(MM5) Production Notes

Very minor spoiler for this week’s episode below.

I really love how Lois’s dislike of Superman colors her narrative whenever he’s around. The poor guy is just trying to be helpful, and the first thing she thinks is “yeah, no duh!” I think Alexander made a point of doing this, both because it’s good characterization (when you dislike someone, you tend to be very critical of anything they do), and because the typical reader will be coming into this story with very positive pro-Superman feelings. In order to show Lex’s side sympathetically, there needs to be a fair bit of push against that.

I also love the contrast in the very next scene, where Lex and Mercy mirror that Superman/Lois interaction. But in this one, Lex internally acknowledges that Mercy is extremely competent and probably doesn’t need the instructions at all, and admires that about her. We aren’t given Mercy’s thoughts, but based on their interactions (and the rest of the novel) I imagine that she’s far more understanding of Lex’s reminder and isn’t put out by it. Their entire relationship feels very mutually-admiring and respectful of agency (to me). #LexAndMercyRelationshipGoals

SFX: 1940’s Office, explosion, phone, radio click

Music:
Intro/Outro – Handlebars, by Flobots
Luthor Manor – Boccherini’s Minuetto