I have already nominated several fictional characters as the ultimate Millennial persona: Andy Sachs, heroine of Devil Wears Prada, Harry Potter and his friends, the ensemble cast of Hamlet2. The common theme is the ability of seemingly ordinary kids to conjure up hidden talents or even hidden powers to accomplish something very difficult, usually beyond the capabilities of adults. Now we have NBC’s smash hit, Heroes, which seems to fully capture the essence of this ‘wait til you see the real me’ fantasy in full. Here is how the Heroes wiki site describes two of the show’s key characters:

Claire Bennet is a high school student formerly of Odessa, TX where she used to be a cheerleader. She lives with her adoptive family in Costa Verde, CA. Claire discovers she has the ability to heal seemingly any wound, nearly instantaneously.

Peter Petrelli worked as a common hospice nurse while living in New York City. Peter appeared to his family as a witless dreamer, who believed he had a greater place in life than just saving one life at a time. He discovered he was an evolved human who had the ability to absorb and use the powers of other evolved humans. Peter has since decided to use his abilities to save the world.

The show is wildly popular among Millennials, and given Millennials’ passion for making a difference in the world, it’s easy to see why the show is so appealing. Marketers would do well to tap into this fantasy, with products that help Millennials be more the person they know they were meant to be, and make a greater impact for good. NBC is leveraging this insight well, with a create your own hero contest and animated online series.

Superpowers for ordinary mortals of course is not a new theme. but what makes Potter nd Heroes different from, say Superman, is the unique generational angle. It’s not just about having unique talents, it’s about being YOUNG and having unique talents. That is what makes these characters remarkable in their worlds and appealing in the world of Millennails.