Comments | superhero_muses: Workshop: "The Clex: The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Bradygirl

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Workshop: "The Clex: The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Bradygirl_12

Mar 10, 2008 22:21

THE CLEX:
THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

By BradyGirl

I gotta admit, that title sums it up nicely! ;)

The Clark/Lex relationship on TV's Smallville is a wonderfully complicated, tangled love/hate relationship that has spawned a thousand fics and inspired truly inventive art, manips, and icons.

Superman And Lex ( Read more... )

clark kent, workshop, bradygirl_12, lex luthor

Comments 17

carolandtom March 10 2008, 14:07:37 UTC

This is an interesting essay, though I must say that I respectfully disagree with some of your comments and appreciations. But great job, anyway. Thanks so much for sharing!

bradygirl_12 March 10 2008, 17:40:35 UTC

This is an interesting essay, though I must say that I respectfully disagree with some of your comments and appreciations. But great job, anyway. Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you, m'dear! I respect your disagreement and am pleased that you're, well, respectful about it! :) Fandom is all about difference and similarities, after all. :)

carolandtom March 10 2008, 18:28:25 UTC

Fandom is all about difference and similarities, after all. :)

Yes, it certainly is! But I'm quite sure the majority of us are in agreement about how wonderful your writing is. :)

bradygirl_12 March 10 2008, 18:32:12 UTC

Fandom is all about difference and similarities, after all. :)

Yes, it certainly is! But I'm quite sure the majority of us are in agreement about how wonderful your writing is. :)

*blushes* Thank you kindly, CAT! :)

dark_eyed_brat March 10 2008, 17:40:33 UTC

I think the Clex was one of the major reasons that I started watching Smallville: Tom Welling helped a lot...that first season DVD cover, hmmm. It was sometimes surprising how easy it was to read into a scene or see how much they were into one another, sexual tension abounds.

I think my favorite view of Clark is Smallville Clark, before he is confident in himself and displays a lot more humanity than I have seen in present comic books.

Clex will always go on, Smallville has had a big impact on Superman...more than I think people thought it would when it came out. It makes it more interesting to see the two as more than enemies, and even Superman Birthright took a much more Smallville approach to writing Superman's origins.

Superboy/Kon-el is my favorite character and is easily a byproduct of Clex. The fact that Luthor decides to make a new Superman that combines both his and Superman's DNA...yea thats some impressive subtext there. They have a cannon kid together, how many other male pairings get that?

bradygirl_12 March 10 2008, 18:35:55 UTC

Clex will always go on, Smallville has had a big impact on Superman...more than I think people thought it would when it came out. It makes it more interesting to see the two as more than enemies, and even Superman Birthright took a much more Smallville approach to writing Superman's origins.

It does add so much to the 'enemies' thing!

Superboy/Kon-el is my favorite character and is easily a byproduct of Clex. The fact that Luthor decides to make a new Superman that combines both his and Superman's DNA...yea thats some impressive subtext there. They have a cannon kid together, how many other male pairings get that?

Not many, I'd venture to guess! ;)

Thanks for your comments! :)

bradygirl_12 March 11 2008, 01:27:43 UTC

I have to add that the Smallville approach in "Birthright" was actually an updating of Silver Age canon: Lex grew up in Smallville with Clark but he wasn't rich. And there could have been a slash element to their comics background. You could say it's Lex's unrequited feelings that sets him on his obsessive path, but Clark has always hoped for his redemption, right? So maybe there's something beyond friendship. Whatever the case, it certainly makes things interesting! :)

stinglikeabee March 10 2008, 21:48:14 UTC

Great write-up on Clex! This too is the main reason I watched Smallville... and the lack of it which drove me away from the show. If you watch other Superman vehicles like Justice League, the relationship (if you can call it that) is there more for comedy. It's funny when Lex obsesses over Superman because it gets so damn irrational. And very one-sided slashy :)

But in Smallville, since there's history between Lex and Clark, it gets very sad. Thanks to Rosenbaum's portrayal, you want to root for Lex, even when you know his future will be bloody. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. I can't also be the only one in thinking the Lex-Lana-Clark triangle was just a smokescreen for the subtextual Clex?

Also: Superboy! Superman should really pay attention the next time a megalomaniac threatens to 'clone our baby in a lab!'

bradygirl_12 March 11 2008, 01:18:46 UTC

I can't also be the only one in thinking the Lex-Lana-Clark triangle was just a smokescreen for the subtextual Clex?

