28 KiB
[RT] The Metropolitan Man Chapter 12: Finale, Part 1
-
Author: u/alexanderwales Time flies like an arrow*
-
URL: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10360716/12/The-Metropolitan-Man
-
Score: 49
-
Created: 2014-07-21T07:17:24
Post:
Comments:
u/EndlessStrategy [+13] (4 hours later)
Was not expecting that. It's refreshing, for the truth to come out. A strong scene that hashed out both of the character's ideologies fairly well, moved their relationship forward, and gave some doubt about whether or not Lois will actually help Luthor.
u/ignirtoq [+10] (5 hours later)
No kidding. I'm so trained by popular media's trope of dramatic-yet-ridiculous revealing of characters' true feelings/beliefs only after some extreme event has come to pass that an actual conversation involving trust between two people in order to come to a better understanding of each other actually caught me off guard.
u/mynoduesp [+1] (a day later)
They seemed quite rational about it.
u/None [+10] (17 hours later)
[deleted]
u/AmeteurOpinions [+3] Finally, everyone was working together. (a day later)
I half-think it was a reference to this.
Origin: The Kryptonian civilization once spanned hundreds of worlds, their technology and knowledge unrivaled in their corner of the galaxy. Kryptonians had long since advanced to a point where technology and biology were indistinguishable, making them virtually immortal and omnipotent in the eyes of less developed races. Over time they grew overconfident, and wished to introduce their technology to undeveloped worlds, in direct violation of the most important rule of the galactic community: the Omega Law.
In an attempt to assimilate the natives of the planet Mars, Krypton finally gained the attention of Colu, enforcer of the Omega Law, and was marked for extermination. A Kryptonian Scientist named Jor-El, specializing in passively and remotely observing nearby Earth, witnessed this and rapidly set a plan forward to save his infant son, Kal-El, from their fate. By sending him in a conventional rocket toward the backwater planet Earth, he guaranteed Kal-El’s safety from Colu. The rocket took over a thousand years to reach the planet, and upon reaching the surface, restructured Kal-El’s body so he would appear as a human.
Raised by simple farmers, Kal-El (now called Clark Kent) eventually learned of his heritage when examining a recorded message from his rocket. His father informed him of his fate, and that he must never dominate the planet with his immense power, as it would warp the fate of all life on Earth. Not content to passively observe humanity, though, Clark decides to inspire others through his actions as Superman.
Superman has declared that he fights for those who cannot defend themselves, owing no allegiance to a particular government (though still obeying their laws). He has particularly targeted corporate corruption and the military-industrial complex as enemies of human progress, his most prominent opponent being billionaire industrialist Lex Luther and his company, LexCorp.
u/aeschenkarnos [+7] (an hour later)
Huh. Spoiler
u/makemeunsee [+4] Mock turtle (4 hours later)
The bit about the stolen ship might well be misinformation, we only have his word and he's good at deception (and as for as we know, not good at building advanced pieces of technology like the stolen ship). If he only came recently to his better senses, he indeed did not take proper measures before to ensure the ship's safety nor his mother's, and lying then might serve further, undisclosed purposes. That said, I cant think of any really good purpose right now.
+1 for superman being a "level 1.5 (at least)" player rather than the plain brained hero he appeared to be at first.
PS: I dont see much reason for spoiler tags here as we're obviously discussing the latest chapter.
u/None [+6] (6 hours later)
Superman is actually hiding a lot of the truth from Lois. He knows that someone out there knows his secret identity, and that there's a shadowy figure or figures pulling the strings. And he's also got to realize that Lois's life is in danger, just like his mother's was. He doesn't seem to tell Lois any of that, though it seems like she should have a right to know. He also doesn't tell her that he's got a prisoner in the Arctic. That whole conversation was sort of funny, because both Lois and Superman were dropping layers of their deceptions while pretending that they're dropping all of them.
It could be misinformation in order to see how she'd react to the lie? Or misinformation to see how/whether she's leaking information to someone? Tell Lois that the ship is in the Arctic, see what happens?
u/Coadie [+5] (4 hours later)
The last line hints, to me at least, that he is actually aware of the machinations.
u/trifith [+1] Man plans, god laughs. Like the ant and the grasshopper. (6 hours later)
I'm not sure how he could be. Lead seems to actually block his vision, and the security around the planning and execution of the plots against him seems secure to me.
