Wanted Undead or Alive:. Джонатан Мэйберри

as easily as that of a ninety-pound weakling. Heroism is relative; it’s based on the individual’s emotional and psychological makeup—more so than on physical attributes.

      The media tends to warp the word, using it for all the wrong reasons. They call sports stars “heroes,” confusing the word with “idols.” Hitting a home run may make fans adore you, but it isn’t heroism. Running into a burning house to rescue someone is heroism. So is standing up for a friend who is being bullied. Or saying “no” in the face of threat and intimidation.

      Chris Kuchta, Evil Dead

      “In Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness, the conflict between Ash and the Deadites is one of the most iconic examples of good vs. evil / hero vs. villain. It resonates with viewers in both a visceral and epic way, by showing the resolve and determination of the hero, overcoming the forces of evil by severing it at its head. The chainsaw representing the sword and the Deadite representing the classic dragon shows undertones of the classic hero’s journey, but accomplished in a contemporary world. Like Perseus and Medusa or Beowulf and Grendel it will never get outdated.”—Chris Kuchta is an illustrator and art instructor at the Kuchta Academy of Fine Art and Illustration. He has done work on films such as House of the Wolfman and for Blood Lust Magazine.

      Heroes are also defined by measuring what they do against what they stand to lose. A mother who stands between her children and a rabid dog is a hero. If she fails, she might lose her life and more critically (to her) the lives of her children. If that same person was faced with the rabid dog when no helpless children are involved, the same situation might end differently. She might lose more easily; she might not find the inner reserve necessary to rise to the demands of the moment.

      But we know that the extraordinary can happen. It has happened.

      Heroism is also situational, and this is one of the really weird and inexplicable aspects of modern-day humans. On any given street in any big city in the world, most people not only pass one another by without acknowledgment, but they will growl, snarl, and snap if one of the other pedestrians intrudes into the bubble of their personal space to ask the time, directions, or the generosity of a quarter. And yet, let a terrorist’s bomb go off, those same people will often risk life and limb to rescue injured strangers from burning debris.

      Many people go their whole lives without ever encountering the kind of circumstances that will allow them to access their inner hero. Some hear the call of the moment and fail through fear, unshakable insecurity, cowardice, or some social bias that makes them withhold rather than reach out. And yet there are those people who are called by the moment, perhaps by the voice of destiny, to step up and show their mettle. Myth, history, and fiction are filled with the everyman who becomes the hero, or the green youth who discovers in his heart an iron resolve. Circumstance can make or break.

      The HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) showcased this beautifully, presenting a variety of characters who, under the intense and varied pressure of combat, discover weakness or strength. That series is probably one of the most accurate, poignant, and powerful presentations of ordinary heroes.

      In world myth, the hero’s journey—eloquently described by Joseph Campbell in his 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces—is built around this process of discovery. Also known as a “monomyth,” this is a common story form in which the hero-to-be begins in the ordinary world and is drawn into an adventure, experience, or journey during which he faces a series of challenges, tasks, and trials. Sometimes he faces these alone (Indiana Jones, Spider-Man); sometimes he has companions (Luke Skywalker, Dorothy Gale). The process of facing and dealing with each challenge expands the hero’s mind, deepens his understanding of the world, and makes him stronger. Ultimately the hero must face a major challenge, a make-or-break moment that often has a lot riding on it: the hero’s life, the lives of others, perhaps a kingdom, maybe even the fate of the world. The bigger the stakes the more drama in the story.

      Some people, in life and in myth, are born to be heroes, and their journey is all about discovering and then embracing their destiny. These characters often have some special gift or ability that gives them an edge so that when they face their challenges they can draw on this inner resource and win the day. That’s the case with Hercules, King Arthur, Wolverine, and Leelu from The Fifth Element (1997). These heroes are often willing to fill that role.

      Unwilling heroes may also possess gifts or be chosen by destiny to rise in a time of crisis. Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were unwilling heroes. So was Harry Potter. There is usually a moment, however, when they man up and do what has to be done.

      There are also antiheroes—people who seem unsuited for the role, often because of attitude issues or personality problems such as cowardice or self-absorption, but who nevertheless find that inner spark when the chips are down. Han Solo is a great example. At the end of the second act of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) he was ready to take his reward and bug out, but a pesky conscience brought him back into the fight, and in the nick of time.

      More tragic antiheroes are those who resist the call of heroism, or are even villains for a while, but who rise to the moment, often at their own expense. Annakin Skywalker’s heroism surfaced in the last few minutes of Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi (1983), and—sadly—he died. Antiheroes often have a short life span once they’ve reclaimed their better nature.

      A switch on the antihero is the kind who is viewed as a hero only by one side in a conflict. Certainly Joan of Arc was viewed as a heroine by the French people, but the English burned her as a witch. Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the most highly decorated Stuka dive-bomber pilot of World War II, and the only person to be awarded the Nazi Knight’s Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. To the Allies, however, he was a monster. During the Depression, gangsters like John Dillinger were hailed as heroes by the common man. Everything is relative.

      Some people make great personal sacrifices that do tremendous good, but they do it without guns or bulging biceps, and often they fly under the radar and seldom get hung with the label of hero. Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, the Dalai Lama, and the host of unsung people working without applause to combat poverty, disease, and ethnic genocide in third world nations.

      OPPOSING EVIL: CHOICE, DESTINY, OR RIGHT PLACE/WRONG TIME?

      In the supernatural world heroes are often pitted against challenges no ordinary mortal is meant to face. Hunting a vampire, slaying a werewolf, driving unclean spirits from a house or from a possessed person—these are challenges that separate heroes from the vast majority of humanity (who would rather run for the hills—and sensibly so!).

      What makes someone take that stand?

      Sometimes it’s love. When evil invades the home and targets one or more family members, it provokes a response that’s been hardwired into us since we were lizards. “Defend the species” is a primal response. “Defend a loved one” is simply the most recent coat of paint on that ancient reflex. Defending a loved one does, however, require more active choice than simple species protection because with higher mind comes rationalization and considered self-interest. There are people who will flee in the face of attack even if it means leaving their loved ones to die. Yes, it can be argued that self-preservation is as old an impulse as species defense, but we can overcome it in order to defend others. Opting to save one’s own life instead of someone else’s is a choice. Tragic, surely; even understandable in certain circumstances…but it isn’t heroic.

      A hero may oppose the threat even if he believes that it’s hopeless, or that he’ll die in the process. Heroic choices don’t always stand up to close logical scrutiny. But damn if they don’t elevate the spirit.

      Given a choice, a hero will opt to do some research, prepare some weapons or charms, maybe call on a few dozen buddies to help storm the castle. That’s another benefit of higher mind: strategic thinking. And common sense…let’s not forget common sense. A hero with some horse sense is likely to end the night as a live hero rather than a dead one.

      Sometimes heroism is determined by pure chance and a mix of bad luck (having to confront a monster at all) and good luck (living