History SelfDemonstrating / LexLuthor

''(For full effect, best read in the voices of either Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/KevinSpacey, Creator/MichaelRosenbaum, Creator/JonCryer, Creator/RainnWilson, Creator/GiancarloEsposito, Creator/MichaelCudlitz, or Creator/MarkRolston).''

* ManOfWealthAndTaste: I've mostly been seen in a simple suit and it became the standard for CEOs.

* CardCarryingVillain: See for yourself in ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'', various [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] stories, the [[Film/{{Superman}} Superman films]] and the Season 10 finale of ''Smallville''. In the [[Film/{{Superman}} movie]], I literally call myself "the Greatest Criminal Mind on Earth" - hey, if you're going to be something, may as well be the top of your field!

* LargeHam: They've got the guts to say this about me, [[Film/{{Superman}} the Greatest Criminal Mind on Earth]]! They're '''[[Film/SupermanReturns WROOOOOOOOOONG]]'''! And now '''[[WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday THEY! Are ON! The NAUGHTY! LIST!]]'''
* LaughablyEvil: As I was [[Film/{{Superman}} portrayed]] by Gene Hackman.

** In ''ComicBook/SupermanSpeedingBullets'', I became that [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker clown]] because that alien scum was Franchise/{{Batman}}. Even now, he still gloats about it over me.

''(For full effect, best read in the voices of either Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/KevinSpacey, Creator/MichaelRosenbaum, Creator/JonCryer, Creator/RainnWilson, Creator/GiancarloEsposito, or Creator/MarkRolston).''

''(For full effect, best read in the voices of either Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/KevinSpacey, Creator/MichaelRosenbaum, Creator/JonCryer, Creator/RainnWilson, or Creator/MarkRolston).''

* BadassBaritone: When voiced by Creator/ClancyBrown.

''(For full effect, best read in the voices of either Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/KevinSpacey, Creator/MichaelRosenbaum, Creator/JonCryer, or Creator/MarkRolston).''

Several actors have portrayed me in movies and on television, and while many were adequate, none truly ever captured my essence. How could they? Nevertheless, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/KevinSpacey provided [[Film/SupermanTheMovie admirable]] [[Film/SupermanReturns performances]], highlighting my under-appreciated comical side. Creator/MichaelRosenbaum brought a notable charm in portraying [[Series/{{Smallville}} my younger years]], and [[Series/LoisAndClark John Shea's]] portrayal was sufficient. Creator/ClancyBrown was quite impressive in [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries several]] [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies portrayals]] (you may even be [[VoiceoverLetter imagining his voice while reading this]]). Creator/EstebanGarcia dubbed me into Latin American Spanish 23 times and counting, though he was hardly the only one to do so. And my [[Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse most recent portrayal]] by Creator/JesseEisenberg was… original. And let's not forget [[Series/{{Supergirl2015}} Jon Cryer]], who previously played [[Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace my annoying nephew]], a [[AscendedFanboy huge comic book fan]] who demonstrated his impeccable taste in his eagerness to portray me.

''(For full effect, best read in the voices of either Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/GeneHackman, Creator/KevinSpacey, Creator/MichaelRosenbaum or Creator/JonCryer).''

* VillainousValor: I'm often called "a man fighting a god." The alien is no god, but the analogy fits. I won't deny that I am one of the few cases where the ArchEnemy is weaker than the supposed hero.

My name is Alexander Joseph Luthor. You may address me as "Lex" or preferably as "Mr. Luthor", or "Mr. President", depending on whether or not I am currently president, as I was from ''Lex 2000'' #1 to the Superman/Batman series, just ''[[BerserkButton anything]]'' but "Lexy". That clown drove me nuts with that name! From my humble beginnings in ''Action Comics'' #23 (April, 1940), I have been portrayed as almost everything between a MadScientist and a rather upscale white-collar criminal, a maniacal villain to an abused child, courtesy of my evil, sadistic, backstabbing, manipulating lunatic of an excuse for a father, Lionel Luthor. I have been married eight times; the first seven don't count, and the last one I ended by blowing up my wife.

