As Supergirl prepares to take her final bow tonight (November 9), we thought we would take this opportunity to look back at some other super finales from years past. Here is a look at how five shows starring Kara’s “more famous cousin” (as Barry Allen once called him) each wrapped up their run.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As there were many shows starring Super-people, this list is curated to big highlights and milestones, narrowed down to a Top 5. So, trust – nothing is “forgotten;” just only so much space!

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THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

SERIES SUMMARY: The live-action heroics of Superman hit the small screen for the first time as George Reeves brought the character to life in black and white, alongside Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, and John Hamilton as Perry White. Starting with the second season, Noel Neill took over the role of Lois Lane. (She had previously played Lois alongside Kirk Alyn’s Superman in the serials of the late 1940s.) Later seasons were broadcast in color. Lex Luthor and the rest of Superman’s comic book rogues gallery were notably absent from this series, instead mostly pitting the Man of Steel against gangsters and mad scientists.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1952 – 1958

SERIES FINALE: “All That Glitters,” April 28th, 1958

HOW IT ENDED: Professor Pepperwinkle has invented a machine that creates gold, making him a target for some crooks who want to steal his device. While investigating the professor’s invention, Lois and Jimmy are exposed to “Positive Kryptonite,” which gives them the same powers as Superman! This actually turns out to be a dream that Jimmy is having after getting hit on the head. Superman shows up in the last few minutes to defeat the crooks, and the professor agrees never to use his invention again. (It turns out it requires platinum to operate, which meant he was losing money in creating the gold.)

SATISFYING ENDING?: Not at all. This is a fun episode, but it’s pretty obvious this was not intended to be a series finale. Superman only appears in about three minutes of it, and the fact that most of it is just Jimmy’s dream is a bit odd. Still, it’s amusing to see Lois and Jimmy flying around like Superman usually would!

FUN FACT: This episode was directed by George Reeves, which may explain why he doesn’t have much screen time in the episode.

WHERE TO WATCH: All six seasons of “The Adventures of Superman” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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SUPERBOY

SERIES SUMMARY: The adventures of Superman when he was a boy! “Superboy” got off to a rocky start with John Haymes Newton in the title role, a low budget, and some lackluster storylines in season one. Season two introduced a new leading man; Gerard Christopher took over the role of Clark Kent/Superboy. The later seasons of the show were particularly strong and featured scripts by comic book writers like Denny O’Neil, J.M. DeMatteis, Cary Bates, Mike Carlin, and Mark Evanier. Stacy Haiduk played Lana Lang for all four seasons of the show. The series also featured pretty faithful renditions of Superman villains like Metallo, Bizarro, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in live action for the first time.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1988 – 1992

SERIES FINALE: “Rites of Passage,” part 1 and 2, May 10th and May 17th, 1992

HOW IT ENDED: A message from Superboy’s spaceship is activated, letting him know he is ready for the next stage of his development. However, a crystal that was supposed to come with the ship is missing, and as a defensive measure Clark is stripped of his powers. Now, powerless, he must try to find the crystal and get his powers back – but he’s not the only one looking for it. Lana Lang, Matt Ritter, and C. Dennis Jackson from the Bureau of Extra-Normal Matters are all in Smallville looking for it as well, and Lana is closer than ever to figuring out that Clark and Superboy are one and the same. In the end, Clark finds the crystal first and restores his powers just in time to cast some doubt on his secret identity once more.

SATISFYING ENDING?: It’s not bad. The show stops just short of saying that Superboy has now become Superman with this “next stage of development.” It seems to be what they are implying, but it would have been better if they’d come right out and said that. Also, Lana comes very close to figuring out the secret only to have it be pulled out from under her once again. For the series finale, it would have been more satisfying if she finally got to learn the truth.

FUN FACT: The original plan was for the series to end with “Obituary for a Superhero,” killing off Superboy to be revived later in a spin-off movie. When it became clear that a movie would not be in the cards, “Obituary for a Superhero” was given a different ending with Superboy surviving and this new finale was written instead.

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Superboy” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.

