5 Times Lex Luthor Almost Got Away With It (And Should Have)

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Lex Luthor is a famous supervillain in the DC universe, and he’s been a major character in comics for decades. He’s incredibly intelligent, but his massive ego often gets in the way. Luthor has dedicated his life to destroying Superman, and he’s come close many times. However, whether it’s help from Superman’s allies, the needs of the story, or Luthor’s own unpredictable behavior, he always fails to deliver the final blow.

Let’s examine five instances in the comics where Lex Luthor *should* have defeated Superman, and what ultimately stopped him. While it’s sometimes understandable why Superman prevails, in these cases, Luthor’s own spitefulness and inability to truly understand his rival were his downfall. Let’s dive in and take a look.

5) Action Comics #277 — “The Conquest of Superman”

With Superman away, the world unexpectedly turned to Lex Luthor for help when a plane carrying a hydrogen bomb was about to crash. Luthor successfully prevented the disaster, then decided to reward himself by robbing Fort Knox. During the heist, Superman arrived, but Luthor easily overcame him using Kryptonite. It was a perfect day for Luthor – he’d saved the world, pulled off a major robbery, and humiliated Superman. The best part? The Kryptonite he used wasn’t even genuine, meaning he’d not only defeated Superman, but also proven his superiority!

Lex’s happiness didn’t last long when he found out he’d been fighting a robotic copy of Superman, while the real hero was still in space. He’d defeated a fake, but acted as if it were the genuine article, and was so humiliated he returned the gold he’d stolen to try and make amends. Despite having almost limitless resources and successfully damaging the U.S. economy, Lex’s pride prevented him from admitting he couldn’t beat the *real* Superman.

4) Superman #164 — “The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman!”

Lex continued to undermine himself in this issue, determined to finally resolve his conflict with Superman. He challenged Superman to a one-on-one fight on Lexor, a planet orbiting a red sun. Despite the disadvantage, Superman still won the battle. However, on their way back, they discovered the planet’s inhabitants were suffering and needed assistance. With Superman’s powers weakened, Lex used his intelligence to rebuild their civilization. The grateful people of Lexor then hailed Lex as a hero and wrongly believed Superman was the villain. Lex finally achieved his long-desired goal: an entire planet that worshipped him and shared his animosity towards Superman.

You know, as a movie fan, I was totally expecting the classic villain ending – Lex taking over a planet and basking in the glory. But honestly, it was surprisingly refreshing when he actually developed a conscience! He couldn’t stand being celebrated as a hero when he knew, deep down, he wasn’t one. So he let Superman bring him back home, hoping to leave those Lexorians alone. It was almost sad – Superman would have *let* him be their hero, he could have had everything, but Lex just couldn’t escape his past. It was a really interesting twist!

3) Superman (1987) #2 — “The Secret Revealed!”

Lex almost achieved a complete win. He found Kryptonite and severely injured Superman, sparing his life only to prolong his suffering. Simultaneously, he tasked scientist Amanda McCoy with building a supercomputer to uncover Superman’s secret identity. The computer successfully revealed Superman was actually Clark Kent. Lex had everything prepared to strike at Superman’s weakest moment, but surprisingly, he dismissed the information and refused to accept it.

Lex believed he understood the connection between Superman and Clark Kent, but he was mistaken. He couldn’t believe someone as strong as Superman would willingly live a humble life. Lex’s own selfishness and disdain for ordinary people prevented him from seeing the key to defeating his greatest enemy. He simply couldn’t accept that Superman was, at his core, a human being. Ultimately, Lex’s intense and irrational hatred of Superman is what holds back his brilliance and prevents him from achieving his goals.

2) Superman #149 — “The Death of Superman!”

In this fictional story, Lex Luthor deceives the world into believing he’s reformed, claiming to have cured cancer and even teamed up with Superman to protect the planet. However, it’s all a trick. Lex uses Superman’s trust to kill him with Kryptonite, right before the eyes of Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White. After discarding Superman’s body on Earth, Lex is captured by Supergirl and taken to Kandor, the Kryptonian city, for a trial. He confesses to the murder but attempts to bribe the Kandorian judges, offering to build a device that can enlarge things if they find him not guilty.

Surprisingly, he was still convicted, because most people aren’t as self-centered as he is. This single act was both his most brilliant and foolish move. He had the perfect opportunity to kill Superman – luring him to a remote space station where no one would ever find the body – and get away with it, even being hailed as a hero. However, his overwhelming pride led him to want everyone to know what he’d done. Had he simply kept it a secret, he could have avoided all consequences. Now, even someone as skilled as Mister Miracle couldn’t help him escape the guilty verdict.

1) Action Comics #890-900 — “The Black Ring”

Lex Luthor nearly achieved his ultimate triumph during “The Black Ring” storyline. After becoming an Orange Lantern in the aftermath of “Blackest Night,” Lex searched for even more power and fused with the living essence of the Phantom Zone. This granted him near-limitless power, allowing him to alter reality at will. He attempted to break Superman by subjecting him to the emotional pain of those Superman loved most during times of tragedy, believing Superman couldn’t grasp human feelings. However, Superman remained strong, understanding their suffering deeply. Even after discovering Superman’s secret identity as Clark Kent, Lex refused to believe Superman was capable of experiencing genuine, human pain.

So, it turned out Lex’s power wasn’t about being a genius, but actually *doing* good. It was kind of heartbreaking, really. He had the potential to genuinely fix the world, build a perfect society, everything he always talked about. But he was so fixated on destroying Superman that he just…lost. Honestly, he could have won – *any* fight, in any timeline – if he’d just dropped the grudge for five minutes and tried being a decent person. But no, it was always about Superman. It was his own hate that did him in, every single time. And of course, he’d still blame the Man of Steel for it all. It’s frustrating to watch, honestly – a brilliant mind undone by pure spite.

Lex Luthor is incredibly smart and a serious threat, capable of achieving anything he sets his mind to. However, his massive ego and intense hatred prevent him from succeeding. As long as he’s consumed by these negative traits, Superman will continue to defeat him. What are your thoughts? Share them in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-07 00:20