Luthor Crimes In "Superman: The Animated Series"

[ABrown]

If someone bumps this thread, could a moderator please close it.

[aiwac]

Just off the top of my head:

1) The implied murder of 3 people (the scientist, the two criminals)
in the ep. when we learn of kryptonite.

2) Treason in trying to sell the battlesuit to Casnia

3) De-facto murder of John Corbin AKA Metallo

[Toddman]

This is something that bothered me from the first time that I saw the Superman:TAS episodes on Kids WB, and continues to bug me to this day. I challenge anyone to try to think of just 5 crimes that Luthor commited in Superman:TAS that did not involve trying to kill Superman.

Why does it bother you?

Either way, here's a few more Luthor's rap sheet:

Illegal arms deal (again) in "My Girl"

Illegal cloning experiments in "Identity Crisis"

Kidnapping Aquaman in "A Fish Story"

Plus you have to remember all of the other crimes he may have committed in addition to his attempts at murdering Superman: harboring known fugitives, racketeering and various crimes of conspiracy.


Toddman

[ABrown]

I mean looking at five episodes that The Joker appearanced in on Batman:TAS, he kidnapped Gordon, Bullock, and what's her name in "Christmas With The Joker." In "The Last Laugh" he poisoned everybody and then commited a bunch of crimes while everybody was laughing. In "Be A Clown," I'm not sure exactly if it was attempted murder that he commited with the exploding candle, but it was definitely some kind of crime. Again, in "Joker's Favor" I'm not sure exactly what crime he was guilty of. But what he did to that poor guy, I'm sure it's a crime. He did the same kinda thing to that patent guy in "The Laughing Fish."

I realize that Luthor is a completely different type of villian. But like I said, I would've like to have seen something like factories overseas where people were forced to work 18 hour days in unbearable heat. I guess I just would've liked to have seen more that made me stop and say "Hey, this guy has to be stopped!"

[Toddman]

I realize that Luthor is a completely different type of villian. But like I said, I would've like to have seen something like factories overseas where people were forced to work 18 hour days in unbearable heat. I guess I just would've liked to have seen more that made me stop and say "Hey, this guy has to be stopped!"

That's not really very "super-villainy" though. And honestly, that's not even really a crime. Besides, he's not Kathie Lee Gifford or anything.


Toddman

[creativerealms]

The thing is Luthor does a good job hiding his villainy so that on the surface he looks like a decent enough guy. I would think that the average Lex Corp employee would be very well off, with good benefits and the like. Doing something that can clearly be pinned on him is not how Lex acts.

[DisneyBoy]

According to JL, apparently he was sleeping with Mercy constantly, and OFF-SCREEN to boot!

In all seriousness, I didn't enjoy the retcon of sorts JL pulled on the Luthor/Mercy dynamic, so I'm just kidding around here.

[Wonderwall]

According to JL, apparently he was sleeping with Mercy constantly, and OFF-SCREEN to boot!

In all seriousness, I didn't enjoy the retcon of sorts JL pulled on the Luthor/Mercy dynamic, so I'm just kidding around here.

Well they implied a relationship as far back into STAS. And that's technically not a crime:p

[AlgeaX]

According to JL, apparently he was sleeping with Mercy constantly, and OFF-SCREEN to boot!

In all seriousness, I didn't enjoy the retcon of sorts JL pulled on the Luthor/Mercy dynamic, so I'm just kidding around here.

How's that a retcon? It seems obvious something was going on between Lex and Mercy during the S:TAS years.

[ABrown]

How's that a retcon? It seems obvious something was going on between Lex and Mercy during the S:TAS years.

I didn't think that it was obvious. I thought that it might have been possible, but they weren't as obvious as Joker/Harley were.

But again, anything that they had going on off cameras still wouldn't have been a crime. I just would've liked to have seen Superman break up another couple of Lex's operations. Kinda like with Shredder in the 2003 TMNT cartoon. First time, nothing. Second time, still nothing. But after the turtles interfered with three of Shredder's operations, it was at that point that Shredder focussed all of his efforts towards destroying the turtles.

[DisneyBoy]

I think we've seen enough of Superman stopping Lex schemes in other shows that I didn't really mind not seeing it on S:TAS. Sure it could have been there, but whatever.

It seems obvious something was going on between Lex and Mercy during the S:TAS years.

Mercy's description of the relationship in "Ghost in the Machine" made it feel very different from Harley's devotion to the Joker. I liked that Mercy was different in that sense. Someone who devotes themselves to someone not because she's a woman in wuuuv but because she'll never believe she would have made it without him. There's a pain there in her eyes at the end of the episode. And it's not because Luthor is a jerk after a one-night stand. So I saw it as a retcon, and was very surprised/disappointed by Luthor's dialogue about their affair in "Tabula Rasa".

I didn't think that it was obvious.

See...

[AlgeaX]

I think we've seen enough of Superman stopping Lex schemes in other shows that I didn't really mind not seeing it on S:TAS. Sure it could have been there, but whatever.

It seems obvious something was going on between Lex and Mercy during the S:TAS years.

Mercy's description of the relationship in "Ghost in the Machine" made it feel very different from Harley's devotion to the Joker. I liked that Mercy was different in that sense. Someone who devotes themselves to someone not because she's a woman in wuuuv but because she'll never believe she would have made it without him. There's a pain there in her eyes at the end of the episode. And it's not because Luthor is a jerk after a one-night stand. So I saw it as a retcon, and was very surprised/disappointed by Luthor's dialogue about their affair in "Tabula Rasa".

