Protect and Nurture

My boy collected these seventeen weapons and tools, each with their own function.  He spent the entire time we were at the park trying to identify that which was "bad."  It melted my heart each time he saved his dear old Mom from some imaginary bad guy with a stick (which he pronounces with a d instead of an s and gets right to the point.)

I kept thinking how different his interests are than my daughter's were at three.  As much as he seeks to protect from that which is bad, she sought to nurture that which was vulnerable.  I never had a brother, so all this boy stuff is new to me.  Sometimes, I fear he's obsessed with weapons.  Could the drive to both protect and nurture come from the same primitive place?  Could he be learning the balance between these two powers?  Or is he just playing like little boys play?  Whatever the case, I'm grateful to have had the day with my little guy.