Hero essay

Heres a nifty essay published in the first annual ultimate spiderman, i really liked it so he it is - A

Annual Ultimate S-P 1
Hero Essay
Altered
My father. I don’t remember seeing his face- but because of my uncle, I will always remember his words.
That with Great power, there must also come great responsibility.

Heroes. The way I see it, when most people think of hero’s, they think of larger-then-life patriots. Men and women who have dedicated both their personal and professional lives to represent a symbol of hope to those whose life might seem hopeless.
A colourful embodiment of selflessness. But, of course, that’s not the only form a heroes life can take. There are so many places that our heroes can come from. So many worlds within our world. Worlds of magic. Worlds of technology. Worlds of intrigue. A world where a family of adventurer can bond together in the fight for the underdog.

And when speaking of the underdogs of society, one can’t help think of mutants. People whose entire existence is defined by their unique genetic birthright. And like every civil rights embattled minority before them, some mutants have come together using their celebrity and powers to help fight for their cause while others wade through life’s persecution and misunderstanding by attempting to live their everyday lives with nobility and grace.

But a noble soul can, whether they want to or not, find themselves on a warrior’s path. Sometimes I wonder if being persecuted and embattled because of who they are makes the choice of becoming a warrior predestined. Predetermined. And it’s the choices made there – when faced with the unthinkable- that defines them.
Because we do not live in a black-and-white world. Cliché, but true. We live in a world where around any corner an act of violence is waiting that can change your life forever. And whether we want to admit or not, it is at those times when we need someone who is willing to cross the line of what is technically, or morally, right or wrong.

But with that comes the risk that the world can become so dark and so compromised, that there can be no escape- no chance for happiness.

So in my search for the hero I most admire, in my search for the definition of what a hero is, the one thing I realize is that I will eventually have to make certain choices that will define me and my life. Or maybe I already have and just don’t even recognize them yet.
But I guess I don’t have to worry about it to much because of all the people in our everyday lives-in the news- in sports- in law enforcement- teachers- musicians- and yes, larger-then-life-superheroes- all the people who stand for something bigger then ourselves.
For me, only one man, a man I never met, has given me words to live by that I know I have to hold my life up to. I know they are the words that define a hero.
That with Great power, there must also come great responsibility.
And the man who told them to my departed uncle who told them to me…
…My father.