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After reading through many of these threads, I realize that my opinions on the Lana arc are in the minority, and that is OK. I do not expect to change anyone's opinion but am just giving an alternate viewpoint. I was not trying to imply that she is equal to Clark Kent / Superman, just that I did not see in her last arc that she decided to wear the suit out of some inferiority complex or to exact revenge on Lex. She obviously does not have as many powers as Clark, will not have the influence that he has and will likely not live as long. Having said that, I don't have problem with others on the show acting heroically or for the greater good. If Clark influences others to do good, I don't think it steals his thunder or makes him less unique or less heroic.
As I have said before in other threads, I would not have gone the route of giving Lana powers if I was one of the writers, but given that they did, I don't think that her using the technology to help people means that she is trying to be Clark's equal or that she has an inferiority complex. Given all that Lana has been through in the last few seasons, I am sure that she is tired of being victimized, possessed, kidnapped, etc. Having the suit would really help in that regard, and while it is possible that this could have influenced her decision, I don't think that was her main reason for trying to use the technology. She and others repeatedly stated her intent and desire to keep the technology out of the hands of a madman and to use the suit to do good in this world. It's true that she could have destroyed the suit, but maybe she didn't want technology that could be used to help so many people to be destroyed, and she was willing to take the risk to do that. I don't think she did this for Clark. She did it because it is how she wanted to help the world. This doesn't make her a saint or more or less noble than anyone else. It was simply her decision on what to do with her life. I do wish that the writers would have done a better job during the Lana arc to make her motivations and intentions clear.
Throughout the show, Lana has shown a desire to help others. With the suit she would be able to help people on a larger scale than she normally would be able to. Given what she knows now about Lex, about the existence of aliens and about the terrible enemies facing Clark (Brainiac, Doomsday, etc.) maybe she also wanted to be more of a direct help to Clark by being able to watch his back so to speak. I don't think that this implies that she feels inferior without the suit. In some ways it is like those who join the military special forces or aspire to high political offices or serve as police officers and firefighters. They could do a great deal of good as average citizens, but they can also serve in a greater capacity by aspiring to these careers. Just because they seek these careers does not mean that they feel inferior as regular citizens or that they are trying to be equal to someone else serving in those fields. Depending on the type of career that they choose and the dangers they will face, they train and prepare and arm themselves as necessary. I think Lana had the opportunity to enhance her ability to do good and was willing to endure the pain and sacrifices that would be necessary. When she told Clark that they were "equals" I don't believe she meant that they were equal in every way, just that they were both invulnerable to pain and physical harm and could now share their lives in a more intimate way than would normally be possible.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's point of view as it enriches my own viewing of the show.
Apparently I got booted from the team! Whatev!
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