Superhero Ethics

Paul and I talk about tropes in our favorite movies and shows, using the Netflix series The Queen's Gambit as our launch point. What makes a trope annoying or problematic, and where can they be helpful to a story, especially one involving superheroes? How does The Queen's Gambit both embrace and subvert tropes in ways that make it such an engaging story? And we ponder the question: Is chess a supe...

Season 2 of The Boys has wrapped up, and we're diving into some of the ethical questions it raised. When superheroes are the product, who holds the real power? How did this season hold up a mirror to questions in our own world? And what role will AOC... I mean Congresswoman Neuman play in season 3—will she be an anti-hero, or the new big bad? *******************************************************...

In part two of our history of comic book superheroes, we round out the golden age with a discussion of the Comics Code Authority, which sought to rescue America's youth from the "10 cent plague!" Jessica Plummer lives in New York and is a passionate Superman enthusiast. You can hear the extent of her Superman love on her podcast, Flights and Tights . She also writes about comics and the broader li...

'Do not market a black character as important and then push them aside.' - John Boyega, GQ Magazine In a recent interview, John Boyega, who played Finn, expressed his frustration and anger at how his character was treated in the Star Wars sequels. Jared Sylva and Matthew Westfox use that interview as a jumping-off point to discuss all the potential this character had and how it wasn’t fully realiz...

Rob & Matthew's excellent time travel episode! After months of ranting about the logical and ethical problems with time travel, Matthew invited OG Time Lord Rob McKenzie to explain it all. We look at different theories of time travel, and which movies and TV shows make the most sense. We explore moral questions such as human agency versus a predetermined timeline, who gets to decide what the t...

Mercy. Honor. Heroes. Bullies. Teen love triangles. 80’s music. Karate. Paul and Matthew dive into the Karate Kid 'verse with the hit TV show Cobra Kai . What does it mean to be a bully or a hero, and how do we lock ourselves, and others, into those boxes? What happens when the victim gains enough power to become a bully themselves? Is physical violence an ethical response to verbal bullying? ****...

You’ve killed the evil queen—but what happens to the kingdom? Does the evil gang/company/movement just go away when you kill their leader? And if your goal is to kill that leader, is it your responsibility to come up with a plan for what happens next? Paul joins Matthew to dive into these questions and more. We use Avatar: Legend of Korra as a jumping-off point and look at how the questions are ad...

We don’t know when the movie is coming out, but we’re talking Black Widow ! My cousin (to be) Ellie joins me to dive into questions like why this character is so important, to the team and to us fans, her death and how it was handled, and our thoughts on the upcoming movie. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ellie McCreary is a senior at Creighton University studying psychology and philosophy...

When discussing superheroes and the decisions they make, a favorite topic among fans is the origins of these characters and how they have evolved through different writers and mediums. Today, we kick off a special series where Matthew is joined by superhero history expert Jess Plummer. Together, we will trace the history and development of these caped crusaders. Expect new episodes about once a mo...

How do you value human life when yours cannot end? What responsibility comes with the great power of (near) immortality? And is there anyone left who is NOT in love with action star Charlize Theron? Special guest Fox Kaye joins Matthew for a discussion of the ethical questions raised by The Old Guard , available on Netflix. Cleveland creative Fox Kaye spends most of their days as a data integratio...

What happens when the revolution ends, and it's time to give up power? Is there value to fighting with honor? And what is a robot society like when they are the only form of life? Paul and Matthew dive into these questions and more. Their conversation starts with Transformers: War for Cybertron , but no matter how much or little you know about Transformers , the discussion has plenty to explore. *...

Who should Tony Stark answer to for Ultron? What about Scarlet Witch, for the events in Nigeria? Who should the Avengers be accountable to, and were the Sokovia Accords reasonable? Paul and I discuss issues of accountability across many of the Avengers movies and wrestle with the age-old question—Team Tony, or Team Cap. ************************************************************************** Thi...

