Principal James Kwan was Smallville High School's principal from June 2001- Spring 2002 until his death.
Personality[]
Principal Kwan was known for his no-nonsense tactics and his high personal integrity. He was also very perceptive, having seen Coach Walt Arnold for who he really is: a dangerous and hot-headed man, whereas most people thought that Coach Arnold was a saint and a good person.[1]
Season One[]
Principal Kwan discovered that Coach Walt Arnold helped seven of his players cheat on a math test. He was going to try to prove it when Coach Arnold set his car on fire with him inside. Clark saved him, but he was badly burned and hospitalized.
Kwan fired Chloe Sullivan as the editor of the Smallville Torch, citing her unverifiable stories. He put Lana Lang in her place, but only for one issue. Chloe was reinstated when she promised not to publish anything she can't prove.
Kwan also caught Clark in the swimming pool during the school day, which is normally off-limits. Lana had pushed him in while under the influence of the Nicodemus flower, but she managed to slip away undetected. Clark got a Saturday detention.
When Felice Chandler was attacked by bees controlled by Sasha Woodman, Kwan discovered Felice in her car covered by bees.
In the spring of 2002, Justin Gaines was released from the hospital after suffering extensive injuries in a hit-and-run accident. Kwan's son Danny had accidentally hit Justin, but the authorities had failed to track the car. The elder Kwan, worried that the Air Force would have Danny court-martialed should he go public about the accident, ordered his son to stay quiet and bought his car in order not to destroy Danny's promising career.
This proved to be a fatal mistake, as Justin traced the license plate and assumed James Kwan was responsible for the accident. Justin showed up at Kwan's house and telekinetically moved the same car that hit him to murder Principal Kwan. Clark mourned Kwan's death, with Chloe commenting some secrets can be deadly, even if they are to help your loved ones. Kwan was later avenged by Clark, who subdued Justin in a fight.
Justin's parents, who presumably learned of Justin's wrongdoing, had him committed to a hospital for the criminally insane. The death also hurt Danny Kwan, who went through with his original plan of reporting the accident to his superiors to atone for his earlier mistake.
Smallville Ledger article about Kwan's death.
Appearances[]
- Season One: Pilot (deleted scene), Arrival (as Assistant Principal Swan), Hothead, Craving (Mentioned only), Rogue, Leech (Mentioned only), Nicodemus, Drone, Crush
- Smallville The Comic: Raptor (Mentioned only)
- Animal Rage (Mentioned only)
In the Comics[]
In Superboy #71 (March, 1959), the principal of Smallville High is named James Foster.
References[]
| Previous Principal: Rupert Hughes |
Next Principal: Interim Principal Martin Gibbons (Red) |