Season 8
Forging ahead into its eighth season, this modern retelling of the Superman legend and its classic characters continues to blend realism, action and emotional depth to reveal a new interpretation of the enduring mythology.
This season Clark Kent (Tom Welling) moves closer than ever to embracing his calling as the iconic superhero he is destined to become.
Spending less time in his hometown and more time in the big city of Metropolis, Clark will encounter new challenges and a few new faces, both friend and foe, as he begins his career at the Daily Planet.
This season will feature visits by characters from every corner of the D.C. universe, including Plastique, the heroine-to-be with an explosive personality; Maxima, the seductive, intergalactic goddess; and Superman's most formidable adversary, Doomsday, the only character who is able to kill Superman.
This season will also feature an appearance by D.C. Comics' time-traveling Legion of Superheroes, who come back from the future in an episode to be penned by renowned comic book writer Geoff Johns.
Last season came to a stunning conclusion with a confrontation between Clark and his longtime nemesis, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) under the frozen columns of Clark's arctic Fortress of Solitude.
Years of secrets came to a head as Clark's former friend finally discovered the truth about Clark's alien heritage. Clark's world soon came crashing down as the fortress crumbled in an icy avalanche, leaving both characters' fate a mystery.
Lex's moment of truth didn't come without a price. He murdered his father Lionel (John Glover) for the information about the legendary "Traveler."
Clark also had to defeat Brainiac (James Marsters), who had banished Clark's Supergirl cousin Kara (Laura Vandervoort) to the Phantom Zone and attacked both Chloe (Allison Mack) and Lana (Kristin Kreuk), leaving them both in catatonic comas.
Though Brainiac's demise ultimately lifted their trances, Chloe was soon arrested for hacking into federal databases - just as she was about to respond to Jimmy Olsen's (Aaron Ashmore) marriage proposal.
Meanwhile, in a tearful, videotaped goodbye, Lana told Clark that she was leaving Smallville and his life forever, encouraging Clark to fulfill his destiny - something he cannot accomplish with her in his world.
While one chapter of his life seemingly came to an end, another one was about to begin. With fewer commitments tethering Clark to the farm, Lois Lane (Erica Durance) asked him to apply for a job opening at the Daily Planet.
The season eight premiere takes place a few weeks after the Fortress' icy collapse, as a LuthorCorp arctic excavation team investigates Lex's whereabouts.
Meanwhile, members of the Justice League, including Green Arrow (Justin Hartley), Black Canary (guest star Alaina Huffman) and Aquaman (guest star Alan Ritchson), reunite in the search for Clark, who has been rendered powerless by the fall of the Fortress.
As episodes unfold, Clark's new position at the Daily Planet will mean working across the desk from Lois. The two will be forced to team up to cover some of Metropolis' most pressing goings on. Sometimes it's Lois herself who becomes Clark's biggest obstacle, especially when he's on a deadline.
With Clark and Lois thrust into such close proximity, sparks are bound to fly, and feelings will start to surface that come as a surprise to both of them.
At the same time, Clark begins to discover the balancing act he must perform as he explores his dual identities as both reporter and superhero.
Even with Lex gone, the Luthor mansion isn't vacant for long. Its newest resident is the beguiling Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman), who, according to Lex's written instructions, has been placed in charge of LuthorCorp and all of its projects, including oversight of the Daily Planet.
Tess proves to be as inscrutable as she is cunning, and an enigmatic new presence in our characters' lives.
It won't be long before Tess' attention turns to Clark. But Clark is wary of her intentions, and as the layers of her past are peeled away, new mysteries surface.
Through it all Tess' resolve remains unshakable - to find Lex Luthor, who she is convinced is still alive.
Clark isn't the only one who will face formidable challenges. Oliver Queen has come back to make Metropolis his home, where he finds himself at a crossroads, forced to travel through some dark terrain - especially when demons from his past are reawakened. Oliver ultimately begins to question his role as a superhero, just as Clark is embracing his own.
With a new fiancé and puzzling new abilities that intrigue her as much as they frighten her, Chloe decides to turn her attention towards helping others. She takes over where Lana left off and reopens the Isis Foundation to provide counseling for those with meteor-powered abilities.
She soon finds just how tricky the meteor-powered can be.
Chloe's life is further complicated when she meets Metropolis paramedic Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer). A tireless public servant, Bloome strikes up a fast friendship with Chloe.
Soulful and mysterious, Bloome has demons of his own. He's troubled by large gaps of time that he can't remember, and as he comes closer to the answers, he must confront his own worst fear - that at his core he is pure evil.
Smallville was developed for television by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics characters. Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson, Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola.
The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster.