I think it'd depend more on the purpose of helping - just cheering someone up who's depressed, or healing one who's sick - fine.

Sorry, Xpost. I see what you mean, Madrigal. in this case, Paige and Phoebe made a "perfect man" as a birthday present for Piper because she was giving up on love, then Paige created a birthday feast because they hadn't cooked one and people had come over. I think it's personal gain-y because they weren't totally necessary steps like healing someone or removng someone from danger, but I can see why there'd be a gift loophole.

If the purpose of the spell is to essentially bring things back to normal - get someone healthy again, or out of some current emotional funk, then it's usually okay. If they were trying to change Piper in some fundamental way, then it'd be less okay. The creating the man might be a big thing, since there's the whole issue of sentience, and responsibility for all creations, etc.

The creating the man might be a big thing, since there's the whole issue of sentience, and responsibility for all creations, etc.

Actually, the spell they used sidestepped those issues because he only existed for 24 hours, knew why he had been created, and was okay with disappearing when the time was up. It wasn't like he had to move in and be hunky nanny for eternity.

I thought they did something that could have ended up like a slightly porny Frankenstein.

Dark Knight action under an assumed name here, and that would make me very, very happy

Well, Bruce does have a history of stealing Clark's women.

Too bad he doesn't have a canonical history of stealing Clark's Lexboyfriends.

In Smallvillespoiler land - seems about 50% of people who care about such things are convinced the new kid, whose character's name is: Adam Knight, by the way, is actually Bruce Wayne. There are spoilers (he's signed up for six episodes this season ) that contradict this pretty directly. There has also been word from the writers that there will be no Bruce Wayne this season due to problems with the next Batman movie script blah blah blah. But they could just be misleading folks.

The biggest problem with the rest of this season, as far as spoilers go: not enough Lex and too much Pete.

Hmmm. I wonder if the character was originally thought of as Bruce Wayne, but the plan was scrapped over problems witht he movie script. So he'll be not!Bruce.

Also, I don't see why the fact the character only appears in six episodes means he isn't Batman. They only have (wild-ass guess) 12 eps left in the season, right? Being in five of those is enough for a healthy arc.

And the problem is very very distressing.

Apropos of nothing, I do not get the appeal of genderswap stories where Lex is turned into a girl, like, from birth. I mean, the hilarity of getting dropped into a body of the opposite sex is something I enjoy (dude, Farscape?), but...

Lex and his dillo: two great tastes that taste great together.

I do not get the appeal of genderswap stories where Lex is turned into a girl, like, from birth

I have not read enough Smallville fic to encounter such a monstrosity, but that sounds like those Buffy/Angel fics where Angel isn't a vampire. Dood, that's the point.

I like it when they mess *everything* up, if they construct useful parallels, keeping the spirit/metaphor I enjoy alive.

Well, I like it in principle. I don't think I ever finished one of the stories. I wander away muttering "That could work, no that's interesting."