Stop Deconstructing Heroes

An examination of the two basic categories of heroes and why deconstructing them poses a problem for culture.
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[@izzymcgee2527]

Hollywood thinks it's being bold and thought provoking by deliberately ruining characters like Superman and Luke Skywalker. The truth is they don't even know how to write their depressing incarnations with an ounce of subtlety or nuance. It's like reading a shitty fan fiction written by an "edgy" 13-year old.

[@leaiplussize]

Amen ! I agree 100%

[@thefurrybastard1964]

It's basically teenage angst given movie making rights.

[@enterprisingcaptian875]

I think it's a selfish notion to change a character's personality for the sake of storytelling. It's lazy because they don't want to challenge themselves to write within the confines of the character. What Rian Johnson did with Luke Skywalker is so unforgivable. The thought of Luke even contemplating murdering anyone is their sleep is so contradictory to what made that character great.

[@FlyingFocs]

And if you're GOING to do that, at least show HOW he got to that point. It was, what 20-25 years between Return and that scene from last Jedi. How did he get there? What led him to that point? No answer. We just have to accept it.

[@ArnisKaye]

FlyingFocs That's what's so frustrating. There's no logic. It might make sense if Luke had a series of tragic experiences in between that left him questioning the Jedi & feeling like murder's the only way. Or if he isolated himself because he's ashamed that he tried to kill his own nephew. Instead there's no explanation, no motive that would sustain a real person for decades, no remorse, and no actual development. Doing a 180 because you laughed with Yoda makes as much sense as doing a 180 because you almost made a bad decision.

[@ProfessorGeekMC]

Yeah I don't see him as deconstructed either. His world certainly is, and he's challenged because of it. But no, his character isn't deconstructed in the least.

[@cptmorgan2523]

@@KuLaydMahnYep, real bad thought killing your own nephew when you had the power to resist killing your tyrannical, murderous father who you only knew about because of a hermit who told a half-truth and said he was killed by his alter-ego !

[@jonathanstarsmoure5791]

@@ProfessorGeekMC Same thing with Superman in MoS and BvS. Marvel just copied what they saw from the DCEU even thanos was changed due to the coming of the DCEU with Zod being a good villain, i mean well written villain.

[@Zinervawyrm]

I love a good anti-hero, but I'm an absolute sucker for the real traditional, happy go lucky, always will do what they believe is right, will try to save anyone and everyone who needs help, weather they ask for it or not, type hero. The reason I love this types of hero far more than the anti-hero is because they feel like characters that if they were real people, you could easily have a strong and real friendship with. And who wouldn't want to be close friends with a hero?

[@EatWave]

11:28 One of the best moments of Justice League Unlimited was when Captain Marvel/Shazaam calls out the more modern darker,edgier conflicted forms of the characters as having lost their way and for no longer behaving like heroes then resigns from the league. Their lost heroic ideals is something that they work towards regaining throughout the rest of the series from that point forward.

[@SolarDragon007]

I agree with your sentiment, but that episode later shows that Shazaam made a mistake by giving Luthor the benefit of the doubt.

[@Master_of_Merol81]

Superman vs The Elite movie comes to my mind.

[@shooterdownunder]

SolarDragon007 while he was wrong about luthor he was right about their actions as by going down the road that they went they actually played into luthor's hands

[@kennethsatria6607]

YES THANK YOU

[@GhostOfBilly]

@@SolarDragon007 That scene was about the league's philosophy having decayed. They're meant to give everyone the benefit of the doubt until given evidence to believe otherwise. Whether Shazam giving Luthor the benefit of the doubt was effective or even reasonable is irrelevant. The Justice League does not over profile because profiling is unjust, even when you profile Lex Luthor.

[@chasformer3091]

The deconstruction of heroes is a pretentious way of saying "I'm going to ruin these characters to make myself look smarter"

[@iridescent6685]

Even DC with their testament of deconstruction, the Watchmen, didn't let thm do it with characters people wanted to continue.

[@christianyaerger1751]

Deconstruction is a useful method of storytelling, but like with any project, you cannot MAKE anything worthwhile with only ONE tool. Positivist deconstruction breaks down the perceived central piece of a story, trope, or setting, and builds something back up in its place; it helps provide a lens for the audience too look at the same thing with fresh eyes and a new perspective. So to break apart Luke Skywalker or SuperMan without any reconstruction or meaningful character development can be very defeatest. One thing that might have saved TLJ is if Luke's limits as a man were usurped by his creation of a myth and legend: to show the inspiration of his "sacrifice" on Krait, and the exceedingly demoralizing effect it had on the Imperials -- I mean First Order. Let his Force projection do more than just stand there, allow it to do something the REAL Luke Skywalker couldn't to reconstruct his myth in the Star Wars universe. Let Luke's projection use the Force to bring the walkers to their knees (utilizing their beastly appearance to make it appear as though they're being "tamed" by a true Master); let the First Order Soldier looks on in terror, make them avoid the spot where Luke disappeared, and let the Rebels look on with renewed hope and inspiration. So Rian Johnson wanted to show that Luke is just a man, like any other, with limits and hardships. And that's okay. It would also have had meaning to acknowledge the POWER of myths and legends, thereby letting Rian have his cake and eat it, too.

[@Mumwaldee]

No, there can be no heroes in communism. We're all the same, nothing to aspire to, nothing to inspire or uplift.

[@centrist1008]

I prefer aspirational

[@destinygalearies7382]

It's pretty much a staple of liberal arts/English major academia nowadays; they're obsessed with "deconstructing" and "questioning" everything (so they can find something problematic) instead of acknowledging and appreciating how archetypes as they are are effective.

[@Soulreaver191]

I was reading all of the comments other people have written about heroes that inspired them, either by their character or through their example; I wanted to add who my heroes were. When I was growing up I was picked on relentlessly at school. I had no friends and little peace of mind while I was there. Once when I was in the school library, I was hiding from some bullies at the time, I found a book about King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. I started reading the book and as I got deeper into the different stories about the adventures the Knights had, I found myself wanting nothing more than to join that brotherhood of warriors. I checked that book out of the library and reading it helped me get through some really tough times in my young life. So I guess you could say that my first heroes were the Knights of the Roundtable.

