Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm....maybe TPTB read these boards afterall.

Well, I'd say "great minds think alike", but I don't want to potentially offend cyb, stina, Bedlam and tropical geko.

Interesting list Massena and yes, it was a Pretender reference. If I want to see Chloe in leather Domme-esque gear (Ms. Parker's usual wardrobe and I'm not talking about Spell-wear either), that doesn't make me a bad person.

I assume Clark would be all "ok" and case closed. I too was interested in Kyle and the ambiguity of his actions. Without a doubt I want a return to the grey of Season 3 but after Season 4 of Clark=right, Lex=wrong and their praising on and on about their five year plan and how everything is falling into place, it would almost seem regressive to go back (at least to them). Again, I know, overly cynical but better to err on the side of caution so that I'm pleasantly surprised if something good does happen.

For S5 being year of moms, anyone else want the Jor-El saga to end with the booming voice of Terence Stamp saying "Now son, kill! kill!" then Lara's voice comes out like in Xanadu saying "Jor-El! what are you doing to the boy" "Um...honey...I'm just messing with the boy." "He's your son! Stop being so rude to him, you need to encourage him. Clark we both love you very much." "I'm making him strong!" And so on.

As for Lana remaining in Smallville, one of my biggest fears/beliefs is that in S5, Lana's decision to remain in Smallville will be undoubtedly portrayed as noble and righteous. It won't because of her fear of the outside world but something that makes her look like she's giving something up she really wants AND could have done but instead opts to give it up righteously whereby her remaining will be the show's tragedy (as has been implied by TPTB) like her deciding to stay to take care of Martha or some such garbage. And it would not be her muddled convoluted reason not to go to college (people want me to, so I don't want to). If they portrayed Lana has weak and that's why she still lives in Smallville, it would almost go against the rest of their usual MO. I'd be very impressed and satisfied if they did it, but I don't expect it.

(laughs) if Lana tries to make it look like she stays behind to take care of Martha, I'd probably write a Mana fic where Lana acts as a spiritual vampire on Martha, sucking the living snot out of her until Martha winds up in a coma. Then Lana gleefully complains about how everybody leaves/abandons her on purpose and then tries to make it look like Clark abandoned his own mother and how noble she is to take on this burden.

Oh no! See, I forget most of my speculation/prediction so I had no idea how close I came to forcasting S4 plots. I've gone back and looked at some of the old posts now and I'm a little scared.

A comment I made on Clark and Lex in season 4, responding to comments that the "gloves would come off": "I don't know, because my biggest fear is that I'll just be as bored with it as I am the Clana. " and: "I fear they won't trust the viewer to 'get it' so we'll get similar scenes and conversations over and over, like all the honesty clana barn talks, or the endless clana breakups. "

Yeah, I think I can say that happened. If I'd predicted they would have a dog growling at Lex, I'd be off to buy lottery tickets right now.

It looks like I'm also wrong a lot, although I did list some of these as wishes rather than predictions.

"Clark finally sees some cracks in Lana's shiny pink armor. And doesn't just ignore them or make excuses for them," but she was just as perfect and wonderful and right as ever.

"People barely remember Pete except when using Ask Jeeves, Lemon Pledge, or listening to Remy Zero," but people didn't remember him at all.

"Maybe he'll steal Morgan Edge's [liver to cure himself]" so apparently my gift of prophecy does not include body switches.

And the biggest bomb of all: "It would be a bold move by Smallville standards, but I'd like to have an entire season where no one is obsessed or in love with Lana."

Predictions for Season 5: They'll move on as quickly as possible from the Teague/Witch storyline. If Genevieve is even mentioned at all, it'll be presumed that she died in the meteor strike. Same with Jason--although they may have him just "disappear" so they can bring him back for an episode before really killing him off, like Whitney in Visage back in S2. End result: Lana will not have to face murder charges, and it'll be like none of the witchy stuff ever happened. Chloe may get a love interest but it'll turn out to be something devious, like he was hired by Lionel to spy on her. Lois will continue to be shoehorned into plots, but mostly in Metropolis. Shelby will find a girlfriend and Clark and Lana will find a way to make it All About Them.

