raeblair

Why do we always turn to comic books and fictional film to see people with extraordinary powers, when most of our idolized "heroes" can be compared to many "normal" people in today's society?

There are people in the world that can do things outside of the norm. People that can fall under the category of "super-beings" or "subhuman" that we simply overlook and don't recognize. What makes me think about this is the show Heroes - which my boyfriend and I have been watching way too much of on Netflix recently. Some of the superpowers on the show exist in reality, yet because they aren't thrown at us on screen and told they are extraordinary and surreal, we just gaze past them and classify them as normal. (Spoiler alert if you haven't seen and want to watch Heroes)

For example, Nikki, who has the most realistic power in the show, simply suffers from MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder). After her sisters death, she forms an alter who takes on her traits - however, with an intensified idea of how to protect Nikki. Not only is MPD a very real disorder, but it is such a abnormal and unique "power".

Charlie, who Hiro falls in love with mid-season one, has the capability to absorb and retain knowledge better than anyone. Anything she reads, hears, sees, smells, touches... she remembers forever, with vivid detail. She's basically a human encyclopaedia. If you watch this video, you will discover a set of twins with a mental incapability develop a phenomenal sense of memory similar to this. Here you can read the article.

Other than Heroes, let's think about iconic, costume-wearing characters like DareDevil (my personal favourite hero). When blinded by a toxic chemical spill that splashed into his eyes, he develops a heightened sense of hearing which allows him to "regain sight" by using sounds and vibrations. Like a bat. (Why isn't he Batman, again? If anything, the mortal Bruce Wayne is more daring, and Daredevil is more batty). Many people who lose one of their five senses also gain a sixth to make up for it, or their other four kick it in to overdrive.

These are just a few examples. Countless people raise the bar of the humanly possible every day, even in small ways. In the end, magic and superbness is all around us, we just have to learn to recognize it for the truly amazing phenomenon it is.