Lionel Luthor

## Media

### Event Moral Horizon

Making the whole world think Lex was crazy and having him admitted into a mental institution, where Lionel forced the Belle Reve doctors to erase his memories

**Lionel Luthor** is one of the main antagonists turned anti-hero in the CW / WB television series, *Smallville*, serving as the main antagonist of the first three seasons, the secondary antagonist of season 4, and an antihero/major protagonist in Season 5-7.

He was the CEO of LuthorCorp and the husband of the late Lillian Luthor, the father of Lex Luthor, Julian Luthor, Lucas Luthor, and Tess Mercer, an enemy-turned ally of Clark Kent and the former emissary of Jor-El

Lionel was portrayed by actor John Glover, who also voiced the Riddler in *Batman: The Animated Series*, and portrayed Dr Jason Woodroe in *Batman and Robin* and Mr. Sivana in the DC Extended Universe film *Shazam.*

He was based on Jules Luthor from DC Comics.

Throughout his character arc, Lionel transitions from a full-fledged villain to an anti-hero/flawed protagonist.

## Characteristics

Lionel Luthor was born to Scottish immigrants Eliza and Lachlan Luthor. In childhood, Lionel grew up in Suicide Slum with his controlling father, Lachlan, and his alcoholic mother, Eliza. As a kid, he joined the rough crowd within the Suicide Slum district of Metropolis, meeting Morgan Edge. Around the late 1970s, with Morgan's help, Lionel set off an explosion in his parent's apartment, killing them. After their deaths, Lionel never shed a tear at their funeral and used their life insurance money to find his own company, LuthorCorp. He gave half of the insurance to Edge, and their shady business with each other lasted long into adulthood.

Before the 1980s, Lionel eventually married Lillian Luthor and had one son with her, Alexander (nicknamed Lex). However, Lionel was an unfaithful husband having various affairs, which unintentionally caused erect between Lionel and Lex. In 1981, he cheated on Lillian with Lex's babysitter, Pamela Jenkins, resulting in their daughter, Lutessa Lena Luthor. He gave her up for adoption when Lutessa was nine-years-old, abandoning her at Granny Goodness' orphanage, and then, Lionel placed her with the Mercers. His daughter would later become Tess Mercer, the Red Tornado/Watchtower II of the Justice League.

In 1984, after his wife got sick, Lionel hired Rachel Dunleavy to be Lillian's nurse. However, he had an affair with Rachel, who gave birth to his son, Lucas (in 1985). Rachel gave up Lucas for adoption

During the late 1980s/1990s, Lionel joined a secret, Veritas, with three other wealthy families: the Teagues, the Queens, and the Swanns. However, his wife Lillian was not a part of it. The main goal of Veritas was to protect a being known as "The Traveler," a boy destined to one day be the Earth's savior. Lionel believed the "Traveler" to be the Kryptonian Kal-El, the infant son of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. During their secret meetings, Lionel's son played with Virgil's daughter Patricia, Laura and Robert's son Oliver, and Genevieve and Edward's son Jason. He had a Scottish castle flown in from Scotland and rebuilt in Smallville, Kansas; Lionel hid the Orb, an artifact capable of controlling the Traveler or removing his powers, in the mansion's fireplace to keep it safe. Over time, some of the members had forgotten about their mission to protect Kal-El. Lionel tried convincing Veritas that they could also control the Traveler. However, Robert Queen and Virgil Swan refused; the Teagues were preoccupied with finding the Stones of Power. Lionel even attempted to find the stones for himself but to no avail. Wanting the traveler for himself, Lionel orchestrated the Queens' plane crash by sabotaging their mode of transport. The Queens' "accident" left their son, Oliver, an orphan at age 10.

Lionel arranged a business meeting in Smallville in 1989; however, he took 9-year-old Lex with him when Lillian convinced him to spend quality time with his father. When Smallville fell victim to a meteor shower, Lionel and Lex were caught in the crosshairs. He found Lex in the cornfield, injured and completely bald, and was helped by the Kents to get him to the hospital. Jonathan Kent helped Lionel carry Lex back to the truck and took him to the hospital. Grateful, Lionel thanked Jonathan for saving his son's life and owed him a favor. Later, when Jonathan and Martha decided to adopt baby Kal-El, Lionel arranged for false adoption papers. However, he threatens Jonathan into helping him convince the Rosses to cell their creamed corn factory. Or else, he would expose Clark's adoption as a scam. Forced to protect his newly adopted son, Jonathan convinced the Ross brothers to sell their farm. That way, Lionel had the sight needed to build his fertilizer treatment plant.

