Ann, I think the reason nobody brought up the legitimacy of the death penalty is because Catherine's story doesn't touch on that question. And just because it doesn't, that doesn't make the story any less legitimate, in my opinion. It's simply not the focal point. It's like saying Plato had no business writing the Apology and Crito, because he didn't discuss and provoke questions about the legitimacy of the death penalty. Are you going to blame Catherine for not turning a Lois & Clark fanfic into a political statement?

About Clark's opinion on corporal punishment, we can go round in circles about it all day, but in the end there's no definitive answer. We can draw on his personality and come up with a solid argument why he would be opposed to it, but he never came right out and said so. In fact, there's a strong indication that he accepts corporal punishment as part of the legal system.

As for compulsory deathfic warnings, I think that should be up to the author. It gives away the ending and some people may prefer not to be spoiled.

Just to get back on topic, I enjoy deathfic if it's well written, just like I sometimes enjoy movies if the ending's unhappy or ends with the death of a main character. It all depends on how it's done.

Fanfic | MVs

Clark: "Lois? She's bossy. She's stuck up, she's rude... I can't stand her."
Lana: "The best ones always start that way."

"And you already know. Yeah, you already know how this will end." - DeVotchKa