Over the last yr , I ’ve been watchingSmallvillefor the first time , and for the most part , theDCTV show ’s storytelling stand the psychometric test of time when it comes to depicting Clark Kent ’s ( Tom Welling ) development into Superman — but season 2 , instalment 2 , " heating " is an exception . For those that do n’t remember , the installment outline for " heating plant " read as such:“A sexy fresh instructor ( Krista Allen ) use the power of pheromones to win over Lex to marry her ; Clark loses control over an alarming new power . “It ’s theSmallvilleepisodewhen Clark Kent first discovers his heat vision powers .
Now I have to say , I thinkSmallville’suse of Clark ’s high temperature visionas an analog for puberty and his burgeoning sexuality is well done , even if it ’s a bit on the nose . But the author ' power to take something so antic as Superman being able to flash rut laser from his eye and move around it into something incredibly human and relatable epitomize everything that work aboutSmallville . I have no criticism of this aspect of " Heat , " and I cogitate I would ’ve savor the episode a lot more if it had n’t been for one particular storyline that keep taking me out of the show .
Smallville’s “Heat” Episode Has A Seriously Problematic Clark Kent Storyline
It Has To Do With Guest Star Krista Allen’s Desirée Atkins
The trope of a teenage male child starve after his instructor is not Modern . It ’s been done plenty of times , even when " heat energy " publicise in 2002 , and there ’s nothing wrong with the one - sided attraction . However , whereSmallvillecrosses a line is whenthe episode shows Krista Allen ’s Desirée Atkins make Clark and trying to expend her pheromones on him . That ’s Clark ’s instructor coming to his home and seek to seduce her teen pupil into doing her summons . It ’s a major power imbalance , even if the show does n’t present it as such , and even taking into account Clark and Desirée ’s supernatural abilities .
It ’s later on revealed this is part of a pattern for Desirée , where she manipulate a man into marry her , and then , using her situation as a high school teacher and her pheromones , exploit a teen son into killing her married man so she mystify his money . She ’s in no manner depicted as someone undecomposed or moral in the show , butSmallvillenever take out the fact that Desirée sexually assaulted an underage Clark Kent . Additionally , since Desirée ’s pheromones allow her to control the military personnel she make , all those men were assaulted , because they were n’t able-bodied to give consent .
Smallvillewas made at a different time , and I ’ll intromit that I can sometimes forget just how bad the medium was about depicting sexual assault and rape , and it was even worse when it came to assaults committed against boy and man . ButI’m still cross that no one see anything incorrect with telling a report about how a teenage boy ’s teacher attempts to sexually dishonor him , and it ’s all just brush under the rug by the end of the instalment . There ’s seemingly no impact on Clark whatsoever , despite how young he ’s meant to be .
Custom image by Ana Nieves
Tom Welling’s Real-Life Age Doesn’t Excuse Smallville’s Problematic Storyline
The Clark Kent Actor Was 25 When He Filmed “Heat”
For the most part , theSmallvillecastwas elder than the characters they were present , and Tom Welling was himself 10 years older than Clark Kent , being 25 when he shoot " Heat , " which takes home when Clark is think of to be about 15 . While I was watchingSmallville , it was easy to enjoin that Welling was much older than the age of the character he was meant to be describe . But I also noticed thatSmallvilletakes advantage of Welling ’s long time by put Clark into situations that are unreasonable for a kid to dish out with , including in " Heat . "
An minor boy , even one built like a 25 - year - erstwhile man , does n’t have the tycoon in the dynamic between Clark and Desirée .
I call up watching this episode and yell at the screen that Clark was just a child . I could n’t believe that not only was no one concerned about his teacher come on to him ( that ’s if they believe him , which is a whole other issue ) , but he was blamed by his beneficial supporter Lex Luthor ( Michael Rosenbaum ) for what fall out with Desirée . Lex was , of course , being manipulated by Desirée , but Clark is just a kid ! An underage son , even one built like a 25 - year - old man , does n’t have the power in the dynamic between Clark and Desirée .
Smallville is a Superhero television series based on the Superman Comic Book series created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. This television release was developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The premise revolves around a young Clark Kent as he arrives on Earth and attempts to live his life while simultaneously keeping his friends, family, and those around him safe thanks to his superpowers.
Early Smallville Had A Few Other Problematic Scenes
Clark Kent’s First Kisses Were All While Under The Influence Of Kryptonite
alas , Smallville’sproblematic storylines do n’t begin and terminate with " passion " in season 2 . There are quite a few occasions where kissing and more cozy act are conduct under conditions of dubious consent . In season 1 , episode 11 , " Hug , " Kyle Tippet ( Gregory Sporleder)demonstrates his powers of persuasion by having Chloe ( Allison Mack ) kiss Clark . Then in time of year 2 , sequence 4 , " Red , " Clark snog Lana while under the sway of red kryptonite . In both cases , at least one participant was under the influence of kryptonite .
I ’d wish to believe that if Smallville was made today , plot line like the one in " Heat " would n’t get a green igniter .
These are just two case from the early seasons ofSmallville , but there are plenty more littered throughout , specially the unity that get by with reddened kryptonite . " heat energy " is actually alone because Clark is n’t dissemble by Desirée ’s kryptonite - given ability , butthe power imbalance of Clark being her underage student and Desirée being his adult instructor is never really dealtwithand is largely forgotten by the next episode .
Smallville is a Superhero television series based on the Superman Comic Book series created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. This television release was developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The premise revolves around a young Clark Kent as he arrives on Earth and attempts to live his life while simultaneously keeping his friends, family, and those around him safe thanks to his superpowers.
As I said earlier , Smallvillewas made at a different time , long before attitudes and word about sexual assault , specially as it ’s render in the medium , exchange . So the scene in " oestrus , " " Hug , " and " Red " are n’t needs surprising , even if they are jarring to watch now . I ’d like to believe that ifSmallvillewas made today , storylines like the one in " heating plant " would n’t get a unripe luminosity or , at the very least , they ’d be done with more thought process and sensitivity , not only for how these events might bear on the characters , but the consultation as well .
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Smallville is a Superhero television serial based on the Superman Comic Book series created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster . This television release was develop by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar . The premise revolves around a young Clark Kent as he arrives on Earth and attempt to hold out his life while at the same time keeping his friends , class , and those around him dependable thanks to his major power .
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