Who is your hero?

In movies and comic books the best most relatable heroes are always the ones with real people problems. Many of these characters are dealing with guilt over past actions or feelings of revenge or depression over loss of loved ones.We find some difficulty or hardship that the character has that we also have, so we connect with them on a deep personal level.

But the opposite is also true. We see positive qualities in these very same heroes that we either have or want in our own lives. These qualities cause our like of the hero to resonate even more strongly. For me personally, my favorite comic book character of all time, even though he technically is not really a hero, is Wolverine.

Though many of the things in his past are a lot more over the top than mine, we both have a somewhat checkered past. I was constantly making the wrong choices when I was younger. I was in and out of trouble with the law quite a few times. We have both done things that we are not proud of but would not undo those things due to valuable lessons we learned as a result of those choices.

Wolverine is practically invincible. I mean he is flesh and blood and takes damage just like you and me, but he recovers very rapidly. But more importantly, he can endure practically any physical and mental hardship. He has a nearly indomitable will that allows him to soldier on when many others would simply give up and die. He walks willingly into "impossible" circumstances because something needs to be done and if he doesn't do it, it isn't going to happen. He never really complains. When things are not going the way he wants them to he does something to change it.

I naturally have a lot of the same likes and dislikes as he does because I think in a lot of the same ways that he does. I like Jean Grey. I dislike Scott Summers just like he does. I really can't get behind the cigar habit, but just about everything else I agree with. He is a lone wolf that craves the company of others but they need to be either innocents or people that are completely self honest.

Wolverine is a man's man. He drinks but not to excess, swears when it's appropriate, and fights for what he believes in. He isn't perfect and doesn't claim to be. He admits his flaws when called on them and does his best to protect the people he cares about.

But, he isn't really a "good" guy. He does not look for recognition or fame. He just fights the bad guys and does whatever he has to in order to survive. There are probably much better role models but he is the one I connect the most with.

There are so many completely varying points of view on life by so many different heroes. There is bound to be at least one that fits your experiences, habits and general paradigm. Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Hulk, Thor, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Black Widow, and Ironman are just a few examples of the more popular heroes. Which iconic fictional character or characters most represent your ideals?