30 Days of Bake, Day 7
Today's topic is best use of a hoary old trope.
:/
I didn't consider this scene to be using the trope I have in mind until I had an argument with my boyfriend about it. Now I'm convinced that not only does it use this trope, it does it excellently.
I said it was interesting that Avon had no choice but to do what he did. He said it wasn't interesting, it was annoying. "There was nothing he could do" is an extremely tired trope, he said, used to make the anti-hero and his or her world gritty without making him/her culpable. After some discussion, we decided that we were both kind of right (yay XD). It was a tired trope, but B7 was doing something interesting with it. Usually, "there was nothing he could do" is about the hero or anti-hero's exacting standards for him or herself--everyone tells him or her "oh, you couldn't have saved your men!" And yet he or she still suffers for the mistake, feeling grief, guilt, etc.
In B7, though, Avon is just a colossal dick about it. It's a moment that erodes just a bit more of his humanity. You could even argue that it helps him do what he does in Orbit. We see that even as we normally tell a character that he or she shouldn't feel that guilt, we expect it. Or if not guilt, at least grief. Avon refuses both, and that's unusual. Even more unusual is the fact that it never comes up again.
"Who?" indeed.
1. What you wish happened
2. Favourite guest character
3. Your song/fan mix for the show
4. Favourite photo/screenshot
5. An unpopular/cracky opinion you hold
6. Worst decision
7. Best use of a hoary old trope
8. Something that made you happy
9. Something that made you think
10. Something that made you laugh
11. Best series opener
12. Best season finale
13. Which character would you like to go to lunch with?
14. Talk about the music
15. Best scene involving music/dancing
16.Favourite quote(s)
17. Favourite non-romantic OTP
18. Most surprising moment
19. Favourite location
20.Favourite costume/clothing/accessory
21. Favourite character moment
22. Something from your head fanon
23.Best fight
24. Best scene
25. All the pairings you ship
26. Best weapon
27. Most taxing problem
28. Favourite director
29. Best scene involving eating/drinking
30.The coolest thing
:/
I didn't consider this scene to be using the trope I have in mind until I had an argument with my boyfriend about it. Now I'm convinced that not only does it use this trope, it does it excellently.
I said it was interesting that Avon had no choice but to do what he did. He said it wasn't interesting, it was annoying. "There was nothing he could do" is an extremely tired trope, he said, used to make the anti-hero and his or her world gritty without making him/her culpable. After some discussion, we decided that we were both kind of right (yay XD). It was a tired trope, but B7 was doing something interesting with it. Usually, "there was nothing he could do" is about the hero or anti-hero's exacting standards for him or herself--everyone tells him or her "oh, you couldn't have saved your men!" And yet he or she still suffers for the mistake, feeling grief, guilt, etc.
In B7, though, Avon is just a colossal dick about it. It's a moment that erodes just a bit more of his humanity. You could even argue that it helps him do what he does in Orbit. We see that even as we normally tell a character that he or she shouldn't feel that guilt, we expect it. Or if not guilt, at least grief. Avon refuses both, and that's unusual. Even more unusual is the fact that it never comes up again.
"Who?" indeed.
1. What you wish happened
2. Favourite guest character
3. Your song/fan mix for the show
4. Favourite photo/screenshot
5. An unpopular/cracky opinion you hold
6. Worst decision
7. Best use of a hoary old trope
8. Something that made you happy
9. Something that made you think
10. Something that made you laugh
11. Best series opener
12. Best season finale
13. Which character would you like to go to lunch with?
14. Talk about the music
15. Best scene involving music/dancing
16.Favourite quote(s)
17. Favourite non-romantic OTP
18. Most surprising moment
19. Favourite location
20.Favourite costume/clothing/accessory
21. Favourite character moment
22. Something from your head fanon
23.Best fight
24. Best scene
25. All the pairings you ship
26. Best weapon
27. Most taxing problem
28. Favourite director
29. Best scene involving eating/drinking
30.The coolest thing