GC: Heroes of old, unsung heroes, heroes of the past and of the future. There are heroes everywhere it seems and most of our favorites are fictional. From Captain America, the symbol of American pride, to Thomas from The Maze Runner, there are many types of heroes. Reluctant heroes, prideful heroes, you name it and we’ll talk about it.
BC: Yes, there’s nothing like a conquering hero. But some of the heroes we’ll name might not have won their battles! Some heroes are recognized for the courage they showed, or the things that they did. I, for one, love a good hero that forsakes family and friends for the good of the many.
GC: While I love all heroes, I love the ones who are loyal to fault. That might just be me, but we’ll soon find out. You ready to do this?
BC: Yes! Our first hero is one of those obvious ones. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s….Superman! What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of a hero? Well, I think the flying man in a cape, and red and blue! Most think first of Superman! I know there’s a big debate on Superman vs Batman (not the movie, the characters). I know my side to the debate, but I’m just curious, what’s yours?
GC: My opinion really can’t stand when faced by the multitude of fans out there, but I will give it. I may be a Batman fan and when faced to choose between the two rivals, I’ll choose him, but I don’t think he’s the best superhero between them. In fact, he’s not a “super” anything besides super rich. That in itself disqualifies him from having a fair shot against Superman, because…well…if we’re being honest, Superman would win. While Batman might be the hero of the fans, I think Superman needs more credit than fans give him. I’m usually not a huge Superman fan, but I do see some qualities in him that the others lack. For starters, he’s got a great moral code that leads him to do the right things no matter what. Courage. Honor. Bravery. Compassion. Need I go on? For some, he might be nothing more than the annoying Goody Two Shoes, but even I have to admit, he’s the perfect Superhero. Yes, he has some flaws, but I think we can agree that, when compared to his outstanding characteristics, they just seem to fade to the background. His character needs more credit than he’s given and we can all see why. That’s my opinion, but what’s yours?
BC: My opinion, is that it isn’t a sacrifice if that’s what you’re born for. Meaning, Superman was literally born with the abilities he has. He was, in a sense, born to be a hero. Batman? He has every right to be the villain. He has no powers! He could easily sit back and be rich and powerful, but he sacrifices his normal life, so that others can keep there’s. A lot of people, when thinking about Batman, think of the life he has in the daytime. Like you said, super rich. But that’s the sacrifice. He gives up the chance to be liked as himself, as Bruce Wayne, so that he can stop the villains of Gotham. I just find that there’s no sacrifice in Superman. Moral code? Yes. But it doesn’t cost him anything. I respect Batman a whole lot more than Superman for that reason alone.
GC: But, he does have a sacrifice. The ones he loves? He puts in danger every time he does something heroic. Do you know how many villains could find out who he is? Not to mention he has died for those he loves! Those are some major sacrifices in my opinion. And Superman doesn’t have to fight villains. Just like Batman, he could have turned a blind eye to all the crime, but he didn’t. He wanted to stop them! So, sacrifices? Yeah, they’re pretty much the same on both sides.
BC: I guess when we’re talking about who sacrifices more, we could get into a hairy discussion! But Superman and Batman aren’t the only heroes we’re here to talk about! Another HUGE debate over the last few years has been Captain America vs Iron Man! They kind of mirror Superman and Batman in a way, but in this debate, I’m on the other side!
GC: All right, I know a lot of people think that Iron Man is a jerk with no heart and only cares about him, himself, and his needs. Not so much. I think deep down inside, Tony Stark has a big heart and he cares about a lot of people, especially those he loves. He just keeps it hidden because of his insecurities. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense. But, you say, he signed the contract in Civil War! You can’t use that against me. He did it because that’s what he thought was right. You would do the same thing, wouldn’t you? Do what you thought was right? Even he said afterward and you can see it on his face, he knew he made a mistake! Don’t go killing him just because of one mistake! Gosh, he’s human, for goodness sake!
Sorry…that was a bit of a rant…what’s your opinion?
BC: Captain America will always be THE Marvel Superhero in my opinion. I love the screen version, the comics version, I love it all! I really admire Cap, for not loosing his cool. This might be a fault on Marvel’s side, it maybe a bit unrealistic, but Captain America sure got used to being still alive, pretty quickly! Like I said, either that’s a mistake, or maybe it’s another superpower. He just seems okay in all these movies. He’s not shaken. Him and Bucky both have been through more than anyone can know. They’ve been through war, they’ve been through death, and they’ve been through war again! No one even acknowledges just how much he’s had to endure. And for him to just go along with act like his past never happened? That takes a lot.
Another thing about Cap, is that he’s Captain America. He didn’t sign the Sokovia Accords, because then we wouldn’t be able to defend his country. That’s his only job. His main goal. To defend America. To fight for her. He never stopped being a soldier. In the comics, when America came under some not so great leaders, Captain America saw the way the country was going, and he was ashamed of it. He renamed himself, The Nomad. This version of Cap is what we see in Avengers Infinity War. They never say it, but that’s him. Captain America isn’t Steve Rogers. Captain America is an idea. In the comics, Rogers dies pretty soon, and Bucky becomes the next Cap. After him, it’s Sam Wilson, and it goes down the line, of people taking up the shield, so that idea can never die. Captain America isn’t just the guy who fights robots and doesn’t like bad language. He’s a symbol of free America, that the whole country looks to for comfort. I’m on Cap’s side.
