Fates of Several Decided on 'Smallville' Season Premiere

The Season 7 premiere of Smallville felt like the tally of who lives and who dies as the fates of several characters were left in the balance during the season finale last spring. However, fans had to wait to the final minutes to discover the fate of Lana Lang Luthor (Kristin Kreuk). *** The following might contain some spoilers***

Lana lives! Unless of course, you are reading the certificates of death in the morgue. Don't you wonder how the medical examiner confirmed her death? Did they find a body in the explosion? If so, who was it? And how did it get in Lana's car?

Meanwhile, Lana is in hiding halfway around the world. In the final few minutes we see a blond-wigged Lana strolling through China. Someone please tell me the purpose of wearing a disguise if you are going to take it off and stand in front of a window.

But never fear, Lana will be back in Smallville before you know it and she has her sights set on Clark (Tom Welling). That is if it really is Lana! According to Kristin at E!Online (www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin), cloning played a part in Lana's survival. I wonder if that means she wasn't responsible for the explosion that she supposedly died in. Real or not, except to see a darker Lana. And I thought she was already rivaling Lex in her manipulating and ruthlessness last season.

On the other hand, Chloe (Allison Mack) dies. After Clark rescues her and Lois (Erica Durance) from the dam, Chloe is rushed to the hospital where she's declared dead. Then she comes back to life on the slab in the morgue -- that would freak anyone out.

We don't know yet how Chloe survived, or rather resurrected. In fact she isn't talking to anyone about what happened in the lab in the dam. I'm not sure if she's in denial or if she really just doesn't understand it herself. But I doubt that Lois will leave it alone for long.

Lois and Chloe's relationship will come to a head later this season when Lois gets a job working for the Daily Planet, according to TV Guide (www.tvguide.com/ask-ausiello). Speaking of the Daily Planet, expect to see a new Editor in Chief. No, Perry White isn't back. The job will be filled by Grant Gabriel (Michael Cassidy) and I think we meet him next week. Could he be Lois' new love interest now that Oliver Queen is out of the picture?

But back to the fates of our current characters. Although his life wasn't in jeopardy at the end of the Season 6 finale, Lex, who is incarcerated in the back of a police car (where were the cops, I don't know?) headed to jail for the murder of Lana, nearly drowns when the dam breaks causing a flash flood. But he's saved, but not by Clark. In Lex's words, he was saved by "an angel."

Turns out his angel is Kara (Laura Vandervoot) or as some might know her, Supergirl. Besides the big save, we see very little of Kara in this episode except for in the final moments where she sits on a water tower, a la Dark Angel, in new clothes. Those Kryptonians sure like their red and blue.

Clark will meet his cousin Kara next week. But I'm not sure that this family reunion will be all that happy. Both Jor El and Martian Manhunter appear to be warning Clark against befriending Kara in the preview. We should learn a bit more about our newest Kryptonian in the next episode. Hopefully they'll tell us where she's been all this time and why she's appeared now.

Either way expect her to attract a lot of attention. I don't think Lex will be able to easily forget his angel. Remember how obsessed he was when Clark saved him the first time? And I wouldn't want to be Chloe when Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore) meets this blond beauty.

We'll meet Kara's aunt (Helen Slater, the original Supergirl) -- is that Clark's mom? -- and her dad Zor-El (possibly played by Kevin Sorbo) in episode six this season, according to KryptonSite (www.kryptonsite.com).

But back to Lex. Pained by the loss of his wife and influenced by his angel encounter, Lex decides to face his arrest for Lana's murder. Is he just feeling guilty about loosing her or is he really guilty for trying to kill her? Despite his new founded conscious, he's still obsessed with Level 33.1. While in jail, he asked about subject 5.3. I wonder who 5.3 is? Was it the phantom or is there something else to come?

I wondered about the little boy that found Lois and Chloe in the dam and asked for help. I'm assuming he was one of the experiments (why else would he be down there?), but we don't see him again after the rescue. Could he turn up again later?

Lionel Luthor (John Glover) was also rescued -- or at least pulled to safety -- by someone unknown in a long coat. My guess is that it was the Martin Manhunter (Phil Morris). And although we never saw Lionel regain consciousness, I understand he'll be back and will play a pivotal role in the fifth episode.

Yes, the Martian Manhunter returned as Clark's cryptic mentor to help him in this week's epic battle -- Bizarro Superman. And from what I understand he'll be back several more times this season.

If you remember from the finale, the last phantom from the Phantom Zone used kryptonite to borrow a few cells from Clark and become whole. The complete opposite of Clark, Bizarro still contained Clark's memories -- which could explain the groping of Lois. Clark's weakness -- kryptonite -- actually makes Bizarro stronger. And thanks to the Martian Manhunter, we learned that Clark's strength -- the sun -- was Bizarro's weakness.

In all it didn't take Clark long to defeat his alter ego -- by the way thanks for putting the two is opposite colors (of course, blue and red) so we could distinguish between them.

I'll have to admit I was a little disappointed to see Bizarro go some quickly. I thought he could be a daunting foe for our superhero for a few more episodes. Besides, I think Tom Welling plays dark and evil really well.

But never fear, there will be more big bads in Clark's future. Dean Cain (Lois & Clark) will pop up in the fourth episode as Dr. Curtis Knox with a cure for the meteor freaks. James Marster will reprise his role as Dr. Milton Fine. I've heard no word on whether or not the Justice League will make an appearance this season.

I don't know about you, but I've got my seat on the couch reserved for Thursdays nights because this Season 7 of Smallville promises to be exciting.