How will Clark hide his identity...

[lordroy]

What could he possibly do to hide it. Everyone in Smallville and lots of people in Metropolis all know what he looks like. Even if he started wearing glasses or not, his "Superman" persona would easily be recognized as the farmboy from Smallville who grew up on the Kent farm.

The writers have written themselves into a corner I say. The only thing they can do is mindwipe everyone he has come in contact with... but even then what would they do about Oliver, Chloe, and even his mom who would forget about him. They are really getting away from any type of resolution of this issue.

How about some sort of consensus on how this can be achieved.

How about Clark gets the crystal back, re-forms the fortress of solitude, learns a new power to wipe peoples minds of his identity... or somesuch, starting with Lex.

Input wanted.

-=R=-

[dru-zod2501]

I'm not a fan of the idea of yet another lightswitch, a Krypto-tech one at that uggh..

[lordroy]

I'm not a fan of the idea of yet another lightswitch, a Krypto-tech one at that uggh..

How would you do it then?

-=R=-

[dru-zod2501]

logically the only way I can see out of it is if Superman wears a mask. Nobody else thinks so, it is a rather radical departure from tradition but it surely wouldn't be the first one this show has ever done.
here's one example I put up:
http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106552
I don't know, without a mask Smallville could end up mindwipe central.

or maybe TPTB want us to believe the people in that world really are that blind

[flying_girl]

i watched an interview with the writers where someone asked them about the glasses and they said they never have to worry about it cuz they are not going to show superman.

[Ilovebeinglost]

Clark will gave to get a pair of glasses and when Superman finally shows his face no one will know it's Clark especially Lois when she gets that famous first interview:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl ::rotfl:


Oh Gawd I almost fell off my chair:D

[dru-zod2501]

i watched an interview with the writers where someone asked them about the glasses and they said they never have to worry about it cuz they are not going to show superman.
:mad::mad::mad: oh don't remind me! I want to believe since that was in the AlMiles days, the new management will show a little more integrity now

[SVilleGal03]

What could he possibly do to hide it. Everyone in Smallville and lots of people in Metropolis all know what he looks like. Even if he started wearing glasses or not, his "Superman" persona would easily be recognized as the farmboy from Smallville who grew up on the Kent farm.

Indeed. Especially when you consider how easy it was for Jimmy to put two and two together.


The writers have written themselves into a corner I say. The only thing they can do is mindwipe everyone he has come in contact with... but even then what would they do about Oliver, Chloe, and even his mom who would forget about him. They are really getting away from any type of resolution of this issue.

Honestly, they backed themselves into that corner a long time ago. For one, Clark hasn't really changed that much facially since S4 (when they brought Lois in).

And he still has his wardrobe of red and blue to deal with - heck, he wore a blue dress shirt in the season premiere, and a dark red shirt in last week's episode!


How about some sort of consensus on how this can be achieved.

How about Clark gets the crystal back, re-forms the fortress of solitude, learns a new power to wipe peoples minds of his identity... or somesuch, starting with Lex.

Input wanted.

-=R=-

Unless they have Clark travel the world for a few years, like he did in Birthright, then they may have to implement a mindwipe. To be perfectly honest, I'm scared to death of that concept.

Clark should definitely take to heart what J'onn said to him in "Prey" about the dual identity, and he should take his own advice from tonight's episode as well - the reason he's here.

[Mr.Magic]

There are already sixtysomething people -mostly villains- that know about Clark. Having Perry, Lois and Jimmy know immediately is kinda refreshing.

[RPintorO]

They're doing all they can with the ground control of the mess Al/Miles left them and for us. There biggest challenge/issue is the dual-identity with the people that already knows him so well (like Lois and Lex..if (BIG IF) he comes back)

We all know Martian Man-hunter and Superman's powers are nearly identical.

Maybe when that time comes, Martian Man-hunter (when he gets his powers back)can shapeshift himself as Superman(when Clark finally becomes Superman) and flies around while Lois is with Clark Kent (hopefully with his glasses on) in close proximity.

[BrandonR]

Actually, there was one episode in either Season 5 or Season 6 where Clark mentioned something about trying to find a way to where he didn't have to hide his identity. He could always go the route where everyone knows he's Clark Kent, but that presents two problems: one, it destroys the mythos; two, it goes against Clark's belief (and, really, the reality of the situation) that anyone who knows the truth about him is in danger.

My only hope is that they don't go with the mind wipe. That would destroy the character development of a lot of people.

