Vigilantes are popular, especially in movies and TV shows.

They run—or fly—around fighting crime and helping clean up their city of choice. The irony is that  most people around them consider them criminals. They act outside the law, following their own code without any higher authority to contain them.

But does that make them criminals? More importantly, is what they do right?

Let’s look at three well-known vigilantes.

• Batman
• Spiderman
• Arrow

Batman

Everyone considers Batman a hero. He fights to save Gotham no matter what the personal cost. He does everything in his power to thwart his enemies and protect the citizens of Gotham. He even works with the GCPD when the situation requires it.

But there’s a darker side to Batman that reveals how brutal he can be. He gets carried away in his pursuit of justice. If anyone—even the cops—stands in his way, he’ll run them over. At times, he truly is a Dark Knight.

What’s more, he acts outside the law. He’s not answerable to anyone. Theoretically, he could do whatever he wanted in the name of justice. We know Batman wouldn’t take advantage of his power, but who’s to say someone else wouldn’t?

Spiderman

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

This quote sums up Spiderman. He realizes his position and his duty. He’s the mildest of our vigilante trio, preferring to catch people in webs instead of smashing them or putting an arrow through their chest. And his main goal is to save people, not punish those who deserve it.

He’s still a vigilante, and acting outside the law gets him in trouble. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spidey stops a criminal only to find out later that by doing it he disrupted an important police scheme.

Without meaning to, he works against the cops, even though he catches the guy. Just because the end result is positive doesn’t mean it was the right thing for him to do.

Even Spidey can have a bad day.

Arrow

In the second and third seasons of the TV series, Arrow calms down, but in the first season, he’s as ruthless as they come, killing without mercy. What do we make of that? His original goal is noble—save Starling City from those corrupting it. The way he goes about it is more questionable.

He’s clearly doing the right thing, but does it count? He skips typical procedures and jumps right to the heart of the problem, and he has no qualms about hurting people to achieve his goals.

That sounds criminal to me, even if he’s targeting people who need to be taken down.

As the saying goes, “There’s a right way and a wrong way to do it.” His reasons, however upright, don’t justify the means he sometimes uses.

Right or Wrong?

Are vigilantes right in doing what they do? After all, they act outside the law.

We have a legal system in place for a reason. If people subvert the system, even with the best of intentions, doesn’t that present a risk? If anyone can take the law into their own hands without fear of punishment, that undermines the need for having the law in the first place.

Another danger is that anyone can claim to be a vigilante fighting for justice, but that doesn’t mean he or she has lawful motivation. People can twist justice into fitting their agenda for anything.

Exhibit A is Malcolm Merlyn from the Arrow TV show. Thugs from the Glades murdered his wife, and in his warped sense of justice, avenging his wife meant destroying the Glades.

That’s not justice. It’s an excuse for getting revenge.

Should We Approve that Vigilantes are Criminals?

We cheer for Batman, Spiderman, and Arrow because they’re fighting the bad guys. Even if they use questionable tactics, their motives are upstanding.

Does that excuse their actions? Do the ends justify the means? If they can break the law for “good” reasons or not get in trouble for doing so, doesn’t that undermine the notion of justice?

In some cases, yes. In some cases, no.

Laws and people who enforce them aren’t perfect. Breaking the law doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong morally. Think Robin Hood. His fight against tyranny was necessary. If people abuse their positions or use their power to take advantage of others, someone has to stand up to them, even if it means breaking the law.

Usually, vigilantes end up acting illegally because the laws have become corrupt or they’re acting for the greater good in spite of the consequences.

• Arrow saves his city from corruption
• Spiderman protects people when the cops can’t
• Batman wages war against the crime in Gotham

Sometimes they go too far, and I think they shouldn’t always get off the hook on the basis that they’re trying to save people or fight the bad guys.

Vigilantes are fun to watch, but their behavior often presents moral quandaries, which is part of what makes them so endlessly fascinating.

Do you think vigilantes should escape punishment because they’re the good guys? Is there ever a time when it’s right for them to do anything necessary to get the result they want? Please share your thoughts in the comments.