a bit of fic

[xparrot]

I'm recovering from a cold (*cough* *snort* *sniffle* *whiiiine*), wrote this sick from a fever-conceived idea. So it's pretty rough; I might polish it later, not sure I'm going to bother. Smallville, not really Clex, alien invasion futurefic AU. Sort of dark, sort of post-apocalyptic, plenty weird, and so Lex-apologist your head will spin.

...Almost everyone, raising their eyes to the skies, realized the world was ended either way.

Comments

[evil-kat.livejournal.com]

I've never watched Smallville, and I don't really like Superman, but nice work! I really like your characterization, especially of Lex!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee - I didn't really like Superman myself until I watched Smallville, so I can understand that. Very glad you enjoyed it anyway!

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

That's a... very sane Lex. Far less intense, far more reasonable. It felt a little odd to me until the last line, which makes it make sense.

Also, I laughed when I realized that Lex is making OMACs (the mind-controlled people who turn into supersoldiers created by Batman in a fit of paranoia) :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I figured an event big enough to drive most of the population of the world insane might be enough to drive Lex sane. Besides, what does happen to a paranoid schizophrenic whose worst fears come true?

Wait wait wait, Batman made mind-controlled supersoldiers?!?! When? Where? What? How is Lex evil, again?

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

Wait wait wait, Batman made mind-controlled supersoldiers?!?! When? Where? What? How is Lex evil, again?

Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, I admit (in fact, it's byzantine, and I'm not sure if I get it myself) It happened fairly recently in comics-time. After it turned out that some members of the JLA had mindwiped certain villains and Batman, Batman himself grew increasingly paranoid and built Brother Eye, a spy satellite. Brother Eye, in turn, accidentally gained consciousness, was hacked into by villains and it then hi-jacked the OMAC project - a virus that, if activated, turns people into mind-controlled supersoldiers, the OMACs. So by proxy, Batman is responsible for the OMAC problem, but it should be mentioned that the OMAC project itself was government sanctioned (but it's the US government. I'm not sure, it might even have been the Luthor administration). And Batman wasn't preparing for an alien invasion, but for the JLA to go rogue.

But, yeah, in terms of comics morals, Lex isn't that far gone :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Comic books scare me!

Brother Eye, in turn, accidentally gained consciousness,

...as these things do...

It strikes me that making the government evil is a natural progression for comic books, even though it seems a fairly recent tradition. If your heroes are vigilantes operating on the very borders of the law anyway, making that law corrupt is an easy way to paper over the gray spaces...
(I'm getting worried about what this extensive contemplation of SV and comic morality is doing to my own morality...!)

[bagheera-san.livejournal.com]

The comics government isn't evil, it's just incompetent and powerless (or that what it looks like to me) and constantly gets used by smart people like Lex. Also, there are way too many shady secret organizations like Cadmus Labs and Checkmate. Lower level law enforcement (like the Gotham and Metropolis police departments) is generally shown to be honest and good.

Comic books scare me!
... and after Brother Eye high-jacked the Omac project, Maxwell Lord (mind-reader, former JLA member, now evil mastermind controlling Brother Eye - although actually, it was Alexander Luthor from another dimension who manipulated Brother I and Max Lord) mind-controlled Superman into fighting Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman broke Lord's neck on TV.

[naye]

GOD DAMN you write well, woman! It's incredibly! I'm trying to blame those tears in my eyes on my supper curry, but - no. It's your writing. The first part feels to me like echoes of Battle of the Line, in the best way possible, and the rest of it? Awesome, just awesome. I can see Lex, the way you describe him, and hear Clark, and it's brilliant and cool and sad and wonderful. You're amazing. *hugs*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Eee, so happy you read it! and liked it! <333 I haven't written scifi in too long - I really should write more. I like writing sf! And whee - I was thinking I was ripping off echoing "Independence Day" - the Battle of the Line is so much a cooler source! ^_^

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

Beautifully, beautifully written -- and how could I not love a story where Lex saves the world? *squees*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Oh, Lex, you world-saver, you! ^_^

[slipperyliz.livejournal.com]

*Really* Lex-apologist. Not that I mind at all. Nice story!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

*laughs* well, you can't say I didn't warn you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[aerynvala.livejournal.com]

Lex's reasoning for his incarceration is brilliant. For me it reads as a sort of allegory for the US and our response to 9/11. That criminal acts committed in the name of good are still criminal acts that need to be punished. I'm not saying this clearly. But I really liked this story! :)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yeah, I wasn't intending any specific reference to real politics (it's fanfic! I'd feel a bit awkward...) but the comparison was on my mind, the general idea is there...the ends don't justify the means, in any situation. And anyone in power can never afford to forget this, no one should be exempt...er, yeah, I'll stop now. Hopefully my story says it better than me anyway...!

[lukita.livejournal.com]

Dood, I think I can see canon Lex doing this, walking into hell with eyes wide open, save Earth, then doing time for crimes against humanity. Way way into the future.

Love love love ♥ the last line.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

In my mind, SV's Lex is doing this - I like seeing him as such a tragic figure, selling his soul for the world! Even if it's half paranoid delusion (if half hard reality, in a world with so many dangerous aliens...!) But it would take quite a profound event to shock him into the necessary self-awareness; right now he can't afford such doubts...

Thank you! ^_^

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Very clever with a wonderful premise and well done characterisations. I really enjoyed it.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[maigie2010.livejournal.com]

Totally enjoyable. Lex as sane as ever but I understand why he stayed in jail. Excellent story.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'm glad it worked for you!

[attaccabottoni.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. Um, I was so used to thinking there's no jail that could keep comics and toon Lex, and I forget that doesn't apply to SV Lex. In the light of canon, this could very well happen, but I still found Lex turning himself in as a real good twist to the story. I still want him free to take charge of the rebuilding process (and then he and Clark would eventually end up in bed together after a tiring day...) :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I imagine Lex waited a couple months before turning himself in so he could oversee the first crucial steps of rebuilding. Well, and to wait until a prison was rebuilt. And he is helping out from prison, too, researching ways to get the implants out and such. Though sometime after this story I can see Clark chewing Lex out for taking the easy way, for not doing more to pay for his crimes (I don't believe in the justice of punishment nearly as much as I believe in redemption, in doing good deeds to make reparations for past evil...)