Mallory22207

While experiences shape someone, in the end they have the decision to change. And Lex knows what he's doing is wrong, and has no intention of stopping. He begins to take pleasure in watching the experiments and torturing the subjects. He could try to change, but doesn't want to. In Freak, Lana becomes suspicious when meteor-freaks are being killed off. She knows Lex studies meteor-freaks, but doesn't think he's the one kidnapping them. Until the end of the episode, when he makes an obvious deflection and swear. Because he’s given into the darkness. He gave hcg (hormones- which are actually real and can cause phantom pregnancies). He does this because she was suspicious of whether or not his projects were really to help people or had ulterior motives after Fallout. His goading Lana into trusting him, by using the invasions in season 5 and 6 as collateral can be viewed two different ways. They were both traumatized after seeing the aliens attack, or Lex knows how to use this to his advantage- while he’s actually more worried about his experiments.

Whether Lex is as concerned about aliens taking over in seasons 5 and 6 as Lana is- debatable. But studying the spaceship after seeing aliens kill a force (Lana) or try to kill him (Lex) isn’t shallow or evil. Neither are the intentions behind this, and Clark recognizes this when him and Lex argue about it at the end of the season. Lex shooting his hand in Vessel, after being abducted represents his want to do right- but going about it all wrong.

Lex also has an obsession with Clark. His constant needs to compare himself to Clark showcases insecurities. That Lex might've had because of the way he grew up in an abusive household. However Lex has become someone who enjoys watching human experiments, then kills the subjects. Sometimes kills the doctors (Rage.) And drugs his girlfriend with hcg (human chronic hormones). It's understandable why she went after him, though her mental state and actions put her in the wrong. She is literally torn between lingering feelings, after this years long relationship/friendship and deciding Lex should die for his sins in Kara and Wrath. Lex's treatment of Kara this season, is also very similar to how he treated Lana last season.  Using a medical issue and depression to emote trust.

These views are forceful in not trying to understand the character's situations. I know women who have been abused by a partner they thought they could trust, because they knew them for years. It leads to a mental breakdown, which is what the character is meant to be going through. Just like I know children who are spiteful because they've been abused by their father or mother. People either change and decide to help others- (Lana's decision not to kill Lex and become a hero in 8) or stay in their depression and cannot change (Lex's decision to not change). It's not their true nature, it's a bi-product of abuse. Lex deciding to let the darkness take over and kill his father represents continuing the cycle of abuse.

The Secret

Comparing season 4 Chloe knowing the secret to Lana in season 5 is being unfair. Lana only asked 2x in season 3 telling him she'll love him no matter what and he changes the subject. She didn't ask again for a whole season! Chloe season 1-3 all she did was pine and try to find out. Even with Lionel Luthor. And she keeps secrets from him in season 4, but tell Jason and Lex- sure. Her and Clark are on outs, so she tells him when she realizes Jason and Lex are using her for the stones. Anyway a ton of people excuse Lex for stalking and holding Clark hostage. Which I will not do, even if Clark did lie. Asking Clark directly was fine, yes it would've kept weighing down their relationship. But Mortal is a turning point for how Lex handles problems. Yes, they saw him use his powers and a lot of people told Lana (Tara, Van, Adam, Alicia, Lex) and Lex (Nixon, Perry, Lionel) things about Clark to make them suspicious, but Clark kept pretending that they were imagining things. Telling them that they wouldn't understand the real-him when they ask directly. They also tell Clark they're willing to be his friend no matter what. Even after seeing him on red-K or when he ran away for a summer. He later started to use deflection to manipulate them into thinking they were the problem in the relationship (Lana not understanding Red-K Clark in season 3 and later moving to college/Lex not telling Clark about his one-night stand list/Lex stalking Clark VALID) and it caused big breaks in their friendships.  It’s important to see both sides to understand the relationship.

The sad thing is it's been 20 years and people still don't understand grooming, gaslighting, abuse, or manipulation. I've read so much on Lana deserved Lex to hit her or the phantom pregnancy because she didn't realize he was evil. She didn't "allow" Lex to manipulate her for all those years they were friends. If you're friends with someone at a young age, you may not think them capable of certain behaviors.  Especially if they are overly kind to you.  Lex is overly kind, because of his need for close bonds.

He strangles Lex over their bank accounts and Lex is too afraid to tell anyone qhat happened. Even other residents such as the Kent's know of this abuse. They don't approach Lionel or tell Lex the truth. They also don't want Clark involved in saving Lex, incase his powers are shown.  Lionel begins forcing drugs into his son's food to get him institutionalized and brainwashed into believing Lionel didn't kill their family members. No one on the show talks to Lionel about these things. Lionel pretends like Lex and Lillian were crazy and he had to prevent them at all costs.  However, he originally he goaded Lex into being evil. On purpose, for pleasure. He's never told off by anyone for these things.  Instead he tells everyone that he was only trying to prevent Lex from making mistakes.  Mistakes he encouraged not too long ago, in Onyx when Lex was all hardcore.  people like to say he was never evil and only misunderstood. Some people also victim shame Lex, saying he deserved the abuse because he's going to turn out evil anyway. The double standard of glossing over Lionel's sins while pretending he was handled properly. Just to say that Lana wasn't, although she was called out by Lionel and Chloe is a double standard that many fans participate in.

While experiences shape someone, in the end they have the decision to change. And Lex knows what he's doing is wrong, and has no intention of stopping. He begins to take pleasure in watching the experiments and torturing the subjects. He could try to change, but doesn't want to. In Freak, Lana becomes suspicious when meteor-freaks are being killed off. She knows Lex studies meteor-freaks, but doesn't think he's the one kidnapping them. Until the end of the episode, when he makes an obvious deflection and swear. Because it's become his nature to be this way. He gave hcg (human chorionic hormones) which are real by the way, because she was suspicious of whether or not his projects were really to help people or had ulterior motives. His goading Lana into trusting him, and constant need to compare himself to Clark showcases insecurities.  That Lex might've had because of the way he grew up in an abusive household.