Welcome to Fluffington, a sleepy little town in New England. It’s a cold January day and you are walking down Main Street, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a young man in a mask runs at you with an ax. You instinctively grab an 18th-century pistol from your person and shoot the assailant dead. Now, it’s your turn to scream. What just happened?
That was me, in 1992. Today, I would not advise you to steal a gun at random in America, but hopefully, you won’t need to. The point is that you as a civilian are entirely unprepared to deal with the kind of criminal activity that occurs in a small town on a cold winter’s day. So, if you are ever asked to serve as a responder in such a situation, you can simply say no. There are too many legalities and not enough laws to protect you. In this case, if you shot the assailant and he ended up not being guilty, you will most likely be in trouble. Even if he is guilty, you will still be in trouble because you are now an accessory after the fact. Furthermore, the police will almost certainly think that you were the criminal mastermind behind the whole thing. So, if you’re ever in such a situation, it’s imperative to go with your gut and do whatever it takes to protect yourself. That’s the kind of situation that superheroes are born out of.
What makes a superhero? A superhero is someone who not only avoids getting harmed in the first place, but who also steps in and stops other people from being harmed. That can be as simple as someone breaking into a house and you stopping them from robbing the place or, it can be as complex as you stopping a madman with a loaded gun in his hands from harming anyone. All superpowers come with a price, and it takes a special kind of person to not only be able to pay it, but to also embrace it. That’s why most superheroes have humble beginnings. Usually, they start out as normal people who find themselves in extraordinary situations and, as a result, gain extraordinary powers. Superman was an ex-athlete who became an accountant and decided to use his powers for good. Flash Gordon was a military officer whose leg was shattered by a landmine and he had to learn to walk all over again. Ironman is a scientist who dedicated his life to finding a way to stop aging, but it was his college roommate who got the better end of the deal and now wears his roommate’s chest as a trophy.
The list of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superheroes is almost endless. It begins with Ironman, followed by Thor, The Hulk, and then the rest. In fact, the list of currently-active MCU superheroes is a veritable who’s who of Hollywood A-listers. It’s also worth noting here that many of these superheroes have had to deal with tragedy and pain in their lives. For example, Ironman lost his leg and was fitted with a metal leg. The Hulk survived his gamma exposure and, when he doesn’t get enough sleep, grows horns that he twitches on occasion. So, these are the kinds of stories that make a superhero. And it’s not just about having extraordinary powers. To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson, a superhero is someone who faces adversity and pain with courage and compassion, and then overcomes it. So, maybe you aren’t a superhero yet, but you know someone who is. You can help them out by being there for them in their time of need. And if you’re lucky enough to get to watch them use their superpowers, all the better.
The Robert Pattinson Effect
Now, let’s return to our story and that young man in the mask. No last name, no ID, just an ax. I remember going through a similar process back in high school. I felt so intimidated by the thought of facing some large, terrifying adult. What if he’s got a gun too? What if he points it at me and won’t let me go? But then I thought of my brother and how I would never forgive myself if something happened to him because of something I couldn’t help. Just kidding. Of course, I would never do that. I just thought it would be really cool to be able to stop a mugger. So, sometimes, being a good guy with a gun can pay off. Just make sure you’ve got a good reason to pull the trigger, though.
Robert Pattinson’s Career
After graduating high school, I became obsessed with the idea of being a superhero. Back then, I didn’t know many actors, but the ones I did know all had great stories. So, I decided to do a little investigating and found out that one of the best things that could ever happen to me was when Robert Pattinson dropped out of college to follow his dream of being an actor. From that point on, everything fell into place. I became determined to follow in his footsteps and become the best actor I could be. And that’s exactly what I did. I starred in a number of stage plays while working diligently to build a resume. One day, my friend called me and told me that I had got an audition for the most popular TV show at the time, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. To prepare for the role, I had to tape three commercials a day, six days a week. But when the day of the shoot arrived, I had to pull an all-nighter and wake up at 4:30 in the morning to tape my scenes before heading to school. When I first watched the episodes as they came out, I had forgotten how gruelling it had been. Even now, I can’t stand to be in a room with other people while recording, so I do most of my recording solo. When you’re used to doing it all by yourself, it’s a lot easier to continue recording without being distracted by the people around you. So, while it might not seem like it now, I owe my entire acting career to Robert Pattinson. And now that I’m successful, I’m passing it on to the next generation. Here’s to the next superhero.