Know Your Archetype: Lovable Sidekick (And the Celestial Blessings)

This may strike as an odd pairing of my continuing archetype series and the Celestial Blessings quest line, but they are the ultimate embodiment of immortals, and we as the character, have gone all-in with Wrathion, for better or worse. We are partners in this journey now, and tied together to see it through its ultimate resolution. But Wrathion is purely a character, whereas we mortals have our guilds, friends, and others to see us along the way. Or not, depending on how we behave and treat one another. 

The most famous of all hero/sidekick relationships is that of Frodo and Samwise Gamgee. It is not a linear relationship: Frodo is not all good, all powerful, nor is Samwise solely loyal or trailing in the dust. Far from it. The triptych Gollum, Frodo, and Samwise create intertwine the destiny for all three. Such as it is in Azeroth: we play our own hero, our friends our partners, and the nefarious motivations of the third party.

There are spoilers in this for the Wrathion chain, which most of you are long done with; if you are I'd be interested to know what you thought of these big questions.

Riptide and Empathy: I am sorry your father is trying to kill you, Wrathion.

My friend: I miss you, and I'm not sure what's more painful of a loss -- those friends who are still playing but silent, in their own inner worlds and thoughts, or those who are gone from Azeroth entirely? All I know is the lesson "be careful what I wish for" is causing me chest pains. I wished for more solo content, I wished for an experience on my own time, of my own control, and yet, at the climax of the story, when I need my loyal friend the most, no one can answer my call. I must do it alone.

Nothing ever gets you down, does it Sam?
Um...how 'bout you throw that damn ring now, Frodo? 

Every day in the various social media venues, I read juxtaposed stories of all of humanity: anger, betrayal, love, marriages, celebrations, births, baby's first steps, a good meal or vacation photo. This past week came to a critical mass for me, and I realized I can't sort out the messy mental space that is my broken cognitive workings on my own. Nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, I have always been of the philosophy that it takes strength to know when to ask for help. This morning one of my dearest friends had to reschedule our lunch date again because she was up all night with arthritic pain--she is young, too. Of course I don't mind rescheduling lunch, and I offered my cubs' help for a move she needs to help with, too. Haven't heard from her yet. She's a stubborn Taurus, and proud Montanan, so I don't know if she'll take me up on my offer.

However, I am learning the hard way that Azeroth is a tricky place, this other world, the keyhole vision of another's soul, character, or life. We never really know one another, even when our molecules collide. But this is why, when we are in Azeroth, we must especially remember to treat our friends with respect, care, and space.

Time to take a long, hard look in the mirror, Matty...

Yesterday Lei Shin was kind enough to give me his heart, (well, I had to rip it out of him, but still...) and after talking it over with Wrathion (and he made tacos out of it, with cilantro of course), I was set on my Celestial Blessings quest line. My friend Turk did it yesterday, and zip-zap was done in ten minutes. That was not my experience. For Mataoka's story, it was important to me that she do the melee/Xuen one for the final challenge. After umpteen attempts, she gave up and tried the healing one. She fared better, but still has not completed it. I don't know what's wrong. The dying thing, yeah, that's it. Oh and dragon's blood. That shit will take you down. (If you want to read some real tips, click here.)

What I loved before all the dying part though was the Celestials' dialogue with the young Black Prince. I felt like the overachiever kid in the front row, the teacher's pet,  flailing my hand in the air, "Ask ME Niuzo! I know! I know! Choose me!" but alas Wrathion was chosen every time. But these are big questions:

What is the nature of hope?

Xuen asks about the nature of strength:

Use strength to crush enemies? Come on Wrathion! Xuen is grading on a bell curve, and you're messing up my GPA! Even Nacho Libre finally got this one - service to others is true strength:

I need to summon my eagle powers...

Perhaps the insightful one, or poignant to me, was Yu'lon's - I need to learn this lesson of knowing when it's wiser to let go, be quiet, be still, and let things run their course:

Doing nothing is counter-intuitive to overachievers such as myself. I am not sure I know how to do nothing. My identity is so tied up with 'saving the day' that I barely recognize when someone wants me to do nothing, help by not helping so to speak.

This morning, I was reminded of a player friend who stopped speaking to me months ago. I know it was nothing I did, or any misuse of friendship or time, but it still stings. He's a good guy, and taught me much about the game. But one thing I haven't learned is to not make noise in the silence.

So my fellowship: I will report on when I defeat or heal Wrathion, to the best of my abilities, and obtain my legendary cloak. I shall wear it proudly, but know it keeps me warm, and I did not do it alone.

