Why The Smallville Finale Didn't Show Tom Welling In The Full Superman Suit
"Smallville" was one of the most successful superhero TV shows, but it focused on how Clark Kent (Tom Welling) became Superman rather than his adventures as the iconic hero. For most of the series, Clark doesn't use the Superman moniker or wear the signature suit. And while the finale includes distant CGI shots of Superman in costume, the closest Welling himself gets to wearing it is when Clark opens his shirt to reveal the "S" emblem. In an interview with Variety, Welling explained that a full suit was too expensive, so he simply donned a sleeveless T-shirt with the logo to emulate the outfit.
Costs aside, "Smallville" didn't plan to feature a full Superman suit anyway. The show had a "no flights, no tights" rule, meaning Clark wouldn't fly or wear the suit (though it took some liberties with the "no flights" part). That policy also became part of Welling's contract. Inspired by the ending of "24," Welling came up with the idea of not showing Clark as Superman flying off the Daily Planet's roof.
"We can't go with him," Welling told Variety. "But he's out there."
Tom Welling reprised his Smallville role in the Arrowverse
When the Arrowverse staged its "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover in late 2019 and early 2020, it featured multiple versions of Superman from different Earths. Tom Welling, who nearly passed on "Smallville," returned as Clark Kent, but still didn't appear in the full Superman suit. Instead, he played a version of Clark who had given up his powers to focus on his family. On Earth-167, Clark is back at the familiar Kent family farm, where he lives with his wife, Lois Lane (Erica Durance), and the daughters they're raising.
"I think the Tom Welling/Clark Kent that we all picture when we think of him is Clark on the farm," Caroline Dries, an executive producer on "Batwoman," said during a screening of the crossover (via ET). "So it made sense that the farm is still there."
While the decision to make Welling's Clark powerless wasn't necessarily popular within the fandom, Welling himself approved of the choice.