Metropolis (SV)

**Metropolis** is a major city in the state of Kansas, USA. It is home to many businesses and organizations, including the *Daily Planet*, LuthorCorp, Queen Industries and the Isis Foundation. The Luthor family keeps a prominent presence in this major city, owning major stakes in LuthorCorp, various Metropolis real estate, the city's football team the Metropolis Sharks, as well as owning the city's main and greatest newspaper the Daily Planet.

## Overview

Metropolis has very high levels of crime. It has also been ravaged by an alien serial killer, an enraged Kryptonian phantom wraith, and infected with a zombie virus. This has inspired several super-powered vigilantes, ranging from the Angel of Vengeance to Green Arrow and the Blur/Superman.

In an alternate future where Major Zod's army regained their Kryptonian powers and took over Earth, the city was deserted and off-limits to humans.

## Neighborhoods

Metropolis is made up of several neighborhoods.

### Suicide Slums

*See main article: Suicide Slums (SV)*

Suicide Slums is the neighborhood that Lionel Luthor and Morgan Edge grew up in. It is a crime-filled neighborhood, and is where Martha Kent was robbed of Jonathan Kent's watch. It is also the location where Lionel killed both of his parents to collect insurance money to start his company LuthorCorp. Suicide Slums is also where Brainiac sought refuge after regenerating.

Suicide Slums has the highest crime rates and the lowest property values, and is probably the most commonly mentioned neighborhood.

### Downtown

**Downtown Metropolis** is where most of the businesses like LuthorCorp Plaza and the *Daily Planet* are, and is probably the most commonly shown district on the show.

### Outskirts

The outskirts are at the very edge of Metropolis. Summerholt Institute is located here.

## Residents

### Current Residents

* **Oliver Queen** lives in the Queen Tower off and on.
* **Nell Potters** and **Dean Winters** moved to Metropolis after they got married in season two.
* **Lois Lane** acquired a new apartment in Metropolis after she got a pay raise, although she seemingly lost it when she disappeared for three weeks, as when she returned she was living at the Talon again. Recently she and **Clark Kent** had taken a studio apartment located in Metropolis at 2318 Main, #207.
* **Chloe Sullivan** spent much of her time at the Watchtower before her disappearance (although she was confirmed to still live in the Talon apartment in *Escape* but now lives in Metropolis with Oliver Queen, her husband).

### Former Residents

* **Lachlan Luthor** and **Eliza Luthor** once lived in Suicide Slums.
* **Lionel Luthor** and **Morgan Edge** grew up in Suicide Slums together. Lionel lived in Metropolis before his death in 2008. He is buried here.
* **Andrea Rojas** used to live in Suicide Slums.
* **Chloe Sullivan** and **Lana Lang** used to live in a Metropolis University dorm room together.
* **Jimmy Olsen** formerly lived at 200 North Hamilton Drive, Metropolis. He moved to Smallville with his future wife Chloe Sullivan into the Talon apartment before his death.

## Businesses

Metropolis is home to several major and minor businesses.

### LuthorCorp

*See main article: LuthorCorp (SV)*

**LuthorCorp**, the headquarters of LuthorCorp, is in Metropolis. LuthorCorp is in many fields of business, but mainly biotechnology. LuthorCorp Plaza is also home to Level 33.1, a floor dedicated to metahuman research and experimentation. The Luthors own the Metropolis Alexandria Hotel, Metron Pharmaceutical Labs, and even the *Daily Planet*. LuthorCorp Plaza is also the scene where Lionel Luthor was pushed out of his office window by his son Lex Luthor in 2008.

Lionel founded LuthorCorp, but the company was taken over by Lex after Lionel was sent to prison in 2004; Lex has owned it ever since. Since Lex was presumed dead by the government, his protégé Tess Mercer has taken over the reins of LuthorCorp. In the fall of 2009, LuthorCorp has entered into a partnership with RAO Corporation to construct a solar tower. In February 2011, a parallel reality Lionel Luthor became the current head of LuthorCorp by buying back assests and the board took control of LuthorCorp and Queen Industries (since the two companies are merged into the same company). Sometime later Tess managed to regain control of LuthorCorp after proving that Lionel is not the "real" Lionel Luthor but a "fake" one.

However by mid 2011, Lex had returned and killed Tess He took over Luthorcorp but after losing his memories, he changed the name of the company to LexCorp named after himself and returned to run the company.

### Queen Industries

*See main article: Queen Industries (SV)*

**Queen Tower** is the Metropolis office of Queen Industries. CEO Oliver Queen sometimes lives in the loft apartment of Queen Tower.

