Mt. Olympus, Gotham City, and Metropolis: The Power of Heroism in Shaping Cultures and Futures

Stories reflect the cultures they arise from and their heroes help direct the mindset of future generations. From ancient Greece to modern America, the human creativity behind these worlds has allowed us to promote new beliefs and virtues through the adventures of our heroes. “Mt. Olympus, Gotham City, and Metropolis” explores how mythological heroism has changed over time and now conflicts with itself as religious and secular story-tellers alike wrestle with the teleological foundation within heroism. In America for instance, Batman and Superman are the pillars of our modern pantheon, and their recent movie Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice seeks to reconcile the ideologies of Nietzsche and Christianity that are increasingly present in society today. How should a hero handle nihilism, autonomy, and despair? Both Batman and Superman would answer differently in their imaginary worlds, but this thesis will conclude that the simple act of raising this debate in film challenges us to consider the value of hope and belief in our culture today. Heroes are the role models of the future, and how we understand them will determine where we go from here. The dialogue to promoting a better world begins with them