Who is a tragic hero? There are several best examples of who makes a flawed hero, but the simple definition is the flaws that make the character who they are. A hero usually does all these things that their fans know them for – all the noble and heroic acts – but beneath the cover of heroism is a flawed person with a painful story. They may become tragic after an act, or one of their flaws leads them to do something that could lead to their downfall. Will they remain heroes even when they are sad superheroes? Yes, because most people are actually drawn by those flaws. They make them relatable.
High school and college students who have been reading comic books for long sometimes get to write and read tragic hero essay examples for their exams. The task here is to bring out the characters of some of these superhumans without making them less super than they are. At the same time, a good essay on tragic hero will show both sides, making them relatable yet super cool to their fans. One of the best things is there are several superhero origin stories to borrow from these days, so such essay samples should not be so hard to replicate.
Characteristics of Tragic Superheroes
You can tell from the storyline who is likely to make the sad superhero. They have an unmistakably painful background that grounds them to make choices that we like when we read comic books or watch them on the big screen.
They are usually generally good people. The topics they explore make them likeable, and we may make them our favorites right from the get-go. They show examples of heroes we want to be if we have their supernatural abilities, which is amplified as our knowledge grows from the unfolding story.
Superheroes with the Most Tragic Origin Stories
There are several sad marvel heroes as well as those from other stories, but these five make the most impression on us.
Green Arrow
Oliver Queen is the son of a shady business tycoon, Robert Queen, who starts his reign as Green Arrow in a revenge mission. On a night of extravagance, the superhero is on a yacht with his father and close relatives and friends when they are attacked at sea. His father gives him a list of people responsible for this act, so his first act as superman is to hunt them down. Queen makes a list of sacrifices to rid the city of corrupt, greedy people, an act that endears him to his fans.
Batman
Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, lost his parents to a gunman’s bullet during a robbery. The thieves were after some pearls, but they also took the little boy’s joy with them on that cold night. As he grows up, Batman lets the events of that night and other deadly incidences in his city, Gotham, shape the man he becomes.
Wolverine
The Wolverine has the most common superhero ability: immortality, which is perfect until all the people he loves start dying, one by one. What’s sadder than being left alone after everyone you know is off to the next world? His whole life is one sad story after the other after losing his adopted father at a young age. The X-Men have a hold on him from that early on, and he lives for 150 years seeing his beloved rest. Even in the afterlife, he is still losing those he cares about.
Spiderman
A scientifically gifted and happy-go-lucky young boy loses his uncle at a young age. He is the only father figure the boy has ever been close to, and the loss hits him hard. This is how Peter Parker – Spiderman – is born. His family is not economically inclined, so this young superhero grows up in a working-class neighborhood, unlike Batman. He is bullied at school for being a nerd, and the epitome of this sad story is the death of his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, whom he cannot save.
Spawn
Frank Simmons, a CIA operative and ex-military contract killer, is double-crossed by his friend in a contract, even when he is questioning the morals of his commanders. He dies, is sent to hell, anyway – even with his better-than-most morals, but makes a deal with one of the demons who sends him back to earth as a disfigured superhuman named Spawn. Frank’s wife remarries his murderer, and they even have a child together. Talk of the devil’s spawn…
Conclusion
If you are doing research for a paper on superheroes, there is enough material online to form the base of beautiful, albeit sad essays. The sad bits make them relatable and easily acceptable, so don’t be afraid to capture them in their essence.