Charlotte Sullivan Joins Cast of Smallville as Maxima

Season Eight of Smallville promises to bring a lot of changes into Clark Kent's life, with the departure of Lex, the introduction of new villains Tess and Doomsday, Clark's newfound employment at The Daily Planet and now with the introduction of the alien princess Maxima. TV Guide reports that Charlotte Sullivan will be playing the royal princess from the planet of Almerac.

Maxima will appear in the season's fourth episode, titled Instinct. Maxima comes to Earth looking for a suitable mate - and in the world of Smallville that will end up with her lip-locking two different members of the cast. (Clark is the obvious first choice, though it is anyone's guess as to whether or not number two ends up being Oliver Queen or the newly discovered Doomsday.)

In the comics, Maxima is the oldest child of Almerac's royal family, and the character has alternately served as a hero and a villain for Superman. Maxima is possessed of superhuman strength and durability to rival Superman's own, as well as having psychic powers including mind control and a powerful mental blast.

Smallville airs Thursday nights on the CW. The drama about the early days of Clark Kent stars Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Allison Mack, Aaron Ashmore and Justin Hartley. Season Eight of the show begins September 18, 2008.