Henry James "Jimmy" Olsen is a supporting character in the TV series Smallville. Appearing between Seasons 6 and 8, he was a young and determined photographer determined to make a name for himself, eventually landing a job at the Daily Planet. He was also the love interest of Chloe Sullivan. He was portrayed by Aaron Ashmore.
Henry James Olsen is based on James Bartholomew Olsen from DC Comics. In the finale of Smallville's eighth season, it is revealed that James Bartholomew Olsen is Henry's younger brother. In the series' epilogue, James follows in his brother's footsteps as a photographer and is referred to as "Jimmy" by his friends and colleagues.
Biography[]
Jimmy Olsen first appears during Season 6, but had apparently met Chloe Sullivan while she was still in high school.
Eager to advance his career and make a name for himself, Jimmy was a dedicated journalist. He was always determined to pursue a story, or get to the bottom of an investigation to photograph the best news.
Since beginning a relationship with Chloe, Jimmy had become friends with Clark Kent. He also found himself in the crosshairs of Lex Luthor and began a relationship with Clark's cousin, Kara Kent. However, when Kara lost her memory, Jimmy came to the conclusion that they might not have a connection after all. He then rekindled his relationship with Chloe and they were committed to making it work, even as Jimmy continued to question whether she would rather be with Clark.
When Jimmy proposed to Chloe, she was arrested by the Department of Domestic Security before she had a chance to respond. When Chloe returned from Montana a month later, she accepted Jimmy's proposal. On their wedding day, Jimmy was injured by a mysterious creature and taken to a hospital in Star City. Upon returning to his hometown, he began to suspect that Davis Bloome was a murderer, but became desperate and upset when no one, not even Chloe, believed him. Jimmy subsequently separated from his wife while dealing with the physical and psychological ramifications of his attack. He quit his job at the Daily Planet, and he and Chloe divorced.
After a short stint as a bartender, Jimmy asked to borrow money from Oliver Queen. Oliver correctly deduced that Jimmy had begun abusing his pain medication. After catching him stealing money from Chloe's apartment, Oliver offered Jimmy a job and a chance to get back on his feet. Jimmy accepted and worked for him at Queen Industries until his death.
Death[]
In the Season 8 finale "Doomsday", Jimmy finally discovered the truth about Clark after finding him with a kryptonite dart in his back. He removed the dart and saw a scar on Clark's cheek rapidly disappear. Clark admitted that he was the "red-blue blur" that had been saving so many lives in Metropolis lately and Jimmy promised that he would keep Clark's secret.
Realizing that Chloe had suffered so much due to the burden of Clark's secret, Jimmy sought her out again, hoping to make amends. He took Chloe and the unconscious Davis (who had recently been separated from Doomsday) to a loft apartment in Metropolis which he had originally bought as a wedding gift for Chloe. He apologized to Chloe, who admitted to him that she was only staying with Davis to protect Clark from Doomsday. Just as the two completed their reconciliation with a kiss, Davis awoke, having heard Chloe's confession. In a fit of rage, he impaled Jimmy from behind with a jagged metal pipe. He was about to kill Chloe when Jimmy got up and grabbed him, pushing him onto a spike and killing him. Jimmy told Chloe that he loved her before dying in her arms.