Ethicality in Dark Knight and Captain American

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Research Paper: Ethicality in Dark Knight and Captain American
Ethical theories are used to determine the wrongness or rightness of an action. It is through application of ethical theories that the world is fair for everyone. Ethical decisions strengthen relationships among individuals since no one feels discriminated or taken advantage of. When analyzing comics, it is possible to use ethical theories to examine the behaviors and actions of the characters and especially for the main characters. It is notable that the actions taken by major characters in comics make the flow of the story. As a result, taking wrong decisions would lead to negative flow and eventually undesirable consequences. In analyzing “Batman: Dark Knight Returns” and “Captain America: Winter Soldier” by Ed Brubaker, the comic version, the actions by the major characters determine the ethicality of the flow of the story. Batman and Captain America’s actions are both influenced by their background story and personal determinations, which are both analyzable by principle of duty and utilitarianism.
According to Kant, decisions and actions by individuals can be judged based on good will or performing one’s duty. This can be explained using the example of a police officer by Snellgrove (57); an officer who arrests and takes criminals to court is ethical because this is his duty. While it might lead to negative consequences (including jailing, loss of a bread winner if the arrested person had dependents, and emotional distress to loved ones), it is the right thing to do. In a similar manner, a person obligated to fight criminals will do so irrespective of the number of people injured on the way. While trying to curb crime, Fox (12) argues that it is possible to ignite more crimes as the targeted criminals do not want to be defeated; however, the act would still remain ethical because of the end results. In this case, many people would be injured on the way. Nonetheless, the action would still remain ethical because a person is performing his duty (Gregor 102).
As explained by Boscaljob (46), Kant’s ethical theory can be applied in “Batman: Dark Knight Returns” because Wayne’s determination to perform his duty as a result of background. After Bruce Wayne, the Batman loses his protégé, he retires from his Batman duty. However, ten years down the line, the Gotham City is overtaken by crime through terrorization of Mutants, a gang group. Since Batman is convinced that he is the only one who can disable the Mutants, he assumes his earlier role of a Batman, which according to Snellgrove (59) is guided by his background. Even though he is aged, at 55 years, he still considers it his duty to save the city. Although Batman fights with younger criminals, he is dedicated to his duty. This is the reason even after he is warned by the national authorities and even threatened to be arrested, he still pursues with his idea of performing his duty and thus saving the city. Fox (13) argues that Batman understands that his ethical behaviors and decisions by performing his duty would ensure ethical flow of the story. While his actions are considered a threat to the relationship between the US and the Soviet Union, it is eventually realized that the Gotham City becomes the safety city in the US. As noted by Cortiel and Oehme (5), even after it is confirmed that Batman is not liked and is considered a threat, this does not hinder him from performing his duty. Instead, he fakes his death to continue with his mission discreetly. His aim is to disarm the Mutants and will rest once his duty is performed to perfection (Durand and Leigh 62).
In a similar manner, “Captain America: Winter Soldier” by Ed Brubaker shows the importance of performing one’s duty (Rawls 293). According to Kant, categorical imperative talks about requirement of reason in that a person should give help to the people in need even when one does not want or the decision will not benefit him in any way. Through moral action, each person is expected to obey morality even when doing so would frustrate his deepest desires (Gregor 25). This is evident in the comic when Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D vessel has to free hostages and extract data from the computers in the ship to eliminate threats. According to Cleary, the action he takes might not be of benefit to Fury directly but instead to people who are exposed to these threats including the hostages. Even though Fury endangers his life, he is committed to saving the people he serves. As explained by Detrick, it is evident that Fury’s actions are not aligned with his deepest interests. Given a chance, maybe, he would choose to be out of mission and thus save his life. However, he loses his life in the line of duty and manages to inform Rogers to be careful because of an internal threat (White 23). It is through performing his duty that he ensures ethical flow of the comic.
Additionally, the two comics can be analyzed using utilitarianism. According to this ethical theory (also known as the Greatness Happiness Principle), ethical or right actions are those promoting happiness (Boscaljob 47). Happiness in this case is in terms of intended pleasure and absence of pain. This means that utilitarianism is about the consequences of an action. When analyzing an action, one has to look at the effects rather than on what was done (Mill). This is the reason a person who steals food to save his dying child might be seen as ethical because of the outcome of his actions. As argued by Cortiel and Oehme (3), using utilitarianism, the ethicality of an action is not on the action itself but rather on the consequences.
Considering utilitarianism in the case of “Batman: Dark Knight Returns”, it is notable that what the Batman does is ethical because it leads to maximization of good (Boscaljob 49). According to Johnson (5), the ethical decisions by Batman are geared towards saving the city, which maximizes good to the largest number of people. It is evident that by engaging the Mutants, he fuels them to do more destruction including killing innocent people and destroying property. Because of the caused enmity between the US and the Soviet Union, the Batman is to be arrested. He is considered a threat to peace. However, the end result is what makes his actions ethical (Mulgan 83). It is as a result of doing everything possible to beat the Mutants that he makes the Gotham city the safest. This leads to the declaration that Batman is so powerful that it might be impossible to take him down. As explained by Cortiel and Oehme (8), while his power and dedication irrespective of the number of people injured on the way protect Gotham, others powerless areas in the US are filled with crime. Making Gotham city safe is the end result that maximizes good for the largest number of people since the remaining people have no one to be scared of. As noted by Peters (423), the entire city will now leave in piece because of the few who were sacrificed on the way implying that Batman’s actions caused little harm but great benefit.
For the case of “Captain America: Winter Soldier”, Cleary argues that the end determines the means. In the mission to free hostages and extract some crucial data that would help identify and thus eliminate treats, many people are killed. The mission also involves betrayals and secrets as some people are acting as spies (McClancy). Even though many good people are killed; people who are dedicated to exposing Hydra to the public, Detrick notes the team achieves its goal, which has good intentions. At the end, White asserts that the ethical deeds by Fury not only has the public informed of the threats they are exposed to as a result of Hydra and people who are disguised as aiding them but also benefits from the age of scientific miracles. Some people who pretended to serve the public only to cause chaos and force them to sacrifice their freedom in exchange of security are i...