One Villainous Scene | Lex Sees It All
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2021
- What happens when the arch-nemesis of Superman turns himself into an equally powerful being?
He finds his humanity.
This is part of One Villainous Scene, a collab organised by Nando V Movies. Check out the other discussions here: • One Villainous Scene
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All footage is Owned by Warner Bros and DC. This is a video essay using clips to discuss the character of Lex Luthor and associated characters. Please support the official release. - Ігри
"If it had mattered to you, Luthor, you could have saved the world years ago." What a line.
And then that follow up where he whispers "I know"
@@kyriss12 I think that he's always known. Luthor could always have used his genius to better the world in so many ways. Possibly even making Superman redundant a lot of the time because he just would not be needed. But he didn't want to save the world. He wanted to hurt Superman. He wanted to be RIGHT. He's just been too prideful to admit it.
@@shadowldrago Lex thinks he deserves to be right, that his successes make an argument for his supremacy; Kal-El knows his arguable superiority is only as important as its service to the human race
@@hellfish2309 Agreed. Clark chooses to do good. Lex chooses to do evil and deludes himself into thinking he's doing good.
@@shadowldrago That would have been quite the storyline, aye? Lex decides to “beat” Superman by just making the world so hyper prosperous that Clark simply retires. It would definitely have to be a “What if” style story but it could be a real cool character study.
I thought his most villainous scene was when he took 40 cakes. He took 40 cakes. That's as many as 4 tens, and that's terrible
He wasn't even hungry :(
40 keks.
Am I Evil?
Despicable.
I opened the video only to look for this comment
"You're right" is such a powerful sentence from Lex Luthor of all people. The living embodiment of arrogance and ego broken down to the point he tells the man he hates more than anything else in life that he was right, and Lex was wrong. I love this comic
Interestingly enough in may instences whenever Luthor chooses to listen he finds himself agreeing with Superman
This line isn't in the comic I don't think. We are left to wonder, if I remember correctly, whether or not Lex's new vision of the nature of reality actually changes him permanently.
@@lucasm9172 In the comic version of All-Star Superman, Luthor never says "You're right". Dr. Quintum only mentions that Luthor seemed changed and «found some closure» in Superman's death.
@@oscaradolfosandovalrojas6237 it's strongly hinted that Dr Leo Quintum is actually Lex Luthor or a clone from the future traveled back in time to assist Superman after seeing the error of his ways.
@@jross4616 Really? Never noticed that. Is it hinted in the comics or in the animated adaptation?
This scene is also one of the only pieces pf media to accurately convey the core of Nietzsche's entire philosophy:
The universe is cold and uncaring, but we don't have to be... and we shouldn't be.
Only 1% of Nietzsche "fans" understand that
Holy shit, someone on the Internet who actually understands what Nietzsche meant by nihilism?! And on a *UA-cam* comment, no less?!?!! Be still my heart!
@@DerpASherpa117 reminding me of the Hegelian Dialectics copypasta
Wait... my personal interpretation of nihilism is actually the CORRECt interpretation? Son of a bitch, vindication!
Weird to think people basically see him as the father of nihilism when thts some pretty existentialism shit
That one episode: "Ahh, aren't you going to wash your hands?"
Flash-Lex: "NO. Cuz I'm EVIL."
Flex?
@@dilo9277 Seal
Lex-Flash was a BEAST in that episode.
ua-cam.com/video/wpIyR5h0WGM/v-deo.html
meanwhile Lex-Flash:" If nothing else i can atleast learn the flashes secret identity, *removes mask and looks in mirror* .. i have no idea who this is.."
Superman: *Cures cancer*
Lex: "Screw Superman! SUPER CANCER FOR EVERYONE!"
Wait didn’t he really do that in the comics?
Lex kinda did this. Superman trying to cure cancer and then Lex went and did it in a short period of time and then had his R&D make it take years and cost thousands for treatment even though it was a simoke injection initially
@@k0bra3eak40 i think the more insane part is if i recall he did it to his sister in one version he cured her of cancer or something similar then after a few seconds proceeds to inject it back into her so not only did create a cure he basically recreated it as a serum I believe as well just to prove he could
@@viktorkarrillo7343 Also did it in one movie. Said slow it to a crawl.
Iirc once in the comics Lex cured cancer just because Superman said he couldn’t
Thing I just realized: Lex is exercising like crazy not because he's vain about his strength, but because he knows about the superpower cocktail and is preparing for it. He's building up muscle and speed so he'll have a higher baseline to multiply with superpowers.
Is that why he was able to mop the floor with Superman?
@@cureforintroversion1262even through the gravity gun. And to be fair, Superman was already undergoing a transition as his illness converts him into pure energy, so he kinda let Lex get in more shots than necessary.
Lex and Batman are probably on par with each other being peak human in terms of raw strength. But without the serum, Batman would have the means to defeat him due to his extensive martial arts training.
But yeah, Lex figured it’d give him a set multiplier. By pumping up a number he can control (his physical strength) he can maximize the gains from the multiplier.
@@RedDragonForce2 in other words, Lex was kicking an alien while he was down?
@@cureforintroversion1262 I mean… yeah. Superman told Lex he was dying, so Lex was beating on an alien while he was vulnerable.
Superman did bounce back rather immediately once Lex stopped fighting him.
I don't know why, but its always a beautiful moment when the villain realizes that they're the bad guy, and their own hatred of the protagonist was what was holding them back.
9 times out of 10, when that happens they almost seem to self destruct, or self-isolate and punish themselves.
That’s why I tolerate the “every villain is a hero in his own mind” approach to writing villains. Some of my favorite villains are the ones who revel in their evilness, but a villain who’s convinced they’re right being confronted with the reality of their actions and actually regretting it can be amazing.
@@rayn0577 I think it is also the most realistic way of writing them no villain in history thought they were the bad guy or at least rarely ever did
I've always adored this scene, not just for what it says about Lex, but also about Superman. With his victory finally achieved, Lex's tunnel vision finally ends, allowing him to really look at the world for the first time in a long time, and with Superman's powers at his disposal that look shatters him. He slams face first into the same realization that Superman did years before this, and comes to the exact same conclusion. For that moment, Lex _was_ Superman. He understood exactly how wrong his original motives were, and why Superman chose to be THE Superman.
