Clark Kent

As the planet Krypton neared its destruction, the scientist Jor-El knew that the end approached. There was no longer any hope for his world… but he dared to believe that there could be hope for his son. So he and his wife tearfully placed their infant son, Kal-El, into a pod bound for Earth. This distant world was carefully chosen — Kal would pass for one of the humans living there, but the nearby yellow sun would grant him extraordinary abilities to keep him safe from any who might wish him harm. And as Krypton collapsed into nothing, Kal slept peacefully in his pod, unaware of the tragedy behind him.

Just outside of Smallville, Kansas, farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent were on their way home when meteors began to rain down from the skies — and an unusual craft soared past them to crash in a nearby field. The pair investigated, and soon discovered the infant inside. The boy was clearly from another planet, and they feared the worst should the wrong people discover him. So, having always wanted a child of their own, they agreed to take him in. Kal-El of Krypton became Clark Kent of Earth.

For years, Clark grew up with no knowledge of his extraterrestrial origins. He did, however, gradually become aware of his unique abilities. The strange occurrences were usually things he could dismiss or shrug off… until his first day of high school, when he was struck by a drunk driver going sixty miles per hour and walked away without so much as a scratch. After that, Jonathan and Martha finally explained the full truth of how they’d found him, and what limited information they had. This knowledge came just in time, as over the next several years Clark developed further abilities — many of which were debilitating until he could learn to control them.

Tragedy struck near the end of Clark’s high school years. Chronic overworking finally caught up with Jonathan, and his heart simply gave out one day — by the time the paramedics arrived, he was gone. Clark was simply lost without his father… until the car accident. His friends should have been dead on impact, but thanks to Clark and his incredible speed, no one was hurt.

From then on, Clark began to see his abilities differently — they were no longer something to be resented and hidden, they were gifts that he could share with the world. He tried to pursue this further in Smallville, but he knew that it wasn’t enough. Though it broke her heart, Martha gave Clark a crystal from the pod he’d arrived in, as well as her blessing to leave home.

So Clark spent the next three years traveling the world, seeing everything there was to see, learning all he could about the planet that had adopted him. Along the way, he continued to use his abilities to help others, though with a notable reluctance to show his face. He would sometimes be spotted as a blur of color leaving the crime scene, earning him the nickname the Blur.

Eventually, it seemed that the crystal from his pod was guiding him northward, so he followed its call deep into the Arctic. There, the crystal formed the Fortress of Solitude, a vast structure of ice, stone, and advanced Kryptonian technology. A hologram of Jor-El activated, and finally, Clark had the answers to questions he’d been asking his entire life. Clark spent the next year in the Arctic, training with Jor-El to fully master his abilities.

Ready to begin his newfound calling, Clark returned to Smallville to resume his life there… only to find that many of his loved ones had adjusted to life without him and moved on. It was time for him to do the same. For a complete change of pace, Clark decided to move to Metropolis, trading in the small town for the big city. It was there the he revealed himself to the world as a hero, donning the blue suit and red cape that his mother had made for him.

Realizing that working at a newspaper would give him information to help people in need, Clark accepted a low-level job at the Daily Planet. There he met the love of his life, Lois Lane. It was she who ultimately named his heroic alter ego — Superman.

Clark is an example of a true gentleman — kind, honest, loyal. He’s endearing in an old-fashioned sort of way, the kind of guy who would hold the door for you in the rain or bring flowers just to say thank you. It’s very clear that his parents raised him right. He’s also very much a family man, with an absolute devotion to his wife and children (once he has them).

With regards to his dual identity, Clark is the “primary” persona. Superman is a disguise for Clark, not the other way around. In public, Clark will sometimes act up his own clumsiness or incompetence so people don’t start suspecting more of him, but this is not something he consciously does all the time. Instead, he just relies on his more casual and laid back demeanor.

As Superman, Clark carries himself very differently. He exaggerates his confidence and authoritative attitude, while being careful to keep himself friendly and approachable — his goal is to be someone who can intimidate villains while still being someone a child could go up to without fear.

Clark holds himself to a very high moral standard. As the most powerful person on the planet, he can’t afford to do anything else — it’s simply too easy for him to become a tyrant. While he does not have a strict no killing code, he will exhaust all other options first. Clark also does his best to ensure that Superman remains politically neutral, siding for what he feels is the right thing rather than any particular party, candidate, or country.