Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor
Alias(es)	Alexander, Lex
Occupation(s)	Founder and CEO of LexCorp Founder of Cadmus Laboratories
Family	Lionel Luthor (father) Lena Luthor (sister) Conner Kent (partial clone/"son")
Species	Human
Status	Deceased
First episode	"Conner"
Latest episode	"Lex Luthor"
Portrayed by	Payne Novak (young) Titus Welliver

"Knowledge is a fire that once lit can never be extinguished."

—Eve Watson quoting Lex Luthor to Conner^[src]

Alexander "Lex" Luthor (c. 1954-2021) was a well-known billionaire and scientist. He was also the archenemy of Superman.

Biography

Early life

Luthor family.

"Alexander never did have many friends."

—Lionel Luthor to Conner Kent^[src]

Lex Luthor grew up in the town of Smallville, Kansas with his father and sister. For unknown reasons, Lex was bald from a young age. As a boy, he became friends with Clark Kent, who lived several miles down the road from the Luthor’s. Lex was a childhood prodigy whose genius outshined even his own scientist's father. His behavior came off as cold and resentful, this caused his father to beat him. Lex actually desperately wanted to earn his father's approval, but even when things were an accident, Lionel would become violent toward him.

Billionaire

At some point, Lex founded LexCorp, and became enemies with Superman. He hated the Man of Steel so much, he wanted to be the next Superman himself.

Acquiring Superman's DNA

Lex acquired the DNA of Superman's to try and clone him. Having finally realized his folly and inability to defeat Superman and became a "super" man himself, Lex wanted to have a "son" to succeed where he had not; to inherit his legacy and be what he could not, both man and Superman. So when there was an issue with stabilizing his alien DNA and Eve Watson told him that he would have to use human DNA to do this, Lex decided to use his own genetic material. The resulting clone was called Subject 13 and was grown in a containment pod in Cadmus Laboratories.

Search of a Kryptonite poisoning cure

In 2016, Lex was diagnosed with Kryptonite poisoning and began his search to find a cure. After an unknown length of time searching through scientific means, including using the Luthor-Kent clones or the genetic material made to create them, he turned to occult means through recommendation of his personal physician Arthur Holmwood. Lex subsequently met and began working with May Bennett and her associate Gina in search of the Temple of Azarath.

Hunting Conner and Krypto

After Subject 13/Conner and Krypto's escape, Lex ordered Mercy Graves to bring them back. Lex appears to have cut ties with Mercy after Cadmus is taken down by the Titans and Mercy is apprehended.

Some years later, after learning Conner is in Metropolis, Lex contacts him via a frequency only Conner and Krypto are able to hear inviting him for a meeting that night. Lex is visited by Koriand'r beforehand, and is aware that the Titans are hacking his computer as he greets Dick Grayson after the latter fights with Lex's men.

Encounters with Batman

"I have got a conference call with Metropolis tonight. Luthor's up to something."

—Bruce Wayne^[src]

Over the years, Lex had several encounters with Batman to the point that Batman considered Lex the only person he was ever truly afraid of. In 2021, Batman had a "conference call" with Superman in Metropolis when Lex was seemingly planning something bad.

Death

Lex reveals to Conner that he wants to spend his last six months getting to know Conner, whom he sees as his son, and hopes that Conner will take over his company after his death. When Conner agrees to stay, Lex is about to reveal his workings with May Bennett to him and express his concerns about what she and her cult intend when he suddenly begins coughing: eventually spewing large amounts of blood and a black serpent. Conner kills the snake, but Lex has already died.

Outside of LexCorp, May watches on, having used her magic to cause the deaths of both Lex and the majority of LexCorp's board, and recounts their parting words that someone had to pay. Conner is subsequently arrested on suspicion of Lex's murder.

