Contra was one of my favorite video games back when I was a kid. The background story of the game Contra was based on the movie First Blood. I recently re watched this movie with the monster theory in mind; so I question myself is Rambo a monster.

As people say, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”, Rambo, John Rambo, an formal American military elite member from Sylvester Stallone’s movie First Blood, who can easily destroy enemy bases, who can shot a 50 lbs machine gun with one hand, was awarded the Medal of Honor of his service in the Vietnam War. But soon after he returns back to home, he realizes that he is so detached from the modern society. The side effects of war has turned him into a battle machine.  During the war, the soldiers often felt hopeless. It gets even worse when the war ends, most veterans had to deal with rejections and criticisms by the society. Rambo is miserable without his guns. A Monster, a freak and a psycho is how society sees Rambo.

When Rambo comes to Washington to visit his friend, he was kicked out of town by the Sheriff Teasel who insults Rambo. Rambo became violent and was arrested, but he escapes jail and goes on a rampage in the forest to survive from the sheriffs who want to kill him. After that, Rambo totally lost in his madness. He hijacks a Army truck, crashes it into a gas station. He is tired of being misunderstood and how in the Army he was a war hero but back in home he couldn’t even work at fast food restaurant. His anger has led to the house of monster.

But after all, what really makes a hero into a monster? and what turns people’s best friend (soldier) into an anti-socialist? Is there anything we can do about it?