all social backgrounds. They came from the North, the South, the East, and the West. They were young and mature, already rich and always desperately poor. They were construction workers and students, rock stars and preacher men. The hopes of hundreds were dashed when the twenty-eight were chosen, but twenty-seven of the chosen twenty-eight were destined for disappointment as they fought their way through the crucible of competition.
The contestants were divided into teams and faced trial by fire as they tried to learn how to work with each other to achieve a common goal. Some learned that lesson more easily than others. Those who didn’t were soon lost along the way. In the next weeks unexpected heroes rose to master the challenge. Few viewers, perhaps even few judges, expected much from eleven-year-old Dragon Huntress or the quiet and self-effacing Earth Witch, but real heroes arise when seemingly ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances with calmness, quick thinking, and fighting hearts, which is what both of these surprising heroines used to win the prize for their team. And perhaps find some confidence in themselves, as well.
The scavenger race, whose only rule was “there are no rules,” taught our budding heroes the lesson of competition not against the elements, but with others who also desired the mantle of American Hero. The lesson learned that week was that those who want it the most are the ones who get it. The winner wasn’t the unfocused rock star who took time out from duty to sign autographs for his adoring fans. It was the hardworking, nose-to-the-grindstone champions who never took their eyes of the prize, not for a single second.
Our want-to-be heroes were not immune to the foibles of the real world. In perhaps the most controversial incident in the course of the series, one claimed a fellow contestant uttered a racial slur that no one else heard. Ultimately, this claim could never be proven or denied and it colored the proceedings for the rest of the season. Was Stuntman right or wrong in going public with his claim? Should he have handled the matter privately? The disturbance certainly changed some lives profoundly, possibly even the ultimate outcome of American Hero.
The teams started to hit their strides as the weeks passed more quickly than seemed possible. Everyone learned their teammates’ strengths and weaknesses, but also the personal sides of things became important as friendships, alliances, and cliques grew, all of which would factor into contestant Discards from this point on. The stakes increased, the peril ratcheted up several notches, the excitement surged when it came time for our nascent heroes to battle other wild talents. Three aces—young Lohengrin from Germany, hulking Detroit Steel, and the ultimate veteran, Golden Boy, who over his seven decades has seen more combat in more places on this Earth than any other ace—along with the mysterious stage magician Noel Matthews, confronted the now thinned ranks of our young heroes. The veterans, as so often is the case, largely proved to be too much for the neophytes.
But again, the real world intruded into our unfolding drama, first, in an earthquake that struck the mansion housing the Discard Pile, second, in an earthquake of the human spirit, when a group of Discards heard another voice calling them from halfway across the world. A catastrophe of epic proportions drew them to Egypt, where they proved themselves real heroes as they went to the battlefields of a foreign land to protect the poor and weak. Three of them paid the ultimate sacrifice and laid down their lives for their brethren. All now carry scars and horrific memories that have changed them forever. Those who are gone will never be forgotten. Their stories will be told on American Hero—Special International Edition, which will air later this fall. This will be a very special two-hour event, not to be missed.
Like any new enterprise, some mistakes were made in this first season of American Hero. We can’t do much about natural disasters and unexpected social upheavals, but some things we can correct. We received a certain amount of unfounded criticism for putting a minor in needless peril, but rest assured that cute little Dragon Huntress was never in any real danger. However, taking the concerns of our audience to heart, next season we will institute an age limit of eighteen, ensuring the safety of America’s child aces.
Other viewers were concerned about a certain lack of morality exhibited by some contestants. Rest assured that we at American Hero