why ask why?

[xparrot]

Latest SV musing: is Clark's alien nature catching? Because Chloe seems to have picked up certain subtle inhuman traits.

In any tragedy, one classic, constant human response is to ask 'Why?' Why did this happen? What did we do to deserve this? Will it happen again? How can we stop it from happening again? One of the major ways humans handle terrible things is by trying to understand them. They can turn to science for explanations, or religion, or pick out scapegoats, or rail at fate. But they want to know.

In Smallville, Lex is the only character who ever asks. Clark and Chloe don't care. They don't care that a one-time friend of theirs has gone evil. "We've always know Lex had a dark side, but with what he's been doing recently we're heading toward pitch black." They know this is happening; they recognize that it's not a constant state but a descent from lighter places.

And they don't ask why. They don't ask Lex why; they don't ask one another why. They don't once try to consider the possible reasons or explanations.

Shouldn't they want to know? If a friend of yours does something terrible, what human being doesn't want to know why their friend did this thing? Not just to justify or forgive them; not even to try to fix it. You want to know, because you want to know how you could've been so wrong about someone, so you can avoid making the same mistake again. You want to know, so you can be sure it won't happen to you, or to another of your friends.

Clark and Chloe are worried about getting Lana out of Lex's clutches. Why aren't they worried that maybe Lex's evil is contagious, that whatever darkness infected Lex might spread? "We all have a dark side," Clark told Lex once. Why don't they want to know why Lex's was unleashed? Why don't they care? (Most especially in Smallville, where people going evil is often a result of external influence, be it glowing rocks or cave parasites. Why don't they once try to check Lex for bizarre new jewelry or an implant? Leftover present from Zod? Why do they never consider the possibility?)

Oh well. I'm still trying to figure out why Lex is considered so much a greater threat than Lionel, who has now been revealed to have spent the season jockeying to get a foothold in the national government. He's very obviously been grooming Martha for the senatorial position all along. And everyone's okay with this? What exactly has Lionel done to prove himself this trustworthy?

And Martha and Clark showed their delightful double standard again, being relieved that Senator Burke is gone, even though they decry Lex's methods of disposing of him. Lex is evil evil evil, but aren't they lucky that his evil is so helpful to them? They're very lucky; they don't have to do anything about so many problems, because Lex can handle them. I don't think Clark really wants Lex arrested. Without Lex, he might have to muddy his own conscience. Better to keep the people close to him safe from Lex's machinations, and otherwise let him carry on...

But, for the record: frustrated as I am with Clark now, I don't blame Clark for Lex. I think there was a time he might have been able to save Lex, and he didn't; but that doesn't make him responsible for what Lex does, any more than he's responsible for what the people he saves do. And I agree that Clark was young for most of the series, too young to be held fully accountable for the mistakes he made. And Lex definitely made more than a few mistakes himself; Lex is really, really bad with relationships.

I honestly don't blame Clark for that.

I blame Lionel, dammit!

Lionel made Lex who he was. Lionel molded him from the beginning, bent and broke and splintered his child until Lionel himself is terrified by what he wrought. Lionel pushed Lex down into darkness, and Lex was aware; he tried to stop his descent, scraping his hands bloody as he slid down, reaching out to whoever he could, whoever could take his hand and stop him. But he would grip too tightly, cracking bone in his desperation, so they had to let go.

Lex is so terrible with relationships because he never learned how to have one; Lionel has never allowed him to have one. Dragging his little kid with him to business meetings; driving away his nanny when his mother has just died; making sure no one came to his birthday party (I don't care how unpopular Lex was at school; he was still a Luthor. Parents would have forced their kids to go to make nice with LuthorCorp. Lionel must have seen to it that no one showed.) Banishing him to Smallville, a place where he was guaranteed to be hated; and then as soon as he started to make a decent reputation for himself anyway, trying to drag him away from his new home.

Lex doesn't know how to relate to people normally. Lex knows how to be friendly, but doesn't know how to have a friend; he knows how to have sex, but not how to have a lover. And that's not the fault of his friends, or his lovers. It's sad that he never found anyone with the emotional strength to deal with him, but not that surprising, because it would take a lot of strength. Lex is not an easy person to be close to. He fucks up, a lot. (Moreover, according to the recent canon, he's psychologically disturbed to the point of uncontrolled psychotic rages, in addition to the schizophrenia (both possibly a result of meteor psychosis, though certainly he's had psychological trauma enough to account for it). He should have been in serious counseling since Julian's death, but it doesn't seem like Lionel went for that, even though he had the financial means. Serious health - mental or physical - conditions put a lot of stress on any relationship.)

