Endless Legacy (DC Comics)

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I'm not sure what they were expecting.

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Kara can’t help but note the somber mood as she leads the League’s leadership back down to the secret lab under LexCorp Tower alongside Blackfire. Lots of people would probably wonder why things were so serious and quiet if they could see them all right now. Indeed, even as they’d been flying down, Kara’s Kryptonian Senses had allowed her to make out the start of celebrations not just in Metropolis, not just in the United States of America, but across the entire world.

This was probably the best that Earth had ever done when it came to an alien invasion. It was certainly the best they’d done since Kara had arrived all those years ago. Damage to population centers had been minimal, civilian casualties were being tentatively measured as low as the hundreds, and for once it hadn’t all fallen on the Justice League’s shoulders. For once, the people of Earth had risen up and actually taken a stand. It was inspirational… or it would have been if not for the context behind it.

Admittedly, the LexCorp drones had been a huge help during the invasion. So had Blackfire. Kara was surprised at first when the Tamaranean had shown up just as the fighting was really getting started, but it wasn’t like she had the time to question it. Together, the two of them had held a massive stretch of sky over Metropolis, with the drones from LexCorp plugging any gaps in their coverage.

Kara wasn’t going to pretend like Blackfire was as strong or fast as her, but for all that Kara was incredibly powerful, she wasn’t perfect and she couldn’t actually be in every place at once. People had lived today that wouldn’t have if Blackfire hadn’t helped out… and that should mean something, Kara figured.

Unfortunately, what it all meant wasn’t for her to decide. That’s why as soon as it was over, she’d made a beeline for Kal El, getting to him as fast as possible. He’d been a little weakened by a blast of Kryptonite from Brainiac, but the exposure to Earth’s Yellow Sun had already had him back to almost full strength by the time Kara reached him and explained as quickly as possible what had happened under LexCorp Tower.

Kal had already been somber and quiet before Kara had gotten to him, but if anything, her words had only made him quieter still, his demeanor the most serious she’d ever seen it. He’d ordered her to direct him down to where she’d come out at and in that moment she knew they weren’t talking as kin but as Superman and Supergirl.

Needless to say, things are tense even as they arrive at the bottom of the tunnel to find the doors to the laboratory wide open, almost inviting them in. Nobody says anything, but that’s because none of them have to. Lex Luthor might have been Superman’s greatest challenge more often than not, but the unpowered human man was so much larger than life that he’d tangled with the entirety of the League’s first string more than once. As such, they all know to be on high alert for any potential traps.

Stepping into the laboratory, Kara is… glad to see that Lucien seems okay. And it seems they’ve woken up Mercy Graves as well. She’s still not very happy with Lex Luthor’s son though if she’s being perfectly honest. He’d seemed like a pretty decent guy and both Batman and Kal trusted him, so Kara had been ready to give Lucien the benefit of the doubt at first. She’d let him take the lead on their undercover mission, and in the process she’d wound up drained of her power and all but helpless thanks to Red Sun exposure.

The clone of Lex Luthor was right. If she’d had her full Kryptonian abilities, Kara probably would have taken him down first and asked questions later. It was just too dangerous to trust him. But not to Lucien. Kara couldn’t say what was going through the man’s head… only that he seemed to have decided his father’s clone was being honest.

Sure, it SEEMED like it had worked out for the best. The drones had helped take down Brainiac’s armada, and the clone Lex Luthor’s speech to the rest of the world had been highly motivational, on top of preventing Brainiac from delivering a speech that might have been demotivational.

And yet… Kara knew she wasn’t the only one in this room right now waiting for the other shoe to drop. Lex Luthor was Lex Luthor, and a clone of him couldn’t possibly be that different… could he? Either way, he had to be planning something.

Interestingly enough, while the clone stands there with his hands clasped behind his back, waiting for them… its not he who Superman goes to. Instead, completely ignoring Lex’s clone, Kal walks right up to Lucien and places a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry son. We did everything we could… but your father didn’t make it.”

Kara swallows at that. Lex Luthor, the real one, hadn’t been anyone’s idea of a hero as far as she knew. He was the sort of man who would stop at nothing to try and kill or drive Kal El away from Earth. The man had done everything in his power to make Kal’s life a living hell. And not even just in big ways either. If it would inconvenience or upset Superman in any way, Lex was there for it.