Massena1, forgive me if this has been pointed out and I missed it, but isn't that how the canon works? Lana sits in SV and mourns Clark for a few years, then up and settles for Pete.

Do you think that Clark will be jealous? And if so, why?

I always thought that Clark wants to have it both ways (hence the mixed messages at the end of Devoted). He can't make up his mind, so he wants Chloe for his back-up girlfriend, the one he can always go back to, and leave when the next "soulmate" arrives. Do you think it's still the same way after four years?

Lucy, I never saw Clark as particularly seeing Chloe as girlfriend material. A close friend that he (occasionally) cares about but never as a girlfriend. Chloe originally saw him as a love interest but even now I think she's kind of gotten over it. She places him highly in her life but I don't think she imagines her and Clark actually in love or dating or even together.

I kind of think, especially with last season, she might even prefer her place in Clark's life now. She's the protector, the guardian of the ultimate secret; in many way she's in a place that's beyond love and what a "love" relationship can bring to the table. Chloe, seeker of truth, in her heart and mind is now, in a place that just is so much more significant than going out for malteds. And though he's been lying to her and they haven't had The Talk, that blank slate Clark trusted her means that somewhere in him he does and that's enough for her for now.

That being said I'd also like Chloe to get a boyfriend this season who might not necessarily be devious per se but might end up leaving her because of her obsession with Clark or might develop one on the farmboy himself. I'd like him to be grey but, eh, I'm still not exactly leaning towards this actually happening anytime soon.

They could have made Lana The Epitome Of All That Is Normal And Good's decision to stay so much more realistic if they hadn't turfed out Nell in favour of independent Talon living.

What I would have liked to have seen would have been a development from the original Lana specifications, of her being a restless smalltown queen with a crush on Lex and a mad desire to get out. She could have been badly behaved at times, chafed against Nell pushing her socially (in short, could have been Marissa to Nell's Julie Cooper) and made difficult choices, all while remaining the Desirable Lovely Queen of Normal. Lana quitting cheerleading and starting to hang with the unpopular kids (Clark et al) was in itself a potentially really interesting storyline for her. How would her old cheerleader/jock social group treat her when she spurned them because of their cheating? Not like Princess Sparklepony, that's for sure.

Post-Tempest, Lana could have become Ms Wild and Crazy as a result of her scary near-death experience. Her popularity with the nice folks of SV would wane. Only Clark, dutifully saving her left right and centre, would see her nicer qualities. But he'd be dating Chloe, who would also become a close friend. Potential three-way wangst after Chloe dumps him but LaNah feels uncomfortable dating after Clark since he's her best friend's ex.

Season 3 would have been Season of the Clana, as the two started to date. Misunderstandings, issues, frustration. Clark would see this girl in a more realistic light as her clingy and demanding ways are revealed. Her interest in Lex would remain obvious. They would split. Lex would turn her down. Lana would then wangst after Lost Opportunities as she realises she has treated all her boys badly.

Season 4, more growth opportunities for Lana as she turns with renewed vigour to battles with Nell. She applies to colleges far away, in a field totally opposed to Nell's plans for her. She is accepted and everyone is thrilled about her opportunity to live out Smalltown Queen destiny in a far off city. Maybe she gets the chance to audition for a TV pilot. Snerk. Clark looks at her in a different light, seeing how much she has grown as a person. If only she wasn't going, he thinks. Then, Nell has a stroke. Lana decides to forgo her dazzling future to stay home and care for the woman who gave up her own life to care for her.

S5: The "too dangerous to date for Lana will be hurt by people who want to harm me" storyline surfaces in earnest. With Rift almost in place, Lex decides to go out with her just because, and breaks her heart. Cue Lana's involvement in the final split between Clex.

