I'm Quitting Heroing

Episode 10

This is an interesting episode for a variety of reasons. I find myself liking the structure of the idea and the sort of meta-commentary it presents, but struggling to square it with my understanding of Leo as an individual.

In a structural sense I see what the series is going for in this instance and I like it. This idea of an immortal hero built for war, forever succeeding and forever unrewarded, leading to a life of infinite length and constant disappointment resulting in disillusionment - I vibe with it. It's a not-uncommon theme in scifi and fantasy works to have immortal beings question the nature of their existence, and I think the particular expression here is well done. I like Leo's reasoning in a broader sense for his character.

The problem I have is that it is hard to mesh my understanding of Leo in this heel turn with the Leo of prior episodes. Where is the young man who was giving personal advice to friends? Where is the hero who was helping others bond and make strong connections? It feels like this is a conclusion that was crafted for another hero in another story. “Wouldn't it be wild if the immortal hero gave up on heroing and turned evil then forced the villains to fight him?” is a great hook, but after all these episodes showing Leo's deep and ongoing empathy and capacity for helping others it feels… hollow, somehow. Like this is the moral lesson that another hero in another story should learn, but not Leo. It is, in my opinion, a rare misstep from a series that has been surprisingly good all season.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

I'm Quitting Heroing is currently streaming on HIDIVE.