Mal mentioned in blog about Everyday Heroes by CupofJoe

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Mal mentioned in blog about Everyday Heroes

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POSTED BY: CUPOFJOE
UPDATED: Thursday, August 21, 2008 05:54
SHORT URL: http://goo.gl/VdGRE
VIEWED: 5800
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 5:11 AM

In my Amazon blog ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1434809951) I added the following quote:

"I have always believed in this philosophy - that true heroes are those who rise to the call when needed - ordinary men, women, and sometimes even children, who overcome their fears and accomplish heroic feats. My recent novel is about these types of individuals - not "chosen ones" or people "following their destiny" like Luke Skywalker from Star Wars or Neo from The Matrix - but more like Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly/Serenity - ordinary people doing extraordinary things when the need arises."

Before I wrote this, I really hadn't thought of the differences between "chosen ones" like Neo and Luke and "everyday heroes" like Mal, but it makes sense when I think about it. I wish more books and movies followed this idea. What do you think?

CupofJoe

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 5:24 AM

CHRISISALL

I'm willing to buy fully into the Skywalker thing, but generally, those 'chosen one' things bug me...it's like, you gotta be born into it, or you're just an average white suburbanite slob.

The whole thing with Neo irked me from way back, but the storytelling & Kung-Fu was good, so I let it slide some. Then they just hammered it to death in the next two.
There was that about Buffy as well for me, until the final ep where they ingeniously turned the 'can be only one' thing on it's head.

I much more enjoy the stories that tell of heroism from the unexpected Joe or Josephine- the everyday person that discovers a power that we all have, but seldom use.
There's no wonder why Serenity is my favourite film of all time.

There can be only one Chrisisall

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 5:28 AM

REDDRAGON

I agree 1,000,000%. Chosen ones are supposed to win in the end, but the everyday heroes have to work at coming out on top, scratching to keep heads above water. Guess that's why so many people are attracted to the underdog, everyday heroes, I know I am.

____________________________________________________
Browncoat for LIFE!

If you can't walk, crawl. If you can't crawl, find someone to carry you.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 7:04 AM

CUPOFJOE

oops, double post...

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 7:33 AM

HOPERULES

I understand what the author is trying to say and in someways agree with it. However, I don't really see Mal as "ordinary". Unfortunately, in the real world people like him are pretty rare.

May have been on the losing side, still not convinced it was the wrong one.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 8:19 AM

CUPOFJOE

Quote:
Originally posted by Hoperules:
I understand what the author is trying to say and in someways agree with it. However, I don't really see Mal as "ordinary". Unfortunately, in the real world people like him are pretty rare.

When I say "ordinary" I mean "real". As in the real world, there are people like Mal, but there are no people like Luke or Neo or Harry, since they are fantasy characters, not based on real people. Every firefighter who gave his life rushing into the World Trade Center while everyone else was running out, was a real hero, an "ordinary" person who rose to the occasion. None of them, to my knowledge, had Mitochlorians, or super powers of the matrix, or sorcerers spells to assist them.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 12:34 PM

MSB

It is one of the best reasons to love Mal he's flawed and complicated, but when it comes down to it you can count on him.

____________________________________________

Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

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Thursday, August 21, 2008 5:54 AM

CUPOFJOE

Jane Espenson had this to say about "Chosen One" stories:

"I would argue that these stories have a more universal appeal then, say, "Star Trek" in its various incarnations, or "Firefly," or "Battlestar Galactica," as much as those shows all own my heart (and to some degree, pay my bills). And it’s no wonder. The Chosen One paradigm is the most positive, most comforting, most affirming metaphorical version of change, of growing up, that I can imagine."

Full article here:
http://www.whedon.info/The-Secret-to-Selling-Sci-Fi-by.html

While I agree that these types of stories are more widely popular, and maybe that is one of the reasons Firefly didn't attract the audience it should have (as she states), the reality is that I personally still prefer non-chosen-one stories like Firefly and Battlestar Gallactica. I guess most of us here do too, otherwise we wouldn't be here.

Side note: I should mention that I LOVED The Matrix (movie), and have probably rewatched it more times that any single episode of Firefly (and that's saying something), but it was not the "chosen one" story that attracted me, it was the visual style of the W. brothers. If the Matrix came out as a book, I don't think it would have sold very well. At least I would not have bothered reading it. But, Harry Potter did well as a book, so what do I know?

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