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[personal profile] cornerofmadness
It's nearly 1130 at night and I'm just now finishing work and one of the two tests I have to give this week still isn't finished but I'm too tired to deal tonight. I'm also way too tired to do the links page. Tomorrow, I'll try tomorrow.

However, you can have the thinky parts tonight. But before I get to that, if you were going to name a female wolf-hybrid dog something cutesy/silly what would it be (She's an unlikely lab/wolf mix, probably a high wolf content daddy, retriever mom, looks like a darkest wolf, bit on the smaller wolf side) And yes my name well has run dry and I could use some help. thanks

So the thinky bits. I was watching My Hero Academia and we're to the inevitable plot device where the hero decides they must do it all alone and leaves their friends behind to do the lone hero thing I realized this weekend that I am as tired of this trope as I am of the chosen one trope. Heck I'd rather see that than this again.

Don't get me wrong. I realize that there is some sensible points with this I must be alone. The hero realizes that they are the villain's target. People around them might get hurt as a result. that does make some sense.

On the other hand, if the villain already knows the heroes friendships and family, then they already know who attack and the hero running off on their own isn't a guarantee that the villain would follow. Hell, I wouldn't. If I'm after Superman and he fucks off to his fortress of Solitude to draw my fire away from Lois and Jimmy, there's no way I'm going to the fortress. I'm going to pick off Lois and Jimmy while they're unprotected.

I have two more of My Hero Academia on my DVR to see how they resolve this. Deku has already told All Might to fuck off for his own good and now his classmates are all there with an ultimatium we work with you or you fight us.

Obviously as a story telling trope it does have inherent drama. On the other hand, in my eyes, it's so over used that the drama is blunted. Also as a consumer, I love group dynamics. If you look at my comic book collection, I have group comics, The X-Men, The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, the Justice League. I have very few solitary heroes. Wonder Woman is the exception. I never collected Batman, Superman, Spiderman etc even though I enjoyed them in their groups.

The Owl House plays with the theme a little but the hero often comes around almost immediately when it's pointed out a) it's not all on your shoulders (even if you think it is) b) we're in this thick or thin c) the whole safety in numbers thing. They even used the going at it on their own only to be brought up short by the villain saying I know where you and your girlfriend live. I.e. I can get them any time and it works. It points out how easy it is to skirt the solo hero thing (and ironically enough in this show, the villains are not big on team work and it leads to their failures often).

How do you feel about this trope? How would you rather see it be handle?

Date: 2023-04-17 04:03 am (UTC)
under_the_silk_tree: Black and white picture of Danny with a full smile (Danny)
From: [personal profile] under_the_silk_tree
For the wolf: Betsy, Sugar?

I have hated that trope for so long probably since Toby Maguire's Spiderman did in his first film. I would much rather the hero realize they don't have to go it alone.

I'm sorry you are so tired hopefully you get some good sleep tonight.

Thoughts

Date: 2023-04-19 04:07 am (UTC)
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
From: [personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Well, it makes me think about the extremely declining usefulness of humans at doing pretty much anything. I have a very few people who are competent, and beyond that, if I want it done I have to do it myself. A hero who's grown up with such experiences likely relies on himself because other people make his job harder. Writers are bad at showing that, but I suspect it's often how a hero feels.

Your examples (i.e. keeping people safe) are also good though.

Re: Thoughts

Date: 2023-04-19 04:27 am (UTC)
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
From: [personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
I agree that a hero dumping highly competent friends for no rational reason is tiresome.

I just suspect that social trauma and betrayal underlie that in ways the author didn't bother to write out.

Feel free to drop by any relevant prompt session and ask me for heroic teamwork instead.

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