_And he agreed._
I actually kind of hate it for the same reason. If someone has superman's powers and intellect, they naturally become superman? No. No they don't. With so many kryptonian villains in the DC roster, DC obviously doesn't agree either. That might be a way for Lex to rationalize Superman, but it can't be the basis of Superman's personality. Supermans highly moral behavior is supported by his powers, not nurtured by them. Power doesn't make you good, or evil. What you do with it does that. What makes you good is conscious decisions and the strength of character to follow those decisions in unfavorable and unpopular situations.
@@barrybarry6570 pretty much the same thing that happend to Doctor Manhattan, except on an even larger scale.
@cgcfilms and even then, Manhattan became so detached because he let himself grow cold. He would regain some modicum of caring again once someone else helped him realize how small the chances of things happening the way it did were
I think that Lex became a very different person from Superman, not inspired by how much people depend on each-other, but shattered by it. Nothing he does is particularly noble or heroic, he's just... lost, because he suddenly realized he's spent his entire life tossing unripe silver in the ocean, never realizing its value as platinum far outweighed the mere tin he gave it away for. Money, personal power, none of that matters anymore, and he admits that, if it had mattered to him then, he would've changed the world. Superman saw "We are here to help and take care of each-other" and became a hero, Lex saw "there's nothing bigger than what you're already dismissing" and thus died, ashamed and heartbroken.
@Justin Gary don't speak arrogantly of your own self-assuredness and self-importance, mate, you don't represent God when you do so, you represent your own pride and ignorance in assuming people here have not heard of the dominant religion in most English-speaking countries. Also, nobody is going to read a textbook of loose data about a religion in a UA-cam comment. Let your kindness, generosity, and compassion speak for God, not your arrogance.
Valuing real human effort in the face of futility is what makes him low-key an excellent role model.
Obviously with exception to his criminal activities.
Ayy batman comes to mind
And every other powerless vigilante in DC
True but he gets kinda stuck on what it means to be "Human" when he looks at superman. Coming to all sorts of xenophobic conclusions that really don't make sense.
@@Merilirem Cause at the end of the day, Superman isn't a Human, and he can never understand what it means to be a Human.
@@maylabrown4584 Don't be an idiot. Of course he can understand. The only real difference between humans and Kryptonians is the raw ability they possess. All it takes is a few days drained of energy and he can figure it out as well as any human can.
To begin with there is no grand meaning in being human. Nothing to really figure out that applies universally because we are humans. Nothing we can identify anyway and anything you could argue has been included in fictional alien species by default so we can connect with them in ways we understand.
Not being something doesn't mean you can never understand it or what it means to be it. Most people have no idea what it means to be them and may never figure it out.
@@Merilirem You don't be an idiot, a Kryptonian can never feel what's like to be a Human, no more than a Human can feel what it's like to be a Kryptonian which what Lex felt when he got Clark's powers.
Kryptonians around a Yellow Sun are godlike beings of nigh infinite potential, Humans have to work much harder to achieve even a fraction of a fraction of that power.
The only meaning to being a Human is what you make of it, which is what Lex Luther exemplifies and has stated even in the JLA show to the then godlike Amazo.
Superman is not a Human and never will be, but he is the son of a Human mother and father and no one can take that from him, he is indeed Clark Kent but he has always been Kal-El.
I always loved how Lex uses his flying to walk on air. Like a teacher or principal pacing up and down the aisles of the classroom, fancy shoes clacking on the floor, staring everyone down. It's a simple visual thing that adds so much context.
Literally standing above the people on a pedestal of his own making.
This scene was the foundation of Lex's run as Superman in the comics (which began in rebirth for those that are curious). He had been instated as a member of the Justice League to restore its reputation after the events of Forever Evil. He is essentially humbled by his time spent on the League and this culminates with New 52's Superman dying in front of Lex. He's inspired to become the hero Superman was and it felt like a natural step in his character at this point in time. I was very sad when this was retconned due to poor character management and the idea that Lex Luthor must be an evil, egotistical maniac.
Same man. It was beautiful. in a way Lex could appreciate the cosmic joke. He had finally gotten everything the old egomanical version of himself had wanted and craved at a time when it meant little to him other than that he was doing what he felt was right.
I can see him musing that even though the clockwork doens't care, it does seem to posess a sense of humor.
He seems to have done a boomerang and is helping Superman in the current comics, which are actually pretty decent tbh. I do get what you mean tho. Doctor Doom is pretty much my favourite Comic Book Villian and when they made him a villian again after the Infamous Iron Man run I was so annoyed lol.
@himum3429 I loved Infamous Iron Man. Great comic that ended way too soon. Same reason I'm not looking forward to the end of the Goldgoblin arc for Norman Osborn. Character development needs to be permanent to mean anything otherwise I just don't want to check out the comic.
Lex-who-could-save-the-world is always the most interesting story, see his DCAU version's arc
Screw the world, he had the chance to save the universe and chose to screw Superman instead
@@ryanleonard8207 It is an interesting character flaw. A man who can do great things and save many; even if it's simply due to his egotistic need to be seen as a great man or to gain more power. Yet he would waste that chance just so that he could have one more chance to screw over Superman.
@@ryanleonard8207
I think that’s his biggest weakness, he could do anything he wants, he could save the world twice over and improve it beyond what we thought possible but he is so hyper focused on showing that he’s better than superman he can’t see he’s just hitting a brick wall and even that wall is only 6’5 by 2ft he can’t stand that there is a wall at all and can only see that wall and not the whole world at his disposal, a lack of vision cursed with ability
@Mach
Exactly!
Lex doesn’t have the vision or wisdom to be better
Doom can comprehend how and what he could do to be better but it means admitting he was ever wrong and the very concept of that is unbearable to him
@Mach Honestly I think Lex is one of my favorite DC villains for that reason. He is an egoist and a bit of a dick but he has the skill to back it up. In a way, he has earned to right to be egotistical. And like you said he does have that glimmer of possibility that complicates their connection to their hero counterpart.
