Iron Man, stigmata and Number Four
Iron Man, I am Number Four have something in common besides being action-packed Science Fiction films. Both movies have their respective main character send forth light and energy from the palms of their hands. In Iron Man, the character, Tony Stark who wears the Iron Man suit of armor, uses “Repulsor Beams” in order to either fly, push opponents, or destroy large targets. Quite similarly, the main character in, “I am Number Four” named John Smith is an alien who can send a tremendous amount of energy from his hands. John’s palms can act as flashlights, fire lasers, and can be used in his form of telekinesis (among other things). What is interesting is that both characters send energy from the palms of their hands as opposed to a shoulder cannon like a “Predator” or from their eyes like Superman or Cyclops. There is a correlation between these movies, the palms of the hands are symbolic of the Stigmata of suffering.
Whether or not if you believe in the suffering of Jesus, the crucifixion is deeply ingrained into the conscious and subconscious minds of most moviegoers. So it happens quite often that Christian stories and morals are portrayed in films either directly or indirectly. But in the case of Iron Man and I am Number Four, the role of the stigmata is reversed. Instead of the hands being a badge of suffering and ascendancy, the palms are a source of offensive power.
The physical characteristics of the palms of Iron Man and John Smith are quite striking. Both are circular shapes in the palm of the hand. Both emit energy, (especially light). And both have the ability to be activated and deactivated. This latter aspect is extremely important because it directly relates to the concept of control which is becoming a central theme in modern media consciousness. This is probably because the masses feel so out-of-control with the economy and unfolding events in the Middle East and other regions.
Yet the physical characteristics of the palms are no-way near as poignant as how these abilities were acquired. In Tony Stark’s case, his hands are able to emit energy when he wears the Iron Man suit, because he experienced a great deal of suffering. The reason for this is because if it was not for the damage he endured to his heart when he was attacked, then he would not have needed a way to protect his heart from the shrapnel. It was the suffering that he experienced that forced Mr. Stark to innovate and create his energy source in order to free himself from having to carry a heavy battery around everywhere he went. Thus it was the suffering itself that eventually became Tony Stark’s greatest catalyst to become powerful.
In, I am Number Four, John Smith was an alien from a world that was destroyed by enemies. And his special abilities were passed down to him from his “father” (this is according to his bodyguard about half-way through the movie). So John Smith’s suffering is quite different from Tony Stark’s. His suffering was primarily based on his feeling of loss toward a family he never got to fully know, the isolation from his fellow alien kindred, and his lack of a true identity. Instead of using his palm powers in order to redeem himself for past corporate mistakes like Iron Man did in the first film, John Smith uses his palms to protect Earth from experiencing the same fate as his home world.
The palms as being instruments of power is indicative of subconscious Christianity-based archetypes, resurfacing in modern media in order to create an aggressive savior-complex.
This is quite different from old heroes that primarily use swords, firearms, or closed fists. The open palm symbolizes spiritual strength over physical ability. And even though both Iron Man and John Smith demonstrated that there were at least semi-capable fighters, their preferred method to confront evil was their palms.
The parallel between stigmata and John Smith in I am Number Four is illuminated in the middle of the film. At one point John is walking around a dark corridor with his friends/allies and they are having trouble seeing. So John uses his palms as virtual flash lights to not only brighten the path for himself, but for his friends as well. Just as the stigmata for Christian Savior was proof that he was in fact who he said he was after his biblical Resurrection, John Smith’s palms are proof if his identity as the son of another world…and the protector of this one.
What was the first thing that Iron Man did after he acquired his palm, repulsor technology? He learned how to fly and then flew over to the Middle East and then laid the smack down. There is a lot more going on here than a vehicle to get Robert Downey Jr. back on the map.
In ages of old, History, Mythology and Religion were the primary forms of indoctrination for young people. But today, Western Youth are more inclined to listen to stories that are completely fanciful than believe time-honored traditions. So the rise of the super-hero has been directed and modified in order to become a teaching tool. This is made obvious by the Disney acquisition of Marvel. The company, Marvel, which owns the X-Men franchise and Iron Man, started to affect the minds of young people and some adults from secondary media outlets like comic books, and computer games, and into MASS MEDIA outlets like, Television and Movies. Disney must have realized that in order to maintain its position of teacher for young males, it needed to have access to this larger-than-life set of archetypes, that have already been established as profitable for the past 30 years.
The subliminal suggestion being made is: Through your suffering, you shall find strength. And that strength, is something that you must use.
This theme seems more like a cry for help, than a forceful indoctrination or ultimatum.
The stigmatic correlation is not to cheapen the message of these two films. It is simply an observation that the symbolic programming of young minds is changing. The open palm vs. the closed fist. The sufferer vs. the vengeance seeking.
Think of the producers and executives that choose what types of films and television to fund, support, and spotlight. They are presented with a myriad of choices and they must choose what they think and feel will be the most profitable in both the long and short term. A film with good imagery may or may not be a box office hit opening night, but it may achieve a following that is overwhelming in DVD sales and/or merchandising. So the bigger the budget of the film, the more thought that goes into the themes and imagery. The reason for this, is because themes are what encourage long term DVD and blue ray sales. That’s why people re-watch films, it is because of the lessons and themes, as opposed to plots and even characters.
All this being said, I’d like to leave you with a joke:
What did the Network Executive say to the rebellious Producer?
“Get with the program.”
-Tyler
If you enjoyed this article, read this one on Avatar and Legion by clicking HERE