[@iridescent6685]

If you're a fan of Soul Reaver then Raziel is a somewhat anti-hero.

[@TheWilkReport]

I see the point you're making, but what you describe isn't deconstruction. It's demolition. Actual deconstruction involves carefully taking something apart, examining its component parts to understand how and why it works, and putting it back together again in a way that gets people to think about it in a manner they haven't previously. Disney Star Wars, CBS' STD, Feigbusters, and other reboots simple destroy the original in order to make way for the crappily written reboot, which merely uses the most superficial aspects of said original without either understanding it or caring to understand it.

[@caveman3744]

finally an educated response.

[@RayRivers43]

Very well said. 👏

[@joecrazy9896]

Two of my favorite modern heros are Izuku and All-Might from My Hero Academia. They are willing to go beyond their limit's in order to help and protect people.

[@SquatsAndOats2plate]

Preach. It seems like mangaka like Kohei start to run laps around current western inspirations.

[@FlyingFocs]

The reason I love All Might is he is SO the "traditional hero", but in a day and age where that thing is really uncommon, that it actually comes off as really refreshing.

[@phoenixdouchebag904]

@@FlyingFocs in an era where subversions, inversions and deconstructions and what ifs are the norm, playing the trope straight is the most avantgarde thing you can do.

[@RianeBane]

This explains why I liked Wonder Woman so much...she had her moments of doubt, but ultimately she was an aspirational hero who believed in and fought for the potential of humans to do good. Such a breath of fresh air in an era of cathartic motivational heroes and anti-heroes.

[@jasonwerpy1130]

Great video. If everyone is Batman, then no one is Superman.

[@TimothyJ.Lochhead]

Well said!

[@loganthelaymancritic3250]

I think that Disney's treatment of Luke Skywalker is even more of a betrayal when you take into account the previous two trilogies collectively. We had the original trilogy give us Luke as an idealistic hero that grows and frequently stumbles, but eventually rises to the challenge. With the prequels, Anakin is a character that is also highly idealistic but falls short and succumbs to his failings. Putting the two trilogies together further strengthens Luke Skywalker as a symbol of idealism (a new hope, if you'd like). By having Luke become the man that his father couldn't, he is ultimately able to inspire Anakin to overcome his failings and fulfill the destiny he had abandoned. Anakin couldn't become the hero he needed to be without his son to lead the way. Luke's purity of character is a necessary component. That Disney (or more specifically, Rian Johnson) threw that out the window is proof positive that the character and narrative aesthetic of Star Wars is completely lost on them.

[@superlord1428]

There was once a time I felt very insecure about my preference for aspirational heroes over anti-heroes. I felt like I didn't want to challenge myself, that I wanted to live in a fantasy world rather then the real world. it just get worse with rise of anti heroes and people praising how 'human' they were are compared to there classic counter parts and how it was a good thing that we were moving beyond such 'dated' characters such as superman and Captain American and people who people still preferer these charathers don't appreciated mature stories. I am ashamed I ever let these thoughts stop from enjoying the characters I love. Superman was the first character I ever actorly follow the first. I ever wanted to learn more about then besides I what I saw on the scene, he got into superheroes and comics as a whole. He made me thing about how I treat other people and how I Carrie myself in the outside world. He made want me to become a writer myself someday. My greatest wish is that I will someday will get a change to write him myself. If one good thing came out the DCCU at least for me, is that it broke me out the mindset that stories need to be dark and gritty in order to be adult and heroes need to be sad and have tragic backstories to be compelling characters. If do become a writer I want write uplifting stories with heroes that stare into darkness and say "I will not fall to you. Those are the kind of characters the world needs right now. Anti heroes have there place but so do aspirational heroes.

[@arichutfles9550]

Super Lord I'm a Superman guy also but my favorite superhero comics were X-Men. I have *always* said Cyclops was my favorite X-Man. I suddenly realized when you made this comment that Cyclops is also an aspirational hero. He always believed in Xavier's dream of human/mutant coexistence. This is opposed to the fanboy favorite Wolverine who is much more a cathartic motivational hero. I've never hated Wolvie but I've never cared much for him either. The cultural marxist even managed to deconstruct Cyclops by making him a "terrorist" who wanted a mutant ethno-state.

[@superlord1428]

I've never read any X-men comics but I do remember from several cartoons Cyclops being very loyal to Professor X and always being a leader on the team and around good guy. I'm sorry to hear how Cyclops has been mistreated similar to how captain American was mistreated.

[@smith9747]

Thank you for this video. I'm personally really sick and tired of all these deconstructions. People nowadays are too cynical to accept heroes. But let heroes be heroes, for Kirby's sake!

[@kingsadvisor18]

I think hero deconstruction works. Through villains that oppose the hero. For example: Superman is a representation of everything good in humanity and the everlasting potential to be better, while Zod is a relic of Krypton's war mongering past as well as a state of human nature rooted in the barbaric parts of human history. Every great villain in my opinion is the deconstructed dark mirror image of the hero that must be opposed simply because it's the good nature of the hero to do so.

[@pittland44]

The way I would describe it, and I think you'll appreciate given your onion and ice cream metaphors, is this: Hollywoods current infatuation with literary deconstruction is like the young cook who's just discovered a new spice, like say ginger. Now ginger is a fine spice and can add a lot of great flavor to many dishes, like adding ginger to beef stir fry (which is actually really tasty). The problem is that ginger (heroic deconstruction) doesn't work with every dish, just as tumeric (antiheros), cayenne pepper (anti-villains), and other such spices don't go on everything. The problem that WB/DC have (and I am targeting them specifically because I've really come to hate the DCEU) is they have a guy who's crazy about ginger (Snyder), it's his favorite spice, the problem with Batman is that you can have some ginger (let's say Batman is a good steak, and there are good recipes for ginger steak, which is what Nolan did) but he's over seasoning and it overwhelms all the other flavors to the point where you can't taste anything else. Also, he tried making a dish that never should have ginger in it, chicken parmesan (Superman) and he's been adding a lot of ginger to that too and it just tastes awful and people have been sending it back to the kitchen. WB/DC has tried correcting that with Justice League, but by now everyone has been overwhelmed by the kitchen over seasoning everything with ginger and many have left the restaurant and refuse to return (which is the boat I'm in). That's my 2 cent metaphorical analysis.

