"What's a superhero?" the humanoid alien asked. I opened my eyes and looked at the Argoryan in front of me. "I'm curious," he added.
Everyone thinks that performing a feat and wearing a nice suit makes you one. But they could never be more wrong. Anyone can perform a feat, anyone could save the world, but a superhero can't be just anyone. That's why performing a feat doesn't make someone a superhero, much less wearing a little suit their mom made.
What's a superhero?
Hmm... A superhero is someone who, between a lesser evil and a greater evil, chooses to forge a different path, because evil is evil no matter how small. Even if that path leads the hero to their death. But... what do I really think a superhero is? A fool willing to die helping others. But who asks himself, when he needs to be saved, when he needs help, who will help him? He will be abandoned; the other superheroes won't come to help him, not knowing they might die. Save humanity? Fight villains? Prevent alien invasions? He can perform countless feats and in the end, he'll still be a fool. Sacrificing himself so his comrades can escape? He must have little self-respect.
"A fool," I replied to the Argoryan, who was frightened by my hoarse, lifeless voice, my empty stare that seemed like a presence from the abyss. It was obvious I'd already reached my limit, the limit of a hero.