Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls Love interests for Lois and/or Clark (other than each other)

This is something I've wondered about for a long time.

In most other fandoms, even if there is a main pairing there are still people who "shipped" other characters.

For example, in "Roswell" the main pairings were Max/Liz and Michael/Marie. However, there were people who thought Max/Tess, Michael/Liz or Alex/Marie were better couples and you had lots of fanfics or fanart devoted to those "unconventional" pairings.

This is standard for most fandoms I've seen.

In the Lois & Clark fandom it's pretty much Lois & Clark. Any fanfic that isn't about these two is usually about who Lois and or Clark was with before they realized they were meant for each other or another couple entirely (Jonathan/Martha).

Reading some of the responses lynnm has gotten for The Butterfly Legacy made me wonder about how FoLCs feel about unconventional ships involving either Lois or Clark.

I chose other and I meant I wouldn't be likely to read any of the choices. I realized from reading Lynn's story, I don't like Clark without Lois and I don't like Lois without Clark. I am very unbending in what I think is "right" and to me Lois needs Clark and Clark needs Lois. I don't like the idea of either of them being with anyone else. I only gave Lynn's story a chance because her writing is so good, but it became painful for me to read because of my strong feelings that Clark shouldn't be with anyone but Lois.

- Laura

As long as it's well-written, I don't have any hard or fast rules. If the characters seem real to me, if they make sense, I can follow them where they go

I had a reader bail out on a story of mine once because they couldn't stand to read Lois and Clark apart. I love them together,too. But I think if they are always together, no matter what, that grows stale.

I love the sadness and tension in Tank's Futures series, which has a great romance between Clark and altLois that ends in a 50 year marriage.

In fact, my favorite alternative couplings are the altLois, altClark combinations. I think there's a lot to be explored there, while still keeping a Lois with a Clark.

That said, it would take a really, really, really talented writer to help me go along with a Lois/Scardino pairing. As much as I like to keep an open mind, I just cannot imagine it!

But I did love one by SQD that had Lois married to Daniel (deep shudder) at one time. That was interesting, to say the least!

CC (tossing her two cents all over these boards tonight!)

OK, since I'm the most current perpetrator of this heinous crime, I'm going to use this nice little poll as a place to confess my sins .

First of all, I do believe in the perfect match that is Lois and Clark. I loved the show - loved the chemistry between these two (or maybe that was between Dean and Teri <g>), and really saw that they were meant to be together.

However, if I like the other woman/man character (and by "like" I mean the character is someone that I can imagine Lois or Clark liking) and if the story is crafted so that the reasons for the get-together make sense to me, I have no problem with either person loving another at any given moment.

In fact, two things about the show itself have always led me to imagine Clark with another woman or in other relationships. First is the very harshness with which Lois treats him during Season 1. Personally, I never quite understood what he saw in her during that first season. My second reason is that I always thought Clark was portrayed as far too saintly. Now, I know that Clark is Superman, and Superman, by canon, is saintly. But I've always admitted to liking my Clark a bit more three-dimensional and dark with more faults and the ability to hurt and to need comfort. Since the show did much to cast Clark as the real persona and Superman as the disguise, I think it is very "human" for him to have feelings for other women especially after Lois all-out rejects him.

I would not like stories that involved adultery or had Lois/Clark getting together with someone after they had confessed mutual love for each other. Nor would I like any one-night fling/drunken tumble/"he/she didn't mean anything" stories. In fact, the only time I would be accepting of another pairing would be if Lois/Clark believed that she/he was in love or had deep feelings for this non-Clark/non-Lois person.

I think in general I don't see love as a limited commodity. If Lois/Clark had a relationship with someone else, that doesn't diminish the uniqueness of their relationship when it does come to pass.

And to echo CC, to be honest, I like stories that shake things up a bit. As well and good as a nice, WAFFY get-together story can be, I need variety. I mean, after the hurdles of Lois learning Clark's secret and Lois overcoming her fear of intimacy and the Lex factor and the Tempus/altworld stuff, we need some new stuff to throw at these two. There is no harder obstacle to overcome IMHO than competition from another person who is just as deserving of Clark's/Lois's love.

Lynn

See, now you're just asking for trouble. I am probably Agent Scardino's biggest fan after BanAnna -- and I'm evil enough to do something like this!

But I won't because I have two other (evil) fics that I'm trying to get off the ground. One of which, does have "Please Call Me Daniel" playing a big role but not as a love interest for Lois.

Anyway, my answer. If I didn't believe that Lois and Clark are soulmates and they hadn't gotten together on the show, I wouldn't be so ok with it. But they are, they did and I am.

My main requirements for the other love interest is that they be a well-written character (no Mary Sues), that it makes sense for Lois or Clark to care about them and (to echo lynnm) there is no adultery/cheating involved.

I like reading stories which are unique, imaginative and well-written, AND that includes non-Lois and/or non-Clark relationships.

However, mostly I seek happy endings AND that includes Lois-Clark pairing.

