Smallville: Why must Lex become evil?

[Johnny_Storm]

I thought the season premere was great. I also like the fact that Clark and Lex are still somewhat friends. I know how it turns out in the end but Lex is my favorite character in the show, it makes me not want to see him turn against everyone.

I know alot of people would be angry if he didn't, but the writer's and producers have my go ahead to allow him to turnout good. I think the people in the town have been ragging him just because of his father's reputation and some past mistakes. For instance, I was watching an episode yesterday where the meter cop was unfair to him and then started spouting "the rich always complaine" and some other stuff.

I belive Lex said it best "I employ 2,500 people in this town and I pay taxes which pay your salary" and then beat up the guy's car with his golf club, I enjoyed that :) because really people need to get off the rich boy stuff. I think he's more than demonstrated that he's changed and isn't like Lionel if people give him a chance. I admit I don't know how evil the comic book Luthor is, but it seems like a waste to have Lex become his comic version.

[Murrocko]

I wouldn't want to see him become full on evil and like go out and try to fight Clark (with powers) in like his weird metal suit thing, but I'd like to see him do anything as long as it benefits him in the long run. More of a neutral character. He'll lean more towards the villains if they got something he needs or vice versa, but most lean towards the villain since they most likely got what he wants.









Dammit I want to see Bruce Wayne show up and put Luthor Corp in its place.

[Phil Clark]

I belive Lex said it best "I employ 2,500 people in this town and I pay taxes which pay your salary" and then beat up the guy's car with his golf club, I enjoyed that :)...

And most people see that as evil, or at least bad. I guess a villain doesn't have to be evil, he just has to be willing to do bad things. In that capacity Lex is already there. But if he doesn't go evil/bad it will fly in the face of continuity. He must become the bad guy, even if he is a bad guy with a soul, and a heart.

[Ontir]

Why? Because just as Clark is becoming Superman, Lex must become his arch-nemesis.

[lonewolf23k]

Considering who raised Lex, I think him becoming an evil bastard was simply inevitable.

[Ontir]

There's also that mental instability that they've played with.

Poor Lex just never had a chance!

[Arune Singh]

Why?

Because this show hasn't shown the depth to examine a possibly misguided, but good hearted Lex Luthor- a man so twisted by the deception around him that he fights back and becomes that which he fought against. Some may contend that is the direction the show is going, but if they did, Clark would be blamed and the show would give that view some weight- and the show doesn't. Clark is perpetually the victim and Lex the victimizer.

[Kevinroc]

Why?

Because this show hasn't shown the depth to examine a possibly misguided, but good hearted Lex Luthor- a man so twisted by the deception around him that he fights back and becomes that which he fought against. Some may contend that is the direction the show is going, but if they did, Clark would be blamed and the show would give that view some weight- and the show doesn't. Clark is perpetually the victim and Lex the victimizer.

You really need to see the 5th season premiere.

Clark outright lies to Lex's face.

[Sanagi]

Because they're running out of ideas.

[xgeek52]

okay...everything everyone has said is valid...my wife and i watched the season preimere and i saw things that brought back memories...

i don't know if anyone remembers but in the original incarnation, clark kent and lex luthor were friends...but clark was superboy so he always hid the truth...but lex also had hair and when he lost it because of clark and superboy (i don't remember who was responsible) they became enemies..bryne's reboot has clark not being superboy and lex and clark being enemies right off the bat...

what the smallville producers have done is blend the superman mythos from the original superboy incarnation; the byrne reboot and the superman movie (mostly from one) and created an entirely new look at the relationship between clark, lex, lana and lois lane...some of you were right -- lex isn't evil for evil sake and clark isn't good for the same reason...they are young men making choices and those choices are going to put them at odds just like it should be... :cool:

[Arune Singh]

You really need to see the 5th season premiere.

Clark outright lies to Lex's face.

Of COURSE he does.

Lex has been lied to by everyone his whole life. Everyone has screwed him over. EVERYONE.

Then he tries to trust Clark and he knows Clark lies to him. So then he tries to learn about Clark, which is pretty reasonable considering the accident and saves the Kents over and over. Is that enough? Nope. So when Lex begins to adapt to these circumstances and fight back, he's labelled a villain. Inherently, I'm not sure that he's doing anything worse than Clark and his motives are generally good, though he has been shown to be selfish, but there's something in all that... a feeling that Lex just wants to prove himself... and I can't help but hate Clark.

Except with Lana in the picture, I hate her more than anyone on the show...

[xgeek52]

like i said arune singh, keep in mind the superman bible...all the character have to stay with in the parameters of who they are on the comic book page...otherwise smallville wouldn't have had a fifth season... :cool:

[IamtheRock3]

Of COURSE he does.

Lex has been lied to by everyone his whole life. Everyone has screwed him over. EVERYONE.

Then he tries to trust Clark and he knows Clark lies to him. So then he tries to learn about Clark, which is pretty reasonable considering the accident and saves the Kents over and over. Is that enough? Nope. So when Lex begins to adapt to these circumstances and fight back, he's labelled a villain. Inherently, I'm not sure that he's doing anything worse than Clark and his motives are generally good, though he has been shown to be selfish, but there's something in all that... a feeling that Lex just wants to prove himself... and I can't help but hate Clark.

