Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark Question of my sister

My younger sister was just watching lois&clark and she ask me: Why clark always put his glases down if he look into thing?

But I don't have eny answer do one of you have??

I'm hoping someone will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I *think* that it's because the lenses are made of a special polymer and he can't actually x-ray through them - or use his heat-vision while he's wearing them.

In fact, I think the explanation behind the fact that he wears glasses - in the show, anyway - is that it keeps him from inadvertently using his visual powers.

At least, that's what I think I remember...

I don't think it was ever explicitly explained why he does that. I always assumed that at least his heat vision would melt the glasses. As to the x-ray vision I cannot think of anything this could do to the glasses. But personally I like the expalnation with "not usuing his powers inadvertently."

I'm with Lara. I'm not sure if the show ever actually explained that... but several of our talented fanfiction authors explained it that way. That the lenses were some type of lead-lined glass to keep Clark from inadvertently using his x-ray vision.

-- DJ

No, the show never addressed the question.

From a director's standpoint... He pulled the glasses down so that the audience had a simple, clear way to know that he was using his vision powers. Doesn't even require anything of the effects budget.

From an in-universe standpoint... I like the idea (which has sort of become fannon) that he (at some point) had leaded lenses, to help train his power. He either kept them that way or got so much into the habit that he just automatically moved the glasses out of the way. (Which he'd probably have to do anyway if he was using heat vision instead of X-ray.)

Thematically, there's also the idea that the glasses are a symbol of his human side. He puts them on to become a "normal" person, so he needs to move them aside to use his powers. Even when you just see him floating in front of the TV at home, he usually has the glasses off.

Paul

Ooooh, nice point, Paul. <g>

Okay thanks!!
I will tell my sister,.... She would be happy to know!

no its nothing to do with lead polymer glasses or anything like that. in season 4 he looks at his front door and says mom dad without adjusting his glasses. It will simply be so a) its easier for the effects people to put the blue from his eyes and /or b) so we know hes xraying, it just looks better than not lowering them.

Ahhhh, but Kal-El, have you ever thought that maybe he's just "hearing" his mom and dad outside? <g> I remember thinking that same thing when I saw that episode, but I decided he was just looking at the door because that was the direction the "sound" was coming from... and that he could "hear" his parents talking outside. <g>

-- DJ <who couldn't resist throwing that option out there>

here's an interesting point... even in the episode when woody samms is in clarks body in S4 even then when accidentally using his 'buzz buzz' as lois creatively put it , his glasses just happened to fall down.

Yes, I seem to recall something about lead-lined glasses (even if they weren't lead lined in the show, perhaps this "memory" is just from reading too many fanfics lately...)

but I used to think that even if they weren't lead-lined, the glasses would bend any liight-rays passing through them, hence diffusing the xrays (or whatever) and hence blurring any images produced, etc...

just as a normal curved-glass refracts light and diffuse the rays... or refine them in the case of magnifying lenses... all depending on the focal length etc....

thus I presumed this would be more "logical", especially with the heat-vision being produced in his eyes, unless he was heating up a really close object (about 1 inch from the lens, just as far as your own eye is from your glasses), then the area being heated would be far great.er...


ps.
sorry Im not very coherent today, babbling on faster than a speeding Lois, am so very tired
hope someone can at least interpret these scientific-type-ramblings and perhaps reiterate them into a comprehensive sentence...