Lex Luthoris often considered one ofSuperman’sgreatest foe , but even Luthor would n’t pass up a hazard at earth peace … would he ? Ever since his debut in the 1940 ’s , Luthor has been portray as a frantic scientist , and a man of affairs bent on destroying Superman . His motivations for doing so have changed over the years , ranging from simple reason , likeSuperboycausing him tolose his hair , to Lex believe Superman prevents humankind from reaching its full potential difference .

Though Lex is implausibly well-informed , his Achilles bounder is his vivid hate of Superman , which can often blind his judgment . Lex believes , arrogantly so , that Superman is so beyond humanity , that he even refuses to believe thatSuperman has a private identity . However , Lex once had a great opportunity at achieving great magnate of his own .

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Jon Kent (AKA Superman’s Young Adult Son) with Kryptonite in the background

During the DC eventBlackest Night , where Black Lantern Rings started to   upraise   the deadened , many sub and villain were recruited into various Lantern corps . Lex himself   get   an orangish lantern band , which point that Luthor has a vast amount of covetousness in his heart . At the end of the outcome , Luthor lost his power ring and , want a power adequate to the ring , seek to create a power ring of his own . Luthor discover that remnants of the Black Lantern Corps energy had evidence as several welkin across the globe . Luthor , believing that their power may hold up the paint to obtaining vast power , decide to travel across the globe in search of these sphere . At the end of his adventure , Luthor key that the energy area were being used by a creature from the Phantom Zone , who was attempting to escape their prison . Luthor managed to apply Kryptonian applied science to merge with the being , obtaining the god - like tycoon he lust .

Luthor ’s first project was to enchant Superman to him , with the intent of destroying his arch - bane once and for all . Luthor had rack Superman with visual sensation of his greatest losses , including the wipeout of New Krypton , and his acquire sonChris Kentbeing sent into the Phantom Zone . Superman attempted to prove to Luthor that he make love what it ’s like to be human , and showed him the memory of losing his don , Jonathan Kent . Lex , traumatize that Superman posed as modest - mannered Clark Kent for so long , became enraged at Superman , and managed to draw out more power from the Phantom Zone animate being . arm with even greater power , Luthor found that all negative emotions across the DC Universe have been eliminated altogether , with being like the Red Lanterns , and characters likeBatman , experiencing pacification .

The animal itself had intended to remove all negative emotions from our ground , and ascertain that Luthor could now only use his top executive for this function . Superman tried to convince Luthor to give up his hate , and become the large sub in the creation , one that pass by even Superman himself . face with the dilemma of either being the greatest fighter and create earth heartsease , or having the chance to destroy his greatest enemy , Luthor does what any normal person who is also Lex Luthor ) would … give in to his hate and seek to kill Superman .

James Gunn’s Superman and Krypto comic

Lex would find however that , as he   choose to use his top executive with evil intent ,   the Phantom Zone creature was   beginning to enfeeble   him of his power . With slight time remaining , Luthor would try in vain to destroy Superman once and for all , with Superman contend to void Luthor long enough for him to lose his powers . finally , Superman managed to overwhelm his arch - foeman , and Luthor lost his god - like office for trade good . When Luthor wake up , he on the face of it forget Superman ’s secret identity , and was intelligibly dazed by the whole ordeal . Lex Luthor get his pursuit with the spirit of finding ultimate power , but once again , Superman managed to intercept him .

Lex Luthor has often tried to position himself as a hero of sorts for trying to agitate against Superman , but this storyline only further leaven how trivial he really is . Though Lex initially sought power for his own gain , he had the chance to in reality be the fighter he wants to be . Even Superman , for all his strength and commitment to crime - combat , can not achieve world peacefulness on his own . Lex would have had the   chance   to everlastingly surpass his challenger , and fulfil something that he could never do : save the world . Lex however , could not accept a world where Superman could subsist in peace , showing that Lex , for all his intelligence and cunning , is just a sad , execrable soul who wants Superman dead . Though Luthor would make ulterior endeavour at being a Italian sandwich in his career , Lex always finds away back to villainy . Whether a hoagy or a baddie , Lex Luthoris a man capable of almost anything , with the sole exclusion of making peace of mind with Superman .

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Lex Luthot comic and live action

Lex Luthor smirking in DC Comics

Lex Luthor Phantom Zone Power Comic

Lex Luthor God Power vs Clark Superman

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