Why does Jonathan Kent have to butt heads with everyone he knows?

[Ryan James]

He doesn't get along with Lex (even though Lex wasn't bad at the time and Lex reached out to him several times).

He didn't get along with his father.

He doesn't get along with his father-in-law (there were several opportunities to patch things up there).

He doesn't get along with his bankers

He doesn't get along with the people he sells his produce to

He doesn't get along with Jor-El

He rarely leaves the farm

He tries to keep Martha under his thumb even though she has more brains that he'll ever know (I can see his not wanting Martha working for Lionel, but it was perfectly innocent for Martha to work at the Talon in season 4).

He never laughs or smiles

Is anyone noticing a pattern here besides me?

[ginnyfan]

I think Jonathan's bark is much worse than his bite. He's the opposite of Lionel really. Lionel is gracious to everyone and smooth as silk but when push comes to shove he'll eat your heart out and wash it down with very expensive scotch. With Jonathan it's that small town distrust magnified because he has Clark's secret to protect. So he's rather gruff and tough on you but when push comes to shove he's fair, respects hard work and he's loyal. Jonathan likes people who are frank and open. What you see is what you get. Plain talking. He doesn't like duplicity and double dealing.

Jonathan has a lot of worries. It makes sense that he'd have heart problems even without deals with Jor-el. He hasn't learned anger management. He's a farmer. Because of Luthorcorp farming is much harder to make a living at in SV. His son is an alien and he's worried all his life that some scary scientists like the ones in ET might take him away forever. I cut Jonathan a lot of slack.

[Rabz]

The only time i've seen him smile was during Prodigal in S2 (the one where lex comes to the farm)
He was mad with the bankers ONLY because he was under the effect of the Nicodemus flower
Apart from that, he is much of a Butt-head.

[Jephael]

They've shown him smile a lot of times on the show. One of my favorite moments was in "Heat" when Clark was learning to control his heat vision and we see Jonathon snickering while a scarecrow he propped up gets burst into flame.

[jon-el87]

Jonathan claimed to wanting to see the best in people, but he always acted the other way around: When Dr. Swann contacted Clark, Jonathan was convinced that Swann was going to exploit Clark; When Clark met Cassandra (Hourglass), Jonathan told Clark to stay away from her; In Exile, Jonathan looked down upon Kryptonians, much like a racist would do.

Have anyone noticed, that whenever some threat against Clark showed up Jonathan always said; ''I will not let them destroy this family'', not ''I will not let anyone try and hurt Clark''. Sounds more like he's afraid that someone will take away Clark, which would then cause the farm to go out of business. In Cool, Jonathan pointed out that Clark had saved them money for four part-time hands. After Clark left Smallville at the end of season two, the farm almost had to be sold (saved at the last second by Lex), because they couldn't afford it.

Perheps Jonathan means ''If I no longer have Clark, I'll lose the farm and be unable to support Martha. She'll leave me and William Clark will be right!''

Selfish jerk!!!!!!!!!

[LuthorKent90]

!@% years with Martha Clark will do that to any man.

[ginnyfan]

Aw I love Jonathan. He is hot tempered and he's got that small town distrust going on... but deep down he's such a good guy. Maybe a bit simple minded but...

When it comes to Clark's destiny he's threatened much the way adoptive parents are when their kid wants to learn more about their bio parents. In Jonathan's case, strange scientists and weird disembodied voices and screeching sounds were muscling in on his son's life and for the most part Clark wasn't happy about it. From Clark's POV these things were largely unwelcome. And considering Veritas and the Orb, Jonathan's instincts about Swann were... not completely unwarranted.

When it comes to people knowing Clark's secret, Jonathan didn't want Clark to end up in a Lab somewhere. So he was acting to protect Clark. We see what would have happened if Clark had flipped Jonathan the bird and done whatever he wanted in regards to his secret in "Lara." Kara is captured and tortured because she didn't heed Clark's warnings about her powers.

