Who Want's To Be A Superhero: A Winner And No Losers
Finale Recap by J.G. Bird September 7, 2007
The seventh episode is a graduation, of sorts. It's comprised of the self-acknowledging kudos and threesome warm-fuzzies one can expect with the noble heroes left. Yet as the comic book industry matures, the focus of Stan Lee will forever remain just at or below PG-13, as in congratulations crowned with sparkling apple juice. Still it's almost nice to have that Riverdale-type high school camaraderie; like the good times will never end.
Stan Lee never states it on camera, but this episode, with the final three, Defuser, Hyper- Strike and Hygena, is all about teamwork. As long as these three can work together, Dr. Dark will not prevail. A favorite challenge from the first season, safety-suited heroes passing through a gauntlet of attack dogs, finds new life with the theme of teamwork in mind. The conceit that a fifty foot tall evil Stan Lee is being powered by stolen electricity sets the stage. The heroes are told to create a human chain to dissipate an electrical device's power. One problem: there's one particularly vicious-looking guard dog leaping at the driver door of their vehicle as they drive up.
Hygena quickly determines that the guys should allow her to "be bait," and draw off the dog attack. But Hyper-Strike actually gets nabbed first. He's able to stand his ground at the dog's first lunge. A second dog appears and topples Hygena. The Defuser checks on his fallen comrade, but she encourages him to go get the mission completed. The dog continues to pin Hygena throughout the challenge. Hyper-Strike, on the other hand, has walked steadily forward, dog still tugging at an arm. When The Defuser gets alongside Hyper-Strike at a midpoint to the final destination, the dog releases one and takes hold of the other. Hyper-Strike is free to check out the cabling near the electrical device.
He figures out it will take at least two of them to stretch themselves and wiring across the expanse to discharge it. He calls Defuser over to help. As The Defuser, still attached to a dog, gets near Hyper-Strike's location, a third dog gallops into view. Hyper-Strike shouts a warning, but the dog latches on to The Defuser's other arm. Struggling, the two men are able to make a brief connection to defuse the electrical charge. Defuser is toppled by the wrangling of the dogs. Moments later, he regains his footing and stands so that the challenge can be completed. Truly, Stan will later note, Defuser showed courage and determination. Plus, he has learned to take pride in balancing leadership with trust in teamwork.
The three of them collapse on beds back at the lair. Defuser notes he's bruising up quite heartily. I would have liked to have seen Hygena at least offer to ice Defuser's arms, but she was soothing herself with a bowl of potato chips. Hyper-Strike too was wiped, but seemed to have the look on his face like, "Hmm, can't add any witty commentary or handstands here."
Stan rewards the three with the unveiling of working action figure renditions of each of them. The men particularly are shown enjoying the attention to costume detail and the nifty record-a-catchphrase capability of each of the dolls. All three go to bed with their toys and are shown again playing with them in the morning.
One more test of how much or how little any of them might slip up and reveal is tested in a little talk show mock-up.
Instead of the usual mission reports, Stan encourages them to honestly discuss how each feels he or she has done. There's little disagreement. Each feels their best was done. And how right they are, for at elimination, Stan announces no one is being sent home.
In a little one-on-one chat with Stan Lee choreographed almost exactly as in last season, Stan calls each by name rather than superhero ID. The Defuser tells of his driving reason to become an officer of the law, and how he wanted to have the help of a superhero when his teenage sister strayed into drugs. Hygena startles Stan by revealing that talking with others in the lair has given her the courage to try becoming a mother again. A late-term miscarriage had long made her fear trying again.
I can care less that the ECW is a presence on Sci-Fi Channel, so, the fact that one of their wrestlers strolls into the lair to advise the group will get stunt flight and fighting training the next day means little. So does the segment. Hyper-Strike does fantastic on the fly wires. Obviously he's had that all-around circus training. Defuser is quite unsure that he can be comfortably lifted.
The Defuser's test reel ends up appearing the best done. It is engaging, and not nearly as campy as the other two. This is a big hint to the determination in the episode's final moments of who Stan Lee intends to pick. If you remember Fat Momma's screen test at the final, then you know the level of shtick that weighs Hygena's down. Hyper-Strike seemed underutilized in his own reel; it was so full of material drawn from Japanese monster flicks. The better endorsement came from his well-wishing friends and family, one of which said, "If Stan Lee gives Hyper-Strike the stamp of approval as superhero, then his true purpose on this earth will be fulfilled."
Standing hand in hand, the announcement is finally made. The chosen one is: The Defuser. Matt Atherton, (Feedback) appears in the select crowd among heroes and family members to give the winner a congratulatory hug. Defuser, self-proclaimed 240 pound crime-fighter, now officially stamped, hero, picks Feedback off the ground in a more exuberant hug than I think was expected.
Jared (The Defuser) gets the directive from Stan "Better get to it!" "Yes, Sir!" the newest hero responds. And fade to comic book illustration of leaping to flight, The Defuser bolts away from the adoring crowd. His screen-filling image is annotated by the text box, "To Be Continued.".
About J.G. Bird
J.G. Bird has been writing for three-quarters of a lifetime, over-analyzing and using big, yet appropriate words in an on-going dialogue with the universe. She works at a great metropolitan newspaper, but has never used the broom closet to change into a costume. Both the Internet and Reality TV give her the power of flight. You'll find her portfolio here. You may contact her at walkinbird@writing.com.
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