Chapter 2SUPERHERO ORIGIN STORIES
“Why is every superhero movie an origin story?” Perhaps we love origin stories because they “show the exact moment when a normal person goes from being just like us to being somehow better, smarter, or stronger.”
It seems that superheroes undergo three types of life‐altering experiences that we can relate to and draw inspiration from.
The first is trauma, which lies at the heart of Batman's origin story, in which Bruce Wayne dedicates himself to fighting crime after seeing his parents murdered. In real life, many people experience “stress‐induced growth” after a trauma and resolve to help others, even becoming social activists.
The second life‐altering force is destiny. Consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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