'Smallville' cast to get smaller next season?

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

As has been widely reported, "Smallville" recently was renewed for a ninth season. Another season had been in doubt until Tom Welling put pen to paper and signed on to play Clark Kent for at least one more season.

Or at least that's what everyone has assumed. No official announcement has been made about Welling signing a new deal, but it is hard to fathom "Smallville" without him. A spinoff would be possible, but another season of "Smallville" would be an awfully tough sell without the man in red and blue.

However, assuming Welling does return, some of his castmates might not. According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, two of the show's "pivotal characters" will not be around for the show's ninth season.

Ausiello wrote, "Multiple sources confirm to me exclusively that two pivotal characters will bite the dust in this May's season finale. And in a bit of a departure for Smallville, both deaths will stick." Ausiello goes on to say his insider insists the characters "will die and they will stay dead. This is the real deal."

Of course, the show's rabid fan base immediately began to debate which characters were on the chopping block.

Further fueling the fire, Ausiello wrote that "one character qualifies as a Smallville vet ... the other one, not so much."

Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), John Jones (Martian Manhunter), Lana Lang, Lex Luthor and Martha Kent would seem to qualify as "vets."
Tess Mercer and Davis Bloome (Doomsday) would fall into the "not so much" category.

And although Smallville rarely shies away from shaking up the status quo of the Superman mythos, it still would be a major shock to see Clark, Lois, Jimmy, Oliver, Lex or John Jones killed off. Lana already has been dispatched from the program and Ma Kent has been a no-show for a while. That leaves Chloe (played by Alison Mack) as the most likely character to take a dirt nap at the season's end.

As for Tess and Davis, either is possible. However, fans of the show have been quick to point out that Davis Bloome (played by Sam Witwer) could die, while Doomsday could live.

Fueling speculation that Chloe and Davis are not long for the world of "Smallville" is the fact that Ausiello previously posted the following: "The Legion will return in the May finale -- in some form. Also, I'm told this season's final two episodes will focus on a manhunt for Chloe and Doomsday."

You can bet Chloe's fans will be watching that "manhunt" from the edge of their seats.

Update on Mon, March 16, 2009 by Sean Gerski