The author stated prior to chapter 1 release the Superman is of average human intelligence. I don't see enough evidence available to Superman for an average human intelligence to reach a conclusion that the plot exists.
u/None [+6] (6 hours later)
Someone stole his spaceship, so he knows that there's at least someone out there who knows his secret identity and is plotting against him. He might not know who, but if I had to guess, I'd say half the reason he's taking a break is to figure out who it is. Plus Floyd Lawton is sitting in a cell somewhere up north, and he certainly didn't come from nowhere.
u/Coadie [+1] (7 hours later)
I'm going to reread now, and I'll edit this post, but how do we know he can't see through lead? We've seen now that he's potentially operating at a higher level than we previously anticipated. Would it make sense for him to pretend not to be able to see through lead? Would /u/alexanderwales change canon to that extent?
u/EndlessStrategy [+2] (8 hours later)
Why would the ship be lined with lead if it didn't have some special quality in regards to kryptonians?
u/zedMinusMinus [+1] (12 hours later)
Lead blocks kryptonite radiation. Lex established that with a Geiger counter.
Lex described Superman's explanation of x-ray vision as sounding like it was thought up by someone who didn't know how x-rays work. Lex also said that if Superman could see through several feet of concrete, he should be able to see through an inch of lead. Thus it's plausible that Superman pretends his x-ray vision works like how he imagines real x-rays to work.
u/EndlessStrategy [+3] (22 hours later)
Well sure, but it seems likely that if lead can stop something from affecting superman, it also stops superman from using his vision on it.
u/philip1201 [+2] (14 hours later)
If lead blocked Superman's vision in the same way it blocked x-rays, Superman wouldn't have been able to see through a solid foot of steel or three feet of concrete.
That is quite different from what you're saying.
Furthermore, the Smallville operation was assumed to be secret because of lead in the earth's crust, and the death of Martha Kent is strong evidence that he indeed didn't know. It would be pretty contrived (narratively unlikely, rather than physically unlikely) if he couldn't see through the crust for a completely unrelated and unmentioned reason.
u/trifith [+2] Man plans, god laughs. Like the ant and the grasshopper. (6 hours later)
I appreciate the spoiler tags, as I often hit this page before I get the update in the ff.net app on my phone. It's certainly not a huge deal, as I know better than to go looking at comments before I read.
u/VorpalAuroch [+3] Life before Death (9 hours later)
I assumed that the part about the arctic was a lie. Yeah, he's coming clean about some things, but habitual deception on the scale he practiced doesn't break easily.
u/Kodix [+6] (3 hours later)
As a side note I'm not sure it's necessary to use spoiler tags to discuss a chapter in that chapter's comment section, but eh.
u/philip1201 [+6] (a day later)
He just plain doesn't know better.
How about he bloody listened? The early chapters note the existence of many different people and organisations with ideas to do much greater good in the same amount of time as what he is getting. Psychologists exist, so if he fears going insane he can get help rather than trying to self-medicate by having a job on the side as a reporter.
The man has super-hearing, and has an institute of brilliant scientific and philosophical minds created specifically to intelligently deal with the predicament of his existence. This isn't some understandable farmboy level ignorance, this is arrogant, deliberate, and insistent.
u/Iconochasm [+3] (2 days later)
Keep in mind, this is "world's best psychologists" based on 1930's standards. I am not an expert, but I believe by current standards, their expertise would be considered utter quackery.
u/alexanderwales [+3] Time flies like an arrow (2 days later)
Ah yes, the era of the lobotomy.
u/Kodix [+0] (a day later)
I agree, he could crowd source and I doubt it would be a problem to have sessions with the world's best psychologist. However, I think you're far too fast to ascribe willfull reasons for him doing that. Ignorance before malice, y'know? I would like to see how he responds to those ideas if, say, Lois brings them up, but she seems uninterested. I guess she's as malicious as him?