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LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

SERIES SUMMARY: This show put the investigative reporting and will-they-or-won’t-they romantic escapades of the titular duo at the forefront, with superheroics generally taking a back seat. Dean Cain’s portrayal reflected the comic books of the time, taking a “Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am” approach to the character. Teri Hatcher was a feisty and independent 90s woman as Lois Lane. The “love triangle with two people” concept lasted for a couple of seasons before finally letting Lois in on the secret in season three. Lois and Clark tied the knot in season four, in an event timed to coincide with their wedding in the comics.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1993 – 1997

SERIES FINALE: “The Family Hour,” June 14th, 1997

HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark are disappointed by the news that they are not able to have children. They ask Lois’s father, Dr. Sam Lane, for help – which involves them revealing to him that Clark is Superman. Unfortunately, a telekinetic villain known as Fat Head (Harry Anderson) has learned Superman’s secret identity as well, and he kidnaps Jonathan and Martha Kent and Sam and Ellen Lane to ensure that Superman won’t stop him from stealing millions of dollars in gold. Ultimately Fat Head is tricked into using a device which removes his powers and his knowledge of Superman’s identity, and also somehow Sam Lane’s knowledge of Superman’s identity as well. A cliffhanger ending has Lois and Clark finding a baby on their doorstep wrapped in a Superman blanket, with a note saying that the child belongs to them.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Not even close. Fat Head is one of the weirdest villains of the series (no offense to the late Harry Anderson, who seems to enjoy chewing the scenery here), and the plot just doesn’t live up to the drama of previous season finales, let alone a series finale. Having Lois’s dad learn Clark’s secret and then unlearn it in the span of an episode is a strange choice as well. This was obviously not intended to be the last episode of the series, as is evidenced by the cliffhanger with the baby, but even if you take that into consideration this is still one of the weaker entries in the entire series.

FUN FACT: Series writer and executive producer Brad Buckner revealed some details to KryptonSite about what the plans were for that baby… you can read about it here! https://www.kryptonsite.com/loisclark/buckner2003.htm

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Lois & Clark” are included on HBO Max, in high-definition for the first time! The show is also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu – although those versions are all standard definition at this time.

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SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

SERIES SUMMARY: The creative team behind “Batman: The Animated Series” turned their attention to the Man of Steel in this series, which took a lot of visual inspiration from the Fleischer Brothers cartoons of the 1940s. Superman was voiced by Tim Daly, and Lois Lane by Dana Delany.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1996 – 2000

SERIES FINALE: “Legacy” part 1 and 2, February 5th and 12th, 2000

HOW IT ENDED: An epic two-part finale sees a subplot that had been simmering throughout the series pay off in a big way, as Darkseid (voice of Michael Ironside) takes control of Superman and forces him to lead an invasion of Earth. When Superman finally breaks free from the mind control he heads to Apokolips to settle the score with Darkseid, knowing he will have to unseat the despot once and for all. Upon returning to Earth after a brutal final battle, Superman finds that the world no longer trusts him – in fact, most people are now afraid of him.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Darkly satisfying, but, yes – which is especially ironic considering the writers originally intended for this storyline to kick off a new season, not end the series. Superman gradually regaining the public trust would have been a storyline explored as the show went on. Instead, the final moments of the series have Lois and Superman share their first kiss, as Lois assures Superman that he will win everyone’s trust back “one person at a time.” We would see this version of Superman again in the “Justice League” animated series (voiced by George Newbern going forward), but at the time, as far as we knew, this was it.

FUN FACT: The climactic fight between Superman and Darkseid was storyboarded by Bruce Timm.

WHERE TO WATCH: “Superman: The Animated Series” is included on HBO Max, and was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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SMALLVILLE

SERIES SUMMARY: The series that started out as young Clark Kent by way of “Dawson’s Creek” would go on to give fans ten years of stories of a pre-Superman coming into his own, with a no-tights, no-flights policy strictly enforced for the majority of its run. Tom Welling played Clark, alongside Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang, and John Schneider and Annette O’Toole as Jonathan and Martha Kent. Erica Durance joined the series in its fourth season as the incomparable Lois Lane.

WHEN IT AIRED: 2001 – 2011

SERIES FINALE: “Finale” part 1 and 2, May 13th, 2011

HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark’s wedding day is approaching, but so is the planet Apokolips. Darkseid (who is more of a disembodied evil force here rather than a physical presence) has unleashed doom and gloom on the world, and on top of that Lex Luthor has just been resurrected. Clark finally accepts his destiny and dons the red-and-blue suit for the first time to go save the day – although not before his father reminds him to “always hold on to Smallville.” Superman flies up, up, and away… and physically pushes the entire planet Apokolips away from Earth, to much rejoicing.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Some might disagree, but overall yes. Fan favorite Michael Rosenbaum came back to play Lex Luthor one more time, there are some great Clark and Lois moments as they get ready for their wedding, and there are lots of flashbacks as Clark embraces his powers. Some fans felt a bit cheated though by the fact that we don’t REALLY see Tom Welling in the famous super suit… all the Superman shots are done via CGI. Still, the “flash forward” in the last few minutes of the finale that shows us Lois, Clark, and the rest of the crew at the Daily Planet seven years later is hard not to geek out over, even after multiple viewings. The final shot of the series is the famous shirt-rip and “S” reveal, which seems only appropriate.