Just like Doom you could argue that in the right story, he would be seen as a hero. I am only a causal comics fan but from I can tell while he will betray people he does seem to have more honestly and loyalty then a lot of DC villains. Usually the people he betrays were one's who he planned to betray from day one. But when that is not the case he does seem to honor his agreements and return loyalty to him like with that woman who is his bodyguard.
I also like that his form respect is not just predicated on strength but on something more... human. He seems to like work ethic and ingenuity over raw power in other people.
This reminds me of the time in the comics where Superman got Lex to cure some sort of unknown, terminal disease in like five minutes just because he implied Luthor ***couldn't***.
There something like that in the new 52 in the Darkseid War. But for me, the best instance of that dare was when Lex Luthor goes to Smallville to his niece and vegetative sister's house and Superboy Conner Kent is there because he was friends with Lori(Luthor's niece) and dares Luthot to cure his sister. And Lex does it in less than five minutes. Mother and daughter have a heartwarming reunion, and then Luthor just takes out the cure and his sister goes back to being a vegetable while his niece cried on her lap. I really like the new 52 Luthor because he was in his own way a good person. But man in post-crisis he was really evil.
@@Mayckon.D.Colman I dislike that kind of thing, because I find that making Luthor care about the rest of his family(because they all suffered through his tyrant of a father) is a good way to properly humanize him. It gives him something unquestionably noble and heroic. I once read a really good explanation for the best way to write Lex Luthor: You should find yourself rooting for him, despite knowing better.
@@RaptorJesus yeah I like a humanized Luthor better too. But that other version of his is also very good to hate. He's despicable and a sadist and it's really entertaining to read although the Luthor you described is more complex and a better antagonist for Superman
@@Mayckon.D.Colman "Luthor just takes out the cure and his sister goes back to being a vegetable while his niece cried on her lap"
Wut. Did I. Just read? That's....awful.
@@jargonburn Maybe there’s a reason his sister turned herself into Ultrawoman just to fight him. Not out of heroism, out of hatred.
Something I find interesting is what causes the revelation. To me, it seems that Lex Luthor lacks empathy. Now, he understands what other people feel, he just doesn't care. He assumes the world works according to his worldview. Superman MUST be evil because HE is, and so that MUST be how the world works. But when he gets Supermans powers, he literally sees through Supermans eyes, gaining empathy.
Fun thing I noticed. May not have basis
He saw the entire electromagnetic spectrum, for that brief moment the world looked luminous and alive. He saw inside all the people, could hear the entire earth and all its creatures, could feel the strength of the sun. Achieved Achieved higher consiousness. It went above empathy
Lex hits a lot of the classic notes for a narcissist, who thinks and expects that the world exists to revolve around him.
Being shown that other people, other worlds exist, all perfectly functional and moving onward with no regard, consideration, or even acknowledgement of him, would be both enlightening and humbling.
Always liked the scene for a slightly different reason, just how otherworldly Superman's vision is. You ask us what the electromagnetic spectrum is and you need to sit through science classes to mathematically even grasp how it acts and reacts. To Superman it is just, there. A thing as accessible as the colors he sees or sounds he hears. Doesn't need a degree to understand it, it's a simple thing like knowing moving things around in the sunlight casts a shadow or throwing a rock in a lake will make a splash
That line "We're all we've got" always gets me. Every single time.
Me too dawg. Gonna be one of my first tattoos. I write it in the front of all my journals and shit too. It just sums it all up so perfectly. I remember reading that the first time and that line just sparked the same feeling of revelation in me that it did in Luthor.
Because it's true. There are no real heroes, no magic, no gods, no Angel's or demons, no afterlife, no return to this world, just us. Only us.
We are all we have.
@@mywifesboyfriend5741 little confused when there literally are heroes, gods, magic, angels, etc. In the DC universe but good real world message.
@@Kobolds_in_a_trenchcoat In comic books, those messages are nice, but simply don't translate to this world.
@@mywifesboyfriend5741 I actually think it works fine with or without those beings. Nothing about the DC universe ever made it look like it was more warm and comforting. All those gods and heroes with magic powers are no different because of it. In the grand scheme of things its still the same empty world and they are just as insignificant as humanity.
Good breakdown of lex, and honestly why a lot of people miss the point of superman and luther
I always like the take they had in Justice (The one Alex Ross did art for)
"Luther is my greatest enemy because he cannot be humbled."
@@travisbewley7084 and that’s why he is Superman greatest enemy
There is no point. They weren't made with a master plan here. It's an interpretation. They sort of move in the culture and coalesced to represent whatever the overall culture needs.
@@DSan-kl2yc Yes but Superman and Lex do remain of the same type regardless. Its possible one day we will see Superman as Lex does because that is how our society at the time works. Until then however Superman is the good humble man and Lex is the bad rich guy.
@@Merilirem It's kinda funny but it's Lex that's really shifted to represent some sort of evil. Mastermind, to scientist, to rich man, to rich scientist.
I think Superman's tone has changed from brasher to more mellow. But even golden age superman didn't like the spotlight and didn't want fame.
But I don't think so. I think even Lex knows that superman isn't evil. So I've never like the idea that Lex has any justification, or even tries to have any. As he doesn't seem to need it for any unrelated evil he does.
As Luthor begins to see through superman’s eyes, as he see the world for what it is, he floats down onto the ground. He is being grounded by reality. That is such a nice touch.
It is so interesting seeing Lex like this. He had all the answers for just a few moments, saw reality for what it truly was...and it broke him. But what most likely hurt most is seeing how Superman has this knowledge, this power, and still chooses to be...well him. It's like everything he choose the believe crumbled away to nothing. A shame we didn't really see a continuation of this movie because I would love to see how Lex lived on after this.
One of the more popular theories is that after this, Luthor changed his identity and became Leo Quintum as a way to amend for his past deeds.
This. This scene perfectly encapsulates why Superman is the best superhero. The man with the powers of a god who doesn't give a crap and only ever sees himself as an ordinary guy. The one whose true heroism isn't in how hard he can punch, but in how much he cares. The Daily Planet called him "super," but his true mission is to get all of us to recognize that we can be just as great.
