Did "Arctic" somehow "ruin" Lex's "Descent"?

[Yasise]

Maybe "ruin" is not the right word for it, but IMO Lex wasn't at all the total evil in that episode, like he actually ought to be since "Descent".

The evil Lex Luthor wouldn't say "I'm sorry Clark!" and wouldn't kneel down beside him, hold him and wait for his "end" - like it obviously happened.

The evil Lex Luthor would watch Clark lying there in pain and eventually would leave before everything breaks down - like he did in "Apocalypse" after he shot Clark.

He would never "sacrifice" himself in order to save the earth or mankind.

Of course we know that Lex was delusional about his or the travelers role but he did believe that he was doing the right thing and he felt sorry for being forced to kill Clark.

I was somehow relieved after "Descent" that Lex finally was 100% evil - well, he seemed to be at last.

Finally no more shades of grey in his character, just 100% darkest black instead of a soul/conscience.

But in "Arctic" he didn't seem pure evil to me at all. He even let Jimmy from the hook before he left for his flight.
IMO, the evil Lex Luthor wouldn't have done that, he would have insisted nevertheless that Jimmy should go on spying on Lois. He wouldn't have cared about Jimmy's feelings at all.

Soooo, maybe I'm the delusional one here now, but actually I'm totally confused about Lex's evilness.

The last scene in the FOS was so tragic and sad and I felt sorry for both of them - Clark AND Lex.

[boywithbluehanger]

Yeah I have to agree, it seemed a bit like backpeddaling to me. Unfortunately you'll probably see more people try to defend what it turned out to be rather than object to it. Many seem to be immune to not liking something that's obviously out of place.

[Yasise]

Yeah I have to agree, it seemed a bit like backpeddaling to me..

yeah, like "Sleeper" was a 180' turnaround for Clark.

I don't like those turns at all. They are confusing and it makes the whole storylines or character developments - if there are any - totally unbelievable and that's a shame.

[ClarkyBoy14]

Jimmy went back on his deal, so Lex had Chloe arrested.

And we have no idea what was happening in that final scene.

I think it's time to rewatch the episode. ;)

[Yasise]

Jimmy went back on his deal, so Lex had Chloe arrested.

And we have no idea what was happening in that final scene.

I think it's time to rewatch the episode. ;)

Just rewatched it :D.

O.k. that Jimmy - Chloe deal, you're right.

But the final scene in the FOS - no way! Lex felt definetly sorry for being the one who has to "kill" or "control" Clark.

And even if you don't agree with me on that, how do you explain, that Lex isn't leaving as soon as the ice pieces fall down on them? The Lex Luthor of all the other Superman movies would do that!

But instead Smallville Lex stayed there with Clark, kneeling beside him, holding him AND telling him that he's sorry with tears in his eyes.

This is not what an evil person would do, IMO!

[ClarkyBoy14]

The device was meant to control the Traveler, not kill him, so I don't think Lex was planning on dying w/ Clark.

I guess we'll have to wait until next season to find out.

I don't want to wait 4 months. :(

[skully]

The answer is absolutely YES. It's almost like TPTB reckoned they would always be able to talk MR into returning for S8, but then realised they couldn't, so rushed his Descent into complete evil and then killed him off. Very lame, unfortunately.

The only way the producers can redeem this is get another actor to continue the role of Lex so that we can have one final season of full only Lex v Clark, but that appears very unlikely. And I would have trouble seeing anyone else but MR doing Lex.

[Theshadow129x]

The last scene in the FOS was so tragic and sad and I felt sorry for both of them - Clark AND Lex.


I agree. I felt terrible for Lex, not really Clark. Lex was just tragic at the end telling Clark he loved him like a brother then I actually felt for him. He was delusional but I still think thats what made his performance in his final seen so moving. I didnt want to feel for Lex, I wanted to hate him for all th evil stuff he did!

[curiosity]

Maybe "ruin" is not the right word for it, but IMO Lex wasn't at all the total evil in that episode, like he actually ought to be since "Descent".

The evil Lex Luthor wouldn't say "I'm sorry Clark!" and wouldn't kneel down beside him, hold him and wait for his "end" - like it obviously happened.