Definitely not! :) What was that excruciating Lexana scene in "Fracture" but substitution on a grand scale? Lana is the 'safe' sexual partner for both of them. It's one of the few times I feel sorry for SV Lana, because she's being used by both (though they probably don't realize it).

Also: Superboy! Superman should really pay attention the next time a megalomaniac threatens to 'clone our baby in a lab!'

LOL! As dark_eyed_brat said, how cool is it that it's canon that Clark and Lex have a son? ;)

saavikam77 March 11 2008, 02:27:22 UTC

Excellent essay, Bradygirl!

I have to admit, back in the early seasons of SV, long before I got into slash fic, when hubby and I would watch episodes, we'd see those slashy moments and speculate that the slash ficcers were having a field day. :p

I do love the direction they went with "Fracture"; it really puts comics canon into a different light, and helps to connect the old SV dynamic with what we know must eventually come about. Of course, it adds to the slashy possibilities for the future. ^_~

bradygirl_12 March 12 2008, 03:35:36 UTC

Excellent essay, Bradygirl!

Thank you, Saavi! :)

I have to admit, back in the early seasons of SV, long before I got into slash fic, when hubby and I would watch episodes, we'd see those slashy moments and speculate that the slash ficcers were having a field day. :p

They were, like, so obvious! ;)

I do love the direction they went with "Fracture"; it really puts comics canon into a different light, and helps to connect the old SV dynamic with what we know must eventually come about. Of course, it adds to the slashy possibilities for the future. ^_~

"Fracture" is the best episode of the season so far. I'm a little nervous about this week's episode from the previews! No matter how much Smallville drives me crazy, I still am riveted every week, even if it's just screaming at the TV! ;)

Should Clark Have Told Lex? enderwiggin24 March 26 2008, 21:22:48 UTC

no.
as much as i like clex, no.
as what you said, the only thing that we have, are only possibilties.
it could have turned out well for both , or could have turned worse.
with a secret such as a origin as alien as clark, chances could not be taken.
even if the show is idiotic, and every dumb friend or enemy of clarks seems to know, except lex, that is the shows fault.

even if the show was good, i cant see the certainity that some of my friends see, that it could have turned Lex "good" if he were trusted.

life is about possibilities. not certainties.

and its up to clark, whether young or not, idiotic or not, what kind of chances he wanted to take. even if it turns out, he might be ill advised by his parents.

argg, so late, i only managed that part of your essay, i will return later :)

Re: Should Clark Have Told Lex? bradygirl_12 March 27 2008, 02:43:38 UTC

no.
as much as i like clex, no.
as what you said, the only thing that we have, are only possibilties.
it could have turned out well for both , or could have turned worse.
with a secret such as a origin as alien as clark, chances could not be taken.
even if the show is idiotic, and every dumb friend or enemy of clarks seems to know, except lex, that is the shows fault.

By now you'd think a genius like Lex could have figured it out, yes. ;)

Clark was too scared to tell the Secret at the only time he could have caught Lex before the downward spiral, and now it's too late.

even if the show was good, i cant see the certainity that some of my friends see, that it could have turned Lex "good" if he were trusted.

I do feel that it could have worked out that way, but 100% certain? I couldn't say.

life is about possibilities. not certainties.

A nice line there! :)

and its up to clark, whether young or not, idiotic or not, what kind of chances he wanted to take. even if it turns out, he might be ill advised by his parents.Clark has ( ... )

bettter late than never ;D enderwiggin24 April 8 2008, 14:51:04 UTC

//Also, while Clark calls him 'Luthor' in the presence of others, it's 'Lex' when the two of them are alone ( ... )

Re: bettter late than never ;D bradygirl_12 April 8 2008, 17:01:44 UTC

//Also, while Clark calls him 'Luthor' in the presence of others, it's 'Lex' when the two of them are alone.//
that was an interesting tidbit and observation from you, i didnt know that fact ;D

I blinked when I realized that Clark had just called Luthor 'Lex' in that toon scene when they were alone! ;)

//Both are brilliant scientists and engineers, and both are in love with the shy farmboy Clark who becomes Earth's greatest hero.//
ahhhww, yes, billionaires tend to have ecclectic tastes, and clark is certainly exotic enough :D

Hmm, alien from the stars? I guess so! ;)

//Clark sees it all, saves Alexander from Evil Lex who would like nothing better than to get rid of him, and when it's his time to leave, assures the child Alexander that he'll always be looking for him and know that his friend is still within Lex ( ... )

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