u/philip1201 [+1] (2 days later)
How can he not know? He's Superman. There is an institute in his name dedicated to trying to make the most of this opportunity and it seems very unlikely that a Daily Planet reporter would somehow miss it, let alone one with super hearing that he's capable of intelligently filtering.
u/Kodix [+2] (2 days later)
I meant ignorance more among the lines of not being convinced than not being aware. I agree he should be more efficient so I cannot say he's right in his position, but I do think it's entirely understandable that he's reluctant, in many ways. The ideas suggested tend to be about money and economical good while Superman is all about saving the individual people. It reminds me very much of the identifiable victim effect - he does not intuitively feel the sheer amount of good he could do by being more efficient compared to saving people individually.
Well, perhaps. We do not get to see his actual reasoning besides him wanting to remain impartial. But I absolutely do not think that most people with his personality parameters (non-violent, resents money, wants to do the most good possible, etc) and background would choose very differently, not immediately.
u/philip1201 [+1] (2 days later)
I meant "this isn't some understandable farmboy level ignorance" more along the lines of not being morally responsible due to unintentional ignorance, with "understandable" more along the lines of 'morally excusable'.
His ignorance is deliberately enforced with his arrogant dismissal of the opinions of people much smarter and much more experienced than him. I'm sure people can understand his reasoning, but that doesn't excuse his actions.
u/Ulmaxes [+8] (16 hours later)
It seems odd to me that Lois hasn't made the conclusion that "Clark Kent" is Superman's way of staying connected to the human world. That is who he is first, then Superman. If he dedicates himself wholly to the latter, he's concerned he'll lose touch with his human side; ironically, fulfilling the exact fears Lois and Lex have about a Superman living amongst mortals.
I agree that Supes is wasting time working at the Daily Planet instead of stopping disasters; however, it's abundantly clear that he has the same mental stress limits as other humans. If he is terrified of what he'll become if he totally gives into the Superman persona, that should be STRONG evidence in support of his actions, instead of a weapon to be used against him by Lex and Lois.
As smart as they both are, they are making the critical mistake of assuming they can figure everything out without actually talking to him about it. Granted, he hasn't been open about his true heritage with anyone til now, which is why I've let it slide thus far.
Lex was on the right track with the concern about a human connection/empathy; however, tricking and lying to him (on both Lex and Lois' part) is a weak battle-plan compared to just talking to the man and working out with him what he needs to do to stay Superman and sane.
u/eaglejarl [+4] (20 hours later)
The problem is that talking to him is a high risk / unknown reward strategy. If you talk to him about something important and he doesn't like what you say he could lash out. If he doesn't like what you say and it's the last straw, then he snaps and you've created what you were trying to avert.
On the other hand, talking to him might help ground him...but what if it isn't enough, and he goes bad anyway? Then he knows who you are and might well target you first.
u/Nepene [+4] (a day later)
Superman has made it very clear repeatedly that he has extremely strong morals, and is very adverse to lashing out. It took a guy repeatedly aggravating him, confessing his crimes, sending people to rape children and lots of other things to get him to kill. It took killing his mother.
Lois likely could say a lot of things without him lashing out given his personality. He clearly isn't going to lash out at relatively minor things like "Maybe you should give criminals jobs, not just beat them up."
u/eaglejarl [+3] (a day later)
Would you bet your life on it, when him losing control is the very thing that you're afraid of? I agree that it isn't likely. I simply understand why Lois and Lex might not be eager to do that.
u/Nepene [+5] (a day later)
This sort of logic is very holey.
Would I bet my life on it? Yes. Why? Because their whole thing is that they are already betting their lives and are willing to do so. They are trying to poison him, attack him, kill him, be aggressive to him. They are clearly willing to risk their lives.
Based on their models of human emotions and his behavior talking to him is likely to have a much higher reward/ risk ratio than trying to kill him, or murdering his mother. Any course of action could lead to risk/ benefit, but they should base their actions on what is likely to happen. They shouldn't purposely only pursue what they know is a high risk/ medium reward strategy when there is an alternative low risk/ high reward strategy that carries little additional risk.
