LEX Appeal: MIT Rides Super Villain to Week One Victory

Guest post: Cornell Alumni Affairs

Some say it was over before it even began. The first match-up in the MIT vs. Cornell Fictional Alumni tournament has been decided as MIT’s Lex Luthor handily defeated Cornell’s Ling Woo.

Considering Luthor’s status as a comic icon, not many people gave the sitcom lawyer much of a chance. In the end, Luthor’s dedication to developing innovative methods for ransacking the planet far outweighed Woo’s knack for snazzy attire and ability to maneuver the choppy waters of inter-office politics.

MIT had a strong sea of support right out of the gates. The Engineers showed an impressive mixture of comic knowledge and skill in the art of finding the good in a man whose sole goal in life is to take over the world. Here are a few of the many comments that pushed Lex over the top.

“Luthor, hands down. Not many humans can punk the "Man of Steel" and live to tell the tale.” —Dolio

“Lex hands down. With strictly his brain power he maintains the cosmic balance of good and evil against the man of steel. Arch-nemesis of Superman… for an evil character I can’t think of a more prestigious position… Not to mention that he is hope to evil, balding nerds everywhere of what we to can aspire to achieve. I obviously thought about this way too much.” —RamyK

“Well Lex Luthor, obviously. Even though he is evil, he is a genius. I mean he's such an evil genius that I bet he could figure out a way to mid-control every MIT alum through their brass rat, so when he decides the time is right he will have a legion of geniuses under his control.” —Holly

“Lex, on the other hand, is the classic underappreciated geek who really can change the world. Sure, that gleaming dome is sexy (I mean, MIT has thing for gleaming domes, after all), and he’s the CEO of a huge multi-national, but remember, he’s been head of it for 40+ YEARS now (no take-it-and-run parachute for him!), and really does care. I mean, you have to care to put in all those hours plotting and scheming world domination—it’s damned hard work, and you can’t just get by on a nice butt or a snarky comment!” —Eric T.

“Lex teaches kids math.” —David

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Ling Woo failed to pull off the upset, that doesn’t mean they weren’t some brilliant, hilarious, and creative validations offered up by the Cornell community. Here are a few of the judges’ favorites:

“Ling Woo by a long shot. Lex Luthor took 40 cakes. And that's terrible.” —David

“The man that writes luthor is named cornell. if cornell can write him, cornell can destroy him.” —@eeljm

“Ling Woo would contribute more positively to society. The Art of Seduction wins over Evil/Money.” —@Aw269Cornell

“Anyone who can kick ass in heels deserves to win! By default, she works twice as hard as Lex!” —Emily

“In our society hair = power. Think of the millions of dollars spent and made in the hair restoration/wig business and you’ll realize that hair is the ultimate symbol of authority. So, when examining our two contestants, one must weigh their follicle ferocity and in doing so, Ling Woo’s gorgeous locks stand tall above the reflecting baldness sported by Luthor. He may have been President, but he didn’t have the foresight to ALSO be a client.” —Keith

Both sides performed admirably in week one, but you can’t help but feel this was just a light appetizer for the feast that will be served over the coming weeks. There are still several “big name” alumni lying in the weeds on both sides of the institutional aisle that are sure to generate a plethora of spirited debate.

The week 2 matchup will be announced on Monday, October 3rd. Check your respective Facebook page and twitter for the big unveiling.

MIT-Cornell Fictional Alumni Face-Off website

Twitter hashtag: #MITCU

Cornell Facebook: http://on.fb.me/kOEvxp

MIT Facebook: http://on.fb.me/w1qwP