Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark The immortal question for all L&C fans: Before ... or after?

OK, so it's 4 a.m., I have stress-related insomnia, and after several hours, I need a break from writing fic angst. (I now remember why I prefer to write the hawt; it's much easier than writing a huge, unhawt fight.) So I thought I'd ask the question I have been pondering for a bit, and hope I have some nice replies to read when I get to work this afternoon. So here goes:

Do you prefer "Lois & Clark" (in the all-around sense) before or after Lois found out that Clark was Superman? And why?

For me, personally, I hated when Lois didn't know. I remember back when she not only found out that Clark was Superman, but eventually got engaged to him in winter 1995, the TV critic from Entertainment Weekly was blown away by not only the fact that L&C had broken canon so blatantly, but also that they had done it SO well. I agreed then, and I agree now.

The main reason why I hate Lois not knowing is because she's too damn smart and too damn good a reporter to be in the dark and be played for a fool. (Hey, she isn't my hero for nothing!) She was the best investigative journalist in Metropolis -- and probably among the top in the country -- and yet she couldn't seem to figure out that her partner, who eventually became her best friend, and then eventually, her boyfriend -- and all of whom would run out on her to return a video (journalists aren't exactly millionaires, but seriously, most of us can afford a late fee) or get his teeth cleaned so often that it's amazing that his gums didn’t hemorrhage -- wasn't the same superhero that she had been swooning over since day one.

Admittedly, you see what you want to see, and largely, at least in Season One, Clark was the "before" and Superman was the "way after" in Lois' eyes. But at the same time, some of the same things that attracted Lois to Superman -- his passion, his kindness, his sense of good -- were the same things she admired -- even envied -- about Clark. So as she began to fall for Clark, in Season Two, you'd have thought she'd have began to see Superman with less rose-colored glasses long before she decided that she wanted to be with Clark.

And while I do think she should have figured it out sooner, I did like that she figured it out on her own, and he didn't tell her. I think that would have been even more crushing. The fact that she very possibly could die when Superman froze her heightened her senses and made her aware of what she could be giving up -- and who she really wanted to be with. How ironic that being frozen is what thawed the ice queen out.

I love seeing Lois and Clark work together as a team -- it's one reason I love Season Four so much. Clark and Lois are both very passionate people, very dedicated people, very determined people -- and, individually, very isolated people. Lois throws herself into her work like Clark throws himself into his super duties. They both want to make a difference -- but they both also use it as a coping mechanism.

I like that when they became a couple, there were no longer any secrets between them -- and there was a sense of complete and total trust, something that I always felt like Lois was getting cheated out of when she finally was able to open up and trust Clark as her partner, best friend, and eventually, love interest (no easy feat for her), and he was still lying to her. Once she knew his secret, they were able to support for each other, and could understand each other in a way no one else could.

I gotta admit, I liked Lois NOT knowing for as long as they were just friends. I know a lot of folks are fans of Lois because of her investigative talent, but knowing she was so smart made her arrogant, and I always rooted for Clark every time he pulled the wool over her eyes.

Now obviously once their relationship became seriously involved, she'd need to know, or else that running off without explanation all the time would put a strain on the relationship, but still that fun element of mystery might make me want to drag out her lack of knowledge for a while.

TEEEEEEEEJ

I enjoyed both. There were elements of fun to Lois not knowing that provided some of my favourite comic or angst-laden moments. Once she knew, there were moments I loved where they worked as a team much better for her knowing or where she covered for him.

LabRat

PS - hawt? New fan term I'm lagging behind on?

hawt = hot

(I recommend http://www.urbandictionary.com/ .)

Before.

I seriously enjoyed all the little hints that were littered all over the place, but that Lois couldn't see. That she didn't WANT to see. The things Clark said that she didn't catch on to ("You're so tight. You're like iron." "Steel.") and all the really lame excuses he kept making so he could run off. hee!

Plus, the banter was better, imho, in seasons 1 and 2. And the whole "I like you, but I'll never admit to it" thing Lois had going for a bit - you can SO tell she's jealous! I love that!

BTW:
Broken canon? I'm not entirely certain this is right. I don't know what the article said, but this is canon:

Lois found out that Clark was Superman in Action Comics #662, which came out in February 1991. Lois and Clark had been engaged since Christmas of 1990.

I own copies of these comics - the one where he proposes, the one where she says yes, and the one where she figures him out. Which, BTW, she did not have a fit about, only told him she needed time to process this information.

So I'm really not sure what canon he meant... Or I'm just dense and not seeing it?

I'm a bit torn. I love the blooming friendship/love pre-revelation in Season 1 & 2. I think it needed to be like that in order for Lois to learn to love Clark for Clark. I also love the Lois in denial sexual tension in this era. It's always so fun when she's trying so hard to be a certain way but her passion/hormones overtake her. Yum.

However, I also really liked it when she knew and she could support Clark and help him hide his secret. Though, I agree with Lara. The banter just wasn't as good post-revelation.