FUN FACT: Michael Rosenbaum filmed his scenes for the finale in a single day.

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten seasons of “Smallville” are included on Hulu, and the show was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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The series finale of “Supergirl” will air on the CW on November 9th as a special two-hour event (see pictures here!). Fans are, of course, speculating about how the series will end. Will Kara fly off into the sunset to live happily ever after? Will she travel to the future to be with Mon-El and the Legion? Will she finally admit her true feelings for Lena? Could she possibly be de-powered, or even killed off? Given the interconnected nature of the Arrowverse shows, many fans hope that things will be left open-ended enough that we might see Supergirl again someday, perhaps on “Superman & Lois” or “The Flash,” if Melissa Benoist can be persuaded to don the tights and cape once more.

Back in the second season of “Supergirl,” in the episode “The Last Children of Krypton,” Kara says a Kryptonian phrase to her cousin Kal-El (Tyler Hoechlin) as the two say goodbye to each other. Winn asks what it means.

“There’s not really a word for it in your language,” Superman says. “I guess the closest thing would be… ‘to be continued’.”

A fitting reminder to fans as another super show leaves the airwaves. It’s not really goodbye, when these characters always remain ready to save the day in whatever incarnation comes next. After all, the fight for truth and justice is, as it always has been, a never-ending battle.

Superman has faced many enemies throughout the years. Some have challenged him on a physical level, some on a mental level. There is one foe, however, who has challenged his patience more than anything else. The mischievous imp from the 5th Dimension known as Mr. Mxyzptlk has annoyed, confounded and confused the Man of Steel for decades, usually in the name of a good laugh. This magical prankster can appear on Earth once every 90 days, playing jokes and causing trouble on an epic scale until Superman can outsmart him (which usually involves tricking him into saying his name backwards) and send him back to his own dimension. Sound crazy? That’s exactly the point.

Mxy first appeared in Superman #30 in 1944, in a tale written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. Initially spelled “Mxyztplk” (note the “t” and “p” are reversed), this first story had the imp bringing a nude statue to life, causing the mayor to bray like a donkey, and setting circus animals loose in the streets. The issue ended with a note asking fans to write in if they wanted to see more of Mr. Mxyztplk.

The “Adventures of Superman” TV series in the 1950s didn’t involve many supervillains from the Man of Steel’s rogues gallery, opting instead to put George Reeves’ Superman up against gangsters and mad scientists. It’s no surprise then that they didn’t include Mr. Mxyzptlk. The closest they came was a diminutive alien with otherworldly powers called Mr. Zero who appeared in the show’s fifth season. Could the show’s creators have been drawing some inspiration from Mxy with this character? It’s certainly possible. Mr. Zero was played by Billy Curtis, who had also played one of the Mole Men in “Superman and the Mole Men” a few years prior. Billy Curtis was also the man beneath the mask playing the lead role of Bark Bent / Superpup in “The Adventures of Superpup” pilot! (And if you don’t know what that is… don’t ask!)

The first animated adaptation of Mr. Mxyzptlk came in 1966, in “The New Adventures of Superman” episode titled “Imp-Practical Joker.” In this episode, Mr. Mxyzptlk takes over a carnival and has some fun with the Man of Steel. Since this was the first time the character was officially adapted into another medium, it has the notable distinction of being the first official attempt at pronouncing his name! It was pronounced here as something like “mix-yez-PITTLE-ik.” Mxyzptlk was voiced here by voice actor Gilbert Mack.

Mr. Mxyzptlk made several animated appearances throughout the various “Super Friends” series that spanned from 1977 – 1986, in such episodes as “Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp,” “Mxyzptlk Strikes Again,” and “Uncle Mxyzptlk” (which featured Red Kryptonite turning Superman into a little kid!). Voice actor Frank Welker provided the voice of Mxyzptlk, as well as several other characters in the series. The prolific Welker has voiced hundreds of cartoon characters throughout his amazing career, with roles ranging from Kermit on “Muppet Babies” and Abu the monkey in “Aladdin” to Dr. Claw on “Inspector Gadget” and Megatron on “Transformers.”