Queen Industries is an electronics company. It had the only working satellite on Dark Thursday, which Oliver keeps as a trade secret. The founder of Queen Industries, Robert Queen, and his wife Laura Queen, are both deceased.

Queen Industries also paid Pamela Black to develop a healing drug called RL65.

### Other

* Metropolis has at least two banks; one that Kal robs and one that he saves (and then robs).
* Metropolis has a luxury car dealership.
* Metropolis has a renowned steakhouse, outside of which Grant Gabriel was murdered. Jimmy Olsen also made plans to take Chloe Sullivan on a date to an unnamed expensive restaurant.
* Metropolis also has a number of skyscrapers visible in its skyline.
* Metro Coffee Shop is a coffee shop also located in Metropolis where Clark, Lois, and Chloe commonly attend.

## Newspapers

Metropolis has four major newspapers, three of which has been influenced by Lex Luthor at some point in the past seven years. It has two respectable newspapers and a tabloid. Many main characters have worked owned or been influenced some way by these three newspapers.

### Daily Star

*See main article: Daily Star (SV)*

It appeared in season ten's *Icarus* making comments on the Superhero/Vigilante Registration Act.

### Daily Planet

*See main article: Daily Planet (SV)*

The *Daily Planet* is the city's oldest and most world-renowned newspaper. It has a reputation for getting at the truth of every story. The reporters are known for high levels of personal integrity. The *Planet* is located across the street from LuthorCorp Plaza.

Lex Luthor bought the *Planet* around Christmas of 2007. However, sometime later Lex sold the company because he felt that the newspaper has become more tabloid than news source.

The current editor-in-chief of the *Daily Planet* is Franklin Stern. It is also the current workplace of Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Though, Perry White is confirmed to become the editor-in-chief as seen in *Finale, Part 2*.

### Metropolis Inquisitor

*See main article: Metropolis Inquisitor (SV)*

The ***Metropolis Inquisitor*** is often referred to as a rag or a tabloid, but even with such a bad reputation, it is still very popular. Roger Nixon worked for the *Inquisitor*. Until his death, he had a special arrangement with Lex: Lex fed him stories and Roger made Lex look good. Lois started her journalism career at the *Inquisitor*.

### Metropolis Journal

*See main article: Metropolis Journal (SV)*

Thanks to Lex Luthor, Carrie Castle is the managing editor of the *Metropolis Journal*. Carrie came to Smallville to do an article on Lex. At first he refused, but she managed to win him over. Carrie did not write the flattering expose that she promised, so Lex arranged for her to become managing editor if she altered the story, which she did.

The *Metropolis Journal* is extremely rarely mentioned on the show anymore. Unlike the *Metropolis Inquisitor*, it is not a tabloid but it is still not nearly as respected as the *Daily Planet*.

## Television Stations

Metropolis has its own TV stations through which they provide information and entertainment to the residents.

### KZXP

**KZXP** is one of the most famous television stations in the city. The channel also carries the same name **KZXP TV** and is where the show ***Good Morning Metropolis***, hosted by Catherine Grant, is broadcast. Before Catherine was selected to host the show, potentials hosts have been Lois Lane and Clark Kent.

It also has its news segment that covered the events of Dark Thursday in 2006.

### News Channel

It is the Metropolis News Channel. In 2009, Linda Lake did a press conference to expose Clark in an alternate timeline and was broadcast live through this channel.

## Medical Centers

Metropolis has many medical centers. It has two hospitals, a mental asylum, a cosmetics center, a neurological center, a surgical clinic and two pharmaceutical companies. Metropolis also had a clinic that helped cure meteor-infected humans.

### Metropolis General Hospital

*See main article: Metropolis General Hospital (SV)*

**Metropolis General Hospital** is where Lex Luthor was treated by then-medical student Helen Bryce for alcohol poisoning several years before they officially met.

Until Sarah Conroy moved to Smallville with her uncle, she was treated at Metropolis General for a coma.

Lana Lang was treated here for a minor injury from a motor vehicle accident when she hit Victor Stone with her car. (Victor was not injured and took Lana to the hospital.)

Davis Bloome worked at the Metropolis General Hospital as a paramedic. When a bus exploded outside the *Daily Planet*, Davis and a host of other paramedics were on hand to offer assistance. Davis checked out Bette Sans Souci when she was dazed after the bus explosion. Lois and Clark also entered the hospital to investigate Tommy Walker, who was suspected of causing the explosion.

