Chloe Sullivan

With an upstanding commitment towards the work she does and the people she loves, Chloe Sullivan is an emphatically dynamic character. She is one of the central characters in Smallville. Most of us, who have a penchant for anything fantastical and unworldly, must already know Smallville. It is an American television series that aired from 2001 to 2011. The show was based on the DC comic character Clark Kent and told the story of his life and journey before he became Superman.

The story takes place in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, where Clark Kent arrived in a space ship from his planet Krypton in a big meteor shower. The show takes us through the day to day life of Clark and introduces us to his family that adopted and raised him, his friends, his enemies and all the events and circumstances that gradually yet stealthily transformed him from a young and almost naïve boy to Superman.

Clark Kent of Smallville became this defender, saviour and a dependable presence, not just by his own strengths and abilities. He had a lot of help, support and constant encouragement from his family and friends. They thoroughly guided him through his road of transformation. They reassured him of his strengths when he thrived in his endeavours, while stood by him and motivated him when he was discouraged.

One of those people who inspired, protected and guided Clark through and through was Chloe Sullivan, his oldest and best friend and that one person who was always by his side, in the ten years of this story-telling.

Her biggest passion was researching and reporting stories that took place around her, in her school and her town. She ran their school newspaper, The Torch, where she published real capturing stories happening in Smallville. Due to the meteor shower that occurred when Clark arrived on earth, Smallville had meteor rocks spread everywhere, in different kinds of locations and conspicuous places. These rocks, in varied and inexplicable ways, were responsible for creating meteor infections in people who came in close contact with them. The infected persons received peculiar sorts of powers after coming in contact with these rocks. And that led to otherwise unexplained incidents and bizarre behaviour on the part of the infected. In other words, Smallville was almost every day exposed to incidents and events that were news worthy. Chloe took it as her responsibility to report them and make them known to her town’s people. Clark sometimes helped her gather and write stories. She was not just dedicated but fearlessly open to all consequences that were attached with such reporting.

We all find our purposes sooner or later in life. Chloe found hers when she was very young and never faltered in what she believed was her pursuit. She did her research and writing whenever she could. She started early and went on working till late at night. It is stirring really. It is definitely not an effortless task to be so constant in your quest.

That was Chloe Sullivan, bright, bold and highly resolute in her work. She researched, investigated and she wrote. She was extremely intelligent and aware. She administered a publication, worked alone if needed and did it very well. She possessed a directness with which she approached every issue and she committed herself to an unbendable search of truth.

She was not only inspirational but equally inspired. To find a purpose for getting up and living one's day, prioritizing that purpose is no doubt significant to everyone; but Chloe Sullivan showed a totally different level of dedication to her purpose. She knew what she had to do. She recognized, very distinctly, her initiative to research and report stories that crossed her path. The extensiveness of her learning and reporting expanded to a higher level altogether as the series proceeded in its story.

She was always ready for everything that came along her way. She was prepared to take on any kind of search, any sort of investigation to ascertain what was going on and provide the assistance that she was capable of to her friends. Of course, she had her own unaffiliated passion for truth and information. And she worked absolutely hard to keep her journalistic ethics alive. Chloe Sullivan had an unflinching allegiance to her calling.

Another evident quality in Chloe, as a journalist and a story teller, is that she was always reaching out. She reached out to find facts, to analyze and seek connections, to report about the knowledge she had gained and ultimately to help people by performing her critical part. This is one quality that needs to be instilled in a person from childhood. One needs to possess that specific kind of inquisitiveness. Then it is easily possible to be able to reach out. For Chloe, this inquisitiveness and the curiosity came easy. Therefore, she reached out and then she learned. Once her learning was complete- inclusive of facts, details and explanations, she reported with the purest of journalistic drives. People need much practice, patience and discipline to possess this incredible trait of a writer.

Could truth be more imperative than feeling? For Chloe, more often than not it was so in the beginning of the series. For her, truth was the most crucial of all attributes of human life. It cannot be contravened that truth is the foundation of all. If there is an existence of anything, that stands on the pedestal of truth. But situationally, truth needs to be kept second while prioritizing someone's feelings or safety. Giving preference to feelings or sentiments is generally marked as sign of frailty, but are we not all running on these very emotions and sentiments? Despite all assumptions or rather veiled assumptions, we all 'feel', no matter how hard the crust, and there is no weakness in that. It is only nature. But bringing out truth by negatively affecting someone's state of being is not always good, provided that the individual has unscarred intentions. Truth is tricky. It is black and white and in its revelation, not only the person directly connected with it gets affected, but others who have indirect associations with it as well. Bringing the truth in light is noble, but just for the sake of bringing it out, it is not advisable to hurt someone.

Chloe did not clearly understand this fact initially. She thought unveiling the truth was the biggest of all her responsibilities. She was not aware of the consequences that some truths held. But through experiences and certain events, she learned that there is a right time, a right place and a right situation to reveal some truths; and no matter how pure your intention, you always need to check if there are any strings attached. Chloe did cross certain lines in her pursuit of truth. But as the story progressed, she did ultimately understand this reality after being threatened by some uncontrolled and relentless circumstances and she modestly corrected her actions.

