When Zod unleashes his army of Kandorians in the Season 9 finale of Smallville, Chloe calls in some old friends to help Clark win the battle. Posing as the Blur, Zod asks Lois to steal the Book of Rao from Clark, though when she confronts his actions, he refuses full disclosure. Meanwhile, Oliver disappears as he and Chloe try to fight the Kandorians, and Tess gets burned while trying to stop Zod.

The episode opens in the year 2013 and Perry White is the editor-in-chief over at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is the big girl on campus, hunting down stories on politicians, though that changes quickly when she reads a headline saying Lex Luthor is running for President (What?!). Just then, a damaged plane is on a collision course with the Daily Planet. Before Lois can find her go-to photographer (Olsen!), Superman (in the iconic super suit) saves the day.

OK, so it was just a dream Clark was having, though when he wakes up, he finds a note from him mother saying “If you choose to stay.” Along with the note is a package, whose contents reflect the Superman ‘S’ in Clark’s eyes. The suit officially exists!

Lois goes to meet faux-Blur after receiving the note from him in the last episode. She is shocked to learn that Zod is the Blur, and though she’s skeptical at first, he convinces her to help him steal the Book of Rao from Clark. He says that Clark is trying to uncover his identity and reveal it to the world.

Over at Watchtower, Chloe tries to track down the Kandorians with Oliver’s help. Though he’s on a plane, Oliver decides it’s high time to get back to Metropolis to protect Watchtower, and by that he means Chloe.

Clark arrives insisting that the Kryptonite weapons won’t work for long on the Kandorians. He shows Chloe the Book of Rao, but he doesn’t want to use it because he’s seen his destiny, which is to save the people of Earth. She questions whether every trial Jor-El has put Clark through has led to this point: Leave Earth and lead the Kandorians on a new planet.

Zod goes to the Fortress to destroy the crystals Clark uses to speak with Jor-El. He fears that Clark will learn the true secret of the Book of Rao. He’s quickly interrupted by Tess, who is actually there to stop Zod from hurting Clark. After Tess beats him around with Kryptonite brass knuckles, Zod takes his revenge by burning her alive.

Clark goes to the Fortress to get advice from his father, but he’s too late: Zod has already destroyed the crystals, which also happened to be the only way to activate the Book of Rao. Zod appears, telling Clark that the war has arrived and his people are actively readying to take over the world. Though Clark tries to convince him that he can still get redemption, it doesn’t make an impression on Zod, who zooms off, leaving Clark to discover an unconscious Tess.

Back at the Daily Planet, Lois receives a plane ticket from Perry White asking for her to come to Africa. Lois uses this Clark-free time to do some digging on his computer. She discovers that he really has been looking into the Blur, which worries her.

Tess wakes up in the hospital and profusely apologizes to Clark for going to the Fortress. She reveals that he doesn’t need the Fortress to active the Book of Rao. She stole a console of crystals the Kandorians were planning to use in the towers and hid them in Clark’s crow’s nest. “Clark, this is my last chance to atone for my sins,” she says. “You are the only one that can save us and you’ve run out of time. The war has already begun.”

We then see flashes of the Great Wall of China, the Parthenon in Athens, the pyramids in Eygpt, and even the Washington Monument in D.C. with Kryptonian symbols burned into them by the Kandorians: They are claiming their territory.

At Watchtower, the Justice members phone in for a meeting with Chloe and Oliver. Stargirl, Black Canary, Hawkman, Cyborg and the Martian Manhunter are in the different locations branded by the Kandorians, who have since left. While Hawkman and Cyborg think they should strike first and ask questions later, Chloe insists they wait for Clark’s say-so to make a move.

Clark reveals to the group that he’s going to use the Book of Rao, which will transport him and his people off Earth. He says each of them will need to stand up, take his place and work together to achieve his destiny. They each salute Clark before signing off, though Chloe isn’t really in a saluting mood. “You’ve got to let her go, Clark,” says Ollie. “She’s trying to be strong. When your oldest friend leaves forever, there’s really no way to say goodbye.” Speaking of, Ollie pushes Clark to see Lois one last time.

