Superhero Ethics

Dive into the final chapter of our ethical exploration with episode 6 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Will Freeland and Paul Hoppe return as guests to dissect the themes of justice and morality that come to a head in the series’ climactic conclusion.

In this episode, Paul, Will, and I delve into the ethical issues brought to light in episode 5 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

In this episode, we confront the moral dilemmas posed by the Super Soldier Serum: Would you take it if you had the chance? Is John Walker a murderer, or is Karli Morgenthau? Will Freeland rejoins Paul and Matthew to dissect these ethical conundrums from Episode 4 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Join Paul, Will, and me as we tackle the ethical quandaries surfaced in episode 3 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Throughout the years, Batman has mentored numerous sidekicks, but it isn’t until Terry McGinnis commandeers the Batsuit that Bruce Wayne truly discovers a successor. What distinguishes a successor from a sidekick, and how do factors like age and agency influence this dynamic? What obligations did Bruce have to his wards and sidekicks, and in what ways does Terry represent a departure from these relationships? Join Ashley, Paul, and me as we draw multiple parallels to Captain America, The Falcon, and The Winter Soldier. Spoiler alert: There are plenty!

Given the multitude of ethical issues that Falcon and the Winter Soldier is surfacing, we’ve decided to commit to a weekly recording schedule—there’s no holding back with minisodes. There’s just too much to unpack, reflecting the depth and complexity of the themes the show itself is addressing.

The X-Men have long served as allegories for various civil and human rights issues. Films like X2, X3: The Last Stand, and Days of Future Past particularly resonate with metaphors for queer and disabled identities. Brand Grinslade joins me as we delve into those connections.

In this session, we tackle the complex themes of racism and nationalism, delve into Bucky’s ongoing trauma, and examine Sam’s intricate relationship with the military.

Envision a world teeming with superhumans: heroes and villains abound, and amidst them all, an NPR-style radio station tailored for the super-powered community. The creative minds behind the Superhuman Public Radio podcast join me to delve into the gig economy for henchpeople, the immigration rights of extraterrestrials, and the ways their passion for comic books as moral allegories inspired their innovative project.

Is Wanda Maximoff a hero, an antihero, or does she resemble a Batman villain within the MCU? Does Agatha Harkness deserve ‘sitcom jail’ as her sentence? Moreover, did the Ship of Theseus debate present the most Star Trek-esque moment in MCU history? Join Matt Carroll, Paul Hoppe, and me as we unravel the complex ethical quandaries posed by WandaVision.