[@ProfessorGeekMC]

You're right! I do appreciate your edible metaphor! lol Well said.

[@freman007]

Yes, that's a very good way of looking at it.

[@genxsir1570]

Hollywood has experimented enough with deconstructions and the results have been cringeworthy. If they had common sense they should've gotten the message by now.

[@MontChevalier]

That's assuming Hollywood has ever had common sense.

[@MontChevalier]

Frank G Yeah, but how many people can do that?

[@mistersharpe4375]

Endless deconstruction of tropes and archetypes without any efforts at "reconstruction" only leaves us with a wasteland.

[@aaronbarlow4376]

It's not about common sense. It's a political agenda by the deep state New World Order Marxists. Destruction and feminisation of men, masculinisation of women, the destruction of traditional gender roles makes men and women less compatible leading to less marriages and less families. Devotion to family before the state is a barrier to complete State control. It's all about world government and to attain that they need to destroy the current systems of dominance, namely the West and it's economic and cultural hegemony. This is also why they attack Christianity in the media, Academia, Hollywood etc because devotion to God before the state is unacceptable to them. Family and God are barriers to complete control and to their destruction of the West. SJWs are useful idiots of the Marxist elite, fools easily programmed by the corrupt media to preach the New World Order agenda in the guise of 'social justice'.

[@qty1315]

Well, they've been cringeworthy in the eyes of fans and critics. However, those movies that try to be as edgy, dark and weird as possible tend to make a lot of money. If they didn't, Hollywood would stop making them, or focus on making more traditional types of movies with more traditional kinds of heroes.

[@robsmoviecollection3715]

"The Big blue boy scout" Boy, writers sure ran with that description of Superman. I never liked it because it came with such a negative connotation. Of course Superman is the aspirational hero for me. I was initially introduced to three heroes: Superman, Batman and Aquaman. This was back in the 70's through the old Filmation cartoons. But Superman quickly became my favorite. Sure, as a kid it was somewhat about the flashy powers, but I always noticed that he was so confident in doing the right thing. And people looked up to him and wanted to help him help others as much as they could. I wanted to be him because I wanted to help people like he did and because he always did the right thing. My parents gave me my morals as a kid, but Superman was also a teacher and example for me. When the temptation to do the wrong thing would come up, sure, I would often think what would Superman do. I wasn't insane of course. I knew he was a fictional character. But I still looked to him as an example of how and when to do the right thing.

[@urahara64360]

ROB'S MOVIE COLLECTION I used to be a Batman fan until I read all star superman which made me want to be like him. Superman is by far the best hero.

[@robsmoviecollection3715]

I agree of course!

[@azuretiger-kfpmarketingstr6018]

Ever hear the saying "No one likes a boy scout til you actually need one"? Don't know where that originated, but it feels very relevant.

[@robsmoviecollection3715]

Ha, yes it sure does!

[@kyriss12]

My only problem with superman is that he's so OP that nothing ever presents much of a challenge. It's easy to do the right thing and always stay positive when you never have to worry about getting hurt, and effortlessly save everyone without hurting the bad guys. For me a true motivational hero is someone who fails on occasion, makes personal sacrifices, gets hurt frequently, but drags himself back up every time and continues to fight the good fight with out compromising his ideals or giving into doubt. Unfortunately those underdog heroes are extremely rare.

[@nerdrock8087]

Heroes should absolutely have faults, doubts, and normal human emotions, but many writers take it WAY too far. They make them unrecognizable, too angsty, too bitter, too weak....and just everything that they are NOT.

[@nanda12345ful]

The way I always think about it is Superman is who I always wanted to be, but Spider-Man is who I end up becoming. It's not that it's a downgrade, it's that while you can't be as great as Superman, you can still be great.

[@jakBNimbull]

Batman! The version of Batman I love is one who aspires in others how not to fall into darkness. Despite all the tragedy he has had and has had to overcome he never crosses that line into cold-blooded murder. He thrives to find an alternative to revenge and opt for justice by any means. This version was depicted awesomely in his film The Mask of the Phantasm.

[@Godzilla-tu2cd]

Warpainter exactly and seeing zack snyder throw that character trate aside is just horrible he doesn't understand why we love batman

[@terrancebogard3840]

Warpainter if you think about it the version of batman that we saw in bvs is what batman from prime earth is afraid of becoming.

[@williamstark9568]

I think it's always been that Batman said that he doesn't cross that line because he knows it's so easy to cross that line and therefore it's even harder to stop once you've crossed it.

[@williamstark9568]

EBI Studios I liked that movie but I'd swear I've seen comic panels where he says stuff along those lines.... I think.

[@TheGeorgeD13]

Eh, The Mask of The Phantasm is the opposite of what you say I feel. It shows Batman as the tragic character that he is and isn't really that heroic at all whatsoever. He's a selfish man haunted by his parent's death and is in his version of hell taking on Gotham's Nightmares.

[@StarOfElyon]

Dragon Ball Z built in a failsafe for Goku by making him too childish to corrupt. It's a little annoying sometimes but it's probably needed.

[@TheTitoUgo]

Agree, but I think goku could be more mature but still has child at hearth character at same time, but it seems akira toriyama just play too safe for not ruining goku image.....

[@SquatsAndOats2plate]

That's why I like My Hero Academia on how it treats heroism. You have such a diverse motivation on why a certain kid wants to be a hero, yet none of them are a deconstruction, while Kohei also takes risks by initially letting characters come off like archetypes, only to flesh them out further, as the story goes on. Best example for me is Bakugo. I hated him, because he seemed like the lame, angry bully rival, but as soon as you get a glimpse of why he behaves in such a way, and how transforms ever so slightly by opening up a bit, it enriches him and the story a hundredfold.

[@reihino7857]

You speak my mind. I grew up with aspirational heroes and still my most beloved heroes are like that. They may not be realistic, but they have motivated me to aspire to be the best person I can be.

[@TtimeXP]

That's why villian exist.... To oppose the hero. If we deconstruct heros,then what was the point of the villian? So we can have these really evil villians, but heaven forbid that we get all good heros.

