Heroism and Sailor Moon
If you heard the lyrics to the NA dub and nothing else before delving into your first episode of Sailor Moon, you would be in for a rather huge surprise...
...and of course, Sailor Moon dies a few seconds later.
JUST KIDDING!
In actuality, the sound file cuts off just after a red rose stabs into the ground and Tuxedo Mask arrives to aid Sailor Moon, which in this case means telling her to look within to find the courage to beat the monster, which she does, with a bit more prodding from Luna.
Now, was Sailor Moon heroic in this instance?
If you answered "No", you are correct. Now, i can hear all of those die-hards out there: "Traitor! She's VERY heroic!" To which I point out that it gets worse: she cries her head off in the middle of this battle.
My point? Heroes are not simply cut out of cookie dough. For anyone to think that Sarena becomes a real hero simply because Luna mystically appeared and started throwing magical artifacts at her is not grounded in reality.
Real heroes, in real life, are made...and they are made over time, and with patience...and that is the real story behind Sailor Moon...the idea that Sarena goes from the fourteen-year old girl who dreams of being a hero "just like Sailor V", a girl who nearly gets herself killed in her first battle because she is too terrified to do anything except scream (above) to actually achieving her somewhat wistfully-made wish...she becomes a real hero. You doubt it? Hear for yourself:
(sound file removed)