Perhaps Martha and Jonathan went a little to far about Clark's secret... perhaps Jonathan has been hurtful to others... but I don't think he's a jerk. His intentions were good.

[Sunny8]

Jonathan claimed to wanting to see the best in people, but he always acted the other way around: When Dr. Swann contacted Clark, Jonathan was convinced that Swann was going to exploit Clark...

Dr. Swann did exploit Clark. He gave nothing to Clark that Clark could not have gotten from his ship. Dr. Swann used Clark to answer his unanswered questions. He, like all the other rich people in Veritas, wanted to be special. The money and power they had obviously was not enough for them. It is interesting that Clark's parents chose poor, humble people to raise their son instead of rich, powerful people.

[Stu.Kent]

Jonathan was an angry, angry man but I suppose thats understandable given the ordeals that come along with having a kryptonian son destined to be the worlds greatest saviour

[Panther60]

I think having to keep Clarks secret made him the way he is. Clark was a powerful secret, and if Clark had got in the wrong hands.....well.

[amelietw]

Jonathan never had a peaceful night of sleep, that explains.

Or.... he gots a caffeine addiction!!

Hahaha just joking!

[Antiyonder]

I think his line in Nicodemus says it all, even if under the influence:

"I've done nothing except give back to this community, and all anyone's ever done is screw me over."

[jon-el87]

"I've done nothing except give back to this community, and all anyone's ever done is screw me over."

Classical "blame the world" kind of guy.

[laurarawlins]

You're really on to something here!!

He doesn't get along with Lex (even though Lex wasn't bad at the time and Lex reached out to him several times).

He didn't get along with his father.

He doesn't get along with his father-in-law (there were several opportunities to patch things up there).

He doesn't get along with his bankers

He doesn't get along with the people he sells his produce to

He doesn't get along with Jor-El

He rarely leaves the farm

He tries to keep Martha under his thumb even though she has more brains that he'll ever know (I can see his not wanting Martha working for Lionel, but it was perfectly innocent for Martha to work at the Talon in season 4).

He never laughs or smiles

Is anyone noticing a pattern here besides me?

I know I do and it's ****ing annoying as hell seeing that all the time with Jonathan. Sorry excuse my language. I swear when I get exasperated. It runs in the family.What I hate the most about Jonathan is the fact that he's influencing Clark's actions and choices by pushing his fears and opinions onto him and giving him bad advice. Not to mention always lecturing him with his long winded self righteous " Do as I say, but not as I do" speeches and that really gets on my nerves. I see him do this with Lex as well and Lex is not even his son. which doesn't make any sense at all. And why does Jonathan care so much about what kind friends his adoptive son makes any way? Just because he can't let go of his anger and bitterness and disdain he has towards Lionel doesn't give him the right to be in control of Clark's choice of friends. It's bad enough that he takes his hatred for Lionel out on Lex. Does he really need to take his anger towards Lionel out on Clark as well as Lex by his guilt trips? and planting seeds of doubt in his mind about his friendship with Lex? That's not being supportive or encouraging father.

[laurarawlins]

you are so right about this

Jonathan claimed to wanting to see the best in people, but he always acted the other way around: When Dr. Swann contacted Clark, Jonathan was convinced that Swann was going to exploit Clark; When Clark met Cassandra (Hourglass), Jonathan told Clark to stay away from her; In Exile, Jonathan looked down upon Kryptonians, much like a racist would do.

Have anyone noticed, that whenever some threat against Clark showed up Jonathan always said; ''I will not let them destroy this family'', not ''I will not let anyone try and hurt Clark''. Sounds more like he's afraid that someone will take away Clark, which would then cause the farm to go out of business. In Cool, Jonathan pointed out that Clark had saved them money for four part-time hands. After Clark left Smallville at the end of season two, the farm almost had to be sold (saved at the last second by Lex), because they couldn't afford it.

Perheps Jonathan means ''If I no longer have Clark, I'll lose the farm and be unable to support Martha. She'll leave me and William Clark will be right!''

Selfish jerk!!!!!!!!!

I totally agree with you on this 100%