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We could be heroes
Aug. 10th, 2009 11:10 amThere's a meme which goes round from time to time - it's the 'ask me questions' one, where you ask the legions of fans on your friends list to interview you. I sometimes succumb to it, and last time round someone asked me an unusual question: "Why is it that all your LJ icons appear to be of villains? Why is that the face you present to the world?"
Actually, they didn't ask that exact question - I've tidied up their spelling a bit for them, but you get the idea.
The thing about villains of the comic or film or cartoon sort is that I find them inspirational. Not necessarily in their plans but in the fact that they are often so creative and undefatigable. He-Man can defeat Skeletor today, but come Hell or high water he'll be back next week with another plan to conquer Eternia. Seriously, how can anyone not be impressed by that degree of tenacity? All He-Man ever does is hang round as Prince Adam getting given free magic swords and eyeing up Teela whilst Skeletor gets up and goes all out for what he wants, and doesn't let setbacks faze him. I know who my role-model is.
I think it's time to reassess some people who have been unfairly categorised as 'villains' by the media, when their actions show them as anything but.
Dick Dastardly.
Thomas Edison said that genius was '1% inspiration and 99% perspiration', and in Stop the pigeon, all the contraptions produced by Vulture Squadron are the 'perspiration' stage of creativity. You just know that sooner or later Dastardly is going to hit on the greatest pigeon-slaughtering device the world has ever seen, and then Yankee Doodle Pigeon is in real trouble.
Instead of laughing at his failures, we should be celebrating his tenacity.
Vernon Dursley
Throughout the Harry Potter books, Harry is repeatedly presented with threats that he overcomes with a succession of allies and advantages; he's a precociously powerful wizard, or he's got the most powerful sorceror in the world/a phoenix with a magic sword/a gang of wizardly pals/ a werewolf in his corner. On the other hand, Vernon Dursley is shown as a blustering oaf. However, it is Vernon who performs what I consider the bravest act in the entire series when he faces off against Hagrid in Philosophers Stone. Harry is supernaturally powerful whilst Vernon is a ordinary fat man who works in sales, and yet when it comes down to it he stands up to a nine-foot tall fireball throwing giant who he believes is attacking his family. Who is the true hero here?
Any more?
Actually, they didn't ask that exact question - I've tidied up their spelling a bit for them, but you get the idea.
The thing about villains of the comic or film or cartoon sort is that I find them inspirational. Not necessarily in their plans but in the fact that they are often so creative and undefatigable. He-Man can defeat Skeletor today, but come Hell or high water he'll be back next week with another plan to conquer Eternia. Seriously, how can anyone not be impressed by that degree of tenacity? All He-Man ever does is hang round as Prince Adam getting given free magic swords and eyeing up Teela whilst Skeletor gets up and goes all out for what he wants, and doesn't let setbacks faze him. I know who my role-model is.
I think it's time to reassess some people who have been unfairly categorised as 'villains' by the media, when their actions show them as anything but.
Dick Dastardly.
Thomas Edison said that genius was '1% inspiration and 99% perspiration', and in Stop the pigeon, all the contraptions produced by Vulture Squadron are the 'perspiration' stage of creativity. You just know that sooner or later Dastardly is going to hit on the greatest pigeon-slaughtering device the world has ever seen, and then Yankee Doodle Pigeon is in real trouble.
Instead of laughing at his failures, we should be celebrating his tenacity.
Vernon Dursley
Throughout the Harry Potter books, Harry is repeatedly presented with threats that he overcomes with a succession of allies and advantages; he's a precociously powerful wizard, or he's got the most powerful sorceror in the world/a phoenix with a magic sword/a gang of wizardly pals/ a werewolf in his corner. On the other hand, Vernon Dursley is shown as a blustering oaf. However, it is Vernon who performs what I consider the bravest act in the entire series when he faces off against Hagrid in Philosophers Stone. Harry is supernaturally powerful whilst Vernon is a ordinary fat man who works in sales, and yet when it comes down to it he stands up to a nine-foot tall fireball throwing giant who he believes is attacking his family. Who is the true hero here?
Any more?
