CHAPTER XII:
A STRONGER LOVING WORLD
Thematic Overview:
Noted
creators such as Darwyn Cooke and John Byrne have criticized Watchmen
for being too grim, too pessimistic.
They argue it casts superheroes in the “wrong” light, eschewing the
inherent optimism of these four-color demigods for a dreary, hedonistic view of
humanity and superhumanity. They protest
that Watchmen is bereft of hope, a cornerstone of the superhero
genre. With all due respect, Cooke and
Byrne and other like-minded people have completely misread Moore’s &
Gibbons’s narrative.
Fittingly,
this final chapter encompasses the overall theme of Watchmen, hope.
Hope for a better, more loving world, a world in which governments
hell-bent on each other’s destruction find common ground and work toward peace. It is a hope that subtly permeates this final
chapter, simmering beneath the surface of the horror committed by Adrian Veidt
and exemplified by all of the main actors in this drama. In my introduction to this project I allowed
that people’s varied interpretations of art are all valid. But in this case, I must argue that anyone unwilling
to see the optimism of Watchmen is bringing his or her prejudices too
much to bear upon this narrative and has misconstrued the intent of the
authors. Watchmen is a dark and,
at times, horrific piece of fiction, but behind its dismal, gray tones the
possibility of a bright future is revealed.
The
most obvious indication of this hopefulness is the climax of the book, when
news reports stream across Veidt’s television sets proclaiming Russia’s
withdrawal from Afghanistan and subsequent offer of assistance to America,
averting the imminent nuclear devastation that had been hanging over everyone
for so long. This newfound cooperation
between Russia and the United States is further exhibited in the final pages,
as we follow Seymour through the reconstructed New York intersection that was
ground zero for the “alien attack.”
Business signs – the Burgers ‘n
Borscht restaurant, an advertised double feature of noted Russian filmmaker
Andrei Tarkovsky, at the New Utopia – and advertisements – Millennium
fragrances and Sunburst candy – dot the NYC landscape, signifying this new
forward-thinking atmosphere.
Ultimately,
the most significant symbols of hope are the heroes – each, in his or her own
way, exemplifying the optimism inherent within the human spirit. Veidt, unable to conceive of failure, risks
his conscience and his life on a shocking plan, the outcome of which is never
guaranteed. Dr. Manhattan, so detached
from humanity, brings hope to Laurie and the others when, convinced of the
wonder of humanity, he returns to Earth.
Dan and Laurie, overwhelmed by the enormity of Veidt’s plan and the
realization they must now become tacit accomplices, choose to take up their
costumed mantles once more. Each of
them, despite the weight of their knowledge, chooses life.
And
finally, there is Rorschach. Some might term
it obstinacy, but his unwillingness to forego his moral code, even in the face
of Veidt’s apparent triumph, is an unfettered and unflinching hopefulness that
most of us cannot aspire to. We are too practical,
too logical, too insecure to adhere so resolutely to our convictions,
especially when presented with such a damning argument against such a
stance. And yet, Rorschach refuses to
give in, refuses to be swayed, refuses to give up. And in that act he exemplifies the strongest positive
outlook one can have – a hope against hope.
