Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Thermodynamics

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Interesting take on MoSB. I like that Lois and Clark are all much smarter in this tale - taking the time to really question and (in Clark's case) test out whether or not Superman's powers actually case an increase in temperature. I particularly enjoyed Clark asking permission from the judge when disaster strikes. He's at least *trying* to be compliant with her ruling. Not that I really believe he would have stayed away from helping people if the answer had been "no."

Great twist on the original episode!

Well done. I love your efforts at making Superman conform to real life science. Your explanations are among the most convincing I have ever seen.

I'm also enjoying your versions of the episodes. I wish the show's writers had had you on their team.

Joy,
Lynn

Maybe it's that I was trained as a scientist but I always wanted to shout at Clark: "You obviously know what the scientific method is (re: Strange Visitor) why don't you run off the arctic like you do in HoL and play around and see if any ice melts?"

Add to that, that the whole episode is just bad science... I didn't tweak the actual cause of the heat wave because I couldn't really come up with something I felt was plausible. We had a bad summer here a few years ago (2011 I think?) where we had 90 days over 100°F, most of those in a row. But that was not only the entire *state* of Texas in a heat wave, it needed a high pressure zone camped out over us for the entire duration. Then again, I seriously doubt a Superman show had a scientific advisor or even cared...

And Mike (re: reply to ToC), I was trying to explain it and not just shell out vocabulary. Did I make it relatable to someone without a passing knowledge of thermodynamics, I'll leave that for others to decide... Pretty much all of my own background in the subject is through the lens of Chemistry and some Biology. And I wish the show would have taken the time to do some kind of tests, it would have been more fun to me than the jail scenes... But Lex did orchestrate the train and, with that in consideration, I wonder if he didn't arrange the gunman too. (And that guy... he stood there pointing his gun at Superman!) And from there, though I think they were timid about it how far to go with it, you definitely have protests cropping up, which speeds up the need for a resolution regardless of the injunction ruling. Two fics I absolutely love are bobbart's "When the Sky Falls" and "Luck and Consequences", some of my favorite parts of both of those are where he tried to find plausible theories for how Clark's powers worked.

And thanks, DC, the injunction just always felt weird. The attorney was way too gung ho with the railroading feel (so I tried to tone her back), although you could argue she might have been in Lex's pocket too. I did love the judge, but the ruling was odd too. Like I have Clark bring up, there is no way he can just 'turn off' some of his powers...(invulnerability, I'm looking at you) although, the whole flying to avoid spilled coffee and the hijinks at the police station drive me crazy too (although the breaking the shelf the fingerprint setup is on I can see as a deliberate way to avoid having his fingerprints on record), because we know that's *not* instinctual when he's Clark!

I'm trying to decide what I want to work on next, I have a couple ideas for longer fics but I'm a bit leery of committing to anything that spans multiple episodes just yet.

I liked the scientific method used here to explain what was going on. People tend to panic (just look around us) when stuff happens that they can't explain and so when someone offers them a possible excuse they're more likely to grab it without thinking things through. I'm glad you showed Clark having more faith in himself and his abilities and not falling for Luthor's paranoia. Very enjoyable!

Thanks Virginia. There's definitely some advantage to training in scientific thought. I had a good friend argue with me about a topic a while ago and he offered up some scientist's paper he'd read as proof of his stance. He was a bit confused when my immediate reply was 'where was this published, has it been peer reviewed, what was his method for data collection and analysis, is this scientist sufficiently trained in the field you're quoting him on to be credible?' rather than taking the fact that the man was a 'scientist' as certification on his testimony. Also makes me think I should have had Clark point out that Dr. Sayer was a *physicist*, not a meteorologist or climatologist or even geologist. Then again, this show has another physicist acting as Superman's physician... One only has to look at the scientists who swore up and down that cigarettes didn't cause cancer or that lead was perfectly safe in gasoline to know that scientific study can still be conducted under an agenda.

I've got about 2500 words down on a longer story, but getting to the point of wanting to poke around for a beta if I'm going to leave the realm of one shots again...

