Post #13 The Reluctant Hero

A few days ago, I posted a thought regarding my mysterious gravitation towards the television series, 24. I was puzzled as to why I would be drawn to a show that glamorizes violence, torture, and racial profiling.

Then as I watched the "four hour, two night season premiere event," I realized why I am glued to this show: Jack Bauer is a reluctant hero. He does not really want to be America's last best chance. He just does what he has to, because he has to.

Every season, Jack finds himself in the middle of a national security threat. Reluctantly, he chooses to do all that he can in order to protect the safety of America. This "reluctant hero" story line is the one thing that draws me in.

I love a story about a person, flawed and often broken, who must make the difficult choice to make a sacrifice for the safety of others. Often these stories involve a lead character who is battling personal demons. More times than not, the character is wrought with moral ambiguity. Additionally, they tend to have dysfunctional relationships due to their own emotional/mental health concerns: depression, addiction, anger issues, and trust issues. Most of these "reluctant hero" stories are clothed in some sort of redemption story in which the hero's demons are exercised and the hero finds closure for personal dilemmas.

Herein lies the ultimate reason I am drawn in: We all have demons, often similar to those of the hero, that we must overcome. The hero's ability to overcome gives us hope that we can overcome as well. This is called "relatability".

Sure I cannot relate to CTU tactical responses, interrogation techniques, or a ticking nuclear bomb. But I can relate to those personal demons: depression, anger, mistrust.

The action and drama are engaging. The plots and subplots are anxiety-producing. And the acting, cinematography, and musical score are over-the-top and enthralling. But the one thing that continues to draw me in is the ability for the reluctant hero to overcome personal demons, while sacrificing himself for the greater good.

Shouldn't we all strive for such growth and service? Don't we all have the potential to be the reluctant hero?