Thinking about Heroes

What makes somebody a hero? Is it cunning, valiance, or an extreme will to get absolutely anything done? At the root of it all, it's a combination of those attributes and more. So, who do I see as genuinely heroic? One person who I definitely see as a hero comes from the 2004 TV series "Lost." On the surface, "Lost" is about a group of people who's plane crashes on an island in the middle of nowhere. If you go a bit deeper, however, "Lost" is all about relationships, in every sense of the word. Eventually, it becomes about the battle between what we perceive as good and evil. One of the main "heroes" in this adventure is Benjamin Linus. When we first meet Benjamin Linus, he seems like a person of no consequence in any way, he simply exists. But as we get to know him, he shows a more vile, sinister side of his personality. Ben is willing to do whatever it takes, from having friends and family killed, to misleading his crew for selfish reasons. Ben, above all, has the power of immense persuasion. If Ben tells you to do something, you best believe you're going to do it, because you won't want to find out what happens if you don't. For a while, Ben only used his "power" for cruelty, but he never saw it that way. Ben always believed that he was doing what was best for the island and the people on it, even if a few of them didn't make it along the way. However, as Ben gets to know the rest of the survivors, he begins to open up and he realizes that his persuasion tactics can be used for better purposes and with less loss of life. (Spoilers ahead.) Ben eventually makes a complete 180 and becomes someone that you want to root for because he's so charming, yet so obviously insane. In the end, it becomes evident that he is now willing to make personal sacrifices, instead of only letting others be the sacrifice. This is why I believe that Ben Linus is a hero. He is able to channel his selfish tendencies into something truly good and help save the other survivors. In my opinion, anybody who can make such a great turnaround is truly worthy of being called a hero.

Benjamin Linus