Arrowverse producer Marc Guggenheim reveals Smallville's Tom Welling was supportive of Superman's ending in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The CW's crossover event began in December 2019 and united heroes from Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman. However, in addition to the Arrowverse shows, Crisis on Infinite Earths also featured characters from Black Lightning, Titans, and a host of other DC properties. One was Smallville, with Welling and co-star Erica Durance appearing in the event.
Smallville premiered on The WB where it ran for five seasons. Following a network merger with UPN, it aired on The CW through its tenth and final season. Welling played Clark Kent as a high school student for the show's first four years, before transitioning to more adult adventures. Unlike most superhero shows, Smallville focused on Clark's journey to becoming Superman, rather than his time in the cape. Durance joined the cast in season 4 as Lois Lane and stayed on until the series finale. Ironically, Durance plays a separate role in the Arrowverse as Kara Danvers/Supergirl's mother Alura, having taken over the part from Laura Benanti.
Producer Marc Guggenheim spoke about Welling's role in Crisis on Infinite Earths during an interview on Fake Nerd Podcast. During the crossover, it was revealed that his Clark Kent had given up his powers. According to Guggenheim, this was something Welling supported, explaining, "The idea that Clark would give up his powers in order to have this kind of life, that really resonated with all of us, and I think it really resonated with Tom [Welling]. It just makes sense." The producer also spoke about making sure Welling's appearance didn't take away from the ending of Smallville:
It was one of the reasons why it was so important for us to show you those Daily Planet articles that Lois wrote. We very much wanted to tell the audience that the promise of Smallville was, 'He's going to become Superman.' We wanted to make it very clear that that did happen, that he did become Superman, that he did have all these adventures, but they are left to your imagination.
Crisis on Infinite Earths concluded this past January. However, Guggenheim recently revealed Arrowverse creatives already know what next year's crossover will be. Considering the number of cameos in Crisis, as well as the conclusion of Arrow, it's safe to say it will be a smaller affair. However, there may be two new Arrowverse shows taking part in next year's event. Supergirl spinoff series Superman and Lois has reportedly received a straight-to-series order. Meanwhile, Arrow spinoff Green Arrow and the Canaries is still a possibility. All told, there could be 6 Arrowverse shows on The CW next season.
Welling and Durance's cameos in Crisis on Infinite Earths stood out amid a sea of other appearances thanks to the popularity of Smallville and its characters. Despite the large number of things the writers had to keep in mind while crafting the crossover, it's nice to hear staying true to Smallville was a priority. With the Tom Welling seal of approval, fans can hardly complain about the ending Clark and Lois received in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Source: Fake Nerd Podcast