01x12 - High Kickin' Izzy

[bunniefuu]

[man narrating]
At Marvel, our stories and our superheroes

are inspired by real-life heroes.

So, the editors of some of
our best-known comics

have come together
to work on a special project:

to find and tell the stories
of kids doing the extraordinary,

helping communities near and far,

and changing the world.

These are the kids who will inspire
our stories for years to come.

[woman] The doctors told me
she was not going to walk.

I'm the most proud of my black belt.

You can't do everything,
but you have to try and never give up.

[narrator] Izzy is already a hero.

Now, we bring her story to the world

with the surprise of a lifetime:

making her into a Marvel superhero,

immortalized in her very own comic,

as a member of Marvel's Hero Project.

They're everyday kids...

who have accomplished the amazing.

Now, their true stories...

will reveal the heroes that live among us.

This is Marvel's Hero Project.

[electrical crackling]

So, I've always been drawn to those heroes

who, uh, have a challenge in life
that they have to overcome.

We've got a girl, Izzy.

I'm excited to bring her
into the Marvel Hero Project.

Not only was she a world champion
at tae kwon do,

she was a four-time world champion
at tae kwon do.

-[woman] Whoo!
-She's amazing.

All the while,
she's got this arthrogryposis,

which is a condition that's sort of
tightening her joints,

making it hard to move.

She has to keep moving
so her joints don't keep constricting.

And she's won, you know,

these championships
while dealing with all of this.

She's an amazing hero.

I sort of see her as Dr. Strange.

You know, Stephen Strange was a surgeon,

and he lost the use of his hands.

The ability to do delicate surgery
was no longer something he could do.

But yet he studied the mystic arts,

and he worked at it and he failed,
and he worked at it and he failed,

until he ended up coming out of the
other side of this as a Sorcerer Supreme.

-Mm-hmm.
-And to me, Izzy is someone

who has taken some of the things
that she's not able to do physically,

uh, and just repeatedly makes magic
out of this stuff.

She's, like, "I have to do this, I have to
be physical to keep my disease at bay,"

basically, but she's like not-- but not,

"I'm not gonna stop there.
I'm gonna teach these other kids."

She just seems like such a tough, strong,

perseverant, like, young person.

It-It is that, sort of, that bounciness,
that sweetness is such a--

is such a Squirrel Girl personality,
and I realize, I'm like,

"Oh, my God, she's unbeatable
just like Squirrel Girl is, right?"

Let's face it,

metaphorically,
and really quite literally,

Izzy kicks butt.

[chuckling]

[bell jingles]

[woman] The doctors told me
she was not going to walk.

She wore braces.

She slept in 'em, she ate, she breathed,
she went to school in 'em.

But Isabelle is an amazing kid.

Once you understand her personality...

you realize this kid
will figure out a way.

Aiyah!

[Izzy]
People think I'm fragile, but I'm not.

Ai-Aiyah! Ai-Aiyah!

I'm kind of, like, fearless.

[Tania] There has been nothing that
she has not been able to accomplish.

[Izzy]
People do not think I can do anything.

I just wanna show everyone that I can.

Aiyah!

Let's pray.

Dear God,
thank you for this wonderful day.

Isabelle, when she was born,
they wouldn't even let me see her.

Amen. Let's eat.

[Tania] Yay!

Her feet were twisted under and up

and into her body, essentially.

Immediately,
the doctors were called to cast her.

We found out she had arthrogryposis.

Arthrogryposis is
when my joints are tight,

and I can't function them
as you or anyone else can.

[Tania] It's a flower.

-Okay. Yeah.
-Did you see the-- Okay.

[man] We were scared. I was nervous.

Just wondering
if she was gonna be able to walk.

[girl] No, it's not.

She had casts all the way up her thighs

and that girl still figured out
a way to get around.

She was determined
even when she was a baby.

Yay.

[Tania] You know the struggles.
Two therapies a week.

