"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility": Spider-Man's Most Inspiring Lesson

You can get tons of inspirational lessons from Spider-Man.   But every lesson you can learn from Spider-Man can be ultimately traced originating from one basic principle, Spider-Man’s trademark mantra: “With great power comes great responsibility.”  It simply means that responsibility always accompanies power, and the amount of responsibility is directly proportional to the amount of power; hence, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility.  And what is this responsibility?  To do the right thing, of course!  If you found yourself possessing the capability or are in the position to do the right thing, then you should do it.  Or as Martin Sheen (as Uncle Ben in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man) put it, “…if you could do good things for other people, you had a moral obligation to do those things.  That's what at stake here.  Not a choice, responsibility.”

  

You should always do what is right – it’s a responsibility!  That is some heavy stuff.  That’s what “with great power comes great responsibility” is all about.  And a fifteen-year old Spider-Man had to learn it the hard way. 

But because of that fateful event, it made Spider-Man one of the most morally steadfast superhero ever.  Doing good is paramount to him.   No matter what the cost will be, he will pursue the right thing.  Indeed, Spidey sometimes find himself confused in determining or defining the “right thing to do.”  But his sincerity of doing the right thing can never be doubted.   

As long as it’s the right thing to do, Spidey will stubbornly press on.

Nothing will prevent him from doing what is right.  Even if bad stuff and misfortune consistently happen to his life (due to the notorious “Parker luck”); even if his heroics and selfless deeds go unappreciated and unrewarded; even if, in return of saving and protecting the populace, he instead receives ungratefulness and prejudice from them; even if his personal life and relationships suffer whenever he prioritizes his moral responsibilities; even when he’s already exhausted and injured; even if he is facing tremendous hazards, and defeat or death is likely; even if the odds are greatly stacked up against him; and even if doing the right thing is unpopular to the majority, Spider-Man will always be resolute, courageous, positive, and jolly in doing good.

Of course, he snaps sometimes -- gets discouraged, impatient, and bitter. He’s human after all. But he always reverts back to his usual cool.

He puts doing the right thing above anything else.  Even above his self-interests and personal happiness.  In Spider-Man 2 (one of the greatest movies ever), Peter Parker spoke of this (originally from his Aunt May): “Sometimes, to do what's right, we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.”  It’s very moving.  This added another stirring layer to Spider-Man’s already inspiring character.   

“With great power comes great responsibility.”  To fight for the right thing always.  This is what really puts the amazing on the Amazing Spider-Man.