They should also be considering other scenarios. What if other super beings come? What if the Superman thing is an elaborate test by some godlike entity? What if the USA is invaded? Those scenarios should carry some weight, Superman could reduce the risk of a mass extinction.
u/Ulmaxes [+5] (a day later)
Up until this Chapter, I was definitely willing to respect Lex/Lois' tactics- Supes was an unknown on the most important of factors, mentality. Sure he acted nice in the interviews and played a good Smallville, but those could be ploys. Now that they've had an honest conversation about who he is, Lois has the responsibility of re-evaluating the risks as she sees them.
Her old info: unknown mindset, clearly lying about who he is, extinction-level powerhouse. High-risk to talk to directly.
Her new info: known mindset (lonely Smallville kid with superpowers but potentially limited rationality skills), lying to protect his own sanity, still extinction-level powerhouse. Low-risk to talk to directly.
I know which one of those I'd bet my life on, if I knew I was one of the few people who could make a difference.
u/Nepene [+2] (a day later)
I agree, it's very clear what sort of personality he has and how she should react to him if she wants to minimize the extinction risk which is- say her feelings, speak freely directly to him. He very explicitly told her how to make him happy.
u/sullyj3 [+1] (a day later)
The issue now is that Lois and Lee, through deception, have created a rift, a breakdown in communication between themselves, which could have dire consequences.
u/eaglejarl [+2] (a day later)
This sort of logic is very holey.
Your opinion is noted.
The sensible thing to do, actually, would be to pursue both options in parallel. Although different people should be on each side of the program -- you don't want Superman to notice that his friend and consigliere is also looking for ways to kill him.
u/Nepene [+2] (a day later)
I think pursuing them in sequence might be safer. If the low risk, low danger options of talking are successful they vastly reduce the risk.
After all, even in his death throes Superman could still be deadly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_radiation_syndrome#Signs_and_symptoms
If the kryptonite radiation hits him you could have one day of an insane god with super diarrhea, a massive headache, superpowered spasms, superpowered vomiting, given knowledge of pre-existing radiation symptoms. Any other (safe) option would be preferable.
Plus if he believes his friend is conspiring with the person trying to kill him his danger increases. Ideally, you'd want to use subtle methods to encourage those around him to talk to him and be friendly, and do nothing that looked like an order, or which could conceivably be seen as a lie if the person had to talk about their contact.
u/autowikibot [+1] (a day later)
#####
######
#### Section 1. Signs and symptoms of article Acute radiation syndrome:
Classically acute radiation syndrome is divided into three main presentations: hematopoietic, gastrointestinal and neurological/vascular. These symptoms may or may not be preceded by a prodrome. The speed of onset of symptoms is related to radiation exposure, with greater doses resulting in a shorter delay in symptom onset. These presentations presume whole-body exposure and many of them are markers which are not valid if the entire body has not been exposed. Each syndrome requires that the tissue showing the syndrome itself be exposed. The hematopoietic syndrome requires exposure of the areas of bone marrow actively forming blood elements (i.e., the pelvis and sternum in adults). The neurovascular symptoms require exposure of the brain. The gastrointestinal syndrome is not seen if the stomach and intestines are not exposed to radiation.
^Interesting: ^Radiation-induced ^cancer ^| ^Chernobyl ^disaster ^| ^Ionizing ^radiation ^| ^Chronic ^radiation ^syndrome
^Parent ^commenter ^can [^toggle ^NSFW](http://www.np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=autowikibot&subject=AutoWikibot NSFW toggle&message=%2Btoggle-nsfw+cj4l443) ^or [^delete](http://www.np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=autowikibot&subject=AutoWikibot Deletion&message=%2Bdelete+cj4l443)^. ^Will ^also ^delete ^on ^comment ^score ^of ^-1 ^or ^less. ^| ^(FAQs) ^| ^Mods ^| ^Magic ^Words
u/eaglejarl [+1] (a day later)
That isn't how kryptonite works on Superman. It's not real radiation, it's a magical black-box "it does this" thing. Same as his "X-ray vision" which has nothing whatsoever to do with X-rays.
u/Nepene [+2] (a day later)
They don't really know how it works on Superman so they should make some predictions based on existing radiation.