[@ChurchoftheLatterDayShrek]

Honestly the deconstruction of "The Hero" has been done so many times it should be considered a cliché at this point. Watchmen did it, Deadpool did it, Spaceballs did it, One Punch man did it, we get it Hollywood Heroes can be complete assholes, stop preaching already

[@teddyj9482]

Shreknos I think Professor Geek was more focused on pre-established heroes then the concept of “The Hero” itself but I agree with you.

[@Lopaloos]

Saitama is only tsundere but he is heroic af

[@aljustin4771]

But One Punch Man wasn't made by Hollywood....

[@INFERNO95]

Shreknos Spaceballs was a parody.

[@Zeed_316]

I may sound a bit like a anime shill for saying this, but I think one of the reasons why My hero academia is so popular right now is because it's probably one of the only current works of fiction to have proper, honest-to-God traditional heroes in it in the form of characters like All might and Izuku. Making it something of a breath of fresh air in a age filled with subversions, deconstructions and satires of traditional heroes. And honestly, I hope it's fame sends a message to the rest of the entertainment industry that people want more heroes like this again. Though I wouldn't hold my breath on it though.

[@purpleemerald5299]

Coming soon to a theatre near you! Captain America 4: Cap abandons America! *Man of Steel 2: Sups accidentally wipes out civilization!* *_The Passion of the Christ 2: Jesus gives up on humanity!_*

[@WalterUnglaub]

Hollywood's obsession with postmodern takes on mythology, in a nutshell. It's cultural vandalism, frankly speaking.

[@purpleemerald5299]

@@WalterUnglaub I don’t even remember typing this comment a couple years back...but I agree with you nonetheless!

[@nont18411]

Holy shit! You are a prophet! Knightmare - Supes became Homelander and wiped out civilization just because Lois died.

[@RobotTanuki]

I don't have a particular aspirational superhero, but I have one in the Roleplaying field: the Lawful Good Paladin or Cleric. My impression is that many people found them, like other aspirational heroes, boring and two dimensional. Many players seem to want to deconstruct them too. To connect this with your video on the Mythic Four (because roleplaying involves a group of adventurers), a group NEEDS this kind of member to set up an ideal example, and be the moral compass of the group. (Though I'm not sure if they count as Earth or Water) Without them, you have the stories of psychopathic Player Characters that murder everything in their path. I don't know how much experience you have with roleplaying games like Dungeon and Dragons, but I want to throw in my connection from another nerddom :)

[@arichutfles9550]

RobotTanuki Great comment!

[@MagusMarquillin]

I usually make a Neutral-Good character at least because I worry about being constrained by corrupt laws that are probably in the lions share of role playing campaigns, most of these worlds require a little moral flexibility. Though, I often felt downright righteous next to this one Half Ogre player - but I have a feeling most people role play to try and achieve good (while becoming wealthy and powerful). All the same, I do love Sturm Brightblade, but I don't know if I'd want to play him myself. Would you? And if all the players don't want to play that sort, maybe the GM should, so that (s)he's at least present in the world.

[@RobotTanuki]

I think we have a slightly different interpretation of Lawful, friend! Lawful can either follow outside law or, more importantly, personal code of ethics. That's why a Lawful Good entering into a totalitarian city will vehemently oppose it. There are shades of Lawful Good too, I think. A Lawful Good in a party should be ones who understand some underhanded tactics are necessary in society, even if he doesn't agree with it. A Lawful Good who says "I can't allow you to steal from that greedy merchant who wants all the gold in the world for that item that we must use to save the world" will get tiring real fast. That's Lawful Stupid. And as you mentioned Brightblade that you admire but will not play, I think he did his job in setting at least some kind of example!

[@sideshowkazstuff3867]

I kind of agree but when I’ve played the paladin types there’s always been a reason for why they are the way they are which means in some places I can allow them a bit of leeway but they always learned to be lawful good in some way. I”m much more happy with a Buddha type than a Jesus type who is just the way they are just cause.

[@LtDeadeye]

Thanks for this! Now I know why Goku and Vegeta need each other for the series to work.

[@psnfailout000]

While I mostly agree on your analogy in using Goku and Vegeta, Goku is not an aspirational hero. He’s more of a positive, flat anti-hero. This video should explain it well: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKSVeKl9iKempc0 Vegeta seems like a good example to use though, given his struggles throughout Dragon Ball. The principle remains, however, that characters like Goku should NOT be deconstructed, so you’re still correct in a sense.

[@freman007]

As I commented somewhere. Luke Skywalker might have died trying to save his nephew, but he would at least have died trying.

[@richardcorwin5529]

I started reading comics when I was very young not only as an escape but to give me hope in a less than perfect childhood. Dynamo and Magnus were my favorite along with Superman and Spiderman. I also read a lot of ERB because Tarzan fought incredible odds and showed what it means to be a man as well as John Carter. I also read a boatload of Classic Illustrated. Thank you Professor for the video and I passed this on to one of my twitter buddies as well.

[@2D_Memory]

Normally when I comment here I go on massive rants so I'll just... ...I miss my hopeful, passionate and loving Luke, he has always been my childhood hero right through to adulthood. I aspired to be like him, to see the good in people and everything. I miss feeling like that.

[@urahara64360]

I know you mentioned superman and he's always been my biggest aspirational hero. I do think there is another good one that is overlooked and that is Aang from Avatar the last Airbender. He's got his flaws but at the end of the day he's still someone that the audience would strive to be like. Which creates a hard dynamic with the sequel series with Korra because she is clearly a more cathartic motivational hero. Which is why to me her story is so disconnected to me emotionally.

[@chrisolivo6591]

I think there should be a happy medium of great heroes and anti-heroes. 20-30 years ago, the pendulum swung too much towards the great heroes and a lot of them felt one dimensional. Now the pendulum has swung too far the other way as EVERY character is conflicted. Seeing new Luke Skywalker made me realize how much I miss old Luke Skywalker in tv and movies these days.

[@TheGeorgeD13]

Personally, seeing the new Skywalker made me realize how unbelievable and hokey he was in The Original Trilogy. TLJ has made me like the Original Trilogy quite a bit less as a result. Upon rematches, I've really have grown to dislike the OT Luke. He's insufferable. At least Leia and Han balances things out a bit.