I've seen it said that Lex is always justifying himself, always blaming others for his own problems, never accepting responsibility for his own mistakes. This is partly a lesson learned from Lionel - Lionel, who never tells the truth unless it suits him, and is always rewarded for it; the only time he ever is held accountable for anything he's done is when Lex saw to it, and even that didn't stick.

But more than that, I don't always see Lex's self-examinations as excuses. Sometimes, especially in the last few seasons, he's consciously manipulating people with his sob stories. But it's not always manipulation. Lex is forever trying to understand - trying to understand Clark, trying to understand Smallville; but more than that, always trying to understand himself. He knows he's broken; he knows he screws up. He wants to know why he does - he has to know why he does. He's willing to put his life on the line for that understanding (see "Memoria") because he doesn't know of any other way. He's a scientist, a philosopher, trying to reason his way out of the trap he's in, because he's too emotionally damaged to feel his way out. He relies too much on other people, looking to them for guidance in the relationship, because he knows he doesn't have the ability himself. (I'm tempted to argue that he's attracted to professional, intelligent women because he mistakes intellectual strength for the emotional strength he really needs...) He has no other choice - even when he actually attempts to get professional psychological help, Lionel is right there to buy off his doc and make sure it fails.

However much you want to hold Lex accountable for his psychological problems, it can't be denied: he'd be a lot, lot less fucked up if it weren't for Lionel. Which is what makes Smallville so frustrating to watch now. Because Lionel deliberately did that to Lex, intentionally and systematically destroyed his son's psyche. And now he's reaping the rewards - he gets to sit back and point to an evil dark enough to overshadow his own, gets to eat Thanksgiving dinner with the Kents and enjoy the acceptance Lex always wanted, because he's the better liar, because he's the more skilled manipulator. Lionel has won, by way of murdering his parents and throwing his son to the wolves. Lex's real mistake, according to Smallville, was fighting becoming his father - if he had just given in and been like Lionel from the start, he'd be ever so much happier now.

Comments

[attaccabottoni.livejournal.com]

They don't ask Lex why; they don't ask one another why.
Clark et al.: Because he's EVOL and crazycakes and doesn't let the freaks run wild like we do!
Lex: ...why the fuck do I have to explain myself to you people? You hoard destructive superpowered beings! *sneers*

What exactly has Lionel done to prove himself this trustworthy?
Clark et al.: He got possessed by my alien dad (who we should always listen to despite his inconsistency in hindsight) and never told THE SECRET, LOLz!
Lionel: That's because I'll just get thrown into the asylum again for my trouble, or worse, lose any power in being privy to this info to Lex, and who wants that? *innocent smile*

trying to reason his way out of the trap he's in, because he's too emotionally damaged to feel his way out.
WORD. The trouble is with Lex, despite his inflated sense of self-worth (which is founded on fact, really), I think he defines himself by how people perceive him. His identity hangs too much on the labels attached to him, and either he reacts to the labels or he decides they're to be truth. And since no one thinks he's worthy of love, he keeps burying himself in projects that to his understanding is the only thing he could offer to the world.

The face of true evil is smug happiness, and that's what Lionel looks like.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

He got possessed by my alien dad (who we should always listen to despite his inconsistency in hindsight)

Yeah, the logic there baffles me. Forget Lionel, when did Jor-El prove himself trustworthy? He seemed pretty much the antagonist, up until he possessed Lionel, and then somehow they both were good...two wrongs make a right, two villains make a hero, or what??

The trouble is with Lex, despite his inflated sense of self-worth (which is founded on fact, really), I think he defines himself by how people perceive him.

Yeah, Lex can act egotistical, but that's cover for how uncertain his ego really is. It's not like growing up with Lionel ever gave him a sense of self-worth...Lex thinks his only value is what he can offer people, and since he can only offer flawed love, he has nothing to barter for love in return. Knowledge he's more sure about...

The face of true evil is smug happiness, and that's what Lionel looks like.

Ee, perfectly put!

