The legendary Man of Steel – faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound; Superman is the quintessential superhero. The mild-mannered Clark Kent exudes humility and commitment, while his cape-clad alter ego delivers swift justice. He is, in almost every way, perfect.
Superman’s only weakness: Kryptonite.
Gravity cannot hold Superman down, cold cannot freeze him, silence cannot isolate him – there is no burden he cannot bear. The hero of Metropolis even approaches love with the steeled confidence of a casanova and the genuine innocence of a puritan. He fears almost nothing, for he has almost nothing to fear.
If not for Kryptonite, Superman would be truly invincible. Yet he lives in constant awareness of his weakness. Clark Kent trades a tie for tights and walks through a hail of bullets without flinching, yet he knows his limitation. Would Superman be braver if he had no knowledge of Kryptonite? Would the Man of Steel be bolder if he thought himself to be entirely unstoppable?
We often find ourselves in a similar position – capable of incredible things, yet paralyzed by the potential for failure. We have no concession of weakness until we feel pain; our headlong drive carries us recklessly until disaster becomes a possibility. If we did not know we could fail, would we still be afraid to try?
The lone weakness that could afflict Superman does not keep him from being a hero. The chance for failure should not keep us from leaping. After all, fear is what allows the hero to be brave.
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