[@nightwishfan1991]

I don't mind things being deconstructed. I loved Watchmen. But the problem today is that everything has to be some kind of deconstruction. Nobody wants to just tell a story. And usually when you deconstruct something there is suppose to be a point. You tear it down, see how it works, then rebuild it. But nowadays it appears people just want to tear things down. There was no point in "deconstructing" Luke Skywalker. It comes off more as out of spite then wanting to actually analyze the character.

[@iggyfing2646]

I wanted to make an insightful comment but instead sat here for five minutes getting emotional over all my favorite aspirational heroes. They're just so Good!

[@azuretiger-kfpmarketingstr6018]

Aquaman, silver age/super friends, before he needed to be edgy and all that mattered was "violent" power, before the "he only talks to fish" nonsense. I was fascinated by the ocean and marine life as a kid. If I wasn't such an awful swimmer I may have even considered marine biology as a profession. Why do so many measure a heroes worth by their power to hurt others? Now, I do enjoy some good action, including watching Power Girl work up a sweat, but there is so much more to the superhero genre than that. Not every hero needs to be a brutal machine of violence.

[@Radley1982]

I think it's because today's youth gravitate towards heroes that are powerful, regardless of how they obtained it or how they use it. In the older days, a hero's most valued quality was the courage to do the right thing, nowadays people believe that might makes right, and that good and evil are only words. Though they seem to miss that only evildoers think like this, in order to try justifying their nefarious deeds. Something like this anyway.

[@maketheswitchton6779]

Superman's earth dad walks into a tornado as a sacrifice. Dumbest plot point ever! M Shamalan or whatever his name would b proud.

[@ChatBot1337]

Wow. Criminally undersubbed. Excellent vid.

[@arichutfles9550]

Thank you for this. I'm currently writing a creator owned character and the setup naturally leans toward an aspirational hero. I had bought into the cathartic motivational idea and was struggling to give him a Spider-Man like origin. Now I will make my original hero aspirational and save the cathartic motivational origin I had been working on for another hero I'll introduce later in the story. ^ω^

[@traykunable]

Luffy and Son Goku. Great aspirational hero's. They also had their cathartic moments but are largely aspirational heroes.

[@jasonb348]

I don’t watch nearly as much television and film as I used to due to the ubiquitous wave of nihilism and dark/overly flawed characters. I miss being inspired by art. Now I’m just dragged down by it. The funny thing is, I was all for it in the beginning. I welcomed the gritty reboots, and the reimagined characters. Now I just want to reverse the trend.

[@washingtonwerewolf1272]

"The Last Jedi" reminded me of "The Last Temptation of the Christ", in that they both took a hero people look up to, and basically broke him down with an emphasis on self doubt.

[@JayRNaylor]

The focus on having a standard, even if it seems unattainable, is very important. It's a good rebuttal to everyone who thinks every character has to be flawed to be "relatable" so they can look at the screen and point and say "it me". Very good vid.

[@SunshineCasy]

The Elric Brothers from FullMetal Alchemist. The original anime series was a lot more cathartic in execution, but in the 2009 version, the Elrics are so full of inspiration in every episode, and it's just what I needed at the time.

[@sharonkadach6884]

This is so cool...I thought I hated “perfect” heroes like Superman until you explained that they can have doubts and they can be human. We definitely need heroes who don’t stop believing in what’s right

[@Mattfromthepast]

Wow, this is the best video I have ever seen on this subject and I would love to take your course on the topic of heroes! Also, you just explained better than I have ever been able to why One More Day killed the character of Spider-Man for so many people because he was no longer acting like a grown-up man. The problem isn't that he made the deal with the devil in the first place, it's that there was no fallout from it and he can't remember it so he can't learn from the mistake and grow up and learn something about how to be a man from the deal, that is the problem with One more day and so many of these other stories, it isn't the stories themselves but the lack of fallout and learning on the part of the heroes. Thank you so much for making this video.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

I say Judy Hopps from Zootopia is a great example of an inspirational and catharic heroine. She is kind, compassionate and has altruistic goals. Her driving motivation to to make the world a better place. She is also cathartic because she struggled every step of the way. Everyone around her was either indifferent to her struggles or standing in her way. So it is cathartic to see her come out on top, and Inspirational that she can achieve her dreams in spite of those obstacles and in the ideals she embodies.

[@LJK193]

Thank you so much, Prof, for standing up for the aspirational all these years (especially for Superman). If aspirational characters are "one-dimensional", I don't want "three-dimensional" characters. If these characters are "boring", I don't want "interesting" characters. If AH's are "unrealistic", I don't want "realistic." If they're "outdated" or "yesterday's news", I don't want "today's news." If AH's are "childish", I don't want "adult characters. And so on and so on.

[@marshmallowvampire8503]

Literature Devil was also talking about how Superman being a symbol of all things that are morally good, is encouraging us to be better, and I couldn't agree more. He mentioned how new writers say (this is a summary) "we relate to antiheroes and villains.", "we need more antiheroes", and that they don't want to live by that higher standard, they would rather be comfortable with all their dark ways b'coz (his words, not mine) they lack the discipline and need for excellence. And we end up with "heroes" like Captain Marvel (who have a bad attitude, and steal someone's motorcycle just b'coz she doesn't like them), that are very morally... stupid, a Superman that threatens people, or a Batman that kills indiscriminately.

[@mego73]

You put into words the things I felt about the state of heroes today. The fantasy story I wrote is with a definite aspirational hero but has a side kick who is cathartic motivational (although her impulse to do good was always there).

[@Willowy13]

That is why I love Reeve's Superman and Evans's Captain America. They have a set of values and tell us to deal with it bc they are what they are. Superman defends the truth, justice and the American way. When Civil War hit the theaters I was immediately TeamCap bc his believes regarding politicians/ONU are exactly his and he put down three hellicarriers the movie before to know how much rendering your personal power is wrong. Isn't the power that be in this world trying to make us render our freedom by fear?

[@TimothyJ.Lochhead]

THOR ODINSON, an aspirational champion who has also recently fallen victim to this deconstruction in both the comics and MCU with Endgame :S.

