Superman & Lois Can Introduce A Version Of Lex Luthor That DC Has Avoided
While Jon Cryer portrayed Lex Luthor on Supergirl, which was part of the Arrowverse, Superman and Lois has yet to utilize the Man of Steel’s most sworn enemy. On its own, that would give the show a lot of leeway as to when and how Lex might arrive, but Superman and Lois being in a separate reality from the Arrowverse expands those possibilities. One option would be for the show to mark the live-action debut of Alexandra Luthor in her Lex Luthor identity with a very different kind of arc coming from that.
In many comic book stories, as well as their movie and TV adaptations, Lex Luthor has a more personal vendetta against Superman than do the Man of Steel’s other villains. Both his pre-Crisis origin and his story on Smallville connected Superman to the loss of Lex Luthor’s hair in some way. Alexandra’s anger at Superman is similar to other versions of Lex Luthor given that she misconstrues an event and places the blame on the hero. It is also a connection that is emotionally based in a specific way. From Alexandra’s perspective, she lost her husband because of Superman, and her anger and denial blind her to the truth.
Alexandra as a version of Lex Luthor motivated by tragedy and a broken heart, in addition to the gender swap she’d facilitate, has never been attempted in other Superman movies and TV shows. While still bringing Lex’s scientific genius and business sense, Alexandra would fit right in with how Superman and Lois already favors reshaping Kal-El’s villains, as seen with Morgan Edge being revealed as Tal-Rho and Ally Allston being a re-imagined take on Parasite. With Superman and Lois setting up other characters, the fact that Alexandra Luthor has never been adapted to live-action before would be huge for Superman and Lois just with its announcement as the show’s portrayal of a female Lex Luthor would be a major event.
