One Smallville episode ruins the ending the Arrowverse gave to Tom Welling’s Superman in “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. In the five-part Arrowverse, Smallville’s Clark Kent was brought back for a cameo that revealed what happened to him years after the show ended. A shocking twist confirmed that the character once destined to be Earth’s greatest hero is now completely powerless.

As it turns out, Clark willingly gave up all of his Kryptonian abilities just a few years after donning the red cape and learning how to fly in the Smallville season 10 finale. “Crisis on Infinite Earths” showed that Clark has no regrets, as his decision has made it possible for him to enjoy a quiet and humble life on the Kent farm with Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and their two children. On Smallville, this felt like an impossible future for Clark, but giving up his powers after Smallville opened the door for the Man of Steel to end his superhero journey and finally get the normal life that had always been denied to him since the beginning of the series.

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Clark’s cameo in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” came across as a happy ending for the character, but a season 8 episode stands in the way of it being a fitting conclusion to his Smallville story. In “Legion”, Clark received a visit from the Legion of Super-Heroes, a group of heroes from the 31st century who were already aware of Clark’s destiny as Superman. Clark found out from them that he was expected to accomplish “legendary” feats that would make him renowned throughout the galaxy. According to them, Clark’s influence would spread across the universe and totally change the way aliens are perceived. His meeting with the Legion set a high bar for Clark’s future as Superman, yet “Crisis on Infinite Earths” made it hard to imagine that Clark ever lived up to the legacy promised by the episode.

The Arrowverse Changed Clark’s Superman Story

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What happened in “Legion” serves as evidence that “Crisis on Infinite Earths” changed Clark’s destiny. Though newspaper clippings in Clark’s “Crisis” confirm he spent at least some time as Superman before retiring, the age of his daughters is a sign that Clark wasn’t Superman for very long at all. After all, the Crisis only took place eight years after the show ended. With Clark having such a short tenure as Superman, it’s highly unlikely that he ever achieved his full potential or became a legend in the 31st century. “Legion” painted a grand picture of the hero Superman would be and the impact he would have on the entire galaxy, which is why it’s a bit disappointing that Clark was Superman for only a few years – if that long.

At the cost of giving Clark a happy ending, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” inadvertently erased the future set up by his encounter with the Legion of Super-Heroes in Smallville season 8. Lana assured Clark in the episode that he would become the legendary hero the Legion said he’d be, but it seems the Arrowverse had other plans for Tom Welling’s character. Unfortunately, it seems Clark’s Superman phase in Smallville’s universe was extremely short-lived.