"A person becomes naïve if they're too kind. Careless if they're too bold. And no matter how hard you try to protect others, there's no gratitude. Those who can't comprehend such things aren't fit to be magical girls."
— Homura Akemi, Puella Magi Madoka Magica
"Magical girls defeat the final boss and bring peace to the world... it's quite the common scenario in stories. But what happens to the magical girls after that? Do they go back to being normal girls? Or do they continue their heroic activities? These stories don't understand a thing."
—Brigadier, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka
Mark: I assumed that you kids agree to this whole child soldier thing 'cause you don't understand the danger... That you wouldn't do it if you thought you might actually die. But it's only been about a week since your... you know. Why the hell would you keep at it after something like that?
Undine: [...] You're right about one thing. Being told something like that might happen... and actually experiencing it... they're completely different. But you're also wrong. Even knowing that... I still think I would have chosen to be a magical girl. For myself, anyway.
Mark: What— why?
Undine: Because someone has to do it, right? Either it's me, or that burden is forced on someone else.
Mark: That's some real serious shit, coming from a kid.
Undine: We're not kids, we're magical girls.
Undine: [...] You're right about one thing. Being told something like that might happen... and actually experiencing it... they're completely different. But you're also wrong. Even knowing that... I still think I would have chosen to be a magical girl. For myself, anyway.
Mark: What— why?
Undine: Because someone has to do it, right? Either it's me, or that burden is forced on someone else.
Mark: That's some real serious shit, coming from a kid.
Undine: We're not kids, we're magical girls.
"When meek teenager Lomax Torchstone wished for his life to change, becoming a magical warrior tasked with fending off creepy monsters really wasn't what he had in mind."
— Parallax
