The world of superheroes is filled with many extraordinary events, but sometimes, we observe glaring inconsistencies that leave us questioning everything. One prominent issue is the tendency of superheroes to infringe upon the privacy of others, often without any accountability.
The Danger of Violating Others’ Privacy
When discussing the violation of privacy, one cannot overlook Professor X – Charles Xavier. He is a mutant with a unique ability to delve into the minds of those around him, manipulating their thoughts, meddling in their private affairs, or even erasing their memories. There are numerous instances in comic books where Professor X uses this power to wipe the memories of ordinary people who encounter the X-Men. The rationale given is to prevent them from discovering the existence of mutants and to ensure the safety of the mutant community. However, regardless of the reasoning, it cannot justify his intrusion into the private lives of others, which violates an individual’s right to privacy.
There have been many scenes in comic books depicting Professor X using this ability to erase the memories of ordinary people who might have seen the X-Men. The reason given is to prevent them from realizing the existence of mutants and to ensure safety for the mutant community. Yet, despite the reasoning, no justification can absolve him from the act of violating another person’s privacy, and this act is indeed a severe infringement on the individual rights of every human.
Superheroes Causing Harm
Those who have watched the blockbuster films Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War will undoubtedly ponder who should be held responsible for the damages caused by our superheroes. For a long time, this question has been increasingly highlighted on the big screen.
This question arises when we see superheroes battling villains that can unintentionally cause significant harm to humanity. Take Superman, for example; a mere punch, a single blast, can potentially demolish an entire skyscraper. This narrative has created significant controversy for superheroes in both Marvel and DC universes. The fact is, prior to this, for decades, there was a strong belief that villains caused destruction, whereas superheroes were simply there to protect us.
Strange Situations Beyond the Action
As mentioned earlier, in the comic book world, superheroes often get a pass for every misdeed they commit. If one were to accidentally demolish a building during a battle, it seems they would still receive leniency for their actions. If destroying a building is overlooked, surely, it can be argued that the consequences of their actions should be ignored as well.
In the superhero world, there exists a rather poor stereotype that continues to be overlooked, which is the manipulation of relationships that often leads to chaos. Take Cyclops, for instance. This character had a relationship with Madelyn Pryor, only to later fall for Jean Grey. While still involved with Jean, he also had a romantic fling with Psylocke. Even after officially being with Jean, he still found himself entangled with the White Queen… Why does no one call out these actions? Is it simply because he is a superhero?
Using Sidekicks to Fight Battles
We often criticize the superhero community for recruiting sidekicks, claiming it’s a cowardly act to allow young people to fight their battles for them. So why is it acceptable for our heroes to use teenage characters, or even children, to do their bidding during conflicts?
One character that exemplifies this is Batman, who has continuously trained the young Robin to fight alongside him. Yet have you ever thought about how inappropriate it is for Batman to throw Robin into dangerous battles? And it’s worth noting that one Robin – Jason Todd – was brutally killed by the Joker, which raises further questions about the morality of such actions.
Too Much Leniency for Horrific Mistakes
As mentioned before, if you are a superhero, and you possess a heroic heart, then regardless of what mistakes you make, you can often be forgiven. Just look at Ant-Man – Hank Pym, who in the comics created Ultron and almost destroyed the world we live in.
But after the story, does anyone recall the mistakes made by him and Hank Pym? Despite causing the potential end of the world, they seem to escape accountability. In fact, during this incident, many characters suffered tragic deaths, yet the Avengers still forgave Hank Pym simply because… he recognized his mistakes and was forgiven! So, if that’s the case, do all significant villains get a pass for their errors?
(To be continued)
