All right, YOU have Super Powers. Are you a Hero or a Vigilante?

the first part made me think he was either an abrahamic diety or popeye

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I'm fairly certain certain sects of Judaism believe Popeye to be their deity. They are, obviously, rejected by other Jewish sects and pejoratively referred to as Hannah-Barbarians.

When I wrote this, the power level I was thinking was "Daredevil/Batman", wherein you're mortal, but somehow police forget that they have the ability to track you down.

That made me laugh.

I don't know how to link video, but you know the black and white one of the guy in a tuxedo clapping, just envision that here.

when it comes to abrahamic sect jokes marcian, im always glad to see you enter a thread, and sadducee you go.

Ding!

The choice of powers would really determine my capability. I'd be either a Vigilante or a flat-out Villain.
Are we talking SS/Invuln/flight? Fire Blast?

Invisibility and nothing else?

Superspeed?

TP Foe with the ability to put people partially *through* objects?

I in no way disagree that institutionalized brute squads are a bad idea. However, that has nothing whatsoever to do with killing the guy you catch attacking a woman in a dark alley. That has nothing to do with eviscerating the woman attempting to drown her two year old in the tub. That has nothing to do with smashing in the skull of some corrupt politician.

Bill sounds like me only he protects people

Eh. I'd have to move somewhere that'd be useful and fun. >.> Here, I'd get to... threateningly watch neighbors mow the defunct golf course.

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Can I be your sidekick? I'd follow you on bloody stumps through the snow in the pursuit of justice.

I think I'd actually end up somewhere between these. I definitely wouldn't care at all about the established system's rules and codes. In my view the governments of the world are nigh-irredeemably corrupt, and I have no respect for many of their petty and asinine rules. I certainly would not feel compelled to set the model of the 'ideal citizen', *especially* since it would get in the way of actually doing good. So in that respect I imagine I'd be seen as a vigilante.

However, I wouldn't be 'sailing blind without a moral compass' - just because I wouldn't conform to *society's* system of morality doesn't mean I wouldn't have my *own* moral system to follow. For example, I personally believe that it is not permissible to kill unless the target is in the direct physical act of attempting to kill another (and it is the only way to stop them, which if I was a superhero might only rarely be the case). In other words, the only thing worth a life is another life, and only when the danger is so clear and immediate as to be beyond all doubt. So I wouldn't be able to, for example, assassinate a corrupt executive to stop his evil plan (I wouldn't hesitate, though, to trick them into evacuating whatever facility they're using and then destroying it completely and with no recompense given). There are some other, similar sorts of restrictions I would end up placing on myself as well.

So, while I wouldn't be a traditional 'hero', I wouldn't really be an 'at all costs' vigilante either - at least at first, anyway. Knowing human nature and my own mind as I do, I wouldn't be able to keep it up forever. Heck, at this point my basic coping mechanism for all of the world's crazy problems is to say to myself 'there's nothing you can do about it, so stop beating yourself up over it'. If I actually *could* attempt to do something about it, then sooner or later I would get frustrated enough at my inability to actually fix things that I would snap and go vigilante, and eventually even possibly full-on rogue if I just can't seem to make a difference otherwise. At that point I would probably try to take over the world and impose a theoretically-benevolent dictatorship. Which would, of course, end badly as I have no idea how to run a planet (or even, honestly, any belief that it can even be done). Either that or I would say '**** it' and go flying off into space to explore the universe, and to heck with the human race and all its attendant stupidities.

[edit: I starting posting this before the edits to the OP and the posts that sparked them. This was written assuming a 'superman +' type power level where this moral choice actually becomes (imo) really critical. Below that level, at least in my opinion, the moral choice isn't 'pure', as you're partially constrained by what you (at least in your own mind) think you can *get away with*, rather that what you actually want to *do*. To really explore the moral decisions, I personally think you'd have to have the *ability* to actually do whatever your choice prompts you to do. For example, I couldn't really say with a straight face that I would openly attempt to take over the world and impose a personal dictatorship, because that's not really realistic for someone with a 'batman' level of power (even if they can't seem to track you down) - even though it's what I would (eventually) want to do. (Also hence my comment at the end about saying 'to heck with all of you stupid monkeys' and up and leaving - a mere mortal who can't fly or survive unprotected in space would find that a bit difficult. )

I agree with EvilGeko. I'd stay out of crime fighting, unless it was to happen right under my nose.

I'd turn to the people-rescue business instead. There's a fire? I'm already inside the building getting people out. Traffic accident? Look who's already there giving first aid! Severe weather like downpour, storms, snow or intense heat? Yup, I'm there, helping out. People missing at sea or lost in the wilderness? I'm already searching for them. Major natural disaster? Looks like I'm working overtime.

Bank being robbed? I'm there with a high resolution camera, gathering as much information as I can, but not interfering. That's for the police to do, all I can do is gather as much data as possible. The only crimes I'd interrupt is violent ones practiced near me.

So I suppose you could call that being a Hero, except not in the traditional comic-booky sense.

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

So you're saying you would kill yourself.

Even regular citizens have the right to take reasonable action to prevent or stop a crime from being committed. Where their right tends to end is tracking criminals down after the fact and beating the crap out of them.

The interesting problem is that most normal citizens that are victims of a crime or otherwise entangled in one can often reasonably claim that their lives were potentially in danger. If you were bullet proof, say, you couldn't make that claim. You could be standing in a 7-11 while it was being robbed by a man with a bazooka, and at no time could you claim that you had to act to prevent harm to yourself. You could claim to be protecting others, but if there were no others around, it can get weirdly murky as to the legal latitude you have to stop a crime when you aren't personally threatened.

Might be better to be blaster than tanker in the legal sense.

Can I use this a joke?

I know. I'm deathly serious. I don't like other people much.