The evil Lex Luthor would watch Clark lying there in pain and eventually would leave before everything breaks down - like he did in "Apocalypse" after he shot Clark.

He would never "sacrifice" himself in order to save the earth or mankind.

Of course we know that Lex was delusional about his or the travelers role but he did believe that he was doing the right thing and he felt sorry for being forced to kill Clark.

I was somehow relieved after "Descent" that Lex finally was 100% evil - well, he seemed to be at last.

Finally no more shades of grey in his character, just 100% darkest black instead of a soul/conscience.

But in "Arctic" he didn't seem pure evil to me at all. He even let Jimmy from the hook before he left for his flight.
IMO, the evil Lex Luthor wouldn't have done that, he would have insisted nevertheless that Jimmy should go on spying on Lois. He wouldn't have cared about Jimmy's feelings at all.

Soooo, maybe I'm the delusional one here now, but actually I'm totally confused about Lex's evilness.

The last scene in the FOS was so tragic and sad and I felt sorry for both of them - Clark AND Lex.

Not really, would you really want Lex to love you like a brother? Look what he did to his brother. Look what he did to Jimmy after he told him it took a lot of integrity to say those things. He didn't let Jimmy off the hook at all, didn't you see Chloe get arrested right when he asked her to marry him?

[Yasise]

Not really, would you really want Lex to love you like a brother? Look what he did to his brother. Look what he did to Jimmy after he told him it took a lot of integrity to say those things. He didn't let Jimmy off the hook at all, didn't you see Chloe get arrested right when he asked her to marry him?

I already admitted that I was wrong with that Jimmy/Chloe deal above.

And to Lex's brotherly love I would say that he killed his clone brother, too and of course his own father before - so of course Lex is not a good guy all of a sudden. I didn't want to say that.

What I wanted to say is, that inspite of his "Descent" to evil, he still showed feelings in the FOS scene in this episode for Clark and expressed them by not just walking away and let Clark probably die there alone. He said he felt sorry because of what happened and what he had to do to Clark.
I didn't expect so much feelings from Lex anymore and I was really surprised and actually touched by what he said and how he said it.

[MozartRequiem]

Yeah, I see what you mean. But just because he felt sadness when he did that to Clark doesn't mean he's not evil. It just means that he still has a soft spot for Clark. That doesn't stop him from trying to control Clark, though. And the action speaks louder than the word. Lex apologies, sure, but he's still ready to use Clark for his own purposes to "protect the world".

But I can see where you're coming from. I am glad that he showed emotion in this scene, because it was definitely epic and tragic. Even heartless people have souls.

[Theshadow129x]

Lex has already showed that he cant get rid of Clark in his heart. Clark was really the one person in his entire life that showed friendship and care and heck a brotherly love when they were friends. Thats the tragic thing about Lex: try as much as he can, he can never get rid of his love for the one person that was like his little brother!

I felt just terrible for Lex, not jsut because of MRs great acting in that final scene, but for the fact that he loved Clark but his delusions of grandeur got that best of him. He's a lost soul trying to find a purpose because no matter what he has always been in someone elses shadow. His dad, Julians, Clark's. He didnt know how to cope with it all. Clark was the first person since his mother to show him love, of course he would have a soft spot for him.

[Yasise]

Actually I thought that all his "soft spots" died with little Alexander in "Descent"?

[Theshadow129x]

It was supposed to, but the thing is that try as much as a person can, they still have a heart. Hitler still wanted love from a woman after all the things he did , Lex is no different. Its hard to be completely evil when the one person who showed love and care to you is the person you think needs to be brought down! :(

[MozartRequiem]

"It was supposed to, but the thing is that try as much as a person can, they still have a heart. Hitler still wanted love from a woman after all the things he did , Lex is no different. Its hard to be completely evil when the one person who showed love and care to you is the person you think needs to be brought down! "

Exactly. Lex did TRY to rid himself of any real conscience because it "makes him weak", but that doesn't mean he doesn't still have feelings of regret for how things have turned out.

However, to me, this doesn't ruin his character progression, because, the main point is, DESPITE THESE FEELINGS, he still does what he feels is "strong". He still pushes back his conscience. He has no hesitance in doing horrible things. For most people, he doesn't care, but for Clark, he feels sad. It still doesn't stop him though, whereas in the past, these feelings would have stopped him from going this far, IMO. So for me, it shows how far he's come due to his final transformation in "Descent".

