Who is the world’s greatest superhero?
Batman is a great detective. The Flash is really fast. Superman can basically do anything (as long as he is not near a green rock). However, I have come to believe none of them is the greatest superhero. As a matter of fact, they’re not even close. It’s Wonder Woman.
Let me make the case. The analysis begins with defining our criteria. We don’t judge a superhero’s greatness by the color of their cape. Couture doesn’t help in the fight against evil. Nor do we judge a superhero’s greatness by their ability to throw or take a punch. A superhero must be more than a blunt instrument.
Most of us merely judge a hero’s greatness by their superpowers. That’s too simplistic of a methodology. It fails to address, what we call in statistics class, a type of confounding variable. A thing outside of a hero’s superpowers that may affect the results of their actions.
Why She Uses Her Power
Just as important as a hero’s power is why they use them. Character is fundamental to our analysis. Not just acting beyond the call of duty. Not only putting the well being of a stranger before their own. Those are the job’s minimum requirements. I am talking about their worldview.
What value do they put on things that are essential to us everyday people? Like freedom, liberty and dignity. Do they have a moral core that guides their actions such as, in the case of Wonder Woman, “[i]t’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe.”
We should want heroes that act in the name of justice. We should want more, heroes that actually do justice.
Once we establish that a hero has the proper belief system, then we must ask a fundamental question: how well do a hero’s powers effectuate their values? Batman’s intellect, self-discipline, and fortune plainly help his quest for justice without bullets. Superman’s x-ray vision, strength and ability to fly certainly help him to win his fights for truth justice and the American way.
Her Powers Fit Our Values
However, no hero’s powers better fit her values and empower them, than Wonder Woman. While Superman strives for the principles of truth and justice. Those are actually Wonder Woman’s powers.
With her Lasso of Truth, she can ensure she always gets the person that did the crime. Unlike any other costumed hero, she has the power to compel honesty. She is a super lie detector. Unlike with any other hero, we can feel certain there are no innocent people sitting in prison because of Wonder Woman.
She has the power to get it right. What ability or power is more super than truth? Perhaps, the worst thing to happen in the name of justice is convicting an innocent person of a crime. Perhaps, preventing such a tragedy is the greatest thing. What hero can ensure this will not happen…other than Wonder Woman?
I rest my case.
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