Torah Goes To The Movies: Megamind

Torah Goes To The Movies: Megamind

All is foreseen but not ordained

Judaic thought

(However, dogs are preordained not purchased regardless of price)

Schwartz

After super-villain Megamind (Ferrell) kills his good-guy nemesis, Metro Man (Pitt), he becomes bored since there is no one left to fight. He creates a new foe, Titan (Hill), who, instead of using his powers for good, sets out to destroy the world, positioning Megamind to save the day for the first time in his life.

If one stipulates to we are hear to continue to complete our incompletions (the soul curriculum) in order to release/jettison our spark of the divine within to earn our return to the Hashem, then there must be choice.

One can argue about what the choice is or limited to (moral free choice or more expanded choice), but choice is necessary for this refining process. Derivatively, there is good AND not good (as defined) versus just good OR bad. Without the evil inclination, yatzer hara, Obama, Hilary Clinton whatever, how would good – movement toward completing these incompletions – manifest?

Megamind (there was no reference to whether he was Ashkenazi or Sephardic) was blue in color indicating probably a Jewish inclination seeing things half full and kvetching. That aside, while the villain (regardless of liberal excuses of abandonment and being a victim), Megamind, the heel (wrestling term for bad guy) had a foil in the baby face (wrestling term) Goody Two Shoes ‘Metro Man.’ (Also think metro sexual – but I digress.) Without a good guy nemesis, how could Megamind manifest his dastardly deeds that don’t prevail? So, after supposedly defeating Metro Man – which shocked him rather than allowed celebration, he invented Titan as a new good guy foil.

Unfortunately, Man (and Megamind) plans, God laughs, dogs poop. Titan turns evil. So the ‘heel’ (Megamind) turns ‘heal’ – baby face to save the world (though outside in).

Choice.

Good needs bad.

Right needs wrong.

It’s not a matter of either OR – it’s a matter of AND.

AND that’s the rest of the story.