One of the biggest appeals for superheroes is how they help others. It’s not just about fighting the bad guys, cool powers, and bombastic action. Being a hero means helping the community and saving lives. Sometimes, superhero films pull focus away from this. Man of Steel, for instance, focused so much on the fight between Zod and Superman that a key plot point to its Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice sequel, is that Superman is seen by the members of the public (including Batman and the government), as a threat instead of a hero. As a result, this depiction of Superman does not feel like a symbol of hope – something that is so important to the character. Where some films pull focus from this message of hope, others — namely Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and Richard Donner’s Superman II — show exactly why it’s important that heroes are symbols of hope for their communities.
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Throughout the first Spider-Man and Superman films, audiences see these heroes help their communities outside of fighting their respective big bads, and that carries over into their sequel films. They are not just power figures with awesome abilities. They are role models and pillars of their community, and the impact they have goes well beyond just the lives they have saved.
Metropolis Stands By Superman Even When He Is Down
In both heroes’ sequels, we find them on the ropes against their respective villains. For Superman, he is outnumbered and overpowered by Zod, Ursa, and Non. While he puts up a good fight, Superman is not always on top. That is especially the case once Zod and Co. realize Superman’s weakness is the people. Once they target ordinary citizens, Superman focuses on saving as many lives as possible, and takes a beating as a result. Plus, the collateral damage is massive, with a section of the city being destroyed.
Despite the damage to their city, the people don’t lose hope in Superman. Even when all seems lost, the civilians hold onto hope. Some are even willing to join the fight while Superman is down – despite being at such a disadvantage against Zod, Ursa, and Non. He inspires them to hold onto hope, and he inspires them to try to be heroes themselves when he cannot.
New Yorkers Will Always Have Spider-Man’s Back
Similarly, in Spider-Man 2, Spidey has a moment of extreme exhaustion after saving a train full of people. He alone keeps the train from going over the rails, which would have likely killed nearly everyone onboard. While he is successful, Spider-Man passes out while not wearing his mask, but the NYC civilians catch him and bring him on board.
Everyone in that cart sees who Spider-Man is – a young man who is just like any other New Yorker. They do not just swear to keep his identity a secret, but when Doc Ock bursts into the train, everyone on board stands in his way. They threaten him that if he wants Spider-Man, he will need to go through all of them.
Like with Superman, the civilians see their hero hurt and at a disadvantage. However, they do not lose hope; instead, they are inspired to step forward themselves and help in any way they can because they know Spider-Man would do the same for them. Also, like Superman, Spider-Man does not let the civilians fight his battles for him, but the impact he’s had on these civilians is clear.
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Both Superman and Spider-Man have dedicated their lives to saving others and helping their communities. They do it time and again, whether that means helping with natural disasters, saving lives, stopping criminals, or fighting a big bad. They often prioritize the safety of the civilians in their communities, and as a result, they have become figures of hope for their communities.
Along with giving the people someone to look up to, the people understand that if their heroes falter it is not a reason to lose hope or condemn them. Instead, they step up and be heroes in their own ways, giving Spider-Man and Superman the time and grace needed to pick themselves back up and join the fight yet again.
You can stream Superman II on Max and Spider-Man 2 on Disney+.