* ''VideoGame/{{Superman 64}}''

* ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' (reprised by Clancy Brown)

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}'' (voiced by Stan Jones and later Creator/MichaelBell)

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' (reprised by Clancy Brown)

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' (voiced by Creator/MarkRolston)

* ''Franchise/{{LEGO}} DC Super Heroes series'' (voiced by Creator/JohnDiMaggio)

* HeelFaceTurn: Witnessing the horrors the Crime Syndicate have brought about in ''Comicbook/ForeverEvil2013'', compounded with Bizarro's loyalty and selflessness towards me, made me realize that what I feared the most, all along, was facing my failures; and if I could master this fear, I would be able to do better things for this world. [[spoiler:Thus was how I defeated my newest EvilerThanThou [[EvilCounterpart counterpart]], saved Superman's life, gave up on the hostile takeover I had planned for Kord Industries, and accepted a presidential pardon and an invitation for the Comicbook/JusticeLeague (as much as the Kryptonian might insist otherwise).]] Surely it might come as a shock to those of you who know the basics about me, but that's the truth - for however long it holds, at least.

* DisproportionateRetribution: During the Silver Age, I destroyed the Kryptonite vaccine and became Superman's archnemesis for what reason? '''[[SeriousBusiness He made me bald]]'''. That and he humiliated me when he ruined my subsequent innovative public works projects for Smallville to prove my superiority over the alien when they developed, err, technical difficulties.

* Every origin story of the Kryptonian will guarantee that I will be there to oppose him.

** [[ComicBook/SonicX A tie-in comic]] about a [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog cartoon hedgehog and a morbidly overweight mad scientist]] has made reference to this meme as well.

* ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman: The World's Finest'' (a.k.a. ''Public Enemies'')
* ''Comicbook/SupermanVsTheAmazingSpiderMan''

Several actors have portrayed me in movies and on television, and while many were adequate, none truly ever captured my essence. How could they? Nevertheless, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/KevinSpacey provided [[Film/SupermanTheMovie admirable]] [[Film/SupermanReturns performances]], highlighting my under-appreciated comical side. Creator/MichaelRosenbaum brought a notable charm in portraying [[Series/{{Smallville}} my younger years]], and [[Series/LoisAndClark John Shea's]] portrayal was sufficient. Creator/ClancyBrown was quite impressive in [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries several]] [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies portrayals]] (you may even be [[VoiceoverLetter imagining his voice while reading this]]). Creator/EstebanGarcia dubbed me into Latin American Spanish 23 times and counting, though he was hardly the only one to do so. And my [[Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse most recent portrayal]] by Creator/JesseEisenberg was… original. And let's not forget [[Series/{{Supergirl2015}} Jon Cryer]], certainly a long way from [[Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace when he played my annoying nephew]].

** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse That one time I fought alongside the Alien to stop those... odd karate people]].
** "[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague We're not here to help you save the world, you're here to help me get revenge on Darkseid]]. When this is over, it's back to business as usual."

* FunnyAnimal: Much as I loathe the term "funny animal," there is my sentient animal counterpart who lives on the parallel world of [[TheMultiverse Earth-C-Minus]], "Lex Lemur," who also wishes to triumph over his version of the alien, "Super-Squirrel."

* PragmaticVillainy: I can't rule the world if everyone's dead, now can I? Plus, during {{Villain Team Up}}s, as much as I hate [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker that clown]], I do invite him in on the grounds that it's safer to have that unpredictable freak on our team than to have him mad at us. A lesson my Earth-3 counterpart [[Comicbook/InfiniteCrisis learned the hard way]].

* UnholyMatrimony: In the AlternateUniverse of ''ComicBook/SupermanEarthOne'', I am married to one Alexandra Luthor, causing people to refer to us as "Lex Squared."

