Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Challenge Trask the Hero?

I think I've always had a different take on Trask than most. While I agree with everyone else that his actions were despicable, I think that they stemmed from some psychiatric problems, and not from an inherent evil. The motivation of most of the L&C villains seems to be self-aggrandizement, revenge, or a quest for money or power. Trask's motivation is an, admittedly misguided, attempt to keep the people of earth safe. He actually has a lot of good, if overlooked, qualities. If he weren't so paranoid, I think he would have made an excellent military officer -- He was brave, capable of making rapid decisions and of leading other soldiers, and he was willing to die for his cause. He didn't just send his underlings in to do his dirty work; he was at the forefront of what he must have known was a risky endeavor.

When I first saw season one, I thought he was delusional. And when it came to Clark's/Superman's motives, he was. But he was also accurate in his prediction that the earth would be invaded by Kryptonians -- witness the NK story arc.

So... Here's the premise for my challenge: Rachel Harris' shot did not kill Trask, but only incapacitated him. While he recovers in hospital, he seriously thinks about Clark's refusal to kill him and his "That's not the way I work" comment. Perhaps Clark, out of some sense of guilt, comes to visit him in hospital. Maybe the hospital psychiatrist medicates him so that he starts to think more lucidly. He finally realizes that Clark himself is not a threat, but he still thinks that there may come a time when earth is invaded by Kryptonians or other aliens. When he has recovered sufficiently, he turns his energies toward coming up with ways to protect earth from such an invasion. He manages to get the U.S. government (or perhaps even the U.N.) to fund appropriate scientific research. Then, when the NK invasion does come, humans are quickly able to overcome Nor's contingent. Trask proves to be a hero for his foresight and his determination to keep earth safe.

What do you think? I know it is highly unconventional and is definitely non-canonical, but it might make for an interesting tale. Anyone want to write it?

Joy,
Lynn

edit: p.s., Yes, I am aware of Trask's other failings -- his difficulty in following orders that he disagrees with and his cavalier attitude toward sacrificing a few civilians for what he perceives as the greater good. The former might well negate my earlier suggestion of him being good officer material, were he mentally balanced. But as for the latter, I would guess that to some extent, military leaders must think that way -- they can not afford to let the risk of "collateral damage" paralyze them. (Of course, I would hope that they would try to minimize such deaths, but they would realize that sometimes they are unavoidable if one is waging war.) I can't say I like the attitude, but I can understand it and I can even recognize the necessity of thinking that way.

You do realize that "unconventional" and "non-canonical" are plusses, right?

Hmmm....Trask the renegade hero. It could be interesting. Now, since I have 50+ WIPs festering on my hard drive (plus a job, other projects and lots of Linkara vids to watch) I can't promise I'll work on it, but it's certainly worth mulling over.

He'd definitely have to be on meds, which would help his delusions. However, his "Invasion" delusion would probably - I think - go the way of his "Evil Superman" delusion once he was medicated. I don't really know. However, I propose that either he has some kind of proof or tip-off that the invasion is real, like from an earlier challenge involving Tempus; or, that his delusion morphs so that he thinks Clark is being duped.

A few years ago I wrote a longish fic, Connections, which featured a 'different' Trask as a character. As well, I recall a short fic, about Trask as a boy - it was a nice take, on Trask, but for the life of me I can't recall the title of it. Anyone know?

c.

QotC, I would agree, within reason. A story making Clark a Nazi might be unconventional and non-canonical, but it would also be likely to remain unread. (I know that I certainly wouldn't read such a story, and I doubt others would, either.) I guess my implied question was whether others think my premise of Trask-as-hero at all plausible or whether they think it as implausible and disquieting (in the opposite direction) as the Clark-as-Nazi scenario.

I like your morphed delusion suggestion. That, or he might come up with the truth: That Clark himself is ignorant of the coming invasion. If he did think that, would he be delusional? There's an old joke that you're not paranoid if they really are out to get you. Given that his thoughts would reflect the reality of the L&C universe, would he actually be delusional? To be delusional, must one not be maintaining a false belief? Certainly, pre-invasion, he would be thought delusional. But would he be considered so afterward? If, two centuries ago, someone predicted that humans would fly in winged metal tubes one day, and that humans would even walk on the moon, would they have been delusional or extremely forward-looking?

C., I'll have to look up Connections. Thanks for the tip! If you or anyone else can come up with the title for the Trask-as-a-boy story, I'd love to read that, too. I had actually been toying with the idea of someday writing just such a story -- the gist of it being to show how Trask got to be the way he was and to shine a sympathetic light on him. I don't think my writing skills are up to the task yet, but this is actually the first (and, so far, the only) story premise in a file I created of ideas to write up at some point in the future.

Joy,
Lynn

See this thread, which has a link to Connections

http://www.lcficmbs.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000845#000000

Hi Marcus,

I really like your idea of moving the NK invasion back to season one. A simple change with profound implications. What an elegant manner of accomplishing what I had, rather clumsily, proposed to do.

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of that thread.

Joy,
Lynn

The real tragedy of Trask is that he wasn't entirely wrong. Change things around just a little and he's a hero.

Still, didn't kill Trask one of his own men? That's definitely not the way I wanted anybody to work, not even in the military.

Did he do that? If so, it must have slipped my mind. Could you refresh my memory on when he did and under what circumstances?

Edit: Oh, I know who you are talking about: General Burton Newcomb. When I wrote I shouldn't have restricted my comment to civilians. Perhaps I am giving him more credit than he deserves, but I think that his actions there, too, were attributable to his psychiatric disorder -- In his mind, Newcomb had turned into a traitor to the human race, and Trask was doing what he felt necessary to preserve humanity. While I absolutely do not condone his actions, I can not find fault with his motives. (Who could object to trying to keep the human race safe?) I still see Trask as more of a tragic figure than a typical villain.

Joy,
Lynn

Are you thinking of LaraMoon's I\'m A Believer ?

LabRat

Yes! Just reread it using your handy link, too. Delightful.

Thanks, Labrat.

c.

LabRat,

Thanks for pointing out that delightful story. It wasn't at all what I had been expecting when I started reading it; and even though I did have it figured out shortly after the new boy arrived on the scene, it still made for a fun read.

And it wasn't even remotely like the story that I hope to be up to writing someday. <whew>

Joy,
Lynn

I came across this thread doing another search and it ties in with an idea I've been thinking about.

What if Trask lived and what if Veda Doodsen's youth transfer had changed Clark's appearance, even temporarily? Trask is still watching Superman even if he isn't obsessed with killing him, so he would see the change and investigate. Veda is in jail and has no reason to keep her mouth shut, particularly when someone from the government comes around offering a reduced sentence for information....

With the age transfer device weaponized and kryptonite to help capture subjects, Trask could have captured the NK invaders and drained their life-force to rejuvenate military and scientific recruits to his cause.

Clark might end up in the unique position of having to rescue the New Kryptonians.

Shallowford, what a fascinating twist.

Joy,
Lynn

I really liked Ikuko's "Delenda Est Carthago" which had another take on Trask and why he was so determined to destroy Superman.

Your premise is also found in one of my favorite fics in the archive - Shayne Terry's Nocturne . Trask as hero is an off-screen event post NK invasion, but the idea of his correct prediction is key to the story and what comes after.

B