Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic COMMENTS: A Future Reborn - (Lois' Story III) - epilogue

It's done!

Lois' trilogy is done!

The Future series is done!

I'm done!

Comments?

Tank (who looks forward to his retirement)

Dear Tank,
I love you!
Sorry I doubted you,
CC

more later when I'm not sobbing into my coffee...

Whew! *collapses in a heap* You seriously had me worried there. I mean, Scardino? Tho I figured, if you truly wanted her to be happy in that universe, you'd have her move to Minnesota.

I'm glad that Lois got to go back to her own home, and her own Clark. For awhile, with this series, I was seeing Lois as a female Sam Beckett, hopping universes to set right what once went wrong. I'm glad you didn't put her through that.

It's a sweet ending, and I love it. Great story, and great series.

Great ending! I was seriously worried too. I was surprised that you could leave any Clark with Jimmy's counterpart

It was a very satisfying ending. Thank goodness for the differences between universes.

So, this is the end of the series? I guess Clark marrying again, to Lois' long lost black haired twin sister doesn't need to be resolved.

But I'm sure they lived happily ever after!

Whew! I'm glad that our Lois is back where she belongs. However, this might be just my reaction, but I felt that alt-Lois's death and Clark's grief over it were too easily dismissed. I don't think this needs a lot added, but just a few words more about Clark's need to grieve for a beloved second wife would really add to this for me.

Good job, Tank.

Irene

Your ending made me cry, Tank....several times. Funny how that aging thing works...now Lois and Clark look like the same age.

I was thinking that Clark would have a harder time warming up to "our" Lois than that too. After all, when he thought she died, he couldn't stand to look at Alt-Lois. But then again, she wasn't as familiar to him as "his" Lois is. They had no shared memories. "Our" Lois is comfortable to him...they have shared memories, albeit from over 50 yrs ago. So maybe that explains his easy acceptance of her.

I don't know how I'd feel in that situation. It's like replacing a beloved pet with another that is the same breed, and looks alike...but isn't. Over time you grow to love the new pet just as much. But you still love the one that died. The human heart has so much room for love, it's pretty amazing.

I know you probably don't want to do any more "future" stories. But I personally think for Lois to have spent 10 yrs in the other world and just give it up without wanting to see the other Clark and Jenny again isn't realistic.

I would like to see Herb bring our Clark and Lois over to the other Universe so younger Clark and Jenny can meet him..they can be friends.

This time accruing at different speeds thing might explain why the other Clark was younger than Lois, also. Very convenient!!

WAHHH! Want more.....'
think about it? Please? Chris

I still would like to know what

You even gave Jenny powers!!!

Jose

At last I can comment!!

I read this epilogue a week ago, I think, and I thought it was one of the most satisying endings to a story or series I've ever read. Personally, I don't need any more - though whether Tank writes any more is up to him!

Yes, I thought it was going to be Lois and Dan. :p This, though, was the sort of ending I secretly hoped for but never thought I could have. When Wells turned up and offered Lois the chance to go home, I got a lump in my throat. And when she walked across the graveyard towards Clark I had a tear in my eye. I loved their reunion!

I think Clark will still grieve for Alt-Lois, but he knew she had cancer and so her death wasn't unexpected. This time, Lois isn't expected to fill someone else's shoes - she and Clark were married first, after all, and they've always loved each other regardless of whatever else happened in their lives. Lois, then, can help Clark to grieve and let go of Alt-Lois, rather than being a painful reminder of her as Alt-Lois was in the original Future series.

Still had to wipe away a tear on reading this for the fourth time, Tank. And it's already on my Kerth list for next year!


Wendy

And I don't even have a Kerth list, Tank, but I'm getting one-- and this goes right up top.

Like Wendy said, I can't remember an ending so completely satisfying. I read the entire Futures Series in a matter of weeks, and this popped up just as I was looking for more, and oh, I never ever, ever believed you'd send her back to Clark.

But how you did it was brilliant- and that Lois never lost her strength, never lost that inner sadness made it all the better. Throughout this last piece she was so strong, so committed to saving her adopted world, and yet so deeply lonely.

And the Scardino bluff...too cruel! But I can laugh now, Tank, hats off- that was so effective.

Now, there was this great line in one of the Futures stories about our Clark and alt Lois, how his heart never, ever lost his love for his own Lois, this Lois, but that it made room for alt Lois eventually.

So, though he will grieve her, he enjoyed a long life with her. And he and Lois will come back together easily, as she never left his heart, nor he hers...You know, Tank, you're a shameless romantic wrapped inside a crusty shell, aren't you?

Loved the bit with Jenny and the superpowers. Loved the difference in time that lets Lois and Clark be together, same age. Don't know how he's going to explain her to his world, but more to the point, I don't care. It's perfect.

I tell you, and the gushing is winding down, I promise, when I realized HG was going to take her back, I got chills...and it has stayed with me all day.

Brilliant. Wonderful. I hate that it's over, but what a great, great ride.

CC

Well this gentle reader sighs happily...
All's well that ends well and this ended better then I expected. Terrific Tank! Great job! Don't go back into retirement. Laura

Aww, Tank, what a great ending! I was hoping you'd see fit to give Lois a happy ending but I didn't expect you to send her home.

Nan

Amazing end to the series, Tank.

I haven't commented before, but I've read all parts eagerly. It's a very satisfying ending to the Future series. Not that you'd here me object if you ever do decide to write more...

The whole thrill of Lex and Nightfall was great. I've enjoyed all the angst and whams. But did you really have to kill Cat? She was such a nice woman and a very good friend to Lois.

