utopia
utopia
I am approaching the end of my Charmed-watch, and have been thinking about the mid-season 7 episodes that brought to a climax the arc of the Avatars.
Even though the story was rushed and the basic idea a bit prosaic; it hit a true chord. Though the idea that there could be a different kind of life, one where everyone's better angel will rule and conflict will be minimal if not non-existent, has never felt realistic to me. How could you have the knowledge and appreciation of good without the balance and contrast of sorrow and evil?
In this incarnation of the story, the characters of the Avatars seemed hopelessly naïve. They had tried once before to gather enough power to purge the idea of duality from humanity and failed. Humanity rose up and threw off their yoke in the time of the Egyptians. Likewise I was expecting the attitudes of the witches and their whitelighter guide to be stupidly optimistic. Instead I found their yearning for utopia touching. Maybe that's because I'm invested in their characters now.
The vision of a world of eternal sunshine and happiness maintained by minders who ensure everyone colors within the lines and 'vanish' those who don't conform is fairly common in literature. Utopia and its evil twin dystopia are arguably sub-genres of sf. In Charmed the Avatars dress in black, speak in soft platitudes, and hold themselves out as neutral. They seek to erase the essential duality of the Universe, thus ending the eternal conflict between good and evil (good as exemplified by the Elders and evil as embodied by the demons of the Underworld). Humans, including those with special powers like witches, can be either good or evil, depending on the choices they make.
The flaw in the Avatar's utopia is the lack of free will. Continuation of their ideal world requires disappearing anyone who chooses conflict, and smudging the pain and grief such disappearances would cause in those left behind. The essence of the world in Charmed is Balance, maintenance of the Grand Design. There are rules in the battle, even treaties and agreements. For example, leprechauns dispense both good and bad luck, maintaining the overall balance of luck in the world. And there are powers that both good and evil agree are too powerful and not to be used by either side.
Recognition of opposites is a concept taught to preschool children. From bilateral symmetry to (largely) two biological sexes to binocular vision, we are surrounded by duality. Elimination of duality doesn't seem possible, not without eliminating something basic in our nature. Balance, however elusive, seems more obtainable. Sometimes.
With all of my personal attraction to the melancholy I was surprised by my sympathy for the sisters' wish to experience utopia. They had just...had...enough, enough of fighting and putting their lives second to a cause. Something in that spoke to me. Maybe when the clouds become too low and too large and too black, desire for the sun is blinding. Utopia beckons, and whether it will always be a false promise remains to be seen.
This entry was originally posted at http://vjs2259.dreamwidth.org/297368.html. Please comment there using OpenID.