A Characterization of Luke Cage, a Marvel Superhero

Out of the 7 billion people living on earth, none of them can be said to share the same characteristics with others. Each and every one of them has different traits that influence how they will be perceived by the society they live in. Moreover, they strive to achieve different goals that need various motivations in order to be achieved. As a result, it is wise to analyze different therapeutic approaches that define the overall abilities of a particular individual. Our case will capture the characteristics of one of Marvel's fictional superhero, Luke Cage.

Luke Cage, also referred to as Power Man and whose actual identity is Carl Lucas, is an imaginary character majorly considered by many as a superhero. He has appeared in numerous American comic books which have mainly been published by Marvel Comics. The first black African superhero, Luke Cage was also featured as the protagonist and the title character that many comic books have specialized in.

This character, which is created during the Blaxploitation genre, is seen as an ex-convict who is imprisoned for being accused of committing a crime that he has no knowledge of.

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It is during his time in jail that he gains his superpowers of unbreakable skin and extraordinary human strength. He attains this after he is voluntarily subjected to an experimental procedure. Upon acquiring his freedom, he is touted by many as a hero for hire and he later teams up with yet another superhero, Iron Fist. Together they are known by many as the Power Man and Iron Fist duo.

Eventually, he gets married to a private investigator, Jessica Jones, who also possesses some super-powers. As a result, this particular union is able to be blessed with a daughter.

Luke Cage's, real name Carl Lucas, is born and brought up in Harlem neighborhood. Most of his adolescence is spent in a bunch of criminals known as the Rivals. Alongside his counterparts, he takes a part in fighting the rival group Diablos as well as in committing minor offenses on behalf of the deformed gangster Sonny Caputo.

However, it is observed that Cage has been in and out of juvenile homes in all his teen years and as a result, he dreams of becoming one of the most respected racketeers. Also, he realizes that his actions do not go well with his family so he seeks new ways of improving himself through the acquisition of legitimate employment. In spite of this transformation, some misunderstanding with his childhood friend leads to his arrest and imprisonment.

This takes place after his friend, Willis Stryker, blames Cage for his breakup with his girlfriend and frames him for the possession of heroin. Upon his arrest, Lucas' contact with his family is minimal since his letters to the family are intercepted by his only young brother James Jr. due to some resentment. As a result, communication between Lucas and his father is cut short which leads each one of them to believe that each is dead.

Upon the realization that his brother has been betraying him, Lucas engages in numerous prison fights and escape attempts. Consequently, he is moved to another prison where he becomes the target of a racist corrections officer. A research scientist within the prison takes Lucas as a volunteer in an experiment for cellular regeneration.

On immersing Cage in an electrical ground controlled by a biological chemical, he ends up leaving his subject unattended. In addition, he changes the controls of the experiment with the aim of injuring or killing Lucas. This treatment exceeds its limits thus resulting in a body-wide improvement that gives cage the durability and strength of a superhuman. He uses his newly acquired possession to escape prison and I goes back to New York where he is inspired to use his powers for profit being that his chances of encountering with criminals were high. He adopts the nickname Luke Cage.

Further, he establishes a position as a Superman that can be hired and assists any individual that can afford him. It is also worth pointing out that the doctor responsible for his powers also moves to New York where he sets up a health clinic. Additionally, it comes to Luke's attention that his intent on strictly battling conventional criminals would not be successful in the New York City environs (Williams, 2017).

As witnessed above, Lucas Cage's company was the main contributor to the rot in his behavior. The company he kept was responsible for the small misbehaviors that he got involved in. Moreover, it was also clear that his company is responsible for his imprisonment. Apart from that, we see that Cage is humane and that he is after the happiness of many individuals although he ends up exploiting his powers when he becomes a hero for hire.

In the beginning, it is seen that he works toward improving himself after realizing that his actions do not please his family. Further, it is also evident that he is not satisfied with his contribution to the society since he believes that New York City is not an area that he will attain the much-needed success in the field of crime fighting. Therefore, in trying to battle and correct this mental struggle, it is right to incorporate a therapy that will focus more on the mental satisfaction of the individual. Hence, it is wise that the Adlerian therapy approach is employed in order to satisfy the Luke Cage character and his determination to fight and eliminate crime within the environs that he inhabits.