Avengers, Assemble! The Lure of Superheroes in a Time of Helplessness By: Emily Lian
It was probably my tenth (at least) viewing of Avengers Endgame on Disney Plus, when the inspiration for this piece dawned on me. It was the moment when all hope seemed like it was lost, then Captain America heard, “Cap, it’s Sam. Can you hear me?... on your left.” I still get chills every time I see those portals open, a powerful moment that will be forever memorialized in cinematic history as all of the major characters spanning 22 movies took the screen together. I started binge-watching movies because I needed background noise while I was starting my second straight week of working from home. I also needed a distraction from the news, but even as I escaped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe my mind drifted over to all of the children who are stuck at home, wondering when they’ll be able to see their friends three dimensionally again. Every year, when I elicit feedback from our students to get ideas for weekly summer camp themes, invariably “superheroes” tops that list. Sure, part of this might be attributed to the steady trickle of superhero movies that are released every year (which is certainly indicated by the number of Ironman, Black Panther, and Captain America costumes I’ve seen in the past few years at our annual Halloween parades). But, I’d like to think that there’s more to it than the draw of thrilling action sequences. In unexpected and trying times like these, I wonder what the current state of the world must look like through the eyes of a child. I’d imagine that it feels more than a little helpless; after all, their lives are already governed by authority figures and rules that are out of their control. In the face of a pandemic, wouldn’t it be great if we had the unexpected arrival of superheroes here to save the day? Sure, this genre of cinema gives us classic lessons of good versus evil, sibling rivalry, friendship, and love. But, the thrill of knowing we could count on our heroes to show up every time things went sideways… I feel like this is what appeals to our youngest audience the most. It’s the moment when Tony Stark snaps his fingers and says, “I got it” and lays out his master plan. It’s the moment when Nick Fury shows up with the helicarrier just in time to help shuttle the people of Sokovia to safety. It’s the moment when the Chitauri are tearing New York City apart, and the original 6 Avengers come together to defend the planet. I am ever-grateful for the real-life superheroes that we have, fighting for us on the frontlines in the form of our fearless healthcare workers, our tenacious grocery store workers, and our selfless preschool teachers who still show up every day. Here’s to hoping that our very own Bruce Banner, Hank Pym, Helen Cho, or Shuri figures out how to end this worldwide quarantine. F.R.I.D.A.Y, activate “Cure All” protocol.
