Superhero Ethics

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 question, but we also broaden the topic to cover numerous other stories. Whether you’re a hardcore Korra fan or have never seen the series, you’ll be able to follow the discussion.

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 is a lot here to dive into and enjoy.

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 frameworks of characters like Tony Stark, Malcolm Reynolds, and Han Solo, this episode has something for you!

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 to the genre: What are the moral implications of having others carry out your covert deeds? How does one navigate the conflict between serving a client or mission and adhering to a personal sense of ‘right’? And at what point does one’s secret identity begin to erode their true self?

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 most importantly, how does this storyline mirror the issues we face today, especially in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death?

Matt and Jeff are back, and we had a great episode on the ethics of Star Wars planned. However, with all that has happened in our world in the last week, including the killing of George Floyd and the events that followed, we felt it was important to address current issues. So today we’re talking about what it means to be a fan and a content creator in difficult times, and how the stories we love help shape our understandings of violence, authority, racism, cops, and everything else.

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?

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”.