Smallville episode "Booster" airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET

     Only a handful of episodes remain for the CW’s Smallville. Tonight’s entry, “Booster”, will further the Superman mythology, bringing Clark Kent (Tom Welling) to meet his destiny. In it, Lois (Erica Durance) helps Clark further build his geeky demeanor so that he can come out publically as a hero. Cat (Keri Lynn Pratt) is still not a supporter of The Blur, but she is taken in with a new hero in town: Booster Gold (Eric Martsolf). Booster arrives to try to take The Blur’s place in Metropolis, but unlike Clark, he uses flashy commericals and events to get attention. Meanwhile, Booster’s presence has unexpected consequences when, during a rescue, an alien scarab is released, and it latches onto nerdy Jaime Reyes (Jaren Brandt Bartlett), turning him into the Blue Beetle.

     The following contains light spoilers, meant to get fans excited about tonight’s episode, but refrains from revealing any big twists. If you’d rather go into the hour without knowing anything, please do not read it.

     Which advertisements for the episode make it appear that Clark will be encountering yet another superhero, like many before him, Booster helps Clark learn something about himself. Booster has a few secrets, such as where he came from, and which exactly he chose now, when Clark is on the verge of going public himself, to come to town. Booster actually serves a foil or cautionary tale, rather than just being a distraction. He also gives Clark the chance to demonstrate his saving power, and not in action sequences.

     Jaime / Blue Beetle is the other extreme from Booster. He does not have a secret agenda, but plays more to the other side of Clark, the persona Clark is creating as his secret identity. As such, Jaime also has something that Clark can learn from.

     Besides the main plot, several Superman staples are touched on, strengthening the mythology, and reminding us that the series is coming to an end, and Clark will soon be Superman. In this episode, for the first time, the Clark Kent known and beloved by comic book and movie fans makes an appearance. For anyone doubting that the Clark we’ve watched for ten years can be the traditional image, watch and be amazed. Also, a phone booth makes a quick cameo.

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     Check back tomorrow for a full review of the episode and to discuss what you saw. Smallville airs Friday nights, including tonight, at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.