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dc - Why does Lex want to discredit Superman?


Obvious spoilers for the Batman v Superman movie.


In Batman v Superman, Lex Luthor is a villain. He wants to discredit Superman.


Why ?


He explains to Superman



If God is all powerful he cannot be all good and if he is all good he cannot be all powerful.




Does he think that since Superman is all powerful, he cannot be all good ?


I considered "because he is a villain" as an answer but it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the movie.


I'd like to know about this movie but I'm also interested in knowing the situation in other media.



Answer



The quote you mention is the only motivator we're given but it should be enough to go on. Lex's full quote reads:



See, what we call God depends upon our tribe, Clark Joe, 'cause God is tribal; God takes sides! No man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from daddy's fist and abominations. I figured out way back if God is all-powerful, He cannot be all good. And if He is all good, then He cannot be all-powerful. And neither can you be.



Lex was abused by his father. We are to assume that he called out to God for help but was never delivered from his abuse. So he was soured to the idea of an ultimate protector. He grew to believe that if there was some sort of God, that either he wasn't powerful enough to stop his father or didn't care enough to.


Lex projects that belief onto Superman, positing that if he's as powerful as people think he is, there's no way he can be as good as people think he is. And if he's as good as people think he is, he can't possibly be powerful enough to be worshiped like he is.



Lex's hatred of Superman comes from a twisted idea that the people are better off if their "false God" is exposed for what he is. If you take down their savior, their eyes will be opened - like his were - to the fact that they can't rely on anyone to protect them.


This is why Luthor tries to force him to try to kill Batman. It proves that either Superman isn't morally good enough to be above murder or isn't strong enough to defeat Batman. Either outcome proves Lex right.


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