Odyssey (S08E01)

Years ago, a meteor shower burst from the heavens, raining destruction on the unsuspecting citizens of Smallville, Kansas. From the ashes of tragedy grew Clark Kent (series star Tom Welling), whose transition from boyhood to manhood was particularly difficult as he came to grips with his emerging superpowers. In the eighth season of Smallville, Clark will be at a crossroads -- and closer than ever to becoming the superhero of legend. At the end of last season, Chloe (series star Allison Mack) was arrested for hacking into federal databases -- just as she was about to respond to a marriage proposal from Jimmy Olsen (series star Aaron Ashmore); and, in a tearful, videotaped good-bye, Lana (former series star Kristin Kreuk) told Clark that she was leaving Smallville and his life forever. The season came to a stunning conclusion with a confrontation between Clark and his longtime nemesis, Lex Luthor (former series star Michael Rosenbaum) under the frozen columns of Clark's arctic Fortress of Solitude. Years of secrets came to a head as Clark's former friend finally discovered the truth about Clark's alien heritage. Clark's world soon came crashing down as the fortress crumbled in an icy avalanche. The eighth season premiere takes place a few weeks after the Fortress' icy collapse, as a LuthorCorp arctic excavation team investigates Lex's whereabouts. The Justice League, led by the Green Arrow (series star Justin Hartley), hits the Artic in search of Clark, who disappeared after the collapse. The team immediately has a confrontation with the new CEO of LuthorCorp, Tess Mercer (series star Cassidy Freeman). Meanwhile, Chloe is being held prisoner by a suspicious group who has discovered she has a new power, and Clark has been stripped of his powers by Jor-El. (Warner Bros. UK)