Superman & Lois‘ new big bad has finally arrived on the scene at the tail end of season 3. Lex Luthor’s arrival in the show has been hyped up since before the season even began—and understandably so. Among Superman’s many comic book villains, Luthor has endured as one of the most iconic. As difficult as it is to believe, a non-metahuman with no intrinsic superpowers rose to become the biggest arch-nemesis of the nearly invincible Superman. Luthor wields his intelligence as a weapon, though, and has appeared as a thorn in Superman’s side in nearly every major film and TV adaptation of the hero. It was only a matter of time before he appeared on Superman & Lois.
Luthor wasn’t formally introduced until Superman & Lois season 3, episode 12, “Injustice,” but his presence has hung over the season since the beginning. Luthor was actually first name-dropped in the season 1 premiere. Initially, Wolé Parks’ character was believed to be Lex Luthor, as his A.I. assistant greeted him by the name Captain Luthor. Viewers went through much of the season believing he was a new iteration of the villain until it was revealed that he was actually John Henry Irons, and merely using the A.I. system that was originally programmed for his world’s Luthor. Even though Parks wasn’t Luthor, the twist raised the thought that if there was a Luthor in Irons’ world, there must also be one in Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois’ world, too.
Since its onset Superman & Lois has managed to tease the entrance of Luthor while keeping the character just out of sight. Here’s everything you need to know about this new iteration of Lex Luthor.
Who is Superman & Lois‘ Luthor?
The Walking Dead‘s Michael Cudlitz portrays Lex Luthor in Superman & Lois season 3. He remained an unseen threat for the majority of the season, though. It is revealed mid-way through the season that Luthor is locked away in Stryker’s Prison for murdering the crime boss Moxie. However, Superman and Lois later discover that Luthor was framed for the murder by season 3’s other major villains, Bruno Mannheim (Chad L. Coleman) and Onomatopoeia (Daya Vaidya). Onomatopoeia murdered him at her husband’s bidding to further establish Bruno and Intergang as the unopposed bosses of the crime world. At the time, Lois was unaware of Peia’s involvement in the murder and thus covered the story erroneously incriminating Luthor. By the time she learns the truth, Luthor has been an inmate at Stryker’s Prison for 17 years.
While it’s true Luthor was framed, that doesn’t mean he is wholly innocent. Viewers aren’t given a full picture of his pre-prison life, but Luthor has been involved in a fair share of criminal activity himself as the corrupt billionaire founder of LexCorp. Additionally, Peia defended her actions by calling Luthor “the devil” and the only person who truly inspired fear in her. Viewers start to see what she meant in “Injustice,” when flashbacks show Luthor quickly gaining power and running Stryker’s Prison. His villainy becomes even more apparent when viewers see his first stop after being freed from prison.
Luthor makes his way to the Kent family farm, where he threatens both Clark and Lois, demanding that Lois retire as a journalist. He blames her for his 17-year incarceration and doesn’t have any problem showing up at her doorstep to verbally threaten her. It’s evident that he’s seeking vengeance for his imprisonment, and Lois is only his first stop. It remains to be seen who he’ll target next in the season finale, but the final scene of “Injustice” teased Luthor teaming up with another powerful villain, Bizarro (Hoechlin).
So far, Cudlitz is a fantastic Luthor. He’s very intimidating and radiates power and self-assurance. Regardless of his situation, he’s always able to rise to the top and have everyone around him heeding his will. Cudlitz’s Luthor has a lot of potential, and it will be intriguing to see how he stacks up against Luthor’s comic book and media history.
Who is Lex Luthor in DC Comics?
As mentioned above, the comic book version of Luthor is a human with no superpowers. However, he is considered one of the smartest characters in the entire DC universe, with an estimated IQ of 225. In his 60-plus years in DC Comics, Luthor has gone through several iterations. In the early years, he was depicted as a mad scientist motivated by delusions of grandeur, jealousy, and unrestrained ambition. From the 1980s to the present, he is more frequently depicted as the corrupt billionaire CEO of LexCorp. Whether a scientist or a businessman, though, his personality and intellect remain largely the same. Luthor is almost always depicted as a complete narcissist who thinks that his intellect gives him the right to rule the universe and entitles him to power, fame, and wealth.
Most often, Luthor sees Superman as the only thing standing in the way of him taking his rightful place as ruler of Earth, thus he’s always desperately trying to defeat the superhero. He stays ahead of Superman with his mastery of every known science and by creating advanced weaponry. Luthor is a terrifying illustration of the power of arrogance and corrupt business, political, and scientific practices, all of which make him the only lasting arch-nemesis of Superman.
(featured image: The CW)
