no more villains. no more monsters.
on superhero flicks, humanity, and what community actually is
I love a good superhero movie. It’s been a good couple decades for me in that regard, from Smallville (!!) debuting all the way back in 2001 to the now-classic “I am Iron Man” moment in 2008 to CW’s Arrow emerging in 2012 and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D in 2013 (omg, they just don’t make them like that anymore) to the now ever-so-expansive MCU. I’ve recently started rewatching some of those old movies and shows and it’s fascinating how some of the plot line patterns and character development arcs have stayed the same over time.
More specifically, there’s always an element of moral ambiguity that the protagonists have to wrestle with. Their ability to grow and change is inevitable as a part of what makes them a hero. On the other hand, a villain’s inability to grow and change is just as strong of a defining characteristic that makes them a villain.
And even among anti-heroes and antagonists that are able to reform, it’s usually done by some forceful submission or other violent encounter with the protagonist that creates a significant shift.
While these plot lines and development arcs are what make for compelling cinema, I wonder how much this has contributed to the quickness with which we label other people as villains and monsters.
The Essence of Humanity
I think often about this quote from bell hooks from her Conversation with Maya Angelou in 1998:“I think this is a difficult question, how we deal with the question of forgiveness. For me forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?”
I remind myself of these words often when something happens or something is said that makes me ears roar with anger and I just want to let a tidal wave of words crash down on the source of the irritation. It’s helpful for me to slow down and pause and really consider the humanity in the person (or people) I’m dealing with.
What I’ve come to realize is that it is my very belief in a person’s humanity that causes me to believe that they can change and respond to accountability for their actions.
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