The reason Brainiac WAS the only all out villain and every other villain has to be 'grey' is because Lex is meant to be the ultimate villain.
The ultimate and proper evil villain has to be Lex, not just because in the mythology he is Clark's biggest enemy, but because he WAS at a sympathetic villain. His evil deeds, lies, manipulation etc were for a long time tempered by us feeling sorry for him because what he had become was in large part caused by things beyond his control: the tragedies of his mother and brother, him getting the blame for that, not having friends as a child, his rather unfortunate baldness, his unemotional father raising him to be a heartless tycoon etc. Yet we were even sympathetic knowing that he had a talent for deceit - for being two faced - generous one moment, scheming privately the next...
However, in my view the Lex character crossed the thin red line between sympathetic villain and all out evil villain when he killed Lionel (despite the fact that Lionel had done so many bad things that might justify murder). The reason for this is not that it brings Lex into total contrast with Clark who doesn't kill at all. We knew that already. It is because whereas we could accept Lex killing to save some one or forgive a gazillion murderous schemes/experiments on hapless meteor freaks, factory workers blah blah blah, one cannot accept the killing of Lionel by his own son.
After that point the potential existed for Lex to kill Clark since if you can kill your dad in cold blood, what of a bitter rival once your friend. The image of Lex standing in the ice fortress holding the glowing orb and smiling and knowing all of Clark's secrets confirms his status as arch villain. Indeed the fact he could irradiate Lana with kryptonite just to spite Clark tells you he has completed that transformation.
For this reason I can't wait for Lex to return - which if rumors re: Michael Rosenbaum are to be believed could really happen
The ultimate and proper evil villain has to be Lex, not just because in the mythology he is Clark's biggest enemy, but because he WAS at a sympathetic villain. His evil deeds, lies, manipulation etc were for a long time tempered by us feeling sorry for him because what he had become was in large part caused by things beyond his control: the tragedies of his mother and brother, him getting the blame for that, not having friends as a child, his rather unfortunate baldness, his unemotional father raising him to be a heartless tycoon etc. Yet we were even sympathetic knowing that he had a talent for deceit - for being two faced - generous one moment, scheming privately the next...
However, in my view the Lex character crossed the thin red line between sympathetic villain and all out evil villain when he killed Lionel (despite the fact that Lionel had done so many bad things that might justify murder). The reason for this is not that it brings Lex into total contrast with Clark who doesn't kill at all. We knew that already. It is because whereas we could accept Lex killing to save some one or forgive a gazillion murderous schemes/experiments on hapless meteor freaks, factory workers blah blah blah, one cannot accept the killing of Lionel by his own son.
After that point the potential existed for Lex to kill Clark since if you can kill your dad in cold blood, what of a bitter rival once your friend. The image of Lex standing in the ice fortress holding the glowing orb and smiling and knowing all of Clark's secrets confirms his status as arch villain. Indeed the fact he could irradiate Lana with kryptonite just to spite Clark tells you he has completed that transformation.
For this reason I can't wait for Lex to return - which if rumors re: Michael Rosenbaum are to be believed could really happen
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