BvS Lex, Bruce, and the K-Rock

[gdw]

So, I figured I might start a productive discussion thread, seeing as how almost all currently active threads seem to have devolved to hate bashing this movie.

As we know, in the film Lex is trying to import, or smuggle, Kryptonite into the country, and Bruce appears to be onto this from the start.
Although he initially assumes the White Portuguese is a person, and he lies to Alfred about what is being smuggled, claiming it's a dirty bomb, we eventually learn he already knows it's actually Kryptonite.

Bruce attempts to steal it after the ship comes in, but is ultimately stopped by Superman, and then successfully steals it later (of screen for some reason).

Considering Lex later admits that he had peen provoking Bruce for 2 years to egg on his hate, in order to pit the titular heroes against each other, did Luthor intend for Bruce to steal the Kryptonite?

There are several clues that suggest he did. Here are the things I noted:

For starters, how did he plan on Batman defeating Superman for him?
This doesn't become feasible til Bruce has the K-Rock. However Luthor admits he'd been pushing Bruce towards a fight with Superman for 2 years (18 months) prior to Bruce stealing the Kryptonite.

Earlier in the film, when Bruce and Clark meet face to face, Lex approaches them and comments how he's been trying to get Bruce over there for a while, and indicates his desire to partner with him on 'something'.
Lex then adds that his "R&D is up to all kinds of no good."

This certainly seems to suggest that he's talking about the Kryptonite, and that was one of his many plans on how to get Bruce access to the Kryptonite.

Also, there's the fact that, when Lex looks at the Batarang left where the Kryptonite used to be, many have interpreted his look different ways. Some suggest he even smiles.

Although I didn't really see a smile, he definitely looks interested.

So, what are your thoughts?

 

[OutOfBoose]

Considering Lex later admits that he had peen provoking Bruce for 2 years to egg on his hate, in order to pit the titular heroes against each other, did Luthor intend for Bruce to steal the Kryptonite?

Considering they didn't have the rock two years earlier, the plan didn't involve it.

For starters, how did he plan on Batman defeating Superman for him?

Before they found the rock - it's not known. After - with help of kryptonite, it seems.

This doesn't become feasible til Bruce has the K-Rock. However Luthor admits he'd been pushing Bruce towards a fight with Superman for 2 years (18 months) prior to Bruce stealing the Kryptonite.

We don't know what plan Luthor had prior finding the rock.

Earlier in the film, when Bruce and Clark meet face to face, Lex approaches them and comments how he's been trying to get Bruce over there for a while, and indicates his desire to partner with him on 'something'.
Lex then adds that his "R&D is up to all kinds of no good."
This certainly seems to suggest that he's talking about the Kryptonite, and that was one of his many plans on how to get Bruce access to the Kryptonite.

Obviously.

Also, there's the fact that, when Lex looks at the Batarang left where the Kryptonite used to be, many have interpreted his look different ways. Some suggest he even smiles.

There's nothing to interpret, really. Lex looked satisfied that Batman has the rock.

 

[gdw]

I think you forgot about the sliver Lex had, which he recovered from the initial incident in MOS.

That predates having the big Kryptonite rock.

As for interpreting Lex's look, I couldn't tell that he wasn't upset.
I didn't see a smile either time I saw the film. I was definitely looking the second time. Doesn't meant it's not there, just wasn't obvious to me.

I could see his look conveying satisfaction. If he's trying, perhaps, not to show it, but it's seeping through.

 

[OutOfBoose]

I think you forgot about the sliver Lex had, which he recovered from the initial incident in MOS.

I didn't.

That predates having the big Kryptonite rock.

Having a small sliver doesn't predates anything. They can't be sure there's more. And if there's more, it's impossible to know when and how they will find more, who will find it and so on. Of course it probably happened like that - sliver from Metropolis in US and they started to search remains of the destroyed device on the opposite side of the plant, according to events to Man of Steel.

As for interpreting Lex's look, I couldn't tell that he wasn't upset.
I didn't see a smile either time I saw the film. I was definitely looking the second time. Doesn't meant it's not there, just wasn't obvious to me.

Why would he be upset?

I could see his look conveying satisfaction. If he's trying, perhaps, not to show it, but it's seeping through.

That's exactly what it was.

 

[gdw]

I didn't.
Having a small sliver doesn't predates anything. They can't be sure there's more. And if there's more, it's impossible to know when and how they will find more, who will find it and so on. Of course it probably happened like that - sliver from Metropolis in US and they started to search remains of the destroyed device on the opposite side of the plant, according to events to Man of Steel.
Why would he be upset?
That's exactly what it was.

Um, yes, it did predate everything, as he clearly had it, and knew of it's destructive capabilities towards Kryptonian cells, long before they found the large chunk.

Yes, they couldn't be CERTAIN that there was more, but it wasn't a huge leap. If he recovered some from one crash, and it clearly has a connection to the Kryptonian's, then it makes absolute sense to think there might be more at the other crash site.
Luthor is ALWAYS playing multiple angles, and plans, so why wouldn't he set things in motion that could pay off if he ends up being right about there being more.

Even if there was NOT more, having something, even a tiny amount, that shows there IS something that can hurt the Kryptonians, is absolutely something he would pursue, and hope to learn from. To find a way to utilize it, or rather the knowledge, and what he can learn about the Kryptonian's from it, even without having more.
Even that would be more than enough for him to want that knowledge in The Batman's hands, if he thought there was a chance of using it to defeat "the alien."

As for why Luthor would be upset, if he did NOT want Bruce to have the Kryptonite. I do think he did want Bruce to have it, but some don't, and that's this scene is one of the ones that isn't clear, and could be interpreted as Lex being upset because his initial intention was to ultimately use it on the alien himself.
IF this was the case, then maybe he only ever wanted to use Batman as a distraction, or to defame Superman by forcing him to kill him, then Lex was planning to ultimately take him out himself with the Kryptonite, now that he'd shown his "true" colours to the world in his battle with Batman.

I think it's a perfectly valid way to interpret the film, especially in absence of any explicit admission of wanting Batman to steal the Kryptonite.

It's NOT how I interpret it, but I definitely can see how one could, and how others HAVE, and that is exactly the discussion I created this thread for.

That, and to hear what other indications, and clues other people saw, on either side of the discussion, that I did not.