Smallville plot bunnies
I've got about a handful of plot bunnies I'd like to find homes for that've popped up because of the (in)famous 100th episode of Smallville. Anyone who's not entirely happy with the way that "Reckoning" went and who feels the need to write, please feel free to adopt one or all of the following bunnies!
Plot Bunny #1 and #1.5: I thought this was a no-brainer myself, but I haven't seen anyone try it yet, so I'm starting with it. It's an AU that takes off from just after the point where Lana dies. Essentially, what happens is this: Jonathan grabs Clark and tries to pull him away and shelter him from the sight of Lana's broken and bloody body, telling him that it's not his fault and there wasn't anything he could have done. Jonathan is so preoccupied by the fact of Lana's death and the obvious emotional breakdown that Clark is suffering that he doesn't seem to notice that anyone else is there. But Lex is standing less than a yard away from the two Kents, still in shock from having first seen Lana hit and killed when the bus rolled her vehicle and then having seen Clark come breezing up to the scene at superspeed, just moments too late to have prevented the crash. Although Lex's body is exhibiting all the classic symptoms of shock - cold and numbness, etc. - his mind is busy rapidly putting together the pieces of what he's just seen and learned and what it means about the nature of the secret(s) that Clark has been keeping. So when Clark tears away from Jonathan with a strangled cry of "NOOOO!" (and if it helps, you can think "NO!" a la the third Star Wars movie, when Anakin wakes up as Vader and learns of Padme's death) and then races off at superspeed, Lex instinctively knows where it is that he must be going. There's only one place that Clark could be going that makes any sense, considering all of their past history and the focus of a majority of the flimsiest of Clark's lies: the caves. Neither the police nor the paramedics have yet arrived on the scene, but it's quite clear that Lana is dead. So Lex does the only thing he can do: he follows Clark to the caves as quickly as he can. The key remains behind after the portal to the Fortress of Solitude has been engaged, and Lex (who recognizes it immediately) is, like Chloe, brave enough to see what it can do. It transports him to the Fortress, where Clark is screaming at Jor-El about having taken Lana and insisting that he be allowed to put it right again. Into the midst of this, Lex steps forward, fearlessly, and offers himself up as the balance for the life Jor-El supposedly used to resuscitate Clark. Lex announces himself with the following remark: "If you need a life to balance your cosmic scales, then take me, not Lana. Don't punish Clark for his ability to love." Lex also says something along the lines of, "I always knew you were keeping secrets from me, Clark. I just never imagined that you were hiding a father who makes Lionel Luthor look as upright and loving as Jonathan Kent."
At this point, you can take the fic in one of these two possible directions.
One, you can have Jor-El agree to accept Lex's offer while Clark refuses to allow Lex to sacrifice himself. When Lex points out, with eerie calm, that if he lives, he will undoubtedly continue to turn into the monster his own father has been trying to make of him his entire life, and the two of them will end up being enemies, being the Naman and Segeeth of the legends painted on the walls of the caves in Smallville, and that he would much rather die now, before he can do anything to earn Clark's unfailing hatred or to jeopardize Clark's safety and well-being (both of which Lex would inevitably do, as his archnemisis), Clark is faced with undeniable proof about just how much Lex cares for him, and must argue with Lex passionately - and do something that will also prove to Lex just how much Clark has cared about him and how badly it is hurt him, to have to lie to him and to be so much at odds with him - to disabuse him of that certainty. When Lex still tries to protest that someone close to Clark has to die, Jor-El (who has remained silent while the two argue in an attempt to gauge Lex's intentions towards his son) speaks. Jor-El pronounces Lex worthy of Kal-El, and offers to spare Lana's life in exchange for her memories of Clark's abilities and identity as Kal-El and the life of someone who is close to and a threat to both Lex and Clark: Lionel Luthor. What you do with the fic after that is up to you, but obviously Jonathan Kent doesn't make it to his meeting with Lionel and will therefore live.
Or two, you could bypass the arguing and go straight for action. Lex offers and Jor-El accepts and Clark throws himself between Lex and Jor-El. Either this proves to Jor-El that Lex is someone worthy of being in his son's life, and he spares Lex, or else Clark is forced to take Lex and run if he wants to save him. In this version, Lana remains dead and Clark and Lex are forced to combine their knowledge and resources to find a way to make the Jor-El AI and the Fortress acquiese to Clark's will and agree to allow Lex to retain both his memories and his life. Either way, Lana will remain dead and Jonathan Kent won't make it to his meeting with Lionel and will therefore live.
If you like this bunny, please be advised that, whatever version you decide to take, all of them are meant to be CLex!