Around 1990, Lillian got pregnant again and gave birth to their son, Julian, when her mental health began declining. Lillian was afraid Lionel would pit their sons against each other, and she angrily told him that she wanted a divorce. Lionel refused to listen and her to bond with Julian by holding him. One day, Lillian murdered Julian to spare him from Lionel's parenting. Lex took the blame to protect his mother, causing Lionel to resent his son more than ever.

Lillian was later diagnosed with terminal cancer and died in the year 1993, leaving Lionel a widower. It wasn't until her death, years later, that Lionel learned the truth.

## Analysis

### Descent to Villainy (Pre-Series)

* Conspired with Morgan Edge to kill both of his parents for their insurance money. The partners split their money, which Lionel used to fund his own company, LuthorCorp.
	+ Even though Lionel was abused by both his alcoholic mother and controlling father, it still didn't give him the right to kill them.
* Veritas involvement
	+ Power hungry: wanted Kal-El all to himself and to control the Traveler instead of protecting him.
	+ Killed Laura and Robert by sabotaging their airplanes, rendering their son Oliver, an orphan.
		- He grew up to be a bully without parents to guide him and became the Green Arrow.
	+ Violently slapped Lillian in front of young Lex, knocking her on the ground when she snooped around his briefcase, finding his Veritas key.
* Lionel had various affairs, proving to be an unfaithful husband.
* Was emotionally and physically abusive to his wife, ex-partners, and their children.
	+ Forced Rachel Dunleavy to give up their son Lucas for adoption.
	+ Fired Pamela from being Lex's nanny after Lillian's death and abandoned their daughter, Tess, at an orphanage.
	+ Emotionally abusive to Lex for years.
	+ Lionel's terrible parenting is what leads Lillian into murdering Julian to spare him his father's wrath and fear that Lionel would pit their sons against each other one day.
* During the "Pilot" flashbacks, he yells for Lex to open his eyes and conquer his fear of heights for no reason.
* After the 1989 meteor shower, Lionel was shocked to see Lex had lost all his hair. He was either stunned or prideful to touch him, as he didn't assist Jonathan in helping Lex up. Despite the shock, Lionel thanked Jonathan for helping his son and promised to "return the favor" one day.
* Lionel forged Clark's adoption papers for Martha and Jonathan, but only if Mr. Kent convinced the Ross brothers to sell their farm to LuthorCorp so Lionel could build his fertilizer treatment plant. However, he threatened to go after Jonathan's son, Clark, and expose his adoption as a fake.
* When he found who he believed to be "The Traveler," Lionel allowed the boy to stay in his home. When he realized he grabbed the wrong child, Lionel coldly cast him out into the streets of Metropolis. This led the "child" to transform into "Doomsday" and kill the guards Lionel sent to finish the job.
* Despite their negative relationship, Lionel gave Lex a box allegedly made of lead and a fallen knight's armor and consoled him when no one came to his twelfth birthday party.
* After Lex took the blame for killing Julian, Lionel slapped him and resented his only surviving son since.
* When Lex was fifteen, Lionel faked Duncan Allenmeyer's death for Lex to "stay strong" and not to "cripple" him. He made a deal with Mrs. Allenmeyer to fund a program in reversing Duncan's brain damage. Since then, Lionel has protected him for the next ten years.
* In "Zero," Lionel is revealed to have covered Lex's apparent accidental murder of the fiancé of Lex's friend, Amanda.