I said mostly, because I was perfectly content with Tank's Future series, as well as Nan's Home series with Lori(Lois' reincarnation but unique in her own right)....

But I am not able to comfortably digest stories involving divorces / separations / strayings / moving on...

As I said, I am a seeker of happy endings, gives me something to look forward to and fondly reflect back upon

Nevertheless, I sometimes super read such stories if they don't guarantee a happy ending

Although I think Lois and Clark are the perfect couple, I would read stories where they are not together and paired with someone else as long as there is a good explanation for that and as long as I can like the "new" person.

For example I loved Jon Wolffs "Lonely is the man". Elizabeth was such a vibrant and lively woman, I instantly liked her and was delighted for her to be together with Clark. Of course this is set in the future, where Lois is dead. But Elisabeth is not a reincarnation of Lois although she has similar character traits.

Ines

As much as I like the idea of Lois and Clark being only exclusive to each other I'm really not to fussy about it mainly because I'm a big reader and so if the story interests me I will read it regardless of whether Lois and Clark are together or not. However, I also chose other mainly because as Laura mentioned without each other the two of them are miserable as you probably could tell by the way they look at each other.

Ooh, interesting topic!

I'm just saying it straight out: I'm not one of those who cannot read a story if Lois and Clark aren't together, no matter what the cause. However, I would like it to be a very good reason for that <g>, and I guess I'm sort of always hoping - that no matter what, in the end - they'll be together.

I think stories that carry this concept - and that it is well written - can be quite an interesting journey. Separating Lois and Clark (for a while or even longer) opens up a whole new world of possibilities of what our favourite characters will have to go through, and you can come up with all sort of new ways on how to get them back together (if that's an option). And what's wrong with that? It means new ideas, new concepts, and it'll be a new experience for a reader - even the writer.

For some reason, I'm sort of more okay with accepting that Lois is with another man, but not Clark with another woman...wonder why. I've always liked Mayson as a character - heck, she's a very good character - but I could never really imagine her having a life with Clark. So, if she's ruled out, who's left? No one that I could really think of, unless you make up your own character (like Lynn). I haven't read "The Butterfly Legacy" yet, but I'm just itching, so I'll do it as soon as I can.

Also, maybe the reason why I wouldn't mind seeing Lois with another man than Clark, may be that I'm always - feeling pretty lonely out there! <g> - cheering for her and Lex. Put her and Lex in the same scene in any story, and you've made my day, week, month or even year (last one goes to "Masques" <g>). But I'm dying to read more stories where they are in a relationship, and actually trying to make it work or that Lois, for some reason, can't leave him. Because I think this is such an interesting dilemma: (in danger of sounding like Tarzan here, but..) evil man wants to have the good woman, and although the good woman may be too naive to see his true self, she's attracted to his power, and is consumed by the need to be loved, which she thinks only he can give her. So, although she's inwardly hoping for the shining knight on a white horse, she stays. <g> And of course, when she finds out what Lex is really made of, that's where the fun begins!

Now, before you think I'm this lunatic of a bird who's eaten way too much rotten fish here, I *do* support the idea that she and Clark will be together in the end. <g>

So, as long as there's a good cause Lois and Clark aren't together/won't be together, it won't stop me from reading the story

Pelican (who flies around the world, sneeks in the window to every author late at night, whispering in their ears, "Lois....Lex....Lois.....Lex...")

I think there are two main reasons that other pairings are so rare in this fandom. Firstly, the Lois and Clark pairing/romance is an integral part of the Superman mythos. This doesn't really apply to other shows in the main. Secondly, most of the other shows have ensemble casts, with a pool of available characters to 'mix and match' with. With LNC, it's mostly down to the two leads with not much scope in the other cast members. Perry's too old, Jimmy's too young...Cat isn't really a long term prospect...and so on.

I do find that this makes things a lot more restrictive - both for the reader and the writer - in FoLCdom. I personally find it a lot harder to write LNC fic than any other show I've ever written for, just because I've been so used in the past to working with ensemble casts and a lot more than two basic characters.

So by this point - several years into my participation in this fandom - I'll welcome something that steps outside the box a little and as others have said 'shakes things up' a tad. Standard WAFFs are good, but a change is always nice now and then.

I'd like Clark and Lois to end up together eventually in a story, but I don't mind at all how we get there and if they take a few detours along the way. I'm not terribly fussed that Lois has to be Clark's first sexual experience either.

If they don't end up together it's a less satisfying story for me and makes me feel a little sad, but there are still stories in that category that I loved and will read again. Like Tank's Future series (which I know has been added to recently, but haven't read it yet, so no idea if things change there or not . It's like Deathfic really. <g> If it's well written, emotive and the characters are real and three-dimensional then an author can sell me on pretty much anything.


LabRat

I don't mind alternate pairings IF:

1- The character is someone I like. (Meaning the author presents him/her in a sympathetic manner, and I can see Lois or Clark falling for this person.)