Know Your Archetype: Arch Nemesis

Everywhere you go....you always take the weather with you...

Darren & Endora

Superman & Lex

Cartman & Kyle

Lindsay Lohan & Better Judgment

Power Puff Girls & Mojo Jojo

Jon Stewart & Fox News

Okay, you get the idea. But lest you think the Arch Nemesis is just another villain, think again, hero. The Arch Nemesis is a much more intimate relationship, if you will, to the protagonist. This specific antagonist is often so similar in characteristics, so aligned by the stars, a doppelganger with flowers, that sometimes it's difficult to discern just when or how the nemesis is actualized or becomes a problem. The  relationship is more like two sides of a coin; perhaps the two sides are aware of the other, but it gets dropped in the jukebox to play the song all the same.

In Azeroth, there are many arch nemesis and villains. There are full-blown rivals, soul-blasting feuds and battles, and then there are the little, itchy rash-bringers, who get under our skin for which there is no ointment. Consider your ubiquitous trade-chat personality, or perhaps even one fight you just can't learn the dance steps to.  There may be one or two other players in the guild who have crept into your mind, gotten under your skin. You can't explain why - but the undercurrents of tension are there. They may respond to you in ways they don't to others, the old-fashioned expression "butter wouldn't melt in their mouth" I never understood that one - guess it means the person is amazingly cool and self-possessed.

Whomever you may point to as your own personal arch nemesis, remember that scene in Star Wars where Luke takes a detour to the Dagobah system: the real nemesis is our own self-doubt, and fear. We take ourselves wherever we go, and if someone else is getting in our minds, it only takes casual analysis to see that that person is usually very similar to ourselves, and our own irritating ways. We just don't want to see it, or be around it. In our own heads, we can put our bad selves in time out; in the physical world, it is not so easy to squash. There is always that moment in the hero's path where he must go to the darkness, the wilderness, and be alone with his own goofy self for awhile.

If you find that you're being followed by a doppelganger who won't take the hint, it's time to take a walk, a break, a good look. And point of fact; you are probably more worried about them than they are about you. Unless of course you're Fox News.

Know Your Archetype: Mother

I'm still musing over the Blog Azeroth suggestion about 'headcanon,' since that is essentially what all of my fictional writing as been pertaining to in this blog; the stories and drabbles that venture far afield of what the 'real' writers of Blizzard/Azeroth produce. I am a lore noob. I don't, and haven't, paid much attention to it, surely causing fanboys and girls much distress with my hubris. But there is an upside to my noobiness: I get to write what I want, and learn new things. (Heck, I can't remain a Philistine forever, peeps!)

As we careen off the peacetime cliff of relative stability, enjoying the tolerant, and sometimes cordial relationship, between our two factions, I felt it was time to do a treatise on the archetype of the Mother. I have always had an affinity for Mother Mary, and other strong female spiritual representations.

Ceniza has been spending her time in Theramore of late...she is in love with Lt. Aden, forever vigilent on his mount, and senses impending doom...

Jaina is a "mother" figure. Now, admittedly, it is entertaining to poke fun at her, and if you're on the Horde side, grand fun to destroy her, her and her goody-two-shoes ways. Though she has no children of her own, she is always mindful of her people, and her duties to care for them. She sacrifices her own heart for her one true love, giving herself to the care of the good citizens of Azeroth (at least for the Alliance) and tries to stop bad-boy Arthas from his evil ways. We all love Lady Sylvanas: she's dark, emo, and wicked. It is much more fun to play the bad girl. But it's the mothers of the world, the Jainas, and the Earth Mother, who try to comfort us in times of pain, and remind us to 'play nice.' And when we can't play nice, they are there with bandages and comfort.

Tragically, mothers can only do so much. It is often said if mothers ruled the world, there would be no wars or bloody conflicts. I am not sure this is true or not. It feels true, but mothers are pretty damn powerful, so why don't they stop things? Why is that the mothers clean up the messes, but don't make them? (Hey, I do know plenty of broken mothers who raise broken kids: I'm not referring to those heartbreaking stories.) It may be because the other piece of the equation, Children, we need to learn our lessons for ourselves, no matter the pain or consequences. Just because our parents can see around corners doesn't mean we believe them. How boring would that be, to heed every piece of advice your mother ever gave you? The only one worth a damn is don't wear white shoes after Labor Day.

The upcoming events in Azeroth feel foreboding and menacing indeed. Even the cross-realm activities have heightened my awareness. Just yesterday a Troll hunter pulled a pack over to my warlock Kellda, which promptly ate her face off and took her minion's lunch money. Things are heating up, and if you want a glimpse, you can go to Vidyala's blog, Manalicious, and good-'ol Warchief's too.