Because all this stuff would have been B plot, you know.

That's just a wicked line. I like it, and very accurate.

I think that Chloe needs Clark to love her in a non-romantic way. Lois is great to her... but lacking. It's so interesting, really, b/c I can totally identify with where she stands. I have a Lois in my life who is great and loves me and is supportive, but at the same time, the relationship is only "skin deep," because this "Lois" herself is, really, only so deep.

But Clark has always been complex. He is this savior for all these people, a decent, noble guy (laying aside the general asshatedness, think S1 Clark and also that there are generally guys that can be more maleveloent (sp??) in their relationships, Clark seems to be a bumbling asshat, not so much a calculating one - and I'm not picking on guys here, I personally think that girls are alot worse in interpersonal relationships than guys, but that's neither here nor there) and who doesn't want to be a part of that? It's why people get into politics and such- to support someone who can represent the best of us, and them.

Chloe's new guardianship of Clark has changed alot of things. For one thing, you tend to love the people you protect and serve (anyone ever done some voulanteer work at a nursing home or public school? You really have a place in your heart for them). And on the same end, it will make her become very unselfish in her feelings, ie, if she thinks he'll be happier w/ someone else, she'll step out back so that he can be, but a huge part of her will always be aching to let him know what she has done for him not for credit but so that he can see her love for him taking on this new form, and hoping that he will love her back not as a lover, but maybe more as a child loves their parent.

I hope that made sense... I'm trying to punch this out quickly b/c I have to get up in a few hours...

I'm not saying he's actually 'calculating' hunnybunnyipm.
I do think he likes it that he's got all the attention of that beautiful, brilliant girl, without the hard work of actually having a romantic relationship with her, which would mean giving up his secret and his Lana fantasies.
I doubt he ever thought about it this way (that would taint his image in his own eyes) but that what he does.

The problem with Clark, in general, is that even when he does bad things to people, he never thinks about it this way. He always justifies it to himself somehow.
That's why I prefer Lex - he is aware of his 'darkness' and tries to keep it at bay.
Clark should be called on his shit, and soon, or he'll be one self-righteous tyrant, not a savior.

Chloe sees Clark as better than who he actually is. She sees him the way he would have been today if he'd taken the season one route, not the one he actually took, and that's what's causing her pain. She sees this wonderful guy, who keeps rejecting her. The point is, this guy doesn't exist.

Personally, I want her to move on, but I also want her to get him, because he's what she wants, at least right now. And I'm officially putting way much thought into a fictional character.

hunnybunny - I'm not v. familiar with CanonLana's life. As I understand it, she names her son w/Pete Ross, (much to his and Lois' dismay), Clark b/c she doesn't get over CK. Further, she plants her panties in Lois & Clark's bed to make Lois think that Clark is cheating on her in an attempt to break up their marriage. Basically, my gist is that she' a selfish, disloyal skank. I don't know much else about her except CK had a crush on her when he went to Smallville H.S. and she marries Pete and lives in Washington while he is VP to Lex's PoTUS.

It should be interesting to see what tptb do with Lana next year sinceLana and Clark are not going to end up together. I hope that tptb let Clark look good in that situation. From their interviews, it seems like they and/or the network are very concerned about protecting Lana's image. They talk about Clana from her perspective about how much SHE is hurt by the relationship.

Given that, I think it will be hard for them to write their eventual breakup so that the audience completely sides with Clark, which is what I think needs to be done. B/c the audience WILL take sides and if they have any sense they will protect the franchise of Clark and Lois & Clark by making it clear that Lana is not right for Clark and that he is right to leave her. But, to do that, they will have to paint Lana in a bad light. It can't be Lana who nobly chooses to let Clark go (making Lois the second choice/consolation prize), it has to be Clark who rightfully dumps Lana.

