The Problem w/ Clark’s Reveal (or, The Problem w/ Lois and Clark)

[hellokitty]

^^I'd add, too, that specifically in Bride, no matter what was going on or what sparks had been flying around Clark and Lois for however long or even in just that episode...when Lana returned, it literally blind-sided Clark. Then Doomsday crashed the wedding, etc. So when he finally caught back up with her at the hospital, he was trying to comfort her, he was trying to be that "rock" for her. And she made the choice to leave. A wise choice, IMO. Clark was left to muddle through the "closure" of his and Lana's dead relationship.

I think the nature of Lois and Clark's relationship at that point was beginning to come to the surface once Infamous happened, again in Hex, with what Chloe pointed out to Clark, and with what Lois told him about the "work/trenches/sparks" thing, and then culminated in Stiletto, where it all began to come together for them. At least, opening the door for him to see her in a different light, which led to him ackowledging and then falling completely in love with her.

Also, in all the years that Clark's known her, while she'd shown some signs of vulnerability with him, she's always been the "big girl", always been able to take care of herself. If he didn't realize he'd hurt her in Bride, and then she comes back in Infamous and brushes it off...I'm not sure he should have acted any differently. He tried making it up to her, IMO, by giving her his story to write. And seeing how she reacted to his secret, and everything else, after turning back time, he knew to make things different. He picked her up at the airport, he made an effort to be her friend. I truly think he wanted to be at that cafe that night. But after what had happened with Lana, and what had happened in the original timeline...I think he really just wanted to protect her.

After what he told Brainiac 5 in Homecoming, that all he's tried to do is protect Lois after what happened to Lana, it's no surprise, in hindsight, that he didn't show up at the cafe.

[Audrey229]

I thought that what transpired between Clark and Lois in "Bride" was a fairly realistic situation that can and does happen between two people who are attracted to each other/may have feelings unacknowledged feelings for each other getting caught up in the moment.

I've watched that sort of thing happen many, many times in my own life. You're at a formal event or a wedding or you're out at a bar and you see two of your frends looking a little bit overly chummy. It seems pretty clear that they are going to hook up. If this was real life? If Lana hadn't shown up and Doomsday hadn't crashed the wedding...what probably would have happened that night? Realistically, they probably would have hooked up. I don't think they would have slept together because that's not Clark's style with women and I think Lois was purposefully trying to take things slow because she really liked Clark. But realistically, had things not gone to hell, I think they both were a bit caught up in the attraction and probably would have made out or something. And then the next day they probably both would have been awkward and embarassed and afraid to face each other. But the whole way that they came together in "Bride" felt very real to me. I think that can and does happen to people. I think that many times special events bring people together and if you have some kind of attraction for someone it can come out when you are all dressed up and away from your day to day routine for the evening. If this wasn't a show about monsters that crash weddings, Lois would have been calling Chloe to tell her, "Umm...I hooked up with Clark last night." And Chloe and Jimmy would have made fun of them like all friends usually do when people do crazy stuff like that.

But even if they had hooked up that night and even if Lana hadn't come back? I'm not sure that things would have been that different between them. I don't think Clark was truly ready at that point to examine what he felt towards Lois. He was acting on instinct when he leaned in to kiss her and if Lana had not interupted them it would have been instinct that I think would have propelled him for the rest of the night. The next day? I think he might have been confused about how he felt. And as someone said above, Lois, for her part, has always been afraid to show true vulnerability. I can pretty much guarantee that even if they had hooked up that night, Lois would have tried to chalk it up to something "crazy" and tried to brush it off. I just don't think either of them were ready at that point in time to really explore what might be lurking under the surface of their attraction. They both needed time to mature and come to terms with things in their own lives before they were ready for that. JMO

[DJ Doena]

Maybe he misunderstands others and makes mistakes, but he only wants to protect people. JMHO

Exactly. If Clark really thought this would be the best course of action for everyone else (not necessarily for him), he would walk through life alone, no matter how painful it would be for him.

That is the thing where Chloe and he are totally on par. Both would sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

[Cloisdestined]

IMO Clark was respecting Lana's wishes to leave and start a new life. Lana said, although worded differently, "If you love me, you'll let me go, you'll give me this chance, never get in touch with me. You'll let me be in peace." She said "no" to him 3 times and listed reasons why they couldn't be together: "there is no cure, we can be heroes apart, I can't touch you." Clark kissed her, but she walked away from him. It appears to be a breakup.