Vidyala wrote a very comprehensive post on the upcoming events, and if you complain of spoilers, you had best check your reading comprehension, because it is not like she doesn't warn you! 

I have a very dear friend whom I've known since we were four years old. She lives, and has lived, in New York City for over twenty years. She wrote on Facebook yesterday, "It was a clear, sunny morning just like this one."

I much prefer my wars and conflicts fictional, thank you very much. Maybe we "mothers" and Watchdogs of Azeroth  can keep it in game, and not in the real world.

Theme Song: Let It Be

Know Your Archetype: Father

I really enjoy writing this series, and this one, the big one, has been in the draft folder for some time. As with many drafts, they sit and simmer for awhile until they're ready. I had started this one out snarky, but some other shared words steered it in another direction.

First, I'll define the Father figure as an archetype: Fathers can be loving, guiding, or scornful, but always strong and firm. Father's love is noted to be conditional, while mother's is unconditional. The relationship between father and son is particularly or extensively explored in the hero's journey, and 'atonement with the father' often accompanies the climax of the story in the resolution. Hamlet's relationship and mandate from a father's ghost, an unattainable phantom of resolution, drives him mad enough to everyone's tragic end. Romeo's and Juliet's defiance of parents, especially 'fathers' houses' doesn't really work out. And we all know about Luke, Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, et al. Dead fathers who speak from the beyond influence their children forever. Gaining a father's love, moreover, respect, is a rite of passage for many a young man. In our Azerothian world, we have Uther, King Terenas, King Wyrnn, and Thrall is expecting his first, too. 

A son's betrayal of a father cuts deep, and leaves world-wide scars:

I have mentioned before one of the most tragic stories is Fandral Staghelm's narrative. Driven mad by the loss of his son, Fandral seeks to destroy the world with his grief. To me, this was one of the most compelling and poignant stories written in Azeroth, and every time my shaman or paladin touch Leyara's Locket, it is not to turn into the 'enemy,' but remind my healer and protector there is a fine line between grief and healing.

But these are stories. We tell these stories again and again because they resonant deeply, and help us cope with our human condition.

I know many a young man right now who are about to become fathers for the first time. Some of these fathers are becoming so because of choice, and some with 'happy surprises.' I was thinking about all the  "How To" books for new parents, and they really seem to focus on mothers' responses to becoming a parent, and there are few lanterns to guide the path of fathers. Many (new) fathers fall back to the ways of their own fathers, and unfortunately, because of the lack of guidance, knowing what one 'should' do is lost among the teachings of fathers who don't know what to do. Many fathers in narratives are bumbling, cruel, and downright evil (thinking of Tywin Lannister). Within the past twenty-four hours, I heard two stories of a father who is the worst of all possible types of fathers, and then, a story about a father who I now consider to be---well, I am so humbled and honored to have been allowed to hear his story.

But this is serious stuff, and it sublime, and it is beautiful, and it is real. Navi sent this link written by Chris Pearson, and it hit hard. No one prepares any of us, no one can, for what they went through, for experiences of love and loss that we will all go through. Reading Chris's post late last night, I realized to myself, whatever comes my way, I am strong enough. I am strong enough. No, I am not in any imminent danger of loss, but I know parents who have experienced loss recently, and I have a lot in my life I do my damnedest to protect. 

To fathers, new and more experienced: I have some guidelines for you:

Be good to your children's mother, whether you are still together or not. How you treat the woman who brought these gifts into your life will affect your sons and daughters forever. Be good to her, and be respectful. Even if it's tough.

Be consistent with your children. You are in the role of the boundary giver. Yes, it's fun to be 'another big kid,' and that's awesome. Play games, goof off, chill, relax, and as you are doing so, teach your sons and daughters "the rules" and why they apply. Don't put the mom of the house in the role of 'the heavy' all the time either. 

Be smart: if your own father set less than a great example for you, do not let that be an excuse. I know of two stories where a man let his father's bad influence excuse his own poor choices, and another amazing man who considered his father's poor choices and become an incredible father in spite of them. 

Be good to the man you are. You made it. You protect, provide, and have know-how and intelligence that the people in your life depend on: you are up to it. You are strong enough. 

In these days of not only blurred gender-roles and confusion, it is liberating and confusing for all of us. Defining what it means to be "a man" through the guidance of fathers, or lack thereof, still holds some basic truths. 

Chris: Thank you. That's all I can say. 

