There are times when I question whether it's worth being a hero. Aside from the real aches and pains, there are moments - let's call them "crimes" because that's what they really are - when things happen to one of us that make you ask... why?

One such "crime" occurred recently. Not to me, but to one of the more valorous Super Groups in Paragon City. If you recall, I've been contemplating joining a group, since it's become apparent that the higher up the food chain I level, the more I get my butt handed to me. To avoid any further pain - both to the ego and the body, it makes a lot of sense to join a group of like-minded heroes, and know someone always has your back.

But it's not just the pain I want to avoid... in my brief team up with members of Hard Corps over in Steel Canyon, I got a chance to see the camaraderie these team-mates exhibited. I wanted to know more about them... and the bond they had. So I went to talk with their much-heralded leader, Cosmic Titan, to get some answers. Some of which were startling.

Like any large organization, super groups are not immune to internal strife. According to Cosmic, that's exactly what they went through a few weeks back. Unable to resolve their issues in-house, a few of the longer tenured officers broke away - taking a few members with them. This wasn't such a bad thing unto itself, but it was bad timing in that many of the Strike Teams were involved with covert ops against some serious foes - the Nemesis, Warriors, and the nefarious Arch Villain, Infernal.

If that weren't bad enough... Cosmic's Super Group, one of the largest in all of Paragon, had been planning a massive Costume Contest to be held in Steel Canyon near the Yellow Line. With the full cooperation of the Paragon Transit Authority of course. However, literally days before the event, a bombshell dropped on their doorstep - one that almost spelled doom for the entire organization. Instead of being defeated by a Herculean Arch Villain, for a few days Cosmic Titan and the rest of Hard Corps thought they were going to meet their demise at the hands of some scrawny, pencil necked lawyers in their bright, shiny suits. These legal eagles sitting high in their ivory towers issued a restraining order barring the team from using the name "Hard Corps." Reason? Copyright infringement of an early 90's team that operated in Valiant City called... "H.A.R.D. Corps." (...sigh...)

Upon further investigation by "the Super Group formerly known as Hard Corps," it was discovered that the lawyers were helped by some of Paragon's more insidious denizens called, "griefers" - people who exist for no other reason than to cause misery to others. The beautiful irony here is that those griefers who cower in the darkness will never understand... what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. So instead of dying and crumbling away into dust as was expected by the aforementioned pathetic scum, the 125+ members of "the SG formerly known as Hard Corps" banded together, choose a new name, and carried out their event like nothing ever happened. In fact, the event not only swelled the ranks of this mighty Super Group, but drew hundreds of contestants as well as rave reviews from all corners of Paragon, not the least of which was Icon's renowned designer - Serge.

And what is the new name of Cosmic Titan's heroic band of stalwart troops?

Let me just say that it's a most fitting and symbolic name... reminiscent of the legendary phoenix rising from the ashes to become bigger and better than ever before! These heroes - "the SG formerly known as Hard Corps" - who laughed in the face of those who attempted to kill them off, and did so in a style that we should all aspire to... are now called the Legion of Valor.

After learning all this, I knew there was no other choice. Inspired by this band of truly super heroes, my question had been resoundingly answered. Why be a hero? Because the world needs us. And as long as there are men and women like the Legionnaires of this valorous group willing to fight the brave fight... then I'll be standing there with them.

LONG LIVE THE LEGION!