The season four opener picks up three months after the season three finale. It launched on 22 September, 2004, and was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

Welcome to the show, Lois Lane (Erica Durance)! She comes to Smallville to investigate her cousin Chloe’s (Allison Mack) death. And ends up, during her arrival in a thunderstorm, coming across a naked Clark (Tom Welling) in a cornfield with no idea who he is, or how he got there.

Chloe, in a message she left, mentions Clark, and she’s looking for answers, and she’s not going to stop until she gets them. She’s determined that Lionel (John Glover) needs to be locked away for good. And discovering the truth about Chloe’s murder could ensure it.

The opening credits reveal that Jensen Ackles has joined the cast. And he is introduced as Lana’s (Kristin Kreuk) new beau. They met in Paris, and now, with the return to Smallville, he’ll be the new football coach – eventually as hinted by the titles.

And Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) what is he up to? He’s recovering Egyptian artifacts, inscribed with Kryptonian iconography. He’s not dead, but poisoned (again). But for now, his blood needs to be purified every seventy-two hours, or his organs will shut down.

Lois brings Clark to the local hospital, where Jonathan (John Kent) lies in a brain-dead coma, with no insurance left, and Martha (Annette O’Toole) watching over him.

Oh, and the artifact Lex found triggers something, it has a Kryptonian artifact in it. Clark claims Clark Kent is dead, and that he is Kal-El, and ready to claim his destiny. And that can’t be good. And Lana has triggered something in a church in Paris. What is going on? And what strange effect has it had on her?

Apparently, there are a trio of artifacts. And Lex is determined to get his hands on them, too bad Kal-El is after them as well.

Stunt casting strikes with another Lois Lane showing up, Margot Kidder appears as Bridgette Crosby. She works with Dr. Swan (Christopher Reeve). And she offers Martha some black kryptonite to help Clark. The kryptonite not only restores Clark, but wakes Jonathan. The Kents are back.

Lois in the form of Erica Durance is a fun addition to the cast. And the series is obviously gearing up for another full and interesting season.

Gone aired on 29 September, 2004. It was written by Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson.

Following the events in Paris, Lana returns to Smallville, with Jason (Ackles) following by episode’s end. She’s still worried about whatever happened to her, and what caused that interesting tattoo on her back. She recognizes it as being inscribed on the cave walls.

Meanwhile, Clark and Lois come to believe that maybe, Chloe is still alive (her grave is empty – but shouldn’t it be? She was killed in an explosion). As they dig in, General Sam Lane (Micheal Ironside), Lois’ father, begins to follow them. But Clark comes to believe that the general is working for Lionel.

Clark and Lois find a number of clues that seem to suggest Chloe may be ok. Or was. Lex it seemed, worked to keep Chloe hidden from his father. But where is she now?

And Lex and Clark share their first episode since the season three finale. It’s a little tense, and you have to wonder if the friendship has been destroyed already, and where that arc will go from here. We know where it ends up, but are we already heading there? Will the Chloe thing put their friendship back on track, at least a little?

And Lionel is not having a good time in prison, he gets shanked in the shower. He’s also using a mutant killer to hunt Chloe down. But, of coursee, Clark will be there just in time to save her, witth some help from Lois.

There’s some screwball energy thrown into the series with the intro of Lois. She’s smart, capable, and able to handle herself, and she’s not afraid of speaking her mind or owning her rash decisions.

She’s shaking up the series already, and we also know what her introduction will mean in the long-run for Clark.