6 Times Smallville Improved Superman Mythology (& 4 Times It Failed)

Aaron Ashmore debuted as Jimmy Olsen in the season six premiere looking like the Daily Planet photographer stepped right out of the comic book. The only change was he was as old as Clark in this version instead of being younger. All in all though it was a minor change compared to the series other unique spins on the mythology. He was in many ways classic Jimmy Olsen, until his story took some dramatic departures.

His tale was wild by even CW standards involving lies about a troubled past as the son of an alcoholic father and an absent mother. Then there was the relationships filled with suspicions of infidelity, shady deals with Lex Luthor, teenage marriage, drug addiction, job loss, and divorce. And that is not even the craziest. That would involve the matter of his death.

In a shocking twist Jimmy was killed years before he ever became Superman's pal. His funeral scene showed his headstone as reading Henry James Olsen. At his graveside was a redheaded young boy to whom Chloe addressed as Jimmy's little brother. She gave him Jimmy's camera and told him maybe he could follow in his footsteps. The younger brother was James Bartholomew Olsen; the Jimmy Olsen of Superman lore. So despite never meeting his mother, he somehow had a secret little brother, and they both go by Jimmy.

Sure, that all makes sense...