The Hero that is Danger Barch

If you have ever seen the Clint Eastwood film Million Dollar Baby then you probably know all about the main character and how she has her boxing career ended on horrible terms. What was frustrating from that whole ordeal is that she seemingly gave up on life. But this wasn't the case with a person who played a part in the subplot and seemingly was the opposite of Maggie. Here today I want to talk about Danger Barch and how his character displayed something positive that should've been taken from the movie.

For those that don't remember Danger Barch was the skinny awkward looking young man at the gym with aspirations to be the next Welterweight champion of the world. We are given hints that he may have some slight mental retardation but if nothing else he lacked in the mental aspect of life. The few glimpses of how he got to the gym indicate that his own family left him with nowhere else to go and he turned to boxing as an escape from the misery of life. With nothing else to motivate him the dream of becoming a boxing champion gave Danger Barch something to live for and keep on with his life.

The connection in the movie between Morgan Freeman's character Scrap and Danger Barch is one that lends a guardian type role. Even though he doesn't pay his dues Scrap allows Danger to keep coming to the gym because inside he knows it's all he has in his life. That probably isn't the right thing to do as a business owner but in this case it's the right thing to do as a person. Early in the movie we also see Scrap prevent a fight between Danger Barch and Shawrelle because he knows not only the physical but spiritual damage it will do to the young man.

There is foreshadowing that something will happen at some point to test the young man and it finally happens as Scrap is called away to the bathroom to fix a water issue. While he is away Shawrelle lures Danger Barch into the ring for an exhibition in which he proceeds to beat up the inferior fighter. When Scrap returns back to the gym he is greeted with the sight of Danger Barch against the ropes in a bloody mess and Shawrelle smiling in amusement.

Scrap steps into the ring and breaks up the fight before turning his attention to Danger Barch whom is now slumped over on the canvas covered in his own blood. The young man starts speaking about how he should've known he wasn't ready and Scrap tells him "Anybody can lose one fight, anybody can lose once, you'll come back from this you'll be champion of the world." With that comment stated he turns his attention to Shawrelle who makes the comment about beating up a retard and a old man in the same day. Scrap knocks the antagonist out and tells the punk to get a job. He turns to see that Danger Barch has left the gym for the obvious reason that his pride and dream had been crushed probably just as much if not more than his face.

The difference between Maggie and Danger Barch though is that at the end of the movie the young man returns to the gym and tells Scrap "Anyone can lose one fight." before going right back into his training. If Shawrelle had the same determination and heart of Danger Barch he would've had a legit boxing career but he was a mental midget. Danger Barch was damaged physically and beat down inside those ropes but his heart was stronger and allowed him to continue towards his goal. The fact that his goal was impossible is irrelevant because the mere action of staying the course makes the character a champion in my eyes.