Legacy

Lex's unexpected paternal behavior towards Conner and subsequent murder has a lasting impact on Conner's psyche. Conner develops a personal vendetta against May that leads him to behave irrationally, to his and the Titans' detriment. After May was able to possess and almost kill him, Conner shaves his head to look more like Lex and tries to emulate his personality by being colder and more ruthless in his behavior. He even goes as far as suggesting others call him "Mr. Luthor", calling back to Lex's comment on Conner having taken on Clark Kent's name, and refers to Lex as his father.

Personality

"Alexander was a difficult child. Stubborn. Arrogant. He was a genius. But... he was missing something. Inside. A moral compass. A sense of right or wrong."

—Lionel Luthor to Conner^[src]

Lex is said to be very intelligent, arrogant, stubborn, curious, and greedy as he only appreciates good scientific results and hard work. Because of his father's beatings, Lex had developed a sense of fear from his father, a wrathful behavior, and contempt. Lex was not very social as a kid as he focused more on his academics, as a result of this, he never had many friends, however, he did develop a friendship with Clark Kent. During his childhood, Lex was always told he was a gifted child and great intellect, Lex, however, knew he was intelligent and had to make it his purpose to prove it to everyone. Lex did not much like his time living in Kansas because he felt smothered and smaller in life.

Even though Lex was more intelligent and competent than a lot of people, Lex had lacked a moral compass and a sense of right or wrong. As a result of his lacking, Lex was ignorant, unpredictable, and intimidating towards his father, Eve Watson, and anyone else who worked closely with him. Lex was also seemed to predict what anyone would be able to do and how they would do it. According to Conner, even though Lex had resented his father for his beatings, he still wanted his approval for his work and was even concerned for his father when he thought he was killed.

With no sense of empathy or morals, Lex cares for nothing and no one, except himself, and is only willing to keep people alive if they benefit him and only him. Lex was also shown to be very strategic as he sent his skilled bodyguard, Mercy Graves, and a team of mercenaries to capture or kill Conner and Krypto because he knew they could do it. Because of Lex's cold, curious, and calculating nature, people don't like him very much, including the people that may work for him, however, his employees still fear him for his nature.

Abilities

"He was a brilliant child. So gifted."
"You're proud of him?"
"Yes, very. He's a scientist... like I was. But even as a child, he was far beyond anything I could ever hope to be."

—Lionel Luthor and Conner Kent^[src]

• Genius-level intellect: Growing up, Lex was a brilliant child prodigy. His father has a cabinet full of his awards, including a science fair achievement and a chemistry award. Even his father admitted that Lex was more intelligent in his youth than he ever was. As an adult, he became a renowned scientist.
• Master manipulator: To be added
• Skilled intimidator: Lex is universally regarded as an extremely dangerous individual.

Appearances

Season 2

• "Conner" (photograph)
• "Bruce Wayne" (mentioned)
• "Atonement" (mentioned)
• "Fallen" (mentioned)
• "Nightwing" (mentioned)

Season 3

• "Blackfire" (mentioned)
• "Lazarus" (mentioned)
• "The Call is Coming from Inside the House" (mentioned)

Season 4

• "Lex Luthor"
• "Mother Mayhem" (mentioned)
• "Brother Blood" (mentioned)
• "Project Starfire" (mentioned)

Trivia

• Lex is reported to be 67 at the time of his death in the live news broadcast.
• With the exception of the news headline, Rachel Roth is the only main character who refers to him as 'Alexander' rather his preferred 'Lex'.
• Dick Grayson refers to Lex as "the only man Bruce Wayne was ever afraid of".
• Lex was the wealthiest person alive, having built a fortune larger than any other through his global conglomerate, LexCorp.
• Lex was aware of the secret identities of Bruce Wayne as Batman, Clark Kent as Superman, and Dick Grayson as Nightwing.
• Lex exclusively refers to Dick by his given name 'Richard'.

Behind the Scenes

• In DC comics, Lex Luthor is a well known as a brilliant scientist, a billionaire industrialist, and Superman's greatest enemy.