Clark so hard. Jor-El, voiced with imperial disdain by Terence Stamp, agrees to help Jonathan retrieve “Kal-El” but asks a chilling question: “Are you willing to sacrifice anything to bring him back?”

Jonathan’s immediate “Yes, for my son, I’ll do anything” sets up one of Season 3’s major arcs. Parental sacrifice has always been a theme in Superman stories, from Jor-El and Lara sending their baby to Earth, to the Kents raising an alien child as their own. “Exile” cranks this up to eleven by suggesting Jonathan’s love for Clark might literally kill him.

The episode ends with a superpowered Jonathan confronting Clark during the LuthorCorp heist. When Clark super-shoves his dad and Jonathan gets back up, the look of shock on Clark’s face is priceless. The father-son showdown culminates in them crashing through a window, plummeting sixty stories toward the street below – a literal cliffhanger that leaves viewers anxious for the next episode.

Setting Up Season 3: The Season of Consequences

“Exile” brilliantly establishes Season 3 as “the season of consequences.” Actions from previous seasons come home to roost in dramatic fashion:

• Clark’s denial of his heritage leads to his self-destructive exile and Jonathan’s dangerous deal with Jor-El
• Lex’s trust issues and complicated relationship with his father manifest in his island hallucinations
• Lana’s idealization of Clark blinds her to who he really is
• Chloe’s deal with Lionel traps her between loyalty and ambition

The episode also introduces darker themes that will define Season 3. Clark is no longer just wrestling with high school problems – he’s robbing banks and working for crime lords. Lex isn’t just morally ambiguous – he’s capable of hacking a man to death with a machete (hallucination or not). The stakes have been raised, and the show feels like it’s growing up alongside its characters.

The Verdict

“Exile” remains one of Smallville’s strongest season premieres, balancing character development with genuinely thrilling action. It takes the Superman mythos and twists it in interesting ways – what if Clark Kent didn’t want to be a hero? What if Jonathan Kent made a deal with Jor-El instead of finding baby Kal-El’s spaceship by chance?

The episode works because it stays true to its characters even while putting them in extreme situations. Clark may be “Kal,” but his phone call home reveals the good kid still inside him. Lex may be hallucinating, but his determination to survive reflects his core personality. And Jonathan Kent’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his son is exactly what we’d expect from the man who raised Superman.

As a season premiere, “Exile” accomplishes everything it needs to – it resolves cliffhangers while setting up new ones, raises the emotional stakes, and leaves viewers eager to see what happens next. Plus, it gives us the bizarre pleasure of watching farmboy Clark Kent tear ATMs out of walls while wearing designer clothes. Who said crime doesn’t pay?

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Did you enjoy this look back at Smallville’s “Exile”? What was your favorite moment from the episode? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more deep dives into classic TV shows!