[wallyK]

I agree that the writers wrote themselves into a corner a long time ago. The best they can do now is have Clark start wearing glasses at the Daily Planet, and then pretend that Lois will not recognize as Superman when he is not wearing glasses. But this show is such a departure from tradition that they might do something completely different: have Lois find out about Clark's secret before he becomes Superman. Lois has already known Clark for several years without knowing about his secret, so in that sense, it would be time for her to learn the secret soon.

[galatians221]

What could he possibly do to hide it. Everyone in Smallville and lots of people in Metropolis all know what he looks like. Even if he started wearing glasses or not, his "Superman" persona would easily be recognized as the farmboy from Smallville who grew up on the Kent farm.

The writers have written themselves into a corner I say. The only thing they can do is mindwipe everyone he has come in contact with... but even then what would they do about Oliver, Chloe, and even his mom who would forget about him. They are really getting away from any type of resolution of this issue.

How about some sort of consensus on how this can be achieved.

How about Clark gets the crystal back, re-forms the fortress of solitude, learns a new power to wipe peoples minds of his identity... or somesuch, starting with Lex.

Input wanted.

-=R=-

I've said for years that his FOS training should give him the power to disguise himself. This would eliminate the "where does he keep his boots and cape" stuff. It's simply another ability. This is not consistent with the mythos but the mythos has always been screwed up. George Reeves had multiple Supe Suits in his closet, Dean Hatcher had it made by his mommy out of his blankie while Chris Reeves simply emerged from the fortress with it on. We see Chris fall out of the DP window and just morph into the suit; his arms and legs don't move, the suit just appears. My suggestion is that the writers give him the ability of disguising himself without a mask. I mean the Hulk can transform himself just by his heartbeat so this isn't so far fetched. From time to time, when we see a picture of Superman in the DP it would be a different actor but we would of course always see Tom Welling but knowing that the others in the drama are seeing something different. We just can't have Lois, Jimmy and others playing fools again because Clark puts glasses on and combs his hair differently. Another thing; we can't have the bumbling CK like on Superman Returns or the Chris Reeve movies; it has to be like George Reeves or Dean Cain which is preferable to me.

[susangail]

I think they tried a few things in the comics a while back. I think they could actually pull a mind-wipe believably out of the air, though, with "Legion" coming up.

[galatians221]

I think they tried a few things in the comics a while back. I think they could actually pull a mind-wipe believably out of the air, though, with "Legion" coming up.

Then we're back to the inane glasses and hair routine. Where does he keep his boots? Where does he keep his cape? In Superman Returns we see him flying up an elevator shaft while his clothes fall down the shaft. Does he have to come back and get them? What if Lois wants to go swimming? Does he superspeed off and hide his suit in a tree or something? The only way to clean up the flawed mythos is to have it become an ability to disguise his face, his voice and for the suit to just appear on command. It may not even be an actual suit but an ability to have others see the suit while he's still in his regular clothes. That's no more far out than a universal mind wipe or expecting Lois and Jimmy to be fooled by a pair of glasses. It's much preferable also to a mask.

[susangail]

Okay, so in the comics, I'm aware that they tried two things: special glass in the glasses that change Clark's eye color from bright blue to a more muted color (yikes -- we're back to glasses again) and a microscopic jitter that rendered any still photo of him useless.

Actually, I think they also tried some sort of hypnosis at one point, but it didn't last long. Not any better, IMO, than glasses and clothing.

What can I say? I mean, we don't see anyone on the show washing their face in the morning, do we?

["Lois I Never Lie"]

As far as I know he does have the ability to mind block, it was used in the comics some time ago, its not that people don’t put two and two together and realise who Sups is, its more the fact that they cant, something stops their thought process when Clark is superman as far as I know it was a power he gained when his training was complete and he never changed into Superman, he was always in the suit but again he was able to change peoples thought process so that you seen CK in his clothes and Sups in his costume, they used something along the same lines in the original Superman movies when CK jumped out of the window of the Daily Planet as galatians221 has already said you never got to actually see him change and his clothes didn’t just fall away as he flew, it was more of a morphing effect unlike Superman Returns when he changed while flying up the elevator shaft and for the first time you actually got to see his clothes falling away from him. If Smallville does change their rules and show Tom in the suit which I don’t believe they will btw I believe this is the only way that they will be able to explain it, and its not too far fetched or stupid as we know it does exist in the mythos already.