Eventually, we were on a 24-hour braces.

I would strap this.

So, then I would have to put it through...

and then it would straighten out my feet
every time I would wear it.

Wake up.

People,
they were not that nice about my feet.

They just called me "robot legs."

I would get really sad.

I didn't know what to say.

[alarm beeping]

[beeping stops]

It's important to work hard
because if I don't,

then my hands will start curling
or my feet will start curling.

The really bad thing about having
arthrogryposis is that you can regress.

She needs to live an active lifestyle,

or she'll start getting tighter
and tighter and tighter.

This is her life.

Unfortunately,
this is how she has to live her life.

-[therapist] Are you excited for today?
-Yes.

I've got some great stuff planned.

[Tania] She started physical therapy
when she was a little under a year old.

At first, it's just, are you able
to bathe and brush your teeth?

And then it progresses.

If you need help, just let me know.

We looked at her and said, "Okay, what
does she need to do to be independent?"

We worked on learning how to get dressed,

learning how to write.

We try to use different activities
to work on her hand-strengthening skills.

[Tania] Miss Susan and her
worked on how to open lockers.

We worked for a year
on just how she needs to twist her arm

so that she could go back and forth
and make the bell on time.

Izzy met Avery
when they were one years old.

They did therapy every day, every week,
at the same time.

Izzy was a big supporter,
and I was a supporter of her.

And she and me did a lot of things,
um, together

and through some tough times.

[Susan] Why do you think it was fun
to have Avery here?

Because I got someone that was, like,
my age to talk to.

You could help her,
and if she could do something...

-She could help me.
-Mm-hmm.

Having that bond where, you know,
okay, here's my friend.

And my friend is also
going through this right now,

and just being able to be yourself
and not have to hide the disability.

[Susan]
There's not a "I can't," or "I won't."

It's "how do we adapt?"

And you've learned that all your life.

She just puts her head down and says,
"I'm gonna figure it out."

And she keeps trying.

That determination and drive is--
that she has is just amazing.

[Izzy] Emma, can you do my hair?

Yes.

How high do you want your ponytail?

-Really high.
-Really high?

Yeah.

Do you remember when you first started
doing tae kwon do?

I remember when you started.

We were in that little room
and you were kicking that paper.

And I wanted to do that.

[students grunting]

Okay, we're gonna do the pull.
And then what? Hook.

The first time I met Izzy

was when she was just sitting on
the sidelines watching Emma take class.

[Gena] Just a second.

[Izzy]
I would always take a peek and I was like,

"I wanna do that.
That sounds so much fun."

Miss Prazer pulled me aside and said,
you know, "Let's have Izzy do it too."

I was like, "Do you really want to
take this challenge on?" You know?

[Gena] She was super tiny.

She was tiny, but she was mighty.

[Darin] She could barely stand on one leg,

and she couldn't even kick, really,
above her knee.

Takes somebody that's got courage in them
to really step out on the mat like that

and not feel like
everybody's looking at them

and they're doing something different.

I was, personally, concerned that
she wasn't gonna have enough balance

to stand up and do a kick.

[Gena] Isabelle has learned,
"If I really work at a technique,

hundreds and hundreds
of times practicing,"

that she can do anything physically
if she really puts her mind to it.

-[Darin] Three!
-Aiyah!

[Tania] You could see, gradually,
she started to have endurance,

started to have strength in her hands,
strength in her feet.

[Izzy] It took about a year
until I got my black belt.

I think that's when it kinda hit her
that she had accomplished something.

[Gena speaking Korean]

ATA.

[Gena] She's had a couple ups and downs...

Two hands.

...but she hasn't given up.

Her inspiration
comes through her failures.

[Gena] Begin.

She doesn't run off the mat
and she doesn't say,

"I'm not going to do this move again."

She says, "All right, let's keep going."

[Tania]
They do not show her special privileges.

