Archery Crazy

2012 is the year of ARCHERY MADNESS.

I mean, really, archery plays a significant role in SEVERAL movie tentpoles this summer:
The Hunger Games
The Avengers
Brave

Not to mention it's getting some play in TV as well, in two new shows for the fall:
Arrow (CW)
Revolution (NBC)

I mentioned this on Facebook the other day, but I felt the topic merited further examination. What is it about archery that we find so appealing?

When I was in middle school, by far the most popular intramural sport was archery. I mean, there's something inherently badass about shooting a bow and arrow. Compared to other projectile weapons, there's some degree of skill involved. It's not as simple as "point and shoot." There's proper breathing, form, etc....not to mention that when wearing the proper gear, you do look like a badass. Okay, well maybe not a badass, but you certainly look like you know what you're doing, and that adds badass points.

And it's not like it's some new craze, either. Robin Hood is closely associated with a bow and arrow, and I think we can all agree that the most badass scene in The Odyssey (especially the Armand Assante version) is when Odysseus strings his bow and is like "Fuck yeah, it's me. Prepare to die." And then proceeds to kill everyone.

That scene didn't sound so dark in my head, but then again, ancient times were a very dark place.

However, I think there's a big caveat to this archery craze. It's only cool in context. I mean, compared to every other Avenger, Hawkeye is freaking lame. I mean, sure, what he does with a bow and arrow is pretty cool, but when he's standing next to ScarJo and her 9mm Glock, even his badass arrows seem ill advised. Like, dude, just use a gun. It's way more convenient. And you can carry way more ammo. I mean, compared to guns, using a bow and arrow in a FIGHT AGAINST AN ALIEN INVASION seems...well, it just seems like you're showing off instead of being practical. Also, next to Iron Man, you look practically useless. Even Captain America, super soldier, uses a gun. I'm just saying.

But in context, it can be the most badass thing ever. In Brave, Merida participating in an archery competition serves as a brilliant show of defiance:


See? Totally badass.

I suspect that Arrow might have the same problem as Hawkeye. Sure, Green Arrow, it's cool what you're doing and all, but YOU ARE FIGHTING A DUDE WITH A GUN. Your bow and arrow just looks stupid next to that. But in Revolution (which takes place in a world without electricity), a crossbow makes more sense (guns don't need electricity to work, but fabricating bullets by traditional means takes a lot more energy and time than fabricating arrows. Just saying).

I guess my point is that archery is ostensibly cool. We all think that the ability to shoot a bow and arrow is awesome. Watching it happen is cool. But in the context of a broader world, archery can be seen as, well, antiquated. A vestige of a simpler time, and we believe that as society, we've moved beyond that. (Well, sort of. I know people bow hunt and many view that as "real" hunting. It's a greater challenge. But I think the pride in that has to do with that whole back to nature thing that some people are in to). But in other contexts, it's the most badass thing ever. It just depends.

I totally forgot until just now that I saw an archer on America's Got Talent the other night.

See? ARCHERY CRAZY.

ETA: Snow White almost shot the Evil Queen with a bow and arrow on Once Upon a Time. MOAR MADNESS.