Lucille and Nell Newtrich

Lucille and Nell Newtrich are villainesses in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

They were sisters of the now imprisoned scientist Gene Newtrich who had previously discovered Superman's apathy when exposed to red Kryptonite. They decided to use this to their advantage only for it to go horribly wrong.

They were portrayed by Shelley Long and Mary Gross.

History

Sometime after their brother was imprisoned, Lucille and Nell payed him frequent visits and discovered the secret of the red Kryptonite. They decided to use it for their own purposes and pay back Superman for imprisoning Gene.

Together they constructed a laser with red Kryptonite that would make the Man of Steel permanantly apathetic so they could rob a $20 million shipment that was being transferred to Metropolis without any interference.

Posing as a news reporter and camera woman, they set a trap for Superman, by staging a false alarm by putting a doll with a tape recorder attached to it in a deep well. As expected, Superman arrived and while he was discussing the ruse with Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane, Nell fired the laser beam disguised as a video camera. Superman saw the beam and shielded Lois from the blast. The camera burnt out and Nell dropped it after it burned her hand and the two sisters fled with Lucille shouting abuse at Nell for her incompetence.

After fleeing to their headquarters, they discussed the situation of what had happened. Nell is certain that it worked, though Lucille disagrees so they decide to have a little test.

They held the Daily Planet hostage leaving a message that they would set fire to it unless Superman showed up. They ignited a fire near the building and watched among the crowd as Superman appeared, but he instead used a rug to put out the flames. Suddenly someone else used some cool breath to put out the flames. Everyone looked up to see a woman dressed in a pink costume with a blue cape and a mask to hide her identity. The press were going crazy with questions, but Superman told them she was called "Ultra Woman", a new superhero that was there to protect the innocent.

Back at their headquarters, Lucille and Nell deciphered that Lois was Ultra Woman as she was there and right next to the Man of Steel when the laser hit him. Because she was right next to Superman, his powers got transfered to Lois. Nell had made another laser with their last chunk of red Kryptonite. After some arguing, they decide that Lucille will be the one to take the powers from Lois.

Later that night, they find Lois' reporter partner Clark Kent being attacked and rescue him. They then take him at gunpoint back to their headquarters and attach him to a chair rigged with dangerous electricity that would burn him to cinders unless he called for Ultra Woman. Even though Clark insists that he doesn't even know her, they set the timer for the electrical charge and leave the room. Even though Nell has second thoughts about killing him, Lucille assures her that Clark's death will look more like a suicide with no evidence of their involvement.

After sometime there is a flash and both women look inside to see Clark has completely disappeared. Nell thinks that he has diintergrated, but Lucille berates her and tells her that he has escaped. Sure enough Clark managed to free himself from the chair and was running away as fast as he could with his hands still tied. The Newtrichs tried to catch him again, but he escaped. They then fled preparing for their next move.

Next day Lucille pretended to fall off a building to have Ultra Woman come to the rescue. It worked and as Lucille gave Ultra Woman a hug, Nell was lurking in a nearby alley ready to fire the laser. It fired and Ultra Woman's powers were transferred to Lucille. Delighted at her new powers, Lucille decides to kill Lois, but Clark who had watched the whole thing provokes her into ramming Nell into a rubbish alley while he and Ultra Woman make their escape.

Lucille is furious and vows to kill them both after she and Nell are rich. She then throws Nell's laser into space in case she decides to take her powers. Later they rob the truck loaded with the $20 million shipment. Thanks to Lucille's superpowers, they knock out the guards and rip off the door at the back.

Just as they celebrate and gather the money, Lois who is still dressed as Ultra Woman appears and tells them that she still has all her powers. But Lucille see fear in Lois' eyes and knows she is bluffing. She tells Nell to pick up the fallen gun of a nearby guard and shoot Lois to see if she is telling the truth. Suddenly Clark appears with the video camera laser (it had been mended and restored by Dr. Klein of Star Labs). Lucille blows him down and Lois throws a nearby bin lid at Nell knocking her to the ground. Superman reflects the sunlight from the window of the taxi in Lucille's face temporarily blinding her. Lois takes the camera laser and tells the Man of Steel to hold her. Lucille recovers and attempts to throw Superman far into space, Nell also recovers and prepares to shoot Superman, but Lois shoots the beam just in time and Superman's powers are restored.

Superman takes the camera laser from Lois and throws it into space. The two heroes then hand them to the Police to be imprisoned with Nell telling her sister "Pray we don't end up in a cell together."

Personality

Lucille and Nell were sisters but they didn't always get on and sometimes argued. Lucille was the more tougher of the two who often berated her sister for her incompetence, even though sometimes Nell was smarter than her. Nell was the more timid one, who didn't always like her sister's plans, two such times was when she was having second thoughts of killing both Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

Even though they were just as terrible as their brother, at first they didn't want to physically hurt Superman, but only get him out the way so he wouldn't interfere with their plans. Later however when they discovered that Superman's powers were transferable and decided to get rid of him as he was now as normal as any ordinary human.