Why the World Still Needs Heroes.
A popular trope in stories suggests that the presence of heroes causes villains to emerge—that extraordinary good invites extraordinary evil in response. This "escalation" narrative, seen in works like The Dark Knight, implies that if heroes never rose up, the villains might never have either.
But this flips the natural order and presumes a much kinder world than the one we all live in.
In the wild, predators exist whether or not there's something to stop them. Lions don’t stalk gazelles because the gazelles learned to run. Wolves don’t hunt sheep because there are shepherds. Predators exist because the world is dangerous and survival often depends on strength, cunning, and brutality. And that is exactly why defenses—whether it’s camouflage, horns, or herders—evolve in response.
Villains, in the same sense, don’t arise because heroes wear masks. They arise because the potential for destruction exists within human nature, technology, and unchecked power. It only takes one determined individual with enough cruelty or genius or staggering stupidity to bring cities—or civilizations—to their knees (cough Orange man with the combover bad cough). And just as the natural world responds to predators with protective adaptations, a society under threat needs protectors: individuals capable of matching or outpacing the danger.
Heroes are not the cause of chaos, but a response to it. They are not escalation, but evolution—a moral and practical necessity in a world where villains, like predators, will always find a way to survive. Their very existence acknowledges a truth we often try to ignore: the monsters are already here, and they don’t wait politely for balance.
The question isn't whether superheroes invite evil, but whether we can afford to face evil without them. Short answer: We can't.
Deconstruction to dissect a myth can make for an interesting one-off story, but only archetypal truths can carry the weight of the world.
The Sleuth Squad: Mystery Inc. Reimagined
1. Scooby-Doo → Rang-A-Tang
Personality: A courageous and intelligent German Shepherd with an uncanny ability to track criminals, solve mysteries, and fight off dangerous foes. Unlike Scooby, Rang-A-Tang isn’t a coward—he’s a fearless protector, but he’s also loyal and forms a deep bond with his team.
Appearance: A sleek, strong German Shepherd with sharp eyes and a noble stance.
2. Shaggy Rogers → Amazing Boy (Richard Waters)
Personality: A young and resourceful sleuth, but unlike Shaggy, he’s more competent and eager to get involved in solving crimes. However, his youthful inexperience sometimes lands him in trouble. He has a lighthearted nature but isn’t as much of a coward as Shaggy.
Appearance: A teenage boy with neatly combed blond hair, wearing casual detective-style clothing suitable for chasing down clues.
3. Fred Jones → Hy Speed
Personality: A professional detective and the responsible leader of the group. He’s experienced, methodical, and takes charge of situations. More serious and practical than Fred, but still plays the "team captain" role.
Appearance: A clean-cut, well-dressed man in a classic trench coat and fedora, always ready for action.
4. Daphne Blake → Sally the Sleuth
Personality: Bold, brave, and highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike Daphne, Sally doesn’t need to be rescued—she’s the one delivering knockout punches to criminals. However, she still retains a sense of adventure and charm.
Appearance: A striking woman with blue eyes, wearing stylish detective attire, sometimes going undercover in glamorous outfits. Always carries her disguised lipstick gun.
5. Velma Dinkley → Sherry Flippe
Personality: A sharp and tenacious detective, but also accident-prone and a bit quirky. She isn’t as physically strong as Sally, but her resourcefulness and intelligence make her invaluable to the team. Like Velma, she has a love for books—except hers are romance novels!
Appearance: A fashionable but slightly disheveled woman, often carrying a detective notebook or scribbling notes about her latest case.
6. Scrappy-Doo → Lad
Personality: Instead of being overly aggressive like Scrappy, Lad is loyal, brave, and wise. He’s a natural leader among animals but still has the youthful energy of a pup when needed. Though he’s more reserved than Scrappy, he will defend his team if danger arises.
Appearance: A majestic Rough Collie with a proud, well-groomed coat and a noble air about him.
Premise
This public domain homage to Scooby Doo would have a grittier, 1930s noir-style setting, with the team solving supernatural-tinged mysteries while exposing elaborate criminal schemes. Rang-A-Tang and Lad would serve as their loyal animal companions, while Hy Speed and Sally would take the lead in detective work, assisted by the youthful enthusiasm of Amazing Boy and the analytical mind of Sherry Flippe.
The gang would travel the country solving cases in a classic 1930s car instead of the Mystery Machine, dodging gangsters, conmen, and eerie "ghosts" that always turn out to have a real-world explanation