One of the best elements to come out of the Superman-origin television series Smallville was Michael Rosenbaum's portrayal of Lex Luthor. The iconic supervillain was reimagined as an unlikely friend for a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), though their once promising relationship would be fated to sour over the course of the show.
Rosenbaum was able to depict a more sympathetic version of the character, while also teasing a more menacing side throughout the years. His storylines in the show's early seasons often brought him into conflict against his father, Lionel Luthor, whom he eventually killed in one of his defining villainous moments.
Smallville aired for 10 seasons, which chronicled Clark Kent's journey from small-town farm boy to fulfilling his destiny to become Superman. However, as integral as Rosenbaum's Luthor character was to the show, the actor opted to leave Smallville after seven seasons, as did Lana Lang actress Kristin Kreuk.
Why Michael Rosenbaum Left Smallville
In an interview with Empire, Michael Rosenbaum discussed his reasoning for leaving the cherished role. Recounting a conversation with Warner Brothers president Peter Roth, Rosenbaum had turned down an offer to stick with the character for further seasons, citing his desire to try for more comedic roles. He also noted that he had already gone beyond his six-year contract, and did not want to commit to two more years of the character's follicular demands: "I think I’ve done this long enough. I did this character for seven years and I just don’t feel like shaving my head for two more years."
How Smallville Wrote Off Lex Luthor
As per the actor's decision, Lex Luthor was written off the show in the seventh season finale, "Arctic." Having become increasingly villainous over the course of the season, "Arctic" ended with Luthor confronting Clark in the Fortress of Solitude. Seeing Clark as a threat to humanity and himself as its savior, Lex initiates the destruction of the Fortress. As he admits that he loves Clark "like a brother," the two former friends are buried beneath icy rubble.
In the following season, it is revealed that Luthor had miraculously survived, though he was grievously injured. Rosenbaum later returned for the series finale as a restored Lex, meeting Clark one last time before his battle with Darkseid. Their future as arch-enemies is teased, as is Lex's future role as the President of the United States.
The departure of both Rosenbaum and Kreuk marked a shift in the prequel series, with the show beginning to resemble a sort of Arrowverse prototype in its final three seasons. Although Rosenbaum's appearance in the series finale gave fans desperately needed closure between the two destined adversaries, his early bow from the series was especially tragic given that the complicated relationship between Lex an Clark was one of, if not the most compelling aspect of Smallville.