›Sob!‹ Lex, don't go! I love you, in spite of everything! 
- — Ardora src
Ardora was a native of the planet Lexor - a world that regarded Earth's criminal mastermind, Lex Luthor, as a hero and Superman a criminal.
History
Lex first came to Lexor with his criminal partner, Brainiac, after escaping from the clutches of his most hated foe, Superman.[1] He met Ardora and was amazed to find that this was a woman who liked him for who he was. Although Lex's initial visit to Lexor was brief, he returned time and time again, and spent fleeting moments with Ardora while plotting his revenge on Superman. The two fell in love and were married on Lex's fourth visit to Lexor. Ardora later bore Lex a son, Lex Luthor, Jr..[2]
Like many on Lexor, Ardora believed that Superman was an evil entity who sought the destruction of their hero and leader, Lex Luthor. She often collaborated with Lex and assisted him in stopping Superman at every available opportunity. When it was believed that Lex Luthor had died at Superman's hand, Ardora publicly decried him a murderer and called for justice. Luthor survived however, and his death was a hoax, but this did not change Ardora's feelings towards Superman.[3] Even when Superman accidentally revealed Lex's Mento-Discs, which disclosed Luthor's previous callous deeds on Earth; Ardora continued to love Lex Luthor.[4] She was repeatedly heartbroken when Lex was away; either on a mission of revenge or when he was inevitably imprisoned after each mission.
Ardora was not only enamored with Lex Luthor -- she was ready to kill for him without hesitation. Superman secretly teleported back to the red sun-orbitting planet of Lexor after their courts had legally exiled him; and Ardora attacked him with a Lexorian poison-thorn flower. Only a quirk of timing allowed Superman to escape, or else Ardora would have gone down in galactic history as the killer of Superman.[4]
For years, Ardora saw less and less of Lex, and watched the skies for his return. But the first Earth ship that passed Lexor was not her errant husband -- it was Superman's coffin. Lex had finally killed Superman, but used biological warfare agent Virus X.[5] Lexorian's illusionary faith in Lex was shattered. As a dying Superman watched, Lex's chosen people toppled his statues, burned his library and smashed his machines. The one voice raised against the destruction was Ardora.[6]
When Lex finally returned, he was a defeated and broken man. He had married another and had removed his memories of Ardora.[7] Yet Ardora kept her faith and love for Lex. She had somehow rebuilt Lexor's trust in Lex, and the world had been put back together. Now healed by Ardora's touch and the discovery that she had bore him a son Luthor was briefly content and so was Ardora.[2]
Vengeance crept back into Lex's mind soon enough, and in building his first Warsuit, he lost the trust of Lexor for the second and final time. During the inevitable battle with Superman, the warsuit accidentally overloaded a seismic device tied to the planet's core called a Neutrarod, and as Ardora and Lex Jr reached for Luthor's outstretched gauntlets, Lexor detonated. Ardora, her son Lex Jr., and millions of Lexorians died in the explosion; leaving Lex Luthor alone in the debris.[2]
Notes
- This version of Adora, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
- Lex Luthor spoke Lexorian when he first enountered Ardora; where Ardora identified herself as "Tharla".[1] When Ardora's first appearance is reprinted in Superman #245, her introduction to Lex Luthor is changed from "I'm Tharla" to "I'm Ardora".
- Ardora must have, at some point, learned enough of the English language to decipher both the labels on Lex Luthor's hidden Mento-Tapes and the content within the recordings;[4] as Luthor had thought that his use of English labels precluded Lexorians from discovering his true nature.[3]
Related
- 15 Appearances of Ardora (Earth-One)
- 7 Images featuring Ardora (Earth-One)
- 1 Quotations by or about Ardora (Earth-One)
- Character Gallery: Ardora (Earth-One)
Footnotes