[Within his world, within his timeline, the Time Masters no longer exist. The Vanishing Point has been destroyed, the organization utterly obliterated. If they can ever manage to pull themselves back together, it would take years.
Yet their purpose hasn't died with them--nor has their philosophy. Rip Hunter may have come to despise the choices the Time Masters made, but he remains one of them regardless. The calling to protect history at any cost has been ingrained within him, and so too does the philosophy that calls upon him to make difficult choices; impossible ones.
To leave a town to burn, its people to die, because to save them would rewrite time. To abandon refugees, children, leave them to their doom because saving them could alter history in the worst way. To sacrifice a member of his own team for the sake of preventing the evils of the world to learn of his powers, and gain them for their own nefarious purposes.
To have the means to be a hero, to feel that calling, and turn his back on it: this is the choice Rip Hunter has made again, and again, and again.
He's returning from the kitchen, satchel heavy at his side with the supplies he's gathered to distribute among those in his circle, and of course himself. Between his own efforts and Mr. Snart's they might indeed have enough to last. He's tired after too many trips, his plan to return to an unoccupied room, hold off sleep long enough to set every alarm his phone has available, and then nap until he has the strength to start again.
It's all quite simple, really. He's got it worked out nicely in his mind.
And then he sees the body of a child, suspended in the middle of the hall. It's no surprise that people would die under these circumstances. They've been left lacking everything they need, food and water and air itself. It stands to reason that this poor youth has simply succumbed.
He should pass them by; logic dictates as much. Rip can only hold his breath for so long, and he has precious supplies at that. If the child is dead, it can't be helped.
No matter how young they are. How innocent.
He should simply swim by.
Daddy, can you teach me to swim before you leave again?
no subject
Yet their purpose hasn't died with them--nor has their philosophy. Rip Hunter may have come to despise the choices the Time Masters made, but he remains one of them regardless. The calling to protect history at any cost has been ingrained within him, and so too does the philosophy that calls upon him to make difficult choices; impossible ones.
To leave a town to burn, its people to die, because to save them would rewrite time. To abandon refugees, children, leave them to their doom because saving them could alter history in the worst way. To sacrifice a member of his own team for the sake of preventing the evils of the world to learn of his powers, and gain them for their own nefarious purposes.
To have the means to be a hero, to feel that calling, and turn his back on it: this is the choice Rip Hunter has made again, and again, and again.
He's returning from the kitchen, satchel heavy at his side with the supplies he's gathered to distribute among those in his circle, and of course himself. Between his own efforts and Mr. Snart's they might indeed have enough to last. He's tired after too many trips, his plan to return to an unoccupied room, hold off sleep long enough to set every alarm his phone has available, and then nap until he has the strength to start again.
It's all quite simple, really. He's got it worked out nicely in his mind.
And then he sees the body of a child, suspended in the middle of the hall. It's no surprise that people would die under these circumstances. They've been left lacking everything they need, food and water and air itself. It stands to reason that this poor youth has simply succumbed.
He should pass them by; logic dictates as much. Rip can only hold his breath for so long, and he has precious supplies at that. If the child is dead, it can't be helped.
No matter how young they are. How innocent.
He should simply swim by.
Daddy, can you teach me to swim before you leave again?
He doesn't.]