> I've started describing certain types of traumatic events as 'origin stories' for heroes or villains
This reminds me of a certain segment from "This American Life".
Tragedy Minus Time Equals Happily Ever After
Ron Mallett was ten years old when his father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. A year later, after picking up a comic book based on H.G. Wells' book The Time Machine, Ron concocted perhaps the world's most complicated plan to try to see his dad again. A half-century later, Dr. Ronald Mallett wrote a book about his plan, called "Time Traveler".
From the blurb on "Time Traveler": This is the dramatic and inspirational first-person story of theoretical physicist, Dr. Ronald Mallett, who recently discovered the basic equations for a working time machine that he believes can be used as a transport vehicle to the past.