I say this bc Clark and Lex have to breakup, too. And given Clark's behavior, I already know it's going to be hard for me to side with Clark b/c he has jerked Lex around so much with all his lies. To offset this, I think Clark needs to be blameless in the breakup with Lana. It would be a good idea,if Clark might be the victim in the situation to gain a litte sympathy b/c right now he doesn't have mine, at all. And I want to like Superman. I want him to have my sympathy.

As for Chloe/Clark. I think Chloe still has v. strong romantic feelings for Clark, but she is resigned that Clark is in love with Lana (and she thinks he always will be) so she will probably be ready to move on to another guy in Metropolis.

As for Clark, I agree with Lucy, Clark likes having Chloe available to him as an option. I think he still finds Chloe attractive (note the elevator scene), but he hasn't really thought about having a romantic relationship with her in a long time. But, if Chloe becomes seriously interested in someone else, then I expect JellusClark to show up. Clark is exactly that cliche, he acts like he doesn't want Chloe, but he doesn't want anyone else to have her either. And there has been no challenge to that situation since way back in S2 w/Dichotic, but I think S5 will bring up that issue again.

So true. Lex is painfully aware at times of his own failings. It's what makes me hope that he will shake off his 'evil destiny', even though I know he is doomed by canon. Clark's faint glimmerings of self-doubt are usually suppressed by his parents' reassurances that they raised him right and he will make the correct decision. Clark seriously needs to go for a good, long timeout in the FoS for a bout of self-examination.

Heh. It would be a nice break to see him move back to Metropolis and throw some parties in the penthouse. As a response to all the frustrations of late caused by his obsessions. Lex, just chill out and be a Billionaire Playboy for awhile and lull everyone into a false sense of serenity. Maybe Christian Bale could drop by for a cameo, since Bruce Wayne has to keep up appearances, too. :)

Trevacious Guy - you just used the words "Penthouse" and "Playboy" in the same post. Very clever how you disguised them inside alternate definitions. heh.

Concerning Massena1's break-up speculations, I see TPTB angling for the viewers to see both parties in the Clana one as blameless, and Clark as the injured party and Lex as the bad guy in the Clex one. Those would be the perceptions TPTB want us to have; whether we will actually have them is another matter.

I'm ready to throw in some speculation and/or wishful thinking about what Lex might be up to in season five. First, I want him to back the hell away from Lana. Friendship is fine, but I will not tolerate any more of this ambiguous whatever feelings bs any longer. As I said before, TPTB need to stop jerking us around. Either go ahead with that unholy couple full hog or stop the ridiculous Lana panting.

I really want to see Hope in the picture next season, for a number of reasons. First, it'll stop the whole "Lex looking like the world's biggest billionaire sucker". I mean, with all the invasions he's seen at the mansion, he needs to beef up his security, stat. Second, it'd nicely depict Lex distancing himself (emotionally and physically) from the people around him, when said people won't have that easy an access to him.

Third, it'd mean that the writers would have start coming up with more creative ways of dealing with the characters' problems and resolving plot twists than using Lex as an ATM or someone just sneaking into the mansion to do whatever he/she wants. In addition, an episode called "Hope" just has a nice ring to it, and I'm more than ready to see someone in Lex's corner, no questions asked.

It would be great to see Clark trying to walk into the mansion and get stopped by a guy bigger than him.

I think it would be better if Clark got stopped by a girl smaller than he was.

Clark barges in and Mercy steps in front of him. When he tries to push her out of the way, she flips him onto his ass.

That would make me smile and win back some of the good will they lost with the godawful Lana and the magic stones S4 plot.

One thing that encourages me about season five is that they have yet to make cast additions. I see this as a positive sign for the show. Hopefully, they'll be able to focus on their core characters more this time around.

Posts in the media discussion got me thinking. How about a sex pool? No that's not some kind of kinky jacuzzi thing. Who'll be shown doing the deed in the future?

Anyone over the age of 40: 0%
They showed a picture of Lionel and Victoria together back in Leech, I think it was, and that's as much as we'll ever get out of the non-youngsters.

