Isn’t it boring to be normal? Imagine you wake up one morning and you can fly, heal instantly from any injury, stop time, turn invisible, or read minds – what would you do? Would you use your gift to help others or for personal gain? Or would you hide it (fearing that people would be jealous or even afraid of you)? This is the fantastic world of special abilities and dramatic twists found on NBC’s TV show HEROES. The characters appear to be normal at first, even tragically flawed, but they discover that they possess unique superpowers, and this realization propels them toward their destiny. They re-discover who they are as individuals, and they find each other on the journey. Some work together while others battle; and, in the end, their destiny is fulfilled, and they’re saved (so are we, by the way).
We’ve seen this sci-fi formula before: the X-Men comics and movies. What made the X-Men popular was the skillful use of superpowers as a very human metaphor for being different (especially the confused feelings of adolescence). What do teenagers want? They want to be special and to fit in at the same time; it’s not an easy equation to solve. We all remember those days, and so we identify with the conflicted odyssey of the typical superhero. Humans are curious creatures. We suffer from a love-hate relationship with our own normality.
Let’s peal the onion down one more layer. There’s a subtext to this show, which can be understood by considering the whole hero concept in today’s world. No, I’m not talking about Joseph Campbell’s mythological musings on the subject. It’s about politics, specifically, political imagery and story telling. A different kind of mythology perhaps. The concept of the hero took on a more subtle, even collective meaning for Americans after 9/11. In a way, we witnessed the revival of the citizen as hero (rather than returning to the stereotypical trappings of the warrior). When confronted by catastrophe, each regular guy (or even a high school cheerleader!) is capable of heroism, even in the most simple of ways. For example, the heroism of the people on Flight 93 and the heroism of WTC survivors are often mentioned. Tim Kring, the creator of the show HEROES, is mixing the fictitious superhero motif with the new politically charged narratives of heroism in the American psyche. It’s an intoxicating mixture for viewers. The characters have many flaws, but their capacity for heroism (albeit of the supernatural brand) redeems them. In fact, the first season ended with the ultimate act of redemption when an older brother sacrifices his life to save his younger brother.
After all, it’s only human nature to stray occasionally from the well-beaten path of normality, and many of our best stories are about how this road less taken saves us. We need a shot of reassurance (maybe even as a nation) to remind us of the truth that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, even when it’s distilled down to the scale of a weekly TV sci-fi drama.
We’ve seen this sci-fi formula before: the X-Men comics and movies. What made the X-Men popular was the skillful use of superpowers as a very human metaphor for being different (especially the confused feelings of adolescence). What do teenagers want? They want to be special and to fit in at the same time; it’s not an easy equation to solve. We all remember those days, and so we identify with the conflicted odyssey of the typical superhero. Humans are curious creatures. We suffer from a love-hate relationship with our own normality.
Let’s peal the onion down one more layer. There’s a subtext to this show, which can be understood by considering the whole hero concept in today’s world. No, I’m not talking about Joseph Campbell’s mythological musings on the subject. It’s about politics, specifically, political imagery and story telling. A different kind of mythology perhaps. The concept of the hero took on a more subtle, even collective meaning for Americans after 9/11. In a way, we witnessed the revival of the citizen as hero (rather than returning to the stereotypical trappings of the warrior). When confronted by catastrophe, each regular guy (or even a high school cheerleader!) is capable of heroism, even in the most simple of ways. For example, the heroism of the people on Flight 93 and the heroism of WTC survivors are often mentioned. Tim Kring, the creator of the show HEROES, is mixing the fictitious superhero motif with the new politically charged narratives of heroism in the American psyche. It’s an intoxicating mixture for viewers. The characters have many flaws, but their capacity for heroism (albeit of the supernatural brand) redeems them. In fact, the first season ended with the ultimate act of redemption when an older brother sacrifices his life to save his younger brother.
After all, it’s only human nature to stray occasionally from the well-beaten path of normality, and many of our best stories are about how this road less taken saves us. We need a shot of reassurance (maybe even as a nation) to remind us of the truth that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, even when it’s distilled down to the scale of a weekly TV sci-fi drama.
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