I like your use of the scientific method here too, and using it to debunk Lex's plot.

Your explanation could be explained as working in the LnC universe, even if a thermodynamics scientist would disagree with it in our universe. And I have no idea if one would. After all, a man whose molecular structure is denser than humans and can fly makes me think there's something different at least about some Laws of Physics in the LnC universe. Why not thermodynamics?

This story was refreshingly different! Loved the fact that the judge and lawyer were brought front and center to help. Nice to use other characters!

Clark doesn't violate the laws of physics - he just uses ones that Earth science doesn't know about yet...

Thanks cuidadora, I could definitely write more fics playing with how Clark's powers might work. I'd always planned on writing fics based on Clark's childhood and travels and playing with the powers would fit in nicely there.

Thanks Morgana, I actually had to delete a scene where Lois interacted more with Superman in Clark's apartment (and unfortunately that got rid of a play on the 'suit coming off' line =( ) because I was trying *not* to advance their relationship on any front beyond how the actual episode portrayed it, which goes against a lot of my instincts, heh.

And hello Dandello!

Wow...that was quite the science lesson! There are definitely some logical inconsistencies in that episode. But hey, there's also a man who can fly, so... Good job explaining your theory to a non-science major!

Thanks Groobie, glad I didn't go too technical on the explanations. I had fun with reworking the episode while firmly shoving away the temptation to do a revelation or romance.

Great rewrite of MoSB, Lieta .

You know, seeing this episode for the first time when it aired, I was 13. Young...didn't really think too much about it.

When I would watch the show, I centered pretty much every aspect of my viewing on the relationship between Lois and Clark--that amazing friendship, the flirting, the connecting, and then the love. And--alright --I still (admittedly) tend to be very much there.

I never really would think about the 'problem' in the episode (this episode was all about getting to that goodbye kiss ).

And now...all these 20-some years later, I think I just accept the episode for whatever it is. I don't really question overall what each investigation is about.

I LOVE that you did, though .

Reading this story makes me wonder why didn't Clark test himself? Like you mentioned...fly to a Pole, see what he (might) melt? It's great getting to 'go there' now...it makes the episode seem fresh to me. You really brought a lot of dimension to the episode. Made it a lot deeper. Gave Lois and Clark a lot more to work with.

A pleasure to read. Great job!!!
Laura

Whoops, forgot to reply to this over the last week *blush*. Thanks Laura, I'm glad you enjoyed it =)

Hi Sara!
You’ve got quite the science theme going!
Down, boy!

http://www.pinetree.net/humor/thermodynamics.html
Given how he hasn’t been able to thaw the Ice Maiden by now and she’s actually getting more averse to him, he must be endothermic.

Maybe you could explain it by his intensly high molecular structure, making Superman act as a gravitational object with enough pull to concentrate electromagnetic waves onto him? Would also explain why every woman who comes into his orbit, well…doesn’t want to let him go.

The remote attendance University of Timchatka in central Siberia?

Maybe Superman installed a giant mirror in space to provide him with all the extra sunlight he needs to function?



JONATHAN: So…?
MARTHA: He’s got *company*!
JONATHAN: ‘Grampa Jon’. Does have a nice ring to it, don’t you think?





Very cute one. Only understated drama, yet very catching!

Michael

This story was very satisfying. I enjoy the angst and tension in the episode, but logic, reason, and science are sadly lacking. This is a refreshing take where Clark doesn't immediately give up and people actually think about how temperature works. Seriously, how could Superman pull the sun's rays towards Metropolis? Aaaaargh!

My husband has a hard time watching sci-fi with me sometimes because though I can suspend my disbelief on things like Superman flying, I tend to complain rather vocally when the science is just plain bad. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who gets irked by such things.

Oh, but why would the show want to worry about pesky things like Science and Facts? It's a superhero show. The fans will believe what we tell them to believe... Um, no.

At least Clark isn't trying to give up without a fight this time. Very nice spin on Man of Steel Bars.