Smallville: Executive Producer Kelly Souders on the Final Episodes of the Series

IGN: Obviously the fans were incredibly relieved to learn Michael Rosenbaum definitely would be back.

Souders: As were we! I was very happy when that phone call came through.

IGN: Fans are very curious to see Lex's return and what he and Clark's relationship is like when he does.

Souders: Really, the focus has been about how these two guys have impacted each other's lives. And I think, starting in the pilot, realizing how it was always just such a twist on the way we always imagined them, as mortal enemies. And in fact, they showed up in the pilot as something quite different. I think in the finale, what our goal was, is obviously we're launching them towards the future, where they are going to be mortal enemies. But what we didn't want, was to make their last interaction something that was just a catfight between them. So we go one step further I think, in showing how they will impact each other, in making the greatest hero and the greatest enemy we'll ever know.

IGN: Suffice to say, Lionel Luther potentially working with Darkseid isn't a good thing?

Souders: Lionel is really going to be… He's just a bad seed, let's face it. Let's try not to be in denial anymore. It's been ten years. Plus, it's not quite the Lionel that we knew at the beginning of the series. This is the twisted Lionel from the other world. But when he interacts with anybody, it's just always bad news, and delicious at the same time.

IGN: We're going to be seeing Kara again soon. Last time, she was trying really hard to get her cousin to fly. Might she help give him that last "boost" he needs, as it were?

Souders: I'll just say that he doesn't need that last boost from her. I think the thing that becomes very clear is that she, in her final episode, really has her own destiny.

IGN: A path away from Clark?

Souders: Yeah. Supergirl becomes Supergirl and not Superman's cousin.

IGN: You got very, very close to the full Supergirl costume last time. All that she was missing was the symbol and the cape. Could we see the full thing next time?

Souders: Well, actually, when we see her, she's kind of in a very different place than the last time we met up with her. So she's been on a bit of a journey since then.

IGN: On the costume front, there's been so much curiousity about how much you will show of Clark in the Superman suit. How much conversation did you guys have about that yourself?

Souders: God, endless… [Laughs] And I think it was more about what will allow us to sort of stay true to Smallville and that this is simply the journey between a boy and Superman and then how much will allow us to feel we're seeing the launch of that great hero.

IGN: And at the end of the day, you guys found what you think was the right balance?

Souders: Yeah, it's definitely been a balancing act!

IGN: The episodes are still in post-production, so there's still work to be done, but have you had that sense of, "Wow, we finished! We're done filming Smallville!"?

Souders: Yeah. For us, we're usually so busy doing prep of shows that when that kind of came to an end and we wrapped up the last episode we were prepping and got deep into the shooting of it, things slowed down tremendously. I'd say probably 80% of our time is devoted to prep, so it ended quickly, that part of it, and it was very strange to be able to actually sit down and do one thing.

For the full interview, follow the link.