The most interesting superman stories is the most human. Answering the question what if God was one of us
Gonna disagree dude. The scene with Regan has literally saved lives, and not a few of them. Same conclusion, different proof.
@@morganrobinson8042 That is the main thing I hold against the film adaptation: dropping her scene. It's so short too, so there's no excuse.
This scene has shit all to do with that.
@@DSan-kl2yc The scene where Lex discovers that Superman sees how all life depends on others and so the only worthwhile way to go through life is to take care of other people and build up everyone because, "We're all we've got"? That's the scene you're saying has nothing to do with Superman's underlying philosophy?
This is generally a really underrated movie and you perfectly put into words how messed up of a person Lex is.
Not as great as the comic, but real, real close. And the comic is one of the best Superman stories ever written, if not one of the best comics series ever made.
@@morganrobinson8042 Absolutely, the comic is the thing that made me fall in love with Superman. It's generally one of my favorite pieces of literature ever.
this movie is underrated. Because everyone has handsome squidward face
The movie is hella weird. It's probably the strangest movie DC has ever done. I'm sure it's tons better conveyed in the comics, but the movie had the kind of haphazardness to it that it's hard to put my finger on what exactly I didn't like about it. Other than that, I don't regret watching the movie one bit.
@@Manganization I mean it was originally written by Grant Morrison😂
Lex Luthor's "You're right" in this, was the equivalent of Joker's "No, no it's much too late for that." from Killing Joke.
Lex finally connected with Superman in his most sincere, passionate way : his scientific side.
You cannot make an arrogant approch on science, since it only work with experience, facts. It doesn't care if you think of yourself as the smarter guy on the planet, neither your ambitions or your needs. So in his own way, Lex was always true with himself while doing scientific pursuits.
That's why he so readily comprehended and accepted what he was experiencing while having superpowers, and finally aknowledged the wrongness and vanity of his path.
What must truly ashame him is that he always could had been the man he wanted to be, and prefered to dedicate himself to his own vain pursuits.
I love it when we see tha tsideo f Lex. that ner manic glee when he's neck deep in study or creation. Sure it is in service to something else but for that moment. He at least appears happy, or at least engaged.
Imagine ifLex had decided to become an engineer instead of go into business.
I love the whole ordeal of lex’s interview with Clark not realizing it’s superman
@TenseDart Superman is just an immigrant from space, thats a unusual but not quite untrue way of describing him.
Superman doesnt hide his face and identity, and house so no one ever suspects of a "secret" identity.
Hiding in plain sight is often the best way to hide.
What I love the most is that several comic runs show that Clark Kent is the base personality, superman is the mask, the customer service face he puts on. So when complimenting how human Clark was he was complimenting how human the real superman was, not the mask that he puts on to save the day.
@@foofoo3344 From a comment I read once:
If you saw Obama in a store your first thought is probably "huh that guy looks like Obama" instead of "holy shit Obama".
This scene is Superman’s equivalent to the final scene of Killing Joke. I really would love to see your idea for the JL video, I thought this one was excellent.
oh, there greatest opponents buckling under there own weight? that is a great video.
It's interesting because in this one, Lex bends to his realization of how Superman is.
In KJ, Batman seems to finally bend to a seeming realization of how Joker is.
It's sort of the opposite in terms of who bends to who.
@@fennecwolfox that’s a good take
@@fennecwolfox you think Batman killed him in the end?
@@fennecwolfox there is also a interesting relationship between joker and lex. It explored in dark metal.
2:30 literally the reason why there's so much doubt for actual good people
I do really like that detail of Lex walking through the air instead of floating. It's perfect.
All-Star Superman wasn’t only the story that made me fall in love with Superman, it was the story that made me fall in love with Lex Luther. Seeing this film was what made me understand why these characters are so beloved and important. Great analysis.
Same, for me it were this, Superman vs the elite and the Red son comic that made me really GET and love superman
@@ironmaster6496 Same for me with Red Son. I haven’t seen Vs The Elite yet, but from the clips I’ve seen I can totally understand why people love it.
@@ironmaster6496 I loved red son too
I think you're the only one on this playlist who chose a villainous breakdown, but this is a really good one and a great way to end both of their stories
Cinema wins breaking down Omni Man seemed pretty villainious to me
@@Ashbringer36 I meant villainous breakdown as in the scene when a villain realizes they're losing, but reading back over I definitely wrote that in a confusing way
@@mckayleepugmire9947 oh okay my bad
@@mckayleepugmire9947 Overly Sarcastic Productions did Dracula in Castlevania in what was essentially a 2 season long villainous breakdown
@@OscatJ Good point
I'd never made this connection before, but Lex is always floating or flying above everyone when he gets Superman's powers, while Superman will land and talk to people from the ground unless he's trying to intimidate them or in a hurry or something. Superman knows it would be scary for a dude to be floating in the air and talking down to you so he always puts himself on your level, like an adult kneeling down to look a child in the face. Not in a cruel or mocking way, but respectfully.
You're awesome for this, just realized ❤️
The moment he sees everything he touches the ground like he's just realized we all in this together
if Morrison isn't the best Superman writer who is? Morrison has always been one of the few writers who GETS Superman. His run in the JLA back in the 90s was PERFECTION. If DC wanted to make bank they'd have based the movies off those stories.
Personally, my favourite writer for Superman would have to be Joe Kelly. The comment I made was more from a personal experience when expressing my concerns on the new Superman and the Authority series. All of the responses I got were "Ah, Morrison's writing it, they've got this," though as I didn't enjoy Final Crisis, I didn't find myself swayed. I did enjoy Morrison's run in the new 52 when Superman lost his powers for a bit, if only because it reinforced the idea in my head that 'the powers don't make Superman, it's the compassion and drive to do good that makes Superman'.
@@ArticulateT ive been reading a good bit of morrison stuff recently and final crisis is probably the weakest just because of its cluttered plotlines and story. I do like final crisis but its very understandable that you dont, its super not for everybody
His superman in all star is incredibly amoral. Literally any writer gets superman better. The creators of superman. Random silver age writers. Superman isn't hard to get. It may not be easy, but that doesn't mean it's difficult either.
