Wow, TOC, that's a very interesting observation. And I would have to say I totally agree with it. Really - whether we like it or not - Lois is somewhat of an accessory in the entire Superman mythos. She's one of many women he's loved over the span of his existance, albeit the most enduring and arguably most well-loved one. But facing the facts, it is very true that Lois is not necessary for Superman to continue.

Which, if we are facing facts, is kind of just one of those "too bad for you" for all of us LnC fans, and even more so for those who've really taken Lois to heart and made her fundamental to the Superman story. The creators of Superman made no promises to anyone about anything other than to tell a story about an alien from another planet who comes to Earth and uses his unique powers for good. Whoever comes and goes out of Superman's life is simply icing on the proverbial cake and can be changed to suit the different tastes out there. It's like TV show producers who develop a beloved program which eventually goes off the air (*sob*The West Wing*sob*). We can be upset by it, but it's not our creation on the first place.

I can personally say that I am often frustrated by Smallville's perpetual insistence on shoving Lana Lang down viewers' throats as Clark's true love. I don't agree with it and wish to no end they'd make better use of Lois in the show. I'm so frustrated, in fact, I'm on the edge of not watching any longer. However, I also know - intellectually - that the show's creators can do whatever they want within the parameters of the world they've created as long as the basics of Superman remain the same.

That being said, I don't know that as fans of LnC:TNAoS we owe Lois the character anything other than portraying her truthfully based on how we have interpreted her character from what we individually garnered from the episodes. If we want to kill her off in order to write a particular story, is it really our responsibility to avoid doing so simply because we happen to like her maybe a bit more than those who never watched the show? Wouldn't, in fact, stories which show a Clark who is completely incapacitated by the loss of Lois do much in showing others how deeply Clark feels for her, how truly important she is to him, not simply another one of his many women? A Superman who can no longer function because he's lost something so fundamental as his life partner seems to validate the importance of that partner, proving to those who would view Lois as just an accessory that they are, indeed, wrong.

Too, I would say that in this fandom, or any fandom for that matter, stories reflect what the market will bear. If readers embrace deathfics - Lois and/or Clark's - then there is a market for such stories even if the readers profess to adore Lois (or Clark) and believe that she is the one and only woman for Clark. If all LnC:TNAoS fans abhorred deathfics in any form, then we could safely say that this is a fandom which doesn't see them as a viable expression of the show. My frustration with Smallville and my decision to stop watching is a good example. Perhaps if enough people do stop, the creators will figure out that they've pushed Superman into an arena where we no longer accept the story as appropriate for his premise.

You know, I've got to stop doing this. I just go on and on. wink
Lynn

You know that boy'd walk on water for you? Or he'd drown tryin'. -Perry White to Lois in Just Say Noah