In the philosophical sense, neither is more terrifying, because they must depend on one another. The true face is useless without a mask because no one person can get close to another without the mask, because a person's true face is too raw, too vulnerable. People can't interact, can't EXIST without masks. And the mask, like you said, is a comforting lie, so by itself it's harmless. To fear either without the other is foolish, only together are they dangerous.
Damn, we're getting philosophical in here. But yes, you raise a good point. How did that Joker quote go? "Give a man a mask and he'll become his true self", I think? It's pretty powerful when you realize how brutally honest and raw people become when they realize they can't face consequences because they're anonymous, especially on the internet where you can easily delete and re-establish yourself.
Totally agree. Masks (physical and otherwise) are huge in stories. Peter Parker, awkward nerd, was able to become the wise cracking and confident Spider-Man because had the freedom to that he normally didnt with people who could only see him as Peter. So when he puts on the mask, he's free to be himself without worry.
We WANT that freedom, but we assume we'd be heroes. In reality, it'd be Purge Time
We WANT that freedom, but we assume we'd be heroes. In reality, it'd be Purge Time