SupermanHawaii.com

Warner Bros.

by Jason Tayros

The other day, a friend of mine played the first teaser trailer for Superman Returns on his computer for me and, with the help of John Williams’ fine and nostalgic score, emotion welled up inside of me. It was then that I wondered, “What is it about heroes that intrigue people? What is it that makes us all look up to heroes with awe? With wonder? What is it that makes heroes so special to us?”

Now, I could easily take the pessimists’ point of view and say, “It’s the power.” I mean, look at Superman. Is there anyone on the planet that could take the man down? Kryptonite withstanding, there’s not much a person could do or use to knock him for a loop. But, hey, what about other powerful men? Does Donald Trump, the multi-millionaire (multi-billionaire? Anyone know how much he’s
worth?), inspire the same kind of admiration? Not quite, methinks. Even though “The Donald” has got dollar power beyond what most of us even hope or dream of ever having, he rouses a different brand of admiration.

How about computer industry genius Bill Gates? Sure, he’s filthy rich in his own right but perhaps people admire him moreso for the fact that he’s a master innovator - someone who has had a profound effect on our popular culture, even our society. No, even THAT kind of admiration is something different. So what is it?

I could take a child’s point of view and perhaps go for the superficial. “It’s because he can fly” or “It’s because he’s super strong” or “It’s because he’s so popular. Everyone knows who he is”. However, not EVERY superhero can fly and, yet, somehow, they can still evoke that sense of wonder that our hearts reserve for heroes. There are power-lifters galore in the world but they don’t quite seem to cause our hearts to swell and bring forth that peace of mind when we see our heroes in action. As for popularity or notoriety, well, I’d say Scooby-Doo is a popular character. However, he doesn’t quite inspire people to revere him quite the way, say Superman, Batman, Spider-man, Daredevil or even the tragic heroes the X-Men do.

However, from a fan’s point of view, I think I’ve put my finger on it. Or, in the least, I can tell you why I think heroes command such awe. Such respect. Such honor. But it’s not just one simple answer. There are several.

I think heroes in general inspire us because the represent the best in each and every one of us. Let’s face it. The characters we love and admire are most often simple reflections of who we are. Or who we aspire to be. So, I’ll make a confession to you. If I see Superman – a hero in is own right - hovering above planet Earth mere seconds before flying down to do yet another good deed, I see a reflection of who I’d like to be. A guy wearing blue and red tights? No, not quite.

I see a person willing to make the extra effort. I see the person willing to do the bigger thing of helping his fellow man (and woman and child). I see someone willing to sacrifice himself for the betterment or, in the least, the preservation of others. I think that, for us to appreciate heroes for the best that they stand for, we must realize that true heroes know that they carry a duty beyond to just themselves. They have a duty to others. A responsibility.

Someone might argue that police officers, then, should inspire that same kind of admiration. Fire-fighters. Emergency medical technicians. Shoot, even doctors and nurses. And I would agree with them. In their own right, they are heroes. Perhaps they are not SUPERheroes by our definition, but heroes nonetheless.

I think heroes help us remember that there is more to life than our petty pursuits of everyday gratification: that 3-point basket, that girl’s phone number, that new video game on sale, that job promotion, that new CD single, that car I’ve always had my eye on, that fashionable coffee at Starbucks with my name on it.

Heroes take it upon themselves to make life safe for the people in their immediate vicinity. Some of the more powerful heroes may perhaps do that for the people in their town. Their city. Their country. Perhaps heroes as fortunate as Superman can make life safe... or safer for people in the entire world.

No matter what scale heroes or superheroes work on, they intrigue us in the capacity that they brave the world and make efforts outside themselves. They sacrifice their own safety. Their own time. Their own well-being. They do this to help me. To help you. In doing this, however, they shouldn’t make us envious or even jealous. They should inspire us to do the same. They show us that we, too, can break out beyond ourselves and do something, no… MANY things for the greater good.

If watching movies like Superman Returns can inspire us to do this, these fictionalized reflections of ourselves will have become a self-fulfilled prophecy. This would be a good thing. A great thing. Because heroes, super or no, should inspire us to REACH and achieve that greatness that exists within our very selves. They should inspire us to achieve the greatness that exists in all of us.

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