[@deviantknight7009]

To be honest when we were growing up in the late 80s and 90s we grew seeing how strong and independent heroes were made. I grew up loving spiderman and venom look Im spanish and I never once jumped on the race card BS a hero is a hero. They inspire our imagination our drive to overcome adversity like they did

[@maxis2k]

I would say your theory about the aspirational hero is spot on. And it's a lot bigger than you give it credit for. It's not just in superhero media, but all media. Turn on prime time TV and what do you see? Endless angst filled procedurals and reality shows. Go to the theater and what do you see? Half a dozen gritty dramas, maybe one comedy and then one balanced movie if you're lucky. And don't even get me started on the news. Our society is being assaulted with endless angst and despair in all forms of media. We're desperate for positive role models and levity, but media is hiding them. Its almost like there's a conspiracy in the media to keep making things as dark and depressing as possible to control the public. Or maybe its just that they focus on so many endless reboots of known IPs lends itself to deconstructions. Because all you need is an introduction to writing class to learn how to do that. As for characters that I looked up to, you may laugh. But it was characters in the 90s like Steve Urkel or Tsukino Usagi. No matter how bad things got, these characters rolled with the punches and found the positive in every situation. Even if they had to become the butt of the joke (or even die) to do it. And these types of characters are the type we see the least of in modern Hollywood. They're all over in Asian cinema, but lacking in western cinema. I like a good antihero here and there. But I totally agree with you that they only work when playing off a foil. All that said, I actually think part of the problem with Superman is that he was the noble character who didn't have a counterpart to play off of most of the time. Occasionally he would team up with Batman or interact with the cynicism of Lois. But much of the time, it was just him. So the opposite can be just as big of a problem. A character can be nothing but aspirational and become dull as a result.

[@brandonmuse5532]

I don't totally agree with you on Man of Steel but I agree fully with how Luke was handled.

[@chrisleffler2435]

2 thoughts on this one. First, it appears the Cathartic-Motivational Hero seems to be the bridge between the common person and the Aspirational Hero. Second, it appears that deconstruction is really just destruction.

[@GeneralTantzu]

Now I realize why I like All Might and Deku so much in the Hero Academy. They are very much like Spider-Man and Captain America. Really interesting stuff, thanks for this.

[@freman007]

Yes, Midoriya is inspired by All Might to be the same kind of aspirational hero. Bakugo meanwhile, although also inspired by All Might, is a very different kind of hero, if not an anti-hero.

[@lokithegecko9434]

I always preferred Superman over Batman because of his pure good heart and how it inspires me to follow my own dreams.

[@mikeywise3411]

i was JUST thinking of how snyder’s infamous “dreamworld” quote matches what rian, filloni, and disney does with star wars characters!!!

[@thefurrybastard1964]

Ben Grimm, Tragic Motivational Hero. Batman (Obviously) Tragic Motivational Hero. Superman Aspirational Hero. Captain America Aspirational Hero. Thor Aspirational Hero, but also Motivational. Spider-Man Tragic Motivational Hero. Reed Richards Instructional Motivational Hero. This list could go on forever. There are a few like Reed Richards I could add as Instructional. They often serve as guides or mentors for others as well as being heroic in their own right.

[@grimoirehunt8492]

I’m glad I watched this. One of my characters is marked as “doggedly bright,” as in he never seems too down by events and works hard to see the good in everyone. Now I see he is destined to be an aspirational hero. Thanks for the video!

[@Susanoo7108]

For Cavill's Superman I kinda felt that because this was a young and inexperienced Superman, the things he does are part of this Superman's journey to the hero we all know. I think the same happened with Afleck's older and jaded Batman but he needed to learn and revert back to the Batman we all know and love. Luke's arc in the sequel trilogy is something I won't defend because they basically made him redo his original arc only with poor reasons.

[@dustyhyrax3488]

while watching this, the thought occurred to me that one of the things that may have made Start Trek: The Next Generation so good and still watchable 25+ years later is the working relationship of its representatives of these two archetypes: Picard as the Aspirational hero and Riker as the Cathartic Motivational hero. Picard is never in doubt as to what is right, though sometimes he doubts his own ability to succeed. Riker often sees the suffering around him and wants to fix it, but equally as often allows his empathy to distract him from guiding principles such as "justice should be equally applied to all regardless of their station in life". More importantly, the two archetypes regularly interact, allowing the competing viewpoints of ideal and pragmatic to both be expressed. Furthermore, Picard never thoughtlessly dismissed Riker's views even when he pulls rank. Similarly, Riker never fully disregards Picard's view even when he begrudgingly submits because he doesn't understand what Picard has in mind. This would also go a long way to explaining why Riker can never bring himself fully take command of the Enterprise, not so much because "that's Picard's seat" as "that's not a role my archetype can fulfill". It might also explain why the role of sage leader to Data wound up falling on Picard rather than on Riker as originally intended by the writers of the show.

[@1b32k]

Great video. A lot of strong points that are easy to see in our culture.

[@hamletstragedy8988]

I 've only viewed 3 of your videos and you've already become my second favourite YT creator to date. Thanks for this!

[@TheTitoUgo]

Naruto. He's optimistic, know what right things to do, and doesn't lose hope on sasuke while everybody does, and eventually reaching his goal by so many effort....

[@RobotTanuki]

A. Tito Nugroho It seems like most protagonists in shounen (young boy) anime and manga are aspirational heroes almost by default. Goku (Dragonball), Deku (My Hero Academia) and Naruto are like that. To me, it is very cultural, in that idealism is stronger in Japanese culture than the West. The West, as the Professor said, is going into the cynical nihilist post-modernist era, and their media reflects that.

[@arichutfles9550]

RobotTanuki It's up to us to save our culture.

[@TheTitoUgo]

RobotTanuki yeah just like u said, almost all Shounen anime protagonists are aspirational heroes by default, but I take Naruto as example because I spent my childhood watching and reading Naruto. And Shounen protagonist like Naruto is proof that you can write interesting and relatable heroes without deconstructing them. Unfortunately west culture or Hollywood to be exact take a short cut, deconstruct heroes only to make them interesting and relatable.

