Kristin Kreuk in Smallville

This is the relationship that really makes the show go round. Krytonite isn't the only thing that makes Clark Kent weak as evident by how easy Lana Lang makes him turn to jello with a look or a smile.

There is always the question about Lana knowing Clark has super powers and whether or not he can trust her in knowing that information. Smallville is filled with characters committed to Belle Reeve or killed that have known his secret.

This track record has made him question whether he should tell her or not. In the show's 100th episode, "Reckoning", Clark tells her with fatal consequences, but it able to turn the clock back to save her at the cost of her knowing.

Their romance has had many up and downs in the show, but they kept the attraction there. It's clear Lana cares for Clark and Clark cares for Lana. For those that have not seen the show their relationship can be as rocky as it is complicated.

Lana mainly wants people to be honest with her, which cause obvious problems when Clark has to keep a big secret about himself, and his abilities from her.

Lana and Lex Luthor have an interesting relationship. When Lana wanted to bring the local coffee shop, The Talon, back from the dead for sentimental reasons Lex challenged her to develop a plan for a lasting business than to simply give her her request. Lex challenges her a lot in ways Clark never would, most likely because of how his father, Lionel Luthor, taught him to stand for himself.

In a lot of way he helps her to become more than she normally could be. His methods are sometimes in question as signs of the future Lex Luthor of the Superman mythos sometimes hints or shows glimpses of itself.

In the beginning Lex saw that Clark had a crush on Lana and did what he thought was right to bring them together even using his vast resources and money to do it. This opened a lot of opportunities for Lex to interact with Lana. Watching older episodes you can see signs of Lex's affection for her that would come into play in later seasons.

While Lex is the cause of as much danger and bad situations as any other meteor infected person in Smallville, he, like Clark, would go out of their way to make sure Lana was not harmed if they could help it.

The relationship between Lex and Lana was slowly built up since the first episode of the show and created an interesting love triangle later on. Lana, though aware of the evil Lex has done, is an optimist and would rather see the good in people and what they can do with it. This belief in people gets her in and out of danger several times with Lex.

Lana seems to be the balancing point keeping Lex from going over the edge to the vicious killer and mastermind of comic book lore on Smallville.

Up until the episode "Precipice" Lana Lang had been passive in dangerous situations often being thrown around and knocked out. On a quick side note, is there anything hotter than a sexy girl kicking ass?

"Precipice" starts with Lana being harassed by thugs at The Talon taking away her sanctuary there. Lex decides to teach her some self defense training to take back control of her life. When the thugs come back to take advantage of her again she's ready.

From this episode onward Lana fights her way out of bad situations wherever possible. Here is a list, though not complete, of Smallville episodes where Lana fights back.

2-19 "Precipice"
3-11 "Delete"
3-16 "Crisis"
4-2 "Gone"
4-8 "Spell"
4-15 "Sacred"
5-5 "Thirst"
5-11 "Lockdown"
5-22 "Vessel"