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Lena Luthor

From Alfawiki
Lena Luthor
OccupationFictional character
Known forCharacter in DC Comics; sister and daughter of Lex Luthor

Lena Luthor refers to two distinct fictional personas within the DC Comics universe. The first, introduced in 1961, is depicted as the sibling of Superman's adversary Lex Luthor, whereas the second, introduced in 2000, is portrayed as Lex’s daughter, named in honor of her aunt.

In live-action television adaptations, Lena has been played by Denise Gossett in a 1991 episode of Superboy, by Cassidy Freeman across three seasons of Smallville (2008–2011), and by Katie McGrath throughout five seasons of Supergirl (2016–2021).

Publication history

The character Lena Luthor made her debut in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #23, created by the team of Jerry Siegel and Kurt Schaffenberger.

Original Lena Luthor

Within Silver Age storylines, Lena is established as the younger sister of Lex Luthor. Following Lex’s descent into villainy, their family altered their last name to the anagram "Thorul" and deceived Lena by claiming that Lex had died in a climbing accident. Subsequently, the rest of the family perished in a car accident, leaving Lena unaware of Lex's true fate. Lex, occasionally with assistance from Supergirl and Superman, actively prevented her from discovering the reality. Between 1961 and 1975, Lena appeared sporadically in DC Comics publications. She possessed psychic and empathic abilities derived from exposure to a Space Brain that Lex had experimented on before becoming a villain. After undergoing brain surgery in 1981 that removed these powers, she was finally informed about Lex’s existence. Although initially shocked, they began to reconcile after Lex inadvertently helped thwart a plot targeting her.

In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3, members of the Legion visit the Luthor household during Superman’s formative years and witness a dispute between young Lex and his father regarding their mother and sister.

The 2009 storyline Superman: Secret Origin shows Lena caring for Lex following the death of their mother and their father's subsequent heart attack.

In the 2009 relaunch of Adventure Comics, Lena is depicted as paralyzed and residing in Smallville alongside her daughter Lori Luthor. Lori develops a friendship with Superboy, who is drawn to her minor criminal activities while simultaneously providing care for Lena. Lex appears focused on manipulating Superboy and finding a cure for Lena’s condition. With Superboy’s assistance, Lex manages to heal Lena but later reverses the cure to keep his method confidential for as long as Superman remains alive. Presently, Lena receives medical attention from doctors affiliated with Wayne Enterprises, facilitated by Red Robin.

The 2011 reboot "The New 52" reimagines Lena’s paralysis as resulting from an illness during childhood. Initially, Lex claims he never attempted to save her due to fear of failure but subsequently admits he tried and failed, which left her paralyzed. He eventually administers treatment but postpones using technology not yet invented, causing frustration for Lena.

The 2016 "DC Rebirth" initiative restored continuity prior to The New 52. In desperation, Lex employs Doctor Omen's Super-Man technology to heal Lena; however, this exacerbates her paralysis while simultaneously enhancing her intellect and establishing a psychic connection to a Mother Box. Unaware of these consequences, Lena creates binary clones including an Earth-Three Superwoman and Bizarress. For mobility assistance, she merges with one of Lex’s exo-armors but is ultimately defeated by Lana Lang’s Superwoman and returned to LexCorp custody. Lex confines her there while continuing efforts to find a cure.

Second Lena Luthor

Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Lena Luthor is introduced as the offspring of Lex Luthor and Contessa Erica Del Portenza, named in honor of Lex's late foster sister. After her birth, Lex takes advantage of Contessa Erica’s wish to remain unconscious during delivery by keeping her sedated indefinitely within his corporate headquarters, thereby monopolizing Lena’s emotional attachment.

When Brainiac 13 arrives from the 64th century, the contemporary Brainiac inhabits infant Lena’s body to escape erasure by his future self. Even after Brainiac vacates her form, Lex trades Lena to Brainiac 13 in exchange for access to advanced technology that transforms Metropolis.

Lena later reemerges as a teenager during the Our Worlds at War storyline, assisting Lex by supplying intelligence while secretly furthering Brainiac 13’s objectives. Ultimately, she aligns herself with her father. Once Brainiac 13 and Imperiex are defeated, Lena is reverted back to infancy and returned to Lex by Superman, who encourages Lex to embrace his humanity rather than pursue godlike ambitions.

In the Superman's Metropolis miniseries, an artificial intelligence controlling B-13 technology believes itself to be Lena Luthor. When it manifests a human form to pursue Jimmy Olsen, Superman confronts it alongside the real Lena, exposing its simulated nature.

Later, in Superman #850, Lena visits Lex at Stryker's Island Penitentiary accompanied by her grandmother Leticia Luthor.

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade

In an alternate interpretation, Lena Thorul is depicted as Lex Luthor's xenophobic thirteen-year-old sister and Supergirl’s classmate. Initially aiding Lex’s vendetta against Superman covertly, she eventually uncovers Supergirl’s true identity. After manipulating half of their school and sustaining injuries in a confrontation with Mister Mxyzptlk, her animosity shifts from Supergirl toward Lex while recuperating in hospital.

Earth-9

An alternate universe incarnation of Lena Thorul from Earth-9 appears in Tangent Comics: Wonder Woman #1 (September 1998). As an Element Girl scientist, she recognizes the futility of ongoing gender conflicts between Element Girls and Beast Boy Gothamites and attempts to unify them by creating Wanda—a powerful female Gothamite combining traits from both factions. However, rejection from both groups leads to Lena’s demise.

Live-action

  • The original Lena Luthor is featured in the Superboy episode "Know Thine Enemy," portrayed by Denise Gossett and Jennifer Hawkins. This version faked her death following Lex Luthor’s murder of their parents.
  • A character inspired by Lena Luthor named Tess Mercer appears in Smallville, portrayed by Cassidy Freeman. Born Lutessa Lena Luthor, she is Lex’s half-sister and the illegitimate daughter of Lionel Luthor. After a troubled upbringing involving memory suppression, Tess becomes Lex’s protégé and eventually serves as acting CEO of LuthorCorp. In the series finale, she erases Lex’s memories prior to her death.
  • The original Lena Luthor, full name Lena Kieran Luthor, appears in Supergirl, portrayed by Katie McGrath. As Lex’s paternal half-sister, she assumes leadership of LuthorCorp following Lex’s incarceration and rebrands it as "L-Corp" to distance herself from him. McGrath also portrays various alternate universe versions of Lena, including one who seizes control over National City after undergoing the "Metallo Procedure" in "It's a Super Life".
  • A character inspired by this version named Elizabeth Luthor appears in season four of Superman & Lois, played by Elizabeth Henstridge. She is depicted as the estranged daughter of Lex and Erica Luthor who cut ties after Lex was framed for murder. Currently residing in France, she is five months pregnant.

Animation

Video games

Lena Luthor makes an appearance in the video game DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power, once again voiced by Cassandra Lee Morris.

Miscellaneous

In Smallville Season 11, Tess Mercer emerges as a character whose consciousness Lex Luthor discovers inhabiting his own body before it transitions into an aerokinetic android. Taking on the identity of Red Tornado, she becomes a member of the Justice League and starts a relationship with Emil Hamilton.

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