[@arnowisp6244]

A. Tito Nugroho True the best way to describe most young boy anime is "never give up against the odds, hold fast even against the tide" Naruto went through a lot but that just made him achiveing his goal all the more enjoyable.

[@angeldude101]

Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 I would argue is a great example of an aspirational hero. He does doubt his objective... _once_ and he brought back by his companions, who are only there because Rex inspired them in the first place. Unsurprisingly, at the games release, he was criticized for being a flat character, especially in comparison to his predecessor Shulk, who had a very... _complicated..._ character arc.

[@ronosborne6855]

First of all, I enjoy your thoughts and opinions. In my own education, I have had some contact with creative writing, philosophy, and similar topics, but I lack a depth of training. In my thoughts and opinions, I have come to similar conclusions as your, but lacking the deeper training, I just haven't had the vocabulary to express my thoughts, and I truly appreciate the way the growth vocabulary that will allow me express myself better in the future.

[@wwmandalore]

Superman and Luke Skywalker are my favorite characters. Totally agree with this video.

[@MaggieCandy999]

One aspirational hero I would name is Squirrel Girl. She’s just the perfect embodiment of wholesome goodness. She’s friendly, kind, fun to be around, and never gives into despair even when something bad dose happen to her. She also believes in doing good for the sake of doing good rather than for personal glory or revenge. Also when fighting doesn’t work she looks for other means of defeating the bad guys, more often than not coming up with nonviolent approaches or even befriending them (i.e. Galactus and Kraven).

[@DGGibbons]

she started out that way, but they have evolved the character to become more three dimensional. an aspirational hero in the making.

[@cosmicreader1312]

Infinity War is a better example of deconstructing a hero. Like what they did to Cap

[@ushangadie9243]

How did they deconstruct him? I've seen the movie, but I don't know what you mean. I thought that Cap was the same as always. He kept on fighting and he only really "broke" when Thanos won.

[@John-rx7oe]

A good video and a good commentary on the evils of post-modernism. It is this philosophy, currently permeating our culture which is leading to the nihilism of which you speak. Although those who support post-modernism would hardly be likely to agree.

[@ScotisticDad]

Deconstruction can be good. Especially when deconstruction is followed be re-affirmation re "Logan". Saw a great vid on it ages ago. Will try and find and link later. Deconstruction most of the time is awful. Like in "Suicide Squad" where Batman attacks Deadshot in alley with his daughter and the gun goes off. Batman engineered a situation where a gun goes off near a parent and child in an alley. I couldn't believe that idea even made it to a table read never mind the screen.

[@mooredw64]

I'm not sure how I haven't seen your channel yet. Instant subbed. Good work!

[@mayssm]

Exactly. We watch superheroes because they are heroes. We don't want failed and flawed humans that murder or their actions lead to destruction. We want people who sacrifice and strive to be better than that, and to be an example for others.

[@DoctorInk20]

*Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger.* My 6 year-old self got through *a lot* of infinitely dreadful days in school because of that character. An aspirational hero all the way. You mentioned that Spider-Man doesn't work unless he has Captain America to inspire him. I agree with that. Wholeheartedly, in fact. I've felt this same thing applies in the DCU regarding the relationship between Batman and Superman. There's a weird habit these days of having Batman existing alone in the universe (e.g. The Nolan films, Arkhamverse) or if he does co-exist with other superheroes, he's supposed to have started *before* everybody else. *Especially Superman.* That's like saying Bugs Bunny came before Mickey Mouse. I always feel it is *essential* that (in-universe) Superman appears before all other superheroes in the DCU. As a human, Bruce Wayne needs a higher, nobler standard (like you said) to aim for. We've seen what happens when he *doesn't* have that: Hyper-Byronic Modern Batman that's trapped in a horrific world of neverending nightmares.

[@heatwave1789]

Superman was always my favorite hero, not because he had all of these powers but he was still a man. He had hopes, dreams, wanting to have a family etc that to me as a kid growing up did help me. I had matured at a young age and was one of the tallest kids in my class and it was hard having to play sports without hurting anyone, then seeing superman do it I can do it to.

[@wishbone346]

I've been saying this for years (far less eloquently of course.) You, sir, just gained a new subscriber. Good work. :)

[@AlphaOmegaCreations]

Gregor from The Underland Chronicles is one of my favorite aspirational heroes. He is a great hero because he is unwillingly forced into the role but his story begins with us knowing that he loves his family more than anything and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe (that core goodness you mentioned in the video). Throughout the books he is selfless and the choices he has to make become more and more difficult, but in the end he always does what he knows will be best for his family.

[@hatandbeardmedia5925]

As a kid I always loved Luke Skywalker because he was aspirational. Han Solo never appeared on my radar. Captain America, even as someone that isn't American, is an excellent character because he's aspirational. Wonder Woman too. We need these characters. Look at how well people responded to the Wonder Woman film - because she became a symbol. Without something to aspire to we lose direction. Western society has begun to collapse because we've prioritised material gain over spiritual wealth. We lost sight of what to aspire to.

[@rickblaine9670]

So true. With Superman and Batman in particular, the problem is the director they were given to: Zack Snyder basically thinks that every superhero movie must be like Watchmen. His Superman and his Batman are basically Dr. Manhattan and a slightly less paranoid Rorschach. And Luke, well... To Rian Johnson's credit, he tried to reaffirm the right archetype in the end, by making Luke reconsider his actions and sacrifice himself in a King Arthur way, but, at that point, the damage was far greater than the attempt to fix it.

[@borzy]

Nice video: succinct and thoughtful. Hope you keep making great content, you got yourself a sub.

[@Eudaimonist]

I like many types of heroes, but have a special fondness for aspirational heroes. Examples are Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings and Howard Roark from The Fountainhead.

[@TBFGaming]

I am so late to this channel, I have been watching 10 or so straight videos of yours! This explains why I am so bothered by Supermans portrayal lately in both Comics and Movies! He is my favorite character of all time! Subbed to your excellent channel!!

[@aiden4917]

All might type aspirational hero They add a few extra layers without ruining the core and that makes him shine above the rest for me and i don't usually take to heros.

