I've got a story that's being stubborn and a drabble sequence that's eating my brain, so I thought it could use some fodder to munch on
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Honestly I think MarshW and Zed hit many fascinating points and really got into a lot of what I had off-handedly been thinking, only they did it better so it, you know, makes sense.
I did think of the following: 1. The power dynamics are OLD. The NWA has been around for over a decade, so IMHO any really serious power issues between Frank and Simon would have at least bubbled up long before events of the film. Based on the movie it is hard for me to decide who is really in charge of the NWA, so I've always kind of imagined Simon as the Mayor to Frank's Sheriff. Of course everyone involved is, at this point, sociopathic at best so there would certainly be issues that might crack the fragile relations there. In my early HF story "Truth Will Out" I had a bit of that dynamic center on Danny, that Frank would make deals with the devil to keep his son safe. In the movie we really don't see Frank crack until he realizes he has "lost" Danny to Nicholas. If Danny had not faced him down in the pub, chances are Frank could have covered up the whole shoot out.
2. Which leads to the idea of what kind of crisis -- other than Nicholas Angel -- would have torn apart the NWA. IMHO it would have to be personal (Frank turning on the NWA because of Danny, Weaver having a crisis when he finds out his grandson is a hoodie or when his grandson is killed by Frank for being a hoodie, etc.). They are so into the group-think that ANY outside attack would just pull them together.
Dunno if that sheds any light in on the subject, but best I could do. Looking forward to the fic, though!!!
I am very much in agreement with what you say here.
1. I think Frank's brand of insanity is very personally ingrained in him and has its roots embedded in his love of his home and family, coupled with his need to keep these tings unmolested (similar to mothers who lock their children in their rooms and beat them to keep them "safe" from the big bad world). I love your assessment of the Mayor/Sheriff dynamic between Frank and Skinner (who is the only true sociopath in the mix, imo).
2. I do think a personal crisis within the NWA ranks could very easily tear them apart. The idea of it being centered on Danny is good, but I think Gabriel is the better choice. The NWA's ideas of what is right behavior would be strongly tested when someone close to one of them breaks the rules they set up. Gabriel would be the perfect choice because Tom Weaver, as the one most vocal about maintaining the "Village of the Year" facade, would completely crack if his own grandchild were to threaten that facade.
As for who would side with whom, I haven't put much thought into it, honestly. I suppose this falls into the subcategory of "back story" that I avoid. Should I need to write a story in which the unity of the NWA were tested, I would probably assume Frank and Skinner would team up as they did in the movie. I think Skinner's sociopathy and Frank's insanity feed off each other well. There is no questioning between them as to what to do or how far they would be willing to go.
I did think of the following:
1. The power dynamics are OLD. The NWA has been around for over a decade, so IMHO any really serious power issues between Frank and Simon would have at least bubbled up long before events of the film. Based on the movie it is hard for me to decide who is really in charge of the NWA, so I've always kind of imagined Simon as the Mayor to Frank's Sheriff. Of course everyone involved is, at this point, sociopathic at best so there would certainly be issues that might crack the fragile relations there. In my early HF story "Truth Will Out" I had a bit of that dynamic center on Danny, that Frank would make deals with the devil to keep his son safe. In the movie we really don't see Frank crack until he realizes he has "lost" Danny to Nicholas. If Danny had not faced him down in the pub, chances are Frank could have covered up the whole shoot out.
2. Which leads to the idea of what kind of crisis -- other than Nicholas Angel -- would have torn apart the NWA. IMHO it would have to be personal (Frank turning on the NWA because of Danny, Weaver having a crisis when he finds out his grandson is a hoodie or when his grandson is killed by Frank for being a hoodie, etc.). They are so into the group-think that ANY outside attack would just pull them together.
Dunno if that sheds any light in on the subject, but best I could do. Looking forward to the fic, though!!!
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1. I think Frank's brand of insanity is very personally ingrained in him and has its roots embedded in his love of his home and family, coupled with his need to keep these tings unmolested (similar to mothers who lock their children in their rooms and beat them to keep them "safe" from the big bad world). I love your assessment of the Mayor/Sheriff dynamic between Frank and Skinner (who is the only true sociopath in the mix, imo).
2. I do think a personal crisis within the NWA ranks could very easily tear them apart. The idea of it being centered on Danny is good, but I think Gabriel is the better choice. The NWA's ideas of what is right behavior would be strongly tested when someone close to one of them breaks the rules they set up. Gabriel would be the perfect choice because Tom Weaver, as the one most vocal about maintaining the "Village of the Year" facade, would completely crack if his own grandchild were to threaten that facade.
As for who would side with whom, I haven't put much thought into it, honestly. I suppose this falls into the subcategory of "back story" that I avoid. Should I need to write a story in which the unity of the NWA were tested, I would probably assume Frank and Skinner would team up as they did in the movie. I think Skinner's sociopathy and Frank's insanity feed off each other well. There is no questioning between them as to what to do or how far they would be willing to go.
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