Why American Movie Heroes Have to Be Orphans

Why don't heroes have parents? Think about it: From Harry Potter to Luke Skywalker, orphans make up a dominant percentage of the heroic population. There's something about dead parents that can make any character into an instant underdog. Even Superman, literal god-being, turns into someone we can root for when you remove his mom and dad (and also obliterate his homeworld via supernova), and the same is true of billionaire crazy-person Bruce Wayne. Why does this trend exist, and what does it say about us? On today's Cracked podcast, editors Jack O'Brien, Michael Swaim, and Jason Pargin (David Wong) sit down to hash out just why this is. Whether it's 'Guardians of the Galaxy's' Peter Quill or Captain Kirk in the new 'Star Trek' reboot, you can't be a hero if you've got a living mom and dad. Even in the Donald Duck universe, everyone's an uncle or a cousin. There's a reason for this-- and if you click play above, you'll learn what it is.

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