Starting to think a cooler headcanon for Clark’s upbringing might just be that the entire town of Smallville collectively decided to just go with it and accept that Martha and John's kid has superpowers, but we don't talk about it.
Someone's tractor gets stuck and nothing can get it out? "Be a dear and run down to the Kents, would you? Ask for Clark?"
"Why Clark, we need a machine--"
"Run along now."
Or if he kicks too hard and the football vanishes into the upper stratosphere, no it didn't, we all collectively saw it land over there *vague hand movements*
Clark: *does anything beyond human limits*
Smallville citizen:
The Kent's found an abandoned baby in a cornfield? Well good for them they've been longing for a child for years
I swear that Kent boy was running faster than that train...welp none of my business
Jonathan! Your witch child busted my tractor!
these are small town Midwest farmers they ain't saying shit to FEDS
I was gonna say, Midwestern rules says as long as that boy is polite and respectful (of course he is), there's no reason to ask any questions.
Imagine the nosy bitch (there's always a nosy bitch) going, "Oh, he's their ADOPTED son" and the OUTRAGE. "Oh, is your daddy your step-daddy, Lauren?"
"How could you say that???"
"Because everyone knows you don't look a thing like your daddy, but you sure look like his cousin."
I also like how this can mirror Bruce; Batman only lets a small handful of people in on his hero identity, but most of Gotham has no idea who he is... meanwhile, more than half of Smallville knows about the Kent boy, and they just keep quiet around a few folks they don't trust
When Superman starts showing up on the news all of smallville collectively smile and go and congratulate the Kent’s “you know Martha I just knew that boy of your’s would grow ta some good,” they have a potluck whenever he wins some big fight and are all holding their breath when he get hurt, also every single person in smallville will curse out Lex Luther on a whim,
