When a Game Master, Referee, or World Player devises opponents for a hero, those opponents are usually armed with cruel intentions, terrible weapons, and a desire to do unspeakable harm to the hero. But what about an opponent armed with good intentions, warm feelings, and a desire to see the hero safe and happy?

       What caused the unpleasant turns of fortune that marred the otherwise noble and virtuous careers of men as great as Hercules and Jason?
       Women.
       Whereas Perseus enjoyed the grace and strength of his mother Danaë and his wife Andromeda, the Great Heroes suffered because of the involvement of women in their lives. Though some of these women were actually extremely helpful to the heroes during their adventures, each lady was unquestionably the catalyst or cause of each respective man’s downfall. It could easily be argued that if the heroes had not become involved with any women at all then they might always have known glory. However, that argument is an oversimplification of all of these myths. Without the assistance of a woman, Jason, Theseus, and Meleager would never have been able to successfully complete the tasks for which they would become famous. Without the tragic death of Megara, Hercules would never have lived the glory of his Twelve Labors. It is necessary to discard the notion that the men of this era, or any era, would have been better off without female companionship. What we must acknowledge is not so much that a woman’s involvement leads to the downfall of a man, but, rather, that a woman’s involvement leads to the downfall of a hero – if he is not careful. In all cases, had the hero been more perceptive to the swirl of circumstance around him, he might have been able to undo the chain of events that would lead to his own demise. The hero had to know when to stop being a hero and just be a man.
      The Great Heroes symbolized the potential of the male youth. They were capable of amazing feats and would enjoy their greatest accomplishments early in life. Later in life, though, the Great Heroes would make terrible husbands and lovers. Poor judgment, ignorance, and senseless violence seem to abound during times when there were no monsters to slay and heroes were committed or desired commitment to women. It is difficult to articulate a single lesson from the varied disappointments of these noble warriors, but it is possible to generally conclude that the wild spirit of the adventurer does not understand life when the adventure has ended.

The above, though specific to the young male heroes of Greek myth, could well apply to any gender or persuasion of hero. Romance in all of its crazy-wonderful varieties is a powerful force, a daunting adversary, and is often the biological or psychological imperative that alters the course of the life path of even the most steadfast and cynical among us. When a hero, committed to his or her cause, meets an indescribably special someone worth just as much commitment, the internal conflict that will rage within that hero’s heart and soul will rival even the most epic battle between Good and Evil!