Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Hero

I was having a conversation recently about the true definition of a hero. I think the word has been greatly diminished over history. This is not a good thing. I don't like platitudes. In fact, nobody likes platitudes. I'm not sure why we bother with them as much as we do.

Originally a hero was someone who was favored by the gods. Yes, we are going back to ancient polytheistic lore, but you can just as easily say favored by The God as well. If you do not want to believe in a god, then you can simply say a human greater than 99% of the people of Earth. Whatever the case, that person is better than you are. Get over it.

This ancient definition implies that the hero does not have to be good. He can be evil as well. He must simply stand above the general rabble. The modern interpretation explicitly requires the hero to be a paragon of justice and good will. It is extremely rare for modern works of fiction to promote evil heroes. In anti-hero stories, we may root for the main character, but we choose not to revere him. As to the latter, I'm unsure why.

One bold exception in modern fiction would be the video game series called "Fable." I am primarily speaking about the first game in the series, but the other ones kept up the same continuity. The first game, however, establishes clearly that a hero is merely someone who stands above the general sort of human in the world. Even if you choose to play an evil character, you are still revered and admired. Women will still fawn over you and men will respect you. You may form animus against the law abiding types, but that is neither here nor there. Paragon heroes have the same relationship against evil forces. This game got it right.

Being one favored by the gods would mean that they have acquired superhuman abilities while still being only human. What I mean by this is that they still can only do what any human can do, but they do it so well that literally no one can match their prowess. Not even a little. In military terms, the hero would be a one-man-army who could take out hundreds of the enemy all by himself. Audie Murphy is a great example of this.

Our modern interpretation of a hero is far less interesting. We have reduced the term to be used for anyone who struggles through a tough time. We give the name hero to cancer sufferers or people who die unceremoniously during a war. We literally just throw the word out as if it had little meaning. Originally the word was intended for 1% of the earth's population. Now we just call everybody a hero. The word is entirely inert at this point. It has no real meaning other than a person who tries.

This, my friends, is very silly.

The human race is a democratically inept entity. As a group, we are ridiculous dreamers who try to turn mere concepts into reality because it makes us feel better. As a species, we tend to rip our own guts out and rationalize why that makes us better people. How wonderful it is to have one great person to point at us and say, "Don't do that. You'll hurt yourself."

The human race needs leadership. And it isn't always the one you think it is. It isn't always going to be the one you choose. It could even be a villain that makes all the difference. My point is that the one in charge should be the embodiment of the ancient definition of a hero. They are the ones who move us and inspire us to fly forward into the future. Without heroes, we grow stagnant... and insane.

And if I might make something perfectly clear, the best hero of all is one who can live their entire life without making one single mistake. This man is the one who should be our king. Not president. King. His name is Jesus Christ. Although filled with compassion, he is not really all that kind. He tells it like it is and treats those who belittle his decisions with indifference. This man may have died, but he came right back, didn't he? Here is a fairy tale that speaks volumes of what a hero truly is. A man who could defy death even after dying. A king of kings. A hero of heroes. I would happily see him on the throne and spend my life in his service.

So, what did you think? Did you like my blog? Did you hate it? I want to hear what's on your mind. You can either comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!