[quote=@TheMushroomLord]
To be fair if memory serves, isn't the whole Wards being kept away from the more dangerous threats thing more fannon than cannon - or at the very least substantially exaggerated in fannon? If I recall correctly the Brockton Bay Wards were literally deployed against Hookwolf of all villains at some point in the past, which isn't exactly the safest thing to do. 
[/quote]

It's more that it's what's supposed to be done but the reality of the situation often means that Wards get deployed to more dangerous situations than the PRT would like. The Protectorate in Brockton Bay was massively outnumbered after all; Empire 88 by themselves had more capes than the Protectorate and Wards combined, even before you start adding the ABB, Coil, the Merchants, the Undersiders, Faultline's Crew and the independent villains. I don't recall them every being deployed against Hookwolf, but it's been a decade since I read Worm so they might have been.

The idea isn't to keep them away from villains though. It's to make sure Wards aren't being placed into undue risk above what they are capable of or what they feel comfortable with; which is something that is going to vary from person to person and doesn't stop the Wards from throwing [i]themselves[/i] into dangerous situations.