Why The Smallville Finale Didn't Show Tom Welling In The Full Superman Suit
The Smallville finale gave Clark Kent a Superman moment without showing Tom Welling in the full costume. The decision goes back further than you might think.
Smallville, a long-running superhero TV show, primarily showcased Clark Kent's transformation into Superman rather than his time as the iconic hero. For the majority of the series, Clark never employed the Superman moniker or wore the signature suit. In the finale, distant CGI shots of Superman in costume appeared, but Tom Welling, who played Clark, only donned a sleeveless T-shirt with the 'S' emblem to emulate the outfit.
The decision to not feature a full Superman suit was primarily due to costs and the show's "no flights, no tights" rule, which meant Clark couldn't fly or wear the suit. This policy was also a part of Welling's contract. Welling's idea to avoid showing Clark flying off the Daily Planet's roof was inspired by the ending of the TV show 24.
Despite the decision, Welling returned for Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover in 2019 and 2020, portraying Clark Kent on Earth-167, who had given up his powers to focus on his family. Executive producer Caroline Dries noted that Welling's Clark Kent on the farm is the version most fans envision when thinking of the character, which explained why the farm remained in the crossover.
While the decision to depict Welling's Clark as powerless was not popular among fans, Welling himself supported the choice.
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