2 - as mentioned by others, no adultery, cheating, etc.

3 - Clark can be with someone other than Lois AS LONG AS it is someone he trusts enough to tell his secret to.

4 - The relationship must be genuine. Which also means I'm not automatically hoping it will end in a break-up just so Lois & Clark can get together in the end. (I'm old-fashioned here. I don't believe in falling into and out-of love.) But even on this point, I'm willing to go where the author leads me, as long as the story is well-written.

Actually, I'll qualify #4. It has to be genuine on the part of Lois or Clark. If the other party is just stringing them along, and they eventually find out and break up, then end up with their one true love, well, that's a different story altogether!

- Vicki

Missed this when posting previously.

I'm a huge believer in the theory that you can make a character do anything - so long as you ensure that you give them the proper motivation to explain their actions.

Having said that, an author would have to work really hard to make cheating in character, I think. Of course with a SF show you have more scope than with other formats. If Clark was under some kind of spell/hypnosis/adultry-causing-ray gun blast then that would work, I guess. You get the idea. <g> I said any story would have to be well-written above, but I'd forgotten to include the other must have - in character. Course, most times they tend to go hand in hand. But not always.

But, again, it would have to be well-written to carry me along for the ride. There are few things which turn me off a story faster than a difficult, complicated premise badly handled or dealt with in three pages.

LabRat

Call me traditional... but I read Lois & Clark fanfic to see the relationship between Lois & Clark :p I make a few exceptions, like the Home series and Lonely is the Man. And I've kinda-sorta-sometimes been reading the Butterfly Legacy, because Lynn's a terrific writer, but the idea of Clark and Gillian just seems fundamentally wrong.

I originally fell in love with this show on the basis of how perfect Lois & Clark were for each other, balancing out each others' weak spots, etc. In fact, I didn't get obsessed with the show until near the end of S2, when it seemed possible that L&C would actually get together. If they'd reset everything for S3, I'd have been outta there. So... that's what I like to stick with in fanfic.

Pam "I want my happy ending *now*" Jernigan

Seen as Pam said it so eloquently I simply have to say ditto to the whole of her last post!
For me, its called Lois and Clark because its always and forever about Lois and Clark.

My small 1 pence worth!

Sarah-Jayne

ROFL! Oddly, before I even saw this, I was going to post that the only thing I absolutely demand of a fic is a happy ending. Just about anything else goes for me, so long as it's well-written and convincing.

However, I suspect that my definition of a happy ending, and Pam's definition, may differ from time to time.

Yvonne

I would read any (nice, well written) story, even if L&C aren't together for some reason. Besides, I avoid spoilers, so I wouldn't know whether they end up together or not.

AnnaBtG. (whose favourite fic is 'Ad Astra Per Aspera', which has Lois paired with some Tom Warren guy)

I have to weigh in on the side of Pam and Sarah-Jayne: the show was called Lois and Clark, and that's who I want to read about. I don't mind non-L&C stories -- e.g., Next Generation or Jimmy fics (shut up, Tank! ) -- but if Lois and Clark are there, that's who I want to see together.

I can cope with people like Lori or Elizabeth -- romantic interests for Clark after Lois dies (though Lori doesn't really count ) -- but I am not interested in, and more than halfway hostile towards, stories involving L&C with other people (but only in the sense of actively refusing to read them, I hasten to add) while both are alive. Anything else is not only not to my taste, but smacks of DC's apparent hatred of any sort of long-term romance for their characters -- and, as they have recently seriously annoyed me by breaking up three well-matched couples, I am even less inclined than usual to cut any slack in this area.

I would be particularly bothered by stories involving Lois and another man. Why? I'm not sure, but it may have something to do with the fact that neither series or comics ever came up with anyone good enough for her, IMO -- and the fact that Lois Lane is an integral part of the Superman mythos and has been from Action Comics #1 in June 1938. It's just not right for her to be with anyone else!

That's my take on the question. I could wish that Q2 of the poll had an option for those of us who aren't interested in reading L&? or C&? romances; as it was, I had to put a misleading answer for that question before I was allowed to vote.

Phil, who will get back to writing Lyra and Klar one of these centuries... :rolleyes:

Phil said: Yes, i had that problem too - it took me a few tries to figure out what the problem was. (Probably didn't take Phil that long <g>) I'm wondering if some people just didn't vote for that reason and how many of those who did vote resorted to the misleading answer in order to do so. Oh well.
c

I agree with Phil and Carol -- I chose other just because my answer to 2 would have been none of the above.

- Laura

It's hard to get these poll questions set up right -- I've done them a few times and there was always at least one person, usually more, who said I didn't give an option for the answer they'd have liked to give. I always vow to do better next time, but... it's an imperfect universe

LOL, Yvonne, you think? Plus you're prepared to wait a whole lot longer for said happy ending. Well, actually, I can enjoy looooong stories, too, as long as the middle's reasonably happy

PJ
(why, yes, I did write a story where Lois was dead for most of it... your point being...? )