Know Your Archetype: The Warrior

Disclaimer: These are archetypes--if you play a warrior, and are one of the "good guys" (I am thinking about Vidyala's husband who plays a warrior), then you have surpassed the expectations and broken free of the typecasting. My player friend who has many DPS characters is a good guy, too, and I don't consider him in this broad brushstroke I'm about to lay down.

Many warriors I have encountered, however, are not so noble.

Warriors live and die by the sword: they rarely become seasoned veterans or heroes. They just don't live that long--they are brash, cocky, impulsive on good days, and vain brigands on bad days.

The warrior lives to fight, and by nature is aggressive and confrontational. I have a very small data pool to draw from when judging warrior personalities in game, so my analysis may be faulty; however, they are usually packaged as a warrior/warrior tank, retribution paladins, and Death Knights. They are the mercenaries of the world, and use their single-focused goals to their own ends, both their ends in terms of the fame and glory they seek, and ends as their deaths. Two warriors I have known in game behave much like Ser Corbray below:

From A Feast for Crows: 

Spoiler alert: if you haven't read this book yet, scroll down. But I'll try not to give too much away. Let's just say a beautiful young girl, age thirteen, is serving a roomful of guests, and the warrior says something crass, and the older noble lady chides him. He doesn't care:

Protection Paladins don't behave that way...

Warriors tend to be threatening, and when there are not enough monsters to slay, they will turn on you, their own teammates. They are the bullies, the punks, the pendejos, who think they can do no wrong, and do not take criticism well--in fact, they don't take it at all. They are deaf to others' assistance or insight, and the chip on their shoulder and their own internal shortcomings would elicit empathy if they weren't so bloody braggadocios. Now, this begs the question, why do we need the warrior archetype?

Young Warrior....

I would say the reason should be obvious: children, and generally boys, need a purpose, they need challenging, physical play and plenty of room. Parents laugh when they try to have a more "gentle" boy, give him a doll, and he turns it into a gun. Didn't know you had ballistics-grade accessories, did you Malibu Barbie? Many studies have been done to show that video games are the replacement for boys' physical energy-releasers. I have known some young punks, and once I have given them a physical, meaningful, and helpful task, they are sweet as can be. Young men need a reason to fight, to defend, and fighting for one's selfish purpose isn't enough to make a man out of them, sorry to say.

Xena...ah, Xena...

This does not mean women aren't strong warriors, though, not at all. But usually the females warriors, (again, stress usually) have some other meta-maternal or care giving side to their motivations. If you like it, you better put a ringmail on it.

Consider Brienne in Game of Thrones--horse-toothed, Amazonian in size, and in her heart, desperate. Joan of Arc fought because God told her to.

One of the most tragic realities of our times is the boy soldier, used, enslaved, a pawn for others' greed and mercenary motivations. It is truly heartbreaking.  There is another sad reality, too, and that is nations who behave as the warrior archetype, when the hawks beat the doves. I have many conflicted feelings about this, and won't go into them here. I do honor veterans who serve my country, and fight to defend, and as a citizen, always do my utmost to respect and protect those who serve, and never ask them to fight for unjust reasons. It's defining the "unjust" where every first-world nation gets in hot water, not just the United States. I guess I just wish our "village elders" were more wise shamans than avaricious goblins.

There is a reason why drums are used to rally the troops--the beat gets in our very souls, our blood pumping, until we only see bloodlust and the single-focus will to attack.

Theme Song: Warrior/Kid Rock*
Won't Back Down/Johnny Cash
Top Secret Drum Corp/Edinborough
Burundi Drummers
Kodo Drummers (saw them live a few years ago -- holy smokes--made me want to go fight...!)

*All war songs are musical propaganda.

Know Your Archetype: The Devil

Beetlejuice. Beeltejuice. Beet-

This illustrates the architecture of a demon...

Thinking about Ariel and her voice, and…other things…made me think about the archetype of the devil. The "deal with the devil" is a linchpin of plot connections. There is usually a pivotal moment where the hero gives. trades, barters, or denies something that is so important to their powers in exchange for something they think will save themselves or others. And does the devil need all that stuff? I mean, what does he do with it anyway? Does he own a chain of storage units on the outskirts of town, where legions of trash pickers come to collect the $100 bills behind the sad clown paintings? 

Oh -sorry. Got side-tracked there. 

Anyway, what the devil does with this stuff, I have no clue. Usually he, or she, wants to fill a personal emotional vacuum, such as Beetlejuice's marriage proposal with Lydia, in exchange he will save the Maitlands. He's just really lonely, and is tired of going to miniature model houses of ill repute.

Sometimes...you're feeling a little..anxious...if you know what I mean...

