Watercooler: Is Smallville's Tess Doomed?

Well, this can't be good.
Last Friday, amid the resounding happyhappyjoyjoy yelps of Smallville fans over the news of Michael Rosenbaum's impending series-return as Lex Luthor, the awesomeness that is Cassidy Freeman's Tess Mercer did a bad, bad thing: She tried to kill Mini-Lex.
Now normally we'd be all, "you go, Red!" Seriously, anyone who hits Martha Kent deserves a hypo full of cyanide. But now that we know Rosenbaum is indeed coming back — after torturing us with a too-long-wait to sign back on — Tess' attempt to off allegedly dead brother's demon-seed clone plants a giant target on her back. Ugly ends usually come to those who cross the Luthors. Upping the chances that Miss Mercer may not make it to the final credits are her non-mythology roots and her bitch-goddess bad-girl past (let's just say Miss Mercer did more than just kneel before Zod, OK?).  That cocktail of revenge, karma and the likelihood of a few fatalities by the show's May 13^th farewell really has us concerned, especially since Tess has repented, joined our heroes and just plain rocks. Hopefully, executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders will figure out how to keep her safe and send Freeman's fierce alter ego off with a happy ending of some sort. Otherwise, Tess could be headed for a real mess.
So what about you? Think they'll make our beloved Tess pay for her failed murder attempt? Or will she make it out of Smallville alive?
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