Did you know Mxyzptlk was almost in “Superman III”? In 1980, Ilya Salkind, one of the producers of the Christopher Reeve “Superman” films, wrote a treatment for the third installment of the franchise that was very different from what ultimately ended up on screen. Though some elements from this outline are present in the final film (i.e. Lana Lang, and the fact that Superman’s personality is altered to make him violent and destructive), Salkind’s version also included not only Mr. Mxyzptlk, but Brainiac and Supergirl as well! Superman and Supergirl would not have been cousins in this version; in fact, they fall in love! Though this version never got to the casting process (we were four years away from Helen Slater as Supergirl), Dudley Moore was reportedly the top choice for Mr. Mxyzptlk. You can read the full treatment at http://meatfighter.com/superman3/part4/s3_original_idea.pdf if you are so inclined. It’s an interesting read, to be sure!

Mxy then popped up on the live-action “Superboy” TV series, which aired from 1988- 1992. In the first season episode “Meet Mr. Mxyzptlk,” Superboy removes a magic totem pole from the ground and accidentally opens a gateway to another dimension, releasing Mxyzptlk. The imp uses his magic to steal Lana Lang away from the Boy of Steel. Michael J. Pollard played Mxyzptlk, and his visual appearance was straight from the comics, right down to his purple bowler hat. Pollard reprised the role in season two, in the episode “Mr. and Mrs. Superboy.” Mr. Pollard passed away last year at the age of 80.

On “Lois & Clark,” Howie Mandel portrayed Mr. Mxyzptlk in the fourth season episode “Twas the Night Before Mxymas.” In this Christmas-themed tale, Mxy created a time loop that trapped Superman in the same day, but with hope and good cheer giving way to gloom and despair with each cycle. Mandel shares a few credits with his Mxyz predecessor Frank Welker, as Mandel also lent his voice to the “Muppet Babies,” playing Animal and Skeeter. He was also the voice of Bobby on “Bobby’s World,” while Welker provided the voice of Roger the Dog. Howie is probably best known to today’s audiences as a host of such shows as “America’s Got Talent” and “Deal or No Deal.”

Gilbert Gottfried was the next to give voice to Mr. Mxyzptlk, on “Superman The Animated Series” in 1997. The character first appeared in the episode “Mxyzpixilated,” which was based very heavily on the initial Jerry Siegel story from Superman #30. Mxy later returned and teamed with Bizarro in the episode “Little Big Head Man.” Other screen credits for Mr. Gottfried include Mr. Peabody in the “Problem Child” movies, and some episodes of “Crank Yankers.” His distinctive yell was also the voice of the Aflac duck for quite some time. And he also has a tie to Frank Welker… Gottfried voiced Iago the parrot in “Aladdin.” Gottfried has reprised the role of Mxyzptlk in episodes of “Justice League Action” as well as in a couple of video games.

In the fourth season of “Smallville,” Mxyzptlk appeared not as an imp from the 5th dimension but as a foreign exchange student with verbal mind control powers. Mikhail Mxyzptlk appeared in the episode titled “Jinx,” running a sports gambling racket. He would influence the outcome of games by causing the players to fumble or trip via his spoken suggestions. The episode ended with a de-powered Mikhail being taken to Lex Luthor’s mysterious Level 33.1. (He did not appear again, though the Level 33.1 subplot would pay off several seasons later.) Mikhail Mxyzptlk was played by Trent Ford, who later appeared on “The Class” and “The Vampire Diaries.”

In 2011, Mr. Mxyzptlk made a brief appearance on “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” in the episode titled “Battle of the Superheroes.” Batman and Superman confront Mxy as he is using his magic to cause mayhem in Metropolis, and Superman tricks him into saying his name backwards via a knock-knock joke. Mxyzptlk is voiced here by Kevin Michael Richardson. Richardson had previously voiced The Joker on the 2004 series “The Batman,” among many other voice roles.

In late 2013, reports began circulating that Ben Affleck (who had been just recently cast as Batman) wanted his friend Larry David to play Mr. Mxyzptlk in the live-action DC film universe. While it’s unlikely that the mischievous imp’s brand of humor would have fit in very well with the decidedly dark “Batman vs. Superman,” it’s hard to deny that Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Mxy would be, as he would say, “pretty, pretty, pretty good!”

