Dr. Horrible, Billy Buddy and Melville

Dr. Horrible's secret identity (typically thought of as superheroes and supervillains' "real" or "normal" selves) is Billy, whom Penny affectionately refers to as "Billy Buddy."

The name is far too similar to Herman Melville's famous title character of the unfinished and long-lost novella, Billy Budd. Budd is the nearly angelic "pure good" character who is executed by the good, just, yet ultimately legalistic and cowardly Captain Vere for the crime of murder. The so-called victim of the murder is the nearly demonic Claggart. Budd accepts his fate, even to the point of calling on God to bless his executioner.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog seems to reverse the roles a little, but stays true to the themes, of Billy Budd. Billy Buddy is likeable, sweet and endearing, but he's the one with a seemingly friendly and justified demon inside (with jerks like Captain Hammer running around, isn't he allowed a little vitriol?). Captain Hammer slides almost directly into the Captain Vere role - the law-abiding, by the book, good guy who nonetheless can't transcend the letter of the law to the spirit of it: in other words, he's good and just, but also legalistic and uncaring for those whom he defends. So, in Joss Whedon's version of Melville, Billy Buddy is the one becoming an agent for the Thoroughbred of Sin, while Penny is the pure good in the Billy Budd role who is nonetheless an innocent catalyst for disaster.

Excellence is Not a Democracy

When I wonder why what is great is not revered, why a person's best efforts are often overlooked, while mediocrity holds court, I must remember: excellence is a virtue, not a reward. Excellence makes enemies. Excellence, while benefiting others, is an unwanted goad to others. Excellence won't win you love or universal praise. It may not even sell your books.

Melville excelled in Moby Dick, but his earlier works, esp. Typee sold better in his day. Excellence is no guarantee of reward. There are shorter roads to reward, democratic ones, even.

The most excellent way has no correlation to personal gain or even enrichment. But it is at the heart of life, and those who go there would not trade the world for its adventure.