Flash across town, one of Zod’s Kandorian underlings tells him that communications between the Justice members have all been cut off, leaving Clark alone in Metropolis. From this conversation, we learn that Zod has made the Kandorians believe that Clark will use the Book of Rao to destroy them.

Chloe freaks out when she learns the satellites are all out, but Ollie has a backup plan. He launched a satellite solely dedicated to Watchtower. That’s quite a present! Unfortunately, Ollie has to turn on the transponders at the station to get it running. Chloe gives him walkie-talkies to stay in touch, and they share a sweet kiss before he takes off.

Elsewhere, Lois digs through Clark’s things and discovers Virgil Swann’s journal written in Kryptonian, which includes a picture of the Book of Rao. Clark interrupts her investigation wanting to tell her something important: He’s always needed her.

Lois springs the news on him that Perry White has offered her a job in Kenya. Knowing this will help the transition, Clark basically tells her to go. She retorts that she would stay for him if they stopped keeping secrets from each other, but he coveys that leaving would be the best thing for her.

Tess flatlines at the hospital, succumbing to her injuries from Zod. Just after the doctors call time of death, a mysterious woman, who had been knitting outside of Tess’ room all day, enters. (Was that Martha Kent? She looked a little too broad-shouldered.) A mystery for next season.

Using the walkie-talkies, Chloe leads Ollie through the air ducts to the panel where he can turn on the satellite. Just as he shows up as a green dot on her computer, dozens of red dots also pop up. As they close in on him, Ollie yells that he loves her, with her yelling back the same. (Ah, Brian Peterson did tell me they would be forced to take their relationship to the next level.) “Chloe, they’re not Kandorian,” he yells before disappearing. Wait, what? Yeah, that also won’t be answered until next season.

Clark finds the crystals on the roof top, but realizes that Lois had removed the Book of Rao from his pocket. Meanwhile, Lois meets with Zod near the phone booth, though quickly realizes that he isn’t really the Blur. She even tests him before giving him the Book of Rao, which really peeves Zod, who says he doesn’t care whether she lives or dies.

In one of the coolest slow motion sequences, Zod shoves Lois across the street, then Clark throws him in the air with enough time to catch Lois before she slams into the phone booth. He sets her down and zips off into the shadows. She wakes to see him hiding in the alley and asks for his forgiveness for her misguided betrayal. Instead of speaking, he pulls her into a romantic kiss. (Now, I’m sitting here thinking, you must recognize his kiss…) The Blur zooms off, with Lois left saying, “Clark.”

Clark returns to the roof top with the Book of Rao, but Zod quickly arrives with his army. Clark tries to convince the Kandorians that the Book of Rao will not harm them, and that Zod has been a traitor all along. Zod, who must’ve forgotten that his people can now hear every sound, slips up: “Faora was a traitor. Do you think I wanted to kill my own child?”

One by one, the Kandorians remove their arm bands, giving their allegiance to Clark. “Kal-El, take us home,” says Vala. Clark places the Book of Rao in the crystals, which beams the Kandorians up. Zod has one last trick up his sleeve, though. Harnessing the power of blue Kryptonite in a knife prevents Clark and Zod from ascending with the others. It also removes their powers so we get a man-to-man fight. Blood is drawn and the battle wages on with Zod seemingly in the lead.

Clark finds himself backed onto a ledge, with Zod nearly about to stab him with the blue Kryptonite sword. When the knife impales Clark, Zod smirks thinking he has won, but really, Clark did it so he’d fall off the building with the kryptonite, enabling Zod to be beamed up with the rest of the Kandorians. I have a feeling he’ll meet sweet justice on the other side.

And as Clark falls from the building, the scene fades to black. Another season of Smallville has left us on a great cliffhanger, with plenty of time to discuss the revelations that unfolded:

Here’s my list of five topics to ponder between now and the fall:

-Who attacked Oliver?
-Did Lois really figure out that Clark was the Blur?
-Who will be there to remove the blue Kryptonite knife from Clark’s gut?
-Is Tess really dead?
-Who was that mysterious woman in Tess’ hospital room?