The more I think about Jupiter Ascending, the more I really appreciate the scope of heroism they gave her. She didn't save the entire universe, she just saved her own planet. She wasn't made to be responsible for dismantling an entire system she was completely ignorant of and never had any hand in creating, nor was she responsible for controlling the amount of chaos that any such solution would have on the existing (relatively innocent) civilizations built around those systems. She was put in a position where she had to choose between her family and all of Earth, and she chose Earth in an act of bravery I almost can't comprehend, but then the film rewarded her for it by not taking her family away anyways. She only devolved into violence when it was necessary for self-defence, not out of revenge when offered. She went from plodding through her life, feeling dissatisfied and disappointed with what she had without doing anything to change it, to fully appreciating her lot in life over some vague fantasy that was not all she hoped it would be. She turned down what could have been an obscene amount of power in favor of living her own simple life and pursuing her own happiness. I just really appreciate a heroine who was not expected to turn into a savior or a martyr to fix a problem she didn't create, living in a culture where women are subconsciously expected to sacrifice their own needs to take care of others at every opportunity.