** In one [[Series/{{Smallville}} continuity]], it was my destiny to stop [[Franchise/{{Superman}} the Traveler]] from destroying Earth. [[spoiler: [[TheReveal Kal-El will never threaten the world again.]]]]

* YouKilledMyFather: Actually, ''[[SelfMadeOrphan I]]'' [[SelfMadeOrphan killed my father]]. [[TemptingFate Sic semper tyrannis]].

Speaking of heroes, I'm sure you're aware that my arch-nemesis is {{Franchise/Superman}}, whom I refer to on this page below as "[[InsistentTerminology the alien]]." Our relationship is... complicated and my feelings for him are mixed. I do find him annoying, but [[WorthyOpponent it is difficult not to admire him]] -- even when he destroys one of my creations that was ''not'' meant to garner his attentions. AndThatsTerrible.

->'' "I raise my voice, and Satan himself is on bended knee. I am the leader of the free world, you impotent little psychotic. I've had the most powerful beings on this or any planet gunning for me for years, and you think you're going to scare me?"''

Several actors have portrayed me in movies and on television, and while many were adequate, none truly ever captured my essence. How could they? Nevertheless, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/KevinSpacey provided [[Film/SupermanTheMovie admirable]] [[Film/SupermanReturns performances]], highlighting my under-appreciated comical side. Creator/MichaelRosenbaum brought a notable charm in portraying [[Series/{{Smallville}} my younger years]], and [[Series/LoisAndClark John Shea's]] portrayal was sufficient. Creator/ClancyBrown was quite impressive in [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries several]] [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies portrayals]] (you may even be [[VoiceoverLetter imagining his voice while reading this]]). Creator/EstebanGarcia dubbed me into Latin American Spanish 23 times and counting, though he was hardly the only one to do so. And my [[Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse most recent portrayal]] by Creator/JesseEisenberg was … original. And let's not forget [[Series/{{Supergirl2015}} Jon Cryer]], certainly a long way from [[Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace when he played my annoying nephew]].

* ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman: The World's Finest'' (aka ''Public Enemies'')

At least two of my children have been killed: Lex Luthor Jr. and his mother, Ardora, when their planet was destroyed, and Jerry White, of whose parentage I was not aware until his death. The only ones of my blood who have lived are Lena ([[PutOnABus whereabouts unknown]]), daughter of Contessa, my last wife; and Conner Kent, who is (biologically) my son with Superman (Spare me the [[FoeYay "clever" remarks]], ''please''.) Conner is the only one for whom I have truly cared as a father, though only a clone made using my DNA and that of the Man of Steel. Unfortunately, he has turned from me to the path of the "hero".

Several actors have portrayed me in movies and on television, and while many were adequate, none truly ever captured my essence. How could they? Nevertheless, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/KevinSpacey provided [[Film/SupermanTheMovie admirable]] [[Film/SupermanReturns performances]], highlighting my under-appreciated comical side. Creator/MichaelRosenbaum brought a notable charm in portraying [[Series/{{Smallville}} my younger years]], and [[Series/LoisAndClark John Shea’s]] portrayal was sufficient. Creator/ClancyBrown was quite impressive in [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries several]] [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies portrayals]] (you may even be [[VoiceoverLetter imagining his voice while reading this]]). Creator/EstebanGarcia dubbed me into Latin American Spanish 23 times and counting, though he was hardly the only one to do so. And my [[Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse most recent portrayal]] by Creator/JesseEisenberg was … original. And let's not forget [[Series/{{Supergirl2015}} Jon Cryer]], certainly a long way from [[Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace when he played my annoying nephew]].

** [[Comicbook/SupermanRedSon Ever wonder what would have happened if that Kryptonian had landed in the Soviet Union instead of the United States?]] Apparently [[spoiler: I would have destroyed him, and instead of being incarcerated]] I would be properly lauded as a hero as well as a genius, savior of American democracy and the whole of humanity. [[spoiler: Once I defeated him for good, I would make Earth a paradise that would endure for ''millions'' of years.]] Quite frankly, we would '''all''' be much better off without him, don't you agree?