Heroes

Superman fights for truth, justice and the American Way.  The long-running television series, Smallville, is creatively written to fill in the gaps of Clark Kent's youth -- providing a blow-by-blow account of how he matured into Supermanhood.  I could sing the praises of this well-executed, feel-good series, but I'd rather focus here on a single question:  Could superheroes ever exist?

Today's episode of Smallville airing on TNT [Season 8, Episode 15] provided a deep, philosophical answer.  The evil Linda Lake (reporter for The Daily Planet) knows Clark Kent's big secret and is blackmailing him.  In a peremptory move, Clark goes to Lois Lane (also reporting for The Daily Planet) and asks her to write his story.  Still known only as "the red-blue blur", her front page story reveals him to be "an alien from Kryptonite" sent to protect the world from evil.  As one might expect, the news generates instant fame and adoration for Clark from the citizens of Metropolis.  Not to be out-scooped, Linda Lake then holds a press conference to accuse Clark of every sort of heinous crime, including the murder of Lex Luthor.  Our newborn superhero goes from idol to hunted pariah in the blink of an eye.  If he's ever to carry out his noble mission, Clark must again use his special ring to turn back time.

As a society, we dream of superheroes... even just plain heroes... who can create, restore or affirm a sense of faith and hope that Goodness does indeed exist.  Sadly, our world is plagued with Linda Lake characters. Goodness may be a universal ideal, yet it ever and only exists in the eye of the beholder.