Production Still of Michael Shanks as Carter Hall

TV Guide has published a new image of Michael Shanks as Carter Hall in the 10th season of Smallville!

Carter’s reunited with Lois Lane (Erica Durance) as she works on her new assignment in North Africa.

According to the article, Carter tells Lois about his “tortured past with true love Shayera (Sahar Biniaz).” We caught a glimpse of this tragic past when we saw Hawkgirl’s broken mask on display in Hall’s museum dedicated to the superheroes of the Justice Society of America in “Absolute Justice.” Perhaps we’ll learn more about what makes the man behind the mask tick and why being immortal (through reincarnation) has its downsides.

Smallville returns to The CW this Friday, September 24, at 8/7c. Shanks returns as Carter Hall next week on Friday, October 1, in the episode “Shield.” He is scheduled to make more appearances during the season, the show’s last, in which Clark Kent finally realizes his destiny as Superman.

ETA: Visit Spoiler TV for more images for this episode.