Originally posted by Nora Helmer:
So, an arc that not only has Lex Luthor, Lois rejecting Clark (more than once), Clark allowing her to go off with Lex, and Deter is just torture, pure and simple. And then to follow it with the high school reunion and then the NK arc, I feel as if I had been put through the wringer as a fan.
Yeah, it's a rough stretch, no doubt. I haven’t watched the ARGH episodes all the way through since I got my DVDs years ago, although I do end up rewatching certain scenes when I am vidding. I will say that Shea did very good work in that one scene in “Seconds” where he is facing down Clark with that crazy weapon. There’s a lot of drama there, with Lex knowing Clark’s true identity and facing him on that level, all the while displaying how much he hates Superman in forcing Clark to beg for the lives of his parents.
I agree. I think this is Shea's best acting in the series.
In addition to all that was wrong with Dr. Deter, it was also kind of nuts to add yet another man who was “in love” with Lois to the mix. I mean, she’s an awesome woman, yes, but Clark, Lex and this guy all falling at her feet? It just kind of reduced Lois to the “damsel in distress” whom everyone had to fight over. I felt as if she kind of lost her agency.
That is a good way of putting it. It really did reduce her character and even her relationship with Clark to a 'she's mine' kind of baseness.
So I've watched Oedipus Wrecks... and after all they put us through, I feel we needed a larger moment when Lois finally comes back. It was sort of 'you're back? - I'm back! - let's fly!' and felt very rushed. Yeah it was nice that Lois punched Deter in the face, but the wrap-up didn't feel very satisfying to me...
But to wrap-up THIS little thread... does anyone know any fics to recommend that fix the ARGH in a satisfying way? I'm curious to read some that actually use some of the torturous elements -- such as Deter, the amnesia, and even the clone -- but with a more satisfying plot or which leads to a more satisfying resolution.
