Commentary: ‘Superman & Lois’ Gives Lex Luthor A Unique Transformation

Lex Luthor has had many different depictions over the years. For the most part, he’s portrayed as a cutthroat businessman, scientist, and inventor with a detached demeanor. His ego pits him against Superman, who he views as an alien sent to weaken humanity. But very rarely does Lex Luthor show growth across his character. This requires long-running stories demonstating an evolution of Lex becoming a different kind of villain. Smallville was able to accomplish this because it had 100s of episodes. And even though it falls way short of Smallville in terms of seasons, the seventeen year time jump in Superman & Lois allows viewers to see a transformation in Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) before and after he went to prison.

In the beginning of the story, Lex is — for lack of a better term — a dork. Although he has a lot of villainistic tendencies, he dresses fancy and has a pretty mild-mannered haircut. He certainly did terrible and horrendous things, but he was always well put together and reserved. He was also incredibly intelligent, always covering his tracks in terms of his criminal activity. The only reason he was caught was via fabricated evidence that put him behind bars. So in his eyes, he did everything right and was still punished for a crime he didn’t commit.

Luther’s time behind bars affected him two fold. First off: prison is a dangerous and ruthless place. It caused Lex to become cold, callous, and calculating to a degree he never thought possible in order to thrive. His time in prison also ruined any relationship he had with his daughter. Over the years, Lex underwent a transformation, becoming far more violent and hardened than he had been before in almost any depiction. His head is now shaved and he wore clothing that made him look much rougher than the dorkish business tycoon he was seventeen years prior. He’s much more willing to get his hands dirty, and Superman & Lois should be commended for giving the character this grizzled transformation.

Superman & Lois airs Mondays on The CW.