Except with Lana in the picture, I hate her more than anyone on the show...


To be fair Clark saved him about a 50 times now too.


Me If I was Lex..say "Listen they guy clearly dont want to tell me anything, he has privacy issues, why do I give an F" and I would drop it.


Honestly Why does EVERYONE in smallvill seem to care about the secret to go through these Lenghts. How much do most people know about there friends. How much do we care?

[Erik Lehnsherr]

Of COURSE he does.

Lex has been lied to by everyone his whole life. Everyone has screwed him over. EVERYONE.

Then he tries to trust Clark and he knows Clark lies to him. So then he tries to learn about Clark, which is pretty reasonable considering the accident and saves the Kents over and over. Is that enough? Nope. So when Lex begins to adapt to these circumstances and fight back, he's labelled a villain. Inherently, I'm not sure that he's doing anything worse than Clark and his motives are generally good, though he has been shown to be selfish, but there's something in all that... a feeling that Lex just wants to prove himself... and I can't help but hate Clark.

Except with Lana in the picture, I hate her more than anyone on the show...

There is no need for him to be a full out villain in this incarnation. He could be gray area tweener who stays above everyone like all business leaders that keep their hands clean from the dirt that got them to the top.

As for Lana? Without her, the show kind of SUCKS. I see everyone around here raving about the boring and loud mouth braggert that is Lois but she's boring. She's older than everyone and playing with them instead of college necessities? WTF? At least with Lex he can afford to play outside of such realms.

[Arune Singh]

like i said arune singh, keep in mind the superman bible...all the character have to stay with in the parameters of who they are on the comic book page...otherwise smallville wouldn't have had a fifth season... :cool:

But they don't- I mean, continuity is changed all the time, so why not "re-imagine" some of the other relationships? Honestly, does Clark have to end up with this Lois? No. Not at all. To me, this is a whole new universe and there shouldn't be restrictions. Hell, he doesn't even have to be Superman, since there's no way he could pull off the disguise now.

[VietN]

Ahh can't keep away from this show. I keep going back for those small moments that relate to the superhero or comic aspect of superman.

Anyone notice how lame those two kryptonians didn't fly? Maybe they're just brianiac clones of some sort with Zodd as a cover story.

That might help explain how incredibly stupid it was for them to turn towards an empty corner before Clark got the upperhand and desposed of them.

[xgeek52]

arune, you have a point...who says you gotta stay within the continuity of the bible...my wife is saying where is it written that clark will end up with lois...all i'm sayin' is that smallville is trying to carve its own place in the superman mythos without denying the past incarnation...the byrne reboot has the kents still alive, lana knowing his identity along with pete ross -- and him not becoming superman until after clark is an adult...the original incarnation he's superboy and lex is already his arch-enemy...in smallville, lex is always trying to do the right thing but feels the ends justifies the means...is he evil, no...but he wants what he wants when he wants it -- and he will get it by any means necessary...he wants to know the secret of clark...chloe has taken over for pete -- who's not on the show (and if you remember in the comics was white) and lois is in smallville (and if i recall it never happened)...

as for lana, well like someone said i smell a triangle here... :rolleyes: :cool:

[Grant]

Hell, he doesn't even have to be Superman, since there's no way he could pull off the disguise now.

Everyone gets in amnesia in the Season Finale.

[IamtheRock3]

well they kind of been building a lex as evil for a while be a cop out to change it now

My takes as Lex is this. want to makes the world a better place..promblem is he thinks he the ONLY one who can do it..and thus will goes any means neccesary to get said power.

[Ontir]

Why?

Because this show hasn't shown the depth to examine a possibly misguided, but good hearted Lex Luthor- a man so twisted by the deception around him that he fights back and becomes that which he fought against. Some may contend that is the direction the show is going, but if they did, Clark would be blamed and the show would give that view some weight- and the show doesn't. Clark is perpetually the victim and Lex the victimizer.

Actually Arune, they've addressed this. Lex told Clark a season or two ago, that he'd been re-considering the cave's prophecy, and that perhaps the human was the hero, standing against an all-powerful alien, and that it'd take an exceptional man to do so.

[Arune Singh]

Actually Arune, they've addressed this. Lex told Clark a season or two ago, that he'd been re-considering the cave's prophecy, and that perhaps the human was the hero, standing against an all-powerful alien, and that it'd take an exceptional man to do so.

See, I don't mean to be so combative, but this show tosses lines out there with no real rhyme or reason. The motivation isn't there in Lex- I see none of that in him. Ideally, I'd have love to see him because somewhat of a mad scientist in relation to all the krypto freaks: he'd be trying to protect mankind but getting lost in his own ambition.

I'll watch a bit this season, but they've REALLY eliminated an idea of real consequences in this show. Lex learns the secret? Eh, big hero Clark will let his buddy be mind wiped. Chloe dies? Nah, contrived plot device so she can languish in the background. Clark dies (upcoming)? He'll be revived and begin lying to Lana again. Clark causes trouble and is the epicenter of all the issues in the show? Eh, people will ignore it or whine about it, but never use their brains to figure out things.

The characters are plot points in this show and rarely act in a way I'd consider consistent. I'll give this season another chance, but I've really lost all faith in the show: I just look at like a train wreck.