H.G. Wells (Lois and Clark)
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | H.G. Wells |
| Occupation: | Author/Time Traveller |
| Relationships: | Clark Kent (friend), Lois Lane (friend), Tempus (enemy) |
| Fandom: | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) |
| Other: | |
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H.G. Wells is a time traveller who appears in several episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He was played by Terry Kiser as a younger Wells, Hamilton Camp as his older self. He is apparently the author of the same name, who has somehow invented a real time machine. He is generally present to combat the machinations of "Tempus," a fugitive from a Utopia created by Lois and Clark's descendants, played by Lane Davies.
Canon
Wells is first seen in the S2 episode Tempus Fugitive; having visited a future Utopia created by Clark's descendents, he has learned about Superman including his secret identity of Clark Kent. While in the future he befriended a man named "Tempus" and brought him back with him to explain more about Utopia. Unfortunately Tempus decides that he prefers the chaos of the 20th century, and decides to kill Clark so as to stop his children creating Utopia. He does this by stealing the time machine and travelling back to Clark's arrival on Earth, where he intends to kill him with Kryptonite. To prevent this Clark builds another time machine, and he, Wells, and Lois Lane travel back to stop him. Along the way Lois learns Clark's secret identity, but forgets it on returning to 1995 (since she isn't destined to learn it until later).
Wells has Tempus committed to a 19th century asylum, where he writes a diary that is later found by a criminal who blackmails Clark in the last S2 episode And the Answer Is... - Wells and Tempus do not appear in person in this episode.
In the S3 episode Tempus, Anyone? a time traveller from the Utopian future intends to transport Tempus back to the future for rehabilitation. Tempus escapes and tries to eliminate Superman's descendents by transporting Lois Lane to another timeline where she vanished several years earlier and Clark was never a superhero. Wells rescues her, and she saves both of them from Kryptonite before they return home, leaving Alt-Clark to become Superman in his own world.
In the S4 episode Soul Mates Wells appears on their wedding night to warn that they are Soulmates who have met repeatedly in previous lives, but their love has always led to their tragic deaths; he sends their consciousnesses back into time to change this. Earlier incarnations of Tempus prove to be the main problem in each of the past lives shown.
In the later double episode Meet John Doe and Lois and Clarks Tempus escapes again, uses a mind control device to become President as a prelude to starting a nuclear war, and traps Clark in an inescapable time bubble. Lois and Wells rescue him, with the aid of Alt-Clark, and stop the war. They also protect Clark's secret identity by having Clark and Alt-Clark (as Superman) appear simultaneously.
Fanon
It's widely believed by fans that Wells is responsible for the baby that appears in Lois and Clark's home in the final episode of the show. However, the show's writers have said that the child was intended to be a member of the New Kryptonian royal family, sent to Earth to be kept safe from assassination.
Fan Works
Because of the popularity of these episodes Wells and Tempus are very common characters in fanfic, usually reprising their missions to respectively protect Utopia or destroy it by protecting or attacking Clark, Lois and their descendents. In a few works (very much a minority) Wells is revealed to be working with Tempus, and all of the slips which allow Tempus to terrorise the past are deliberate.
Fanfic
- Firestorm (1999) by Irene Dutch; Wells brings one of Clark's descendants back in time to solve the problem of Human/Kryptonian reproduction, but she finds that the only way to do it will have tragic side-effects. There are several sequels, mostly Next Generation stories but including Timestorm (2001) which focuses on the time travel side of the story and a desperate attempt to prevent a time paradox that will change things completely.
- If We Could Live Our Lives Over (1999) By Christine Carr; Wells offers Alt-Lois and Alt-Clark a chance to eliminate the threat posed by Tempus.
- Ties That Bind (1999) By Christine Carr; Tempus visits Wells towards the end of his life.
- H Is for Hubris (2002) by Pam Jernigan; Wells investigates a disturbance in time, sees Lois and Clark getting together too early, fears that it will disrupt the time stream, and acts to change things. It doesn't go as planned.
- Irony of Ironies (2011) by Lynn S. M.; Tempus tries to prevent Utopia by preventing the destruction of Krypton, so that Kal-El is never sent to earth. There are problems.
- A Wellsian Tale (2011) by Tank Wilson; Following a personal tragedy, Wells offers Lois a harsh choice to save Utopia.
- Clarkus Maximus (2011) by Deadly Chakram; Tempus has a cunning plan to dispose of Lois and Clark in an alternate Ancient Greece (Xena crossover)
- The Truth About Soul Mates (2012) By VirginiaR.; Wells' meddling may not be all it seems.
- Early Intervention (2013) by FemaleHawk; Tempus finds another way to win.
- Fictitious Persons (2014) by Debbie G.; Tempus kidnaps Lois and Clark's daughter Kara Kent and strands her in a parallel world where Lois and Clark are fictional characters. With Wells' help Lois and Clark come to rescue her, but that's part of Tempus' plan...
Fan Art
- Icons and avatars of Wells and Tempus by KatherineKent (continued here)