Previous Post Lair Mansion has returned to what passes for normal, at least in the eyes of this reporter. The Press corps. no longer maintain a 24-7 active press room for updates and announcements, and individual reporters are no longer embedded within these walls. Generals and dignitaries no longer crowd the hallways, coming or going to various strategy meetings. Hippopotmi (plural) no longer maintain a tight, fortified security zone around the island (although one does appear to size up visitors and remind them to behave themselves when they first arrive in the entry hall.) The people who live and work here have returned to their daily routines, as have people all over the world in the passing of the Parody Master. I have taken the opportunity to pay one last visit to the mansion to ask about the amazing collaboration that went into the defense of the planet, and to see what insights the heroes that stood at the forefront gained from it all. I almost miss my first opportunity for an interview... not because of a scheduling error, but because the subject himself is very easy to overlook by design. "The truth is, I don't have much use for the loner hero" the tiny robot known as Fleabot is saying, perched on the banister of the grand staircase in the Lair's main hall. "I mean, I'm sure they do their share of good and all, don't get me wrong. And they get to be all mysterious and sexy as wounded souls who thanklessly save people in the night... which I'm sure they would deny as part of the appeal, but c'mon..." He gestures with a barely visible appendage. "But here's the thing... I've only been around the lesser part of a decade or so, but even I know enough to see that evil isn't going anywhere. Oh, you may elect some politician who suggests a war on it of some kind, but you'll never make any real headway fighting evil." I express some measure of surprise at this attitude, as despite his cynical outward nature, it's incongruent to what one would expect considering the company he keeps. "Well, naturally..." he assures me, "I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't stand up to evil... I would hope that goes without saying. I'm just saying that you're not going to rid the world of pain, suffering and all the rest in a glorious final confrontation with ultimate evil... that's not the lesson to learn from the Parody War. Life's not a videogame with a final boss to overcome. It's a constant struggle, and as such I think the loner hero misses the point." "Hero circles have always been big fans of the whole "With great power comes great responsibility" chestnut, and it's good stuff. The world could use a hell of a lot more people taking responsibility, if you ask me. I think the question is, however, what's your proper share? Because as noble as it may seem, taking responsibility away from others isn't the best solution when it comes to rescuing people. As a society, we need to confront the evils that surround us. We need to see that it can be beaten. What's more, we need to see that we have a chance against it ourselves; a part to play other than victim. We can't live our lives relying on others to save us... we need to take responsibility. And so those who have the most power have a responsibility not as our unseen protectors, but as our guides... Teaching us to rescue ourselves, because as I said before, evil isn't going anywhere. Heroes can't do that lurking in the night wrapped up in their own personal pain, waging some thankless, unseen war on crime... To make a real lasting difference, to do something other than bail water out of a sinking boat, they have to go out and play well with others." "In the short time that I've been around, I've seen a lot of heroics first-hand... and the one hero who gives me the most hope in that regard is Hatman. Which, when you look at it, is not terribly surprising... the kid practically grew up on the Legion, working with others. The major relationship of his life was with a teammate just as powerful and brave as he is. His first position of leadership on the team was coordinating the efforts and working with other law enforcement agencies. Whether by accident, or his own nature, he's been groomed from day one with what I feel is the optimal mindset as a hero: A hero shouldn't stand between people and evil that threatens them. He should stand alongside them in facing it. The biggest question on my mind is: how well has he learned that lesson?" "The Parody War is over... and it was a crash course of accelerated learning. Let's hope that we as a society have picked enough of it that we're not doomed to repeat the final exam. I have hope... we definitely had some very good teachers. Keep an eye on Hatman and see if I'm not right about him. He's young yet, and he's all heart... it's sometimes very hard for a guy like that to get out of the way and not take on more responsibility than he should. But if he doesn't burn out or get himself all Nobly Killed, then I think he has a real chance to leave a lasting impression on the world, either through his actions or those of the people he teaches... and wouldn't that be something to see?"

The "stand with the people, not for them" was my favourite. It keeps the hero grounded and they know what they're fighting for.

~Hat~