Never mind who coined it, but as far as quotes go, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," is a good one. At least as long as the people being promoted into action are not yourself. And promoting himself into action is exactly the dilemma facing the newest Taken in the Web, Sam Anders. Plucked from a hospital bed in the years before Earth's Integration and subsequent destruction, and returned a hundred years later to the different world the remnants of humanity have settled on. Does he have any obligation to fight for these modern humans? For all the other races and nations of the Web, facing off against the encroaching evil?

He certainly thinks he does, certainly wants to, but he doesn't think he can. He's too afraid, too weak-willed for the job, he tells himself. What does his incredible potential matter? It doesn't matter that him being the unique, first in history, combination of both a Thread-Weaver and a Taken makes it all but a certain guarantee for him to reach the highest echelons of power in the Web. There's no way someone like him is good enough, strong enough, to realize that potential. But still, he hesitates, and debates the moral choice before him.

Although not for long. Because, by the end of his first night in this new world, a voice in Sam's head reveals itself as being the cause behind Sam being a Taken, and what that cause is. Without Sam, the Web is doomed. Without him, billions are sentenced to die. Sam is the last unknown variable who could save all of them.

So that, as it were, was pretty much that for internal debate and philosophical wondering. Because as far as making universal maxims based on the first categorical imperative goes, this one is pretty easy. Sam will just have to rise to the occasion, and hopefully not kill himself, or worse, lose his sense of humor, while trying.

[Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]