Lex Luthor Was Actually the Good Guy in Smallville!

by

I’ve seen Smallville from its debut in 2001 up to season 7, episode 7, which amounts to 133 episodes. To my astonishment, Lex Luthor, played by Michael Rosenbaum, isn’t the main antagonist as one might expect. In fact, it appears that the series often portrays other characters like Clark Kent, Lana Lang, and Jonathan Kent, among others, as mistreating or taking advantage of Lex instead.

Interestingly enough, in comic book lore, it’s Lex Luthor who embodies the darkest villainy within Superman’s world. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Superman represents the epitome of masculine grandeur and unwavering moral integrity. Despite being depicted as evil, Lex Luthor is the one who consistently demonstrates remarkable vulnerability, courage, and unshakeable adherence to a clear moral code, setting him apart from Superman in this regard.

For those unfamiliar with the original Superboy comics, Lex Luthor wasn‘t always portrayed as a villain. In fact, he was friends with Clark Kent for some time. However, their friendship ended dramatically in Adventure Comics #271 when Clark extinguished a fire in Luthor’s lab using a chemical that happened to be stored there. This incident caused Luthor to lose all his hair, and this event served as the foundation for making Luthor more sympathetic in Smallville.

Initially, I believed that Luthor being shot was intended to evoke sympathy from the audience. Yet, it became clear that something more complex was unfolding. Not only was he shot with bullets and arrows, but also subjected to tranquilizer darts. He endured torture, near-drowning, and numerous other ordeals. This wouldn’t be unusual if it were a clever twist on the classic damsel in distress trope; however, it seemed instead that the goal was a sadistic enjoyment of Luthor’s misfortunes.

In the series, Luthor was portrayed as a common target for disapproval by all the “good” characters, even the female ones, apparently due to an inherent understanding of his supposed deceitfulness. However, after watching 133 episodes, I didn’t notice any signs of his evil nature. Instead, it seems that every other character is making an effort to criticize him, which paradoxically makes Lex Luthor appear more compassionate on screen.

It’s accurate that Luthor committed a murder on someone’s wedding day, yet the individual he killed was an evil blackmailer who truly deserved it, so I didn’t feel any sympathy. Everything “wrong” that Luthor did always had a purpose behind it, and they never appeared to be malicious acts. He was driven to discover Clark’s secret: how did he manage to save Luthor when he crashed off a bridge? He aimed to decipher alien hieroglyphics in a cave, study an alien spaceship, and find a cure for people infected by kryptonite. Admittedly, his methods were clandestine, but only after he had openly inquired about these matters and faced resistance.

At times, Luthor’s actions seemed questionable, yet other characters often attacked him blindly without grasping the full picture, as if they had a clear understanding of the root of his villainy: his background as a white billionaire inheritor of another white billionaire. It was reminiscent of Trump Derangement Syndrome before Donald Trump transitioned from being a businessman to President Trump.

In an unusual turn of events, Luthor endures harsh treatment without much protest for the initial six seasons, while none else extend him such patience. Reminds me of liberals and their supposed adversaries. However, it’s worth noting that his transformation into an enemy comes later. Yet, in this narrative, there is no mistaking that he was pushed to this point by years of mistreatment. Essentially, Luthor appears as another John Rambo from First Blood – a man who feels betrayed by everyone around him but persists in trying to do what’s right.

In a comparison of moral standing based on the most questionable actions taken by both Luthor and Clark from the show, it’s clear that Luthor comes out ahead due to the sheer quantity of lives lost by Clark. While both have taken lives, Clark has done so multiple times, including an extended crime spree under the influence of red kryptonite which involved bank robberies and extensive property damage. Notably, a significant portion of this destruction occurred at LexCorp facilities, but it’s important to remember that most of this damage was actually caused by others trying to interfere with Luthor’s business dealings, often in an attempt to regulate his operations much like overzealous bureaucrats might. While there may be valid concerns about the ethics of LexCorp’s business practices, it seems unfair that such drastic measures as destruction are taken without prior warning or discussion.

Clark provides an explanation for his actions: it was due to red kryptonite’s influence. However, Luthor outsmarts him since he hasn’t performed any deeds necessitating such an excuse. The TV audience is expected to overlook what Clark has done? It was challenging for me to reconcile his picture as a wholesome American hero with witnessing him commit bank robberies and failing to return the stolen items or even express remorse towards the victims. Despite appearing contrite during a conversation with his parents, this does not suffice.

The comic book series, in its nature, allows for flexibility, and given its Hollywood origin, a liberal slant is understandable. Yet, what truly astonishes me is how skillfully they’ve portrayed the villain as sympathetic, despite his mistreatment by the supposed heroes. Remarkably, Luthor consistently seeks peaceful resolutions and demonstrates an uncommon level of loyalty, even beyond what a typical person would endure.

The Smallville writers were overconfident and often stereotyped characters based on demographics instead of actions. It’s surprising that they wouldn’t recognize that not everyone shares their perspective on what constitutes a villain, given that such behavior is common in everyday life.

In the series, Lex exhibits some actions that can be considered morally questionable, but given the broader context (Lana becoming a vampire, Clark turning into a bank robber, and John Kent’s seemingly irrational hatred towards everything Luthor), I found myself more inclined to understand him. This is because unlike his friends who often appear judgmental, Lex rarely gives off an unkind or malicious vibe.

Read More

2025-04-16 20:45