### Metropolis Children's Hospital

**Metropolis Children's Hospital** is where Justin Gaines was treated for his severe injuries following a hit-and-run accident. Nathan Wells was a surgeon there until he had an elevator accident where his hands were cut off. In the hospital's ER, they re-attached Wells' hands, but he no longer had the necessary fine motor skills to be a surgeon. Wells also had many malpractice suits filed against him in Lowell County. Metropolis Children's hospital is also called **Metropolis University Children's Hospital**.

### Belle Reve Sanitarium

**Belle Reve Sanitarium** is a mental institution run by the United States government. In addition to the mentally ill, the sanitarium is also where several criminally-psychotic metahumans from Smallville are receiving treatment.

The staff at Belle Reve is notoriously corrupt. Belle Reve lacks security in order to deal with most metahumans, and many patients have died or been transferred to Level 33.1. Not many patients ever end up being released. Belle Reve is probably the most frequently-mentioned and well-known Metropolis medical center.

In French, "Belle Reve" means "beautiful dream."

### Summerholt Institute

**Summerholt Institute** is an institution located on the outskirts of Metropolis; it is dedicated to research in memory manipulation.

Lex Luthor tried to retrieve memories that he had lost during electroshock therapy at Belle Reeve here. Some other patients who went here were Molly Griggs, Ryan James and Kevin Grady. Clark Kent and Chloe Sullivan were forced against their will to receive treatment here; luckily for both of them, it was stopped just in time before it was too late.

Just like Belle Reve, Summerholt has many corrupt staff members. Dr. Lawrence Garner was the chief neurologist and founder of Summerholt. Summerholt also employs a number of orderlies.

### Metron Pharmaceutical Labs

**Metron Pharmaceutical Labs** is a pharmaceutical company owned by LuthorCorp. It conducted research on the Lazarus Serum, a drug made from Clark Kent's blood and designed to bring back the dead. Adam Knight, a patient on the drug, later killed many of the staff at Metron. Molecular biologist Dr. Lia Teng helped develop the serum.

### Other Clinics

* The **BCE Clinic** was a clinic that helped cure meteor-infected victims. Dr. Curtis Knox was a neurosurgeon who worked there. He was apparently immortal, and had been alive for centuries. Knox killed his patients and harvested their organs to keep his wife alive since he had seen so many women that he loved die and turn to dust. It is currently non-operational.
* **Beechwood Medical Center** was where Elise Fine practiced cosmetic surgery. She used a meteor rock-based procedure to enhance cosmetic surgery procedures, but it caused decreases in serotonin levels and hallucinations.
* The **Davis Clinic** is the clinic that Lionel Luthor transferred his son Lex to for a risky surgery when he was shot around Christmas 2005. It was expected that Lex would be paralyzed, but despite the odds, Lex made a full recovery.

## Non-Profit Organizations

Metropolis has a few non-profit organizations.

### Isis Foundation

The **Isis Foundation** is a non-profit organization founded by Lana Lang, and dedicated to helping meteor-infected metahumans. It was started with ten million dollars that Lana claimed was part of her and Lex Luthor's divorce settlement. Chloe Sullivan worked there in Lana's absence after she was fired from the *Daily Planet*. The current status of the Isis Foundation is unknown as Chloe is running Watchtower.

### Watchtower

The Watchtower is a secret organization managed by Chloe Sullivan to coordinate superhero missions for the Blur, Green Arrow, John Jones and the rest of the Justice League.

### Metropolis United Charities

Metropolis United Charities was founded in 1989 by Lionel Luthor. It was supposedly responsible for Clark Kent's adoption by the Kents.

## Entertainment and Sports

* Metropolis has a world-class museum, in which the Luthors have a wing.
* Metropolis also has a theater, the **Metropolis Play House**.
* Metropolis has a professional football team called the **Metropolis Sharks**, two professional baseball teams, one of which is called the **Metropolis Meteors** for which Mike Dawson played before his death, and one called the **Metropolis Monarchs** (Clark Kent's favorite baseball team in the comics), and a basketball team called the **Metropolis Vipers**. Metropolis also has a sports stadium called the LuthorDome.
* The **Metropolis City Center** houses a powerful NSA (National Security Agency) satellite that, in the same building, contains a hip club called the **Ace of Clubs**.

### Nightlife

* **Club Zero** was a nightclub in Metropolis. Its slogan was "Zero consequences." Lex Luthor was a frequent patron before he moved to Smallville. After Jude Royce was shot there, the place was eventually closed down, but its legacy returned to haunt Lex. Max Kasich was an employee there.
* **Club Atlantis** is a club that Clark Kent frequented when he exiled himself to Metropolis for three months in the summer of 2003.
* **The Windgate Club** is a gentleman's club in Metropolis. Chloe Sullivan, Lois Lane and Clark Kent went investigating there to solve the murder of a dancer.
* The **Ace of Clubs** is located inside the City Center at the top of the NSA Satellite Building. It held its grand opening in the Spring of 2008.

