Symbols and Glyphs
Introduction
Adolescence is a difficult time; a teenager struggles to find his or her ultimate identity and place in the world by examining where he or she has been, is now, and hopes to be in the future. Smallville portrays the teenage years of Clark Kent, so Clark's search for purpose and identity is one of the show's central themes. However, Clark's adolescent angst is much more complex than that of a typical teen because everyone's favorite farmboy is actually a strange visitor from another planet... He is Kal-El of Krypton.
The best way for Clark to come to terms with who he is and what sort of man he needs to become is by exploring his Kryptonian heritage, and, fortunately, Smallville offers Clark plenty of information concerning his origins. Most notably, Smallville features Kryptonian symbols and mysterious glyphs on the walls of the Kawatche caves. This section of SESPS is an exhaustive illustrated guide to all instances of Kryptonian writing and other symbols in Smallville. All suggestions, comments, corrections, and questions may be submitted through the Connect page.
Navigation
The symbols and glyphs of Smallville can be split into two major categories: Kryptonian and Kawatche. Each type has its own section containing background information, screen captures, explanations, translations (when necessary), and relevant dialogue. The Kryptonian gallery documents every instance of Kryptonian symbols or writing and attempts to organize these instances along general themes (octagonal key and keyhole, messages from Swann, the Elements storyline, etc.). The Kawatche gallery details the legend of Naman and documents the glyphs created by the Kawatche people. To get started, pick one of these galleries:
© 2004 shirkie