Why Is Lois Blonde: How a Casual Fan Found Chlois Theory

by: Carcassi
written:  10/12/2006

I’m one of those many folks who love Superman and Lois Lane, but who haven’t picked up a comic book in. . . .quite a while. I haven’t watched every episode of Lois and Clark, either. But in every TV or movie version I have seen, I’ve always been impressed with the classy, sassy, and smart character of Lois Lane; whether she’s played by Noelle Neil, Margot Kidder or Teri Hatcher, she’s always been one of my favorite heroines.

Imagine my surprise when I tuned in to the Smallville series premiere six years ago, and saw a blonde teenage reporter girl hanging out with Clark Kent in the newsroom of their high school paper. Not only that, but she was bossing him around in there, even though they were supposed to be the same age. Of course, my first reaction was, “Why the heck is Lois in Smallville? And why did she bleach her hair?”

But her name was really Chloe Sullivan, and I figured I had to be wrong.

Then I discovered websites like Kryptonsite and Television Without Pity where lots of other people were talking about the same things I was thinking; and they pointed me to a great blog site called “Livejournal” where little by little, I began to realize that I wasn’t alone.  Armed with that knowledge, I kept watching and, after a few episodes, I wasn’t fooled by the name “Chloe Sullivan” anymore.

It was all too clear who this person really was.

A Rose by Any Other Name...

As early as Season One, the parallels to the various Lois Lanes I’d always admired were hard to miss. Not only was “Chloe” an ambitious, dedicated journalist, but she was also interested in unlocking secrets that (unknown to her) were related to the future Superman. She pursued crooks and story leads without regard to safety, and as a result Clark was forever rescuing her.

The only difference I noticed was that in this version, “Lois” was in love with Clark, not the other way around. Far from detracting from her character, this struck me as a clever role reversal. Like the entire concept of Smallville, it didn’t destroy Superman canon at all; it added a new dimension to time-honored characters. After all, if Clark Kent and Lex Luthor could start out as friends in this version, why couldn’t Lois Lane start out madly in love with Clark?

I was hooked. Not only were we watching the beginnings of all three main characters in the Superman pantheon, but this time it was Lois who was in disguise!

Over the past six seasons, that disguise has become ever more flimsy. Everything “Chloe” has done proves to me that the only difference between her character and the versions of Lois I’ve seen before, is the way she signs her checks. For example:

• She’s a dedicated and talented reporter. In fact, she became the youngest intern ever at the Daily Planet after her *freshman* year in high school;

• She and the Luthors have a history. Like Lois in Lois and Clark, she’s fought with Lex Luthor several times, and helped Clark break into Lex’s mansion and labs;

• She’s ambitious, aggressive, and hard-working. She fought for, and won, a highly competitive spot as a college intern on the Planet staff, and has already published more than one story on the front page;

• She and Clark work as a team to fight for truth and justice (“Kinetic,” “Hug,”, “Crush,” “Redux,” “Delete,” “Exposed,” and “Vengeance”) and, at least once, to save the world (“Solitude”);

• Finally, now that she knows Clark’s secret (which Lois discovers later in Lois and Clark), she’s proven herself to be a loyal and trustworthy friend who not only can keep his secret, but can accept him for who he truly is, just as Teri Hatcher’s Lois does.

Just in case the audience missed any of this, the show’s producers hammered it home early on in their now-famous “Fever” letter. “Fly back to me”? “Girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend”? It’s hard for me to read those phrases as anything but “Chloe=Lois” anvils.

Those Episodes Didn't Write Themselves...

As Jonathan Kent would say, those words didn’t write themselves. In fact, when I realized that they were actually written by none other than the producers themselves, Al Gough and Miles Millar, they took on even greater significance. If the show’s own producers took the time and trouble to attach such obvious “Lois Lane” references to this character, who am I to argue?

I don’t believe that “Chloe” is Lois because I admire the actress, Allison Mack (although I do), or because I love the character, but because that character has been shown, consistently over the last six years, to have all the qualities I have ever associated with every Lois Lane I’ve seen. I’m rooting for her because I’ve always rooted for Lois. I believe that “Chloe” is Lois because the character herself, the storylines she shares with Clark and Lex, and even, arguably, the show’s producers, all point to this.

And from what I’ve seen, Smallville needs her now more than ever. Chloe/Lois, like every version of Lois before her, is a remarkable role model for women, which makes her a rare breath of fresh air on this show. Unlike Lana Lang or (sadly) the character currently called “Lois Lane,” she’s her own person in every way, not dependent on anyone else. She's worked hard to achieve her dream, against long odds and without the support of a boyfriend or of parents. (Her father, Gabe, far from being the defining factor in her life, is basically invisible.) As the only truly independent woman on the show, she’s the only one who has the power to inspire the audience to achieve their full potential.

I hope the show itself acknowledges this character’s true status before it runs its course. But if not, it doesn’t make any difference to me. I know Lois Lane when I see her, and I’m happy I’ve had a chance to see her grow up with Clark for the past six seasons.

---