Yesterday we talked about how we could use the bitterness from our adversity to become Superheros. How maybe it is just the extreme that we take that makes us a Superhero. But today let’s look at the other side of the coin, the Supervillian. You know that they just took their bitterness to the extreme the other way. They were usually just terribly hurt by someone or had a mommy or daddy issue, just like the Superhero, but decided to take their vision another way.

But first, let’s talk about a discussion I had with my son the other day. He is in football. He is big for his age, about a head taller than most boys his age and boys a couple years older too. He is just a brute. Anyways, at least in the leagues around here, he is called an X-men, because anyone over a certain weight is not allowed to handle the ball. So he can’t be quarterback, running back, wide reciever, or tight end. He is only allowed to be a lineman. He is good at both the offensive and defensive lines though, so he plays most of the game.

I asked him which one he liked better and he says he loves the defense. I asked why and he said he loves the defense because he gets to attack. That made me think about how weird it is that he is on defense, but he is attacking. Most of the time when you think of defense you think of just standing in someone’s way.

That started me thinking of Heros v Villains. If you think of people in general, they give more respect to go-getter and pro-activers and movers and shakers right? In the hero vs villain debate though, the villain are the movers and shakers, and the heroes are the one hiding in the shadows and only coming out when the bad guys DO something.

The villains are the movers and the shakers. The ones being aggressive. The ones inventing things, and creating things. They are Dr.’s. Like Dr. Evil. Dr. Doom, Dr. Wiley. CEO’s of companies like Lex Luthor and the ones trying to go to space. Loki is creating armies and bringing an army from space. Thanos is going out and getting those Infinity Stones. General Zod is just doing what he was created for. Leading an army and finding a new world for his people to live.

Heroes are the ones hiding in the shadows (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Captian America, Black Panther in Wakanda) fighting amongst each other over principals(Batman v Superman, Iron Man vs. Captain America), reluctant about using their powers, hiding their identities. And just as many superhero movies recently have made it clear heroes are just as destructive as the villains when it comes to destroying buildings, cities, etc.

Just like my son in football, they are being aggressive, because that is what the world likes. The world needs these movers and shakers. Someone to take charge. Someone who gets ahead. Someone who invents stuff. Someone who makes progress. Someone who gets Phd’s and runs corporations. Not someone who pretends they are a reporter at the Daily Planet. Not someone runs Wayne Industries just so he can spend all his money on Bat Gear and fight people at night in the shadows. We like people that attack the quarterback, not ones that hold their hands up to defend them.

Maybe we do like the villains after all. Or at least we should respect them because we are the ones that created them. And at least we know who they are. They are the ones with the side hustle that we respect so much.

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH

Bitter Villain Side of the Coin Ben