Summary
Jensen Ackles has built an excellent career since appearing in the fourth season ofDC’sSmallvillein 2004, though the series' showrunner has revealed there were plans for him to stay in the story for longer. Ackles rose to fame starring inSupernaturalfrom 2005 to 2020, though he has also notably appeared as Soldier Boy inThe Boys, and voiced Batman in a range of animated releases. The actor’s range was used effectively in the plot ofSmallville, where he played Jason Teague, a love interest to Lana Lang and an antagonist to Superman.
Given the actor was an effective part ofSmallville’s cast, it may appear strange thatthe live-action Superman showonly had him as a featured player for a single season instead of appearing as a recurring antagonist. Speculation surrounding this topic has existed for some time, reignited in recent years by Jesen Ackles becoming one of the most popularDCU Batman fancastingchoices. More concrete details have become available now though, as the co-creator and showrunner ofSmallvillehas provided details that clarify why Jason Teague only had a short run on the series and did not appear in season 5.
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Jensen Ackles Left Smallville Season 4 Early Because Of Supernatural
According to showrunner Alfred Gough,Jensen Ackles leftSmallvilleto take on a lead role inSupernatural. Speaking withTalkVille, theSmallvillerewatch podcast hosted by Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling, series co-creator Alfred Gough outlined the experience of working with the actor and the plans for the Jason Teague character.
As the main antagonist ofSmallvilleseason 4, Jason Teague had a story that was made in a way that meant it could be carried to the next season if the writers and creators wanted. The villain collected Kryptonian crystals, had past links to Lex Luthor, and was part of a storyline with Lana Lang that could’ve been carried over several seasons. However, the actor’s contract for the show was short-term and never renewed beyond season 4.
Gough explains this in an interview with the Talk Ville podcast, recalling telling Ackles:"‘We have a one-season arc for your character. If it’s going great, we’ll talk about it later,’ but then, of course, he got Supernatural; the rest is history.“While Jason Teague could have been built up to be a larger threat in the coming seasons ofSmallville, it seems there were no concrete plans for this. In fact, with the setup exactly as it went, Gough considers the season 5 changes to be the series' “strongest season.”
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How Jensen Ackles Smallville Storyline Could’ve Continued After Season 4
Based on Gough’s description, Jensen Ackles' story was only supposed to last a single season on Smallville. There may have been ideas tossed around about bringing Jason Teague back in season 5, butthese ended definitively when the character was killed in a meteor shower.Still, untilSupernaturaltook up its schedule, Gough’s comments suggest that a fifth season path for the character, featuring him within some ofSmallville’s best episodes, was a possibility at one time.
It is unclear how muchSupernaturalfilming influenced Jason Teague’s story in season 4, but it’s clear that the actor’s departure seemed likely during production, as Gough mentioned,“There were several episodes he couldn’t be in because he was shooting [Supernatural]”. As a result, Jason Teague’s character burns all his bridges by the end of season 4, meaning there wouldn’t have been much room for Teague to persist in the show as anything other than a total force of evil - though this approach could’ve held some interesting opportunities had Ackles remained on the cast.
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As Gough suggested, the path that things went down was ideal. Ackles was a major part of one of the most celebrated genre series inSupernatural, whileSmallvillewas able to use what was set up in season 4 to lead into some truly exceptional episodes of the series. With theDCU potentially pulling details fromSmallville, audiences can hope that the actor may return to the DC Universe in some capacity in the future.
Smallville
Cast
Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
