With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

With great power comes great responsibility is advice that Stan Lee's Spiderman is provided with from his uncle Ben.  When Peter Parker first discovers his extraordinary abilities and powers, he becomes consumed by his power and uses it for personal gain rather than for the good of society.  His power-trip leads to a sequence of events that takes the life of his uncle and father figure Ben.

Hashim discovers a vial as a result of a "stroke of great good fortune (p. 43)."  Unfortunately the same feeling of power that consumed Peter Parker seemingly distorts Hashim's perception of right and wrong.  While he realizes his duty as a citizen is to bring the vial back to it's shrine, his obsession of collecting relics leaves his loved ones in grave danger.  Much like Parker, Hashim ignores rationality and responsibility in favor of the advantages of newfound power.  Hashim uncharacteristically lashes out at his loved ones and finds a way to deteriorate his relationship with each family member.

The power that is newly bestowed upon Hashim is too much for one man to handle solely.  Equanimity and peace are attainable when the hair is restored to it's shrine, however the notion of complete control and extraordinary power can drive one to pure lunacy.  Such is the case with Hashim when he "breaches the family's unwritten laws (p. 47)" causing alarm to Atta and Huma.  Unfortunately for his family, Hashima underwent an instant transformation following his acquisition of his relic that causes his family's demise.  Atta and Huma formulate a plot to "steal" the vial from their father in order to restore everything to the way it had been in the past.  The negative energy that is emitted from the relic, and those who possess it, had already cursed the household and when the Sheikh was in the process of stealing the relic, Atta came out of his coma screaming "Thief" repeatedly.  It is at this point that Hashim is overwhelmed with rage and without inquiring about the details of his son's ramblings he unsheaths his sword, yet another relic in his possession.  Hashim's power-trip causes him to think irrationally and as a result he strikes down his daughter.  Like Peter Parker, Hashim feels responsible for the death of his loved one. 

Unlike Parker, Hashim chooses to take the easy way out and kill himself rather than learning from his experience and growing as a person.  Hashim could not handle the amount of power that he received and as a result it ultimately drove him to his death.  Parker came to the realization that the mass amount of power he possessed should be used for the greater good of civilization while Hashim became obsessed with what the power he possessed could do for himself.   It is this difference that seperates heroes such as Peter Parker from villians such as Hashim.