@@ArticulateT i mean the comic version of this scene isnt nearly as good with supes punching out lex which feels rather hollow to me. Strangely, while im not a hige fan of his writing, Mark Millar seems to be another writer that rly 'GETS' superman.
@@jonryder7269 Mark Millar's story that was made for Animal Shelters, also helps this, at the beginning, Superman is reading letters from all the people asking him for help. Yet despite some of them being things like "hey I lost my son's college fund by gambling" Superman still goes out of his way to read them because a majority of them are people who are asking for some form of help, like finding their lost son, or helping an improvised village.
Then it cuts to a kid who doesn't know what to do with a friend of his, who enjoys torturing animals, but when he sees Superman saving a cat his friend dropped from a bridge, on his way to save people from a factory that was burning down. He gets the courage to finally stand up to his friend, who turns out been killing animals for a bit, and get the friend some help.
At the end Superman says that the boy did a good job and he is proud.
A story to help promote animal shelters was a good Superman story because even though Superman did not resolve the conflict, he inspired someone to do the right thing.
it’s even better in Superman: Red Son where at the end we see what Lex can do when he really tries to save the world
It’s better I’m the red son comics
To be honest, the red son ending is terrible. The super-dictator gives up on his life-long plans because of a not particularly insightful line written on napkin? Come on.
@@Origami84 which leads to the very future his father sent him back to prevent
@@abrashio I am not a big expert in supes' canon, but i thought his father sent him to earth to save his life from the planet explosion, and that was it...? Since when kryptonians gave 2 effes about humans politics?
@@Origami84 in Red Son, since it is an Elseworlds title, the twist is that instead of being from Krypton and a Kryptonian he is actually from the far far future of Earth and was sent back in time. If you reread the story you will notice he is not referred as a Kryptonian.
Even more he is actually the last Descendant of Lex Luthor, the House of L being one of the most revered and venerable of houses.
One time while high on psychedelics, I too myself, saw the answer to everything. It was the saddest, yet most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I completely empathize with this fictional character.
What was it like?
I would just like to say here, I am a long-time comic book fan. I’ve never been much into the man of steel, however I understand what he represents and genuinely respect the power and weight behind that. But All Star superman is so much different. Both the comic run and the film adaptation. They both really truly made me appreciate what superman is. And what Lex Luthor is. Their dynamic is among the most interesting in comic books. I’d say it can be on par with Batman and the Joker. And every time I see people talk about this story it genuinely excites me. Just goes to show the power of a really well written story that goes out of its way to progress and finish character arcs. It shows that grant Morrison understands on a fundamental level why people enjoy these characters, what draws us to them.
While Superman represents America's best, Lex represents America's worst. The same coin on American culture, just different sides in every way.
But in the end, it's not where we come from what forges us, it's what we do with the lives we've been given.
That's why Luthor understands it all in the end.
I absolutely love this superman moments cuz we can see through his strength, not physicially but emotionally. Lots of comics go to the "what if he turns evil" story, but I believe the best superman stories talk about emotion and how important it is to be emotionally smart (something lex lacks) and how amazing supermans philosophy (literally) really is. Nietzche level
tf does this have to do with Nietzsche ?
@@LA-ev8hg The kid, the Lion, the uberman. It's more an example, not that every superman story is based on that
You realize this is fiction right?
To be fair Injustice is about emotions. It's just more of a character study of Batman and how his brooding isolationism basically drives his loved ones over the edge. That's the main crux of the conflict. Batman abandoned Superman in his darkest hour and Superman lost all will to have empathy.
@@bradyhector6010 every work of fiction is based on real life ideologies
Somebody needs to compile a montage of Lex zingers from the old Superfriends cartoon.
"Looks like that S on your chest stands for Sucker!"
"You're a genius, you idiot!"
As a side note: these are the types of stories that writers can craft when we allow them to have the story fully end. We put comic book waters in straight-jackets by saying their stories can’t have beginnings (because the origin has already been written) nor endings (because a new issue has to start from the same point next month). All the stories that we see as impressive or iconic come from stories where the author is allowed one or both. Morrison was allowed to show the end of Superman’s life and this allowed him to craft this story.
Yeah don’t get me wrong I’m down with superheroes having continued stories & going on new adventures, facing new threats but I do feel we should be more open to having more stand alone stories that have defined beginnings and clear endings to a character’s story/adventures (or unclear if intented) with the amount of elseworlds, continuities, multiple series being written for the same character we have now I don’t see why we can’t also do self contained ones
I like to think of this scene as Lex, last by not least, manifesting Superman's greatest power: Super-morality. Whereas absolute power corrupts absolutely, Superman is immune even to that.
Also, as he spaces out for a moment at that point, I like to think of it as the good shit kicking in. Getting high off that super-buzz.
I wouldn't say completely immune, but you're right
Except power doesn't corrupt, it just reveals who you really are inside. This sentiment has been parroted by shows like The Boys Live Action Series, where one of the main characters talks about how powers don't make you a monster, they just bring your true self out.
@@electricfeverx976 I think "True self" is a rather bleak way of putting it, but it is human nature, to be sure. I remember reading somewhere that a study on this showed that people who gain power or authority over someone tend to lose empathy for them. But the reverse is also true, as people without power tend to have more empathy. It also doesn't matter how good a person your are normally; You just have more empathy left over by comparison.
Injustice Superman would disagree with you.
@@Avernale There are many cases of people with very little power having no empathy for others because they are too wrapped up in their own lack of power. These people often use their lack of power to justify being horrible to other people, often by saying that those other people have more power than them.
I think empathy is one of those things that you are born with, or have to be taught. I don't think the power or lack thereof plays as big of a role as some people make it out to be.
I also think that, like alcohol, power doesn't corrupt, but it brings that corruption from within onto the surface. A lot of people are way more tyrannical and authoritarian than they believe themselves to be, so it's no surprise that most people who gain power end up being corrupt. And that's why it's important to limit that power. So whenever a politician goes "trust me, guys, I can totally be trusted with more power," don't believe them.
God, I miss the DC animated movies of the late 2000s/early 2010s. They were all so different from each other, yet they could tell equally powerful stories about the world's greatest heroes.