Due to her excessive curiosity and fearless impulsiveness, she landed herself in situations not only dangerous but life threatening. Countless times she got herself on the wrong side of powerful people and people who had meteor related abilities. She has been held captive, she has been threatened and discouraged, she has been blackmailed. After knowing Clark’s secret, she has been tested to expose him. But in the face of all these adversities and confrontations, Chloe inevitably held her stand and fought hard to keep her principles and responsibilities in their rightful places and not waver from them. Her determination and resilience were always on top and at par. She was not that girl, who would sit and let things happen. She would stand up, take the fight as bravely as she could, and at the end of the day not just help people in need, but land herself with an absolute gripping story. Her school authority did not always agree, but if socially and physically powerful people could not stop her, nobody else could either.

Chloe was therefore a brilliant reporter. There were times when she overlooked where to stop, but with Clark’s guidance in that matter, she corrected her ways and as a result gave way to the most outstanding reporter that ever could be. She became an inspiration to others, who would later follow her path.

Along with being a talented reporter, Chloe was also very good in dealing with computers. Initially to write her reports and later to help Clark rescue people in need, it is projected in the story that Chloe was good not just in typing her reports, but in accessing various kinds of databases to pull information regarding individuals, companies, organizations, government offices etc. In every occasion that Clark went out physically to save people in need, Chloe was the one who looked out for and caught information that would eventually be pivotal in dealing with the bad guys and otherwise impossible situations. In the beginning, Chloe did all her research through her computer at the office of ‘The Torch’ and her laptop. Later on, most wonderfully she progressed on to use more complex and powerful computers. With her increasing experience, she became progressively clever at accessing various levels of information to use them to protect true people and metaphorically unarm the destructive ones.

Courage is one of the greatest assets an individual can possess. Chloe Sullivan had it. She had always been brave and courageous in the face of any kind of challenge. She was aware about the territories that came along with doing her work honestly and she took the challenges as they came along. It was not that she was not scared, but she gathered every bit of her courage to fight the threats, and came out of it not just with a reveling story but the satisfaction of doing her part in protecting people. Principally she had faith in herself. Other times she knew she had Clark, who would be there to protect her in every adverse situation, even before she was aware of who Clark really was and what his powers were.

Chloe’s role as a friend is highly emphasized. Her friends could always believe in her to help them out and be there for them at any time. She would not think twice about supporting and defending them, even if that meant risking her own life. She would always stand up and move forward to protect her friends.

Chloe Sullivan’s friendship with Clark Kent is that one relationship, which stood through every possible test of time and came out victorious and each time stronger than before. They both had their equal share in making their relationship that much distinguished.

Throughout the series, the relationship between Chloe and Clark has strengthened in ways that cannot simply be described in words. They started off as good friends and went on to become the best of friends and allies that we do not get to witness every day, either in real life or in literature. Theirs is one of those refined friendships that evolve everyday in something better, something stronger, something that is uncompromising and powerful.

Clark always fulfilled his part to make their friendship what it would ultimately become. He consistently loved and protected Chloe like no one else. But it is said there is always one person in a relationship who goes one step ahead in making it that much stronger. And in theirs I think it was Chloe.

Chloe loved Clark with every single fragment of her being. They started off as really good friends. But from almost the beginning of the series it is clear that Chloe had romantic feelings for Clark. She tried not to show it to him or to anyone else for quite some time. But the audience could not ignore the depth and truth of her feelings for Clark. She could and would do just about anything for him. But sadly, Clark did not feel the same for her. He loved and cared for her very much too, just not in a romantic way. Chloe tried to accept this and it is shown by the fact that she knew and accepted Clark’s feelings for Lana Lang.

Through some trial and error Chloe knew inside her heart that she was to be one of Clark’s closest friends, but nothing more. She made a few mistakes and took some wrong steps a few times when she could not control how she felt about him. It hurt her undoubtedly, but slowly she knew her role in Clark’s life and would ultimately, after a lapse of certain time, accept it for what it was, with a happy heart. Eventually, she too would find her happy ending.

Her love and loyalty for Clark never wavered and neither did his for her as his truest friend. It only grew stronger. They only came closer. They became each other's guide and protector. They had their differences for sure, but there was nothing that was substantial enough to stop them from finding their way to each other and to their powerful yet selfless purpose of saving lives.

Chloe was always there for Clark. For whatever purpose Clark came to her, Chloe would do her best to find the solution. In solving their mysteries together, Chloe and Clark became a team that could overcome almost any force, be it human or extra-terrestrial. Before and after Chloe knew about Clark’s powers and origin, she was that one person other than his parents, whom Clark could turn to for any sort of support and advice. When Clark called, Chloe always answered and vice versa.

The ten-year story of Clark Kent or Superman in Smallville has this wonderful woman called Chloe Sullivan inside its pages or images, however we would like to perceive it. She stands out in every scene and every episode, where she is present, and tells us with her words and actions to nurture that very purpose, which each of us is born to. Inside our minds, we know for sure what it is.