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To a degree, the Greek and Roman mythological heroes are just the first superheroes. They appeal to children for much the same reason. These gods and heroes may have powers, but they get angry and they do the wrong thing. They are human too.
Rick Riordan
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Mythological heroes are early versions of superheroes, appealing through their relatable flaws.

Rick Riordan suggests that Greek and Roman mythological heroes can be seen as the first superheroes, capturing the imagination of children due to their extraordinary powers combined with human-like flaws. Despite their divine status, these figures exhibit emotions such as anger and make mistakes, illustrating that they are not just figures of perfection but relatable characters with whom we can connect.

Themes

MythologySuperheroesHeroesFlawsPowers

In practice

Example use cases

Using this quote in a discussion about modern superhero films and their origins.

More from Rick Riordan

The afterlife looks different to every soul," he said, "depending on whatthey believe. For that guy, Egypt must've made a strong impression when he was young , maybe." "And if someone doesn't believe in any afterlife?" i asked. Walt gave me a sad look. "Then that's what they experience.
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It was like Percy had faced death before, like he knew about grief. What mattered was listening. You didn’t need to say you were sorry. The only thing that helped was moving on—moving forward.
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After all the dangerous adventures I'd had, I couldn't die like this. Sadie would be devastated. Then, once she got over her grief, she'd track down my soul in the Egyptian afterlife and tease me mercilessly for how stupid I'd been.
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Percy’d heard stories about amputees who had phantom pains where their missing legs and arms used to be. That’s how his mind felt—like his missing memories were aching.
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My sister, with her ratty red-highlighted hair and her linen pajamas and her combat boots—how could she possibly worry about being possessed by a goddess? What goddess would want her, except the goddess of chewing gum?
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