Superman was once a boy who did not yet know how he obtained his powers. Even before he was a boy, he was a baby who came to earth in a meteor shower.
As season one of Smallville begins, 16 year old high school freshman Clark Kent learns of his alien origins. This explains some, but not all of, the strangeness in his life.

Clark's dream girl, Lana Lang, is unfortunately dating and under the close watch of the star high school quarterback. Though Clark and Lana become good friends and share several close moments, they have yet to cross the emotional line to another level.
Clark is also faced with his little known weakness: the meteor rocks, which make him sick and temporarily remove his strength. As the end of season one rounds, Clark and the rest of Smallville are subject to a devastating tornado that leaves the town to rebuild for the rest of the summer.

As season two begins, Clark is forced to lie to the girl that he loves. Although he knows how much it hurts Lana, he mentally justifies his decision as protecting her. If their relationship wasn't already unstable enough, another ripple tears a large, though temporary, rift between them. Clark and Lana also have another chance, but as before, the personality effects of red kryptonite on Clark cause a failed relationship leap.

Towards the end of season two, we see Clark finding out the details of his origins from a notable scientist. Once again, Lana and Clark’s relationship rebuilds until it reaches that point again. Maybe by luck, or maybe by fate, the third time is a charm; during Lana’s birthday ‘present’ to Clark, they share a passionate kiss, and soon decide to cross the barrier. However, in a dramatic sequence of events in which Clark is contacted by the memory of Jor-El, his biological father, he attempts to destroy the ship only to cause a chain reaction that leaves him on the brink of leaving Smallville for good. Only Lana stands in his way, professing her love for him. Clark, somewhat reluctantly, tells Lana of his love for her, but only a minute later speeds off to Metropolis, for the third time under the influence of red kryptonite.

When season three begins several months later, Clark is confronted by Lana in her unsuccessful attempt to return to Smallville. Only after a fight with his father does he destroy the red ring and return to Smallville. His weight of confronting Lana would have been enough, but his baggage from Metropolis comes back for him and he nearly loses his parents and Lana in the process.