Nicole Vafiadis, Period 6, 10/20/2023

The story of Hercules has been told countless times in many different ways. However, it has always been a tale of guilt, suffering, and, most importantly, redemption. Hercules is a character that has suffered greatly throughout his existence. Ever since his birth, he was tormented and used as the target of Hera’s jealousy and rage. However, the deepest source of his pain is himself–or rather, his guilt. Throughout his life, Hercules is controlled by his own impulses. He acts without thinking, leading to the suffering or death of those he cares about. Once he realizes his errors, he falls into a pit of despair and guilt, until the cycle inevitably repeats. Even when he is not directly responsible for his own actions, such as when he kills his wife and children after Hera curses him with madness, he blames himself. Yet, despite all of this, he always seeks to atone and do better. This, in my opinion, is what makes him a hero. Not his grand adventures, but his moral journey to do right by others and redeem himself despite all of the odds being stacked against him.

While reading the story, there was a nagging voice in the back of my head that told me that I had seen this play out somewhere else. I tried to think of what it was, but nothing would come to mind. It wasn’t until late at night, right as I was going to bed, that it finally dawned on me.

Doom Patrol is a show based on a DC Comics series from the 1980s. It features a cast of characters who are all completely different, yet due to their circumstances, are forced to live together in one house. The only thing they have in common is that they underwent a traumatic experience that not only gave them immortality, but also left them with abilities that caused them to be unable to properly interact with the rest of society. Each of these abilities are directly related to their individual traumas. The first character that we meet is Cliff Steele, a former racer who, after suffering in a car accident, lost his wife and daughter as well as his own body. He was saved by a scientist named Niles, who put his brain into a robot body.

Cliff shares a lot of common characteristics with Hercules. Cliff is a character who desperately wants to become a better person. He blames himself for the death of his family and, after their deaths, tries to do better in their name. This guilt is what fuels him throughout the first season, leading him to eventually become a (temporary) hero and defeat the main villain. However, throughout the show, he consistently makes selfish and impulsive decisions that harm the people around him. Sounds familiar, right? But these similarities don’t end there. (Spoilers) At the end of the first season, it is revealed that, similar to Hercules, the death of his family was never truly his fault. Although the car crash was real, the loss of his body was orchestrated by Niles. The death of Cliff’s family was simply collateral damage in order to get to him. This directly parallels Hercules' madness and subsequent killing of his wife and children. Hera intended to torment Hercules, and his family was just a tool that she could use.



The story of Hercules and the show Doom Patrol are wildly different in nearly every aspect. Even Cliff and Hercules have very different personalities. And yet, their arcs and motivations are extremely similar to each other. Whether by pure coincidence or inspiration, both Cliff and Hercules represent the same thing: torment, guilt, and the desire to do better.