Rosenbaum deserves an Emmy for this season alone. Lex’s arc from wounded son to paranoid schemer is heartbreaking. After being committed to a mental institution (in the incredible episode “Shattered”), his grasp on reality is permanently loosened. The season asks: Is Lex evil, or is he broken? The answer is both. His choice to let his father believe he’s dead (“Memoria”), his obsessive investigation into Clark’s secrets, and his final, cold-eyed decision to abandon his morality for power—it’s the season where Lex Luthor chooses to become the villain, not because of a meteor rock, but because of betrayal.

: The finale features a cliffhanger where Clark is taken by Jor-El, Lana Lang leaves for Paris, and Lionel is finally arrested—though not before attempting to poison Lex. Cast and Production Impact Sam Jones III (Pete Ross)

If Smallville Season 1 was about the "freak of the week" and Season 2 was about discovering origins, is where the show truly grew up. Often cited by fans as the best—and certainly the darkest—entry in the series, Season 3 moved away from the sunny optimism of Kansas and delved deep into the psychological toll of destiny, betrayal, and the corrupting influence of power.

Absolutely. is not just a great season of a superhero show; it is a great season of television, period. It boasts Michael Rosenbaum’s Emmy-worthy performance as a crumbling Lex, Tom Welling’s best acting to date, and a narrative that understands that the path to becoming a hero is paved with terrible mistakes.

: Clark distancing himself from his friends after his time in Metropolis under the influence of Red Kryptonite.