▁son ▁has ▁been ▁li ken ed ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁Harry ▁Os born ▁and ▁Norman ▁Os born ▁from ▁Spider - Man ▁com ics . ▁ ▁Ro le ▁in ▁Small ville ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁Lion el ▁vis its ▁Small ville ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁Ross ▁C ream ed ▁Corn ▁company ▁immediately ▁before ▁a ▁meteor ▁show er ▁occurs . ▁Tw elve ▁years ▁later ▁during ▁season ▁one , ▁Lion el ▁ex iles ▁his ▁son ▁Lex ▁L ut hor ▁( Michael ▁Rosen baum ) ▁to ▁Small ville ▁to ▁run ▁L ut hor Cor p ' s ▁local ▁fert il izer ▁plant ▁as ▁a ▁test . ▁When ▁Lex ▁makes ▁a ▁profit ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁years , ▁Lion el ▁clos es ▁the ▁plant ▁and ▁bl ames ▁Lex ' s ▁poor ▁manager ial ▁skills . ▁Lion el ▁later ▁confront s ▁his ▁son ▁at ▁the ▁L ut hor ▁m ansion ▁when ▁Lex ▁tries ▁to ▁orch est rate ▁an ▁employee ▁buy out ▁to ▁save ▁the ▁fert il izer ▁plant . ▁When ▁strong ▁wind s ▁force ▁de br is ▁to ▁sm ash ▁through ▁the ▁m ansion , ▁Lion el ▁is ▁p inned ▁under ▁a ▁fallen ▁support ▁beam ▁and ▁Lex ▁hes it ates ▁to ▁save ▁his ▁father . ▁In ▁Season ▁two , ▁Lex ▁saves ▁Lion el ▁but ▁los es ▁his ▁sight ▁because ▁of ▁Lex ' s ▁judgment ▁to ▁r ush ▁into ▁surg ery . ▁Season ▁two ' s ▁first ▁half ▁shows ▁Lion el ▁as ▁blind . ▁Lex ▁and ▁Lucas ▁L ut hor ▁( Paul ▁Was ile w ski ) —