[lukita.livejournal.com]

I think someone once mentioned that Clark doesn't act like someone who'll one day works for the Daily Planet because he doesn't ask the important questions. I didn't actually watched Onyx because I never did made it through S4 when it aired and no way am I buying the DVDs, but didn't everyone just happily pat each other on the back and say 'I knew it' when Alexander showed up?

Another thing about Smallville is that it was the place where the most tramatic event happened to Lex. While he might not remember a whole lot from that day, bet you anything Lex never saw a doctor about post tramatic stress disorder.

Ohh~ I agree with you on Lex attracted to intelligent women, and I think quite a few women knows that. From S1, that reporter woman who quoted (whatever, I can't remember) at Lex and he was all 'hi♥'. Victoria is suppose to be intelligent. I think Desiree quoted something at Lex as well. Helen... yeah. Lana doesn't fit, but she also knows Lex the longest and I'll fanwank this and say she was just bidding her time.

The one thing I still don't get about Lionel is that he kept saying Lex is his heir, but just how well does he thinks LuthorCorp would do with a CEO who was dumped in an asylum? No offense or anything, but if I'm a board member and knows nothing about Lex except what's printed in the papers, he would not get my vote. Hmmmm~ Why doesn't everyone knows about Lex getting his brain fried? Wasn't that what put Lionel behind bars in the first place?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Actually in "Onyx" they found out about the split pretty quickly, so didn't go through a time of thinking it was really Lex. And Clark is quick to assure Lex at the end that "it wasn't really him." Which makes 5th season a bit baffling, that a few months later Clark has absolutely no trouble thinking the real Lex has gone dark side.

Great point about the past trauma of Smallville for Lex! Lionel is an amazing bastard on so many levels...

Lex has a very definite 'type' when it comes to women; brainy, professional brunettes with cheekbones almost as nice as Clark's, pretty exclusively. Lana is the exception (more proof of her meteor power!)

And I have no idea why Lex was thrown in Belle Reve. One would think Lionel would want him in private care to more easily manipulate him. Is that why he was arrested, for the brain-frying? I need to check those eps again (how the hell did Clark explain witnessing that, anyway? "Well, I was there to visit my friend hours past visiting hours, and happened to walk past the guards through a couple locked doors to see this illegal procedure..." He's risking his secret more there than he would have just by telling Lex about the brain-fry to begin with...)

[lukita.livejournal.com]

I can't remember everything, but Chloe and Clark went and testified against Lionel on thinking about using electric shock therapy on Lex, I think the charge was dangerous intentions or something like that. So they didn't actually got Lionel for murder or brain frying, but still not someone I want anywhere near a seat of power. I guess everyone assumed Lex didn't get his brain crispy because he's still walking around and only Clark and Lionel witnessed it (99% on the cook doctor who fried Lex probably died).

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

If I remember right, the initial charges against Lionel were the murders of his parents, but -- in order to keep Lionel from getting bail -- Clark agreed to testify that he'd heard Lionel give the order to shock Lex again, even after the doctor had warned him about the potential danger. What gets me, though, is that Clark arrived after Lex had been shocked the second time, and Clark supposedly didn't get his superhearing until the following episode. So did Clark actually hear Lionel give the order, but not immediately recognize the apparent impossibility of that, or did Clark lie through his teeth when he testified? Hmmm....

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Clark lying on the witness stand, for Lex...heh.

PS - lex_minions! Lex wants yoooou! and we can't have this party without you, ya know!

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

Why doesn't everyone knows about Lex getting his brain fried? Wasn't that what put Lionel behind bars in the first place?

As I remember it, the brain-frying was brought up as proof that Lionel is still dangerous in order to keep him from getting bail, but the primary charges against him were the murders of his parents.

[lukita.livejournal.com]

No wonder Lionel got away, they didn't have much in the way of proof for his parent's murders in the first place. Though way didn't they pin him for something else is beyond me.

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

IIRC, they had Lionel admitting to the murder on tape.

Or was that a fanfic . . . ?

[lukita.livejournal.com]

Lionel had it erased and all that's left was the transcript... which wouldn't hold up in court.

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

And they don't ask why.

