Betdashtoo 1

Fiorella Betdashtoo
Professor Hyme
English 114b
17 February 2015
True Heroes vs. Fake Heroes
Throughout history and in books, heroes have not been defined with completely specific
characteristics because every hero has a different personality yet always tries to protect the
people around them. Many heroes give themselves a set of ethics to follow so they do not
stagger in their decisions. With the right conduct, heroes can be an inspire people and become
good role models. A heros conduct decides whether or not a victim will die so they should
choose wisely. The Watchmen had many heroes who helped and protected people, yet not all
of them should be considered a hero. Though the novel had many heroes, Daniel Dreiberg
and Rorschach are the ultimate heroes because they truly care for innocent people who need help
in danger.
Edward Blake, The Comedian, shouldnt be considered a hero. Although he did fight in
the Vietnam War and helped people while he was part of the Minutemen and the Crime Busters,
his personality and responses to certain situations were unlike a hero. Blake raped the first Silk
Spectre and killed a pregnant, Vietnamese woman who he impregnated (Moore and Gibbons II).
He believe that everything in life (society) was a joke because the first Silk Spectre states He
was The Comedian. He always thought hed get the last laugh (Moore and Gibbons II, 40). By
doing what he wanted, he seem to become famous for his selfishness and never repented for his
wrong doings. The Comedian never took anything in life seriously and was selfish because he
usually did what he wanted instead of doing what was right. A hero is someone who chooses

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what is good for innocent people instead of what is good for himself which is something Blake
lacks.
Laurie Juspecysk, The Silk Spectre, acts as a hero but does not care to be a hero. She
says You remember that costume? With that stupid little short skirt and the neckline. . .that was
so dreadful. . . Keene Act was the best thing that ever happened to us (Moore and Gibbons II,
27). The Silk Spectre states that she never wanted to be a superhero but did it because of her
mother. Although she helped people, her intentions for be a hero was because she cared for
people. She helped not because she wanted to help but rather was forced to by her mother. By
only hating her duty, she could lack the ability to help someone in danger. Juspecysk never
enjoyed being a hero or cared to whole-heartedly to protect innocent people which is opposite of
a hero who how heartedly cares to protect people.
Jonathan Osterman, Dr. Manhattan, isnt a true hero because he helps people out of pity
instead of sincerity. When he runs from Earth and goes to Mars, he reminisced about how
unimportant human relationships and life is (Moore and Gibbons IV, 133). Dr. Manhattan
doesnt actually care about the people around him except for Laurie Juspeczyk. He would not
have saved earth if she did not try to convince him and states that she is the only reason he would
go back to earth (IX). Since Dr. Manhattan has no compassion for people, he would not risk his
life for a person in danger. In Ethics by Definition, Christensen states that do nothing during
an important time is actually just as wrong and doing wrong. Although he did help people in the
Vietnam War and the Crime Busters, he did it because it was a duty and not for whether it was
right or wrong.
Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias, should not be called a hero because he killed many citizens
for the sake of world peace. In the graphic novel, he is known as the worlds smartest man

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yet used Dr. Manhattan to kill innocent people in New York City. Veidt claims that destroying
everything and everyone in New York would stop a World War III; instead of protecting people
like a hero, he killed many people. He also placed the blame on Dr. Manhattan because both the
US and USSR would turn from each other towards Dr. Manhattan (Moore and Gibbons XII). By
trying to build his utopia, Veidt save only political affairs rather than people. Since he believed
that he was the smartest man in the world, he forgot how important human lives are and how
peoples safety should come before assuming the unknown. From his actions to try saving the
world, he caused many deaths; heroes save people rather than kill them.
A heros past can affect the code of conduct that they live buy. In Ethics by
Definition, Christensen states that humans cannot naturally differentiate right and wrong; but
rather we are taught and learn the difference. By learning the difference between right and
wrong, even people with horrible pasts can still choose to be good heroes. Rorschach was
abused by his mother, a prostitute, and bullied by people in his neighborhood (Moore and
Gibbons VI, 177). Even though he had many problems Rorschach continued to help people in
need like searching for a kidnapped girl (Moore and Gibbons VI, 193). During his childhood, he
experienced many troubles yet was able to differentiate between right and wrong. His strength to
overcome those obstacles and work to help people makes him a hero.
Rorschach, Walter Kovacs, is also considered to be an ultimate hero because he cared not
only for the welfare of innocent people but also his comrades. He investigated the Comedians
death and warned his other comrades about the hero killer (Moore and Gibbons I). Even
though his comrades believed he was crazy, he risked getting caught by the police in order to
find the killer. Rorschach kept his identity a secret just like other heroes in other comics and
books. In The Well-Born Superhero, Gavaler states how heroes such as Batman, Superman,

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and Baroness Orczys The Scarlet Pimpernel keep their identities hidden in order to do what is
right. Rorschach knew even if the world was corrupt that he still needs to do what was right
whether or not he was caught by the police. Gavaler stated that heroes only rely on what they
thought was right. Rorschach believed that evil should always be punished because if it was let
loose, more people would be put in danger or severly injured. His determination and
righteousness prove to be qualities of a hero.
Like Rorschach, Daniel Dreiberg, Nite Owl, is an ultimate hero as well because he
became a hero for doing good. Dreiberg enjoyed the thrill of helping people in danger and
helped because he cared. When Nite Owl and Silk Spectre save people from the fire, he stated
how thrilling it was and how good it felt (Moore and Gibbons IX). Christensen paraphrased
Aristotles belief that a persons happiness comes from doing good to others. Dreiberg is a kind
and caring person because he would protect the people he cares about. Dreiberg always put
Juspecysk concerns before his own. He cared for his comrades because he rescued Rorschach
from prison because he knew Rorschach was right. Not all heroes are protective and righteous
but also compassionate and kind like Nite Owl.
Heroes are kind, protective, compassionate, and righteous like Rorschach and Daniel
Dreiberg. Rorschach and Dreiberg each choose a certain path because they had their own code
of conduct. Throughout the graphic novel, it gave different kinds of heroes with different
characteristics as heroes. Each hero had to choose between right and wrong in order to find the
best solution to save people. Some of the heroes choose to do wrong over right because they
believe they had no other choice. Most of the characters in the graphic novel were normal
people who choose to stand up when the society became corrupted. Each person much choose to
do right like a hero and stand up for other who need help.

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Works Cited
Christensen, Burke A. Ethics by Definition. Journal of the American Society of CLU &ChFC,
49.5 (1995): 32.
Gavaler, Chris. The Well-Born Superhero. The Journal of American Culture, 37.2 (2014):
182-197.
Moore, Alan & Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. New York: DC Comics, 2005. Print. 1-411.