Top 5 Inspirational Superheroes
By: Missionary Team
Without a doubt, the superhero hype and culture has swept over the world, leaving everyone in anticipation of when the next big movie for these masked heroes will be coming out. I for one have to admit that I absolutely love everything superhero comics and movies, and what I always find bringing me back to watching them is how much these characters inspire me. It’s true that these movies have exciting characters and flashy action scenes, but at the end of the day, it’s the encouragement and positive messages that are brought to the viewers. Here, I have compiled a list of the top five superheroes that I believe to be the most inspirational, not only to my life, but many others as well.
5. Iron Man
At first glance, Tony Stark, or Iron Man, may seem like a ridiculous choice for being on a list for uplifting and influential characters for usually being proud and arrogant, but it is in his weaknesses that make him truly someone to look up to. His story begins as he was the selfish young heir to his family’s billionaire company, selling weapons for the United States Military, only to be critically injured and captured by terrorists. From there, Tony Stark was forced to build weapons for these terrorists, which opened his eyes to the arrogant decisions he had made for himself and his company. This whole series of events prompted him to create a suit of armor to break free from captivity and correct the wrongs he had done, and to grow not only as a hero to the people but one that would overcome his own weaknesses. In his many years of comic book history he has fought alcoholism, depression, and many more internal struggles to remain a hero to the readers of all his comics.
4. The Flash
Barry Allen always lived trying to control everything in his life, but always ended up running late and falling short of being able to possess that control he so deeply desired. When he was only a boy, Barry’s Mother was murdered, and his Father had been framed, leaving him alone in life without parents. Growing up, he worked day and night to solve his mother’s murder and free his Dad, and when he obtain super-speed and other powers from a freak accident he thought that they would be the key to solving these struggles in his life. Barry, now known as the Flash, quickly realized that superpowers wouldn’t be able to fix all the problems he had -his Mother couldn’t be brought back, his Dad was still stuck in prison, and the villain who killed his Mother had gotten away. Instead of looking down at what he couldn’t control and focusing on himself, Barry applied all his talents and new abilities to helping others in need or in danger with a smile on his face and a positive attitude. Struggles have always hit The Flash over the years, but again and again he has shown all his readers that he cannot control them all, but continuously pushed through them by selflessly helping others.
3. Captain America
Steve Rodgers’s only desire in life was to be a soldier in the United States Military during World War II, but had been rejected several times for service due to being small, frail, and asthmatic. Even with a wall keeping him from his goal, he still strived to enter into the military and lived by the morals of having integrity, selflessness, and especially, a willingness to sacrifice himself for others. Steve was eventually picked for a military experiment to become a superhero for America during the war, and was met with confusion by many for why such a physically weak man would be chosen. The truth to this decision was not decided in Steve’s physical strength, but the strength of his heart. After the experiment, he was transformed physically to have all the strength, speed, and power he could’ve ever dreamed of, and as this sort of transformation would’ve made any other man grow in pride and arrogance, Steve only grew to become more caring and sacrificial. Surviving in comic book publications since the 1940s, Captain America has remained a pillar to readers and the masses alike of how to live with the love to lay down our lives for another.
2. Spider-Man
Easily a classic, and one of my personal favorites, Spider-Man is not only one of the most influential superheroes, but possibly one of the most influential characters of all time. It may be cool that he can swing across buildings with webs and crawl on walls, but what makes Peter Parker a truly timeless character goes much deeper than the surface level. Much akin to the previously mentioned Flash, Peter Parker may have incredible abilities but they can do nothing to solve the problems that every human being faces. The big difference between Spider-Man and The Flash is that Peter Parker treats being Spider-Man as a responsibility that needs to be taken care of, no matter what it interrupts in his everyday life. Peter Parker has always been faced with wanting to give up being Spider-Man across the years, but he always finds that it is his duty to protect the people of New York. This perseverance to always take up his responsibilities is one of the reasons why Spider-Man appeals to so many, and is an encouragement to readers to work hard and never give up in life, even when it hurts.
1. Deku (From My Hero Academia)
Bear with me for a minute on this one, I am in full understanding that many have never heard of this superhero before, but I assure you all that Deku is the greatest there could ever be! Coming from the Japanese manga and anime series, My Hero Academia, by Kohei Horikoshi, Deku is a young boy who lives in a world where almost everyone has some kind of superpower or special ability from birth, except he doesn’t have any power at all. Treated as an outcast to the world and ridiculed left and right from the people around him, Deku holds the dream to become to become the greatest hero anyone has ever seen, not to boast to those that him to be failure or a loser, but to serve them selflessly and save them with a smile on his face. The best part about his dream is that he already was living it without powers, as he is constantly throwing himself into situations to save everyone, and even those that despise him. After gaining powers of incredible strength, he is faced with the struggle that every time he uses his powers it will cause great harm to his body, but this doesn’t even stop him from helping others. Deku is constantly willing to give his all to save someone in danger even if all the bones are broken and his body bruised beyond healing. This ideology of Deku swept me off my feet when I first saw it, and has too many others, as he has become increasingly popular, and if you look closely in large public places, especially the mall, you will find someone wearing some kind of clothing with him or other characters from My Hero Academia on it. Deku and the inspiration he brings is incredible, and to me is a perfect superhero and role model for theworld.
In Conclusion
I hope this list, even if not agreed upon, helped you all see the inspiration these superheroes bring to the world, and even the virtues they demonstrate. In many ways, these five characters represent aspects of how to live a life righteous and faithful for God. First, Iron Man demonstrates how to have humility to acknowledge his own weaknesses and to not live by pride, and The Flash taught audiences how to be selfless and not focus on always trying to control everything. Next Captain instructed a love of being willing to sacrifice himself for others, and Spider-Man showed how to have perseverance and fortitude to not give up on his responsibilities. Lastly, Deku demonstrated to the audience his love and charity to save everyone, including his enemies. I ask that the inspiration from these heroes may encourage you all to pray to obtain strength and these virtues from God, for as He tells us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”, and we can find ourselves doing the impossible and changing the world as we know it by just having strong faith in Christ.
