#kudos to Michael Rosenbaum tho

[emwallas176]

Head empty of everything except the fact that Lex Luthor in Smallville could have been such an interesting villain if they’d actually made the effort to give him a “journey to darkness” rather than a simple “light switch”.

Like here you have this character who’s main goal in everything is always to help people. There isn’t an innocent he wouldn’t protect, a person-in-need he wouldn’t help. It’s what, in my mind, makes it so impossible to see him as truly evil as the show is now. Bc they completely ignore this fundamental aspect of his character.

If you really want to make Lex Luthor a villain but want to keep true to his character. Make him overprotective. Make him violently, ruthlessly protective. Make him prioritize his loved ones over what’s right. Make him selfish and loving at the same time. Make him so desperate to hold on to what little love he has that he goes too far, that he does too much. Have him be loyal to the wrong people. Have him blinded by trying to save everyone that he ends up saving no one bc all he’s ever done is try. Have him be controlling and paranoid and manipulative and yes even evil but do it all knowing that the real tragedy is he only ever wanted to be safe and loved.

The key to a good villain is establishing a motive and Lex Luthor’s has always been about caring for others. It’s just a shame that he’s always been alone.