Plot Bunny #2: In this AU version of "Reckoning," Lana - who the series has established fairly well is uncomfortable with and frightened of the idea of life on other places and angry enough about the meteor showers and their possible causes to hate both - does not take Clark's relevations so well. In fact, she freaks out and turns on him because she blames him and his people for all of the many deaths and injuries and destruction that the meteors have brought to Smallville and the surrounding area. She hides her true feelings by asking for time to process everything (which is similar to what she evidently did, in the episode), and then immediately runs to Lex in an attempt to enlist him in a campaign to take Clark out, reasoning with Lex that Clark and his people are to blame for everything that's wrong with Smallville. Lex, however, doesn't bite. He pretends to go along with her plans, but as soon as an opportunity presents itself - in the form of a need to go and give a speech that will gracefully acceed the fact that Jonathan Kent has won the senatorial race - he instead slips off to go and warn Clark, calling him from his car. Paranoid, Lana follows Lex and then gives chase. In this version, Lex's fast car saves his life, while Lana falls victim to the bus, though her death is not as instantaneous as in "Reckoning." Clark comes running up to the accident and pulls Lana out of the wreckage in time to be soundly cursed and spat upon for being a freak and killing her parents, after which Lana dies in his arms. Clark, devastated, is held by Lex while he cries brokenheartedly, and he is trying to apologise to Lex in between sobs when Jonathan bails out of his truck and comes running up to his son. Clark then has to explain (with some help from Lex) what has happened, and reiterates what a fool he's been. After that, well . . . I leave you to decide how far you want to take things between Clark and Lex, but it's Lex's love for Clark that has kept him loyal and made him keep trying to remain a part of Clark's life, so please take that into account, okay?
Plot Bunny #3: In this AU version of "Reckoning," Jor-El agrees to allow Clark to try to save Lana, but not with a crystal that can only be used once. He insists that the tide of fate cannot be turned and that if Kal-El must doubt that, then he will have to learn the hard way. Clark is sent back in time a day, but regardless of everything he does to try to protect Lana, she still dies. While Clark is still screaming a denial, he is swallowed up in a flash of bright light and promptly returned to the same time/place as he was before, in the barn, just before Lana shows up for her "mystery date." No matter how many times Clark tries to save her, Lana still always dies - not necessarily in that crash, but always violently, at some point in the course of that day, never any later than fifteen minutes after the time of the crash. Finally, after being forced to watch Lana die time after time after time after time, Clark desperately turns to the only person he hasn't yet dared to trust enough to go to for help: Lex. Clark tells Lex everything - and I do mean everything, including the fact that it's Clark's fault that Lionel was able to steal those weeks away from Lex, in Belle Reve - and because it is Lex and because it is Clark, the two manage to work things out. They come up with a way to save Lana . . . but Lex is killed, in the process, and Clark finds that the price for Lana's life is far too high. When he is sent back again, Clark has made his decision. He allows Lana to die. And when he finds that he is not sent back in time again, to futilely try to save her, he goes to Lex immediately, and once again tells him everything . . .
Plot Bunny #4: In this AU version of "Reckoning" is somewhat similar to bunny #3, only every time Clark tries to save Lana, someone else he loves or is close to dies. Since he keeps thinking he can "fix" things, though, Clark keeps being sent back to the same time/place on that previous day. And the harder he tries to save everyone, the worse things keep getting. In the end, after being forced to watch Lex sacrifice his life three times in a row for someone different whom Clark loves (I'm thinking Lana, Martha, and Chloe, but I'll leave it up to you), Clark gives in and accepts the fact that he can't save everyone. This is the lesson that Jor-El has actually been trying to get his son to learn, and so Clark is brought back to the Fortress and then sent back one last time, to live out that day in whatever way he sees fit. Clark then quietly and gently breaks up with Lana, explaining to her that there are too many things in his life that he cannot share with her, for far too many reasons that he cannot truly explain to her, and that it isn't fair to her for him to keep lying to her about these things. A shocked Lana leaves the barn in tears, gets into her vehicle, drives away, heading into town (towards the Talon) . . . and crashes into Lionel Luthor's car when her vehicle spins out on the bridge, killing him instantly. Lana lives, but has to hospitalized for her injuries. Instead of going to see her in the hospital, Clark goes straight to Lex, telling him boldly that he cares about Lex and wants to be there for him and that Lex can try to get rid of him if he wants to but that he won't leave his side willingly. Lex, who's in shock, doesn't understand at first. So, with a calm declaration of, "I've given up or thrown away too many things that I want because of my secrets, Lex. I'm not willing to lose you to them, too," Clark begins to tell Lex everything - including all the wrongheaded and fearful reasons why Clark has been lying to Lex about just how different he is.
