Another one, Ann!? Well, I'm not complaining!
Well, it's such a pleasure to read other people's comments on this story. This is definitely a time when you can get smarter by taking part of other people's thoughts! (Ehhh... and if you ask me... that's what separates us humans from the rest of the animal kingdom anyway. )
LOL. You reflect my thoughts exactly, Ann! You think you know everything about Superman, and that you've seen every angle and situation, but all this stuff has really made me think. It's quite marvelous, and I'm really enjoying it.
I'm sure it's possible for many people to live a double life, but can you really do it when you are famous? When you are so famous? When you are the most famous person in the world? If, say, five hundred million people know exactly what Superman's face looks like, and a few thousand interested and well-informed people recognize Clark Kent? And all those who recognize Clark Kent also know exactly what Superman looks like? And all of these people are also interested in what Superman does in his spare time? Then it's not going to be enough that Clark's disguise is good enough to fool, say, ninety-nine people out of a hundred. Then again, maybe Clark is even better at disguising himself that I give him credit for.
Hm. Again, a good point. I don't think we've had a *bad* point throughout this whole debate, even if there are different opinions for quite different sides. And I'll agree with you (I'll just agree with everyone, contradictory as it seems) in that I think that people would be a *lot* more curious and invasive towards Superman's "personal" life if he really did exist. Oh, well. I guess this time I'll have to ignore Ben Jonson and just wave it off as creative license.
Like Hasini, I think that your take on the Clark/Lois/Superman love triangle is unique. I've long thought that it resembles the classic "Clark-loves-Lois-who-loves-Superman-who-isn't-interested-in-Lois-who-despises-Clark" frustrating love triangle for two. But this chapter showed us something that I can't remember seeing ever before. Not in any of those innumerable comics I have read. Not in any of the movies. Not in the LnC TV show, even though I've really seen so little of it. Rachel, I'm talking about the sweet, intimate, all-defenses-down togetherness between Lois and Superman. I'm talking about Lois and Superman breaking down in a fit of giggles as they are sharing some lovely cheesecake. I'm talking about Lois and Superman snuggling on couch and falling asleep together as they are watching a romantic movie. Really, that has never happened before.
Oh, Ann, you know how to boost a girl's ego. <blushes with pleasure> I love Lois's character, just like you, Ann, and it always kind of frustrated me (especially in the first season of LnC) of how Lois just kind of tosses all of her "new women," independent, intelligent mind to the wind and chases this flashy stranger that flies around in blue tights. Really, how often does she see him, except when he swoops down to save her life? She can't know him *until* he tells her he's Clark, which is one reason why Clark refuses to tell her until he sees *him* first. Here, Clark has *become* Superman in a way that is, like you said, unique. In many ways, he's stopped lying to her as Superman long before, just by *acting* like himself, though the confidence Lois gives him makes him act quite differently than "Clark." I think Lois was quite right when she claimed she knew his heart and soul. She knows Superman, so she knows Clark. She might not know all the details about Superman, but she knows *Clark Kent* better than she can possibly imagine.
What we have seen before has been an ever-so-slightly supercilious attitude of Superman towards Lois. Superman has been romancing Lois before, but always from a position of superiority. He has been bestowing his love on Lois like a king bestows favors on a grateful subject. Even when his relationship with Lois has been relatively equal - as it was for a while in the seventies - Superman was always firmly in control of himself and of what was happening between him and Lois. You would never have seen that Superman break down in a fit of uncontrollable giggles or fall asleep with Lois on the couch.
Hehee. LnC is a bit better in this case, though--in just the fact that Clark really does intend to court her as Clark . . . I guess he just gets carried away sometimes and can't resist letting her "worship" him for a little longer.
This stopped in . . . chapter 4, or something, of DD, when Lois speaks to Superman in the white room and Clark realizes that the awe that is usually in Lois's voice has been replaced by something much deeper and more powerful. After that, the whole mask Clark's wrapped around Superman starts to unravel, because she really does see him, and so it's pointless for him to try and not act like himself when she knows he's acting (if that makes sense:D).
Your take on Superman is unique, Rachel, and still it is so recognizable.
<warm, fuzzy feeling> Thanks, Ann! I've got to run off to church choir, but thank you so much for all your comments.
Everyone, the depth of discussion here has been just simply amazing. Thank you for everyone's thoughts and contributions. Thank you thank you thank you.
Rachel (SmirkyRaven)
