History YMMV / LexLuthorManOfSteel

--'''Superman:''' [[spoiler: You're wrong. I ''can'' see your soul.]]

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity.

** The story has produced some differing interpretations over exactly how responsible Luthor was for everything that happened [[spoiler: including the destruction of the jewelers/daycare center that drives the final act of the plot]]. Less responsibility would make Luthor a WellIntentionedExtremist who perhaps tips over into KnightTemplar territory, while more would make him a delusional mass-murdering lunatic. The story itself is somewhat ambiguous on several points, but suggests that the sheer depth of Luthor's Machiavellian personality makes it highly unlikely that he was completely unaware of what was going to happen even ''if'' he wasn't responsible.

* MisaimedFandom: Arguably, for Lex Luthor.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Much of what Lex says (that humanity shouldn't complacently assume that Superman will always be there for them and never turn against them) is actually true, and has been espoused by himself, or sometimes Batman, in other stories.

* MoralEventHorizon: Lex's 'great contribution to humanity', his charity towards his janitor's son, and everything else -- ends in tears. Lex still feels guilt, though -- or, at least, he ''tells'' us he feels guilt. Specifically, it's heavily implied that ''he'' is behind the [[spoiler: bombing of the daycare, where the family of the scientist whom he saved before-- and the scientist himself-- is.]] [[spoiler: Blowing up Hope, an android whom he built and had sex with counts too.]]
* StrawmanHasAPoint: Much of what Lex says (that humanity shouldn't complacently assume that Superman will always be there for them and never turn against them) is actually true, and has been espoused by himself, or sometimes Batman, in other stories.

** Do the final words [[spoiler: "I am a man, I hope." mean that Lex thinks his hope makes him a man? Or do they mean that in the face of all the evil he has done Lex is clinging to hope that he is still a man?]] Both interpretations are valid. Keep in mind, he had Hope self-destruct.

* Do the final words [[spoiler: "I am a man, I hope." mean that Lex thinks his hope makes him a man? Or do they mean that in the face of all the evil he has done Lex is clinging to hope that he is still a man?]] Both interpretations are valid. Keep in mind, he had Hope self-destruct.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity... and then he overshadows his point by remorselessly manipulating and killing people he allegedly cares about, showing him a as deluded hypocritical megalomaniac.
** Additionally, do the final words [[spoiler: "I am a man, I hope." mean that Lex thinks his hope makes him a man? Or do they mean that in the face of all the evil he has done Lex is clinging to hope that he is still a man?]] Both interpretations are valid. Keep in mind, he had Hope self-destruct.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity... and then he overshadows his point by remorselessly manipulating and killing people he allegedly cares about, showing him a as hypocritical deluded megalomaniac.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity... and then he overshadows his point by remorselessly manipulating and killing people he announces to care about, showing him a as hypocritical deluded megalomaniac.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity... and then he overshadows his point by remorselessly manipulating and killing people he announces to care about, showing him a as hypocritical deluded megalomaniac

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, villain or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, "villain" or not, Lex's opinion about Superman has some validity.

* MisaimedFandom: Luthor has persuaded some people -- both in-universe and in real life -- that Superman is a threat with his arguments. Also, that he's correct in his view that humanity must always fear aliens (by which he means [[Franchise/{{Superman}} this alien]]- the thing is, Lex has always had less of a problem with actually malevolent aliens, like ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}, even teaming up with them at many points). The point of the story is that Lex Luthor, a human being, is about as big an enemy to humanity as humanly possible.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Much of what Lex says (that humanity shouldn't place too much faith in aliens who could easily turn against them) makes sense and is very convincing. So much so that it's easy to forget what a monster Lex is. [[FridgeBrilliance Just like characters in the story and Lex himself do]].
* {{Squick}}: This can be the reaction upon learning that [[spoiler: Luthor essentially had sex with a robot]], with further Squick possible upon realizing that [[spoiler: Luthor's such a messed-up control freak that the only real relationship he can have is with a woman he completely designs and builds himself.]]