I was absolutely not expecting this gut punch of a revelations, THIS is exceptional writing.
Lex is us at our most egotistical, and after only a few moments of seeing things the way superman does, he was humbled...
I have never heard of this story line, but it hurt. Like damn, dude
@@Olivia_Dreamrider The movie is called All-Star Superman
It's actually trash writing lmao. I'll post my reply from someone else's thread here, pointing out the many ways that this scene doesn't make sense for Lex Luthor specifically.
"Yeah that's good and all, except for the fact that this *entire* scene is asspull bullshit on the level of a literal Deus Ex Machina lmao.
First, let us establish something fundamental to this arrangement: Lex has already seen things from the level of Superman's perspective, and regularly surpasses that level completely. Lex himself is canonically stated to be an 11th-level intellect, with the lowest level of intellect he's stated as possessing being that of the 9th-level. Offbat this means that Lex perceives more than Superman, as Jor-El himself (Superman's father & the greatest mind of Krypton) only possessed an 8th-level intellect, and all of Krypton together is stated to be within the 10th level.
So from the very get-go, Lex has surpassed Superman in terms of intellectual realization due to the fact that he is, canonically, on an entirely different plain of intellect from even the best Kryptonians.
Secondly, let's take a look at his achievement of "godhood"; which is nothing special, considering Lex achieves godhood almost every Sunday morning. He has crossed the source wall (which literally reveals all knowledge to those that do so, even revealing to characters that they are only comic book creations), learned the anti-life equation, absorbed the Omega Force containing Darkseid's powers & existence, and even through his own creations repeatedly surpassed Supermans level of existence & power.
He has quite literally reached the highest tiers of existence multiple times, leaving Superman in the dust in the process. So with all of this established, it becomes clear why it's bullshit that this scene even exists lol.
1. Lex is already *ABOVE* Superman when it comes to perception in his normal form, so he wouldn't reach some bullshit epiphany by taking on Superman's level on consciousness because the knowledge Superman has is literally *redundant* to him.
2. Even *IF* Lex wasn't superior regarding intellectual level, he has repeatedly attained a level of existence that surpasses that of Superman's almost effortlessly. So if Lex has repeatedly reached the limits of existence & knowledge, coming back unphased each & every time; why the fuck would adopting the mental state of a barely above-average Kryptonian cause him to have some world-shattering realization? When he's repeatedly surpassed this level of consciousness over & over again?
Indeed, this scene is little more than a Deus Ex Machina employed to uncharacteristically illicit humility & compassion from a character who has no reason to show either of these traits. I would even go so far as to say the scene is outright character assassination for Lex."
@@KevinJohnson-cv2no Are we still talking about All-Star Lex here?
Clancy Brown will always be that voice for Lex Luthor in my head when i read his dialogue in comics. Always.
I mean this is just a brilliant story and excellent writing through and through. Everything about All-Star Superman makes you appreciate not only Superman but Lex Luthor. It gives me so much pleasure talking about this because this made me really adore Superman and what he stands for not only as a person but as an idol or inspiration. Stories like these should be talked about more and praised for what they accomplish not only for the diehard fans but the casual fans as well.
Thank you so much. This is my favourite Superman moment (short of saving of the suicidal girl, All-Star Superman is fantastic). He finally definitely beats Luthor not by punching him or even outsmarting him, he beat him with compassion.
Unlike the comic version where he does hit him. :/
Empathy can be a powerful thing, and what's that they say about walking a mile in a man's shoes? Kinda fitting that Superman's best story is based on one of the most fundamental concepts to humanity, and kinda funny that the kryptonian had more humanity than the human.
Couldn't agree more - the scene with suicidal girl is beautifully written.
Funny as it is
When lex is actually good and becomes a hero
He literally makes the world super op
yeah, in a way, he is right when he says it's supermans fault he hasn't saved the world. In each universe in which he meets superman he becomes the villain, but in each universe he didn't exist, in many universes in which supes was evil he is humanities best
@@space-time-hobo isn't there a universe where supes was the villain? Like in that one movie?
@@bongcloudopening5404 Injustice, Red Son, and another where he's a German N-Word. These are all evil Supermen but the most interesting factor is in this is the fact that in Injustice, Lex and Superman actually end up as friends at some point and stayed that way into the Regime era.
@@electricfeverx976 Just say Nazi next time, mate, I beg of you. "German N-Word" sounds ten times worse than "Nazi".
@@bongcloudopening5404 there's also Ultraman and Alexander Luthor. From the universe that is the polar opposite of the main universe. With the heroes being villains and the villains heroes
Superman is always at his best when he has to fight villians that his powers wont help him win against. This story shows that the relationship between him and his arch nemesis can be just as compelling as the dynamic between Batman and Joker. I need to watch this asap
this was superman's ultimate victory over lex. not beating him or sending him to jail. but him admitting that he was wrong.
I was under the assumption that Lex used his knowledge of mixology to formulate his own copy of the super serum
It's a bit of both. In the movie at least, he manages to corrupt Super Bot 7 through Solaris to get a sample of it so he could recreate it. When writing I was thinking it was already adding a bit too much padding to the scene I was wanting to talk about, so I tried my best to cut it down.
Where The joker is ran on chaos, Luther is ran on pride. Also doomsday clock was good to me because it showed Dr Mathattan seeing the world as it is and see no hope. Superman see the world as it is and see nothing but hope.
"Youre right..."
me: ...oof. What a finisher
I remember watching this movie and finally getting Superman and seeing him more as a basic omni powerful dude. To know just how little everything most people care about does not really matter and despite that, to still always strive to do the right thing is pretty powerful. I really wish this kind of thoughtful complexity was something that translated into the live action movies
Hey, found this on the playlist, and I just had to comment. I think it's an excellent analysis, and I was honestly surprised when I didn't see more videos of this kind on your channel. I'd love to see you do more content like this, and this video certainly deserves more views.
Excellent choice, ArT.
I come back to this video a lot, really well done man.
