 After having her face burned in the season nine finale , Tess wakes up in the season ten premiere , with her face healed , in a secret lab surrounded by clones of Lex . In the tenth season episode " Abandoned " , it is revealed that Tess was born Lutessa Lena Luthor and is the illegitimate daughter of Lionel Luthor , conceived with Lex 's nanny , Pamela Jenkins . She was brought , by Lionel , to an orphanage run by Granny Goodness when she was 5 years old . In the series finale , Tess is killed by one of Lex Luthor 's clones after she administers a neurotoxin that removes all of the clone 's memories in an effort to protect Clark 's secret identity . 
