And I really don't see it as a desire to give up free-will.

I think the point is that he's reclaiming his humanity, which includes (much to Zachariah's irritation) free will.

He doesn't demand much of anything or require accolades for what he does.

In The French Mistake he goes as far as to tell the producer in the TV World that maybe no one knows who he is in his world but he's okay with that because he makes a difference.