Dec. 8th, 2018 09:44 am
ramblings about superheroes
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mayarene_roseWatching Titans again and it's a great one, as always. The writing team is strong for this show, their character work is spot on, and they did their research and I will forever love them but...
This isn't a problem I have with the show, per se. It's more about the bigger trend towards 'hero' backstories. I guess it just makes me sad that we often situate wanting to be a hero with being a person who came from a life of violence and wanting to do something about it. I get it. Motivation is always cool. But framing it that way makes it seem like it's a form of retribution, some weird sick twisted version of an abuse cycle. It's people who had experienced violence and is working through this violence by producing more violence. It's an incorrect interpretation. It's actually pretty valid. It just makes me sad that it seems to be the most common interpretation of wanting to be a superhero right now.
I have to admit I'm not as familiar with Hawk and Dove as comic book stories, but I know that their comic book origins did not have that element of child abuse that the show inserted. And this isn't the first time the show. Bruce's level of abuse and manipulation vs. genuine love and altruism with regards to the creation of Robin changes depending on whoever you read, but the show is definitely leaning towards the more abusive side. It doesn't really help that the show can't seem to decide whether they want their heroes to be killers or not.
So, we have this pattern of attaching being a superhero with abuse. And like I said, it's not an invalid interpretation, but is that all we can say about it? Somehow, at some point, a lot of people have stopped looking and seeing heroes. There's a fixation on violence now and that's sad. Is there no more room in storytelling now for people who go out in masks not to beat people up, but to save lives? Superheroes were created to show on that there is good in the world. It wasn't that deep once and I don't think it should be that deep now. Let superheroes save people because they're good people and helping people is good. And yeah, sometimes people fuck up, but I wish I saw more of that. That goodness is at the heart of being of superhero. Not abuse, not violence, but a genuine desire to do good.
I'm so tired of this cynicism. I know it's a trend and there's a reason for it in the world we live in today, but it's a bit heartbreaking. I wish more people believed that heroes are heroes and not just a conduit of violence.
This isn't a problem I have with the show, per se. It's more about the bigger trend towards 'hero' backstories. I guess it just makes me sad that we often situate wanting to be a hero with being a person who came from a life of violence and wanting to do something about it. I get it. Motivation is always cool. But framing it that way makes it seem like it's a form of retribution, some weird sick twisted version of an abuse cycle. It's people who had experienced violence and is working through this violence by producing more violence. It's an incorrect interpretation. It's actually pretty valid. It just makes me sad that it seems to be the most common interpretation of wanting to be a superhero right now.
I have to admit I'm not as familiar with Hawk and Dove as comic book stories, but I know that their comic book origins did not have that element of child abuse that the show inserted. And this isn't the first time the show. Bruce's level of abuse and manipulation vs. genuine love and altruism with regards to the creation of Robin changes depending on whoever you read, but the show is definitely leaning towards the more abusive side. It doesn't really help that the show can't seem to decide whether they want their heroes to be killers or not.
So, we have this pattern of attaching being a superhero with abuse. And like I said, it's not an invalid interpretation, but is that all we can say about it? Somehow, at some point, a lot of people have stopped looking and seeing heroes. There's a fixation on violence now and that's sad. Is there no more room in storytelling now for people who go out in masks not to beat people up, but to save lives? Superheroes were created to show on that there is good in the world. It wasn't that deep once and I don't think it should be that deep now. Let superheroes save people because they're good people and helping people is good. And yeah, sometimes people fuck up, but I wish I saw more of that. That goodness is at the heart of being of superhero. Not abuse, not violence, but a genuine desire to do good.
I'm so tired of this cynicism. I know it's a trend and there's a reason for it in the world we live in today, but it's a bit heartbreaking. I wish more people believed that heroes are heroes and not just a conduit of violence.