Clark and Lex (though not together): 50%
I'm laying (heh) even odds on them both. Separately. If Clark does the deed, he'll end up wishing it was Lana. Lex may not get to do the deed again, since they already spent one whole episode about it.

Lana: 1%
I'd say zero percent but I'm covering my ass just in case. I highly, highly doubt they'll ever "taint" their princess by having her know the ways of the flesh. They may have another Louise-like situation, or alternate reality, but actual!Lana will probably remain pure as snow.

The Sullivan & Lane gals: 20% and 30% respectively
I'd give Chloe a higher chance, but it depends on how they treat the character this season. Lois is their hot commodity so I wouldn't be surprised to see her getting some during a Sweeps period.

Ordinarily I would say you are right Cyb, but are you forgetting that in one of the episodes coming up that Clark and Lana are alone in the barn and Ma and Pa Kent are none to pleased about it? I think you might have to bring the percentage up just a bit. I would go 10% just to be safe.

No, not forgetting-- I think if they were going to do the deed, it would be a much bigger part of the episode. I think it's just a tease that they'll use in promos, but nothing will come of it. Er... no pun intended.

On the outside chance Lana ever does have You Know What (complete with stiff manshirt!), I doubt it'll be with Clark. I don't think the writers think he's good enough for her. I don't think they think anyone is, though.

(Also, you should probably spoiler tag parts of your post. It's not a huge spoiler, but you never know if someone'll be eating breakfast and lose their appetite at the mere thought!)

I expect we'll be TOLD who's doing the deed, rather than SHOWN. And then will come the Judgment: either a verdict of "Evil" or "Nothing Special."

(Unless it were Lana, of course, under the sanctifying glow of 10,000 Candles...)

Aye. Lana's beaus are to remain Cardboard Lovers. For display purposes Only. I imagine this is spelled out in the Lana Bible somewhere.

Nor are her pretty standees intended for Resale. That's why they all end up Dead in short order, or Worse. What's worse? Their souls are sapped away and they become as dull as she is. Even Lex...! :(

Yeah when MR said that we'd end up hating Lex, I didn't think it would be because he would be boring and lovesick.

I have no doubt they'll keep trying to push the Lexana envelope in season 5. Every year they try to put in more and more. They know what a disturbingly gross concept Lexana is to many people, so they try to ease us into it with pollen!Lana trying to seduce Lex in Nicodemus, or Lex confessing how Lana saved him from the sharks in his pants (and we all know he falls in love with people who save him!), and how he's had a long repressed desire to kiss her awkwardly and live in evil domestic bliss with her.

Depending on how evil and/or pathetic they make him, I can see them having him blackmail her. If she's not with him, he'll expose what she did to Mama Teague. Oh he may do it subtlely. He may phrase it like, "The closer you stay to me, the better I can protect you. It would be a shame if anyone found out what happened to Genevieve "Dr. Quinn Pincushionwoman" Teague, for example." But it'll be clear that, once again, Lana has no choice because she's just a passive little object.

Didn't Lex threaten Lana in Onyx: Be my queen or something bad will happen to you?

Yeah I forget what the exact threat was. Move in with me or... I'll... sell all your clothes on eBay to stalker perverts.

Damm it, Manddoo. I've successfully exorcised that memory from my head!

From the recap:

Of course, that was evil Lex and it's all been forgotten by the end of the ep but Lana can throw it in his face.

And of course we had the ending "I'm sorry" and Lana's "I'm sorry too" response. So ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Listen if they have him blackmail her to do it cuz he knows it will upset Clark I'll go for it, it would be forgivable and something that Lex is known to do. But if it's just because he lurrvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeessssss her then I'll be puking for months. Well that might not be so bad since I'll lose alot of weight. DAmn now I'm confused.

About Lex's feelings for Lana, how many times have we heard that we are going to start seeing Lex's downfall? The man doesn't have feelings anymore.

