February 16, 2011 (Burbank, California) – Michael Rosenbaum will reprise his role as Lex Luthor in the series finale of SMALLVILLE on Friday, May 13 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.)
“I’m delighted to return for the series finale,” says Rosenbaum. “I’m simply doing it for all of the fans out there who made SMALLVILLE the great success it is. I appreciate all of their passion, their relentlessness and even their threats. Ha ha. I can’t wait to hug the old crew back in Vancouver one last time and see all of my old friends once again. Oh, and for Lex to become the badass he’s destined to be.”
Executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders added, “It feels like the stars are aligning, literally. We couldn’t be more excited about having Michael back. And as far as the way he returns, there’ll be no doubt about how Lex becomes the great rival in Clark Kent’s life. He is the villain of the story.”
Rosenbaum exited at the end of season seven after Lex confronted Clark (Tom Welling) in the Fortress of Solitude. Years of secrets came to a head as Clark’s former friend finally discovered the truth about Clark’s alien heritage. The rivalry between the two culminated into a final showdown and crumbled, literally, under an icy avalanche as the Fortress fell. Lex’s body was never found. Now, Lex has risen from the ashes to fulfill his place in destiny as Clark Kent’s greatest nemesis.
EDITOR'S CONJECTURE:
At this point we know (or suspect) that the Lex clone is Conner Kent, presumably made up of the DNA of both Clark and Lex. The impression given is that Clark and Conner would team up to battle Darkseid and, one might assume, the original Lex Luthor.
However, above Brian Peterson comments, "There'll be no doubt about how Lex becomes the great RIVAL in Clark Kent's life. He is the villain of the story."
Now one might be able to make the leap — again, all conjecture here — that towards the end Conner will become fully super-powered and, given his need for power, he decides that instead of working with Clark, he tries to kill him, shaving his head and becoming Michael Rosenbaum...er Lex. Clark survives the attack and uses something to strip Lex of his powers, making him just a man as Clark embraces his destiny as Superman.
The rivalry is ended, the hatred from Lex to Clark or (at that point) Superman fueled for the rest of their lives.
Any of that make sense?