Limitations and Mutations

Part 1

            In Green Lantern, Kyle was pushed to the limits of superhero moral code and pursued criminals for personal satisfaction and caused them physical harm on purpose. Superheroes are meant to be defenders of justice so for Kyle to go after criminals as his superhero self for vengeance is a complete disregard for everything he stands for. It is common for people to forget everything they are taught and believe in when they are challenged. For me it happened my freshman year.

            I am the type of person that tries to see the good in everything. So at lunch and my friends and I were talking about adoption, I do not know how that conversation got brought up, and I made the statement of someone has to really care to put their kid up for adoption. When someone tried to make me feel like a naïve fool because of my statement I got angry. I do not always react to things in anger. It does not solve the issue that made you angry, but this time I was fed up with people questioning what I believe. I do not force others to believe what I do but respect me enough not to insult me when I do state my opinion.

            My reaction to this situation was of pure emotion, and I did not think about what could happen. I just wanted my feelings known. In the aftermath, the person that insulted me and I were no longer friends splitting the rest of my friends down the middle. For the rest of the semester it was a delicate balance, and even though we all knew it no one would talk about it. But that is what happens sometimes when you go against the boundaries. It affects everyone around you. So from now on I will try not to react with anger, but to remember my moral standards.

Part 2

            For part 2 I imagined I was Storm and Mystique. Every time I encounter X-Men I always see them as the opposite sides of a pole. Both are the closest to the person they follow, are comfortable with their powers, and believe that mutants should not have to hide who they are. The difference that distinguishes Storm and Mystique, other than the physical obvious, are how they go about getting mutant equality. While Storm uses her words to fight for mutant fairness Mystique is aggressive and willing to kill anyone that makes her feel inferior.

            Both of them would be willing to walk down the street as they are but because of Mystique’s mutation and societies view on how people should look it is impossible for that to happen. They both feel the same way about the “cure” in X-Men The Last Stand, but Storm was willing to defend the humans that created it. If it wasn’t for Magneto leaving and losing her powers Mystique would have been on the offensive side instead of working with humans. It was when she became like everyone that was against her that Mystique became cooperative.

            Any group or person in the real world that feels ostracized because of their circumstances can relate to the X-Men. Whether that person has a disability or just different than the societal norm they can relate to the X-Men. However, the X-Men can teach these groups to remain strong in who they are. They can know that though society does not accept them that if they work together they can have the same rights as everybody else.

            The mutant I most identify with is Beast. It is not because of his mutation but because of who he is. He is the ambassador for mutant affairs.  He lives in both worlds. He understands why the humans created the “cure,” why some mutants would want to take it, and why others don’t. All the while he is not confused about what he personally believes. He knows who he is and doesn’t let either side change that. With the changes happening to the world and what is deemed appropriate and not I see both sides of an argument, but I know what I believe and I won’t change that for anyone.