When Tragedy Strikes the Hero Where it Hurts

    Admit it, when you were little you thought being a hero would be the greatest thing as you would have the power to do what you wanted when you wanted with no obligations or responsibilities. While I admit I have had this mindset, I soon found out at the age of 12, that being a superhero comes with its share of heartache and stress while having the heroes show their human side of how they aren't invincible from the consequences. 

    Beginning with Spider-Man and the infamous "Death of Gwen Stacy" story arc, being the hero sometimes will teach some hard lessons. While Spidey is fighting Green Goblin (who has found out that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are the same person) he kidnaps Gwen and takes her to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. A fight ensues between Peter and Goblin which causes Gwen to be knocked off the top of the bridge which Peter shoots out a web to catch Gwen but while the webbing does catch Gwen's foot it causes a serious case of whiplash and sadly snaps Gwen's neck. At first, Peter believes he's saved his girlfriend, but when he pulls her up he sees that she has died and immediately becomes enraged at the Green Goblin. This was one of the best cases of a hero suffering personally and immediately dropping their personal "no-kill rule" to end their arch enemy.

(RIP Gwen)

Moving on to Hulk and his most important story, Planet Hulk, I feel that Marvel made one of the greatest stories and humanized a man-monster like the Hulk in the most amazing way possible. Long story short, Hulk is exiled from Earth by the Illuminati (not that one) which consisted of Iron Man, Professor X, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Namor (who was against the decision), and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. They believed that Hulk was too dangerous to live on Earth and decided to exile him after tricking him onto a shuttle. Of course, things go wrong and Hulk ends up on the planet Sakaar which was under the rule of the tyrannical Red King. Hulk becomes a gladiator and eventually becomes friends with fellow warriors Korg, Hiroim, Miek, Brood, and Elloe Kaifi. They all earn their freedom and escape to start a rebellion which ends with the Red King being killed (or was he?) and Hulk being crowned king of Sakaar. Like all things with Hulk, tragedy strikes and he loses his wife Caiera and the people who accepted him for who he was when the shuttle that brought Hulk to Sakaar explodes. Hulk eventually goes crazy and starts to shout "GIVE. HER. BACK!" (see images below).

 

(I don't think Hulk/Banner will ever catch a break)

Hulk then decides to head back to Earth to seek revenge on the Illuminati alongside Korg, Hiroim, Miek, and Elloe in the follow-up event World War Hulk. The event ends with a shot of Hulk riding on top of the warship that brings him and his allies to Earth.

(You won't like Hulk when he's extremely angry)

This event showed how Hulk while being a savage brute at times, can become something more and find happiness but have it ripped away from him when he finally finds peace. This to me is one of the greatest aspects of being a superhero as despite having amazing powers and an assortment of other skills, they aren't untouchable and can experience a great tragedy that can make them go over the deep end and almost never come out without being changed emotionally.