Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Identity Crisis IV: I'm Looking Through You

I'm sorry for not enjoying this more. It is well done and very cute.
Clark, you are crazy! You need help NOW


I keep thinking about all the problems with an unstable Superman. Sooner or later something really bad is going to happen.

Perhaps when you reach Vatman you could somehow spin off this other part of Clark in to him?

No, <large sigh>

Maybe when he loses his memory after Nightfall you could have him reintegrate the two halfs?

I'm still reading, still enjoying, still wondering when it's all going to climb into a handbasket and take a short trip. I agree, Clark is already crazy, and the continued split personalities (both of whom are developing further in every post) will be that much harder to reintegrate as time moves forward.

It was both funny and tragic when Superman reminded Clark that he (Clark) created him (Superman) with limited knowledge and understanding of people. It's also both tragic and funny that Superman is showing more and more independence from Clark as time passes. Of course, the offer to 'let Superman out to play' was very telling, as was the internal conversation about not telling Jonathan and Martha the truth.

Speaking of which, how will Clark tell Lois about Superman's real identity? And from the tone of this story, it appears that Clark can't utilize the powers without Superman's active cooperation. That may mean that when Superman is clobbered with Nightfall, Clark won't be able to deflect or destroy the final piece without his alter ego. And Superman's attempt to discourage Lois was most interesting, given that the action was undertaken without consultation with Clark. The super hero is becoming more and more independent all the time.

Wonderful possibilities, interesting developments, and a galactically blind Lois (at least she has part of an excuse this time). Can't wait to see where you go with this.

I completely love this. To me, Superman really did suffer from a bit of a split personality during all those years when I read about him in the comics. He and Clark were never really the same man at all. Just consider the classic love triangle. Clark loved Lois, who loved Superman, who despised Lois, who despised Clark. I never liked Lois's contempt of Clark, but at least she honestly believed that Clark and Superman were two completely different people. What was Clark/Superman's excuse?

Your story is making me think of people who become great actors because they aren't too sure of who they really are. Give them a script to follow and a personality to assume, and they are very happy. Of course, they usually need more than one role to play, since the totality of what they are can't be summed up in a single role.

The way Clark created Superman as a role he could play is so beautifully summed up here:

Wonderful. Devastating. Clark created his Superman persona so that he, Clark, could use his powers to help people - but he didn't give the superhero the tools he needed so that he, Superman, could deal with matters of the heart.

But as a superhero, Superman is perfect:
This reminds me of one of Sweden's most beloved actors, now deceased, who stuttered very badly when he was a kid. He was encouraged to take drama at school, and when he was allowed to assume the personalities of rulers and kings, his stuttering disappeared.

Clark is so far gone that he doesn't realize that he is wearing a disguise. He honestly believes that Superman is a separate person who is wearing his disguise for him.

And this is absolutely perfect - Superman takes over Clark's body and makes him lose control of the car.

It's so perfect, too, how you write Superman's disdain of Lois. It becomes even more perfect if we remember that Clark apparently created Superman to be totally immune to Lois's charms. Undoubtedly Clark despises his own weakness for Lois, who is at her aggravatingly infuriatingly first season worst when it comes to dismissing Clark and idolizing Superman.

But Clark's love for Lois is strong - and when he truly believes her to be in danger, his panicked concern for her takes over even his Superman persona:

Interestingly, Superman isn't thinking anything to himself as he is rescuing Lois (or as he is hugging her, for that matter). It seems to me that his psychosis appears to be strongly connected to the voices he hears in his head - the voices of Clark and Superman.

When Superman was saving Lois, the superhero was entirely motivated by Clark Kent's love for Lois. At this moment, Clark and Superman were one and the same.

On the other hand, as Terry pointed out, Superman seems to be growing ever more independent and separate from Clark. I, too, can see the possibility that it might be impossible to reintegrate these two characters. If you wanted to, Vincent, you could make this wonderful tragicomedy slowly but relentlessly change into a full-fledged tragedy. It would be a tragedy where Clark Kent lost control of himself and came apart at the seams, unable to integrate the human and the Kryptonian hero aspects of himself. What would happen to him if he truly turned into two persons? What would happen if the most powerful being on the Earth went truly, totally crazy, more so than he is now? What if the human side of Clark Kent was unable to influence the decisions of Superman?

I don't think you are going to turn this story into an all-out tragedy. But I have to confess that a part of myself would be interested in seeing that possibility explored.

This is one of my favorite stories right now, Vincent.

Ann