With Matthew experiencing an internet outage, we're taking this opportunity to introduce you to our new show, Pandavision! This episode dives into Amazon's The Boys . Give it a listen and be sure to subscribe to Pandavision for more! ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the...

For our milestone 100th episode, we assembled a panel of FIVE distinguished guests for a riveting discussion on some of our favorite ethical quandaries. Who should heroes answer to? What defines a compelling villain? And in these trying times, would it be ethical for a person with mind-control powers to compel universal mask-wearing until the pandemic's conclusion? Joining our all-star line-up wer...

The Clone Wars TV series adds layers of nuance and moral complexity to the well-known stories of Anakin's fall and the demise of the Jedi, while also exploring questions that resonate with our own world. What becomes of peacekeepers when they take on the role of generals? What is the moral value of clones, and how is their treatment justified? And what are the consequences when a war is fought wit...

What happens to normal people when others get powers? What rights do they have, and are those rights respected? And when the people in power push the non-powered around, what happens when the non-powered push back? Paul and I discuss non-powered individuals in worlds where others wield extraordinary abilities. We focus particularly on Avatar: Legend of Korra , Season 1, and how it addresses this q...

While Ozark is a bit outside our normal topic and doesn’t have many heroes, it certainly has a lot of villains with different ethical perspectives, all of whom are convinced they're the good ones! Stranded Panda extraordinaire Ashley Coffin joins me as we talk about each of the characters and the difficult choices they have to make. Whether you love the show or have no idea what's going on, there...

What could be more entertaining than applying an ethical system from one universe to our favorite characters from others? In this episode, we take the ethical color pie from Magic: The Gathering —which categorizes ethics based on motivations and mindsets rather than actions—and see how it aligns with other characters. Don't worry if you're not familiar with MtG; if you enjoy discussing the ethical...

Why does James Bond have a dangerous pattern of involving women in his missions, often leading to their harm? Can one truly engage in the art of espionage without causing collateral damage? Paul Hoppe rejoins us to delve into the ethics of espionage, this time through the lens of the TV show, Burn Notice . Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, we explore universal questions pertinent...

The beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender has made its return to Netflix, and it's time for a deep dive. This episode, we're focusing on the Ba Sing Se story arc and its incredible resonance with the world we live in. Why is denial so appealing, and what drives people to close their eyes to the problems around them? How do you reach someone who believes any contradicting information is a lie? And mos...

Stan Lee was not only a great storyteller but also never shied away from expressing his strong convictions or from using his stories to offer new perspectives on the issues of his time. The writers of Black Panther , Avatar the Last Airbender , Star Wars , and so many other beloved shows have followed in his footsteps. Matt and Jeff are back, and we had a great episode on the ethics of Star Wars p...

What did Ben Parker mean when he told Peter the famous words about power and responsibility, and do we agree with him? Who decides to whom a hero is responsible, and for what? Can believing in the responsibility that your power gives you lead you to become a villain? Matt and Jeff from the Marvel Cinematic Universe Podcast join us to delve into these questions and more! ***************************...

Jess Plummer and Becky Allen join us to discuss She-Ra ! What makes Catra such a compelling character? How does this show blur the lines between hero and villain, friend and dating, and different shades of morality? What makes this show such a powerful example of representation, on so many levels? And just how hard do you have to work in this world to NOT get a redemption arc? Jessica Plummer live...

Heroes can be boring—let's talk villains! Riki Hayashi joins us to talk about the villains who have a point, the ones we can sympathize with, or even sometimes agree with. What makes someone a villain? What are the lines between a villain and a hero who is willing to do anything for the cause? We talk Sinestro, Killmonger, and what happens when Ben Sisko goes for a walk in the "Pale Moonlight". Ri...

This week, parent, geek, and holder of strong opinions, Jared Sylva, joins us to talk about watching geek media with kids. How do you decide what media to watch with kids, and how do you talk to them about it? What geek media offers entertainment and lessons for kids and parents alike? And how can parents deal with the so-called 'Princess Problem?' Whether you have kids of your own or not, this co...