Lionel was born to Scottish immigrants Lachlan and Eliza Luthor. Lionel was born in Suicide Slums, and Lionel's father allegedly abused him when growing up. Lionel conspired with Morgan Edge to kill his parents to collect the insurance money to fund his future and LuthorCorp. Their criminal dealings, continued well into their adult years after their lives have taken divergent turns, as seen in the episodes Phoenix and Shattered. Sometime before the 1980s, Lionel married a woman named Lillian who came from a wealthy family. Together they had a child Alexander "Lex" Luthor and then they had a second child, Julian. Lillian smothered Julian to death when he was an infant; Lex took the blame and Lionel has resented his surviving son ever since.
Lex has often been a victim of Lionel's wrath; Lionel frequently puts him in harm's way under the motive of "making Lex stronger." Lex has survived many attempts on his life and his business. However, all that Lex wanted from Lionel were things that Lionel found foreign: kindness, respect, and love.
Lex has often been a victim of Lionel's wrath; Lionel frequently puts him in harm's way under the motive of "making Lex stronger." Lex has survived many attempts on his life and his business. However, all that Lex wanted from Lionel were things that Lionel found foreign: kindness, respect, and love.