be a hero 

what people advise you not to do during mildly precarious and trivial situations

Guy 1: Hey, can you hand me that flyswatter over there? I gotta take care of this tiny daddy longlegs crawling up the wall here.

Guy 2: Don't be a hero, man

be a hero by Don'tBeAHero May 14, 2010

be a hero 

In the world of online gaming, usually used sarcastically, e.g. when running enthusiastically into a high-risk situation where failure is immanent. Sometimes this can actually help the player's team - for example, if the enemy is distracted by the hero - but it usually is done only for amusement.

There is a famous video of Leroy Jenkins being a hero.

While playing Team Fortress 2, I decided to be a hero. I ran around as a civilian, distracting the other team while my teammates captured the control point.

be a hero by lamgood February 20, 2009

You either die and be a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain 

This is quoted from Two-Face of the Dark Knight movie.An interpretation of this quote is that you could stick to your morals,of what's right,to be loyal to a cause,even if it is of your detriment (die and be a hero).Should you contradict your values for your betterment,you may find yourself making the same decisions of the very people you yourself considered corrupt/evil(live long enough to see yourself become a villain.)

Black Mirror(15 million merits)
Before:Main character opposes system of the rich profiting off of working class

After:Main character is hired by rich to host a vlog to rant about systemic oppression,only to be benefiting from the system he once fought against

You either die and be a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Black Mirror(15 million merits)
Before:Main character opposes system of the rich profiting off of working class

After:Main character is hired by rich to host a vlog to rant about systemic oppression,only to be benefiting from the system he once fought against

You either die and be a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain by Smart Patrick October 18, 2022

be a heron 

a person that behaves like a heron

Mandy, have you met the new colleague yet?
How can you be a heron like this?

be a heron by TinderAndy April 24, 2017