>billionaire
>built from the ground up
good one
I have been obsessing about this seen for weeks. I have watched it literally dozens of time on repeat breaking down it's meaning word by word; Listening to the the change in tone go from superior, to inquisitive to, in-awe, and then to a petulant child, and then finally to resignation. I was honestly shocked to see someone was finally going to do a break down of this scene. You did it so perfectly. Thank you.
I think it's more like. Lex worked very hard to build his empire and keep his body and mind. Superman however did nothing to get all this powers and in his minds it's just because of the powers that the people love him and it is absolutely repulsive and for it he hates superman.
Exactly: a perfect storm of envy and pride turned someone from possibly becoming a greater hero than Superman into one of his enemies.
...but he DIDN'T work very hard.
If you look at most of the typical portrayals of Lex, he's not a hard worker who rose to the top, he's a genius who got where he is just because he happened to be smarter than everyone, or at least he utilized his intellect specifically to rise to the top with no regard to others.
That's the ultimate irony of the character. There isn't any hard work to being smart. Some people just are smart, it can be a fluke of genetics. Lex's genius is ultimately the exact same as Superman's powers, he did nothing to earn it, and yet it got him where he is.
The "pride" Lex has in being human and in his accomplishments are ultimately empty.
@@Tacklepig That is bull. People can be naturally brilliant, but true genius requires putting in the effort. Putting in the hours. Knowledge doesn't come out of thin air. It requires training, calculation, and concentration. Even if there's no physical exertion there's a lot of mental exertion. There's a reason the human brain is such a high maintenance organ. A brilliant mind left unworked and untrained is wasted potential.
Lex is a naturally brilliant person, but he didn't sit on his brilliance. He is constantly pushing himself both mentally and physically. It only looks effortless because he makes it look so easy. As easy as a heavyweight champion moving home furniture.
@@SybilantSquid No, I would disagree. If he was *actually* using his genius, he would have saved the world a long time ago, like Clark said.
It was his pride, however, that stopped him from tapping into his full potential. Nobody is disagreeing that hard work doesn't make that talent shine, but you underestimate the level of innate giftedness some people possess.
That's the point. Nobody how hard ANYONE tries, nobody can be as strong as Superman or as smart as Lex Luthor. So what's the point? Do we just give up? No. We still do our best because that's all anyone can ask for.
@@jakelee7083 Well, sometimes your best is worthless since you fail to live up to the goal.
People can also easily demand more than your best from you. You see this in high-level competition all the time.
Great video! This is one of the better pieces of Superman media, and Lex's characterization is a big reason why.
I love it too so very much. Covers so much ground in one monologue... 10/10 and thank you for making this video!
nice to see someone talking about All-Star Superman and how well written it is, it manages to capture the zany optimism of the past whilst still having something to say
Can't believe that with the ridiculous quality of this video, you only have 172 subs. That is silly- This video is so good. You are clearly so damn underrated.
I thought this was bs then i checked so i brought it up to 856
It's now 1k07 subs. 8 now including mine 🙂
This isn't his normal content, is probably why.
That one shot that 90% of the people watching this probably didn't get at all.. "You were right about me all along, Mr. Kent. I am the villain of the story.", it still sends chills down my spine when I see that scene. Oh and Lex basically monologues Dark Knight Returns "I want you to remember this day, Clark. I want you to remember that, despite all your amazing powers, there was one man that beat you.".
Oh man though, phenomenal work, this was honestly one of my favorite Lex scenes in all of the animated universe, his realization was something I caught on, and when I first saw it it struck me emotionally, because finally someone saw what he always saw. The thing about Superman is that, he's lived with these powers his whole life to varying degrees, he sees the world in a way we could faintly conceive of. I think this is why the Jor-El quote from Man of Steel is so powerful:
"You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders. You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders. "
I think the reason why Lex didn't allow the world to see what Superman saw was because he knew that there could only be one and it had to be him or his legacy. There are many stories that question the nature vs nurture argument when it comes to Superman but even in elseworlds it's usually consistent that Kal, Clark, always strives to do what he believes is right in his own way, whether that be Red Son or the myriad of others. Part of who he is, is to strive towards something greater, to be an ideal for the people that will race after him. There's the old adage of "If everyone is super, no one is.", I don't think that's the case, even if everyone had his powers, they still wouldn't Clark Kent.
Onyx is probably in my top 5 episodes, I did always wonder if he told Lex the truth from the beginning would he have not gone down that path. Still mad that they brought him back just to wipe his memory in the last episode, the duality of Lex and Clark is the best part of the story.
Clark always strives to see the best in people, never compromise no matter what. He even spared Davis Bloom, who then went on to murder Jimmy. But Clark always held to the belief that even after you save someone you don't get to choose what they do with that.
Lex on the other hand is incapable of trust, he has to have a contingency plan. Some way to ensure that he comes out on top, and in the end it only leads to his own destruction. Rotting on the inside just like his father.
It always killed him, how Clark could never trust him. In the end Clark doomed Lex from the very beginning.
It ironic, he could save everyone except the one man he wanted.
People will argue but this is it. The best villain to the best hero in their best scene together in a century's worth of stories....
"One path to your survival lies in my defeat" i love that monologue. Shout out to the most underrated ARPG ever
I'm kind of with Lex on this one. I don't think his last plea to save everyone came from an internal greed, but it was just him doing the only thing he had known for the past god knows how many years. To also be fair, he was the one with the intellect and technology, and combined with his newfound revelations... There was a legit possibility he just truly believed he was the one to reverse engineer it and give it to the masses.
The only problem is that humanity is not worth giving the serum to. For as many people as it could save, tens of thousands more can and will use it for evil purposes.
@@jakelee7083 How cynical.
@@mostlysure1077 agree. it's the cynical way to look at things, usually cynical mindsets are the laziest ones cuz That's not the only way lex could use this new power. He could solve the space race, intergalactic travel. Develop new tech powered by sun radiation using supes cells. You could do so much more but no. Boo hoo the world sucks, optimism rules all as the best kind of applied wisdom, great things come from great outlooks
But as Superman said, if it had mattered to him, he not only could have done it years ago but could still do it now if he actually wanted to. Lex is literally smart enough to fix pretty much all of humanity's problems, serum or no serum.