She went in
for her second degree black belt

and did not pass.

I've seen kids go in there
and just one belt, they fail.

And they do not come back.

[Gena speaking Korean]

[Tania]
Izzy was not going to let that happen.

[Izzy]
When people say I can't do something,

I try to prove them wrong.

She said, "I'm just going to practice
and I'm gonna get it."

And she went in and she rocked it.

-Aiyah!
-That was a good one.

[Tania]
This was not something that came easy.

Ai-Aiyah!

It has all been hard work.

-Ai-Aiyah!
-Yeah. There we go.

When you got your black belt, you said,
"I'll make a new goal: second degree.

New goal: third degree.
New goal: state champion.

New goal: world champion."

[Tania] She really started to take it
very seriously.

She wanted to start competing.

[announcer] Miss Isabelle Green.

[applause]

Only two people in my studio
have won world championships.

So, I wanted to be another one.

[Tania] There was weeks of preparation

and working after school
and between classes and private lessons,

-and practice, practice, practice.
-Aiyah!

She put in a lot of work.

[Gena] We say that "you don't wear
a black belt, you become a black belt."

And she is a black belt at heart.

-Jumping jacks! Go!
-[students] Yeah!

[Tania] She has now started
taking on leadership roles.

-[yells]
-There's the power.

She realizes she can impact others,
because she's like,

"If I can overcome this,
surely you can overcome this."

[yells]

[Tania] She wants to encourage others
to take that step.

-Good.
-One.

Some of the kids, when I teach them form,

it makes me feel bad, because
they just put their hands like I do.

Two round kicks.

Yes.

She's a fantastic person.
She perseveres, and she's come over a lot.

Elbow.

[Melissa]
She works so well with the little kids.

Three. Last move.

Yes, you know it.

She has a lot of grit and determination.

And I think she's been really brave
to be able to do it.

[Izzy]
Gonna put your attendance stripe on.

I remember this.
They were signed by all the masters.

-These are my favorite ones.
-Mm-hmm.

[Gena] As good as she is now,
it didn't happen overnight.

She put the work in.

[Emma] You have a lot of medals.
What if this thing breaks?

[laughs]

[announcer] Miss Isabelle Green.

[applause, cheers]

[Darren] The world championship,
it was just unreal.

You had people from everywhere.

[Tania] I just remember sitting there
thinking to myself,

"Wow, this is amazing."

I cried, I admit I did.

She knows she's different.

And that child did not let that stop her.

She put in all the work.

[cheers]

I was so proud of her.

[chuckles] I won all four gold medals.

Four-time world champion,
Miss Isabelle Green, give her a hand!

Whoo!

I'm the only girl and only student

who's won world championships
with my studio.

She was like my little glass baby,

and now I realize how tough she is,

and how wrong I have been
in so many things.

And that's such a good thing.

To have someone super close to me
be a third degree black belt,

I look up to her to see what it takes.

Izzy's really special in the way
that she can inspire anyone.

She really makes us want to be better.

-You got your colors?
-They're like birds.

-I am no longer--
-Sorry. Here.

[Izzy] I'm the most proud
of getting to this point.

I do feel in control of my life
and where I'm going.

I'm very strong and I can do anything.

[drumming]

[Yasmine] She has so much discipline.

She works every day.

I just don't know how she does it.

[Izzy] If I don't show up,

then my hands will start curling
or my feet will start curling again.

She is fine.

And I don't need to worry about her
because she's amazing.

[Izzy]
I wanna teach people no one's perfect

and you can't do everything.

But you have to try at least

and never give up.

[chattering]

We wanted to make sure
we showcased Izzy's story

as best as we possibly could.

My God, she has such incredible powers
and she has worked really hard at it.

And just showing, like,

just the beginning
of her training montage, if you will.

Every superhero has one.

Every superhero has one.

Beginning from her physical therapy,
getting ready in the morning,

to her, like,
actually with her other classmates.

