The Hidden Angle | 'Hanna', 'The Boys' and 'Logan' all fight the erasure of their identities and individuality
At first glance, 'Hanna' is clearly built to fit the same mold as The CW show 'Nikita' starring Maggie Q in the lead. An evil group of influential people who call themselves Oversight, funding a covert operation called Division, trains delinquents to be spies and assassins in the name of the greater good. However, the titular character played by Maggie Q finds out that there is something more sinister at work at Division and she tries to destroy it from the inside out with a trainee of her own.
Similarly, the second season of 'Hanna' sees Hanna find out the truth about The Meadows' UTRAX operation funded by The Pioneers and uses agent Marissa's help to bring the Carmichael-led trainee operation down. The idea behind UTRAX's operation is also in many ways similar to that of USA Network's show 'Treadstone' which was canceled after one season. The idea of training operatives, giving them a cover that they can live with and be used only when there is a requirement -- this concept of undercover agents being embedded within different walks of society is common too. However, what interests us is another idea that the show uses as a plot device.
The idea of using genetic mutation to further the prowess of intelligence operatives on the field is what really set off 'Hanna' in the first place. The babies who are given up for adoption by their biological parents are injected with a secret formula that includes wolf's DNA to improve upon human DNA, thereby allowing soldiers to be tailormade. This is not a novel concept, considering Wolverine was a result of genetic mutation. However, what we find interesting is using babies to further the human race, and find ways that can advance the genetic makeup to then be used in the future by national security agencies such as the CIA, or NSA.
In 'Logan', this concept was explored in-depth through Laura and other children who are a result of genetic manipulation using mutant DNA. These children are kept imprisoned until Logan is able to free them because they are weapons of the future. The powers that come with being experimented on are a lot more potent in comparison to 'Hanna', but then, the X-Men universe is more about superpowers than simple undercover aliases and playing at spies.
Similarly, in 'The Boys', the supes are a result of experiments done by Vought Corporation. These men and women who have superpowers are not born with power and talent, but are made in a human lab with the help of a secret chemical compound V. This chemical compound is what gives Homelander, Starlight, Deep, and A-Train the power that they hold. These individuals are used by the corporation to dominate and successfully take over global leadership. 'The Boys' uses supes to subvert the stereotypes that mainstream superhero shows are ridden with and using the chemical compound V to equip humans with unchecked power forms the very foundation of the show.
The idea that humans need to be engineered to fit a mold, thereby erasing any individuality is an idea that has to be fought. 'Hanna', 'The Boys', and 'Logan' take on this fight. If we were to look at this construct through a political point of view, on the day when there are debates about erasing Black history in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement; the representation of such an idea being fought against serves a great purpose.
In 'Hanna', we see Esme Creed-Miles take on the weight of this fight on her shoulders. The show is not exactly packed with thrilling moments and fast-moving action. What it is filled with is some smooth strategizing and creative portrayal of moral conflicts that a teenager would face usually vs when they are facing circumstances that are a result of their training.
Is 'Hanna' Season 2 a great show? No. However, it is an interesting show that portrays how teenagers instead of adults react to circumstances that are not under their control.
