Hello everyone,
As usual, I'm thrilled by the very thoughtful and encouraging comments. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and post feedback.
Hasini, it's good to hear that you're still reading along. Clark is indeed going home soon. That's one secret I let out a long time ago in order to avoid being strung up by the gentle readers. You've touched on a major theme here - what's really at the core of a person? What survives when someone is put through the worst things imaginable? That's what Clark's trying to find out. It's what Talan was trying to help him see and it's what Lois is going to have to learn to deal with.
Hi, Ann. I agree with you on the issues of the ethics of killing. It is a morally deforming act, even when it is justified. Even when it is absolutely necessary. It's why Talan has lived her life a hair's breadth from losing her humanity. It's why grabbing hold of that humanity was so painful and so difficult for her and why it is and will be so painful for Clark.
Tank, it's great to know you're sticking with this, despite your indifference to the eight million supporting characters who've popped up on New Krypton. I hope that Clark and Lois don't just blend into the crowd. Especially going forward, I think this story really is about how you pick up the threads of a life you left behind. When you've faced the darkness within you and you know you can't go back, what lies in store for you? As far as Clark's desperate need of an attitude adjustment, I'm in total agreement.
Thanks for the wonderful comments, Terry. The irony of Clark returning to Earth exactly the same way that he arrived the first time, wasn't lost on me, either. More is coming up soon.
ClarkLovesLois, like Tank, I like writing a really strong Lois. And honestly, I think Tank's Lois is stronger than mine, without ever losing any of her vulnerability or likability. I agree that what she's been through has been extraordinarily trying. As for Clark, when he was invulnerable he had to believe in moral absolutes. Even now that he's vulnerable, it's hard for him to change his perspective. It's one thing to hold other people to a lower standard, but he's always held himself to the highest possible standard of ethics. The ethics of war are very different from the ethics of everyday life, but it's so hard for Clark to accept that.
Simply, thanks for the great feedback. It will indeed be a long road home for Clark. I'm trying not to write angst for angst's sake. I want to honestly and reasonably explore the sorts of things that Clark and Lois would go through as they try to reclaim their life together, but I don't like emotional manipulation and I'm going to try to avoid it.
Thanks for commenting, Liz. More is coming up!
Regards,
Rac