In Clark's case, I actually find this understandable. Clark knows Lex and Lex's history well enough to know all that stuff you rightly said about Lionel. Clark knows that Lex is damaged. Lex has told him about his darker side. He also knows that Lex has been fighting it, or at least claimed to be fighting it. So from Clark's perspective, it must look as if Lex has given up - which imho is more or less what happened, Lex has given up on using morally sound methods. Clark doesn't blame Lex for being evil, he blames him for not trying to be good anymore. Things he should be asking himself, though: how much has Lex's attitude to do with what happened in Belle Reve, in Onyx and with Zod? I would like the show to mention this, just once, either from Clark's or Lex's perspective. These events might not cause him to do what he does, but they seem to have lowered his inhibition treshold considerably. And everyone in SV always uses the handy excuse of "you weren't responsible for it because someone/thing fucked with your mind."

Chloe, though, who doesn't know Lex as well, should be asking why. And I would like her to bring up Lex's meteor mutant status. She was the one who included him in the Wall of Weird, after all, and she constantly worries about her own mutation. It's as easy as calling Lex a hypocrite because of Level 33.1, dammit! She doesn't even have to go easy on him. (Of course, the show seems to ignore that bit of continuity).

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

The problem I have with Clark isn't so much the emotional "why", but the more straightforward, "Why is Lex doing this now?" Ollie says (based on what evidence I'm not sure) that Lex is building an army, and now they know he's got super soldiers - but why? To sell to the US government? In which case they're battling more than Lex. To sell to foreign governments? In which case the US government should be alerted. To take over the world? In which case everyone should be alerted! Because he's gone stark raving bonkers? Because he wants his own collection of boys in tiny silver shorts?

In a James Bond flick or a comic book, the heroes are usually concerned with figuring out exactly what the villain's evil scheme is, so they can put a stop to it. Clark doesn't seem to have an idea what the scheme is - or if he does, he hasn't told us. I'm really curious just what Clark thinks Lex is trying to do. In "Subterranean" he said something to Lex about doing it for money, but that's the only time I can think of him mentioning motive. "He's gone evil" explains Lex's methods, but not the impetus...

...which I've got a bad feeling never will be explained. He says he's fighting meteor mutants, but an army of super soldiers doesn't seem the ideal match for that. Alien invasion still makes the most sense to me, but then why he doesn't just say so, when his doc knows aliens exist...I have no clue!

[(Anonymous)]

Over the Seasons Clark has become more judgemental (impart because of Jonathon) as Lex gets closer to his secrets.

(I was extremely annoyed with the confrontation between them both when Clark found out Lex slept around. You’re not evil for having emotionless sex!!)

After all the lies I don’t think Clark cares what the reason is anymore, just that Lex is making an army from inhuman sources and experimenting on people.

Clark knows that Lex is damaged. Lex has told him about his darker side. If Clark ever did ask why, I think this would be his answer, Lex’s “destiny” is to be evil, he tried his hardest to help but Lex went down the “dark path” by choice, it doesn’t matter if Lex has some good or his emotional baggage would send any other person to suicide, Lex chose to be what he has become.

Ignore me if I’m completely off base :)

E.J

[lukita.livejournal.com]

We can say the same thing about Clark, while it's not his responsibility to beat up and capture dangerous mutants before dumping them at the station. But a lot of people knows about 33.1 (and I totally do not agree with what Oliver and company are doing, more than what Lex is doing) Clark is equally guilty of not doing anything about it, I'll even go for a tip to the FBI or Interpol or something.

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

Big fat word all around. God, poor Lex. It's fucking hard enough to begin therapy under normal circumstances. I can't imagine the block he must have against it now. *had evol thoughts of Dr. Quinzel playing as Lexie's new shrink*

Leftover present from Zod? Why do they never consider the possibility?
I wondered that myself. Kryptonians seem to leave some part of their disposition with the person they possess. Some of Lex's random raging could be the mark of Zod still on his psychology. Seems to fade, though.

