Sugar, spice, and every thing nice may be what the Powerpuff Girls are made of, but they're also full of strength, smarts, and bravery. A recent article by The Guardian titled "A Batman v Joker Movie Could Make Marvel's Avengers Look Like the Powerpuff Girls" attempts to explain why the writer thinks a Batman vs Joker movie (as though several of these do not already exist) could do very well in the box office. Strangely enough, the article doesn't even bother to explain the title, leaving us to assume it is a poor, sexist attempt to degrade the Marvel's heroes by comparing them to the Powerpuff Girls.
The implication, of course, is that the writer believes that because the Powerpuff Girls are "little girls" they are weak, inferior, and not heroic. This writer could not be more wrong. These little superheroes, who routinely save the world before bedtime, have super powers to match or rival any of the superheroes from Marvel or DC, including flight, super-strength, super-speed, and laser vision. They also each have their own unique, individual powers. Blossom has ice-breath, while Bubbles can speak and understand any language (including all animal languages), and Buttercup...can curl her tongue. And is tough as nails.
Things do not end well for those who underestimate the Powerpuff Girls. When Major Man, who the citizens of Townsville call "a real hero" due to his age, gender, and costume, arrives in town in Major Competition (S1:E7), the girls quickly reveal that he is a fraud who is only able to save the day is because sets up his own disasters so that he can play the hero.
In Stuck Up, Up and Away (S2:E1) the new girl in town, Princess Morbucks, announces she's going to be a Powerpuff Girl, saying her daddy always buys her whatever she wants. When Buttercup tells her you can't just buy superpowers, she responds with "Oh yeah? Tell that to Batman."
Princess isn't used to being told no, so she buys gear reminiscent of the caped crusader (a jet pack, throwing stars, a grapple hook) and follows the girls into danger. They, of course, end up having to save her, in return for which Princess goes out and buys bigger better gadgets in an attempt to defeat the Powerpuff Girls, which, of course, ends with her defeat and arrest.
Princess isn't used to being told no, so she buys gear reminiscent of the caped crusader (a jet pack, throwing stars, a grapple hook) and follows the girls into danger. They, of course, end up having to save her, in return for which Princess goes out and buys bigger better gadgets in an attempt to defeat the Powerpuff Girls, which, of course, ends with her defeat and arrest.
The girls aren't treated much better by their superhero idols either. When the girls want to join the Association of World Super Men in Members Only (S4:E9), its members mock them for being "little girls." These members include many Marvel and DC-esque superheroes such as Major Glory (Captain America meets Superman), Valhallen (Thor meets He-man), Mandingo (Black Panther), Ya-Mon (Namor meets Aquaman), E-Male (the Flash), Big Ben (Captain Britain), Mucho Muchacho (Zorro), Tiki Torch (the Human Torch), and Ratman (Batman), who the Powerpuff Girls best in feats of strength, speed, and heroism before saving the men from an attacking alien robot.
By the end of the episode, the girls have saved the men from an attacking alien robot, and in turn the members of A.W.S.M. ask if they can join the girls' club (which the girls fittingly decide to call the Society of Associated Puffketeers, or SAPs for short).
Even when the girls underestimate themselves, they're proven wrong. In Super Zeros (S3:E7) the girls wish they were more like their favorite comic book heroes Freedom Gal (based on Wonder Woman), Spore (based on Spawn), and Bunny-Bunny (base on Hello Kitty). Prof. Utonium is incredulous, and says "So you think if you get the gadgets, costumes, and attitude you'll be better heroes?! (....) Oh to be young and impressionable."
The girls spend a day creating new personas based on their favorite comics, then face a number of difficulties brought on by the limitations of these personas: because Blossom as Liberty Belle drives a vehicle she immediately gets stuck in a traffic jam caused by the monster attack she is trying to prevent, Bubbles as Harmony Bunny doesn't fare much better since she pogos everywhere, and Buttercup as Mange doesn't even make it out of the house because it's "too bright. Mange only travels at night."
When they do eventually arrive at the fight, it's the monster himself who brings them to their senses.
When they do eventually arrive at the fight, it's the monster himself who brings them to their senses.
"Better heroes, huh? (....) I've been coming here for three days causing all sorts of damage to your town, and what do I get? Two days of no-shows, and now this: a flag girl a girl who does rope tricks, some rabbit, and little miss darkness who's afraid of a little sun. (....) Sure you didn't have a thirst for vengeance, stickers with your face on them, or suped-up vehicles, because you didn't need them. Even if you take away the costumes, the props, and the angst, you're still have all the bravery and courage it takes to save the day."
Prof. Utonium has a similar message for the girls in Bubblevision (S3:E4) "What is important is that you always want to be at your best so you can fight that giant ant or whatever and save the day."
This is what being a superhero is all about. They may not have the dark grit of modern Batman films, or a flavor of ice cream named after them like Iron Man's "Stark Raving Hazelnuts" in Avengers: Infinity War, but they still try to save the world every day despite being "just little girls."
If she had the chance, Blossom would probably tell the Guardian the same thing she told Princess Morbucks: Being a Powerpuff girl isn't about getting your way, or having the best stuff, or being powerful or popular. It's about using your own unique abilities to help people, and the world we all live in. (S2:E1)
Bubbles and Buttercup on the other hand probably wouldn't be quite as nice.
Bubbles: "We didn't want to be part of your stupid club anyways."
Buttercup: "You're wearing your underwear on the outside."
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