I also loved Season 4 because I loved to see how far they had come and how much their love for each other had grown. AKA Superman is my fave ep of all 4 seasons. Mainly because they do have some cute banter (underneath the table) and again because of the sexual tension (not having sex for 5 days 6 hours... whatever). Plus we get to see how deft Clark is at unbuttoning a blouse one-handed. Yowza!

Overall, though, I'd have to say I liked Season 3 the best because Lois was in on the secret and they still had some sexual tension because they were waiting to do the horizontal mamba.

Yeah I enjoyed both too, and for different reasons. Lois not knowing just made such funny scenes. She was always idolising Superman while Clark was just Clark. And like Lara said I also loved the little ''hints'' Clark left.

But on the other hand, when they started dating I *wanted* her to find out. It was great to see them working as a team! Besides he could always tell Jimmy he had to return a video.

I think he meant the movies and other TV shows ... Lois either doesn't find out he's Superman, or she does and is eternally pissed off. However, here, she not only knows, but she ends up engaged to him.

And come on, Labrat, you don't drop that rat trap like it's hawt?

I like watching both. Second and third seasons are my favorites.

However, I almost always write first season. It's easier for me to find the tension that makes for a good story. Creative writing 101 says that every story starts with conflict. There was certainly more conflict in first season.


Elisabeth

I like both.

The sexual tension between Lois/Clark/Superman, was electrifying! I also really enjoy the fact that they started out as best friends and then evolved into something more. I think it's really important that the mate you choose to spend the rest of your life with, is your best friend as well.

When Lois & Clark FINALLY got together and Lois knew the secret, I liked how they were both team players. I just loved how Lois started making excuses for Clark and it kills me everytime I hear her tell Superman in the clouds that he is not alone anymore. The classic scene when Martha is telling Lois how happy is that her son is no longer alone, tears me up everytime. I mean how romantic...

Aha - thanks, C_A. LOL - I thought it was some kind of acronym.

LabRat

Hmmdy. That's a good question!

Liked a bit of both, actually. As Lara, I adored the pre-relationship banter. But I also loved the closeness they had after she found out.

Hmm.

And if they had gotten engaged and she DIDN'T know he was Superman, I would have been miffed, and I wanted the relationship to happen, so I also enjoyed the AFTER.

Oh why must you ask all the tough questions, dear one??

I like both... I love leading up to the revelation.. Clarks torment...
In L&C I would have liked to have seen Clark trying to tell Lois, and Lois starting to wonder... test him out etc.... but it all worked...

But I also loved it when Lois knew because they could work as a team, no secrets... and learn about each other for who they truly were.

I think the marriage was not explored enough in the show... and there was more interesting banter in the first 2 seasons.... but i'm not sure that is the fault of the show but perhaps the writers....

I first found out about LnC:TNAOS when I was in my most intense comic-book reading period. I was so totally hooked on the Superman comics at this time, because Clark Kent had - finally!!!!! - proposed to Lois, and a few months later he had - finally!!!!! - revealed his double identity to Lois. And I was so itching for them to get married so that they could finally get together for real. I guess I must have learnt about LnC in early 1993, or whenever the first promotional pictures and ads for LnC started appearing. Naturally, I read about LnC in a Superman comic book. I saw pictures of Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain as Lois and Clark, and I marvelled at how perfect they looked as my two favorite reporters. This was the first picture I saw of them - sorry that this particular version of the picture is so small and dark - and I thought they looked adorable:



But then I read a bit more about what the Lois and Clark show would be like. And although I saw this picture many times, I realized that Lois and Clark would not be like this:



In this picture, Lois Lane is opening Clark's shirt, revealing him to be Superman (and just possibly she may be in the process of undressing Clark Kent a little bit more after that). But this was precisely what wouldn't happen in the show, at least not in the first season. Lois Lane soooo wouldn't know! And when I realized that, I somehow felt all my strength just leave me at the thought of being back to square one - after Clark had finally proposed and told Lois about his secret, now there is going to be a show where Clark hasn't proposed and Lois doesn't know and... no. No, no, no, no, no. Take it away from me. Don't torture me with this show. Not now!

So I actually made up my mind not to see that show, because I couldn't stand it that Lois wouldn't know! I had never seen the show at all before Mellie, Lara Joelle Kent, so very kindly lent me her CD collections of seasons 1-3. Mellie, I'll return them to you shortly, I promise....

I still don't like season one much. I don't want Lois to be so utterly stupid... she was never such a moron in the comics. And I hate seeing Clark being justified when he lies to her.

Jenn, I agree with you about most things you said.

Hear, hear!

I have to agree with you there as well. I hate that Clark didn't tell her, but I think it would have been even worse if she had never been able to see through his disguise herself.

I agree that I liked the show a lot better when Lois had figured out Clark's secret!

The reason why I hang around these boards all the time is not because I love the portrait of Lois and Clark in the show - particularly not the first season portrait of Lois!!! - but because this is the only place where people come because they want to see Lois and Clark get together. And believe me, I'm all for that!!!

Ann