We would next find Mr. Mxyzptlk popping into the dimension of CW’s “Supergirl,” appearing in the closing moments of the 2017 episode titled “Luthors” and professing his love for Kara Zor-El. This cameo led to a full appearance in the following episode, “Mr. and Mrs. Mxyzptlk.” (A callback to the “Superboy” episode title, perhaps?) Upon finding that Supergirl didn’t reciprocate his romantic feelings, Mxy began conjuring up chaos to both challenge and impress the Girl of Steel. This version of Mxy was played by Peter Gadiot, who previously played Cyrus on “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.”

Mxy made his return to “Supergirl” this season much the same way he did previously, with a quick cameo just before the credits rolled on last week’s “Back From The Future, Part Two.” With this week’s episode, the series’ landmark 100th, Mxy will provide Kara with a glimpse into some possible alternative versions of her own history if she had made some different choices along the way. Thomas Lennon, a comedic actor known for a reboot of “The Odd Couple,” “Reno 911!” and MTV’s “The State,” is portraying Mxy this time around. (Whether his change in appearance is attributed to his magical nature or some kind of fallout from Crisis is almost certain to be addressed at some point.)

The thing that fans seem to love about Mxyzptlk is the sense of fun that he adds to any story that he appears in. Because his powers are magical in nature and his personality is so wild and unpredictable, fans know that all bets are off and anything can happen. Superman’s other foes may be able to trade punches with him or plan elaborate schemes, but Mxy can literally turn his world upside down with a wave of his hand. That playful mischief and sense of wonder was what got fans to respond to the query at the end of Superman #30, and that’s the same thing that keeps them coming back for more today.

Mxyzptlk returns in Supergirl Episode 100 TONIGHT (Feb. 23, 2020) at 9PM ET/PT on The CW!

Bullets bounce off Superman’s skin. He can bend steel in his bare hands. He can move fast enough to break the sound barrier, defy the laws of gravity, and create fire with his eyes. He is one of the most powerful beings the world has ever known. Yet the one man who has proven to be his arch enemy for eight decades is a mere mortal. Though he can’t go toe-to-toe with Superman on a physical level, Lex Luthor provides a constant challenge with his cunning intellect, vast resources, and sheer strength of will. The untouchable man behind it all, Lex is the definitive nemesis for the Man of Steel.

The first appearance of Luthor (who was not yet given a first name) was in Action Comics #23 in 1940. Initially a typical “mad scientist” type character, he had a full head of red hair when he debuted. The more famous bald depiction of the character showed up the following year, in Superman #10. Over the years he would evolve from mad scientist, to a ruthless, corrupt businessman, and even the President of the United States.

The first actor to bring Lex to the screen was Lyle Talbot in the 1950 serial “Atom Man vs. Superman.” The “Atom Man” in the title actually refers to Luthor himself, who develops a machine that can disassemble and re-assemble people atom by atom. Lyle Talbot had actually played Police Commissioner Jim Gordon just one year earlier in a “Batman and Robin” serial. Talbot also shared the screen with another famous Superman actor; he costarred with George Reeves in the film “Thunder in the Pines” in 1948.

Superman had several animated outings from Filmation in the 1960s, including “The New Adventures of Superman” in 1966, “The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure” in 1967, and “The Batman/Superman Hour” in 1968. During this time, Jackson Beck served as Lex Luthor, as well as Perry White and the narrator. Beck was also the narrator of the 1940s “Adventures of Superman” radio series, and did the voice of Bluto in the Popeye cartoons of the 1950s.

The next Lex to appear on screen would also come in animated form, when he was a villain on the “SuperFriends” cartoons of the 1970s. Here, Lex was the leader of the Legion of Doom, a group made up of Bizarro, Scarecrow, Brainiac, Toyman, and assorted other DC rogues, whose sole purpose was the destruction of the Justice League. Voice actor Stan Jones, who did voices for the “Heathcliff” and “Transformers” cartoons, provided Lex’s voice throughout the series’ various incarnations.

