I think that the main difference between the hero and the legendary is in the time they spent on the bitcointalk (as well as merit, activity is also required). In this case, the activity indicator demonstrates really important data, namely, how long a person has been working on the forum. Despite the fact that I consider merit to be a more important indicator, activity still hasn`t lost its significance, especially in the case of higher ranks. Because no matter what good posts you write, you still need a lot of time to deal with all the requirements and rules of the forum, to “get acquainted” with the most active users and to establish yourself well. Another advantage for many participants is the different rates in signature campaigns. Most members want to raise the rank just for more money, so there is a gap between the hero and the legendary. But otherwise - with respect from other users and other privileges - I don`t see much difference.