--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They told him he was killing monsters…" description: "\"“ They told him he was killing monsters, and then they made him kill people. He thought it was just me who was different, and he didn’t go through with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/jennifer-lynn-barnes-2448_better-place_they-told-him-he-was-killing-monsters-an_1680913.jpg" --- # They told him he was killing monsters, and then they made… ![“They told him he was killing monsters, and then they made him kill people. He thought it was just me who was different, and he didn’t go through with killing me. He thought there was a chance that it wasn’t too late. That everyone he’d killed really had been a dangerous Null. That he really was a…” quote by Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/jennifer-lynn-barnes-2448_better-place_they-told-him-he-was-killing-monsters-an_1680913.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/jennifer-lynn-barnes-2448_better-place_they-told-him-he-was-killing-monsters-an_1680913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/jennifer-lynn-barnes-2448_better-place_they-told-him-he-was-killing-monsters-an_1680913.jpg) > ““ They told him he was killing monsters, and then they made him kill people. He thought it was just me who was different, and he didn’t go through with killing me. He thought there was a chance that it wasn’t too late. That everyone he’d killed really had been a dangerous Null. That he really was a hero, working in the shadows to make the world a better place for people who’d never even looked his way. That he wasn’t just an unimportant little boy raised like an animal and let out of the cage only when The Society wanted someone dead. He wanted to believe that, and he just found out he was wrong. ”” [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A protagonist believes he is a hero killing monsters, but discovers his actions may have been misguided, questioning morality. **In simple terms:** He thought he was a hero, but doubts arise. Key Takeaway Question the morality of your actions. Themes heroism morality identity illusion Mood thoughtful serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - War zones - secret missions - personal crises Key Concepts ethical dilemmas selfdeception Questions to Reflect On - What defines a true hero? - Can one redeem past deeds? A Different Perspective Heroic narratives can mask harmful deeds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [“She wouldn’t kill, not if she didn’t have to. A killing couldn’t be undone, and she’d killed enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/she-wouldn-t-kill-not-if-she-didn-t-have-to-a-killing-couldn-t-be/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Haven't I already told you, that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? 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So which one wanted him dead?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaimey-grant/these-were-the-people-he-could-trust-with-his-life-so-which-one/) [Jaimey Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaimey-grant/) > [If I'd wanted you dead five minutes ago, you'd have died five minutes ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/if-i-d-wanted-you-dead-five-minutes-ago-you-d-have-died-five-minutes/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm wanted dead or alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/i-m-wanted-dead-or-alive/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [“He wanted you dead, now he doesn't, I don't know why. Chimera's crazy, he doesn't need a reason to change his mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/he-wanted-you-dead-now-he-doesn-t-i-don-t-know-why-chimera-s-crazy-he/) [Laurell K. 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I believed that he was telling me the truth. That he didn’t have much control, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-stared-at-macfinn-for-a-long-moment-i-believed-that-he-was-telling/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## More by Jennifer Lynn Barnes > [“Hierarchy was like breathing: the only time you thought about it was when something went wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/hierarchy-was-like-breathing-the-only-time-you-thought-about-it-was/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“Consider me an open book" dev said. "Mi casa es su casa." Dev crinkled his nose and smelled the air. "Err, mi nose es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/consider-me-an-open-book-dev-said-mi-casa-es-su-casa-dev-crinkled-his/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“Casey was in the bed with Ali. And that was where I drew the line. 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I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/someone-tried-to-kill-me-and-i-m-going-swimming-i-m-going-swimming/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“If I had a nickel for every time I almost died, I would have been driving to school in a Ferrari and flying off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/if-i-had-a-nickel-for-every-time-i-almost-died-i-would-have-been/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“I did a quick injury check on my organs and bones. 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And God knows, if there's something inadvisable going on, I want in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/you-look-like-someone-who-s-about-to-do-something-highly-inadvisable/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“Nobody liked my plan. "You want us to split up?" Chase asked, his brow wrinkling in obvious bewilderment. Lake echoed the sentiment, her voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/nobody-liked-my-plan-you-want-us-to-split-up-chase-asked-his-brow/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“Lake, could you please stop sweet-talking the weapons? It's kind of freaking me out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/lake-could-you-please-stop-sweet-talking-the-weapons-it-s-kind-of/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“I sunk into velvety nothingness. 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When I was at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/rosalind-well-this-is-the-forest-of-arden-touchstone-ay-now-am-i-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/) Anne Serling > [It is our job to make a difference and leave the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-g/it-is-our-job-to-make-a-difference-and-leave-the-world-a-better-place/) [Karol G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-g/) > [“The world is indeed a better place when there is love, friendship, acceptance and hope. Powered by these you can indeed overcome anything including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/the-world-is-indeed-a-better-place-when-there-is-love-friendship/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [I think I just want to leave my mark in some way. I hope I leave the world a better place than it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/i-think-i-just-want-to-leave-my-mark-in-some-way-i-hope-i-leave-the/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/art-is-not-necessary-at-all-all-that-is-necessary-to-make-this-world/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [We will strive to make Taiwan a better place and enable our people to live better lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-shui-bian/we-will-strive-to-make-taiwan-a-better-place-and-enable-our-people-to/) [Chen Shui-bian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-shui-bian/) > [It gives me such hope that each one of us can contribute to make this world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/it-gives-me-such-hope-that-each-one-of-us-can-contribute-to-make-this/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [I want MIT to be the dream of every child who wants to grow up to make the world a better place. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hockfield/i-want-mit-to-be-the-dream-of-every-child-who-wants-to-grow-up-to/) [Susan Hockfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hockfield/) > [“Pets make the world a better place to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-lyons/pets-make-the-world-a-better-place-to-live/) Susan Lyons > [I've made this conscious decision to tell people on the street when I think they're wearing something great. 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