Season 9 opens with Clark ready to begin his training with Jor-El, who instructs him to first end things with Lois. Elsewhere, Lois returns to work with no memory of where she's been and meets a new reporter while on assignment; Clark refuses Chloe's request to turn back time to save Jimmy; Zod visits the Luthor home; and Oliver's dark turn continues.

Lois is infected by a zombie plague unleashed on the city by Zod. Its cure lies in the blood of a Kryptonian, and Chloe begs Clark to help, even though he would risk revealing his identity to Zod.