Prompt #5: Character: Think about a movie or TV show that has a character that you strongly relate to and try to figure out specifically what makes you connect. Have you always felt a special kinship to Tony Soprano, Lisa Simpson, Jesse Pinkman, etc? Whomever it is, talk about a specific scene with that character and tell us why you connect with the character in 2–3 paragraphs.

I can’t help the excitement felt as I read this prompt, because I knew exactly who to write about. None other than the subject of my college personal statement, Spider-Man. For as long as I could remember, I was obsessed with the wall-crawler. And like every other kid, it was easy to see myself in the suit swinging from building to building. However, as I got older and learned more about Peter Parker, it became clear why I felt so connected to this character.

In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, Peter is stressed out as he attempts to find balance within his life. He makes unfulfilled promises and realizes he can’t be everywhere at once. As a result, he temporarily loses his powers. As a young viewer, you’d think to yourself, “Well what the f***. How the hell is he supposed to save anyone now?” This next part is when I learned what it really meant to be Spider-Man. Fast forward a bit, and Peter is met with a building engulfed in flames. Even worse, a child is stuck inside. Although he’s powerless, Peter risks his life and manages to still save the child. When I first saw this scene, I didn’t grasp the weight of what I watched. But with time came clarity, and it was crystal clear.

The power of this scene reinforced a lot of the values my parents instilled in me, and for that I’m forever grateful. Even when you’re at your weakest, always make the effort to help someone in need. It’s our responsibility to do so if we want to make the world a better place. I continue to help others whenever I can, and sometimes even put their work before mine. It’s not the healthiest thing to do, but I can’t help it. It’s a trait passed down from my mother and father (my true favorite superheroes), and further ingrained because of characters like Peter. I realized that the values that Peter possessed are what made Spider-man so amazing. Anyone could’ve been bitten by that spider, and with shows like The Boys, god knows what they would’ve done. Over the years, I’ve learned I need to take those values and put my own spin on them. Just as we’ve seen Miles Morales discover his own identity, we all need to be our own version of Spider-Man.