(No spoilers)
The Many Faces of Dr. Manhattan
Philosopher Voltaire once said that “if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him”. So it is logical that Dr. Manhattan should be born into creation. A regular scientist that is biochemically reformed through a lab accident, Dr. Jon Osterman becomes a nearly all-powerful blue being that can create and transform matter. He is used by the U.S. government to deter the Cold War Soviets from nuclear war. While some call him a God, Dr. Manhattan is much more subdued about himself: “I don’t think there is a god. And if there is, I doubt he is anything like me.” Over time, Dr. Manhattan becomes less interested in every day life. He no longer enjoys the comfort of his girlfriend or for that matter any other living being. The so-called god is lonely and misunderstood. “Why would I save a world I have no stake in?” he asks.
As is seen in Dr. Manhattan, the absence (or the feeling of absence) of God is present through out all the film. Most of the characters don’t believe in God and at best, believe that God is uncaring and far away. There is a great sense of existentialism that runs through the plot. One of the heroes Rorsach laments the death of an innocent girl by saying that neither God, fate, nor destiny killed her, a human being had done so of his own free will.
But despite this, I believe the heroes should be the happy. While normal men and women tremble at the prospect of nuclear war, it is the Watchmen who have an ability to change the outcome of their day’s events. They fight for what they believe in; they are funny, witty, attractive, and powerful. These superheroes should be the happiest people on earth, fighting for what they believe is righteous and good. But they are not. They are miserable.
Rorschach, himself a victim of child abuse, lives out his life fighting and killing criminals and murderers to try to avenge and save his former self. Rorschach only understands punishment and violence, not love and forgiveness.
Drieburg himself is a man facing middle age and eventually death. He is starving for truth and meaning. He is wealthy, but alone. He is not motivated by justice, merely a new found sense of adventure.
Ozymandias believes in trying to save the world, a noble feat, but in doing he tries to become God. But when a flawed being has indescribable power, even saving the world can nearly destroy it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and what if the man on that road has a nuclear bomb?
In such a world even when you are fighting even for what is right, it can be draining. It can change you, undo you. The truth is you cannot win because you are not God. Even in the film they say, “not even Dr. Manhattan can be everywhere at once”. We are mortal, we make mistakes, we misjudge. On our own, we cannot save this world. The heroes of “The Watchmen” all too late learn this tragic truth.
When we are working for things we believe in, (truth, love, justice) we can loose track and forget what we meant to do in the first place. Like a corrupt policeman, we can end up becoming what we initially set out to stop or prevent. We are mortal and we are not strong enough on our own to do much good without something to anchor ourselves to. In whatever we do, I believe that is the search is for God. We must never stop searching, looking, loving, believing/questioning, hunting, crying out for God. Somedays I wake up feeling like a devout Christian, other days I wake up with nothing but doubts. But I never stop searching. Because without God, we are merely people in costumes doing a terrible job at trying to be God.
Interesting one, James.
I keep reading you from France
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David.