### What Makes Him a Villain?

#### Season 1

* In the third episode, Lionel attempts to force Lex into cutting his workforce at the treatment plant by 20%, even challenging him to a duel when Lex refuses.
	+ Instead of firing 20% of his employees, Lex finds a way to cut their profits in another war.
	+ Lionel is initially angered, but let his son have this one chance to defy him.
* In the episode “Jitters,” Lionel unjustly scolds at Lex for letting a hostage negotiation happen until Jonathan intervenes because they have more pressing matters, just children in danger
	+ He initially refuses to negotiate with Earl Jenkins, the man who took Clark’s entire class hostage until being pushed by Martha and Lex.
	+ After everything fails, Lionel still allows Lex to go into the treatment plant by himself.
	+ Even during Lex's exchange with Earl, the man is disgusted that Lionel would send his own son to do in his dirty work. Lex even admits that his father doesn’t care about him or anybody else in the room they are in. Lex also, justly, believes Lionel’s people will find a way to spin it off, making Lionel look like the martyr and Earl, the bad guy.
	+ As the methane levels rise within the treatment plant, Lionel allows the hostage negotiators to seal off the treatment plant, with Clark and Lex still inside. Martha scolds him for his actions because both their sons are on there. However, Lionel coldly rebuffs her, showing no concern for Clark and Lex's well-being.
	+ He also fakes affection for Lex in front of the press.
* In "Leech," Lex has nowhere else to turn to and asks his father for help in taking down Harry and Victoria Hardwick. The two trick the father-daughter duo into buying worthless stock holds at Cadmus Labs and reveal that it was all a sham.
	+ Since the Hardwicks are now penniless, both Lex and Lionel buy out Hardwick Industries, botching Henry and Victoria's plans.
* Lionel tries to force his son to return to Metropolis, which Lex assumes his dad wants because Lionel sees his son as a threat if he stays in Smallville. Lex chooses to stay, something Lionel forces him to do again. However, Lex will not back down.
* In season 1, finale, he shuts down the fertilizer treatment plant that causes a lot of people to lose their jobs and cause inflation in Smallville. This is both to hurt Lex and, undoubtedly, make his son return to Metropolis.
	+ He scolded Lex again and nearly died during the tornado of Spring 2002 in Metropolis. Lex nearly abandoned Lionel but chose to save him instead, despite the idea that he could be free from Lionel's influence.

#### Season 3

* When Lex was starting to uncover the truth behind Eliza and Lachlan's deaths, Lionel conspired with Morgan Edge to drug Lex and makes his son and the world think Lex was crazy. Lionel was willing to send his son to an asylum and forced Lex to endure electroshock therapy making Lex forget the last seven weeks.
* Pete Ross suspected Lionel killed Lex's therapist, Dr. Claire Foster, in a staged car accident when she refused to give Lex electrotherapy to remove his memories of the past seven weeks.
* Chloe and Lex suspected Lionel killed the detective, who investigated his parents, Lachlan and Eliza Luthor, supposed accident (later ruled as a homicide)
* Tries to get Lex convicted of the murder of Dr. Teng and her team. Tired of his father's shenanigans, Lex decides to help the FBI get information on Lionel for "payback."
* Clark thinks that Lionel is obsessive and delusional. But, despite him nearly uncovering the secrets of the Kawatche caves, Clark stops Jonathan from doing something drastic.
* After being arrested, Lionel will do whatever it takes to get bail and get revenge on "those who wronged him."
	+ Lionel reveals to Lex that he is slowly dying of a rare liver disease. Lex finds his medical bills that reveal he has tried to find a cure, only for Lionel to return home. At first, Chloe gives Lex the option of them pulling out because Lionel is his father and he is dying. However, Lex refuses and both Lex and Chloe decide to go with the trial.
	+ In another effort to prevent Clark from testifying against him, Lionel sends Clark a key to Lex's private study. Clark refuses to let Lionel walk him into another trap like Summerholt. However, Lionel tells Clark to find Lex's study and that he will be satisfied for what he finds. Clark found the study and realizes that Lex has been privately investigating Clark since the day they met. He breaks off his friendship with Lex, but still testifies against Lionel in court.
	+ Finally, Lionel wants to go after Chloe, but in order to protect her, Lex fakes her and Gabe's death by setting up a fake explosion. Lex didn't trust the FBI, so instead, he called Chloe's uncle, General Samuel Lane, who helped protect his niece as well

