 Terence Stamp has voiced the disembodied spirit of Jor @-@ El , Clark 's biological father , in nineteen episodes from season two through season nine . Jor @-@ El first appears to Clark as a voice emanating from the spaceship that brought Clark to Earth , informing him it is time to leave Smallville and fulfill his destiny . In season three 's " Relic " , it is revealed Jor @-@ El came to Smallville as a " rite of passage " by his own father . It is deduced by Clark that Jor @-@ El chose the Kent family to be Clark 's adoptive family after having a positive experience with Jonathan 's father . In the season three finale , Jor @-@ El tricks Clark into leaving Smallville . Jor @-@ El returns Clark three months later , reprogrammed as " Kal @-@ El " to seek out the three stones of knowledge so he can fulfill his destiny , but Clark regains his memories and stops looking for the three stones . 
