Terrorized by Coronavirus Pandemic: Do we need Superheroes?

We need superheroes because their role models motivate us to be aware that any of us is capable of becoming a superhero, and by collaborating, we can fight any disaster that threats the world.

The coronavirus hit the world by surprise and keeps on spreading like wildfire across the globe. Only in four months, it has been affecting more than 200 countries and territories around the world, infecting more than 2 million people and killed more than 140,000. To limit the number of people’s exposure to the virus to slow down its spread, some countries or zones are locked down, offices, schools, and public places are shut, and our lives are on hold. Many people are despondent because they cannot meet their beloved ones. Some others are depressed about being unable to do the routines they used to have. Some even think their freedom is robbed.

The sheer terror and horror of this fast-moving infection are intensified when we hear that the number of death it causes keeps on increasing so sharply that some of us may feel our heart seems to skip a beat. Social media, through which we keep in touch with others, recently exposes an avalanche of panic, fear, despair, and confusion. The world is now living in a horror movie which, if possible, needs to turn off.

To end the current life that is so rife with misery, the leaders, doctors, nurses, and scientists across the globe have been trying their best. Musicians, entrepreneurs, and other elements of society have also contributed to the struggles of fighting the virus. However, no effective approach has been found. Since we have not seen the end in sight, our passion to survive may go weaker.

Getting stuck in such a desperate crisis, it seems that humans need the help of superheroes who can provide more quick and prospective solutions, like when Superman collects nuclear missiles in the air and sends them to the sun,  when Batman saves Gotham from Ra’s Al Ghul’s attempts to destroy it with a hijacked subway train, a microwave weapon, and a fear-toxin-contaminated water supply, and when Spiderman uses all his strength to stop a speeding train full of passengers from going off the rails in New York.

We are highly enchanted by such actions because they concern with the survival of humanity. This also answers the question of why superhero movies are quickly popular and some of them become a box-office hit. We will always be thrilled by any commitment and remarkable capabilities to save humanity, and such commitment and capabilities also inspire us to do the same.

Many people, however, will argue, “But superheroes are fiction. Their commitment and super strengths are imaginative, while coronavirus pandemic is real. They belong to two different realms!” That they are imaginative is true. Superheroes get their amazing powers either through natural wonders or tireless innovation. Superman’s abilities like to fly, his supervision and hearing, and super speed are genetically obtained from his parents of Planet Krypton. Spiderman is granted his spider-based “super” powers after he was bitten by a genetically modified spider. Different from them, Batman gets his super capabilities by developing and using his intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, and physical prowess. Ironman has his superhuman capabilities by using his inventive skills and technology to create a powerful armor—without which he cannot survive. Regardless of their way to obtain their superhuman powers, they are imaginative. Thus, they cannot be physically present to help humans. 

However, all humans’ factual breakthroughs and innovations are always inspired by imagination. The Wright Brothers could invent the aircraft because they were motivated by the imagination incubated by a toy "helicopter" their mother gave them and their hobby of flying kites. Without his scientific imagination, Jenner would never invent the smallpox vaccine, and his approach has been inspiring the invention of many other vaccines, including measles, mumps, yellow fever, etc. Therefore, although they cannot physically incarnate to join us in the current world’s fight against coronavirus, they can mentally empower and inspire us.

Despite their superhuman capabilities, superheroes are not perfect. Like all of us, each of them has some weaknesses. Superman, for instance, is susceptible to virus X, a deadly Kryptonian virus that had killed other Kryptonians, extremely vulnerable against red sunlight which drains his super strength and high cause him to lose his superpowers and speed. Ironman has heart issues and is dependent on technology. Spiderman’s weak immune system is a serious weakness that can cause continual whining, exhaustion, falling off buildings mid-crawl, and dulled spider senses. Batman is not an exception. As a common person who develops himself to be a superhero using innovative thinking and technology, he shares the weaknesses of other humans: he is not bulletproof, he can be burnt, and cannot heal the wound caused by the sorrowful memory of his parents’ murder.

Having these weaknesses, however, does not prevent them from being superheroes because, besides imagination, they also possess some noble qualities, among which, compassion for the weak, vulnerable, and defenseless among humans, courage, perseverance, and teamwork are very dominant. Their compassion to other people facing adversity, oppression, or being stricken by misfortune in particular, and humanity in general, makes them ready to sacrifice, even to the point sacrificing of their life. Such a character trait revives the nobility of authentic martyrdom in a world in which faith is evaporating.

With their courage and perseverance, superheroes can always venture and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty they encounter to actualize their compassion. These qualities encourage them to never even think to give up. Sometimes they cannot attain their goal on the first, second, or even tenth time around. But they keep on trying as they believe they never truly lose until they stop trying. This inspires us that when one is still alive, even after undergoing the most traumatic and painful events, he still has a reason for being, a purpose to fulfill, and he must persevere in hope until it is achieved, as Hawking states, “However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Where there’s life, there’s hope.

In 'Infinity War', superheroes also inspire us the crucial essence of teamwork. The movie reveals how they are unrivaled and stand together to fight Thanos who insanely tries to obtain all of the Infinity Stones from the universe and eliminate half the universe's population. “The Avengers”, again and again, designates that getting a group of individuals with unique talents, personalities, abilities, and motivations together is challenging. However, Captain America, Iron Man and other superheroes can build their teamwork by accepting, sharing, and trusting one another and putting down their pride to accomplish a great mission, i.e. to save humanity.

As shown in the discussion above, what differentiates superheroes from other humans is that they possess super abilities and some noble qualities that they keep on ameliorating. Some of them got their abilities by luck (e.g. Superman and Spiderman), but some others got them through invention and hard works (Batman, Ironmen, etc.). Their super abilities and powers are used for the good of humanity because the superheroes have profound compassion for the weak, and vulnerable people, courage, perseverance, and team-working capacity. Hence, since many of those powers and qualities are the results of the owners’ development, we are convinced that any of us could also be a superhero.  In Spiderman II, Aunt May accentuates this by saying, “I believe there’s a hero in all of us…that keeps us honest…gives us strength…makes us noble…and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most – even our dreams.” Superman supports this by saying, “You’re much stronger than you think you are, … “There is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape.”. This, of course, revives our hope, and by having hope, which enables us to see there is light despite all of the darkness (Desmond Tutu), our strength to keep trying to fight the bad and worst happening in our world will grow.

Thus, there is no doubt that the answer to the question "Do we need superheroes while facing the awful coronavirus pandemic?” is “Yes!” We need superheroes because they inspire us with hope. We need them because they provide us with real imaginative role models for developing our capabilities and qualities and combining them to build a super team to preserve humanity by fighting and stopping coronavirus pandemic together. Let all national leaders advance and use their capacities. Let the doctors, nurses, and other health workers optimize their competencies and skills to treat the infected people. Let medical scientists elevate their research to invent the best approaches to handle the virus and vaccine to make people immune to it. Let every teacher boost their skills to run online learning to serve their students learning from home. Let internet providers serve with the prime quality so that everyone can work and communicate without any obstacle. Let everyone keeps the required physical distance until the virus has disappeared from the earth. Let us hone our talents, capabilities, and humanity noble qualities and combine them in a synergetic way.

Thanks to superheroes whose role models have inspired us to be aware that any of us (including you, dear readers) is capable of becoming a superhero, and every superhero is needed to participate in the world’s fight to eliminate the present coronavirus pandemic. By collaborating, we can save our world. Are you ready?


Author : Parlindungan Pardede (parlin@weedutap.com)