[galatians221]

As far as I know he does have the ability to mind block, it was used in the comics some time ago, its not that people don’t put two and two together and realise who Sups is, its more the fact that they cant, something stops their thought process when Clark is superman as far as I know it was a power he gained when his training was complete and he never changed into Superman, he was always in the suit but again he was able to change peoples thought process so that you seen CK in his clothes and Sups in his costume, they used something along the same lines in the original Superman movies when CK jumped out of the window of the Daily Planet as galatians221 has already said you never got to actually see him change and his clothes didn’t just fall away as he flew, it was more of a morphing effect unlike Superman Returns when he changed while flying up the elevator shaft and for the first time you actually got to see his clothes falling away from him. If Smallville does change their rules and show Tom in the suit which I don’t believe they will btw I believe this is the only way that they will be able to explain it, and its not too far fetched or stupid as we know it does exist in the mythos already.

Great post and the point is that there is no consistency in the mythos so there should be no problem with what has been suggested. I always think back to when Teri Hatcher was on Saturday Night Live and she couldn't recognize the cast if they had glasses on. When they took them off she instantly recognized them. That's what the issue is; sure this is all fantasy but the more believable it is the better the fantasy. Smallville has the opportunity to do this and other things better than what has been done in the entire history of Superman. I hope that they do.

[Billy Jor-El]

Mind-wipe is a wuss' way out.

OTOH, mind control is not out of the question.....I like your response "Lois I Never Lie"

[blackcelebration]

Well I think they should go with Lois and Jimmy maybe knowing. Jimmy could be like Chloe, finding information for Clark and Lois to investigate with. Yes, I know it's against the comics but it sure beats a mind wipe (which would be as bad if not worser than Star Trek Voyager's End Game solution).

As with the rest (if we go by the comics) then there's only Lana but more importantly Lex who know.

Lex can be mindwiped by Jor-El (like Lionel did in season 3).

In Smallville, other than Martha and Chloe (if she survives), it's only hospitalized freaks who know.

Therefore, I think a Justice League is a good idea as there would be so many heroes that people may asume that the league were involved all along and not just one hero.


Of course, as this is Smallville, they can always reverse the disguise and have Superman be a mild mannered superhero who wears glasses:rotfl:

[Jayjay]

I dont think they have any other choice than to do the whole mindwipe thing... since that was one of supermans lesser known abilites, maybe Smallville can breath some life into it... make it cool? i doubt it though..

the "Smallville convenient mindwipe" ahs been done to death. the writers have no choice but to make everone forget clarks face. (other than the justice league.) which will be a huge sacrifice for him.

i invision the first scene after everyones minds have been erased, clark walking into the daily planet in the whole nerdy awkward glasses gettup, and SUPERMAN can finaly start from there

[KansasKid]

A mindwipe wouldn't likely include Martha, as in every version so far of the mythos Clark's adoptive folks get to know who he is. But yeah, mindwipe has been done to death and I cringe every time they do it, for just years now. They need to do something different, and it may well be just that notion of stealing a power from the Shadow, and clouding folks' minds.

Alternatively, they could continue to have him elusive enough in his efforts that no one really gets the opportunity to recognize him. He's visible enough occasionally to give hope, but the rest of the time, hey, he's just that fast.

Unmasked, though, Superman offers a completely different effect than he would if masked. Not to say that going with a masked and possibly capeless costume might not be an interesting twist in this "re-imagining", but if so he becomes less a model to aspire to than a mystery to wonder at. Face to face we connect, and in that intimacy of knowledge there is the opportunity to consider that this better being is what we might become in time, certainly become in character within our human limits, if we but live from the best of ourselves. A mask changes the level of connection and removes the closer inspection of character that may be as central to the iterations of Superman as the fantasy of effective power is to all superheros.

[clarkbunny]

My personal thoughts are that we will not actually see Clark as superman in smallville.

I reckon what will happen is the season will end as Clark going off to complete his training at the fortress.

He will be gone for a few years doing that. Then when he returns Perry will be in place at the DP and will do Clark a favour and offer him a job as a reporter despite Clark not being able to account for the 5-10 years he was at the fortress (in work references terms). Clark will don the famous spectacles and meet up with Lois again - Lois will now know him as bespectacled Clark.

Superman will not wear spectacles and the rest carries on as per the mythos.

[lordroy]

Ya I still dont think they have any way other than a mindwipe. I hate to say it, but it would have to be done to make this a real superman story.

-=R=-

[bernardchin]

I think by far the most preferential solution is to have Clark acquire some kind of kryptotech from the fortress that enables him to have holographic clothes, maybe the suit itself can emit it. So he wears the suit all the time but can become Clark Kent the reporter in an instant. I like this idea so much that we should put a plea in to TPTB to make it happen.
I also don't mind SV's Lois knowing that Supes is CK or helping him to become Supes. As already posted, she's known Clark for 3 or 4 years already, everyone else is making suggestions that Clark should have some kind of outfit, so it seems that it's not gonna be Clark's decision entirely to become Supes. Lois is already in love with Clark, she'll be even more in love when the man she is destined to be with flies around a lot.

