Introduction
Power—the capacity to direct others, command authority, and shape outcomes—pervades every page of Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel Watchmen. Published in 1986-1987, Watchmen depicted superheroes grappling with their own power in a sharply satirical takedown of the entire genre. While on its surface a deconstruction of superhero tropes, Watchmen operates on a deeper level as an intricate examination of power dynamics, its uses and abuses. Over its 12 issues, Watchmen presents a sprawling meditation on power through its cast of characters—heroes and villains alike—as they vie for dominion and control in their alternate 1980s America. By training its lens on these power struggles, Watchmen revolutionized graphic fiction and provided an enduring portrait of authority and corruption that resonates over 30 years later. This essay will analyze the multifaceted manifestations of power in Watchmen to illuminate Moore's complex vision of human nature.
Watchmen's Setting in an Alternate 1985
Watchmen emerged during the Cold War amid public anxieties over nuclear armament and mutually assured destruction. Mirroring these real-world tensions, Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985 where the U.S. has crushed the Vietnam insurgency and Richard Nixon remains president after repealing term limits. Against this backdrop, costumed superheroes—once celebrated as heroes—have been outlawed by the Keene Act, forced into retirement, and plagued by a growing public backlash. The exceptions are "mask killers" condoned by the government, such as the Comedian and Dr. Manhattan, who wield considerable official power and influence. When the Comedian is murdered, his former compatriots Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, and Ozymandias attempt to uncover the plot, only to find themselves pawns in a larger scheme involving immense power and worldwide consequences.
Ozymandias: The Corrupting Nature of Unchecked Power
While Moore subverts traditional comic book heroism through the entire Watchmen cast, the character of Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, most exemplifies the corrupting nature of power left unchecked. Once the superhero Ozymandias, Veidt has amassed enormous political and economic power in his secret identity as "the smartest man in the world." Veidt is calculating, vain, and believes that the ends always justify his means. In his unpublished memoirs, he compares himself to the pharaoh Ozymandias and Alexander the Great, writing, "I have walked across the surface of the sun. I have witnessed events so tiny and so fast, they can hardly be said to have occurred at all. But you, Adrian, you're just a man. The world's smartest man poses no more threat to me than does its smartest termite" (Moore, Ch. 11). Veidt's hubris and self-delusion know no limits; through his vast power and wealth, he perceives himself as a god-like figure beyond moral consequence. This pride foreshadows his horrific use of power later, when Veidt teleports an enormous Lovecraftian monster into the heart of New York City, killing half the population in an attempt to unite the world against a supposed alien threat. Veidt rationalizes this mass murder as necessary to prevent nuclear war, blind to his own monstrosity.
Silk Spectre II: The Benevolent Use of Power
In contrast to the megalomania of Ozymandias, Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre II) represents the more benevolent use of power. Though born into a superhero legacy with connections to authority (her mother was the original Silk Spectre), Laurie relinquishes that power after the Keene Act, striving for a normal life. She wields no economic or political power, only her physical abilities and detective skills taught by her vigilante partners. After the Comedian's death, she joins the investigation fueled by a sense of justice, not a desire for control. Laurie alone sees through Veidt's scheme at the end, not because she craves power, but because she wants accountability for his crimes. Though she fails to expose Veidt to the larger world, Laurie uses her power to leave his service and forge her own path. She rejects others' attempts to exploit her power, reclaiming agency over her identity, abilities, and independence.
Dr. Manhattan vs. Ozymandias – Who Poses the Greater Threat?
Some argue that Dr. Manhattan, not Ozymandias, represents the most dangerous embodiment of power in Watchmen. As the only character possessing superhuman abilities—including teleportation, telekinesis, and near omniscience—Dr. Manhattan has near-godlike powers and remains unchecked by mortal constraints. Yet the text suggests Manhattan's powers alienate him from humanity; he struggles to emotionally connect with others and often uses his powers for detachment, not control. Meanwhile, Ozymandias derives influence from wealth, fame, and cunning, making him more humanly relatable—and therefore more concerning. While Dr. Manhattan's powers dwarf all others', Ozymandias' political power poses the more urgent threat, since his abuses emerge from recognizably human egomania.
Conclusion
Spanning the intersection of politics, ethics, and power, Watchmen remains potent precisely because its themes—corruption, hubris, and the dangers of unchecked authority—still plague America and worldwide governments today. By constructing a complex tapestry around different manifestations of power, Moore and Gibbons' masterpiece challenges readers to scrutinize authority structures and question those who wield power over others. The enduring legacy of Watchmen is its frightening depiction of power seeking power for its own sake, untethered from morality or human costs. Moore thus sounds a cynical-yet-urgent warning: to retain humanity, those with power must wield it judiciousy, not carelessly or egotistically—lest we all become modernmasks playing god while the world burns.