[@patricksmith7626]

This is a fascinating topic to me, so glad I found this channel. I wonder if you'd be open to engaging a bit of dialogue? I'm not a professional, but I might have ideas to share. For example, I think the two defining characteristics of heroes are Agency (they can do things) and Morality (they do the right thing).

[@wixsonzyax22]

Well spoken I could'nt agree more.

[@karalovett8567]

Thank you for this video, it was really well done and I enjoyed it.

[@therealstevedye_121]

Superior work.

[@manuelper]

Excellent analysis. More folks should watch this video.

[@nicholasmocalis589]

To your archetypes about the cathartic motivational hero and the aspirational hero they represent two aspects of human development which is sympathy and empathy. The aspirational hero has achieved pure empathy in the sense of being good for the sake of doing the right thing through an understanding of how would you feel morality, responsibility and a sense of doing good when it is important to do it. The cathartic motivational hero is sympathetic in the sense that they are doing things from their own point of view when becoming a hero and the audience can understand that even if you don't agree all the time with the characters decisions. Deconstructing heroes is not a bad thing but it is more likely to succeed from original characters and it is harder to do with characters who already have distinct personalities. Iron man and Captain America succeeded in changing their outlook on life in a way that is believable (Tony stark was selfish at the beginning but by the end he decided not to sell weapons from his company and learned to trust institutions that protect the planet while Captain America was a selfless hero who trusted institutions at the beginning but grew skeptical of those same institutions when one of his associates was killed due to those institutions) whereas Luke failed due to lack of development in failing to explain in an adequate way why he no longer trusts the Jedi, how he became obsessed with force purity which led him to try to kill his apprentice and why he chose a shut in lifestyle.

[@freebretth]

While I do agree with your central premise, I don’t necessarily have an issue so much with the idea of deconstructing Luke on the face of it. It should just make sense and be done for a valid reason, neither of which happened in The Last Jedi.

[@luisz0339]

I actually like the second one most (talking about the type of heroes) even my hero in my new story is base of that category but he has an aspirational heroe to look up. I would love one day to write this aspirational kind of heroe once I finish this story, since I love Superman and what he stands for.

[@alphamarigi]

So all the aspirational hero needs to be perfect in is trying doing the right thing? That leaves plenty of room for other flaws.

[@JagerIV]

Hm, I defenately sensed that these characters weren't being treated properly, but I hadn't really been able to place exactly how these were being treated improperly. I think you've really qualified what that is. Thanks

[@ajax4887]

It's just exhausting...

[@leaiplussize]

this video is awesome !!! Thank you ,for explaining why I hated TLJ an the DC superman movies. You explained so well, your vidoe are awesome. I like how you used to of my heros. Superman ( the chris Reeve superman and Luke skywalker ( from the first 3 movies not the bs now) This video explain why I don't like most movies today. I agree with all. T feel if you make a character a Mary sue like powerful with no flaws , I cannot relate to them, because flaws make us human. I love how you used Luke in Return of the Jedi , I still feel Jedi is under rated becaue the best moment to me is when Luke decided he will turn his father back to the good side, after all he has done. You just dont' see that in today heros. I know people will hate me for saying this , but I neve r took to Game of Thrones , I tried back could not fall in love with there were no guys like Luke skywalker but that is just me. Please keep doing these videos they are the best have watched.

[@SapphireLibra3]

It's interesting, this video makes me think of the character All Might from My Hero Academia. In a way, he's kinda both an aspirational hero and a cathartic motivational hero in one. He's the hero in canon that everyone should aspire to be like, but we the viewer get to see his true fears and how he's constantly wearing himself thin for the sake of helping people. But ironically for me, that just makes me want to aspire to be like him even more, because he still shows a rare trait in humanity. He's helping people because he's genuinely THAT good.

[@bgiv2010]

tl;dr: What would you say is the difference between "courage" and "bravery"? The main difference that I can see between your two types is the possibility of personal existential danger as opposed to moral transgression. Are you defining "standards" as "an unquestioned relationship with one's own morality"? It seems like what you're lionizing is the mere fact that Superman or Luke Skywalker have a strong sense of duty, morality, and sacrifice in a way that doesn't easily lend itself to distinction from characters like Spider-Man or Green Arrow, to me at least. The difference would be their "power level" in their respective media. That is, the message is, "it is easier to just do the 'right thing' when one has the most power imaginable." That's the difference between bravery and courage, right? Superman is brave because he faces down challenges but, whether he knows it or not, he is personally not in any danger and only experiences loss through others. On the other hand, Spider-Man has the weight of the world (or at least New York City) on his shoulders *AND* has to deal with his own mortality making him extraordinarily courageous. Yes, he's somewhat protected from death because he's a main character in his own story but his decisions are still affected in ways that Superman's aren't. In other words, what's wrong with telling audiences, "you know what? Not only is it okay to acknowledge that you are not Kryptonian and actually have existential considerations on top of moral ones; it's also okay to constantly question and reevaluate the basis of your morality and the authority of its source. Always assuming you know what is right might be a bit conceited and dangerous."

[@kingstondelmar1038]

While I agree with the logic of most of this video, I don't think the deconstructive nature of one iteration of Superman or Luke necessarily negates the aspirational nature of their preceding iterations. Clumsily challenging the established characterizations of a character does not inexorably undo them or permanently taint what they stand for. In fact, although Man of Steel and the Last Jedi are confused in their storytelling to say the least, they challenge the preconceived notions of their main characters with the aim to reaffirm them; Superman and Luke's uncharacteristic brooding and moral hand-wringing are ultimately presented as obstacles to overcome, as by the end of their respective movies, we see both characters eventually saving the day through acts of unambiguous heroism once more, a somewhat jarring and unearned return to form--but a return to form nonetheless. However, the movies relish in the deconstruction part for so long, that we barely even remember the botched reconstruction part, which is the part that is supposed to matter more. All in all, I think Zack Snyder and Rian Johnson had the right intentions, but were ultimately too distracted by the allure of their own edginess. My point is, though, this doesn't mean that JLAU or the OT no longer exist; if you want your aspirational heroes, there are still decades of Luke being an idealistic hero and almost a century of Superman being a big blue boycout to draw upon and revisit. I don't think either of these characters are in any danger of losing their aspirational values just because of two well-intentioned but kind of disgusting movies.