I could probably come up with more plot bunnies, but right now I'd be happy if someone would just take one of these. So come on, y'all, and please adopt!
Plot Bunny #1 and #1.5: I thought this was a no-brainer myself, but I haven't seen anyone try it yet, so I'm starting with it. It's an AU that takes off from just after the point where Lana dies. Essentially, what happens is this: Jonathan grabs Clark and tries to pull him away and shelter him from the sight of Lana's broken and bloody body, telling him that it's not his fault and there wasn't anything he could have done. Jonathan is so preoccupied by the fact of Lana's death and the obvious emotional breakdown that Clark is suffering that he doesn't seem to notice that anyone else is there. But Lex is standing less than a yard away from the two Kents, still in shock from having first seen Lana hit and killed when the bus rolled her vehicle and then having seen Clark come breezing up to the scene at superspeed, just moments too late to have prevented the crash. Although Lex's body is exhibiting all the classic symptoms of shock - cold and numbness, etc. - his mind is busy rapidly putting together the pieces of what he's just seen and learned and what it means about the nature of the secret(s) that Clark has been keeping. So when Clark tears away from Jonathan with a strangled cry of "NOOOO!" (and if it helps, you can think "NO!" a la the third Star Wars movie, when Anakin wakes up as Vader and learns of Padme's death) and then races off at superspeed, Lex instinctively knows where it is that he must be going. There's only one place that Clark could be going that makes any sense, considering all of their past history and the focus of a majority of the flimsiest of Clark's lies: the caves. Neither the police nor the paramedics have yet arrived on the scene, but it's quite clear that Lana is dead. So Lex does the only thing he can do: he follows Clark to the caves as quickly as he can. The key remains behind after the portal to the Fortress of Solitude has been engaged, and Lex (who recognizes it immediately) is, like Chloe, brave enough to see what it can do. It transports him to the Fortress, where Clark is screaming at Jor-El about having taken Lana and insisting that he be allowed to put it right again. Into the midst of this, Lex steps forward, fearlessly, and offers himself up as the balance for the life Jor-El supposedly used to resuscitate Clark. Lex announces himself with the following remark: "If you need a life to balance your cosmic scales, then take me, not Lana. Don't punish Clark for his ability to love." Lex also says something along the lines of, "I always knew you were keeping secrets from me, Clark. I just never imagined that you were hiding a father who makes Lionel Luthor look as upright and loving as Jonathan Kent."
At this point, you can take the fic in one of these two possible directions.
One, you can have Jor-El agree to accept Lex's offer while Clark refuses to allow Lex to sacrifice himself. When Lex points out, with eerie calm, that if he lives, he will undoubtedly continue to turn into the monster his own father has been trying to make of him his entire life, and the two of them will end up being enemies, being the Naman and Segeeth of the legends painted on the walls of the caves in Smallville, and that he would much rather die now, before he can do anything to earn Clark's unfailing hatred or to jeopardize Clark's safety and well-being (both of which Lex would inevitably do, as his archnemisis), Clark is faced with undeniable proof about just how much Lex cares for him, and must argue with Lex passionately - and do something that will also prove to Lex just how much Clark has cared about him and how badly it is hurt him, to have to lie to him and to be so much at odds with him - to disabuse him of that certainty. When Lex still tries to protest that someone close to Clark has to die, Jor-El (who has remained silent while the two argue in an attempt to gauge Lex's intentions towards his son) speaks. Jor-El pronounces Lex worthy of Kal-El, and offers to spare Lana's life in exchange for her memories of Clark's abilities and identity as Kal-El and the life of someone who is close to and a threat to both Lex and Clark: Lionel Luthor. What you do with the fic after that is up to you, but obviously Jonathan Kent doesn't make it to his meeting with Lionel and will therefore live.
Or two, you could bypass the arguing and go straight for action. Lex offers and Jor-El accepts and Clark throws himself between Lex and Jor-El. Either this proves to Jor-El that Lex is someone worthy of being in his son's life, and he spares Lex, or else Clark is forced to take Lex and run if he wants to save him. In this version, Lana remains dead and Clark and Lex are forced to combine their knowledge and resources to find a way to make the Jor-El AI and the Fortress acquiese to Clark's will and agree to allow Lex to retain both his memories and his life. Either way, Lana will remain dead and Jonathan Kent won't make it to his meeting with Lionel and will therefore live.
If you like this bunny, please be advised that, whatever version you decide to take, all of them are meant to be CLex!
