Self Sacrifice

Life is such a delicate and precious thing, it's to be cherished. I have always known this but recent events have made me appreciate this all the more. Just over a week ago the world lost some of it's light. Heroes fell doing what we do; the right thing.

A year ago Alpha's GRU for Venezuela was a small group, we were far outnumbered by the Omega operatives that were there but we did what we could, we banded together. We were a dysfunctional little family out there to do good and hopefully save lives.


Last week two of that small group died and another was arrested. Three out of that group that initial group of sixteen or so people. It hit us all hard and we all dealt with it in different ways. Some of us are still trying to process it.


Marshall and I didn't always see eye to eye on his methods and there was a lot of speculation over him and whether he would use poisons prior to his death. But at the very end he was a hero. He was asked to kill a member of Omega who is working on a project that could make a distinct positive change in the world. He refused knowing that it would put a target on his head. He made a choice, the choice any hero would make. He put his life on the line to protect the innocent and safeguard a better future.


Newton was a staunch defender of those he cared about and kept us all safe, especially in the early days of the GRU. But by putting himself on the front line he knew the risks he took, he was often badly injured but he kept stepping up to the front lines, to keep us safe.


Self Sacrifice. It is a common trait in heroes, those of us that do this to do the right thing, that see this as more than a just a job. We know we put ourselves at risk and that if the time came we may be called upon to make a hard decision with no warning.


I would have given up my life for Hope's if they opportunity had presented itself, she deserved a better future and that she got so many people from different ideological outlooks all working together to help her showed what an inspiring presence she was. The world needs more people like her. I would have done all I could for that extraordinary young woman.


Does this make me suicidal? Does it make all heroes at their core a little suicidal? I don't think so. Just because we accept that our lifestyle may end in injury or death doesn't mean we covet or even want it. Truthfully I do think of a future with a family one day.. though I have postponed that idea a lot given the nature of my work. If things go well then I will continue to protect people and live my own life to its fullest.. but even if my life is cut short I will be glad that it was while helping and protecting others so they could go on living and loving.


Hope and I were similar in a great many ways. In her final moments she chose to give up her life to save everyone from the potential catastrophe of her amazing powers. She was so strong and while she had her dreams for the future she was a hero through and through and she will always live on through us.


Every hero who falls lingers in the lives of those that loved them, fought alongside them and even in the lives they saved.


This is the choice we make, freely. Because the world needs heroes.

Hope

I had to start with Hope. This is going to be very hard for me, I'm not sure if this will be a singular blog post or the start of a few.. I'll be writing from the heart and doing little editing so we'll see how it goes I guess.


"I love your blog!"


These were the first words I heard Hope say when I met her in person at the launch of Project Genesis. She'd already expressed her admiration on twitter before the event and I was quick to greet her with a hug, she looked so nervous!


Not many people know this but I respond in some way to every piece of fan mail I receive personally, I always have. It's getting close to becoming a job in it's own right now and people tell me I should stop but I'll keep doing it as long as I can. I mention this because before 'Hope' was public knowledge there was one young woman I'd receive letters from who'd share with me her dreams for the future, her wish to be a hero like me who brought light into the world. She even told me how she'd love to meet me one day. Her letters genuinely touched me and made me want to be a better hero for people like her.


That young woman got to be everything she wanted to be, and so much more. Hope did her all to idealise the concept she'd been named after and touched a great many lives in a short amount of time. The world is a darker place without her, so many strong heroes have been sideblinded by grief and disbelief at the news of what happened in Switzerland.


But we can't give into that grief, she wouldn't want that. She'd understand our need to mourn, that some of us need time but she wouldn't want us to give up on what makes us heroes. What happened to her was so unfair in so many ways and I often find myself questioning why her.. I even told her in her final moments how scared members of my faction were that I would give up my life for hers and that it showed how well they know me, because in that moment, I would have.


But the magic failed to heal her, the timing of her condition, the inability to get her to a medical bay.. so many factors played against us and I know I'm not the only one letting blame weigh on their shoulders. But I keep putting on a smile. I keep on being the hero she told me she aspired to be.. and I will aspire to be the hero she was until the very end.

I will post again later on her final moments, it doesn't feel right putting that in this post, I think this message should stand on it's own x