darkfic: Promises to Keep

[xparrot]

Okay, I take back what I said about Lex in "Promise." This is what's really going on. Major props to jakrar for inspiring us to peer deeper into the mechanism, and to gnine for hashing out more of the details.

This is a fanfic and episode meta in one. I could have written yet another essay, but this was more fun and only took a couple hours to dash off. The characterization might make more sense if you're aware of our current interpretation of Lex.

Smallville: Promises to Keep {2,063 words}
PG-13. Warnings for meteorfreak!Lana and mastermind!Lex. Well, less warnings for the latter, more reassurances. He's been sorely lacking of late in the show proper. Also massive spoilers for "Promise." The dialogue and action are all from the episode's script; the words in between are mine.

( Lex Luthor is used to desperation. )

Comments

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

I just now watched "Promise" and because it was a horribly depressing episode if taken at face-value (everyone except Lionel was just pathetic!) I went online find something less depressing. I watched the ep with your interpretation in mind - the only thing that didn't work was when Lex offered LuthorCorp to Lionel, unless you take that as a gamble where Lex was reasonably sure that Lionel wouldn't immediately take the offer - and knowing Lionel he most likely wouldn't. He likes to have leverage far too much.

Of course darkfic doesn't help against show-caused bad mood, but I still prefer this version because it makes *sense* and convinces - on the show Lex has neither seemed happy nor in love this whole season and least of all in this ep.

A sacrifice, unknowing, unaware; but a sacrifice as courageous and noble as any soldier fighting for her people, her nation, her world.
Fantastic. Lex's views and morals in this are so warped that he's scary, even while being tragic. I don't often find Lex scary.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I was torn between being depressed by "Promise" and being pissed off, because yeah, everyone but Lionel comes out pathetic and miserable and it was just not a fun time. For we the viewers, either. This was definitely therapy. I'm almost grateful SV has so many plotholes, because you can slip something like this in between the cracks and it actually works - it's not that I think it's what the writers are going for (though I really, really wonder if someone on the staff is onboard with mutant!Lana) but...they can't prove it wrong, unless they bring in a telepath or somesuch! (and Lex offering LuthorCorp was totally a gamble; if Lionel had accepted Lex would have worked around it. Might have even been easier, getting out of the spotlight. Or else he's got LexCorp in the wings, waiting for the chance to strike...he's gotta change over sometime...)

Eeee, you thought him scary? Yay! The Lex in my head is pretty tragically frightening, he's got so much potential and drive for greatness that any morality or humanity in him can be drowned, especially when there's no one left in his life to draw it out...(I just wish the Lex in my head showed up on my TV screen more often ^^;)