'Smallville' Season 10 Finale: Our 15 favorite moments as Clark Kent became Superman

Well, "Smallville" fans, on Friday night we all said goodbye to one of our very favorite series as Clark Kent's beginning came to a glorious end. The two-hour series finale event marked the end of a decade with "Smallville," and we had the opportunity to relive our favorite memories and to look toward Clark's inevitable destiny as Superman.

Though some fans weren't pleased by the decision to make the season finale a two-hour episode, we're ultimately glad they did - there's no way so much could be packed into one episode. We got heaps of romance, nostalgia, danger, and suspense -- and some of those iconic images we've been waiting for since the series began on October 16, 2001.



Here are our favorite moments from the final episode - in chronological order. Make sure to add your favorites in the comments section and let us know if you think we overlooked something important.

1. The "previouslies." Okay, so technically they're not part of the episode, but we were thrilled to see that the editors included clips from various seasons in the "Previously on 'Smallville'" montage.  We were reminded of Clark's time with Lana, his first introduction to Lois, and of course, the villain of our story, Lex Luthor. And how great was it that Michael Rosenbaum got to introduce the segment, while Tom Welling finished it, with "And now, the series finale of 'Smallville'"? We got shivers.

2. Chloe reads her son the "Smallville" comics. Cue waterworks! Seven years in the future Chloe tells her son "the story of an amazing boy who grew up in the fields of Kansas, in a little town called 'Smallville.'" It was a brilliant meta moment - right down to the DC branding on the comic book - and it let us know right off the bat that Chloe got her happy ending. By framing the episode with this scene, we also got to see that in the end, Superman inspires a new generation of heroes, as little Oliver Junior eyes the toy bow and arrow in his room... just like Dad's. "There will always be more adventures for another day," Chloe assures him.

3. Clark's wedding vows change Lois's mind. Leave it to Chloe to know how to get Lois back on track! In the face of Lois's cold feet, Chloe slipped her Clark's handwritten vows. "When you believe in someone," he wrote,"it's not for a minute, or just for now. It's forever." It's enough to make any girl swoon - even stubborn Lois Lane. "I'm such an idiot," she realizes.

4. Oliver aligns with Darkseid. Marked by the Omega, Oliver meets with Granny Goodness, Desaad, and Zod. This scene gave us the creeps big time - it was like watching the Death Eaters in "Harry Potter." And the fact that it's a ring that will "disarm the bringer of light"? Perfect. Of course no Smallville wedding could be easy, right?

5. Clark outgrows his mentors. Jonathan Kent plays a vital role in the series finale, and while his continued presence may have been overkill, we love that he represents the strongest ties to Clark's childhood and to Clark's youthful desire to be normal. In the end, Clark realizes that he'd gotten all the advice he could possibly absorb from his two father figures, Pa Kent and Jor-El. In the emotional graveyard scene, Clark makes a misguided attempt to shrug the memory of his father away. "It's like I'm on a cliff standing on the edge, and where I'm looking is beyond where you've ever been before," Clark says. "It's beyond where Jor-El has been before. And as much as I value everything you've given me, I need to go beyond where either of you can guide me anymore, to be the hero the world needs me to be."

6. Lois's wedding vows change Clark's mind. They may take incredibly different routes, but ultimately, Lois and Clark always arrive at the same conclusion. In a masterfully shot sequence - major props to the director, Kevin Fair - Lois and Clark converse through the door as she hands over her carefully revised vows. We love the reference she makes to her father. Though he's not in the episode, Lois Lane remains forever the General's Daughter: "When it comes to love, I think it's like my dad always said about the army: You only sign up if it's the only thing you could ever imagine doing."

7. Clark walks Lois down the aisle. With her dad MIA as a result of some shady government issues (that will, of course, surface later), Lois insists that she's independent enough to walk herself down the aisle. And of course, she is -- we never doubt that -- but that doesn't mean she should have to. In the beginning of the episode, Clark told her, "You're not in my way, Lois. You're by my side." That's how they walk to the altar. Together. They're accompanied by Sara Bareilles' song "Breathe Again," which voices one of the main themes of the episode - moving forward without letting go of the past. A lyric sample: "Car is parked, bags are packed, but what kind of heart doesn't look back?" Yeah, we cried. Again. Shut up.

