Imagine yourself stuck between the love of your life and your successful career outside of your happy home. You have an opportunity to improve not only your life, but your significant other's life and your elderly Great Aunt whom you love like a mother. Would you take it? Most of us would, of course, but what if it meant that your safety and security were on the line everyday of your life? This is the crisis that Peter Parker/Spider-man faces in the Marvel Event, Civil War, which permeated every corner of the Marvel Universe, swept up in sociopolitical undercurrents, chiefly manifested in progressive legislation that caused more death and bloodshed in its aftermath. http://www.comicvine.com/civil-war/39-40615/ The elements of realism in Spider-man's tale are easy to observe and appreciate as he is simply an ordinary man with extraordinary powers at his disposal. These relatable traits make Spider-man's journey over this story arc both compelling and tragic, through a human and realistic lens.
The dichotomy between safety and financial security as a duly appointed government operative under "The Superhero Registration Act" proves difficult for Peter/Spidey, as there are horrific consequences for both choices. If he chooses to comply, his identity will be known, as well as the identities of his wife and Aunt which will immediately put them in harm's way. If he chooses to resist, he'll be a wanted fugitive obstructing justice, with his wife ant Aunt accomplices for aiding and abetting a known criminal and wanted felon. Either way, the consequences are dire. This is tensely discussed between Tony Stark/Iron Man and Peter:
"It's not me asking, Peter. If you don't unmask, you'll be just like the other powers who defy the law. Wanted Criminals. Hunted. Jailed. Not just you, but MJ and your Aunt, because they'd be considered accomplices. If you turn against the law, I can't have you with me. I won't be able to protect you or your family" (Straczynski, #532 10-11).
The reality of the situation shows on Peter's face as he contemplates revealing his identity to benefit his family, or become a felon. We can relate to this impossible situation as people make impossible decisions every day in their lives, sometimes between life or death, or knowingly doing the wrong thing for future benefits. Again, Peter Parker is at his simplest, a regular man at odds with his dual nature and conflicting loyalties.
This internal struggle continues in the story as Peter becomes uneasy about his choice to step before the public, despite the consequences in favor the "Super Hero Registration Act." Again, like many of us that are terrified of public speaking, or revealing a deep, dark secret, the notion of queasiness and nausea are real symptoms of a psychosomatic fear or "stage fright" before, during or after the fact:
"It wasn't the easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do." "HURRCCHH!!" "Did you see the look their faces when you told them your real name?" "HURRCCHH!!" "You okay, Peter?" " I think I just woffed up a hot dog that I ate when I was twelve." "Not possible." "No? There's still some of it on my shoes. Wanna see" (Straczynski, #533, 5)?
The humanity of Peter Parker makes it easy to appreciate the horror he is facing, realistic sense. We feel as though we are under the weight of this foreboding law as it looms large upon him and his family. This is apparent when he reflects upon his choice: "I wonder what the hell I'm doing here. I'm legal. I'm registered. I'm authorized. And as I feel this whole situation starting to unravel all around me, I just hope to God that I'm also right" (Straczynski, #534, 23). We feel Peter's pain and incredible burden to bear, and empathize with his him as if he were a real human being with real struggles and hurdles to jump to make ends meet and to continue a "normal" existence.
The boiling point is finally reached when Peter realizes he's made the wrong choice, and puts his family's well-being above his own, to fight back against Iron Man as the latter has been imprisoning fugitives without due process in a super max prison, with no means to a fair trial or due process. As soon as Peter sees the horrific treatment of former heroes and villains (despite their histories), he is disgusted and immediately turns on his mentor. He moves out of his cushy, government subsidized luxury apartment, and runs from the law. His nature as a fugitive sets the trajectory for his family's life in the issues to follow. The guilt and shame manifests itself in Peter's dialogue with his wife, Mary Jane:
"I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry." "I know. So I went by the bank and cleaned out both our accounts. It's not a lot, but it'll cover us for a while, as long as nothing disastrous happens." "You mean like today?" "Well, there goes my sense of security." "If you stay, you're both going to end up on the run with me, going from one dive to another, using different names...the stress will be enormous. (Straczynski, #536, 7-9)"
The consequences for this family were doomed from the beginning, as they were known to the public, at the mercy of Spider-man's rogues, and with Peter as a fugitive from the law, the U.S. Government and his former friends/allies are searching far and wide to bring him to justice. The consequences for this fictional character never feel too out of the ordinary, despite the superhero identity. The journey of a man that makes a poor decision that disrupts his private family life, only to permanently change their trajectory for the worse. This essential version of the story feels human and realistic in every sense of these words. We feel as Peter Parker feels from his unease and nausea before announcing his identity to the world, his internal conflict stemming from his decision, his attempt to rectify his decision and run from the law as a fugitive with his family, and his internal dialogues about what truly is right and wrong under the law. Despite his nature as a superhuman being in spandex fighting crime with an Iron Man by his side, Peter Parker remains an everyman character that struggles as we all struggle with the difficulties and complexities of life. Regardless of his nature as a fictional character, Spider-man remains one of the most relatable and realistic characters in fiction.
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