In the past, in Promise, when Lana was going to marry Lex, he did not interfere because he thought she wanted to. But Chloe convinced him that Lana wanted Clark to stop her, so he told her his secret. Maybe he misunderstands others and makes mistakes, but he only wants to protect people. JMHO

That's really comparing apples to oranges. All Lana said was that they couldn't be around each other because of the suit. She had resolved based on the information that Dr. Grohl had provided her. She couldn't bare to see him in pain and so she left. That was her reasoning. From Clark's perspective, the only thing holding Lana back from him was the suit not Lana's independent wants or needs. It was the suit and the resolution by Lana that there was no cure that caused Lana to leave. I am sure if Clark was to have found a cure, Lana would have returned to him or at least that is what the expected result should've been. And like I explained he never tried to control that independent factor, which for the reasons I provided above were controllable or could have warranted a search for a control. (ie through use of legion ring, through consultations with others) The simple fact of the matter is that he chose not to pursue her anymore because he knew their relationship was bound to destruct sooner or later irrespective of the suit. Yes this wasn't explicitly shown on screen but this the only logical deduction from what was presented on screen and Clark's actions and the surrounding circumstances. You can put any spin you want to it but that's the only reasoning that makes sense.

In Promise, from Clark's perspective, Lana wanted Lex period, it wasn't conditioned on any independent factor. It was a simple "want" and her "wish" to pursue Lex irrespective of a controllable independent factor. Obviously there was nothing Clark could have done there that would have made sense to gain her back except stalk her and demand her to marry him instead, which let's face it never renders any positive results. And you just proved my argument. It's when he found out the truth that her decision was actually based on an independent factor, his secret, is when he sought her out. Bingo! Maybe it wasn't apples and oranges afterall

[Simba_Muffy]

Or rather, these writers cheat. Clark is with Lois by default, cuhLEARly. Because everybody and their momma knows he'd be with his obsession, the Lang, if she wasn't living kryptonite.
They also did not require for Clark to use his faith and optimism, two traits that are normally closely associated with Superman.
He only told her the secret because he had seen the future. That's not trusting himself, and that's not trusting her...that's friggin' cheating.

Put the Krypotonite pipe down.

[Aurora Moon]

I agree that the writers handled the clois romance poorly at times and that the thing with Lana should've been resolved a long time ago... like when the two of them graduated and left high school.

Lana was Clark's first love, and his high school sweetheart. But that didn't mean that they were going to be together forever. it should've been a natural process for him to eventually get over her and fall in love with other people, like Lois Lane.

But, of course, CW and the writers couldn't resist having love triangles just for the sake of drama, etc. Even when it made no sense at all. God forbid that a high school couple moves on from their previous relationship after high school's over. God forbid that Clark discovers that he loves Lois Lane differently than he did Lana Lang, but that it was still a pure type of love, one that he wanted for the rest of his life.

Also, that Kryptonite suit was the worst idea they ever had. They were trying too hard to please both the Clana and Clois shippers at the same time, that they basically cheapened both relationships that Clark had with the women.

[jon-el87]

God forbid that a high school couple moves on from their previous relationship after high school's over.

Think I read an AlMiles interview, a few years back, where they expressed regret with the Clana relationship and noted that it should've ended after season 3. Of course, everything becomes clear in hindsight. They should've concluded Lana's story with her going off to Paris, at the end of season 3. Perhaps coming back, a few seasons later, for a one-off guest spot (where we're given some follow-up, to what she's been doing for the last few years). What they did with Pete would be an example (though, his return episode was terrible).

Of course, there might have been some fears about tampering with success (i.e. a fear that viewers would leave, if Lana left and a new love interest was introduced; ironically, I personally feel that her and Lex leaving after season seven gave the show a breath of new life. New characters and dynamics could be introduced and explored, as they could only go so far, with some of the characters). At the same time, Buffy survived dropping the Buffy/Angel relationship after the third season, with several new romances introduced after it. So, there was already a show demonstrating that "yes, your show can survive the dropping of the existing love interest". Introduce some new girls, that Clark could date.

However, AlMiles seems obsessed with love triangles. Their script for Spider-Man 2 had a younger Doctor Octopus, with there being a love triangle between him, Mary Jane and Peter (why?).