You Either Die A Hero, Or Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become The Villain.
Coined in the movie "
The Dark Knight Rises" by
Harvey Dent, A.k.a. Two-Face.
It is the philisophical summary that, no matter what good you intend to do, as long as you live and continue, you will bring about just as much evil as good, if not more through accident or intent. Death becomes a saving grace, providing
vindication for their actions and preventing a worsening of certain outcomes through inactivity.
Examples include:
Falling to the same corrupton you sought to eliminate. ( Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, Lois Griffin from Family Guy)
Prolonged exposure to evil, despite good intentions. (Frodo from Lord of the Rings,
Ice King from Adventure Time)
Narrow minded destruction in belief of a greater goal. (
Harvey Dent from "
The Dark Knight Rises")
You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.