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."

LJ, I might have phrased that bit unclearly. It's not the fact that the could-be Bruce Wayne character is only signed up for 6 eps that has people thinking he is not Bruce it is other spoilers about his character. Mainly one that states he is taking some kind of serum injections to keep himself alive. Which points to possible mutant-ness and general non-Batman-ness.

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.

Heh. Well, I'm completely okay with reading stories where they go totally AU and toss the characters into a different milieu. I can handle Clark as a rentboy, Lex as a farmboy, or Lana as an interesting person, but the moment anyone takes Lex's cock away, I am consumed with uncomfortableness.

Apparently, this is where I draw the line that should not be crossed. "Thou shalt not give Lex an innie when he has such a nice outie."

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

Yes, this. Only, it doesn't happen often enough.

Thanks, Tina. That makes more sense.

I wander away muttering "That could work, no that's interesting."

That's about my reaction too.

I don't think all AUs are inherently bad, or anything. But things like genderswapping from birth, or making a nonhuman character human, rarely actually lead to interesting stories.

I think if they get the essence of the character right, that sort of drastic change can work - but it's hard, because those major traits are often necessary to make them what they are. Though I could buy a comedy of a Clark dropped into an AU where Lex is a woman having to deal with the surprise that he's quite disappointed with the switch.

My problem is with historical AUs, where Mulder and Scully become 13th-century Welsh people with different names and histories.

Um, WTF?

Yes, Katherine of Ireland, I'm looking at you.

ETA: Or, what Madrigal said: those major traits are often necessary to make them what they are.

I suppose one could make Scully the equivalent of a 13th century navy brat, and into science a lá Augusta Ada Lovelace or Maria Mitchell - though she'd probably end up in a nunnery where all the learning was for women. They'd have some problems with Mulder being Jewish - though that could lead to some interesting new issues between them. Okay, and I'm starting to like the idea of a epistle beginning, "Mulder, 'tis me,".....damn, this is turning into a plotbunny.