Vengeance and retribution are common themes in superhero narratives. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe concepts related to mental illness and the conditions under which violent retribution is justified are explored in films such as Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Disney+ limited series Moon Knight. For example, in Spider-man No Way Home, Peter Parker struggles with the beating and even in some instances killing of "villains" who are mentally ill. In Moon Knight, serving as an avatar for a God who metes out retributive justice by killing wrongdoers is a task best suited to a fractured psyche. In this panel we will provide a philosophical treatment of retributive justice as applicable to these superhero narratives and others like them.
*All scheduled events are subject to change