Fuck, she remembered one time ordering a cake for Kal’s birthday. Lex Luthor had found out which bakery she was having make the cake and decided to intervene. Apparently he’d struck too early though and none of the cakes for that day had been decorated yet. Not knowing which was supposed to be which, he’d gone and stolen the bakery’s entire inventory, all forty of them, just so he could be sure he got the one meant for Superman! They’d been on a rack of four shelves, ten to a rack, and he’d just swiped the entire damn thing! Utterly terrible.

That was the kind of petty, vile, egomaniac that Lex Luthor was. But admittedly, Kal had always treated him with far more respect than he deserved. Superman was the kind of hero who considered it a personal failing that Lex Luthor wasted so much of his time, brilliance, and money on trying to hurt the Man of Steel instead of on bettering the world. On top of that, Kara supposed she now knew Lex was a father… though from what she’d learned today, not very much of one.

Perhaps Kal thinks Lucien will commiserate with his grief. Perhaps he thinks the younger man needs someone to comfort him after losing his father like he did. Judging by the look on Lucien’s face, he doesn’t quite know how to react to Superman’s earnestness. In the end he doesn’t get the chance to formulate a response, because Clone Lex clears his throat.

“Actually, his father is right here Superman. And I’m not planning on going anywhere any time soon.”

Kara licks her lips as the tension in the air ratchets up several notches. There had already been plenty of eyes on Lex’s clone before, of course. But now EVERY eye is on him… including Superman’s. Kal’s hand leaves Lucien’s shoulder, turning away from the younger man to take in Clone Lex in silence for a moment.

On one side is Superman, the strongest hero there is, backed up by the world’s other strongest heroes. And on the other side is a clone of Lex Luthor. A completely lopsided matchup in most eyes. It should have been no contest right? So then why is Kara so nervous? Why does it feel like this whole situation could still go either way?

“You know you’re not really him. You know you’re not the original Luthor.”

Kal El’s voice is low and calm, simply stating facts. Kara half-expects Clone Lex to get angry at that, to start ranting and raving about how he had every right to be Lex Luthor. There was nobody quite as good as her kin at getting under his skin and making him blow his top.

… But instead, he just smiles, his hands still clasped behind his back.

“Aren’t I? You think I’m a clone of Lex Luthor, is that right?”

Frowning, Superman crosses his arms over his chest.

“I know you are. The real Lex Luthor was taken by Brainiac and replaced by you quite some time ago. You may have broken free of Brainiac’s control and Earth owes you a debt for your assistance during the invasion, but the original Lex Luthor just died when Brainiac initiated his mothership’s self-destruct.”

That’s right. Kara furrows her brow, wondering how the clone was going to play this.

“Did he? Or is that simply what I wanted Brainiac… and by extension all of you, to think.”

Wait, what?

The Lex Clone unclasps his hands from behind his back at long last, spreading them wide as he smiles victoriously.

“Did you really think that I’d be so foolish as to let myself be taken by Brainiac of all people, Superman? Do you think so little of my intelligence? No, when Brainiac came hunting for a Lex Luthor almost two years ago, I wasn’t there for him to take. He made the mistake of kidnapping one of my clones instead. It’s true that he put one of his own clones in place afterwards, but once I found out what happened, I dealt with that clone myself and assumed the position of ‘loyal subordinate’ since I knew he would come back eventually.”

There was no way. That wasn’t possible. But Clone Lex isn’t done. He chuckles, his eyes sweeping across them all.

“I played my role to such perfection that it seems you all bought into it as well. Brainiac thought he got the real deal… and you ate it right up, didn’t you? Meanwhile, I’ve been preparing for this day for quite some time… hm, and would you look at that. Preliminary reports are putting the number of deaths next to nil when put up against the percentage of the global population that was at risk. What can I say… other than you’re welcome?”

He had to be lying. He HAD to be lying. Kara’s mouth opens and closes wordlessly as Superman stares the Lex Clone (or is it the real Lex?!) down. The rest of the League doesn’t look like they know what to say or do either. Silence reigns as Lex Luthor… surely not but maybe so, preens under their confused and angry stares.