I didn't think that it was obvious.

See...

Who said anything about a one night stand? I got the impression it was an on going thing.

Oh and remember the scene in World's Finest where Batman breaks into Luthor's home to give him the old evil eye? Who just happens to be there but the lovely Ms. Graves. I'm sure one could think of lots of innocent reasons for Mercy to be hanging in Lex's bedroom in the middle of the night, but the not so innocent one seems more plausible to me. differing interpretations I guess.

[ABrown]

Who said anything about a one night stand? I got the impression it was an on going thing.

Oh and remember the scene in World's Finest where Batman breaks into Luthor's home to give him the old evil eye? Who just happens to be there but the lovely Ms. Graves. I'm sure one could think of lots of innocent reasons for Mercy to be hanging Lex's in bedroom in the middle of the night, but the not so innocent one seems more plausible to me. differing interpretations I guess.

But she was in full uniform while Luthor was half naked. I might've agreed if she were in bed with Luthor. I have to admit, that definitely would've made for good television.

[AlgeaX]

But she was in full uniform while Luthor was half naked. I might've agreed if she were in bed with Luthor. I have to admit, that definitely would've made for good television.

Maybe Lex has a thing for women in uniform. ;)

[tb4000]

Does this have anything to do with the recent Blagojevich thing? I was watching the news this morning and all the talking heads were being asked what illegal crime did he commit and they all were like, "nothing....he didn't technically do anything, people just feel he's a shady character." That's somewhat how Luthor is. He doesn't blatantly put himself out there, but he's always behind the scenes.

[Dayspring]

Regarding Lex and Mercy, I just figured it was your typical boss doing the secretary/maid/chauffeur/bodyguard relationship. No love, just sex off-screen. The JL comments were just typical Lex manipulation: he knew the sex meant something to Mercy because of how she was devoted to him, and was taking advantage of her emotions.

[ABrown]

Does this have anything to do with the recent Blagojevich thing? I was watching the news this morning and all the talking heads were being asked what illegal crime did he commit and they all were like, "nothing....he didn't technically do anything, people just feel he's a shady character." That's somewhat how Luthor is. He doesn't blatantly put himself out there, but he's always behind the scenes.

Oh no, I definitely definitely did not have the criminal mastermind of Blajojevich in mind when starting this thread.

[DisneyBoy]

Mercy is just a lap-dog to Lex. Loyal and always on-call. But not sexually. I mean, yes, they could have written it that way, but as far as I'm concerned, S:TAS gave us no evidence of that...and suddenly in JL it was like "woah baby...daddy's home!" and I was like :shrug::ack::sad:

[Wonderwall]

Mercy is just a lap-dog to Lex. Loyal and always on-call. But not sexually. I mean, yes, they could have written it that way, but as far as I'm concerned, S:TAS gave us no evidence of that...and suddenly in JL it was like "woah baby...daddy's home!" and I was like :shrug::ack::sad:

What about Lois' comment of how she always clings to him in Ghost in the Machine. I know that's not a confirmation but it looks like she assumed right.

[theRedDeath]

I think the biggest proof in my mind that Lex and Mercy were doing the nasty was in "World's Finest". When Batman breaks into Lex's bedroom and strong arms him, Lex is apparently nude (or at least in underpants), and Mercy just shows up....seemingly having already been there. Hmmmmm?

----

[Dayspring]

I think the biggest proof in my mind that Lex and Mercy were doing the nasty was in "World's Finest". When Batman breaks into Lex's bedroom and strong arms him, Lex is apparently nude (or at least in underpants), and Mercy just shows up....seemingly having already been there. Hmmmmm?

----
Well... she is his version of Alfred, as well as his personal bodyguard. It makes sense for her to be in the same building as him when he's asleep.

[satam55]

Ok, so in the Superman:TAS show. Lex Luthor is shown having made a deal with terrorists in "Last Son Of Krypton:Part 3." From this point on in the show, all of his efforts seem to be focused on killing Superman. I don't know that I can name one other crime that he was shown commiting other than trying to kill Superman (who the U.S. government themselves, and even Batman were prepared to do if ever necessary).

Was it ever shown that Luthor maybe had an illegal sweatshop or anything? Was there ever a scene showing that he had factories or plants overseas where he forced children to work 18 hour days?

This is something that bothered me from the first time that I saw the Superman:TAS episodes on Kids WB, and continues to bug me to this day. I challenge anyone to try to think of just 5 crimes that Luthor commited in Superman:TAS that did not involve trying to kill Superman.


Another thing I thought of was he tried to have Sexy :p Lana Lang killed in "My Girl".

[Toddman]

Does this have anything to do with the recent Blagojevich thing? I was watching the news this morning and all the talking heads were being asked what illegal crime did he commit and they all were like, "nothing....he didn't technically do anything, people just feel he's a shady character." That's somewhat how Luthor is. He doesn't blatantly put himself out there, but he's always behind the scenes.

Except what Blagojevich did and was planning to do was illegal.

Despite what some "talking heads" may debate, there's a difference between above board political deal making or mutually benefitial tit-for-tat agreements, and straight up pay-to-play extortion, including threatening to withhold government money for a children's hospital.

Plus he deserves to be investigated just for wearing that carpet remnant on his head.;)


Toddman