Tuesday, June 03, 2008

The tender hero

Just a little more bitching about a superhero I have a love/hate relationship with, and who shall remain nameless. (Though it rhymes with Fluffy The SpamFire Layer.) It happens again and again in many forms: this time she knows that either she kills a person close to her, or every person in the world suffers and dies, including that person. Her choice: protect that person to the end of the world and beyond.
This is a hero?
Damn, I'm a broken MP3 file. I better stop now.

Update: sorry, couldn't stop...
Humans have so much invested in the Holiness Of Life that when you do have a hero who can kill, you usually have somebody who probably enjoys it, and who over-does it. Like The Punisher or Dirty Harry.

Allan Moore does it well, though, in Miracleman. There's a psychotic superperson who goes on a killing rampage and who is basically unstoppable. But he turns temporarily into an innocent, vulnerable boy (like Kazam does), and Miracleman kills him. With great regret, but he does it.

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A good part of Fluffy from season five: Michelle Trachtenberg. A powerful actress and a highly accomplished person academically too.


11 comments:

Alex said...

See, that is why "The Saint" is a much better hero. If the bad guy seems above the law, and needs to be sorted out, he gets sorted out.

And for those of you who need a girl who can do this, his side kick/paramour Patricia "Pat" Holmes is just the girl. Not quite an Emma Peel, but for an earlier heroine, she is stronger than Jane.

If you want to keep Whedonesque, then upgrade to Firefly, they ain't looking to kill no one, but will if need arises. Jewel Staite, Kaylee, will give you all the cute that Willow does. Gina Torres as Zoe will give you all the kick butt action you need. Morenna Bacurra will give all the sweet vamp that isn't in Buffy. Come on a space ship, crew of 5, with a prostitute and a priest on board, you know that has to be fun.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I watched Firefly the movie, that was not bad. But the TV series failed to sustain my interest.

But then that's true of pretty much any series or film these days if it's not heavily laced with comedy.

Alex said...

"over-does it. Like The Punisher or Dirty Harry."

Harry Potter too killed when necessary. The other "hero" who killed was Ender in Orson Scott Cards "Ender Game" etc. These were "innocents" who were placed such that they could and would kill. They had the innate ability to go as far as necessary. Ender was tricked into genocide, and not told he had actually killed on the two occasions when he had.

Harry on the other hand didn't kill willingly until Voldemort, by that time he had been conditioned to complete the task.

Bert said...

"I watched Firefly the movie, that was not bad. But the TV series failed to sustain my interest."

That sounds odd... the movie was so much less than the (too short) series, imho.

Alex said...

Serenity has its moments, but I prefer the series on the whole.


Bert,
did you catch up on the comic books that filled in the story between the last episode and the film.

Have you tried the RPG?

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Eolake, the series has much commedy and was saddly cut too short for a proper compare and contrast with buffy.
I'd give it a serious attempt to watch it again. Just to prove me wrong, ofcourse.

Also, have you been reading the Buffy Season 8 comic?

Bert said...

"Bert,
did you catch up on the comic books that filled in the story between the last episode and the film.

Have you tried the RPG?"


No on both counts. Are those really worth a try? I tend to be suspicious of "derived products", as they have the potential to alter an otherwise very enjoyable experience. Add a bad "aftertaste" to something good, if you will.

Alex said...

Never tried the RPG, just curious.

The comics were okay, they had some interesting ideas, sold each one of the four with 3 different covers just to get more copies sold. They did have Joss's input, though to what degree I don't remember.

As for comedy. There are as many funnies as in the early Buffy's. I like Jayne and Book's discussions on celibacy. The whole Jaynestown concept was a hoot, and the ballroom scene was fantastic.

"what a vision you
are in that fine dress. Must have
taken a dozen slaves a dozen days
just to get you into that get-up.
'Course your daddy tells me it takes
the space of a schoolboy's wink to
get you out of it again."

Alex said...

p.s. I love hi-jacking threads.

Looking forward to season 5 now...

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I haven't read the Buffy comic.

I'll give Firefly another chance.

I used to admire Orson Scott Card for this hero concept, until I found out he supports Bush and his sick war. Seems to me like such an attitude can be a cover for liking war.

It's funny how many hard-SF writers are fascists.

Anonymous said...

I thought the firefly series was much better than the movie. It seemed short and pointless :(.

Oh and of course, I'd do her!