I don't think I've ever read a post-Contact fic which suggested that what Clark did was the right thing to do. (And I can tell ya, when the episode first played, we were all waiting in line to get ourselves kryptonite bats so we could whack some sense into him.
Of course not. Since it doesn’t make any sense. Clark isn’t simply making an error of judgment. He could just a well has said we can’t be together because there are no pink giraffes.
To me it’s a total disconnect.
So when people go after him with kryptonite bats it looks to me like they are hitting a straw man.
There are plenty of reasons I could see Clark breaking up with Lois for disturbing his emotional equlibrium, (several fic have handled this very well) but that ”he couldn’t stand it if she was hurt” isn’t one of them, at least unless he intended to purge her entirely from his life.(Which wasn’t the case)
Is it in character? Sadly, yeah, I think so. He's an idiot on a semi-regular basis, especially when it comes to obsessing and taking too much responsibility and being way too noble for his own good.
So what would Clark say if he, as he worried, found her boiled in oil?
–What a tragedy, a good thing I broke up with her otherwise I could never have forgiven myself!?
Whether they are together or not, the risk that Lois ends up in vat of boiling oil would still be there, but of course, as a couple the risk that something like that happened would decrease dramatically.
And when it comes to her being a target for those who wanted to get to Superman that was already a reality.
I can’t see him stop looking after her in either case. And if they became a known couple it should also discourage the notion that Superman is romantically attached to Lois Lane.
Really his concern for Lois saftey is a REASON for WHY they should be together.
