Superman & Lois managed to make Lex Luthor’s tragic comic backstory another step sadder again. The matter of how DC has handled Lex Luthor’s backstory has been a crucial matter for the franchise since day one, with the original Lex Luthor – that of Alexei Luthor – being drastically different to the version of the character that audiences are generally familiar with today. The history of Lex’s balding head is also something still discussed to this day, if only because the prior story of Luthor vowing eternal hatred of Superman because he became bald something I think we can all agree is at least a little silly.

Naturally, live-action versions of Lex Luthor have also had to bring in their own iterations of the character’s backstory, with what elements they should pick becoming more complex the more different iterations of the villain and his life that we see on the pages of comics. Some major departures from the comics have made interesting versions of Lex, with shows like My Adventures With Superman making almost entirely fresh origin stories for the figure. However, one live-action Superman show has managed to make the tragic parts of Luthor’s story all the more lamentable in the long run.

Superman & Lois Made The Sad Part Of Lex Luthor’s Comic Origin Story Sadder

Superman & Lois Doubled Down On Adding A Tragic Human Element To Lex Luthor’s Life & Arc

Superman & Lois season 4, episode 5 delves deeper into Lex Luthor’s backstory – an aspect of the show’s narrative that had, prior to this episode, remained relatively untouched other than acknowledging that Luthor had a daughter who he hadn’t seen since he went to prison. Luthor addresses that he grew up in hardship, and that when his father walked out on his family, his mother began beating Lex with his belt, “because it was the one thing he left behind“.

The abusive parents angle and growing up less fortunate is a conventional Lex comic backstory, with the comics and adaptations of them often using this story aspect to add a more sympathetic tilt to the villain. However, Superman & Lois adds to this further by suggesting the abuse Lex received at the hands of his mother meant he never learned how to trust others or let them in, leading to both his divorce and his estranged relationship with his daughter, Elizabeth, adding new tragic dimensions and connections to this part of his life.

Lex’s wife – before the divorce – explains to Lex that she feels he never lets her in to his true thoughts or feelings, to which he answers: “it’s not that simple. You don’t know what I went through growing up.” Erica responds that Lex is, “still that angry little boy from South Metropolis“, and that his inability to seek to change this and learn to connect with people will ultimately come between not just them, but also that, “one day, Elizabeth will come to you and beg you for your love, and you will push her away, just like you did to me.“

The context of this conversation – which is directly before Erica tells Luthor to only contact her through her lawyer – initially suggests this could just be built-up resentment coming to the surface, until Lex does exactly this in the exact same episode towards its end. Lex’s daughter begs him to leave his grudge with Lois and the Kent family behind so they can start anew, but he’s unable to do this despite his clear love for her, and a prospective grandchild on the way, cementing the idea that his anger has ultimately overpowered his desire to be in the life of the person he cares for the most.

Superman & Lois’ Lex Luthor Story Makes Him An Even Better Villain

Superman & Lois’ Lex Luthor Avoids A Big Pitfall When It Comes To The Character

Adaptations of Lex Luthor have had a range of levels of success over the years, and I think this is often because it’s easy to intentionally or inadvertently limit the depth the character has. While Luthor is best characterized as a mostly heartless and corrupt business tycoon whose egocentricity leaves him with little to no regard for others, this avenue can easily be approached in a way that renders the antagonist as solely a villainous stereotype, instead of also seeking to show the intricacies of his character that have led to this point.

Superman & Lois‘ Lex story does well to avoid this, as showing Luthor’s tragic backstory and its even sadder aftereffects of essentially dooming him to distance himself from any positive bonds in his life adds nuance to his arc, while making it clear that he is still choosing to double down on picking hatred and rage over breaking the cycle and being there for his family even when the option is presented. The fact this comes after us seeing Lex do some of his worst deeds also works, since it adds crucial context while making him seem more fallible and human.

Superman & Lois’ Lex Luthor Story Suggests His Story Can Only End One Way

Lex Luthor’s Eternal Grudge Teases He Can Only Be Stopped By Death

Superman & Lois season 4, episode 5 sees Luthor reject the one way he could have possibly found it in himself to let go of his grudge against Lois and Clark, as choosing to instead be in Elizabeth’s life as her father – and her child’s life as a grandfather – seems the only thing that could have proved more important to him. As it stands, though, there is now nothing to stop him from focusing entirely on ruining the lives of the Kent family, since the only other prior motivation Lex really had was finding Elizabeth once more.

With this in mind, it seems as though the series is destined to end with Lex’s death, given every other opportunity for his story to go a different way appears to have been exhausted, and he stands only more intensely opposed to Lois and Superman than ever before. With Doomsday possibly now at hand to help the Kent family out after his interaction with Lois in Superman & Lois season 4, episode 5, the stage seems set for this eventuality, though whatever the case, Lex’s ending in the show is sure to be a core element of the story.

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