[malft]

I can only assume that you folks posted all these comments before you watched the ep. Yes it appeared that Lex let Jimmy, "off the hook). That must explain why Chloe sits in federal lockdown by the end of the episode. Clark not only doesn't know what the control device looks like or how it operates. He only figured out that Lex was at the FOS thiry seconds before he got there himself. If your going to crab about something, why not ***** about how the FOS never looks the same way twice.

[Theshadow129x]

this is for MozartRequiem yeah i never thought of it that way but good point. he feels sorry for the fact that he has to do what he deems right. there is depth to the character on that note, his greatest adversary is a person he still deems his best friend. even though the best friend thing has been done before, i dont think so to the depth of Clark and Lex. I would say thats the one thing that Smallville has done right throughout 7 years of storytelling

----- Added 1 Minutes later -----


I can only assume that you folks posted all these comments before you watched the ep. Yes it appeared that Lex let Jimmy, "off the hook). That must explain why Chloe sits in federal lockdown by the end of the episode. Clark not only doesn't know what the control device looks like or how it operates. He only figured out that Lex was at the FOS thiry seconds before he got there himself. If your going to crab about something, why not ***** about how the FOS never looks the same way twice.

wtf are you talking about? if you read all of our post you'd know what we were dicussing and thats the fact that Lex has a soft spot still fro Clark. Before you jump into our conversation look at the post before talking smack.

[baltazor]

I don't think so. Lex is evil but he is not satan. I mean if all he understood was death and destruction that just wouldn't be realistic. HE is evil and most of the time he is in dark grey areas.

[luthorian]

They kind of turned the whole thing upside down. Lex ready to die to protect the mankind and Clark whining about his right to live.. I thought it was weird, but I guess the whole show has been build up that way not the superman style.

[Yasise]

They kind of turned the whole thing upside down. Lex ready to die to protect the mankind and Clark whining about his right to live.. .

yeah, exactly. IMO it would have been more Lex Luthor like if his only purpose was to control the traveler. But all his talking about saving mankind and the earth???

Sorry, but after "Descent" this shouldn't have happened and he shouldn't have hold Clark and wait with him there.

He could have said his "I'm sorry Clark" , should have turned around and left him there alone to die.

Not that I'm a sadistic person, but IMO that would have been the Lex Luthor of "Descent".
It is just totally out of character for the "after descent" Lex to stay there with Clark, ready to die for mankind, IMO.

[Kevin24]

I see where everyone is coming from. I just think throughout the series and throughout the last 4 episodes. Lex has always been kind to Clark even when he turned evil....he still had that soft spot for Clark.

So what happened in the final scene wasn't out of character for me because he always seemed to think of Clark as his brother. He knows Clark is the best person he has ever known, the only good person he has ever known.

He even said the only bad thing Clark ever did to him was not trust him with his secret. Clark had his back when nobody did....and now he still sees Clark as that guy the nice guy who helped him out and saved his life so many times.

Plus since season 4 he has said that he wants to save mankind and the world.

I think people don't like that it was "too mushy" but I loved every second of that scene.
Lex saying he loves him, holding him and what seems like dying with him.

[Theshadow129x]

I see where everyone is coming from. I just think throughout the series and throughout the last 4 episodes. Lex has always been kind to Clark even when he turned evil....he still had that soft spot for Clark.

So what happened in the final scene wasn't out of character for me because he always seemed to think of Clark as his brother. He knows Clark is the best person he has ever known, the only good person he has ever known.

He even said the only bad thing Clark ever did to him was not trust him with his secret. Clark had his back when nobody did....and now he still sees Clark as that guy the nice guy who helped him out and saved his life so many times.

Plus since season 4 he has said that he wants to save mankind and the world.

I think people don't like that it was "too mushy" but I loved every second of that scene.
Lex saying he loves him, holding him and what seems like dying with him.



thats a good post. I agree, it wasnt out of character or degrading of the character again because he's always, even after killing Lionel, had a soft spot for Clark. its the thing he cant get rid of.