Um, and eventually trying to showcase that
it's not just about her own training,

it's about other people's training
as well.

She's really become a mentor.

So, is she using the bo to focus--
the bo staff to focus her power?

Oh, absolutely.

I love this because it is
sort of an extension of herself.

-And it's a superpower as well.
-Right.

What I love about comics is that

it's the one place where it's okay
to judge a book by its cover.

[Sana laughs]

Seeing her in action,
showing the power coming out of her staff.

If this were on the newsstand
or on sale somewhere,

you'd have to buy the first issue.

[Sana]
Yeah. It's just such a powerful image.

I feel it showcases how much energy
she's projecting out into the world.

We wanted to make sure
that we got every element of it right.

Making sure that her hands, her feet,

just the way she positions her body
was as accurate as possible.

And, at the same time, showcases just,
like, the sheer strength that she has.

I just love that she's literally
leaping off the page here.

Yeah. Yeah, I think she's gonna love it.

I can't wait to give it to her.

We're gonna give it to her
at the end of the triathlon she's doing.

But this is at an extra special one.

-Yes, because Avery...
-Avery...

...is going to be at the finish line,

and she's got a couple of other surprises
in store for her as well,

so hopefully she's really gonna love it.

That's cool.
It's gonna be a great day for a great kid.

[chattering]

-[whistle blows]
-[man] Go!

[cheering]

Whoo-whoo!

[spectator] Go, Izzy, go!

[girl] Go, Izzy!

[announcer] Great Job!

-Izzy!
-Avery!

-You did awesome.
-Thank you.

[Izzy] Wait, where are we going?

[cheering]

[giggles]

All right, come have a seat right here.

All right. There's one more thing, Izzy.

There's a letter here
that I've been asked to read to you.

"Dear Izzy, you've shown once and again

that no obstacle can keep you
from reaching your goals.

Surrounded by the people that you love,
and who love you,

that came to cheer you on,

you've got a surprise from Marvel."

[gasps]

"When people see you, they may, at first,
see someone who's different.

But the difference is

in the choice you make every day
to share your power as a gift,

and your spirit with others.

You represent everything
a Marvel superhero stands for.

There's a box here.

Open it up."

[Izzy] Wow.

-Okay, wait, wait, wait, wait.
-Okay.

All right. [laughing]

"You'll see here you've been selected
to join a very special team of kids,

the next generation of heroes

who continue to astonish us
with the ways they are changing the world.

Welcome to the Marvel Hero Project."

[cheering]

"Try on the jacket."

Okay.

Oh, my gosh.

"This jacket is the symbol
of your new role

as an official member of the team.

And in admiration of all you do,

we're making a donation in your honor

to an organization that supports kids
with different abilities

in the amount of $10,000."

[cheering]

"That's not all!

Those of us in the mighty Marvel bullpen

have created the one and only
High-Kickin' Izzy."

-"Your very own comic book...
-What?

...starring a real-life superhero."

Oh, my God.

[gasps]

[applause]

Oh, my God. This is--

"Izzy, like Spider-Man,

your power and perseverance
inspires us all.

We are so proud to have you join
the Marvel Hero Project.

Your friends at Marvel."

[applause]

Go, Izzy!

This is so cool.

I'm feeling so happy.

When I pulled out my comic,
I saw a picture of me.

I want to sit right next to you,

because you're the best superhero around.

Is that your uniform?

-Yeah. And then that's a--
-Teddy bear.

That's a karate teddy bear.
That's so cool.

It's a once in a lifetime thing
to be immortalized in a comic.

You just don't see that too often.

They just did such a wonderful job.

I especially love the cover.

All the details and her actual legs
and hands and feet.

It was like spot on, honestly.

You look so beautiful in it.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

This is my favorite part
because I'm giving my superpower

and I'm using it to help him.

My comic means so much to me.

I absolutely love everything about it.