AceShowbiz -

Great news comes for hardcore fans of The CW's "Smallville". After an ongoing case of "Is he or is he not?", Michael Rosenbaum has confirmed that he is set to reprise his role as villain Lex Luthor before the show ends. Saved for the last, Lex will face off Clark in the two-hour season finale airing May 13.

"I'm delighted to return for the series finale. I'm simply doing it for all of the fans out there who made Smallville the great success it is. I appreciate all of their passion, their relentlessness, and even their threats. Ha ha," Rosenbaum told TV Line just one day after it was reported that he had rejected the idea.

The actor added, "I can't wait to hug the old crew back in Vancouver one last time and see all of my old friends once again. Oh, and for Lex to become the bad-ass he's destined to be."

Rosenbaum played Lex for seven seasons straight before quitting in 2008 to pursue other projects. Producers are still reluctant to talk much about the return but Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson said, "It feels like the stars are aligning, literally. We couldn't be more excited. And as far as the way he returns ... there'll be no doubt about how Lex becomes the great rival in Clark Kent's life. He is the villain of the story."

Meanwhile, below is the preview of next week's episode that will shape the series finale.