It's just this glasses issue.....hmmmm...

["Lois I Never Lie"]

I agree with galatians221, Smallville has a unique opportunity here to go in a different direction with the whole disguise thing and if they grab this with both hands and do it right by using the suggestions that myself and galatians221 have come up with they could be forever immortalised as the show that finally explained it all and did so in a very plausible and believable manner and more importantly incorporating some of the mythos that is already out there but never made it into the movies or series. I for one am excited to see where they take this, please make me proud PTB..........

[smallvillerocks45]

I really would prefer that PS3 don't use a mind wipe. Just take out the "contacts" that he'd otherwise be blind as a bat without. He did wear glasses at one point, and although that was short-lived, they could be brought back. Or perhaps, Lois can catch Clark reading in a dimly lit area - she can make some quip about him straining his eyes, and low and behold a few days later, she was right and now he wears glasses to correct his vision. Then there's always the possibility that Clark tries to x-ray some kryptonite infused object and it backfires and "permanently" makes him near/farsighted.

I really think there are a lot of creative ways to reincorporate the glasses without making everyone else forget about him. I hope that the series makes use of the amazing flexibility they have - because part of this show is fantasy - and develop an innovative explanation for why Clark wears glasses in the future.

[skully]

This is Smallville, it won't be an issue. The series will end before the suit comes out.

As I've said many times, if the final scene of the final episode shows Clark ripping back the shirt to reveal the famous \S/, then I'll be happy.

Until that moment, Clark will continue to be the elusive good samaritan from Identity, that Lois is desperate to track and interview.

["Lois I Never Lie"]

Skully that Idea absolutely rocks and gave me goodbumps just thinking about it......

[galatians221]

This is Smallville, it won't be an issue. The series will end before the suit comes out.

As I've said many times, if the final scene of the final episode shows Clark ripping back the shirt to reveal the famous \S/, then I'll be happy.

Until that moment, Clark will continue to be the elusive good samaritan from Identity, that Lois is desperate to track and interview.

I see it a bit differently. I want them to re-create the Chris Reeve scene from Superman I where he appears from a distance at the FOS and flies towards the camera, smiling as he veers away. This would be a tribute to Chris and to the original movie and if they ever want to continue the series later as Superman or Metropolis they can pick up right from there. Yours is a good idea also except that the whole glasses schtick remains in that scenario. The glasses as a disguise are lame and I hope they never go that route.

[OutlawAdamKnight]

IT comes down to bearing. Clark as "Clark" needs to start showing some vulnerability and begin to play the buffoon a bit more. Not quite to the "Superman Movies" level, but not seem so damned heroic when he's just supposed to be a writer. Ease into the glasses, slouch a bit more and establish that "there is NO WAY that this dweeb could be Superman."

Then go out and BE Superman. Not an impossibility, just highly unlikey is all.

"Hiding in Plain Sight". It CAN be done.

[jayden77]

In the first Superman movie, Younger Clark (Jeff East) went to the North to create the FOS. Out emerges Superman (Christopher Reeves) looking much different after how many years later (I've heard as much as 12).
Could it not also happen to our Smallville Clark - coming back from his training (when he finally does go) looking somewhat different so most people don't recognize him. The ones close to him, being Chloe and other heroes could still recognize him.
As for Lois, she'll probably go through the mind-wipe as they'll probably fall in love and it will be too painful for her when he leaves to get trained.

[galatians221]

In the first Superman movie, Younger Clark (Jeff East) went to the North to create the FOS. Out emerges Superman (Christopher Reeves) looking much different after how many years later (I've heard as much as 12).
Could it not also happen to our Smallville Clark - coming back from his training (when he finally does go) looking somewhat different so most people don't recognize him. The ones close to him, being Chloe and other heroes could still recognize him.
As for Lois, she'll probably go through the mind-wipe as they'll probably fall in love and it will be too painful for her when he leaves to get trained.


I'd like to see CK leave at the end of S8 for the FOS and when S9 starts it's years later and Perry White is at the DP and Lois has become bitter and thinks Clark is dead. When he comes back it would be more difficult than the situation in Superman Returns where he was gone for five years. Of course, if they persist in no tights then all of this is further than they're willing to go. I want to see another eight years of Superman with Smallville morphing into Metropolis or "Superman the Beginning"

[baltazor]

Clark has to wear glasses and put on the suit in order for people to not recognize him. An extravagant suit vs a mild mannered, glass wearing, reporter should do the trick even to those close to him (aka Lois). That is the only reasonable thing to think of because massive mind wipe is just lame. It may be also a change in attitude. Clark should start behaving a little more as a nurd and far more heroic and confident as superman.

