Now in its eighth season, this modern reinterpretation of the enduring Superman mythology and its classic characters continues to blend realism, adventure and emotion into an exciting action series. With realistic portrayals and award-winning, state-of-the-art special effects, SMALLVILLE stars Tom Welling (The Fog, Cheaper by the Dozen movies), Allison Mack (The Ant Bully, Opposite Sex), Erica Durance (House of the Dead, The Butterfly Effect 2), Aaron Ashmore (Veronica Mars, The West Wing, upcoming The Christmas Cottage), Cassidy Freeman (Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee, Cold Case), Sam Witwer (Battlestar Galatica) and Justin Hartley (Aquaman, Passions). From Tollin/Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Smallville airs Thursdays (8:00–9:00 p.m. ET/PT) on The CW.

This season, Clark Kent (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 new faces – both friend and foe – as he begins his career at the Daily Planet. Characters from every corner of the DC Comics universe will pay visits, 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 DC Comics' time-traveling Legion of Superheroes, who return 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 (former series star 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 (former series star John Glover) for information about the legendary Traveler. Clark also had to defeat Brainiac (recurring guest star James Marsters), who had banished Clark's Supergirl cousin Kara (recurring guest star Laura Vandervoort) to the Phantom Zone and attacked both Chloe (Mack) and Lana (former series star 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 a marriage proposal from Jimmy Olsen (Ashmore). Meanwhile, in a tearful, videotaped good-bye, Lana told Clark that she was leaving Smallville and his life forever, encouraging Clark to fulfill his destiny – something he wouldn't be able to accomplish with her in his world. While one chapter of his life seemingly came to an end, another was about to begin. With fewer commitments tethering Clark to the farm, Lois Lane (Durance) asked him to apply for a job opening at the Daily Planet.

Season eight begins a few weeks after the Fortress' icy collapse, as a LuthorCorp arctic excavation team investigates Lex's whereabouts. Members of the Justice League reunite in the search for Clark, who has been rendered powerless by the fall of the Fortress. As the season unfolds, 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 Metropolis' most pressing goings on. Sometimes it's Lois herself who becomes Clark's biggest obstacle, especially when he's on a deadline. But 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 (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 is an enigmatic new presence in everyone's 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, as she is convinced he is still alive.

Clark isn't the only one who will face formidable challenges. Oliver Queen (Hartley) returns to make Metropolis his home. 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 toward 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 (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.

The series, based on DC Comics characters, was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (both of Spider-Man, Shanghai Noon movies, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and is executive produced by Kelly Souders (Stuck) & Brian Peterson (But I'm a Cheerleader), Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer (both of Control, Natural Selection), Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola (latter three from One Tree Hill, The Bronx Is Burning, Norbit, Wild Hogs). This description was copied and pasted from KryptonSite.com. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.