If they knew how it worked they'd know that sometimes trying to recreate kryptonite creates kryptonite which has wildly varying effects, including in the movies, splitting him into a good and an evil version.
u/Gold_Leaf_Initiative [+1] (3 months later)
deleted ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^0.1481 ^^^What ^^^is ^^^this?
u/Nepene [+1] (3 months later)
They don't really know much. They're guessing based on limited testing and science. They have performed a small number of tests. They don't know other tests wouldn't reveal different things. Radiation for example often takes months or years to affect organisms.
u/Iconochasm [+1] (2 days later)
He's been clear about his Biblical morals. Frankly, I'd be terrified that hearing ALL of the evil in the world might make him go all Old Testament.
u/Nepene [+1] (2 days later)
He has biblical morals, but he's also said he prefers to avoid controversy where he can.
As such people should work very hard to make it easy for him to follow his morals.
u/dcb720 [+1] (4 days later)
Many christians don't believe the OT laws are in any way binding today.
u/Iconochasm [+1] (4 days later)
I actually knew that, but I was thinking more in terms of attitude than laws. Start smiting "sinners" instead of trying to rehabilitate them. They'll just get off on a technicality anyway...
u/dcb720 [+1] (4 days later)
Well, the NT says be harmless as doves, and Romans 12-13 indicates christians should not be part of the government nor take vengeance.
But it's hard to find a Bible-believer that believes those parts.
u/Gold_Leaf_Initiative [+1] (3 months later)
deleted ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^0.9640 ^^^What ^^^is ^^^this?
u/Iconochasm [+1] (3 months later)
Yes, he says that while shown in the story. In another 40 years of hearing every rape, murder or abused child on the planet?
u/Gold_Leaf_Initiative [+1] (3 months later)
deleted ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^0.6383 ^^^What ^^^is ^^^this?
u/Zephyr1011 [+4] Potentially Unfriendly Aspiring Divinity (9 hours later)
Superman's comment about moving the spaceship seems odd. If he isn't lying, he presumably put a decoy spaceship in, but I can't see for what motive. Why would a decoy spaceship be better than none at all? Especially since it contains kryptonite. Perhaps he just couldn't move the kryptonite? Or it could be a fake? But if it were a fake then Lex has no ability to harm him next chapter, which would be an extremely disappointing finale.
Him lying doesn't seem to make much sense either. He clearly acknowledges the need to move it, so why wouldn't he have? It is surely within his ability, even with the kryptonite inside it. And for what purpose did he lie?
This line will hopefully make sense next chapter, because I am currently at a loss
u/omgimpwned [+7] Sunshine Regiment (9 hours later)
My thought was that for some reason he didn't want to admit to Lois that the spaceship had been stolen by someone, so instead he just told her that he'd moved it a long time ago. And of course he now acknowledges the need to move it, because of hindsight; it was just stolen!
u/Zephyr1011 [+1] Potentially Unfriendly Aspiring Divinity (10 hours later)
Good point, that does seem a more plausible hypothesis than any of mine. Although I would've thought that superman might've trusted her with the information, given how much else he told her. He did leave out Floyd though, so perhaps
u/TimTravel [+1] (a day later)
Awesome!
When I'm reading these types of situations like the first bit I always find myself struggling to keep a straight face in case one of the characters knows that I know the thing. Does anyone else do that?
Is PU-356 a Looney Toons reference?
"sign from god" -> "sign from God"
u/trifith [+2] Man plans, god laughs. Like the ant and the grasshopper. (a day later)
PU-356
I can't fine a Loony Toons reference to PU-356, but I presume you're thinking of the Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator
u/TimTravel [+1] (a day later)
There are a few variations: the uranium pu-36 explosive space modulator and the illudium q-36 explosive space modulator among them.
u/sullyj3 [+1] (a day later)
That was very nice. The deception on both sides was getting to be discomforting. I think Lois' turnaround in attitude was a little quick to be believable though. Part of that is that really, her hatred of the guy was a bit too intense to be believable beforehand. That's just my experience though.