Hero or Villain

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Permalink Reply by saint.357 on October 6, 2013 at 2:11pm

When the Zombie Apocalypse happens, what will you be? Are you a Hero, an Outlaw, or a Bandit? Perhaps in order to survive, You must be all three…

I think everyone has images of doing a last stand to take down hordes of undead in order to save their friends and families. I think most of us also have images of daring standoffs with bandit groups and ambushing roving outlaws. We picture ourselves as omnipotent heroes, dashing in to save the day.

Those images can quickly dissipate, however, when posed with grey area scenarios and questions. If you are the shining white knight, would you be able to murder a father and husband in order to feed your own children? What if you haven’t been able to find supplies for a few days and your scout reports a survival group – fully stocked – making their way thru your territory. Would you ambush them? Would you become cruel to protect your own?

These very possible scenarios aren’t easily avoided or answered. Maybe you’re not the infallible quasi-god you thought you were. It’s okay, nobody is judging you.

In a post-apocalyptic world, you must discover the hero. You must be a beacon of hope that other survivors will flock around. The hero must emerge to remind people of all that is good in this world. The hero must be vigilant and act as a port in the storm for those who are lost. Finding it in your heart to save those you don’t fully trust is what will keep the light of mankind alive.

Discovering the Outlaw within you is important also. When the time calls, you must be swift and merciless in order to protect those that have bound themselves to the hero. Your victim may not deserve a quick demise in the long-run, but if this person – or people – threaten the good you are trying to build, measures must be taken. If the hero takes an injured man under its wing, only to find the man is a thief, he must be dealt with. The Outlaw must emerge, reinforcing that in-group deception will never be tolerated.

If scavenging and food procurement is not yielding results, the Hero must give way to the bandit. Other survivors may have things that you and yours need, but are unwilling to strike a deal. It is during this time that the Bandit must come forth and TAKE what is needed for the survival of your family and group members.

The Outlaw and Bandit are not pretty, but neither is survival. To be effective after the end, the survivor must tap into the Hero, Bandit, and Outlaw.

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Permalink Reply by Jessie W. Garrett III on October 6, 2013 at 4:18pm

   I know that when times call for it, I can pull out the mean old bastard, but hell, there's no line between being a hero or a villain. You will do what it takes to keep yourself and those under your care alive. Even if that means killing, stealing or just straight up invading someone's territory, camp or sanctuary...

   If you want a reference to what I mean by no line between hero or villain, look at the Walking Dead. Look at the shit in which Rick has had to face and what we would closely consider being a hero or villain is gone. The only thing we have to depend on in this type of scenario will be ourselves and those we trust. 

   Within The Walking Dead there is no line of black or white, good or evil, hero or villain, just survival. Though I know we all want to be the hero within the z-poc, we all know there'll be no hero's, there'll only be surviving...

   I know we all like to talk or even think that we'll be the hero in which the world will need, but there'll be no heroes. I know I want to be a hero, but after looking into the rules in which I created for my compound or camp and as i work to develop my skills for situations in which we all will face during this time, according to the terms or definitions of hero or villain, I'll be more of a combination of Rick and the Governor in the protection and the survival of my people. 

   I would love to be the hero, but I know those in my care will say I'm a hero, while others outside of my care will think I'm more of a villain. Because I will do anything it takes to survive...Just like we all will....

   So I agree with you Saint, we will all do what needs to be done. 

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