#### Season 4

* In the season 4 premiere, Lionel mocked Lex for his self-promotion on Forbes Magazine and mocks his son for Chloe's death. When Lois visits him in prison, Lionel mocks her for her cousin's death, blaming Chloe for her actions, and getting her killed instead of admitting it was his fault. However, Lois turns the tables and tells him that he is "being set up."
* Discovering Chloe was alive, Lionel hired meta-human assassin Trent MacGowen to kill Chloe Sullivan to prevent her from testifying against him in court and committing him to prison. However, this failed when Trent attempted to kill Chloe, Clark Kent, and Lois Lane confronted, and they killed Trent in self-defense. (Gone)
* In "Transference," Lionel, under the guise of seeking forgiveness, tries to convince Lex that he wants to reconcile before he dies.  However, Clark is warned by a horrible ringing in his ears and this leads him to the prison, where he sees Lionel holding what appears to be a Kryptonian stone similar to the one Clark stole from Lex. Fearing he will hurt his friend, Clark comes in between them and Lionel accidentally switches bodies with the teenager instead of his son, as promised.
	+ Lionel discovers Clark's powers for the first time and does whatever it takes to tarnish Clark's image. This includes his trying to seduce Chloe. Lionel plays on her romantic affection for Clark by apparently wanting to kiss her. However, he mocks her for falling for it.
	+ He also quits the football team and discovers Lana is dating the school's assistant football coach.
	+ He tries to kill Jonathan Kent
	+ When appearing before Clark at the prison, Lionel! Clark threatens to kill Lex if Clark! Lionel doesn't help him get access to his foreign bank account by speaking "Mehan" into the phone. He later tries to kill Lex in retaliation for taking money from said account.

## Relationships

### Family

* Lachlan Luthor - father and victim
* Eliza Luthor - mother and victim
* Lillian Luthor - wife
* Lex Luthor - son and killer
* Lucas Luthor - son; disowned
* Tess Mercer - daughter
* Julian Luthor - son
* Conner Kent - genetic son
* Gabriel Grant - genetic son
* Adrian Cross - genetic son; deceased
* Lana Lang - former daughter-in-law and abductor
* Helen Bryce - former daughter-in-law

### Allies

* Pamela Jenkins - former lover; Lex's nanny
* Martha Kent - love interest; friend; attraction
* Clark Kent - former enemy and surrogate son
* Chloe Sullivan - former enemy

### Enemies

* Rachel Dunleavey - former lover
* Oliver Queen

### Neutral

* Lois Lane
* Jimmy Olsen

## Comics

* In addition to having two children, Lex and Lena, Lionel was also so grandfather of their daughters in two separate continuities, Lori and Lena. However, in the show, his daughter's birth name was Lutessa, with Lena being her middle name instead. He also has a third child, who is the parent of Supergirl villain Nasthalthia "Nasty" Luthor. Lucas is most likely based on Lionel/Jules' third child.
* Because of the character's popularity, Lionel's comic book counterpart, who was originally named Jules, was given his name in the Rebirth comics
	+ On *Supergirl*, Lena Luthor is one of the main characters, and her father's name is Lionel. However, he is bald like his son, implying it is hereditary
	+ Lionel's Earth 9 counterpart appears on *Titans.*
* However, in the comics, the name of Lionel's wife isn't Lillian but Leticia. Instead, Lillian is the name of Lionel's sister

## Trivia

* For the first three seasons, Lionel is similar to Lex Luthor from the comics: CEO in charge of LuthorCorp, a thorn in the young hero's side, and unethical businessman. Additionally, he has Comic Book Lex's background of coming from Suicide Slum and later murdering his parents)
* Ironically, in Season 5, Lex and Lionel's roles become reversed, where Lionel becomes an ally to Clark, Lex becomes Clark's enemy in later seasons.
	+ Lex and Superman's rivalry is briefly foreshadowed in "Bound" when Clark tells Lex that putting his trust in Lionel made Clark feel like he and Lex were enemies.
* Based on his past romantic relationships, Lionel seemed to be attracted to redheads, as he was married to Lillian, had two affairs Pamela and Rachel, and developed romantic feelings for Martha
* Despite being portrayed as heterosexual, Lionel's actor John Glover came out as gay.
* Lionel is considered to be an anti-thesis of Jonathan Kent: while both are father-figures in the show, their parenting styles diverge. Additionally, while both protect Clark, Lionel's methods are more unethical compared to Jonathan's.
	+ Lionel even admits to Martha that he is not the father Jonathan could be.