I think you summed up Lois and how awesome she is very well indeed. She really is heroic in her own way. I think that's true of the character in general, but very much so in Smallville. Erica was so good in the role, no doubt, but also I think with Smallville being Clark's journey to Superman, she had a chance to play a part in the way he built that alternate persona, even if she didn't always know she was doing it. That's something other Lois Lanes can't say! :)