My only real prediction is that they'll never come up with a better name than Van McNulty. That makes me laugh just typing it.

I miss McNulty. So much good recap humor came out of that name!

The only way they could make Lexana tolerable to me in the slightest is that it finally makes Clark realize Lana's not perfect. I mean, nothing else has worked so far. She can lie, and cheat, and two-time her boyfriends, she can be a hypocrite and a needy clingy stalker, and an emotional manipulator, but so far he still thinks she's the picture of perfection. If she got close to Lex of her own free will, Clark could be disappointed in her and realize she'll just go to whatever guy pays attention to her.

But I won't hold my breath. More likely, Clark would see her as the poor widdle victim and Lex as the big bad wolf.

That reminds me of something, but I'll take it to the Seasons in the Sun thread.

From the All Seasons thread, mobiusklein had this to say on Lana running to Lex for help in covering Genny's murder:



If they choose this route, I could see it worked out a number of ways. In the best case scenario, Lex plays on Lana's panic, subtly reminding her in a variety of ways about her crime and using her insecurity to tie her to him. Despite claiming to have feelings for her, he uses her to boost his own ego by letting him play 'hero' and uses it to 'prove' to himself that he's still a good guy. He uses his newfound status as 'protector' to drive a wedge in the Clana and to turn Lana against Clark once the Clex Rift has fully manifested. Then Lex discards Lana when he feels she's become too pathetic and clingy, despite having fed her insecurity. It's a scenario that kills two birds with one stone- turning Clark's princess into 'ruined goods' and abandoning her.

At least, that's the scenario I'd go with if I were in charge of S5 Lexana as a way to show a truly evil Lex.

In the worst case scenario, Lex is all to happy to help Lana clear her name and spends the rest of S5 moaning about how his darkness stained her purity and how much he's become like his father. He tells her about how she's meant for Clark but he still can't help loving her. Then (in a parallel to S2 Chloe) Lex sees Clana together in the loft. In a fit of jealousy, Lex decides that Clark's not good enough for Lana because he wouldn't tell her everything, doesn't love her as much as Lex does, etc., and the Rift is triggered.

What's scary about the second scenario is that it may be really attractive to TPTB if they want Lex to be a sympathetic anti-hero (he did it all for the woman he loved!) and want to make Lana an important part of the Supes mythos.

But, realistically, the Genny issue will probably go up in the Big Plot Black Hole in the Kansas Sky to join Lex's nipple clamps and Clark's dead wife.

That's my main speculation, too, with the "Lex more or less blackmails Lana with the info he has" scenario as runner-up.

I'm torn. On the one hand, I want Lana to have to face some consequences. (Yeah, she was a witch at the time, but she fled the scene of the crime instead of sensibly calling the cops and pleading self-defense. She had a perfect case. Plus, she's Lana so the judge and jury would love her and not convict her.) Mostly I want Clark to find out that she ran away from the scene, let other people cover it up for her, and then gave him the murder weapon.

On the other hand... it would mean revisiting the witch plot and I have a feeling they'd still somehow make Lana look like the Poor Widdle Pwincess in all this. "What? Genevieve put her heart in the path of your stabbing arm? And then Lex forced you to ask him to cover it up?! And Clark was rude enough to take the murder weapon from you even though you gave it to him?! You poor thing!"

To put it bluntly, they're going to have to do some B-plot or episodes about her anyway. So, between a choice of the subplot of freaky man sniffs after Lana and Clark gets jealous again which is ZZZZZZZZZZZZ or Lana actually having to sit in a box and get questions thrown at her for once even though I know she'll be acquitted and pampered . . . give me the 2nd.

I'm sorry what? When was this? Crap! I miss all the good episodes!

On Crusade, Sociophobic. But they forgot about it. Just like they forgot about Gabe.

Yeah, they weren't technically nipple clamps, I guess, but that's how they're referred to here. They were little dialysis things that poked into his well-muscled, gleaming sweaty chest in order to purify his blood.

