Identical Series

Fanfiction
Title:	Identical Series
Author(s):	Lanning
Date(s):	December 13, 2001 - December 1, 2022 (last update)
Length:	286,442 words
Genre(s):	slash fanfiction
Fandom(s):	Smallville
Relationship(s):
External Links:	Identical Series at AO3 Identical Series at Lanning Cook's Fiction
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Identical Series is a Clark/Lex series by Lanning. Several people created art for the series, including Luna Celestia, Ascian, Genie, Meret, LauraB, Angel in Red and Becky M___. Identical Series also was translated into Chinese by cindyfxx.

Series

• Divergence - Lex loses everything, and finds something better.
• Lord of the Flies - Lex stays his hand. "For what is an angel but a shark well-governed?"
• It Came Just the Same - The Grinch pwns Lex Luthor; Clark and Lex each buy some clues.
• Common Ground - Lex and the Kents score a small victory in their war with Lionel Luthor; Jonathan and Lex find some common ground.
• Identical - Clark lets both Karloff and Lex know exactly how he feels.
• Persuasion - Lex Luthor submits to Clark Kent, Master Seducer, then parries an unexpected tactical thrust from Karloff.
• Accord - Secrets are revealed, understandings are reached, and Karloff makes a move.
• Agenda - Two old friends and one old enemy seek Lex's forgiveness; coincidences rule the night.
• Alliance - Chloe and Pete decide to investigate Clark's strange behavior; Lionel offers to help Lex and the Kents deal with Karloff.
• Dovetail Joint - Lex helps Clark shift his focus.
• Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails - What are little boys made of? Clark and Lex confront their pasts, and fight for their future.
• Convergence - Lionel declares open war on the Kent family, and the family takes the fight to him.

Recs and Reviews

2000s

[simplelyric]
(Clark/Lex. Rated R. *This story makes much more sense if you've read the rest of Lanning's Identical SV series, which I highly recommend in its entirety anyway. Every story in the series has excellent characterization, lots of details, and even more emotional breadth & depth.*)

-In which many motives are revealed.-

[caduceus03]
If you're the sort of reader who marathons a story in one sitting, make sure you've set aside a significant amount of time before you go any further. Lanning Cook's Identical series is a massive undertaking - all the stories together come to almost 3000K! The time invested in the story, however, is well worth it.

Essentially, Lionel decides that Lex is no longer a worthy heir and replaces him with a clone (I know that sounds ridiculous, but remember, this is Smallville). Lex manages to escape Lionel's clutches and the Kents end up taking him in. What follows is an epic that covers the deepening of Clark's and Lex's relationship and their struggle to defeat Lionel's and the clone's machinations. The loveliest part of the story is, in my opinion, the characterization of the ensemble. Lex is decidedly more vulnerable than normal - cut off from his money, name, and own identity and virtually dependent on the Kents' aid - but throughout the story he works to be a good man. It isn't easy for him and it is a conscious decision that he makes and strives to live up to. The Kents are also focused on as they maneuver their way through the Luthors' world and gradually bring Lex into the family. By the end, Jonathon is even referring to Clark and Lex as his sons - and it's believable!

I could go on - there's plenty of material to praise, after all - but instead I think you should all go start reading.

[bea]
❤Identical Series - Lanning NC-17, Series, Underage, Bottom!Clark Lionel Luthor replaces Lex with a clone, who as we later find out isn't exactly sane. Fortunately, Lex has the Kents to help him and to be the family he always wanted. And with the help of the Kents and a few old friends, Lex and Clark fight a war against Lionel Luthor and the clone.

2020s

[Sheliana]
my favorite fic of all time.

I discovered it in 2009 and fell in love even though I knew almost nothing about the canon in was based on. I’d seen maybe two or three episodes of Smallville, but somehow I was completely unaware that it was a show about young Superman, and not just your regular run-of-the-mill show about teenagers with supernatural powers. I hadn’t been much exposed to Superman mythos when I was growing up, so the names Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Lana Lang, Lois Lane were, at best, vaguely familiar. I had no idea who these characters really were and how they were connected to each other. Needless to say, when I found out Clark and Lex were destined to become mortal enemies, I was... distressed.:) Because, thanks to the Identical series, I was already completely head over heels for their friendship - I loved it so much that it’s still influencing what kind of pairings I’m drawn to in my new fandoms. This was a formative pairing for me, and the Identical series was a formative fic because it is literally everything I ever wanted from fanfiction. Plot that is fun, fast-moving and very in line with what we expect to see in the canon universe (except much more coherent and consistent). Beautifully written and well-developed romance. Friendships and family are written to be just as important as romantic relationships. A cast of thousands where every character gets a chance to shine (and to have a wonderfully-constructed character arc). Canon events that broke my heart? Fixed. Intelligent and witty dialogue? Present. Hurt/comfort - so much hurt/comfort! And it’s probably my favorite best-friends-to-lovers story ever written, and the reason I love this trope to begin with! Having just reread it, this story has really withstood the test of time and is always going to be one of my favorite works of fiction. (the only downside is, it's still a WIP, but if you skip the last part, it could very easily be read as merely an open-ended story.)