Smallville is back for it’s 9th season and Metropolis needs a hero now more than ever. This year, the creators have many special guest stars in store. The premiere did allow some viewers to play catchup by showing the major information from season eight. This season promises to be another exciting journey for TV’s favorite superhero.

Chloe’s desperately searching for Olie, Dina, Bart and Lois. Lois and some mysterious ninja assassin are suddenly flashed into a train. A fight ensues and the train starts to derail. Clark saves the day. He burns the Superman symbol into the train glass to mark his victory.

He seems to need to tag his jobs nowadays. Lois apparently has been gone for three weeks with no clue as to where she was. When Lois goes back to the train, she meets John Corbin (Brian Austin Green). Lois was transported into the future using Clark’s ring.

Major Zod has Tess Mercer held hostage. Attempts to interrogate her don’t work. Zod and his people were transferred to Earth with Tess. She is beat up and scarred. She seems to know more than what she is letting on. Lois’ assassin tries to attack her, knowing that Superman will save her. The assassin is revealed as being from Krypton. She tells Clark that he will destroy her world in one year. The two battle. Clark wins.

Clark goes to his fortress of solitude to train with Jor-El. Clark has abandoned his red and blue suit for a trench coat. Jor-El informs him that he must detach himself from his emotional ties to complete his destiny.

Lois discovers that John Corbin is a field reporter for the daily planet. When she heads to bed, she has flashes of odd events which include her and Clark being intimate.

If you followed this show for many seasons, it would not be hard to keep up now. However, new viewers or people that missed last season, will find that understanding what’s going on will be difficult (watch the first clip above to help you catch up). I’m not sure I like this new look for Clark, but I always was a sucker for a man in tights.