Comments | idol_reflection: Lex Luthor (animated DCU)

bagheera_san in idol_reflection

Lex Luthor (animated DCU)

Mar 27, 2007 14:10

Title: Man and Superman
Author: bagheera_san
Character: Lex Luthor
Fandom: Justice League Unlimited, Superman: The Animated Series
Spoilers:: selected episodes of S:TAS, all of JLU
Author's Note: Many thanks to xparrot for beta-ing this!
Feedback, suggestions and criticism are all appreciated.

( Toon!Lex )

Comments 18

romanyg March 27 2007, 22:23:03 UTC

I'm just starting in on JL/JLU now and I agree that Toon!Lex is just as fascinating as his counterparts. Wow, that he had the balls to attend Superman's funeral and express remorse and even comfort Lois in a genuine manner (the first episode I managed to catch before I ran out and bought DVDs)!

You've done such a wonderful job here showing the progression and evolution of his character.

After watching Lex Luthor try and fail and be evil in every other incarnation of the character, that's just plain uplifting.

Oh, yes. Brava! *applauds you*

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 09:49:25 UTC

Wow, that he had the balls to attend Superman's funeral and express remorse and even comfort Lois in a genuine manner (the first episode I managed to catch before I ran out and bought DVDs)!

"Hereafter" is great. I think it's the only time we see toon!Lex showing genuine emotions for another person, two actually. It makes me wonder how he and Lois were together - I'm certain toon!Lois wouldn't let herself be treated like Mercy or Tala.

romanyg March 28 2007, 23:18:51 UTC

I'm certain toon!Lois wouldn't let herself be treated like Mercy or Tala.

Maybe that's why they broke up?

theclexfactor March 28 2007, 00:36:37 UTC

This is an excellent essay on toon!Lex. I have every frickin episode of S:TAS and JLU, and I was reliving every episode as I read the words.

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 09:51:22 UTC

I have every frickin episode of S:TAS and JLU, and I was reliving every episode as I read the words.
Hee! That's never a bad thing. (Your icon is still my favourite toon icon. It expresses exactly what I feel about JLU: I want the SV character to grow up to be that cool.)

theclexfactor March 28 2007, 12:54:20 UTC

A Better World is still one of my favorite episodes. SV should hire Bruce Timm's writing team cuz at the very least we'd have continuity.

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 15:47:34 UTC

SV should hire Bruce Timm's writing team cuz at the very least we'd have continuity.

We'd all expire from the awesome if that happened. I don't think our fandom could take this much good writing and characterization. (Seriously, that would be my dream-show: SV's pretty combined with JLU's awesome.)

tasabian March 28 2007, 03:57:33 UTC

Great essay! Next to MRLex, I love Clancy Brown's Lex the best. As you point out so well, he's wonderfully complex and compels viewers to identify with him. (His "work it out for yourself or piss off!" speech to Amazo is brilliant.)

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 09:54:18 UTC

His "work it out for yourself or piss off!" speech to Amazo is brilliant.

What I love most about that episode, though, aside from Atom and Lex's banter, is when Dr Fate tells the JL "I believe Lex Luthor is saving the world", or something to that end. Because he totally is :)

xparrot March 30 2007, 18:07:28 UTC

!!!! Dr. Fate knows the truth! (all along?)

...sorry, know that's not what's intended, but still. It works rather well. much much <3 for Fate...

norwich36 March 28 2007, 04:02:56 UTC

I haven't seen too many episodes of JLU yet (someday I may buy the DVDs), but I thought this was a fascinating essay!

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 09:56:17 UTC

If you don't want to spend the money (I didn't, because I don't have a DVD player at home), all JLU episodes are viewable on youtube and livedigital.com

attaccabottoni March 28 2007, 09:04:08 UTC

Eeeee! The last JLU ep I watched was Injustice For All, so this is a great list of the eps I'm to watch closely once I get my hands on the DVDs. :D

I don't know why I like toon!Lex much either, because I generally don't like nasty people and leaders who treat their loyal constituents badly (Mercy), but maybe it has something to do with his relentless ambition. And Clancy Brown's sexy voice. :D

"I had to go get my power suit."
Oh, and let's not forget the wit. *hearts*

The most important relationship in Lex's life, however, is with his arch-enemy Superman.
It's telling that despite toon!Lex not define himself through his relationship with Superman except for what Supers stands for, they're still pretty close. *is a monomaniacal slash fangirl*

Great essay!

bagheera_san March 28 2007, 10:03:02 UTC

I generally don't like nasty people and leaders who treat their loyal constituents badly (Mercy), but maybe it has something to do with his relentless ambition. And Clancy Brown's sexy voice. :D

S:TAS Lex really isn't very likeable most of the time, but JLU!Lex just compels you to like him, even though he's a nasty evil bastard. Maybe it has also something to do with the fact that everyone on JLU is so damn powerful and perfect (even Batman) and Lex is virtually the only recurring character who is repeatedly shown sick, weak or defeated. At first he has that underdog thing going for him, and then, in "Destroyer" he totally pwns everyone.

xparrot March 30 2007, 18:08:50 UTC

I am totally with you on the Clancy Brown voice. Mmmmmm ^___^