@@domdom1026 Usually the optimist is dim witted and unintelligent. The cynical view is often the correct one. What does it matter that all of the things you described could be solved? So what? It doesn't change human nature so it wouldn't change that people would exploit, harass and worse to other people.
"He could solve the space race" What space race? No one is actually trying to do that besides Elon Musk, and that's relatively close to our planet. It's too expensive, and it's most certainly not a race but a marathon.
Optimism, much like idealism, is for fools. Being optimistic or pessimistic skews your outlook on life and it's intellectual cowardice.
This is some AWESOME work. You need more subs man holy cow what a fantastic video. Subbed
Great insight and wonderful work on the video. Gladly going to check out the playlist and your other works. Be safe and well!
“Because that’s how things work, especially in the West”
I have some depressing news about how things work in the rest of the world…
?
@@djantouahmed7319 The world has two sides. One that wants to progress humanity to be better than it currently is. Then, the other that wants to suppress and hold back humanity. To enslave and feed off the powerless and weak.
Money is a driving force for both. Regardless how you see it. Money has been the Foundation for humanity to find coexistence with itself. As no human truly likes to work for free. Even from the days we started walking upright. Humanity has had different means to judge one's worth. Be it on hardwork to simply scribed bones or rocks, livestock, to pretty shells and precious metals. Even much more than can get pretty gory.
To this. As much as people love to blame Capitalism for being greedy and oppressive. Which it does have that side. Even other forms of government are not so clean cut or squeaky clean. Socialism has a high body count that boggles the mind. Along with being easily swayed into corruption and waving around the most capitalist thing, Money. The high and mighty lord over the low and weak. To even make systems to make sure the masses never rise up or figure out. That their government is truly weak and powerless to truly do anything. Also, keep them ignorant of the fact "Socialist" Government is a lie. A fantasy. No, one is equal. Equality is a lie.
@@Qardo it's interesting that I'm getting different recommendations directly mentioning "late stage capitalism" and related.
@@Qardo socialism or communism led to death because of authoritarian dictators having unilateral control over the entire nation and driving their entire populace into starvation and poverty while a handful of cronies took all the wealth for themselves. That wasn't socialism. It was a dictatorship with socialism as its selling point.
Same with how the US isn't a true democracy, but rather of Representative Republic with elements of corporatism that are slowly putting the rights of rich companies over those of individual citizens.
The heart of all of it is that sociopathic individuals will use whatever means available to benefit themselves at the expense of others, regardless of what political system they appear within.
@@derek96720 Even in a "real socialist" society, a dictatorship is inevitable because a society like that is too weak to sustain itself. Those "not real socialist" countries usually start out as "real socialism" until someone puts a bullet in the right heads and takes over.
The fact you mentioned Grigori brought out a radiant joy in my soul and I knew this was gonna be a good one. Love that fuckdamn dragon. Love this bald lunatic.
Gotta agree this was one of my favorite scenes. Watching Superman call out Lex for not just doing the right thing when he knew damn well he could have at any point is immensely satisfying.
Reminds me of Clancy Brown's Lex when he makes a cure for cancer, and tells his assistant to stretch it to a lifelong doseage programs instead of the single dose his version required.
Someone who could have, by all rights, made a world where Superman was almost unnecessary, but willingly refused to because he didn't feel like he was given enough accolades for doing it has always been a key factor to making Luthor a great villain to me.
And just when he finally sits atop the world's throne, he realizes how little he'd been this whole time.
Absolutely amazing perfectly put! 👌😁 Thank you ❤️
I was going through random One Villainous scene videos and this one instantly intrigued me and I thoroughly enjoyed it
THEN I SAW THE VIEW COUNT AND WTF
You deserve thousands and thousands of views for this man
Edit: When I saw it this video had like 200~ views. I guess I have magic view-giving powers
I love Lex's outfit when he had SM's powers for 24h
I truly appreciate your video and the actual movie very much.
Great analysis, man! Keep up!
That scene was so powerful when I first saw it. Lex finally seeing the world as Superman sees it and being nearly helpless yet so… enlightened and humbled by the same conclusion his former enemy lived his life by
Edit: Also thank you for linking all the music in the description. Would LOVE to see more video essays!
Found this through youtube recommendation -- fantastic analysis
I've never even seen the scenes you used, but wow were they powerful; thoroughly enjoyed listening to you break them down
I randomly came across your channel, this video was excellent. I really appreciate that it was recommended. Thank you for your fantastic work. Keep it up!
Neat analysis! Thanks for uploading!
Finally, a DC one I never really was fond of Marvel villains outside of how cool they are, except for Dr. Doom since Doom is NO ONE'S 2nd option.
I reckon comic thanos is high up there too.
@@ADAJ342 Thanos is ehh... he's a massive simp so it downgrades him severely
I absolutely love this. I truly hope you make more video essays. I thought that you picked a great villainous scene. Good job, keep it up!
DUDE, that was awesome!
You slammed nostalgia into my core with that intro music.
Mate, you really should make more videos like this. You’re good at it
When I saw the thumbnail for this video I knew exactly what it was about. That has always been my favorite scene of any Superman story! It's bittersweet because Lex could have ALWAYS changed the world if he wanted to, but the only thing he found value in was his own self-aggrandizement. Sadly, it's also true of many people in the real world too. This scene brings to mind my favorite quote, which reminds me to at least TRY to stay humble... (some days I even manage to get it right)
"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - Stephen Grellet
That was very gratifying, thank you
This moment has always brought me to tears. Thank you
Love this video! Hope you do more video essays if you have ideas :)
9:37 The strongest punch that Superman had ever thrown
I always loved this scene and you just made me appreciate it even more.
This was incredibly good
I hope you do a lot more stuff like this.
Subscribed.
I loved this scene, it was incredibly well done
1:46 omg guys theyre gonna kiss 😳
gah i love this story so much. great video
This is a good video. Expected several hundred k subs when I checked. Make more of these and you will blow up.
Great video homie!
This movie, this speach got me into comic books. Great pick
Great video Bro Well done!!!
Damn, this video pulled at me heartstrings , with the music and dialogue, absolutely stunning