’Smallville’s John Glover Suggested Lex Luthor Kill His Father in Season 7

During Smallville‘s first seven seasons, viewers watched Michael Rosenbaum‘s version of Lex Luthor grow more into the classic comic book villain. One person who had a big influence on Lex’s dark path was his father Lionel, played by John Glover. In the show’s seventh season, Lex sealed his fate as a villain when he murdered his father. On a recent episode of Rosenbaum’s Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast, Glover revealed that he suggested to the writers to have Lex kill Lionel.

Season 7 would be Glover’s final season as a regular on the Superman prequel series. “And I talked to the writers, I said, ‘Listen, when you do write me off, let Lex kill me,'” said Glover on the podcast. “Because I figured that that would really be who [Lex] became.” In the episode “Descent,” Lex met with his father at LuthorCorp. However, Lex later threw Lionel out of one of the building’s windows, and his father fell to his death. “That was one of the most pinnacle moments of the show, to me, for my character anyway,” said Rosenbaum on the podcast. Although Lex and Clark Kent (Tom Welling) were no longer friends, Season 7 took their rivalry to new heights. At the end of the season, Lex discovers the truth about Clark’s alien heritage. The season concludes with the two former friends at the Fortress of Solitude. Just like in the comic books, Lex reveals that he thought he had to save humanity from the potential of Clark’s power, and destroys the fortress with the two of them still inside it.

Despite Lionel Luthor’s death in Season 7, Glover would return to the series as a different version of the character from an alternate universe. In Season 10, the alternate Lionel travels to Smallville‘s main universe. In the series finale, Lionel was working to help bring Lex back to life, after he was killed by Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) in Season 8. This version of Lionel was later possessed by the villain Darkseid. In the finale, the possessed Lionel was there for when Clark flew for the first time.

DC Has Revisited ‘Smallville’ Since the Series Finale

Although Smallville concluded after 10 seasons in 2011, DC has revisited Welling’s version of Clark Kent. A comic book series, Smallville Season 11, followed the show’s version of Clark after he began suiting up as Superman. The comics ran from 2012-2013 and was written by Smallville writer Bryan Q. Miller. Welling later reprised his role as Clark Kent for an appearance 2019-2020 Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Smallville is currently available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. The full episode of Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum featuring Glover can be watched below:

Smallville

After a meteor shower bursts from the heavens, raining destruction on the unsuspecting citizens of Smallville, years pass, and the healing process leaves the town’s inhabitants with scars and secrets. From the ashes of tragedy, a popular yet awkward teen attempts to decipher the meaning of his life and his clouded past.

Release Date

October 16, 2001

Cast

Tom Welling, Cassidy Freeman, Erica Durance, Justin Hartley

Genres

Drama, Superhero

Seasons

10

Studio

The CW

Watch on Hulu