The Hero Wesley Needs

By Peter Cho

In 2019, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame reached the top-grossing film of all time, surpassing the record of Avatar (2009). The industry of superhero movies and the consumers’ interests are rising higher as time goes on. It was the same for Wesley students. Out of 26 Wesley high school students who took the survey, 24 students said yes to this question:

Why do we like superhero movies so much? Some of the common reasons that Wesley students mentioned were because they were “cool,” “fun,” and “their actions are good.” The heroes’ powerful and amazing actions are what attracts audiences to the cinemas.

When asked which superheroes were liked the best, Wesley’s top 3 answers were...

In third place, with 60% of the votes, is Thor, beloved for his muscular body and his lightning-hammer attacks. He has appeared in 7 movies so far, and is the only Avenger with a fourth solo movie in production. Watch for Thor: Love and Thunder coming February 11, 2022.

In second place at 73% is Spider-man. Spider-Man first appeared in Spider-Man in 2002. The role has been played by three actors so far: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and currently Tom Holland. Watch for the new Spider-Man movie’s planned release on November 5, 2021.

Finally, in first place with 77% is Iron Man. I’ve expected it. You’ve expected it. What can we say about Iron Man except that he is definitely our favorite superhero? Iron Man was the start and the end of the Infinity Saga. Although he met a glorious death in Avengers: Endgame, he will always have a place in our hearts.

Superheroes have distinct and unique superpowers of their own. Sometimes we look at all these superheroes and imagine, “What if I had a superpower?”

So, I asked 26 Wesley high school students: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? Here are the Top 3 answers.

3rd Place: Controlling/ Changing Time (11.5%)

Hui Ju, from 7th grade, states, “[I would choose] controlling time because I would be able to get any work done with unlimited time [and] also turn away from my mistakes and redo it.”

Similarly, being able to get any work done with unlimited time is a huge merit for us as students. Fixing our mistakes is also something a lot of us wish to do. If you’ve ever stayed up all night regretting something you said or did in the past, then you know what I’m talking about.

2nd Place: Telepathy/ Mind-Reading (15.4%)

Jonathan from 10th grade says that he chose telepathy because “it gives an advantage in a lot of things.” He is right. Knowledge is power. Have you ever wondered what was inside the mind of the girl/boy you liked, and how they thought of you? Or have you ever gotten wrecked in basketball because your opponent faked a shot and you fell for it so hard? Well, with this ability you wouldn’t have any of those problems.

1st Place: Teleportation (30.8%)

In first place, chosen by 31% of the students, is teleportation. Have you ever experienced coming to school and realizing that you left your homework at home? Or do you easily become a couch potato? If so, this is the perfect superpower for you! You could sleep in until one minute before school starts, and you could travel to other countries without getting jet-lagged or paying for airline tickets!

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So far in this article, we’ve imagined what it would be like to have a superpower and to be a superhero. But the question is, Can we be a hero to others even without a superpower? I asked the survey respondents about who they thought might be a hero in Wesley right now.

Seven students answered that teachers were the heroes of Wesley. Some students feel that teachers are currently doing their best to help us improve during this difficult situation; they are merciful even when they are tired, and they try to make the class both informational and entertaining.

One student nominated his friend, Billy Samoff, saying that “When I arrived at Wesley he helped me a lot and talked to me as well. It made me feel very comfortable and not as I had just arrived on a different planet.”

Hyorim from 10th grade answered the question by saying, “That would be the people that were willing to show their faith and to act out their faith (Yiseul, Hyewon, Chris, DJ). Although we go to a Christian school, it can be hard to talk freely or express freely about our faith. These people, however, set out examples for fellow classmates and people in grades below to follow and also feel free to share their faith. Some of the things they did include leading worship teams with enthusiasm, praying earnestly, opening prayer rooms, and hosting worship nights.“

One common character trait we see in all of these Wesley heroes is being selfless. All of them set an example for others by devoting their time and effort to help other people. In our modern society where we care more about ourselves than others, selflessness is a rare but heroic trait. Whether you are a teacher or a student, you can also become a hero by expressing selflessness and showing mercy toward others. It’s time for some new heroes to reveal themselves.