Why Does Brainiac Help Clark?

[The Krypton Knight]

I don't really understand what BrainIAC had to gain by stopping Clark from killing Lana. I understand he said that Clark would be a "broken man" if he did so, but wasn't he just setting Clark up to be the vessel for Zod? In which case, all he would care about is his physical body, his mental state would be irrelevant wouldn't it?

[SuperFan85]

He was trying to gain Clark's trust.

[The Krypton Knight]

I suppose. He could have just cured him later though, and achieved the same thing. I would think that an emotionally battered and broken Clark would be easier to manipulate.

[Imzadia]

I suppose. He could have just cured him later though, and achieved the same thing. I would think that an emotionally battered and broken Clark would be easier to manipulate.

Whoa! It sounds like you really have a handle on what it would take to be Truly EVIL. That sounds too extreme for Clark's character, IMO. However, what you propose should've been done to Clark by BrainIAC, is similar to what 'The Dark Lord Sidious' did to 'Anakin Skywalker' in his manipulative plan to seduce him into becoming his Apprentice while facilitating his transformation into 'Darth Vader' in Star Wars: II & III.

In the 5th season episode, "Splinter", Clark had only known Milton Fine/BrainIAC as his college history professor. He needed to win Clark's trust first by deceiving him into believing Fine was also Kryptonian just as 'SuperFan85' suggested. IMO, it made the 'reveal' slower and scarier when he had almost been duped into freeing Zod from the Phantom Zone, but Chloe 'saved the day' with her insider knowledge after saving Clark from the Kryptonite attack he'd succumbed to by the hands of BrainIAC in the FoS in the very next episode, "Solitude". It was like a two-part story revealing BrainIAC and his 'true' mission almost. That was some of the best storytelling of season 5, IMHO.

[Hopefulsuicide]

the whole thing was set up by brainiac in order to make Clark think that Milton Fine was like his saviour... he wouldn't be much of a saviour if he hadn't gotten there until Lana was dead... he sent her the silver k, and was watching him closely for the perfect time to jump in and save the day

he then tried to do the same thing in Solitude by trying to 'save' Martha

[The Krypton Knight]

Whoa! It sounds like you really have a handle on what it would take to be Truly EVIL. That sounds too extreme for Clark's character, IMO. However, what you propose should've been done to Clark by BrainIAC, is similar to what 'The Dark Lord Sidious' did to 'Anakin Skywalker' in his manipulative plan to seduce him into becoming his Apprentice while facilitating his transformation into 'Darth Vader' in Star Wars: II & III.

In the 5th season episode, "Splinter", Clark had only known Milton Fine/BrainIAC as his college history professor. He needed to win Clark's trust first by deceiving him into believing Fine was also Kryptonian just as 'SuperFan85' suggested. IMO, it made the 'reveal' slower and scarier when he had almost been duped into freeing Zod from the Phantom Zone, but Chloe 'saved the day' with her insider knowledge after saving Clark from the Kryptonite attack he'd succumbed to by the hands of BrainIAC in the FoS in the very next episode, "Solitude". It was like a two-part story revealing BrainIAC and his 'true' mission almost. That was some of the best storytelling of season 5, IMHO.

Thanks, I'm a regular Lex Luthor! And I did have that Star Wars reference in mind when I said it! I just watched Revenge Of The Sith again the other day, great minds think alike!

the whole thing was set up by brainiac in order to make Clark think that Milton Fine was like his saviour... he wouldn't be much of a saviour if he hadn't gotten there until Lana was dead... he sent her the silver k, and was watching him closely for the perfect time to jump in and save the day

he then tried to do the same thing in Solitude by trying to 'save' Martha

That's the thing that gets me actually. I would think it would be easier to get Clark to throw away all his Kryptonian ancestry if he was worried about losing someone else, as he had already had Lana die. He would vow never to let that happen again, and thus would sacrifice anything and everything to save Martha in "Solitude".

Or maybe I just wish Lana died back in S5, and saved us all the grief!

[Firebunny]

Or maybe I just wish Lana died back in S5, and saved us all the grief!

She did die in Season 5, on four seperate occasions, Thirst, Lexmas, Reckoning and Void. She just wouldn't stay dead. If Clark had killed her in Splinter it wouldn't have made any difference.

Brainiac probably knew that and didn't want Clark to waste his energy on something that wouldn't stick.

[The Krypton Knight]

She did die in Season 5, on four seperate occasions, Thirst, Lexmas, Reckoning and Void. She just wouldn't stay dead. If Clark had killed her in Splinter it wouldn't have made any difference.

Brainiac probably knew that and didn't want Clark to waste his energy on something that wouldn't stick.

Your right, not even Superman could kill Lana Lang in SV!

Brainiac should have concentrated on destroying Al/Miles, lol.

[superhippie2000]

He was trying to gain Clark's trust.

ya trying to gain his trust