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The one reason that I think a darker reading of Leo as being directly Lex Luthor somehow changed and disguised doesn't work for me -- skipping the fact that it's a bit too literal, like I say above -- is that this would be a lot bleaker than what Morrison has described as the intent behind this series. He has referred to All-Star Superman as being essentially positive, uplifting science ficion. Authorial intent may or may not be irrelevant depending on your position, but I think that having Lex win in that fashion (except maybe pushing Superman enough to hit him back once) undermines some of the hope and possibility that bears out at the end of the series.
Leo works better for me as an reflection of Lex. He works better for me as an example of what man can be like with the influence of Superman -- you could look at him as a stand-in for Batman, kind-of-maybe, even. He's Jimmy Olsen all grown up. You can put a lot into him. You can put a lot into him on a symbolic level, because he seems pretty straightforward to me on a literal level.
Leo exemplifies one of the undercurrents in the series, which seems to be unwarranted suspicion (and possibly problematic, yes, but largely unwarranted). "I could be the devil himself for all you know, Superman." / "I'd like to think I'm a better judge of character than that, Professor." He's not alone. I can't help -- and this is partly Quitely's work, and Jamie's -- but draw a parallel to "Calvin Elder" showing up at the Kent Farm, lit up by tractor light. He's a super-hero from the future but the first shot with him and I think axe murderer. We're trained to see a possible villain in Quintum, a possible villain he might see himself (being in touch with that dark). Krull attacks Metropolis and you know. Giant talking lizards. Never mind that he was goaded into it and that otherwise the Saurians are pretty peace-loving. When we first see Zibarro, beloved Zibarro, who was ready to assume badness on his behalf? I was, a little bit. Which is why it breaks my heart a little bit when Clark makes friends with him and then has to say goodbye. Or hello, depending.
Having Lex transform behind the scenes into Leo and go back in time seems needlessly complex and I would argue isn't directly supported by the text. You could make similar arguments that he's Jimmy Olsen gone back in time, or Brainiac 5 in makeup, or Myxlkptlk. I'm not convinced. |
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