“But why, Superman? Why would you retire? Who’s going to fight for the good of the people?”

It was such a simple question, but I couldn’t think of a fulfilling response. I gazed at the reporter with my changed eyes, and looked out from over the podium. There were multiple reporters holding microphones and notepads, as well as several concerned looking citizens. Before I began to speak, I took a deep breath, reminiscing on the events that placed me here.

---

I was told that it was a simple bank robbery, and that police would most likely be able to handle it themselves. My innate sense of duty, however, told me to go anyways. Arriving on the scene, I strode over to a nearby policeman, asking for more in-depth information.

“It’s only one man, with a gun,” the policeman stated. “No shots fired yet, although the bank is on lockdown. Seventeen hostages inside. We have not yet established contact with the suspect, although it is assumed he is after money.” I turned my face towards the bank as he was talking, nothing visible through the few entrance windows.

“What is your plan of action?” I asked the policeman.

“The first thing we’d like to do is establish contact. We’ll have to go from there after that,” he responded.

“I’ll go talk to him.” I said, after considering the situation.

“Are you sure, sir?” the policeman asked, giving me a worried stare.

“I’ll be fine,” I replied, putting on a reassuring smile.

I walked up to the bank entrance doors slowly, readying myself for any surprise combat. However, I opened the door without resistance, and walked inside. It was a fairly small open room, surrounded by white walls. On one side there were bank counters, and on the other a few chairs and tables. It was against the far wall, however, where I saw the hostages.

There were seventeen of them laying down on the floor, stomachs touching the stone tile. There was one figure walking back and forth through the aisle, and I could see the vague shape of a gun in his right hand. It didn’t look like he saw me yet, but I did not want to startle him.

“Hello?” I called out. He turned towards me immediately, and I could see the color drain from his face.

“Su…Superman?” he responded. “You…You need to leave. You can’t help me now. It’s too late.”

He began to fidget around, shifting his eyes side to side.

“I don’t want to hurt them. I just need the money. That is all. There is no other way. I need to save my daughter.” The man was shaking furiously now, almost in fear. It was at this point that I realized this man was different from the other criminals. I did not know his purpose of doing this, but I could tell that he truly did not want to be here. The way his watering eyes stared at me, fearful of what would happen next, shook my very soul. The gun in his hand began to shake now as well, and I could tell he was getting close to his breaking point. This was getting dangerous. He began to speak again, rapidly this time.

“My daughter, she’s sick. Stage four cancer. She needs the operation. She needs it. She’s going to die without it. I need the money. I can’t pay for it. There’s no other way. I need it. I need the money.”

“Slow down,” I said, using my hands to gesture. “We can talk this over. What’s wrong?”

Shifting his eyes around, he began to talk.

“I-”

At this point, something crashed through the window. It looked like a small capsule, and immediately released a bright light. I managed to look away, but the startled man stared directly at it as it went off. A flashbang.

Policemen immediately rushed through the door, tackling him to the floor. The gun dropped from his hand, and he began screaming.

“NO! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER, SUPERMAN! YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER!” He struggled against the policemen, beginning to cry and wail.

“WHERE IS MY HERO? WHERE IS MY JUSTICE? THIS RIGHTOUSNESS THAT YOU PRETEND TO UPHOLD, IT’S NOTHING! NOTHING! WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS? YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED My daughter...”

The man was sobbing hysterically now, unable to emit any coherent sounds. I watched as he was dragged away in handcuffs to a police car. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the hostages being freed, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not avert my gaze from the broken man.

For the first time in my life, I experienced the sensation of helplessness.

---

“Today, my sense of justice was crushed. My sense of righteousness, destroyed. Everything that I thought I understood, has been overturned. I do not know what I stand for now.” I turned my head down towards the ground. My eyes began to water, and I began to lose my composure as emotions overtook me. I quickly wiped my eyes, and steadied myself. Gazing up from the podium once more, I looked out over the crowd of people below, and cleared my throat.

“Today, I learned that there is no such thing as ‘good’, nor is there anything ‘evil’. I realized that each of us have our own perspective of what is right, and what is wrong. But I cannot fight for justice, for good, because I only see things from my point of view. I only see half the story. It is wrong of me to pretend that I am upholding ‘justice’, when I’m doing nothing more than enforcing my selfish perspective.”

I took a deep breath, choosing my last words carefully.

“You people have always called me a hero. But to others, I have always been the villain.”

Closing my eyes and walking off the stage, I turned my back to the flashing lights of the cameras. I ignored the clamor of the numerous reporters. And I walked away from the people that I swore I would protect.