“And when everyone is super … no one will be”: The End of the American Myth in The Incredibles (2004)

Abstract

Set in an unnamed metropolis in the 1950s, the Pixar film The Incredibles (2004) introduces its protagonist Mr. Incredible as an exemplary superhero in his early prime. Stopping crime, arresting criminals, saving people, and helping the elderly, the muscular, broad-shouldered, blond champion of the helpless and innocent keeps his metropolis safe. But instead of narrating a formulaic story about an epic conflict between the all-American superhero protagonist and an equally superhuman antagonist, the film quickly diverges from genre conventions as Mr. Incredible marries the love of his life, superhero Elastigirl, within the first ten minutes of the film. In addition, the fundamental threat to the well-being of the superheroes initially emanates not from a supervillain, but rather from the society the superheroes vow to defend. After stopping a man from committing suicide, Mr. Incredible is sued for injuring the man during the rescue and ``ruin[ing]'' his death (The Incredibles). The success of the lawsuit encourages others to file for compensation for injuries sustained when Mr. Incredible saved their lives. As other superheroes are similarly prosecuted, the government has to pay millions of dollars in restitution for the unintended consequences of the interventions of superheroes. Through a 1950s newsreel montage, the film portrays the changing attitude towards superheroes as their increasingly negative reputation, ``tremendous public pressure and the crippling financial burden of mounting lawsuits'' compels ``the government [to] quietly initiate the Superhero Relocation Program'' (The Incredibles). Under this program ``[s]uperheroes were granted amnesty from past actions under the promise to never again resume hero work'' in order to become ``[a]verage people, average citizens quietly and anonymously making the world a better place'' (The Incredibles).