I ventured to ask him a question, “Can Brockton Bay take this?  It feels like it was on the verge of collapse already.  Add this mess, the firebombing… can we really come back from it?”

At least this mess and the firebombing is somewhat localized. Doesn’t mean it’s not going to cause an uproar throughout and maybe beyond the city, though.

Also, you say “on the verge of collapse” as if it wasn’t largely collapsed already.

“You know this city better than I do, I’m sure.  I like to think people are stronger than they appear at first glance.  Perhaps the same goes for cities as well?”

Maybe! Sounds unusually uplifting, but this story isn’t all dreariness and bleakness. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be reading it.

“people are stronger than they appear” is a really good message without bringing cities into it, too. (More good guy points for Legend. All of the good guy points!)

Also, in a more physical sense, it’s a good assumption to make for someone with a career in fighting parahumans.