Luthor hit the big screen in a big way when Gene Hackman made the role his own in “Superman: The Movie” in 1978. Here, Lex was the self-proclaimed “greatest criminal mind” of his time, and made his home in a vast underground lair. His grand scheme was to artificially inflate the price of worthless desert land by detonating a missile on the San Andreas fault and sinking the west coast. He surrounded himself with less-than-competent assistants in the form of Ned Beatty’s Otis and Valerie Perrine’s Miss Teschmacher, whose name he tended to shout angrily.

Much of “Superman II” was filmed simultaneously with the first “Superman,” under the direction of Richard Donner. Due to creative differences, Donner was not brought back on board to finish the second film after the first was completed, and he was replaced by Richard Lester. Gene Hackman did not return at this point, and all remaining Lex Luthor scenes were filmed with a look-alike and voice impersonator. All scenes in “Superman II” with Gene Hackman in them were filmed under Donner’s direction during the production of the first film. “Superman II: The Donner Cut” was released on DVD in 2006, and restored some previously unseen Hackman scenes.

Hackman did not appear in “Superman III,” but he did return once more for “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace” in 1987, working with future Lex Luthor Jon Cryer as his nephew, “Lenny.”

In 1988, a short-lived animated Superman series by Ruby Spears featured Michael Bell as Lex. Bell’s very long list of voice work includes the voices of Drew Pickles and Chas Finster on “Rugrats” and QuackerJack on “Darkwing Duck.”

Two different actors brought Lex to life during the run of the “Superboy” TV series. Scott Wells played the role in the series’ inaugural season, from 1988-89. Lex started out as more of a nuisance than a nemesis to Clark Kent. That changed when the first season ended with a lab accident that caused Lex to lose his hair, which he blamed the Boy of Steel for. Sherman Howard played Lex in seasons two through four from 1989 to 1992. The change in appearance was explained by Lex having plastic surgery so Superboy wouldn’t recognize him. The change was a positive one, as fans seem to prefer Howard’s take on the character over the Wells version. Many years later Howard did the voice of Blight on the animated “Batman Beyond.”

The next Lex to take the small screen would be John Shea on “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” in 1993. Here, Luthor was the richest man in Metropolis, and the city’s most powerful man until a certain superhero came on the scene. Lex was behind most of Superman’s woes during the first season, though everyone else, including Lois Lane, was blind to his evil deeds. By the end of the season, commuting from New York to L.A. was taking a toll on Shea and he chose not to return. Lex was killed off in the first season finale, committing suicide after being exposed as a criminal mastermind. However, Shea continued to make occasional guest appearances as a resurrected Lex Luthor throughout the remainder of the series. (He was only bald in the season two episode “The Phoenix” – in all other episodes this Lex sported a full head of hair.)

In 1997, another animated incarnation of the bald billionaire hit the airwaves, when the producers of “Batman The Animated Series” turned their attention to Superman. Clancy Brown voiced Lex in “Superman The Animated Series,” “The New Batman/Superman Adventures,” “Justice League,” and “Justice League Unlimited.” He also voiced the role in an episode of the series “The Batman.” You may have heard Mr. Brown’s voice more recently as Surtur in the movie “Thor: Ragnarok.” He is also the voice of Mr. Krabs on “Spongebob Squarepants.”

In October of 2001, “Smallville” premiered on the WB. Here, Clark and Lex met as young men in Smallville, Kansas when Clark saved Lex’s life. Lex, played by Michael Rosenbaum, hadn’t yet turned into the ruthless villain he would one day become, and he and Clark started out as best friends rather than arch enemies. Rosenbaum’s Lex became one of the highlights of the show, as fans found his descent to the dark side proved just as intriguing as Clark’s journey to the world of flights and tights. Rosenbaum was a series regular for the first seven seasons of the show. The character was so popular that the writers found ways to continue to make his presence felt even after Rosenbaum departed the role, usually in the form of shadowy stand-ins, flashbacks, or clones. Fans were delighted when Mr. Rosenbaum returned for the series finale at the end of the tenth season so Lex could give Clark one last inspirational speech about how our enemies define us.