[galatians221]

Clark has to wear glasses and put on the suit in order for people to not recognize him. An extravagant suit vs a mild mannered, glass wearing, reporter should do the trick even to those close to him (aka Lois). That is the only reasonable thing to think of because massive mind wipe is just lame. It may be also a change in attitude. Clark should start behaving a little more as a nurd and far more heroic and confident as superman.

That could only work if Lois knows and plays along. Jimmy also. They know him and a new act won't work. It is fantasy but it is more effective when it is as realistic as possible. People putting on glasses and acting silly is not a logical manner in which to disguise oneself. It is a major flaw in the mythos and it needs to be corrected, not continued.

[Animation]

I think this is trivially answered by Kryptonian technology.

We have already seen everything from Kryptonian nanobots (Brainiac) to world-altering technology (such as the stuff Zod was going to change earth with) plus Faster than Light travel with the ship with Clark, plus Lex's prepped body that became super when Zod was in him to crystal super computers, to machines that trap people in an alternate dimension.

Kryptonian technology is insane.

It wouldn't be a stretch at all for kyptonian technology to produce an effect that tampers with the perception of the human mind, even in news print and digital media. When he wears the suit, nobody can recognize that it is also Clark, even in a video or a newspaper. When he wears the glasses, nobody can recognize that it is Superman, even in video or a newspaper.

The Glasses and the Suit would be the technological focus, and they have to be displayed for the effect to work. This allows the dilemma of if he takes the glasses off, you'd realize who it was. It would avoid any mindwipe nonsense. The glasses and the suit would be total plot device props.

As for how he switches between his Clothes and the Suit, you could say that the Superman Suit can shunt off whatever clothes he wears on top into a pocket dimension. They mastered Phantom Zone technology after all.

I think it could work.

Lewis

[galatians221]

I think this is trivially answered by Kryptonian technology.

We have already seen everything from Kryptonian nanobots (Brainiac) to world-altering technology (such as the stuff Zod was going to change earth with) plus Faster than Light travel with the ship with Clark, plus Lex's prepped body that became super when Zod was in him to crystal super computers, to machines that trap people in an alternate dimension.

Kryptonian technology is insane.

It wouldn't be a stretch at all for kyptonian technology to produce an effect that tampers with the perception of the human mind, even in news print and digital media. When he wears the suit, nobody can recognize that it is also Clark, even in a video or a newspaper. When he wears the glasses, nobody can recognize that it is Superman, even in video or a newspaper.

The Glasses and the Suit would be the technological focus, and they have to be displayed for the effect to work. This allows the dilemma of if he takes the glasses off, you'd realize who it was. It would avoid any mindwipe nonsense. The glasses and the suit would be total plot device props.

As for how he switches between his Clothes and the Suit, you could say that the Superman Suit can shunt off whatever clothes he wears on top into a pocket dimension. They mastered Phantom Zone technology after all.

I think it could work.

Lewis

I take it a bit differently: the suit itself is a mental device. It's nothing that he has to take on or take off. He not only has the Kryptonian ability to be wearing the suit but his face is disguised without any effort. Let's say the suit being manifested also brings about a cloaking ability. This should all be acquired at the FOS in his final training.

[dcmarriott]

I've alway thought that the glasses were never much of a disguise, anyway. In order for Clark to hide his identity, he has to draw a clear distinctin between his own personality and his superhero personna, the way that Christopher Reeves was able to in the Superman movies. Once he does that, small changes in his appearence, such as putting on glasses or changing the way he wears his hair, will be much more effective in camoflaging his identity.

[TheANIMAL (marcus)]

Denial, as per usual.

[galatians221]

I've alway thought that the glasses were never much of a disguise, anyway. In order for Clark to hide his identity, he has to draw a clear distinctin between his own personality and his superhero personna, the way that Christopher Reeves was able to in the Superman movies. Once he does that, small changes in his appearence, such as putting on glasses or changing the way he wears his hair, will be much more effective in camoflaging his identity.

I hated the Chris Reeves Kent. Not only because he was such a doofus but it still defied understanding that Lois didn't know he was Superman. Same goes for Superman Returns. The mythos is screwed up in this regard and needs to be fixed. The guy has the ability to dry up a raging torrent coming through a dam break with his breath and defeat Bizarro so why is it a stretch to assume that he can disguise himself? It's less of a stretch than a mind wipe imho.