Okay, yes, Cat, you are evil. This definitely shows that power can corrupt. But, as scared as I am, I want to see more!

I was in such a good mood, until I saw that funny little */1* at the end of your part header. Surely this is some mistake, Bru. That 1 needs to be turned into a question mark, or some kind of large number.

I'll wait while you fix that. *Sets up camp*

It was like watching a train wreck. You just can't turn away.

Shock and fear is what made me finish betaing this because Cat is EEEEEEEEEEEVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllll and she scares me...

Carol

Karen: Evil? Moi? But I am the paragon of all that is pure and good in the world! I SCARE you? But as mentioned before, I am harmless! Nary an evil bone in my body! See? I have a halo! (Although I must say, I've never been called evil in such an elongated fashion before! Is quite nice! Not that I'm evil, mind. I am unevil. Antievil. And um... pure and innocent!)

One of the FOLCs has a in her sig a statement from Bruce Wayne describing Clark as possibly being "the most human of us all. Then he shoots fire from his eyes, and one cannot help but think of him as a god. And how fortunate for us that it does not occur to him."

I'm sure I've mangled the quote, but that's the essence of it. A Superman who doesn't respect the rule of law, of the rights of people, of civilizations to choose a form of government, is terrifying. And a Lois Lane who bends her powers and abilities to help him conquer and rule is just as terrifying.

I see one glimmer of hope, that Lois has sacrificed herself to serve Kal while limiting his predation ("Save New Zealand for me, dear?") and setting him up for Luthor to take down with the last of the Kryptonite on Earth. As much as I admire Superman and would love to have his powers, a rogue super-being cannot be allowed to survive.

If there's a next chapter, I will steel myself to read it.

I loved Terry's comment. But hey, for myself I've read so many comics where Superman's character and good intentions have been in doubt. No, he's never been as bad as he is here. But after all this time the idea that Superman may not always, in all his incarnations, be entirely good, is no longer a shocking idea to me.

Mind you, I like it when Superman/Clark is good. I like it really very much. It is the only way I like him. Of course.

But I don't think I like him flawless. Not any more. Particularly not compared with Lois. If she is deeply flawed and he is flawless, I lose interest in reading about them.

I hope this image doesn't disappear as I try to post it, but whether it does or not... the picture shows that the idea of a dark Superman is not a new one.



Okay, Bru! I'm ready for a slightly nicer Clark now, please!

Ann

P.S. At least Lois didn't die!!! Yo-hooo!!!!

Well done. Very well done.

After the final wrap I was glad it was a one shot. Clearly redeeming this version of Lois & Kal El would never quite succeed.

I say Kal El instead of Clark because to my mind this has to be a case where Kal El was NOT raised by the Kents.


May I suggest that when you send this to the archive you move this section to the bottom?

I say this because it would have twice the impact on me if these comments hadn't warned me that a twist was coming.

We are so used to assuming that Superman = good that we forget that is a contingent and not a necessary correlation. It could be otherwise.

My husband told me about a short story he read in which the people discover this about G*d. They discover that there is a G*d but he is not good and essentially everyone is doomed to eternal misery. So they get busy putting everyone in suspended animation so that no one will ever die.

This is also why, in a world with Superman, any responsible government would be stockpiling and weaponizing kryptonite left and right.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

EVIL! EVIL!!

Kal-El scares me! I knew there was a reason why I like Clark better. Kal-El like this could have never been Clark.

I agree with Queen Of The Capes. I have bought a deckchair, chocolate, tent and sleeping bag. I am camping out till we see more though I have to say the way you have written it does allow it to standalone as a short piece.

*starts a bonfire and roasts marshmallows*

The Little Tornado

Cat, what a wonderful fluffy piece. No really, it was great fun

I did see Carol's thread on you being evil, so maybe I was wondering if this was the piece in question and I immediately felt I was reading Clark and Lois banning Lex.

Wonderful story Just like those Mirror-verse episodes from Star Trek where they ended up with an evil Federation.

Michael

I actually like this story. It's kind of like an episode of the old Superboy show. He is taken into several different realities and in one Kal-El is the evil dictator of the world.

You saved New Zealand???? awwwwww *blushes*

It is a nice place to go for a romantic holiday... although I'm not sure Superman would clear customs there... if he landed beyond customs control they'd come down on him like a tonne of kryptonite...

Aaannnyways....

As OOC as your Clark is... in an alt-universe.. anything is possible.
The other scenario could be something took 'control' of Superman and turned him this way... thus making him somewhat redeemable if he could be contained (although if realisation dawned, never to himself)... We do see a hint of this... he isn't Clark... he doesn't think he is Clark... interesting...

I admire Lois for being with him so bravely... is it love? Were they both intoxicated with 100% REVENGE and this is the result?
I can't see her in her normal state of mind allowing Superman to do this... so what would impact on her to turn her dark too?

I prefer goodly superman.. but if you're going to make him EVIL (roll on the L)... why NOT take him all the way. Evil can be good.

Nicely done Cat.

Wow, that was so evil...but so well done, so I can't exactly be upset!

I'm conflicted. I'd certainly read more set in this universe, but this fic can definitely stand on its own.

At any rate, I'll take more Cat fic any day!

Amber

This is a fascinating concept.

For me, this had a weird sense of déjà vu: Back in January I posted a short about Lex's plans Lois just before their S1 marriage. That is exactly what I saw Lex wanting to do once Lois became his wife.

As for a dark Kal-El matched with a dark Lois, I think they go well together. If Superman is to be totally evil, then Lois should be also. I would find it disappointing if she were actually working against him in secret. It would break the symmetry.

Where they go, they should go together. For good or evil.

Edit: This has been tickling the back of my mind ever since I read it. I get the feeling that there is at least one (probably many) good dark stories here. And I don't mean stories where they see-the-light. (I guess there's a reason I normally never let Evil-Bob see the light of day. I need to shove him back in his hole and get back to work.)

Bob

Sorry for taking so long to post feedback, but my brain kinda stuttered and died after reading your story. :p

Knowing it was going to be evil, I read it anyway (peeking through my fingers) and half expected Lois to be with Lex. Evil Kal-El was worse. Maybe. I haven't quite made up my mind which is worse.

I love the little hints of dastardly deeds you sprinkled through it. Most excellent evil fic. Maybe there will be a new category for the Kerths next year. Best Evil fic...

I read it again this morning and kept thinking you'd have to write a prequel to this, too. You know, showing us the entire thing from a Lex'ing Clark meeting a Mindy'ing Lois currently hooked up with Lex and the slow corruption of everything that was still decent.

Michael, who starts contemplating parallels between this and Star Wars. Good one, Papls

I thought your comments were saying that you wrote this because it was entirely not evil. Hmmm... I expected something different.


Elisabeth

Holy Snidely Whiplash! not the hot fudge!