Samuel Lane (Smallville)

{{DC Database:Minor Character
 * Name                   = Sam Lane
 * Image                  = Sam Lane (Smallville).JPG
 * Universe               = Earth-Smallville
 * Alias                  = Uncle Sam


 * First                  = Smallville Episode: Gone
 * Last                   = Smallville Episode: Façade


 * History                = Sam Lane was an officer in the United States armed forces holding the rank of General. His wife passed away many years ago, but she was survived by two daughters Lois (whom Sam always called "Lo") and Lucy. He is also the uncle of Chloe Sullivan and is often affectionately referred to as "Uncle Sam" (a pun in deference to his military career as well as his relationship to Chloe). In 2004, Sam Lane learned that Chloe's life, as well as that of her father Gabe Sullivan, was at great peril due to the actions of Lionel Luthor. Lionel sought to silence Chloe to prevent her from testifying against him at a murder trial. Sam Lane conspired with Lionel's son Lex to set Gabe and Moira up in a special safe house to protect them from Lionel. Lionel found them anyway and had explosives installed in the house set to detonate as soon as they entered. What Lionel didn't know, was that Sam Lane had a special escape tunnel beneath the floor of the home. When the bomb exploded, Chloe and Gabe were able to get to the underground shelter and avoid the blast. To the outside world however, it was believed that the Sullivans died in the explosion. Sam and Lex set them up in another safe house and even his daughter Lois was unaware that Chloe was still alive.

Three months later, Lois came to Smallville and began investigating her cousin's alleged death. She even went so far as to dig up Chloe's empty coffin at the cemetery. This drew Sam Lane's attention, and he sent a squad of helicopters to the scene to investigate. Thanks to the efforts of Clark Kent, Lois was able to avoid being apprehended by the military. Upon learning that his daughter was involved in this affair, he tracked her back to the Kent farm. He met with Clark's parents and had a brief reunion with Lois.

Clark soon discovered that Sam Lane had been working with Lex Luthor (he found evidence of one of Sam's cigars at Luthor Mansion). Before long, he was able to discover where Chloe was hiding and rescue her before Lionel Luthor could finish her off.

After the Chloe situation was resolved, Sam Lane returned to Washington. He came back to Smallville a short time later, when he discovered that Lois' exploits resulted in her failure to complete her senior year of high school. Seeing as how she had been spending so much time in Smallville as of late, he decided to enroll her at Smallville High.

Sam later helped Chloe defeat a mind-controlling Balkan named Mikhail Mxyzptlk by lending her an electromagnetic scanner. The device succeeded in creating a counter-frequency that blocked the use of Mikhail's powers.

Notes:
 * The role of Sam Lane was played by actor Michael Ironsides.


 * Sam Lane had a fondness for hand-rolled Cuban cigars. He offered one to Jonathan whom reluctantly refused due to a pre-existing heart condition. Clark Kent found one of Lane's cigar stubs at Luthor Mansion, which clued him in to the fact that Sam had been working with Lex.