"Why? Why did you do it?!"
"Do what, quit?"
"How could you!?!"
"How? How do you think? I sat down instead of standing up,
that’s how. That’s the definition, kid."
"But…"
"But what? You needed me? For what reason? The crisis was
averted. The world’s still spinning. Your problem is that I wasn’t
the one who kept it on its axis this time."
"But you’re…"
"Lemme guess, I’m your hero. I’ve been a lot of people’s
hero kid."
"Then how could you…?"
"Because I’m human! Because it’s not my job to
be your hero. It’s not anybody’s job. There are a lot of
things we don’t get in this world, kid. And one of them is a person
who’s perfect to look up to. I’m not most kids’ first hero.
They start with folks like Smoke and Blaze, the edgy ones. Then the
first footage they see of those idiots beating up people who have
long since been knocked out shatters that. So they move on to Prism,
or Paradox, or any of a hundred others. Then they’re let down
again, and eventually almost all of them make it to me. So far,
that’s worked out well for everyone. But clearly, your luck’s not
quite so grand. But as your hero, the least I can do is save you from
yourself. If you keep going this way, you’re gonna be one
of those people. The ones who cycle through heroes, constantly
finding new people to look up to. That’s a bullshit way to go
through life. And the end result of that is you sitting somewhere,
unhappy with your crap life, looking up to someone for inspiration
that you’ll never act upon anyway. Let me tell you something Let’s
say you save the world five times. Then on the sixth time, you don’t
do anything. If no one steps up to take your place, then you’ve
failed. My goal is to try and be more than human. And that challenge
is unwinnable. But there is a victory in inspiring someone else to
give it a try. I’m old now. I’m tired. And my world’s not quite
so big anymore. The faceless masses have been replaced by the faces
and voices of the people I love. I’m done kid. It’s your turn to
save the world.”
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