Plot Bunny #2: In this AU version of "Reckoning," Lana - who the series has established fairly well is uncomfortable with and frightened of the idea of life on other places and angry enough about the meteor showers and their possible causes to hate both - does not take Clark's relevations so well. In fact, she freaks out and turns on him because she blames him and his people for all of the many deaths and injuries and destruction that the meteors have brought to Smallville and the surrounding area. She hides her true feelings by asking for time to process everything (which is similar to what she evidently did, in the episode), and then immediately runs to Lex in an attempt to enlist him in a campaign to take Clark out, reasoning with Lex that Clark and his people are to blame for everything that's wrong with Smallville. Lex, however, doesn't bite. He pretends to go along with her plans, but as soon as an opportunity presents itself - in the form of a need to go and give a speech that will gracefully acceed the fact that Jonathan Kent has won the senatorial race - he instead slips off to go and warn Clark, calling him from his car. Paranoid, Lana follows Lex and then gives chase. In this version, Lex's fast car saves his life, while Lana falls victim to the bus, though her death is not as instantaneous as in "Reckoning." Clark comes running up to the accident and pulls Lana out of the wreckage in time to be soundly cursed and spat upon for being a freak and killing her parents, after which Lana dies in his arms. Clark, devastated, is held by Lex while he cries brokenheartedly, and he is trying to apologise to Lex in between sobs when Jonathan bails out of his truck and comes running up to his son. Clark then has to explain (with some help from Lex) what has happened, and reiterates what a fool he's been. After that, well . . . I leave you to decide how far you want to take things between Clark and Lex, but it's Lex's love for Clark that has kept him loyal and made him keep trying to remain a part of Clark's life, so please take that into account, okay?
Plot Bunny #3: In this AU version of "Reckoning," Jor-El agrees to allow Clark to try to save Lana, but not with a crystal that can only be used once. He insists that the tide of fate cannot be turned and that if Kal-El must doubt that, then he will have to learn the hard way. Clark is sent back in time a day, but regardless of everything he does to try to protect Lana, she still dies. While Clark is still screaming a denial, he is swallowed up in a flash of bright light and promptly returned to the same time/place as he was before, in the barn, just before Lana shows up for her "mystery date." No matter how many times Clark tries to save her, Lana still always dies - not necessarily in that crash, but always violently, at some point in the course of that day, never any later than fifteen minutes after the time of the crash. Finally, after being forced to watch Lana die time after time after time after time, Clark desperately turns to the only person he hasn't yet dared to trust enough to go to for help: Lex. Clark tells Lex everything - and I do mean everything, including the fact that it's Clark's fault that Lionel was able to steal those weeks away from Lex, in Belle Reve - and because it is Lex and because it is Clark, the two manage to work things out. They come up with a way to save Lana . . . but Lex is killed, in the process, and Clark finds that the price for Lana's life is far too high. When he is sent back again, Clark has made his decision. He allows Lana to die. And when he finds that he is not sent back in time again, to futilely try to save her, he goes to Lex immediately, and once again tells him everything . . .
Plot Bunny #4: In this AU version of "Reckoning" is somewhat similar to bunny #3, only every time Clark tries to save Lana, someone else he loves or is close to dies. Since he keeps thinking he can "fix" things, though, Clark keeps being sent back to the same time/place on that previous day. And the harder he tries to save everyone, the worse things keep getting. In the end, after being forced to watch Lex sacrifice his life three times in a row for someone different whom Clark loves (I'm thinking Lana, Martha, and Chloe, but I'll leave it up to you), Clark gives in and accepts the fact that he can't save everyone. This is the lesson that Jor-El has actually been trying to get his son to learn, and so Clark is brought back to the Fortress and then sent back one last time, to live out that day in whatever way he sees fit. Clark then quietly and gently breaks up with Lana, explaining to her that there are too many things in his life that he cannot share with her, for far too many reasons that he cannot truly explain to her, and that it isn't fair to her for him to keep lying to her about these things. A shocked Lana leaves the barn in tears, gets into her vehicle, drives away, heading into town (towards the Talon) . . . and crashes into Lionel Luthor's car when her vehicle spins out on the bridge, killing him instantly. Lana lives, but has to hospitalized for her injuries. Instead of going to see her in the hospital, Clark goes straight to Lex, telling him boldly that he cares about Lex and wants to be there for him and that Lex can try to get rid of him if he wants to but that he won't leave his side willingly. Lex, who's in shock, doesn't understand at first. So, with a calm declaration of, "I've given up or thrown away too many things that I want because of my secrets, Lex. I'm not willing to lose you to them, too," Clark begins to tell Lex everything - including all the wrongheaded and fearful reasons why Clark has been lying to Lex about just how different he is.
I could probably come up with more plot bunnies, but right now I'd be happy if someone would just take one of these. So come on, y'all, and please adopt!