Dragging his little kid with him to business meetings; driving away his nanny when his mother has just died; making sure no one came to his birthday party
I speculated that maybe one of the other kids *cough*Oliver might have something to do with it, but that seems likely. It also makes that somewhat heartwarming scene of Lionel actually doing some parenting with Lex really fucking creepy. Deliberately breaking his son's heart so he could swoop in and make Lex all the more dependant on his affections...

he gets to sit back and point to an evil dark enough to overshadow his own, gets to eat Thanksgiving dinner with the Kents and enjoy the acceptance Lex always wanted, because he's the better liar, because he's the more skilled manipulator. Lionel has won, by way of murdering his parents and throwing his son to the wolves.
That REALLY just kills me. And what kills me more is that it's SO obvious now that supporting the Kents over Lex in the election was a move to get in their good graces and get someone into the senate who he had in his pocket, not that he's just so scared of the evil that Lex might do (he doesn't fucking care if it doesn't affect him, and since Lex still loves him, unfortunately, it won't until Lex snaps and kills him), or of Lex's "taste for power" which he's "always had." Even Bo Kent believed Lionel's lies because he's irrational fucking tart where Lex is concerned. He's been playing them all along, and he was never Lion-El, not really. He was never conscious of knowing what Jor-El was doing. He just used the connection to get in with Clark. I'm rambling now, but god. They are all so dumb.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Lex really needs to be arrested and put in psychiatric care for about five years. In an isolated place very far from Lionel. Of course then he'd have to explain that he really doesn't have the time for this, seeing as he has to save the world from alien invaders, and he'd never be let loose...

(You know, I don't really care for the woobie defense for Lex - I prefer the world-savior, willingly damning himself - but man. Lex can't even buy loyalty. A psychiatrist is supposed to be someone you can trust implicitly, because that's their job; that Lionel undermines even that... Small wonder Lex doesn't see the disconnect between loving someone and screwing them over as he did with Lana's pregnancy; he's never been anything but constantly fucked with by every person he's ever gotten to know. As far as he knows, that's the only way relationships work.)

I don't understand what made Lion-El trustworthy to begin with, considering that up to that point, Jor-El had pretty much been a royal asshole! Why would he be better when in Lionel? The logic there baffles. Martha's acceptance of Lionel...I try to justify it, or barring that ignore it, but really it's just a horrible - either disservice to her char, or else she's just a blind idiot. She tells Clark she doesn't trust Lionel, but she's lying; or else she's power-mad in her own way, wanting that senate seat even given the risks. (And, umm, there are risks. Lex just got the last guy killed! Are you really sure you want your mom to have this job, Clark?)

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

Of course then he'd have to explain that he really doesn't have the time for this, seeing as he has to save the world from alien invaders, and he'd never be let loose...
Then the aliens do come and take over the world, and somehow it's all Lex's fault that it happened. :P

Small wonder Lex doesn't see the disconnect between loving someone and screwing them over as he did with Lana's pregnancy; he's never been anything but constantly fucked with by every person he's ever gotten to know. As far as he knows, that's the only way relationships work.
It's true. I mean, I'm still not sure that he did it, but if he did, Lex probably only sees the end result of Lana being happy and safe with him, and doesn't really weigh in the suffering he causes her along the way. It's all for the greater good. (Which is fucking disturbing, and I don't know how he could learn not to do relationships that way.)

The leaps of faith in this show are B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Jor-El is still a dangerous alien lunatic as far as I know. Freaken imperialist aliens. Um, ya'll blew up your world. Why do you think you can come help "rule" us? Superior species my ass. You're just high on our UV rays.

[greenlady2.livejournal.com]

"In Smallville, Lex is the only character who ever asks. Clark and Chloe don't care. They don't care that a one-time friend of theirs has gone evil."

This is why Lex is the only SV character I like. Psychotic he might be, but he's the only character who seems sane to me. He's the only one who truly seems to care about other people. Which is bizarre, since he's the one who's supposed to be Evil.

"If a friend of yours does something terrible, what human being doesn't want to know why their friend did this thing?"

I'd want to know what was going on. I'd want to know if my friend had really done this terrible thing. I wouldn't just assume it, I'd check it out. I wouldn't start blaming my friend for it, just because I'd 'always known he was evil'. I'd go to my friend and ask what had happened, not accuse him or her, and yell at him or her. I guess that's why I'll never be a Superhero.

"...I don't blame Clark for Lex. I think there was a time he might have been able to save Lex, and he didn't..."

I don't blame Clark for what Lex does. I blame Clark for what Clark does. Everyone says that Clark is/was young. That's true. But how old do you have to be to be loyal to a friend? How much maturity do you need in order to care about a friend's welfare? Where did Clark learn his interpersonal relationship skills? Did his parents accuse him of things without checking to see whether or not he'd really done them? Or did they do that to other people, and taught Clark to be just as paranoid?