* DracoInLeatherPants: The fact that the story's understanding of (although it doesn't actually agree with) Luthor's worldview, coupled with some ambiguity over exactly ''how'' responsible he was for everything, has led to this being applied to Luthor from some quarters.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The entire point of the series. Lex Luthor presents his side of the conflict between him and Superman. The point of the series is that, Lex's argument aside, he's a monster.

* MisaimedFandom: Luthor has persuaded some people -- both in-universe and in real life -- that Superman is a threat with his arguments. Also, that he's correct in his view that humanity must always fear aliens (by which he means [[{{Superman}} this alien]]- the thing is, Lex has always had less of a problem with actually malevolent aliens, like ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}, even teaming up with them at many points). The point of the story is that Lex Luthor, a human being, is about as big an enemy to humanity as humanly possible.

** Additionally, do the final words [[spoiler: "I am a man, I hope." mean that Lex thinks his hope makes him a man? Or do they mean that in the face of all the evil he has done Lex is clinging to hope that he is still a man?]] Both interpretations are valid.

* MoralEventHorizon: Lex's 'great contribution to humanity', his charity towards his janitor's son, and everything else -- ends in tears. Lex still feels guilt, though -- or, at least, he ''tells'' us he feels guilt. Specifically, it's heavily implied that HE is behind the [[spoiler: bombing of daycare, where is the family of the scientist whom he saved before. Including the scientist.]] [[spoiler: Blowing up Hope, an android whom he built and had sex with counts too.]]

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Superman's ShutUpHannibal line. It hammers home the fact, that despite however benevolent Lex has presented himself, he, ultimately, is nothing more than a self-deluding insane hypocritical villain. Which is confirmed by Lex's VillainousBreakdown, showing that at some level, ''he knows this.''
--> '''Superman''': You're wrong. I ''can'' see your soul.

* MagnificentBastard: Lex.

* MoralEventHorizon: Lex's 'great contribution to humanity', his charity towards his janitor's son, and everything else -- ends in tears. Lex still feels guilt, though -- or, at least, he ''tells'' us he feels guilt. Specifically, it's heavily implied that HE is behind the [[spoiler: bombing of daycare, where is the family of the scientist whom he saved before. Including the scientist.]] [[spoiler: Blowing Hope, an android whom he built and had sex with counts too.]]

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Much of what Lex says (That humanity shouldn't place too much faith in aliens who could easily turn against them) makes sense and is very convincing. So much so that it's easy to forget what a monster Lex is. [[FridgeBrilliance Just like characters in the story and Lex himself do]].

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Superman's ShutUpHannibal line. It hammers home the fact, that despite however benevolent Lex has presented himself, he, ultimately, is nothing more than self-deluding insane hypocritical villain. Which is confirmed by Lex's VillainousBreakdown, showing that at some level, ''he knows this.''

* CrowningMomentofAwesome: Superman's ShutUpHannibal line. It hammers home the fact, that despite however benevolent Lex has presented himself, he, ultimately, is nothing more than self-deluding insane hypocritical villain. Which is confirmed by Lex's VillainousBreakdown, showing that at some level, ''he knows this.''

* MisaimedFandom: Luthor has persuaded some people -- both in-universe and in real life -- that Superman is a threat with his arguments. Also, that he's correct in his view that humanity must always fear aliens (by which he means [[{{Superman}} this alien]]- Lex has always had less of a problem with actually malevolent aliens, like ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}, even teaming up with them at many points). The point of the story is that Lex Luthor, a human being, is about as big an enemy to humanity as humanly possible.

* MoralEventHorizon: Lex's 'great contribution to humanity', his charity towards his janitor's son, and everything else -- ends in tears. Lex still feels guilt, though -- or, at least, he ''tells'' us he feels guilt. Specifically, it's heavily implied that HE is behind the [[spoiler: bombing of daycare, where is the family of the scientist whom he saved before.Including the scientist.]]. [[spoiler: Blowing Hope, an android whom he built and had sex with counts too.]]

* MoralEventHorizon: Lex's 'great contribution to humanity', his charity towards his janitor's son, and everything else -- ends in tears. Lex still feels guilt, though -- or, at least, he ''tells'' us he feels guilt. Specifically, it's heavily implied that HE is behind the [[spoiler: bombing of daycare]]. [[spoiler: Blowing Hope, an android whom he built and had sex with counts too.]]