Something dark lives inside all of us. Often, this darkness never reaches the surface because its path is shrouded by good experiences, family and happiness. However, when tragedy strikes, we can easily disrobe that shroud. At those moments, we have a critical choice to make. Will we use that pain as a positive force in the face of calamity, or will we embrace the welcoming arms of darkness?
Hiro is a boy genius who used his brains for personal gain through robot fighting. Hiro’s brother (Tadashi) decides to intervene and takes him to see his “nerd lab”. Here, Tadashi and his friends use science in imaginative ways to better humanity (science for the win!). Tadashi developed a medical nurse robot (Baymax) as a means of helping people. After seeing the incredible feats the other “nerds” accomplished, this motivated Hiro to apply for the university. At the entrance demonstration for perspective students, Hiro shows his new robotic design, which is meant to help humanity in various aspects of life (construction, transportation, etc.)
After the presentation, Hiro is accepted into the school, but the school catches on fire. The fire killed Tadashi and destroyed Hiro’s robot design. Hiro plunges into depression. He loses sight of everything he ever wanted, he doesn’t even register for class. He refuses to see his friends and believes he’s all alone.
More than anything, he lost his purpose. As time goes on, Hiro learns the truth behind his robot’s destruction and his brother’s death. Vengeance consumes Hiro, so he turns Baymax into a killing machine, which goes against everything Tadashi stood for. Hiro loses himself to the darkness, which turned him into something truly horrifying. This horrifying transformation took him away from everything that mattered.
In those moments of weakness, it is easy to shut our eyes from the truth and accept the darkness. But, the good news is that there is always a path to redemption, but only if we are brave enough to take that crucial first step back to the light. Often, this is when we can lean on our friends and loved ones. Their strength can bring us back to where we belong. Never lose sight of who you are, even in the face of overwhelming odds and personal strife.
What personal battle have you dealt with where you nearly lost yourself? How did you climb back from the darkness? How did your family/friends react?