As a people, as a species, we've always loved a hero. It goes clear back to Greek and Roman mythology. Look at Hercules, Achilles, Aeneas, Odysseus. They were children of the gods, endowed with some sort of power, sent on a mission from heaven. At the same time, though, they were human, prone to human faults and failures.
Flash forward to the 20th century. Superman, Batman, Captain America, Green Lantern, the Flash, Spider-Man, Thor, just to name a few. Each, no matter their source of power, no matter their protective domain, no matter their secret identity, have been burdened and yet blessed with a singular mission...
TO SAVE THE WORLD!!
Is it really any wonder we love them? Yeah. I didn't think so either.
But it does go deeper than that. At least for me it does.
Of course, we love super heroes because they're, well, super. They play with our imaginations. They do everything we wish we could do. They can fly. They have super strength. They can move faster than the speed of light. They're invincible. Who hasn't wished for a super power? I mean, really. You love the idea. Whether you admit it or not, you wish you were a super hero sometimes. Admit it. :)
But we also love them because they're human. They have problems and weaknesses. Batman is literally, 100% human, totally vulnerable (except for his armor, but... that doesn't prove my point so I'm not acknowledging that). Spider-Man can hardly afford to be a super hero. The Hulk and Thor both have to learn to conquer their anger. Iron Man has heart problems, for crying out loud! Even Superman cringes at the sight of Kryptonite. And, of course, whether it be Lois Lane, Mary Jane Watson, Jane Foster, or anybody else, nearly every superhero falls prey to the number one vulnerability: a love interest.
We like vulnerability. We understand vulnerability. Vulnerability makes us think of ourselves.
But really, truly, in our heart of hearts, the central reason we love super heroes is that they're just that. Heroes.
No matter how a hero acquires his power, he chooses to use it for the good of humanity. Sure, for some the choice is easier than others, but they kind of all hold to Spider-Man's philosophy: "With great power comes great responsibility." (Good grief, that was a nerdy sentence.) Mankind must always come first, no matter what other conflicting personal desires he may hold. Self-sacrifice is no stranger to the super hero. Even motives become subject to this strict code of super hero-dom. Revenge and hate must be absent in a super hero's mentality, though it's a constant battle to achieve this pure mindset.
So you place these supers in a very real world, surrounded by very real problems along with the fantastically exaggerated ones. You give them a responsibility, a vulnerability, and a sense of extreme morality. The result is inspiring. Super heroes remind us that maybe, just maybe, we can do it too. Can we swing from buildings or fly or lift cars or summon lightning? Of course not. But we can hold to this higher code of morality. We can use our talents to help mankind. We can stand up for the good of humanity. We can MAKE A DIFFERENCE. And that's encouraging to say the least.
"Kids like Henry need a hero, courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting an example for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams." -Aunt Mae, Spider-Man 2
Gonna be a hero?
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