Blimey, you did better then me then. I felt absolutely bugger all for the character. I just can't be arsed to 'emote' for someone I've barely 'met' I'm afraid.
I suppose my background played a role. I met people who fought in Soviet-Afghan war and killed Afghan civilians. And they were regarded as heroes. And I know that they'd sacrifice their lives saving Russian women and children as willingly and without second thoughts as they killed Afghan women and children.
To me, The Chain is a brilliant exploration of a hero as a monster. A regular hero is usually a brainwashed person who is ready to die for a higher purpose. People who fought and died for Stalin, for Hitler. Japanese kamikaze pilots. Al-Qaeda terrorists.
To me, decoy!Buffy is the ultimate existential hero. She fought in the war where both sides are bad guys. She has provoked the demons and unleashed the war in which many creatures of different species died. She was brainwashed by shiny Council slogans and she has done a lot of harm.
Yet she saved without hesitation her schoolmates when she has stopped the truck in the schoolyard. She believed she did the right thing when she has started the war. And she died believing she's a hero.
And, ultimately, it's the only thing that matters.
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Date: 2008-01-10 12:07 pm (UTC)I suppose my background played a role. I met people who fought in Soviet-Afghan war and killed Afghan civilians. And they were regarded as heroes. And I know that they'd sacrifice their lives saving Russian women and children as willingly and without second thoughts as they killed Afghan women and children.
To me, The Chain is a brilliant exploration of a hero as a monster. A regular hero is usually a brainwashed person who is ready to die for a higher purpose. People who fought and died for Stalin, for Hitler. Japanese kamikaze pilots. Al-Qaeda terrorists.
To me, decoy!Buffy is the ultimate existential hero. She fought in the war where both sides are bad guys. She has provoked the demons and unleashed the war in which many creatures of different species died. She was brainwashed by shiny Council slogans and she has done a lot of harm.
Yet she saved without hesitation her schoolmates when she has stopped the truck in the schoolyard. She believed she did the right thing when she has started the war. And she died believing she's a hero.
And, ultimately, it's the only thing that matters.