Ep. 190: Why do American Heroes Never Have Parents? (ft. Mtume)

Teen and Adam are joined by friend and all around creative badass Mtume to discuss a common trope seen in much of American media that goes conspicuously unremarked upon, and that is the Orphan Hero. It's not unique to the United States, but most, if not all of the protagonists in the top entertainment franchises have an orphan hero main character. Star Wars with Luke Skywalker (and Rey Palpatine), DC Comics with Batman, and perhaps most well known recently Harry Potter with Harry Potter. What is it about America that makes us especially obsessed with the "blank slate" that a parent-less hero provides? We also discuss how and why this trope isn't nearly as common in Black American fiction. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Mtume (@SirCoreGant) Teen (@Mont_Jiang) Adam (@snbatman) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ) Image Source: Dorkly