Michael Rosenbaum wasn’t the only actor who played Lex on “Smallville.” Here are some others:
-Matthew Munn played a young Lex in the pilot episode and in the second season episode “Lineage.”
-In the third season episode “Memoria,” Wayne Dalglish played a young Lex in flashback scenes that revealed a tragedy in Lex’s past.
-Lucas Grabeel played a teenage Lex in the episode “Reunion” in season six, which filled in some of the backstory between Lex Luthor and Oliver Queen. In a clever bit of casting, Lucas returned for two episodes in season ten as Connor Kent, who was partially cloned from Lex’s DNA.
-In season seven, Connor Stanhope played young Alexander, a mental manifestation of Lex’s good side. He also returned in season eight to play young Lex in a flashback, and again in season ten as a younger version of the aforementioned Lex clone/Connor.
-In season eight, we saw a scarred Lex hooked up to life support machines that included a breathing mask over most of his face. Kevin Miller played Lex here, with Matt Adler providing his voice.
-Mackenzie Gray played an artificially aged clone of Lex in the season 10 premiere. Mr. Gray later appeared as Jax-Ur in the movie “Man of Steel.”

Superman’s story really went to the dogs in 2005, with the premiere of the animated “Krypto the Superdog.” Lex appeared in a couple episodes of this show about Superman’s canine companion. Lex was voiced by Brian Dobson, and, keeping with the pet theme, he had an iguana named Ignatius.

Lex’s rivalry with Superman flew back onto the big screen in the summer of 2006 with the movie “Superman Returns.” Delving into the continuity of the Christopher Reeve films, this movie gave us a Lex Luthor who had spent time in prison, but was ultimately released when Superman never appeared to testify at his trial. Kevin Spacey assumed the role of the bald mastermind, giving a performance that owed much to Gene Hackman, but took the character to much darker places than Hackman ever did.

Also in 2006, a direct-to-DVD animated feature, “Superman: Brainiac Attacks” was released to video store shelves. Although it was done in the same style as “Superman The Animated Series” and featured some of the same voice actors, fans were puzzled by its apparent disregard of continuity with the series. The film treated the story as the first meeting between Brainiac and Lex Luthor, despite a history between the two already having been firmly established in the previous series. The characterization of Lex depicted in this movie was also a departure, with a campy, goofy Lex Luthor eating popcorn and throwing a party when Superman gets trounced by Brainiac. Luthor was voiced in this installment by Powers Boothe, who had previously voiced Gorilla Grodd on “Justice League.”

In 2008, “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” featured Batman teaming up with a rotating cast of guest-heroes. As one might expect, lots of heroes meant lots of villains, and Lex Luthor was no exception. Kevin Michael Richardson lent his voice to Lex Luthor in his three appearances on this animated series.

“Young Justice” premiered in 2010, and focused on a younger generation of heroes emerging from the shadows of the Justice League. Although teen heroes like Nightwing, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Superboy took center stage, there were plenty of old rogues still in the picture, including Lex Luthor. Mark Rolston provided the voice of Lex here. Though the series initially only ran for two seasons, it was recently revived on The DC Universe streaming service. Mr. Rolston continues to provide Lex’s voice, along with several other voices on the show. He also voiced Lex in the “Injustice: Gods Among Us” video game.

In 2016, DC’s two biggest heroes shared the cinema marquee for the first time in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The clash of these two titans was manipulated by Lex Luthor, naturally – played in this incarnation by Jesse Eisenberg of “The Social Network” and “Now You See Me” fame. Surprisingly, director Zack Snyder originally had a different character in mind for Eisenberg; he initially came in to read for the part of Jimmy Olsen. (Jimmy has a small appearance near the beginning of the film, played by Michael Cassidy – although Jimmy isn’t referred to by name in the theatrical cut.) Snyder apparently thought that Eisenberg’s energy could bring a quick, nervous eccentricity to the role that was essentially Lex Luthor reimagined for the digital era. In the film, Lex is actually Lex Luthor Junior, and he is quick to point out that his father was the “Lex in front of the Corp.” Lex manages to deduce the Man of Steel’s identity, kidnap Ma Kent, pit the caped crusaders against each other, and even unleash Doomsday before finally being locked away.

Fans hoping to catch another glimpse of Eisenberg as Lex needed to stay through the credits of 2017’s “Justice League.” A tag scene at the end featured Eisenberg’s Lex and Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke teasing the formation of “a league of our own.”

Also in 2016, “Justice League Action” debuted on Cartoon Network. As the title suggests, the series was a more action-oriented show, with each 15 minute episode tending to get right into the thick of things. Lex Luthor was voiced here by actor James Woods.

