WARNING: "BvS Plot" spoilers below
Luthor, throughout the film is winding Bruce up. He knows who Bruce and Kent are... he's not stupid, which is why he acts that way during the party... the "Don't pick a fight with this person" scene. Of course, this is just Luthor's sick sense of humour coming out, unknowingly to Bruce and Kent.
From the very beginning, Luthor has been working on Bruce, knowing he will bite.
He's also been working on making Superman a bad guy. Basically, he works from behind the scenes to frame and discredit Superman and give him a load of bad PR.
In turn this also makes Batman angry, he makes Batman believe the bad PR, along with getting the populous divided about Superman.
Also, Luthor knows what Batman knows, especially about Kryptonite... and Luthor knows that Batman will try to steal/take the Kryptonite once it is in the city, and will forge a weapon from it.
Luthor brings in the rock illegally after Senator Finch removes Luthor's permit for import (which is partly why he kills her, the other reason he kills her, is she is willing to give Superman a legal chance at redemption, basically good PR... good PR for Superman is something Luthor does not want. He turns Wally into a puppet too with that rigged wheelchair) ... and having the rock stolen by Batman, is all part of Luthor's master plan.
Watch how he reacts when he comes back to LexCorp and finds the rock gone, and the Batarang sitting in its place.
He smiles. Batman has played right into the plan... bat-hook, line and sinker.
Then, with Luthor knowing who Superman is, ie; Clark Kent... he kidnaps Martha. But only after he knows that Batman has the Kryptonite.
The ultimatum, is kill Batman, or Martha dies.
All the time knowing that Batman has a weapon that can kill Superman.
Luthor won't, and can't, kill Superman himself... so he turns Batman into a puppet. He works at him, and works at him and works at him... and then gives him the ways and means to kill Superman... and then blackmails Superman into fighting something that, unknowingly, he can't defeat.
The backup plan, was Doomsday.
Although, Luthor was more than likely going to release Doomsday anyway regardless of who won the fight.
Lex Luthor, in this movie, is the first time we see genuine genius behind the character... and it's the first time we see Luthor actually win and defeat the Man Of Steel.
Luthor, throughout the film is winding Bruce up. He knows who Bruce and Kent are... he's not stupid, which is why he acts that way during the party... the "Don't pick a fight with this person" scene. Of course, this is just Luthor's sick sense of humour coming out, unknowingly to Bruce and Kent.
From the very beginning, Luthor has been working on Bruce, knowing he will bite.
He's also been working on making Superman a bad guy. Basically, he works from behind the scenes to frame and discredit Superman and give him a load of bad PR.
In turn this also makes Batman angry, he makes Batman believe the bad PR, along with getting the populous divided about Superman.
Also, Luthor knows what Batman knows, especially about Kryptonite... and Luthor knows that Batman will try to steal/take the Kryptonite once it is in the city, and will forge a weapon from it.
Luthor brings in the rock illegally after Senator Finch removes Luthor's permit for import (which is partly why he kills her, the other reason he kills her, is she is willing to give Superman a legal chance at redemption, basically good PR... good PR for Superman is something Luthor does not want. He turns Wally into a puppet too with that rigged wheelchair) ... and having the rock stolen by Batman, is all part of Luthor's master plan.
Watch how he reacts when he comes back to LexCorp and finds the rock gone, and the Batarang sitting in its place.
He smiles. Batman has played right into the plan... bat-hook, line and sinker.
Then, with Luthor knowing who Superman is, ie; Clark Kent... he kidnaps Martha. But only after he knows that Batman has the Kryptonite.
The ultimatum, is kill Batman, or Martha dies.
All the time knowing that Batman has a weapon that can kill Superman.
Luthor won't, and can't, kill Superman himself... so he turns Batman into a puppet. He works at him, and works at him and works at him... and then gives him the ways and means to kill Superman... and then blackmails Superman into fighting something that, unknowingly, he can't defeat.
The backup plan, was Doomsday.
Although, Luthor was more than likely going to release Doomsday anyway regardless of who won the fight.
Lex Luthor, in this movie, is the first time we see genuine genius behind the character... and it's the first time we see Luthor actually win and defeat the Man Of Steel.