I have always had a fascination with tales of people with abilities beyond that of an ordinary human being. Teleportation, tissue regeneration, human flight, invincibility, telekinesis. All these are abilities mankind has always desired, dreamt of, obsessed about. It fascinates me greatly to see how someone, who is more than human, thinks, how they see themselves, how they see others. However, that is not the most important reason why I love tales of magic and superheroes. The tales that stay with you, the well-written ones, are not those which focus on the superhuman, but on the human. Tales which focus on how these fictional abilities and skills are offset against human nature, offering a brighter and more varied canvas on which to highlight the fact that the triumph of human nature is to overcome our basic instincts and strive for good in the world. This is why some of my favourite characters in many stories, are not the so-called extraordinary people who can fly, jump high, or dodge bullets, but the ones who through courage, dedication and perseverance show us, the best of humanity. This is why I will always remember Samwise Gamgee more than I will remember Aragorn or Gandalf or Frodo. Heroes who are revered not because they are superhuman, but because they are human, the very best of.
P.S: I know Samwise Gamgee is not technically a man (human) but a Hobbit, but the point still stands.
P.P.S: Sam over Frodo! Batman over Superman! Rorschach over Doctor Manhattan! Nathan Petrelli over Peter Petrelli!