Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up in the mid-2000s, you probably remember the exact moment the vibe of Smallville shifted. For five years, it was all about angst, kryptonite of the week, and Clark Kent moping around a barn in flannel. Then, in Season 6, a billionaire in a green leather hoodie showed up with a compound bow and a smirk that basically said, "Hey, stop being so dramatic."
Justin Hartley in Smallville didn't just play a guest character. He saved the show from its own repetitiveness.
Most people forget that before he was Kevin Pearson on This Is Us or Colter Shaw on Tracker, Hartley was the guy who brought the Justice League to life on the small screen. He wasn't the brooding, Batman-lite version of Oliver Queen we got later in the Arrowverse. He was funny. He was arrogant. Honestly, he was kind of a jerk sometimes, but that’s exactly what Clark needed.
The Aquaman Pilot That Almost Changed Everything
Here is a weird bit of trivia that feels like a fever dream now: Justin Hartley wasn't even supposed to be Green Arrow.
Originally, he was cast as Arthur Curry in a standalone Aquaman pilot (often called Mercy Reef). This was coming off the back of a huge ratings win for the Smallville episode "Aqua," which featured Alan Ritchson. But the network didn't want Ritchson for the lead. They wanted Hartley, who was fresh off the soap opera Passions.
The pilot never aired. It’s actually pretty good—you can find it in the dark corners of the internet—but the CW passed on it.
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Lucky for us.
Because the creators, Al Gough and Miles Millar, liked Hartley so much, they brought him into Smallville Season 6 as Oliver Queen. It was supposed to be a seven-episode arc. But the chemistry was too good to ignore. Hartley brought a levity that balanced out Tom Welling’s "weight of the world" performance.
Why Oliver Queen Was the Foil Clark Kent Needed
In the early seasons, Clark’s only real "peer" was Lex Luthor. We all know how that ended. Once Lex went full villain, there was a massive vacuum for a character who could challenge Clark’s morality without trying to kill him.
Enter Oliver.
He was the first person to look Clark in the eye and say, "Your 'no-kill' rule and your obsession with hiding in a cornfield are actually hurting people." Oliver was a "ends justify the means" kind of guy. He blew things up. He funded a global task force. He didn't wait for destiny; he built it.
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The Darker Side of Justin Hartley in Smallville
While the early years of his character were all about playboy charm and dating Lois Lane (yeah, they were a thing, remember?), things got dark fast.
In Season 8, after the show moved to Metropolis and the original creators left, Oliver spiraled. He killed Lex Luthor. He didn't just "let him die"—he blew up a truck with Lex inside. This was a massive deal for a show that had spent years preaching about heroism.
Hartley played the "drunk and depressed" version of Oliver Queen with a raw vulnerability that showed he was more than just a handsome face in a suit. Seeing him burn his Green Arrow costume in a dumpster was a low point for the character, but it made his eventual redemption—and his relationship with Chloe Sullivan—actually mean something.
The "Chlollie" Factor and the Series Finale
By the time we hit the final seasons, Justin Hartley was a series regular and arguably the second most important person on the show. The romance between Chloe and Oliver (Chlollie) was a complete curveball. It wasn't in the comics. Purists hated the idea at first.
But it worked.
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They were the "damaged goods" of the superhero world, finding a weird kind of peace together. In the series finale, we even see that they have a son together in the future, proving that Smallville was willing to deviate from DC lore to reward its own character development.
Speaking of the finale, Oliver’s role was pivotal. He was possessed by Darkseid (through that creepy Omega mark on his skull) and nearly ruined Clark’s wedding with gold kryptonite. But he broke free. He took out Granny Goodness and the other minions with three arrows. It was a solid ending for a guy who started as a recurring guest star and ended as the co-lead of the show.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Rewatchers
If you’re planning a rewatch or just diving into the lore, keep these things in mind about Hartley's run:
- Watch Season 6, Episode 11 ("Justice"): This is the peak of early Green Arrow. It’s the first time we see the prototype Justice League, and Hartley’s leadership is what makes it feel real.
- Don't skip Season 9: This is where Hartley does his best acting. His downward spiral is gritty and feels totally different from the "monster of the week" episodes of the early years.
- Look for the directing credits: Justin Hartley actually directed the Season 10 episode "Dominion." You can see his fingerprints on the visual style—it’s more cinematic and focused on the psychological toll of being a hero.
- Compare the tone: If you're a fan of Stephen Amell's Arrow, go back and watch Hartley. He proves that you can be a "social justice warrior" archer without being miserable 100% of the time.
Justin Hartley’s time on the show changed the trajectory of DC television. Without his success as Oliver Queen, it’s highly unlikely the CW would have ever greenlit Arrow, which means the entire Arrowverse might never have existed. He was the bridge between the "no flights, no tights" era and the modern age of superhero TV.
He didn't just wear the hood; he earned it.
To get the most out of Hartley's performance, track how his posture and voice change from his Season 6 debut to the Season 10 finale; it's a masterclass in aging a character through trauma.