8. Oliver and Clark destroy the chapel in an epic battle. How much fun it was to watch our two favorite heroes and close friends in one last confrontation! Of course, Oliver was driven by Darkseid, so he wasn't quite the Ollie we know and love, but we certainly enjoy a good fight scene. Watching these two hurl each other around like rag dolls, taking out church pews and stained glass windows and baptismal fonts in the process, was just plain great television. In the end, good won out. Did you ever doubt it?

9. Chloe leaves for Star City. Our last look at Chloe and Clark together got us pretty choked up, even as she quipped, "See ya in the funny pages." It's an old expression, but one that takes on a double meaning here, given the way the episode opened. Outside the Kent farmhouse, Chloe and Oliver said their goodbyes, complete with another gorgeously executed shot. Plus, it was nice to hear Oliver call her a hero. After these ten years, she deserves it.

10. The Luthor family reunion we've been waiting for. "I don't believe you," Tess tells Lionel when he explains Lex's dastardly plan. "Of course you don't," Lionel replies, in a brilliantly played moment by John Glover. "Lex is a visionary. You're not." Tess may not be a visionary, but she is a total badass, and we cheered out loud when, armed only with a flimsy hospital gown and a scalpel, she took down a crowd of goons, sending Lionel to his ultimate fate as organ donor for his precious son. When Lex opened his eyes, the already suspenseful episode hit its boiling point.

11. Lois cons her way onto Air Force One. Up until the very end, Lois is still Lois, and she makes no apologies as she knocks out a fellow reporter to swipe her badge. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't have had to do that if the world wasn't in jeopardy... and if you weren't such a bitch."

12. Clark and Lex meet again. Every single thing about this scene was pitch perfect. "Lex," Clark breathed. "You still say it the same way," Lex replied - and instantly, it was as if he'd never been gone. "Astonishment, mixed with a hint of dread, yet... with a hopeful finish." For many fans, the early years of the show were defined by the connection between Clark and his nemesis-to-be, so just seeing them in the same room was a fantastic treat. We were delighted by Lex's typically roundabout way of justifying his actions, his use of Clark's true name, Kal-El, and Clark's final apology: "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Lex." Destiny has arrived.

13. Tess's final act. Did Tess know that Lex was going to kill her when she showed up to see him? We'll probably never know for sure, but she certainly looked like she'd come to terms with it as she was dying in her brother's arms. "You know I'm actually saving you," he said, "from turning into me" - once again, his twisted justification - as he withdrew his blade from her stomach. In the end, though, Tess Mercer had the last laugh, proving that she had the brains of a Luthor -- and a heart that ensured she'd never be one. She poisoned Lex with a neurotoxin that wiped his mind. We watched as his memories literally burned - from his introduction in the cornfield to his torturous childhood to his friendship and fall-out with Clark. In the end, we're left with a Lex Luthor who has no idea that Clark Kent is actually a hero. Superman canon is preserved.

14. Clark finally embraces his destiny. What's a series finale without a good memory montage, right? In the fortress of solitude, Clark watches his life flash before his eyes - all 218 episodes of it. Propelled by the confidence he's collected over the years of saving Smallville, he "seizes his destiny" and flies - right through Darkseid. He then takes the suit from his father and blasts off for the whole "It's a bird, it's a plane" sequence. Yes, we wish we could have actually seen Tom Welling in a close-up shot wearing the suit instead of wide shots that were clearly CGIed half to death, but that's the only complaint you'll get from us. Computer generated or not, that cape streaming in the breeze was just what we needed to get some closure on the Clark Kent days.

15. The final sequence. Perry White. Jimmy Olsen the sequel (so glad to see Aaron Ashmore again!). Clark Kent's awkwrd fumbles. The wedding rings. Lex's fate. And of course, that very last shot. You know the one. It took our breath away.

Congratulations, "Smallville" fans, on ten years of dedication that truly paid off. 
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