There was a popular meme a few years ago which asked the question: “So many kids nowadays want to be Batman or Superman or Spider-Man, which begs the question: Why do all these kids want to be orphans?!” Sure, it’s a joke, but the meme made an important observation about our superheroes; many (if not most) are orphans. It seems that every costumed crimefighter deals with some sort of victimhood or loneliness or abandonment. As mentioned before, Superman and Batman and Spider-Man are all orphans, but the trend goes farther.
Even before his parents’ death, Iron Man was distant from his dad (as explored in Captain America: Civil War), and Captain America himself is displaced in time and long removed from any of his past support systems.
Black Panther’s father dies in his very first on-screen appearance (again, Captain America: Civil War), setting Prince T’Challa on a path of vengeance and justice.
Wonder Woman is displaced from her people, and due to her long life, she always outlives every mortal acquaintance she makes, meaning she always carries a certain amount of grief.
Similarly, the long-lived amnesiac Wolverine chooses isolation over the pain that might come with losing those he loves. (Although, for the record, pretty much all of the X-Men are alienated from their families, making them effectively orphans seeking a new family.)
Aquaman is torn between two worlds and doesn’t feel fully at home in either.
Black Widow was trained by spies and then fled to a new life.
Captain Marvel doesn’t have any memories at first, but she’s shaped by the loss of a key mentor figure.
The Flash pursues life as a crimefighter because of the murder of his mother and wrongful imprisonment of his father.
Family alienation constantly surrounds Thor, whose parents both die —spoilers, I guess?— and who is frequently exiled from his people.
Shazam’s whole arc in his first movie revolves around being an orphan in search of family.
And of course, even in alternate dimensions, losing a wise and beloved uncle is part of the job description for Spider-Man.
I think I’ve made my point, but just for kicks, let’s do Guardians of the Galaxy. Gamora and Nebula are both orphans navigating an abusive relationship with their tyrannical adoptive father. In their journey, they befriend Drax (who longs to avenge his dead family), Rocket Raccoon and Groot (both of whom seem to be the only members of their species in the MCU), and Star Lord, an immature orphan (as far as he knows) who is raised by fellow-orphan/loner Yondu and eventually has to kill his own tyrannical father. The entire Guardians franchise hinges around the emotional journeys of these orphans.
Why do all our heroes have to be orphans and loners and outcasts?
Perhaps it has something to do with a common sense of loneliness we all share.
I’m currently reading The Psychology of Zelda, and one of the contributors says this about the orphan archetype: “…anyone who has ever felt abandoned has a personal Orphan archetype inside of them, and through playing as Link [the hero of the Zelda games and himself an orphan], they are better able to psychologically process the feelings associated with that archetype.” Simply put, playing as an orphaned and isolated video game character helps players to process their own feelings of loneliness and isolation. Perhaps the same is true of superheroes. Not only do popular heroes battle the likes of Loki and Joker and Thanos; they also help us explore our own feelings of isolation and loneliness. As they carry orphans within them, so do we, and perhaps this is their greatest appeal. We can use their experiences to explore our own.
So the next time you sit down to a superhero movie, consider for a moment the hero’s journey from isolation to acceptance. Where does your own life fit into this mold? What inspiration might you draw from these characters?
The appeal of superheroes doesn’t lie in wanting to be orphans;
it lies in the fact that so many of us already feel lonely,
and it’s healthier and holier to explore those feelings together.