Throughout Watchmen we see many details that reveal the sordid past of Sally Jupiter. Sally Juspeczyk (or Jupiter as she prefers to be known,) is the real identity of the original Silk Spectre, female character in the comic Watchmen. A beautiful and sensuous superhero, she uses her physical strength and sex appeal to fight crime in the streets of New York. As a member of the 1940’s era crime fighting team The Minutemen, The Silk Spectre represents vanity and the very essence of Nostalgia.
The formation of the Minutemen takes place in 1939. With the goal in mind of forming a unified front against crime, Captain Metropolis a crime fighting hero writes to Sally Jupiter’s modeling agent Laurence Schexnayder. Together they see the potential of…show more content… With the help of Silk Spectre’s agent the Minutemen are able to propel themselves to the newspaper’s front pages. They become recognizable figures of justice and Silk Spectre uses this new found fame to capitalize on her beauty. Silk Spectre poses for modeling photos and is seen as the first super hero to commercialize on her image. She thrives on the attention she receives as a beautiful superhero and wishes to remain in the spotlight.. Silk Spectre becomes such a renowned sex symbol, the villains themselves don’t mind being caught by the beauty. The unwanted attention doesn't stop there. As later detailed in Nite Owl’s (Hollis Mason) book Under the Hood, she is nearly sexually assaulted by The Comedian in the Minutemen’s trophy room. During the attack The Comedian, is insistent that he is merely acting on her own provocation. After putting up a fight, she is unable to overpower her attacker, and is struck in the face and lower torso. Just as it seems like The Comedian is about to have his way with her, Hooded Justice bursts in and begins to pummel The Comedian. Hooded Justice finally stops his unleashing his fury on The Comedian, he helps Silk Spectre to her feet. Hooded Justice treats Silk Spectre with the same cold demeanor he exhibited The Comedian, as if she is to blame for her near rape. In an unsympathetic and dark voice Hooded Justice tells Silk…show more content… Silk Spectre’s looks and youth were not eternal and there is nothing left of her vanity and glory days except the memories of her times as a masked hero. Yet anytime she is seen in her retirement years she is having her nails done or looking at the framed picture of the Minutemen. She confides in Nite Owl about trying on her old costume just to see if it still fit. There are vitamins all around her, along with various beauty products and all the framed pictures on the wall are of her younger days. The bottle of Nostalgia in the background represents the symbolism that vanity turned into nostalgia. Her essence that was so divine is gone and all that is left is the “Nostalgia” of long
