Planning "Sokka's Eleven" - Part 1

[loopy777]

So, I was reading Star Wars: Scoundrels this weekend, a story that could have been retitled "Han Solo's Eleven" and it wouldn't be any less apt. I personally recommend the book to people who like Star Wars, Han Solo, or complicated capers, but that's not what this post is about. I enjoyed the book so much that it revived my enthusiasm for an old

Comments

[ljlee]

Steampunk casino! *salivates* To make this something the Gaang might conceivably get into with some level of believability (though the wackiness is obviously built into the premise), maybe the casino has some kind of criminal connection and the heist is the only way to gather evidence, steal back something the criminals stole, etc., while keeping the real police clean of the questionable methods used. That's not to say it has to be completely straight-laced--maybe the characters are just kidding themselves that it's "for the greater good" and they're really looking to act out. The tensions and questions about their methods and goals could become increasingly clear throughout the story until it comes to a head, obviously at the least convenient moment.

As for the older person Lavanya mentioned, how about Hama? Now there's someone in serious need of direction in life and extremely pertinent skills. Or maybe it could be another tension in the group that she's required to give up on bloodbending. She was a waterbender before she was a bloodbender, after all, and the casino runs on steam. Now if the caper happens to fall on a full moon night and things turn desperate...

[loopy777]

Our thoughts align. Sokka does indeed have a "moral justification" for this robbery, but it might be more personal than he's letting on, and by the end of the story even he might have reason to doubt the righteousness of his cause. Developing the owner of the casino as the antagonist is going to get its own blog post.

Interesting thought on Hama. She fills the Waterbender role and Old Person slot, but I'm thinking that Sokka would have to be pretty hard up for someone with those skills before he considers Hama, even if she is rehabilitated. Not that I think Sokka would consider Bloodbending a moral line that can't ever be crossed, but he tends to take it personally when people mess with his family. And we do have some prominent Fire Nation war-heroes in the group, which could be a major complication. (Not that I'm saying tension in the group is bad, but this seems a bit overpowering.)

Don't worry, I've got ideas for her slots.