There have been several ideas and principles that I’ve picked up from media—usually video games or anime—that have permeated my brain and become core beliefs and permanent parts of my personality. Over the course of this year of entries, I want to make sure that I touch upon what those ideals are and what they mean to me. Because while some people can write these off as being merely elements of stories and fictional concepts, they’re as real and important to me as anything others might glean from their chosen religions or philosophies.

And the first one of these that I want to look at comes from an anime that I don’t especially love, but that had an impact on me nonetheless: Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Taking place in three time periods over about half a century, Gundam AGE follows the exploits of three generations of a mobile suit pilot’s family over the course of an interplanetary war.

The young hero of the first act of the series is Flit Asuno, a boy who hears a story about a Gundam referred to as “the hero who saves everyone” (which I believe has been translated into “a savior” officially, but I like the translation I heard first infinitely more).

Optimistic and idealistic, Flit wants to emulate the legendary hero and become a savior himself that protects everyone—until experiencing violent loss and learning about the evils of humanity jades him into a cynical military commander, willing to sacrifice the innocent to achieve an end to the war and the utter destruction of his enemies.

Flit’s descent into obsession and hatred dominates his life and the majority of the series (and is a lesson in its own right), but he eventually does navigate his way through his own bitterness, finding a way to become a true savior that saves both sides in the interplanetary war and unites mankind.

This type of fallen savior character is seen throughout popular media, perhaps most notably through the character of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars. Anakin believes he is fated as the Chosen One to destroy the Sith, end the Clone Wars and bring peace and balance to the Force.

Ultimately, Anakin is driven to evil by grief and loss, as the fear of even one more person dear to him dying is more than he can handle. Anakin eventually finds redemption, but like Flit, it’s only after decades of anger, hate and unquantifiable violence. Even the most kind and benevolent of intentions can lead to traveling down a dark path (okay, yes, and also a Dark Side) if one becomes lost in grief, fear and obsession.

On the flip side, we find characters such as Emma in The Promised Neverland and Uzumaki Naruto in Naruto, characters who also experience loss and hardship, but learn to look beyond themselves and aim to save everyone on every side without faltering. These serve as a good reminder that the same goals don’t necessarily have to lead to the same end–that circumstance, individual choice and personal integrity influence an outcome as well.

There are plenty of other examples of this character archetype that I could draw upon from pop culture, but for my purposes, these are enough of an illustration of a concept that I have absorbed and fully bought into: The Hero That Saves Everyone.

Whether it’s some wild rabbits living in our neighborhood, a friend I’m worried is suffering silently or a random person I know on the Internet that I fear is being consumed by sadness or hatred, I have an overwhelming urge to meddle (unasked for) and try to “save” others.

Sometimes this resolve bewilders other people; sometimes it makes me become fixated and frustrated; sometimes this compulsion makes other humans really angry with me. But no matter how much I try to, it’s an ideal that I just can’t seem to get past.

And that brings us to the title of this blog, which happens to be what I consider to be the best idea of my life…