"Lex's real mistake, according to Smallville, was fighting becoming his father - if he had just given in and been like Lionel from the start, he'd be ever so much happier now."

This is what worries me about SV. I can't quite figure out what the show is trying to say about what makes a good person. About how we should treat other people. I know TV shows aren't religious tracts, or philosophical treatises, and I'm not expecting SV to be one. But it troubles me with what it does appear to be saying.

Anyway, I'm working on a little treatise of my own, and will post in in the LL Minion community soon. Then, all our problems will be solved. :-)))

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

He's the only one who truly seems to care about other people. Which is bizarre, since he's the one who's supposed to be Evil.

Yeah...Lex hurts people, but he seems aware when he hurts people. In the first few seasons it's rarely deliberate, unless he was attacked first; but when he makes mistakes - and he does - he always seeks to make up for them, and apologizes when he can't. And right now he's hurting people deliberately but with reason, believing he has no choice, and he still seems pretty unhappy about it. While the heroes often seem pretty oblivious to those who get harmed in their path.

I'd go to my friend and ask what had happened, not accuse him or her, and yell at him or her.

It would be better if Clark was accusing, was yelling! If he really had it out with Lex, but usually it's just a token huffy "Oh, you're being evil again, I'm not gonna talk to you anymore!" The problem is that Lex never yells back...he tries to argue his case reasonably, but when Clark doesn't listen he tends to just shut down. He really ought to just blow up at Clark. Clear the air between them; it might be what they really need...

I look forward to your master treatise! XD

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

Did his parents accuse him of things without checking to see whether or not he'd really done them? Or did they do that to other people, and taught Clark to be just as paranoid?

Yes. On both counts.

At least Bo did, from what I could see.

By the way...

[greenlady2.livejournal.com]

... I wanted to say thanks for hosting all these interesting discussions. I've been really enjoying them. :-)))

Re: By the way...

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee - thank you for putting up with my ranting, and responding with such reasonable thoughts!

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

*standing ovation*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

*laughs* It's insane ranting performance art!

[elandrialore.livejournal.com]

But I want to blame Clark!!!!

Okay, so I don't really, but sometimes I can't help myself and I do anyway. He really was too young to carry the burden of Lex's psychological problems--and honestly I think he's still too young--but I think Lex so badly wanted Clark to save him--from his father, from his life, from his fate--that he expected it. He took the step off the cliff and waited for Clark to catch him and Clark sort of stood there and watched him fall. It's not Clark's fault that he couldn't fly up and save him, but Lex will blame him--and does blame him--anyway, because even if Clark couldn't have saved him, all Lex will see is that he could have tried harder and chose not to.

Lionel, on the other hand, is the one pushing Lex over the cliff as hard as he can while making it seem like he's trying to help him, and the people of Smallville--Jonathan, Martha, Lois, Chloe--are standing at the bottom of the cliff yelling, "Jump!" at the top of their lungs.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I don't want to blame Clark! He's supposed to be the hero! But I do anyway at times, it's hard to help. The thing that gets me is that Lex knew he couldn't save himself, knew he was too damaged to heal himself. And in his desperation, he reaches for the one person who is strong enough to save him - or will be strong enough, someday. That Clark was too young to be what Lex needed, I can't blame Clark for that. But it's still tragic.

And yeah...everyone but Clark seems to have actively wanted Lex to go evil. Maybe because they knew having a real supervillain around would make all their pettiness and lies look good...

[lastscorpion.livejournal.com]

This is so well expressed! I totally agree with your analysis.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I fear at this point that I'm only reiterating what I've already said...but Lex is deserving of analysis, however repetitve! ^^

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

Moreover, according to the recent canon, he's psychologically disturbed to the point of uncontrolled psychotic rages, in addition to the schizophrenia

I think that Lex had a mental breakdown in S2, as well. The weird, unromantic HeLex romance, the weird, unrealistic way that Lionel got hold of LexCorp . . . .

Whether that breakdown was organic, or was due to Lionel's interference, dunno, but it's really the only thing that comes close to explaining Lex's behavior in S2.

Clark's behavior in S2, otoh, is inexplicable. 8-\