Kara looks over to Lucien, hoping to glean some sort of additional understanding from him maybe, but the man is just standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, his face like stone and not giving off a single ounce of what he’s currently thinking. Blackfire has moved back to his side by this point and she honestly just looks bored with this whole situation.

Out of everyone, Mercy Graves is the one who looks the most emotive. She’s staring at Lex Luthor with a frown… but damn it all, that doesn’t tell Kara much either! She might be frowning because her actual boss tricked her into thinking he was a clone and knocked her out and used her as bait for Lucien. OR she might be frowning because she knows he IS a clone and is pulling one over on the entire Justice League.

… Except, if it was the latter option, surely Graves would say something, right? Surely she wouldn’t just… let him get away with it.

“You really expect us to believe that horse shit?”

Floating forward with a bright green glow covering him, Green Lantern scowls at Lex with his arms crossed over his chest.

Far from cowed however, Lex just smiles up at him.

“I really don’t care what any of you choose to believe, actually. Or did you miss what happened today? Your assistance in protecting Earth from Brainiac’s invasion was noted and most admirable… however, Earth didn’t sit back and let you hog all the glory this time around, did we?”

Clasping his hands behind his back again, Lex Luthor smirks a classic Lex smirk as he looks at all of them like the cat who caught the canary.

“It’s not about what you lot believe. It’s about what everyone else believes. Feel free to go and tell everyone that I’m a clone if you must. I’m afraid my lawyers might have to take you to court for slander, but I won’t personally hold it against any of you. The truth will win out though, in the end. I am Alexander Joseph Luthor, the one and only. Now… and forever.”

There’s a brief pause as everyone clearly struggles with that. Finally, Luthor breaks the silence once more.

“Unless you intend to try and take me into custody for… some perceived slight, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you all to leave now, however. This is private property, after all.”

Batman finally speaks up then, his voice probing.

“Is it? Do you have the proper permits with the city for this underground laboratory Luthor?”

Seriously? Was that how they were going to get him? That was like taking down Capone for tax evasion. Except in this case, it was more like if Capone had just got done helping to save the world from a fucking alien invasion. It would never work.

Lex seems to know that too, because he just chuckles and brings his hands in front of him, offering up his wrists to be cuffed.

“Are you going to arrest me, Batman? Then arrest me. Otherwise… I’m once again going to have to ask you all to leave.”

Kara can’t help but feel like she’s not the only one who wants to take Lex Luthor up on his offer. Indeed, maybe one of them would have gone for it… if not for Superman ever so slightly shaking his head and staying their hands.

“No, we’ll go. Sorry for the… misunderstanding, Lex. And good work today. Many, many people owe their lives to your heroic actions.”

There was no way Kal actually believed this shit! But then… even Kara isn’t sure what the fuck to believe anymore. Lucien probably knew more, right? But he wasn’t talking. And nobody was really paying him much attention either at this point, not after how Lex commanded the spotlight onto himself.

“I appreciate the kind words, Superman. Truthfully… I doubt we would have been so successful without the Justice League. Just as many people, if not more, owe their lives to all of you. Well done, everyone.”

Nobody responds to those words except for Superman, who barely dignifies them with a small nod. It feels dirty, receiving such praise from Lex Luthor of all people. However, as they all start to follow Kal towards the lab’s exit, Lex calls out one final time.

“Oh… and call me Alex or Alexander from now on if Mister Luthor is too much to ask, please.”

That, more than anything, seems to bring Kal to a dead stop. Kara watches as her kin turns back to stare Lex Luthor down wordlessly. In response, ‘Alex’ lets his smirk grow into a full-blown grin.

“It’s a new day on Planet Earth. A new dawn, if you will. So I figure… why not a new ‘me’ as well? Lex Luthor is in the past. Alexander Luthor… looks forward to working with you going forward in defense of OUR world.”

That… that bastard. He was definitely a clone after all! He was practically broadcasting it! And yet, there’s nothing they can do. Kal finally offers one last small nod… and then they leave. Just like that.

GODDAMNIT!

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The Vote:

[X] Stick with Supergirl's POV - 57%

[ ] Switch back to Lucien's POV - 20%

[ ] Switch to Mercy's POV - 23%

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