GC: Oh, this is so hard for me. I love them both! Cap is my favorite, but I will defend Tony. Want to know a few of his qualities? He’s honorable, hardheaded, brilliant, knows right from wrong, stands up for others, protects those he loves, tries to establish bonds with those who some might deem undesirable, self-sacrificing, I could go on and on, all while dealing with the demons of his past. Yeah, Captain America has had some rough times. He “lost” his best friend, never got that dance, froze, came back, lost his girl…but Tony…Tony lost both his parents, took over his father’s company at an early age, a company he really didn’t want, worked his fingers to the bone to become the best at what he does, fought in the Avengers, lost friends, almost lost Pepper, almost died (several times), suffers from PTSD, etc. Want me to keep going? I can. When Tony’s sufferings are compared to with Captain America’s (I’m not discounting anything you said earlier, I know it is hard on him and Bucky), you would think Tony would break. But, he doesn’t. He keeps fighting. All his decisions are based on past experiences and when you look at it like that…you can’t hate him. Yeah, he might be arrogant, but so is Loki and we all love him. Tony Stark deserves more love than he gets.
BC: I can hardly argue with that. Stark might not be my favorite but he is a good fallback. So what have we talked about so far? DC and Marvel. Let’s talk about someone who isn’t “super”. Someone known for what they do, and not some suit they might have.
GC: Hmmm….maybe someone like…Jason Bourne? Ahahahha, ahahahahaha!! …too much? Yeah? Okay, I’ll stop. While some might not consider him a “hero,” I think he’s the closest thing we can get to a non-super hero. I mean, where do we even begin with him?
BC: Yeah, I struggle to even classify him as “non-superhero”, but he’ll have to do… Where do we start, um…maybe with that fact that he is AWESOME? For me, Jason Bourne is, wow, he’s a realistic character! He really could be out there! His past and present are so pained, that pain travels through the screen to the viewer. He’s just a guy, who can’t remember anything, and who doesn’t want you to follow him! I love Identity the most I think, as we see him on his beginning journey. Watching him do things instinctively, that only his subconscious knows how to do, then marveling at what he’s done, it’s amazing to see that in a character. And no, he doesn’t start out as a hero. On that contrary, he’s running away from the government! But slowly, with more memories comes more purpose. He turns into what he is today.
GC: One of America’s most loved heroes in a tale of betrayal, heartbreak, and the quest for justice. Jason Bourne will always be my favorite non-super hero, because of what he did. He didn’t know what he was doing at first, but he slowly put the pieces together and you see he’s not the villain at all. He was betrayed multiple times, left for dead, almost killed (multiple times) and yet he pulled through! It’s amazing! And his story is so realistic, like Bad Cop said, he could really be out there somewhere. I have nothing bad to say about this character at all. He’s perfect!
BC: He actually ended up tearing down the corrupt government organization. I feel like his motive wasn’t just because they were hunting him. He sincerely wanted to see this bad thing gone! For the good of the world, he wanted to do some good. And it just so happened that this organization was his mortal enemy. So it wasn’t revenge that pushed him, if it were, he would’ve destroyed himself rather than the goal. I think it was duty. He felt like if he didn’t do it, who would? He saw himself as the most capable person, and didn’t look back! That should be admired in his character. Yes he was thrust into this situation, but look what came of it! And yes, I believe that Bourne is still out there, somewhere, just trying to be normal.
GC: Jason Bourne is a true hero, which may sound a little dramatic to some people, but I don’t think it is. How could you not like him? He deserves to be up on the hero list because of everything that happened!
BC: Totally, and nothing can stop him! He’s always two steps ahead, and will find a way out of any situation he doesn’t want to be in. So…if you don’t think Bourne is a hero, think again!
GC: Another group of heroes, and they’re my favorite, that I don’t want to forget are the Company’s. The Company of Thorin Oakenshield and Frodo’s Company. You want to talk about heroes? Let’s talk about them! They went through everything that Middle Earth could throw at them! Orcs, Spiders, Elves, Goblins, Gollum, a dragon, rivers, rain, being split apart, and let’s not forget Sauron himself! And why did they do this? For Thorin’s Company, to reclaim a lost kingdom for the honor of their kind. For Frodo’s, the sake of all humanity and the world as they knew it. They’re heroes all in their own rights!
BC: I feel like Frodo’s Company was very selfless (this is excluding Boromir and that slight setback) in their quest! They didn’t have to take the ring to Mordor! Gandalf could have summoned an eagle to come and fly it straight there! But they volunteered, because they knew it was the right thing to do. And yes, they were distracted along the way sometimes, but ultimately…they did the job! As for Thorin’s? I mean, what better cause can you fight for than family? They show this Unbreakable loyalty that’s second to none in movie characters. Even when Thorin isn’t at his best, the company still sticks by him. These guys are all heroes to me, and it just goes to show that you don’t have to have a secret identity or a cape to be a conquering hero. And for that matter, you don’t need a British accent and a master plan to be a villain….but we’ll talk more about that later.
GC: Everyone we’ve mentioned is a hero in their own right and I, personally, would love to meet any of them. If not all of them. I could go on and on about everything these guys have done, but then this discussion would be very…very long….and I can’t wait for the villains we’re going to be discussing. So, I hope y’all enjoyed this discussion! Have a hero you’d like to mention? Comment below, we’d love to hear from you!
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