On Smallville, Supergirl Is Superman's Mom. Got it?

• Aug 6, 2007 06:01 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich

Allow me to explain. A Warner Bros. rep confirms for TVGuide.com that Helen Slater, who played Supergirl in 1984's tepidly received Superman film franchise spin-off, will guest on Smallville this season as the aunt of Kara aka Supergirl ( played by series newcomer Laura Vandervoort). Slater's small-screen alter ego, though, is not some adoptive "I found you in a crater in my cornfield" sort of Earthling aunt. No, she is none other than Lara-El, Clark's Kryptonian mama. (Perhaps in Smallville mythology she was "away" on a spa vacation to Venus when her home went kablooey?)

Thus far, Slater is slated to appear in at least one episode, the sixth one of Smallville's upcoming season.