There have been a slew of direct-to-DVD (and/or direct-to-digital) DC animated features over the past decade or so. As you would imagine, Lex appears in a decent amount of them. They include:
-“Superman: Doomsday” in 1997 – James Marsters voiced Lex in this adaptation of the famous Death of Superman storyline from the comics. Marsters has another super-connection, having played Brainiac on “Smallville.”
-“Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” in 2009 – Clancy Brown once again reprised the role of Lex in this adaptation of the Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness comic book storyline that involved Batman and Superman taking down President Luthor.
-“Crisis on Two Earths” in 2010 – Chris North voiced a heroic version of Lex who sought the Justice League’s help in defeating the evil Crime Syndicate.
-“All-Star Superman” in 2011 – Anthony LaPaglia voiced Lex Luthor in this adaptation of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s revered miniseries of the same name.
-“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” in 2012 – Steve Blum provided the voice of Lex Luthor in this adaptation of the pivotal comic storyline that rebooted the DC Universe and launched the “New 52” era of comics.
-“JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time” in 2014 – Fred Tatasciore voiced Lex in this tale of time travel.
-“Justice League: Throne of Atlantis” in 2015 – Steve Blum once again played Lex, in a brief appearance at the end of this Aquaman-centric film.
-“Justice League: Gods and Monsters” in 2015 – Jason Isaacs voiced Lex in this alternate universe tale about decidedly darker incarnations of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
-“Justice League vs. Teen Titans” in 2016 – Steve Blum once again voiced Lex, as well as Toymaster this time, in this adventure that pitted the two titular teams of heroes against each other.
-“The Death of Superman” in 2018 – Rainn Wilson of “The Office” fame brought an eccentric air to Lex’s voice in this second attempt to adapt the Death of Superman storyline.
-“Reign of the Supermen” in 2019 – Rainn Wilson reprised the role for the direct sequel to the previous installment, which saw four Supermen rising to take the place of the fallen son of Krypton.

Lex has been seen on the big screen once again recently in a surprising place. He can be seen briefly in “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” where he is voiced by Ike Barinholtz. Barinholtz has another DC connection as well – he played Officer Griggs in the 2016 film “Suicide Squad.” This isn’t the first appearance of a Lego Lex, as the character has shown up in several direct-to-DVD superhero-themed Lego movies as well, such as “Batman Be-Leaguered,” “Attack of the Legion of Doom,” and “Justice League vs Bizarro League.” In all of those installments he was voiced by prolific voice actor John DiMaggio.

Over the course of the four seasons of CW’s “Supergirl,” we’ve only seen Lex Luthor once; in the season two episode “Luthors,” we saw a flashback to the day that a young Lex met his little sister, Lena, for the first time. Aidan Fink played young Lex in this episode. Despite the fact that we haven’t seen Lex in the modern day just yet, there have been plenty of allusions to him. In a season two episode, Winn Schott referred to Lex setting off an earthquake in California, an apparent reference to the events of “Superman: The Movie.” We’ve even seen an important artifact from the comics that’s never been portrayed in live action before: Lex’s warsuit, which has appeared in the comics, video games, and even action figures since it debuted in the 1980s. (The suit appeared in storage in season two, and Lex’s mother Lillian even wore it for a bit in a season three episode.)

With the March 17, 2019 episode “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” “Supergirl” fans will finally get to see the show’s version of Lex Luthor in the modern day. Jon Cryer will play Lex, and this isn’t the actor’s first foray into playing a member of the Luthor family. Cryer played Lenny Luthor, Lex’s nephew, in “Superman IV” back in 1987. And, while Mr. Cryer is probably best known for his comedic roles like Alan Harper on “Two and a Half Men,” some clips from the upcoming episode certainly suggest that his Lex will be more menacing than campy.

(In 2018, before Lex was announced as appearing on “Supergirl,” a DC Universe “Metropolis” series based around Lois Lane and Lex Luthor was proposed but it never happened.)

Clearly, Lex has evolved considerably from his initial design as the stereotypical mad scientist. He has proven that he can hold his own against one of the most powerful men in the universe, despite having no actual powers of his own. His ability to exist above the law often makes things very difficult for Superman, and while Lex can’t beat Supes physically, he more than makes up for it with his intelligence and cunning. Though Hackman’s Luthor may have been the only one to spell it out, Lex certainly is one of the greatest criminal minds of his or any other time. Superman has thrown punches with the best of them, but in the end, it’s Lex’s brains that make him a match for the Man of Steel’s brawn, and continue to make him such an intriguing character that fans sometimes can’t help but root for the bad guy.

Read some of Russ Dimino’s other “Many Faces” columns here.