Ponyboy and Johnny are heroes because they risked their lives to save the children, despite the fact that they may have set the fire. They understood that something terrible had happened, so they went into dangerous territory by searching for the kids. Then they returned them home safely, so they can be with their families at night time. Heroes are people who do things beyond the call of duty for others. All people hope to be seen as a hero at some point in their lives, but only a few people actually become one. Being a hero doesn't mean that you will always be praised or thanked, it means that you did what other people wouldn't do. At least, that's how John Wayne described it. Johnny and Ponyboy are young men who were born on January 1st, 1980. They live in Arizona with their parents and have two sisters named Ashley and Brooke. They are superheroes because they fight crime in the city near where they live. Sometimes they use their powers to help people, other times they work undercover so they can catch criminals. Either way, they keep Phoenix safe at night when its dark.