The CW's Smallville remains, arguably, one of the best DC television shows of the last 20 years. Focusing on Superman in his younger years while he comes to grips with his powers, Tom Welling starred as Clark Kent/Superman and provided fans with 10 seasons of great memories.
Most of the characters from the show have been replaced by newer versions in the latest CW ventures such as Green Arrow, The Flash, Black Canary, and even Superman himself. Now that the torches have been passed on, let's take a look at some characters from Smallville who got the ending they deserved, and some who fans were left slightly underwhelmed by.
Good Ending: Hawkman
Michael Shanks made his first appearance in season 9's 'Absolute Justice' episode along with other members of the Justice Society of America, such as Dr. Fate and Stargirl. Shanks played the role of Carter Hall/Hawkman who, along with his wife Shayera, is reincarnated once they die.
We never met Shayera in Smallville, as Carter only mentioned his wife to Clark. Shanks' final appearance was in season 10's 'Icarus', appropriately named due to Carter Hall's death scene where his wings were on fire as he crashed to the ground below. As much as fans would want to see the character continue, Carter Hall died a hero saving Lois, and his death meant that he would be reunited with his wife again in the next life.
Bad Ending: Lana Lang
Lana Lang was played by Kristen Kreuk, and was Clark's main love interest until her departure in season 8 episode 14, where she absorbed enough kryptonite that Clark could never be near her again.
Some fans were not thrilled at Lana wanting to have powers of her own, which lead her to put on a 'suit' that granted her abilities like Clark. That being said, Clark and Lana's final moments together when Clark wanted to be with her one last time, despite the crippling pain it brought him, certainly broke a lot of viewer's hearts.
Good Ending: Lois Lane
Even non-die-hard comic book fans will know the name Lois Lane, as Superman's love interest is synonymous with the character. Lois first appeared relatively early on in the show's fourth season, in the premiere episode 'Crusade,' to investigate her cousin Chloe Sullivan's death.
Lois appropriately became a season regular and appeared in the show's final episode. She discovered Clark's secret and helped him save the world from Darkseid, using no superpowers but her journalistic integrity to stop the president nuke-ing the incoming planet that was about to destroy Earth. What more could we ask for from Lois Lane?
Bad Ending: Bart Allen
Kyle Gallner first appeared as Bart Allen/The Flash in season 4 episode 5, 'Run', where Bart stole Jonathan Kent's wallet while he was in Metropolis. Gallner returned as Bart in season 6 in 'Justice' and again in season 8's 'Doomsday', never to be seen again afterwards.
The character then re-appeared at Hawkman's funeral, although his face was hidden, as another actor was wearing the suit. It's understandable that not every person that Clark meets has to have a complete story arc, but for Bart Allen, who appeared throughout the shows run, a sufficient ending for the character would have satisfied fans slightly more than a disappearing act.
Good Ending: Lex Luthor
Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor was notably absent from seasons eight and nine of Smallville, as well as most of season 10, before re-appearing in the finale. Although fans want to see as much of Lex and Clark's dynamic as possible, having been around for the first seven seasons, it was time for a change and to give Clark a new 'big-bad'.
That being said, Lex only re-appeared in the finale, and was only there to foreshadow that he would continue to be a threat to Clark in the coming years. Darkseid was the main villain in the final episode and is definitely a worthy villain, but given all that Lex and Clark had been through, having Lex be the central villain for the final episode might have been a more fitting ending for the show.
Bad Ending: Chloe Sullivan
After becoming the 'Watchtower' to Clark and the other heroes, Chloe Sullivan played a vital role in the team's missions. Allison Mack appeared as Chloe from the first season, and appeared regularly all the way through to the show's finale.
While she was present and seemingly working hard to defeat Darkseid in the show's final episode, Chloe left Smallville to travel to Star City to access her database and was included in no further scenes in the episode. Some shots of her in Star City talking to Clark would have been good to see, but it's understandable that the final was Clark's moment to shine.
Good Ending: Martha Kent
Martha Kent had been a rock for Clark from very early on, always providing words of wisdom to help Clark deal with the negative side of having his abilities.
Martha continued to do so right until the finale, when her and Clark's deceased father Jonathan Kent helped Clark realize what kind of hero he had become.
Bad Ending: Pete Ross
Pete Ross was Clark and Chloe's best friend since season 1 and was played by Sam Jones III. In season three, Pete left Smallville. He knew that knowing Clark's secret came at a price and that people would always come for him, so he moved to Wichita with his mother.
This was a great ending for the character, but the actor was then brought back in season seven as a Stretch-Armstrong-type hero. It was great to see Pete Ross again, and his arc was interesting in that episode, but the original ending for the character was more emotional.
Good Ending: Clark Kent
Until his most recent, and controversial, appearance in Crisis on Infinite Earths, fans got to see Tom Welling finally suit up as Superman in the final episode of Smallville's tenth season 'Finale'. Welling's Superman finally learned to fly in this episode and donned Brandon Routh's suit from Superman Returns.
This episode left fans bittersweet, as it marked the last time they would see Tom Welling's Clark Kent on screen. However, last year Welling re-appeared as Clark Kent in the latest CW Crossover episode 'Crisis On Infinite Earths' where he had given up his powers to be with Lois and their children. Some fans were left disappointed after hearing that Welling was making his return but, in terms of Smallville, Clark Kent ended up as the fully-fledged Man of Steel that the show was leading up to.
Bad Ending: Oliver Queen/Green Arrow
Before Stephen Amell donned the green hood in Arrow, Justin Hartley played the emerald archer in Smallville. The character was certainly a fan favorite and was a fantastic addition to the show. Battling alcoholism and his own demons, Oliver stopped being the Green Arrow for a time before re-taking the mantle again.
However, in the show's final moments Justin Hartley shot three arrows into Darkseid's minions, and then could only be seen on the ground, staring up at the sky, spurring Clark on. It should be noted that his redemption arc from being taken over by the darkness was an interesting one for the character, but a fully-fledged fight sequence showing what the Green Arrow can do may have been more visually entertaining.