lystn

One trait I often find neglected in the discussion of heroes is HUMOR. In the realm of superheroes, some are straight up known for their witty quips like Spiderman or Deadpool. How many times have we seen a scene where the protagonist is caught and getting beat up and the hero makes fun of their captor for having a weak punch? Another example is in the fourth and final Avengers movie when Thanos delivers the famous line of "I am inevitable" and Tony Stark's epic response (which I won't spoil) brings the satisfying climax of a 10-year multi-billion dollar storyline. You might be thinking that these jokes are purely for entertainment and only there for the audience's sake. I'd disagree. Special forces operatives and fighting troops in general are notorious for their often edgy and crass humor. Many massively famous and influential politicians are known for their wit and humor. Trump basically won the hearts of a good chunk of America by hilariously trolling his opponents. Theodore Roosevelt got shot when giving a speech and then continued to deliver his (abbreviated) speech joking "It takes more than that to kill a bull moose!" One of the qualities of the archetypal hero is to "laugh in the face of danger." I wouldn't say this is an EFFECT of being the hero, but a CAUSE that allows one to BECOME a hero. This is because humor is essential for KEEPING FRAME - ESPECIALLY UNDER DURESS. When something goes wrong, you can either panic or keep your cool. If you can reframe the situation humorously for yourself, then you can laugh at it - staving off an unfavorable stress reaction. Laugh more, live stronger. UYAP! Mark Queppet