My favorite superhero: Ferris Bueller

After pondering a recent class discussion which attempted to define “what makes a superhero,” I can’t help but notice how well Ferris Bueller fits the bill.  How? You ask.  Well let’s see…

First off, like any superhero, our friend Ferris needs a superpower.  Now it’s important to remember that a superpower doesn’t necessarily have to be a supernatural power.  Rather, a superpower is simply an ability which absolutely nobody else seems to have (within the boundaries of our hero’s world, anyway).  In Ferris’ case, his power is a very potent combination of charisma, tact, and a generous dose of luck.  Yes, it seems lady luck has a major crush on our hero, as is repeatedly seen throughout his day off.

Next, we cannot have our superhero without an evil mastermind.  And folks, they don’t get much more evil than Ed Rooney.  Think about it.  Here’s a guy who is hell bent on ruining what is bound to be the last few good days our hero will enjoy before graduating high school, and going out into the real world to be tempted into becoming another bum like the rest of us.  Not only that, but our evil supervillain is willing to resort to trolling the greater Chicago area in his relentless search, before ultimately resorting to breaking and entering at our hero’s abode.  Creepy.

Moving on (apologies for the horrible pun), we all know that a superhero isn’t such until they’ve got a kick ass mode of transportation.  Sure, Batman has the Batmobile, Spiderman has his webs, Superman his cape, and James Bond has his sports-car-speadboat-submarine-helicopter-with-machine-guns-rocket-launchers-and-ejection-seats.  So it is only natural that Ferris has his *cough* borrowed Ferrari (1961 250GT California.  There, I said it.  Happy?)

And of course any hero, and especially any superhero, needs somebody to save.  Initially, it’s not clear just who this damsel in distress is.  But over the course of the film, we begin to discover the severity of his friend Cameron’s fears and anxieties.  After Ferris tries one thing after another to rid his friend of his weaknesses, we ultimately see Cameron achieve the drive to be free from these anxieties (at the cost of our hero’s sweet ride).

Speaking of weaknesses, what superhero doesn’t have one?  In Ferris Bueller’s case, one could argue that he’s got several.  I’d say that his biggest potential weakness has to be his sister Jeanie, who gives us every impression that she’s about to snitch on Ferris and blow his cover.  But ironically she ends up coming to the rescue in the film’s closing minutes, when her brother’s luck finally runs out.

Lastly, all superheroes ABSOLUTELY MUST have a catchy motto.  So remember, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”