Thinking of other possiblities besides Chlois for Chloe and what if Lex drives her crazy?

He uses info about her possibility of ending up like her mom to make her appear to go nuts. Then he tortures her for info on Clark and it causes her to have a mental break. Either Clark doesn't know and thinks she did contract her mother's illness or suspects and hates Lex but can't prove it. He'll take the mantle of journalism to try to prove it and to honor her.

Or I can see her dying but I hate that one and neither of these solve how to fix Lois' journalism bug. Yet, for me the problem with Chlois now, is you have to find a way to get rid of ED's Lois.

nemo, that seems more like something Lionel would do. Of course, Clark could easily blame Lex for it, and then the rest of you scenario still works fine.

Word, LastScorpion. Lex just isn't the guy to torture someone for information. Sure, he can be manipulative, but I doubt he'd use brute force.

Smallville Lex wouldn't, but comics! Lex once tortured Hope after she sold him out to Clark and Lois.

I think SV Lex could/would do torture, and it would be pretty cool (in a plot way, not a torture=cool way) if Chloe found something out that 1.) Lex needed so desperatly to know he did torture her and/or 2.) Hurting Chloe somehow gives Lex whatever info he needs and starts his path towards real evil. I love Chloe, but her as a martyr could set so many things right with this show and help the characters become who they're supposed to be.

Nah, I don't think he'd torture anyone, and even in the future this Lex probaby wouldn't doing the torturing himself...in Sacred he went as far as setting up a role play with guards on foreign soil, which posed a serious risk to Jason (esp considering how disloyal his "hired hands" usually turn out)...he put both Jason and himself under their mercy for information ("Just scare him. Find out what he knows, but don’t hurt him"..yeah that turned out great).

Well, now that they've turned Lex into a 2-dimensional cartoon, then yes, I think he'd be perfectly happy with torturing people. Previous to s4, no. Even through part of s4 I'd say he wouldn't. I mean, he did argue to let Bart go in Run. But now? He'd probably torture Chloe to find out what kind of cereal Clark eats.

Well see, it is like Lionel and therfore it would show a step in him becoming like his dad and his comics counterpart.

I wouldn't think Lex would have done it pre-season 4 either, but with Season 4 and him knowing Chloe knows something about Clark and him obsessive to know about it, yeah, I could see it.

If Lex is setting up experiments on people why not pull something like this on Chloe? He doesn't have any emotional ties to her friendship wise, nor would he think her to him because of her hiding Clark. His relationship with Clark isn't good now and seems to come from a more "I want to know what you are and what threat you pose liar so I'll play you" than a helpful friend thing( again as of late Season 4).

Him setting her up after trying to get the info out of her by playing nice would be eerily similar to Lionel. I'd think it would be cool to see him set up things like Lionel did with the ninjas in Shattered. Make her think things are going on that aren't and then cover it up to make it seem like it is in her head.

Again though this isn't my first choice of story for Chloe, cause it isn't a very happy one but think of the acting from AM, TW, and MR.

Actually, I can't think of a more trite and irritating way for the Smallville writers to rectify the mess they created than by shafting arguably the single most sympathetic character they've got. The day they pull a stunt like this is the day I write this show off forever.

But we'd probably never get any insight as to why or when he just decided, "Oh screw this fighting your destiny stuff. I might as well just become my father!" Or if he doesn't think he's behaving like his father, why not? How is he deluding himself? That was my big problem with season 4. No insight. No personal stake.

Will they bother to explain Lex's motives in the future or will they just leave it as "money and power"?

I'm under the firm belief it will be evil for the sake of evil. Clark might bring it up but Lex will say something like "Clark you don't understand" or evade the question. Maybe for the first couple times it will be more pointed but after that I think it'll just slide by.

Heck, I can understand Lex going evil. It will be the shock of finding out that your "friend" could have rescued you from getting your brain fried, but did nothing.