I must admit I'm surprised you'd let Jenny live, but it worked out for the better. That world should be really interesting with a Superman and Ultra Woman. Not to mention that Nigel is still running around somewhere.

The idea of different age systems was really great. I'm glad to see Lois back home with her very own Clark. It was such an emotional moment.

In short, it's a wonderful story Tank! I have also put it on my Kerth list for next year.

Saskia

Well I'm not surprised that so many of you are bummed out that Lois didn't end up with Scardino, but them's the breaks.

As for the Jenny question. I don't understand why everyone thought I was going to kill her off just because she was that universe's version of Jimmy. I don't like Jimmy as a character, but I've never killed him off in any of my stories. I had Ralph beat him up once, but that's it. Normally I just ignore the goof. Jenny, as mentioned, is this world's version of Jimmy Olsen, BUT, she is NOT Jimmy Olsen. She may have some similar traits and physical characteristics, but the gender difference is also going to make a big difference. Besides, according to series canon, Clark likes Jimmy, and all I needed Jenny for was for Clark to like her.

Irene mentioned that she thought Clark dismissed his grief over altLois' death too easily. As Wendy pointed out, she'd been sick for a year, and her actual death had taken place a month earlier. I would think that his loss would have moved to the ache of loss stage rather than the open grief of immediate devastation. The fact that he was still visiting her grave site says something about his grief. Also, the scene takes place from Lois' point of view so we weren't privy to his private thoughts. I think that we do see some of what he felt for altLois through Clark's discussion of her with Lois. They had a long wonderful life together and he missed her, but had probably reached a level of resignation over her loss due to the drawn out circumstances.

Chris wondered about Clark's apparent ease of 'warming up' to Lois right away. As Wendy and CC mentioned. This was a completely different situation than what altLois walked into. AltLois was literally a stranger to Clark when the tragic circumstances threw them together. It took both of them time to really get to know each other as the people they really were and not who they happened to look like. Lois was, and is, Clark's first love, he had already gone through all the 'initial' phases of a relationship. He had thought her dead, and had gone through a grieving process over the loss of her. Under those circumstances, especially in light of his recent loss, her suddenly reappearance into his life had to seem like a miracle. There would be no question that he would be able to slip back into his feelings for her immediately because, as was mentioned, he never really stopped loving her. That doesn't mean that he didn't love altLois, nor will he stop grieving for her and just forget her. It just means that he won't be alone while dealing with it. Clark will experience the high and the low of love at the same time. The only real problem that could ever develop between the two Lois' and Clark would have been if they'd both been there at the same time. And Lois knew that, so she chose to stay away until she found out that Clark was now alone again.

Chris also mentioned that she thought it was too easy for Lois to just leave her friends made over those ten years to come back 'home'. That was the point of Cat's death. It, in effect, isolated Lois. Cat was the only one with any real potential to be 'close' to Lois. Perry found his Alice, and Clark had Jenny, and Superman. None of these friendly relationships could match the strength of feeling that Lois had with any of their counterparts back home. And as I showed, Lois and young Clark, though good friends, had drifted apart due to the demands on him as Superman. The birth of Ultra Woman had allowed Jenny to share both sides of Clark's life and probably made their relationship that much stronger. Lois had some friends, but nothing that she would think twice about once given the opportunity to come home to her husband. As mentioned, Lois only saw Clark briefly a couple of times in the last month. So, it wasn't like they were big parts of each other's lives anymore. As far as a visit goes. I don't doubt that Lois might find it pleasant, but I doubt it would be something that she would actively seek to do.

I'm glad most gentle readers found this ending satisfying. I think it does bring the series to a logical conclusion. As I've mentioned before, I never really intended to write Lois' trilogy. I thought that bringing Lois back from the dead might 'invalidate' the original series. The initial Lois vignette was intended solely to 'bug' Wendy. It was her insistance that I post it that lead to the inevitable 'more', that had to be written. So, what I'm saying is... putting you all through this was Wendy's fault.

Tank (who thinks that the end of a series is the perfect way to end his writing career and slip back into a peaceful retirement)

Tank

Thank you for the perfect ending to this excellent story.

Tricia

Well Tank you can always bring Alt-Clark back from the dead, and since Alt-Lois is on our earth and our Lois is on Alt-World#2, you could introduce Alt-World#3.....where Lex Luthor is a wonderful person, a respected scientist, not a criminal, and about to marry Lois Lane.....

Retirement? Bah, humbug!
Chris

Tank,

Thank you for ending my misery. It was a great series.

Hi,

Great part.
Sorry for not being on the board.

Welcome back, Maria! We missed you!! We were only wondering the other night on IRC where you were.


Wendy

I see the advantage of being AFK for a week's time. I get to ignore Scardino bluffs, because I can just keep reading.

Tank, the line about one Lois Lane almost being too much for on universe has got to be one of my all-time favorites! Very tight, exciting plot, natch, and I am so so so so so happy that Jenny and Clark got their well-deserved ending.

Loved Lois lambasting Herb, but to be honest, the ending was a bit too pat for me. Herb is moving her through dimensions. Why not time? Why not have her there in time to say goodbye to the other Lois? And Clark's acceptance, despite what you and Wendy say here in the comments folder, was too easy for me.

I do like how you wove it back into LnC continuity with the Brutal Youth reference. All in all, I am so glad that she got the *real* happy ending she wanted.

Hazel, who notes that even if Jenny did survive, Cat doesn't usually do too well in Tank's stories, either

Tank,
Just read from part 10
Sorry I'm so late in responding.
I loved the story - I loved the series
very satisfying ending
merry