## Education

* Metropolis has a four-year university, **Metropolis Episode** (or "Met U"), which sustained extensive damage during Dark Thursday. Chloe Sullivan studied there. Lois Lane attended there until she was expelled. Lana Lang used to attend there. Metropolis University has a very strong athletic and astronomy program. Martha Kent and Jonathan Kent both graduated from here.
* Metropolis also has at least one high school, **Metropolis High School**. Alumni includes Jimmy Olsen, Henry James Olsen, and Victor Stone.

## Government and Law Enforcement

Metropolis has the same law, means and resources of any major metropolitan city. In addition, there are also several federal government facilities within the city.

### NSA

Metropolis is home to a National Security Base. It has a satellite center inside the same building as the Ace of Clubs. Chloe Sullivan used the base to help locate Kara.

### Department of Domestic Security

*See main article: Department of Domestic Security*

The DDS has a base in Metropolis. Vanessa Webber worked there. The Department of Domestic Security is based on the real Department of Homeland Security. It is in charge of Project Starhawk which monitors threats from the stars. Agent Carter was an agent for the DDS until he was shot and killed by Lionel Luthor.

### Metropolis Police Department

The **Metropolis Police Department** is the Metropolis police force. They arrested Lex Luthor after the murder of Lia Teng and her team. Officer Mason (Smallville Episode) was in charge the case where a tenement fire killed Lionel Luthor's parents.

The MPD also came to Lois Lane's dorm room when they suspected her of paralyzing another Metropolis University student.

Maggie Sawyer is the police captain. She trailed Kal's crime spree in 2003, questioned Jack Jennings about the murder of a Windgate Club dancer in 2005, and investigated Lionel's murder in 2008.

### Vigilantes

#### Angel of Vengeance

In early 2006, a vigilante known as the **Angel of Vengeance** arrived in Metropolis to protect its citizens from gangsters in Suicide Slums.

#### Green Arrow

In late 2006, a vigilante who became commonly known as the **Green Arrow** stole illegal goods from rich tycoons and gave it to charities. He also stopped thieves and robbers in and around Metropolis using a variety of trick bows and arrows. Green Arrow was last spotted in Metropolis in January 2008 and had yet to be seen since. Green Arrow has recently returned to Metropolis in 2009 but again went missing, but has since been seen in late 2009. In late 2010, Green Arrow revealed himself to the public as Oliver Queen.

#### The Blur/Superman

In late 2008, an unknown hero began to clear Metropolis of crime and was soon photographed by Jimmy Olsen as a fast-moving red-and-blue blur. This **Good Samaritan** became the talk of the city after his photo was put on the *Daily Planet* front page and since then has become known popularly as the **Red-Blue Blur**, but the Red-Blue Blur recently asked Lois Lane to think of a different name. Now commonly known as the **Blur**, he gets around and saves all of Metropolis on a near full-time basis, leaving his symbol to give hope to the citizens of Metropolis.

With the VRA overthrown, The Blur began to catch criminals around the world but at the same time began to risk his identity in public, even able to get a key from the Mayor. The Blur then flew and managed to save Air Force One from falling, with the President and Lois being on board. He then flew off and used his powers to push and hurl the planet Apokolips into the depths of space. After performing this act, Clark lingered in space, watching Apokolips drift further away and then turned his attention towards Earth with him finally becoming the Earth's greatest savior who Lois names "Superman."

## Location

### Geographical Location

Metropolis is located in the United States of America in the state of Kansas. It is right on a very large river. Its neighbors include Smallville, Granville, Hub City, Gotham City, and Edge City.

Metropolis' distance from Smallville is unclear because the dialogue and actions of the characters contradict. Chloe Sullivan has twice mentioned that the LuthorCorp headquarters building was a three-hour drive away, then indicated that the drive was about two hours. In addition, producers have stated that they also consider it to be three hours away. However, the fact that the Metropolis skyline can be seen by the naked eye from the top of the top of the windmill in Chandler's Field indicates that it is less than 100 miles away. In 1989, before their departure from Metropolis to Smallville, Lionel Luthor told his son Lex that they were going to a town "just outside the city." In addition, the characters often commute from Metropolis to Smallville several times a day for school or work in considerably less than three hours.