Superhero Ethics

In part 2 of our discussion with Author and Star Wars Geek Extraordinaire, Becky Allen, we dive into Rey’s Journey, explore Luke’s issues with the Jedi, and critique some of the critiques of the movie. You can find the first part of our discussion in our previous episode. Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.comBecky Allen is the author of Bound by Blood and Sand and the sequel, Freed by Flame and Storm. She grew up outside Ithaca, New York, and graduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studies and a minor in journalism. She is the product manager for TheBody.com, an online HIV resource, and loves New York, brunch, and feminism.You can find and purchase Becky’s books at her Goodreads page, or follow her on any of the following sites:twitter.com/allrebbeckytext.tumblr.comfacebook.com/beckyallenbooksinstagram.com/allrebwww.beckyallenbooks.comFor more about fridging.

What is the narrative power of failure, and how is it used in The Last Jedi? What did we learn from Admiral Holdo and Po about power, and trusting leaders, and the role of gender in that? Author and Star Wars geek extrodinaire, Becky Allen, joins us again to discuss these questions and more. It turns out the three of us had a lot ot say on this topic, so this is only part 1, of a 2 part episiode! Stay tuned for part 2 to hit next week.Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.comBecky Allen is the author of Bound by Blood and Sand and the sequel, Freed by Flame and Storm. She grew up outside Ithaca, New York, and graduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studies and a minor in journalism. She is the product manager for TheBody.com, an online HIV resource, and loves New York, brunch, and feminism. You can find and purchase Becky’s books at her Goodreads page, or follow

Should life always come before death? Should we favor the journey over the destination? And can there be an episode of Superhero Ethics without Matthew? In this episode, Jacob is joined by special guest Rob McKenzie for a discussion of The Way of Kings, book 1 in the Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson.In particular, they focus on the oaths of the Knights Radiant, discussing the ethical implications of this moral code within the book, and as it applies to other stories, and the real world. Rob McKenzie is a science fiction and fantasy reader and Magic the Gathering judge from Minnesota. He is passionate about interesting books, running great gaming events, and helping other people have fun with their passions. 

What makes Netflix’s The Punisher so good, and so troubling, at the same time? Can you tell a story about the evils of guns and violence, while glorifying gun violence? And can anyone explain the concept of collateral damage to Karen? Special guest Jessica Plummer joins Jacob and Matthew as we dive into these questions and more. Jessica is a writer, podcaster, and superhero obsessive. She's written about the Punisher here and here. You can find her on Twitter at @jess_plummer, or follow her Superman movie podcast, Flights and Tights, at @flightstights Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, and Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com

A hero is supposed to be devoted. To their country, to their cause, to their friends- whatever it may be, heroes are often defined by the thing they are willing to go to any extreme to protect and defend.But what happens when that goes too far? On this episode, Jacob and Matthew discuss the costs of devotion, looking at the ways a cause can blind a person to the damage it is doing, to themself or to others.This post contains spoilers about Captain America, Babylon 5, the Punisher, the 100, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com Our next two shows will be about The Punisher and Star Wars The Last Jedi, respectivly.  Have a question or a comment about either that you want to hear us discuss? Let us know!  

What happens when social media and public opinion rule the world? How does an all-male species react to the birth of female child? And can Seth McFarland leave behind the problems of much of his earlier writing.Like the Star Trek shows it pays homage to, The Orville uses science fiction to hold a mirror to our own world. Matthew and Jacob explore this show, the questions it raises, and some of their concerns about t.Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com

Jacob and Matthew take a look back at 2017, talking about our favorite characters and ethical questions from the year, and where we think we dropped the ball. We also look ahead to 2018, talking about what we are most excited about and what we are most concerned about, in terms of movies and TV coming to us in the next year.As we wrap up the year, here are some of the other content creators we think you should check out! Becky Allen: She was our guest on our episode on Star Wars and the Hero’s Journey, You can find and purchase Becky’s books at her Goodreads page, or follow her podcast, Rachel and Becky Judge Things.Stealing the Remote: A great podcast where a guy watches movies with his mom.JP Fairfield: Our guest on The Ethics of Arrows, she is a co-host of Nerdgasm Noire Network, a podcast featuring 5 nerdy women with strong opinions.MCU Podcast: The definitive podcast about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.DC on Screen Podcast: The definitive podcast about the DC Universe, on movies and TV.372 Pages we’ll Ne

Thor: Ragnarok is pretty and fun, but there’s nothing here that we can dive into for an episode, right? Challenge accepted!This week we explore a number of from and about Thor. We talk about Odin’s revisionist history, and the evolving relationship between Thor and Loki. We also talk about the value of movies that don’t hit us with deep ethical questions, and how that balances with our love of heavier fare.Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com

From the Justice League to the Avengers, we know that heroes work best in teams. And sometimes the obnoxious brilliant guy does have the best idea. But both of those things can also go wrong.  Join us as we dive into questions from the Magic the Gathering storyline, tying them into larger questions that are pervasive in geek literature and culture.Jacob and I are joined by Lee Henderson. Lee is a Level 2 judge in the Magic the Gathering world, an avid gamer, and all around nerd.  Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.comAnd remember. #JaceReynolds or#NeverJaceReynolds? Trust us, you'll understand.

All three of our hosts, Matthew, Jacob, and Paul, come together to talk about Avatar: The Last Airbender. We take a deep dive into a number of characters, including Aang, Toph, and Uncle Iroh, examine the way the show  portrayed martial arts and alternatives to violence, and why this such is beloved by so many.Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com 

This week, I'm joined by special guest Matt Carroll as we take a deep dive into the character of Tony Stark. What responsiblity does he hold for Ultron, and what lessons has he learned? Did he have a point in Civil War? And is mentoring Spiderman his way of working out his daddy issues? Matt Carroll is one of the co-hosts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Podcast. You can find them on any podcast platform by searching for MCUcast. Matt is also a musician. Check out his band, Matt Carroll and the Browncoats, and keep watch for their first album, coming soon!  Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? Let us know! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com

For some time, we have been given villains whose actions need no explanation-- they're just "crazy." The aftermath of the Vegas shooting reminds us how strong the stigma against mental illness still is in this country, a

What can Captain America teach us about Kapernick, and vice versa? Are heroes just on screen, or can we have heroes in our own world? And what happens when our heroes fall from grace?Note- we added a brief addendum to address an issue that came up in our discussion. Thank you again to our fans for your feedback, both when we do well and when we stumble. 

Is Data a person? What about C-3P0 or Aida? Jacob and Matthew explore the ethical questions around artificial life.

Would Daredevil share information about Nazis? Would Superman or Captain Mal? How would our heroes react to Charlottesville and what can that teach us?

Babylon 5 is almost 20 years old, but the questions it raises about telepathy, fear, and how we treat the 'other' are still relevant. Jacob Milicic is our guest.

The Hero's Journey is one of the strongest tropes in literature, and Star Wars its clearest example. How does this troupe limit our stories, and the messages we can take from it? What other kind of journeys and stories c

My guest this week is JP Fairfield, of the Nerdgasm Noire Network and Operation Cubicle podcasts. Together we explore the latest season of Arrow, Oliver’s bad choices, and why long suffering Quentin Lance deserves a b

Krystal Kara joins us to discuss Wonder Woman, the Be Super project, and how we can use Superhero stories to teach about justice in our own world.

"First you have to realize that it's not just a game, it's a community... In the end it’s each of us making the choice, not the character, of what’s going to happen; what we’re going to say, how we’re going to do