Joey Paur of GeekTyrant is obviously excited to see Tom Welling come back as Clark Kent in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover and he’s not the only one since Welling will be joined by Brandon Routh and Tyler Hoechlin as well. Throw Henry Cavill and people might be irked or surprised and happy, but if they threw in a CGI Christopher Reeve a lot of folks might actually be kidn of offended, while some might be amazed. But while it doesn’t sound as though Cavill or Reeve, rest in peace, will be making any appearances it is interesting to think about three different Superman characters coming together and it’s hard to imagine that there would be anything that they couldn’t take down with their combined strength. Of course as powerful as a DC hero can be you simply know that the villains are going to be just as overpowered in order to contend with them. That’s the angle after all, there’s always someone out there that’s stronger. The focus on the three Superman’s however should be noted as one of the best things that’s happened in the Arrowverse throughout its history.
Welling was after all one of the more well-renowned men of steel that took up the part for so long even if he didn’t go full Superman like the others. He created the original look of Clark Kent and continued to push the narrative of what Clark went through when he was still young and still coming into his abilities, while Hoechlin and Routh are among those that have been thrust into the role of Superman in his current and most well-known persona. It’s worked thus far for the most part as people enjoy Superman no matter who’s playing him, at least in some way. Henry Cavill has probably taken more heat for playing the character than most, but if you recall a lot of people tended to get down on Routh as well since Superman Returns was initially thought to be a good movie but had kind of mixed reviews among fans. A lot of it has to do with expectations being met or not being considered at all and in the long run the fans might be those that can elevate or tank a movie, but the director and the stars are those that are tasked with making it great. Unfortunately some of them happen to fail in that endeavor now and again.
One thing that’s been recognized however (and Chris Snellgrove of CBR might agree with this) and should be is that without Smallville, where Welling created this version of Clark Kent, the Arrowverse might have had a very different beginning, if it even got off the ground that is. A lot of people recognize this as important since Smallville did in fact introduce a lot of characters and made it possible for the CW to keep running with the idea. The fact that it outgrew Smallville isn’t surprising at all as the world had to expand in order to take in more and more characters that had very different backgrounds and thus needed their own setting to really continue to grow and develop. But one can’t deny that Clark Kent has been a central figure to the DC universe and that Superman has been vastly important to other heroes when it comes to getting noticed and gaining their own fan base. In a way the man of steel is like a mainstay that doesn’t always need the most attention since he’ll continue to stick around as the standard, or the pillar that helps to hold up the entirety of the DC universe since he was the first DC hero of many to come and was considered to be the end-all of superheroes. Some might still consider him to be this, but it’s been seen on occasion that with the right circumstances that Superman can be beaten.
As Chris Ausiello of TVLine has stated the fans will get to see what’s happened ten years after Smallville ended, which should be interesting to say the least. The idea of Tom Welling coming back and actually embracing the role is great for a lot of fans since there are quite a few people that have been watching the CW for so long that it seems as though their loyalty needs to be rewarded now and again with something that shows them that those in charge are paying attention. The CW has actually been the leading channel for superhero shows for quite some time it would seem as DC has easily edged Marvel out when it comes to TV. Seeing Welling take up the role again is likely something that a lot of people have been either waiting or hoping for throughout the years, but haven’t really looked for since the role has been bounced around a couple of times and has been largely uncertain now and again when it comes to just who can assume the mantle. With Welling back even for a short time though it seems as though the CW might be saying ‘thank you’ for the continued viewership.
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