The iconic comic – Watchmen has been one of the favorites of all the comic lovers in the world. From having the best fiction to a great fabrication of concepts, you can find it all there.
Shielding one of these concepts, a chief character loses his life in the comic. Yes, we are talking about Rorschach, who was killed by Dr. Manhattan as an act of mercy. But what made ‘murder’ an act of mercy to him? Read on to learn.
Rorschach Vs Ozymandias’ ideology
It has often been seen that ideological differences between two or more characters add to the intensity of the plot of the story. It is the differences in their personalities and their thought process that makes the story really vibrant and entertaining.
If you read the ‘Watchmen’ comic, you will see two such characters coming to light. Rorschach and Ozymandias. Ozymandias was a character who was less sensitive and more practical when it came to thinking about the good of the world.
Whereas Rorschach is a character that always wears a mask and would not allow choosing violence and destruction to achieve the greater good.
The poster of Watchmen (Credits: Ms Films)
Ozymandias believes in saving the world at a greater cost. Even if it takes the lives of millions but unites them in the end, it is workable. But for Rorschach, who is strict about his principles and ideologies, things are completely different.
He would not tolerate any soul getting hurt in the path of achieving peace and unity. He is against paying such a heavy price, in the shape of lives, to achieve a greater good.
Reading till here would have made you clear about the two contradicting personalities in the story. Both of them want peace to be established and people to unite, but their ways of looking at things are entirely different from one another.
Dr. Manhattan gives Rorschach a death out of mercy.
Dr. Manhattan was a human but had now transformed into an enhanced dehumanized figure who could perceive and interpret things beyond normal human understanding.
He supports Ozymandias’ idea of eliminating the superheroes, but saving the common people, even if it claimed a few lives in the process.
It again contradicted the ideology of Rorschach, who wanted zero bloodshed and violence. To him, things were either right or wrong, and no middle way could be found between the two in any situation.
When Rorschach was going to expose Ozymandias’ plan, Dr. Manhattan stopped him. He was in high spirits and said that he had to kill him in order to stop him. Dr. Manhattan understood what the need of the hour was, and there was no way Ozymandias’ plan could be left alone to fail.
Also, if it succeeds, Rorschach would not be able to meet his own gaze and live in a world where such atrocities have been committed. Thinking all of this, Dr. Manhattan killed him. However, he took his mask off, revealing his angry and crying face.
This sharp contrast between the characters sharpened the plot and led to the death of a loved character in the comic. But was Ozymandias’ ideology really correct and worth supporting? What do you think?
