Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Challenge Clone confusion

In Larry Niven's novel World of Ptavvs a telepath taps into a far more powerful older telepath and for a while is confused. Now having the memories of the older more powerful telepath he thinks he IS the other telepath.

Later seasons of L&C established Kryptonians as telepathic with other Kryptonians.

What if Clark and the clone in "Vatman" linked and each ended up with a full set of BOTH memories?

Ooh. Vatman would be a lot scarier and harder to disprove if the clone thought he was Clark. It would also be difficult to keep straight in the writing. How would you differentiate Clark and CloneClark? Very interesting idea.

Somebody should write this. Just not this somebody.

If they have essentially the same body and have the same memories, aren't they essentially the same person? How could anyone ever tell the difference?

What if they could repeatedly, at will, combine memories like this? Then they could work together and actually be in two places at once. In the morning they would agree who would be Clark that day and who would be Superman. At night they would sync up. It would work out kind of like Multiple Man from Marvel comics.

Now that I think about it, this scenario would have interesting implications for the other side of the board... (I'm picturing a situation where Lois was in on it.) (In on the secret I mean. But yes, also what you're thinking.)

Alternatively, if they decided not to continue syncing up, we'd end up with a Thomas Riker situation. Except hopefully "Jerome Kent" wouldn't end up working with the Maquis-equivalent. (Lex? Since he's his "dad"?)

I'd love the scene where "Clark" woke up one random morning in Luthor's cloning tank with a set of Clark's memories and the full knowledge of who Luthor is. He might be confused as to how he got there, but he'd have to decide whether to smash his way out or to bide his time and gather enough information to totally destroy Luthor. Either way, it would be interesting.

I like that idea too, Shallowford. Maybe he wouldn't even realize what was happening until he tried to go to work and ran into himself? Arguably, the memories they're creating in-moment of what they're doing could not pass through, or even if they did, it could just be brushed away like deja vu. Maybe a repetitive feeling washes over Clark as he puts on his shoes, maybe a sense of unease in "Clark's" stomach whenever he sees Luthor...

The other idea that you could play out is genuinely not knowing which is the true Clark and which is the clone, and them each finally deciding that it didn't matter which was which... and then the Clone starts to die and reveals himself. I'd love to read that from the perspective of the Clone-Clark. Like we've been following the wrong Clark this whole time (narratively speaking) and we thought he was the real Clark, but whoops, nope.

That would be sufficiently gut-wrenchingly evil, right?

Bump

I actually opened this thread Saturday so I could make a post. A truly vicious twist came to mind that fit in with this idea. I have a rough outline. Maybe with WFH I'll be able to get it written soon.

EDIT: I have to do some adulting here. I have too many RL irons in the fire. I love this idea but it might take me to 2030 to write it so I am releasing this plot bunny into the wild. If I write my version someday, fine. If it strikes your fancy now, please do with it what you will.



Clark was raised an orphan. Martha and Jonathan are fantastic parents but there is always the wondering what happened and why. When he experiences the globe's messages they ground him and give him an attachment to Jor-El and Lara that he realizes that he has been missing his whole life. He can't get the messages to play either by design or ignorance of the controls but he thinks of his family and their sacrifice often.

"Clark" wakes up in Vatman's tank. Kryptonians are telepathic. Both Clark and Vatman are untrained telepaths and are duplicates of each other which makes communication easier. In this case, a half-awake Clark connects with the clone and experiences Vatman's surroundings, the cocoon and the laboratory in first-person. He realizes part of what is going on but is too shocked by the experience to do anything. Luthor comes in and continues the indoctrination of his clone. Something about the physical situation and the message gives Clark a strange sense of deja vu. While Luthor is speaking Clark gets momentary glimpses of another face. Clark isn't sure whether these are his memories or the clone's.

During his encounters with Baron Sunday later, Clark re-experiences being put into the capsule several times. As in the series, Lois points out that he was saved by this experience and he recovers from Baron Sunday’s terrors. During a replay of the memory he sees damage in the background that he assumes is due to the the planet's impending demise. The scene he sees is very similar to the globe message but slightly different from what he expected. Though it is only visible for a fraction of a second, because of the repeats he finally realizes that the face of the man who put him in the capsule wasn't Jor-el's. With further clarity he realizes that when he was placed into the capsule the man was expressing sentiments very close to Luthor’s lessons for Vatman.

When the New Kryptonians arrive one of their leaders shares that same face--Lord Nor. He also realizes that what he assumed was earthquake damage in the laboratory was probably closer to battlefield damage. He is forced to the conclusion that in the last days of Krypton, Lord Nor overpowered Jor-EL and placed his own son into Jor-El's capsule to save him.

Clark's whole world is shaken. Jonathan and Martha raised him to be honorable but survivor's guilt is mixed with shame at taking the place of Kal-El. Is he worthy of being Superman? How can Superman stand for truth and justice when his very existence is due to a despicable act of an evil man? Who can he even tell? In light of what he knows, what should he do about the New Kryptonians?

bump

Shallowford, your idea is evil personified. There are so many possibilities...

But I think you'd need to get to the realization that Nor put him in the capsule really early. If you wait until the end of the first third of the story (or even later), you risk alienating (deliberate pun) the readers by switching gears so sharply. Don't get me wrong - your idea is terrific and someone should take the reins and drive it to the end.

If I did this, I'd put Clark recognizing Nor in the prologue, then go back and recap the telepathy with the clone. You could even have "Jerry" strike out on his own, traveling the world as Clark did. Then, a bit later, drop in Clark's dealings with Baron Sunday as either a series of dreams or memory flashbacks.

"Jerry" could show up and assist in the Nor takedown. And "Jerry" could have ethics and morals that are a little shaky compared to Clark's, such that he's not all that into the "hero" stuff. Were this my tale, I'd make Jerry be Clark's friend, and I'd let them learn how to control the mental contact fairly early. Lois might not understand if Jerry were to "listen in" on their honeymoon.

And you're right - this would present a terrific moral dilemma for Clark - er, Kal-El. The angst possibilities are almost endless. And because Clark's going to be knocked completely off his pins by this revelation, Lois would have to play a huge part in supporting him.

I know I'd read it. Cinch for "Best Revelation" in the Kerths.