Illidan is one such hero turned villain due to his dealings with devils. In an attempt to save his people on a mighty wave of hubris, he turns all dark and brooding. Well, maybe if Tyrande had kept her quiver full, none of this would have happened. It usually helps to blame women, right Eve?

That's hot.

The devil archetype is just about in every narrative and line of discourse. On one end it's simple bargaining, to the other extreme we lose our eternal souls. Dammit, I needed that! Just got that back from the cleaners!

In Azeroth, the big temptations come in the form of buying gold, or paying a guild to carry one through heroic raids for prized weapons and gear. Getting out of those moral entaglements usually takes the rest of the bucket of popcorn and 45 screen minutes to get out of--it usually isn't worth it. Whatever we accomplish in game, and more importantly, out, is worth keeping our souls for, at least 21 ounces doesn't get much in the auction house. Might as well vendor it out.

Every boss that does some sort of slow-burn damage, or face-changing is a type of devil, I suppose. I haven't played long enough to know if there are any current fights where the players bascially need to sacrifice themselves for others' gain. Now those would be interesing fights, to say the least. Think about it: deals with devils in order for the whole raid to succeed, but the sacrificial lamb gets nothing? How would that ever work? Maybe that should be part of a legendary chain, and we all get a chance for pretty blue mounts and dragon-infused staffs. 

Oh wait, we do. Go down to the crossroads and talk to a man there. He'll help you out.

Theme song: Robert Johnson/Crossroad

Poor Unfortunate Souls/Ursula

Know Your Archetype: The Sage

In spite of my extreme jealousy over New Zealand's having its own official wizard, I seek and appreciate the mentors I do have. We here in the States must muddle through with our own crafted mentors and truth-speakers, which are rare as salt in coffee. So perhaps it is not a surprise Yanks seek the wise-folks in game. Known by many names: the sage, the wizard, wiseman, wisewoman, or hermit, the sage is uniquely qualified to dispense wisdom, and though you may not know his or her backstory, you just know they have seen it all, been there, done that, and do not feel the need to show all their cards.

Well, they don't know everything. Their role in the hero's narrative is to give just enough information or exposition to carry the story along. Tyrande will honestly admit, "My vision is cloudy," because if she could truly know the outcome, there would be no story. Without confict, there is no plot, and with no plot, there is no story. We cannot know what the future holds, and there is a story about that, too. Just ask Cassandra what it's like to be cursed with prescient knowledge. It sucks the life right out of ya. No one believes you anyway, and then you go insane and die. The end.

But alas, once one has crossed into the realm or scope of sage, it is impossible to return to the role of 'ingenue.' It is difficult to regain innocence. I think about that often when I try to recapture a moment in game of when something surprised, scared, or just simply woke me up. The gaining of new knowledge, the awakening process, are the interesting shifts of the journey, the 'not stepping in the same river twice' kind of awareness. It is difficult to achieve this once knowledge exists. One bite of that apple, the snake's gone, the sky turns dark, and bam! Your fig-leaf doesn't have enough coverage. Self-awareness is the path to self-actualization, and the wise mentors have self-actualization coming out their staff pipes. No wonder why they often live alone. It's just easier that way.

The gods have given humans one of two terrible gifts, depending upon your belief systems: one belief is that the gods/God knows everything, and we are just on a pre-determined path to an ending that is set in stone, or, the other terrible gift is the gods/God gave us free will, but with a limited-time offer of mortality. From my own perspective, the free will choice is by far the more terrifying, yet satisfying of the gifts. The dairy farmer I dated believed God knew everything, and we were just on a life treadmill, heading toward a finality. Booooorinnnng! Well, then I couldn't see my path with him, and jumped off  the conveyor belt of that relationship. Bet he didn't see that coming.

Kum'isha is in Blasted Lands, giving out goodies

I have often wondered if most (famous/published) writers know everything ahead of time, what their process is, truly. This question of foreshadowing, and knowing the ending ahead of time has been on my mind quite a bit lately. Let's just say I know how the Ash-Witch's story is going to end, but--never mind. In any case, one of my favorite authors is John Irving. On my personal list of transformative books, The World According to Garp, followed by Cider House Rules. Recently, and fortuitously, his point of view on this subject was clearly defined in an interview about his latest novel, In One Person. (To the Amazon Kindle section! Away!) He clearly states he knows ahead of time how he will end a story, and I thought to myself, "Gee, perhaps that is why I have often disliked his endings." I hated the ending from A Widow for One Year, and The Fourth Hand, but the "I'm going to throw this book at his stupid New England face" was the ending in Last Night in Twisted River. But--to be fair, have no issues with many of the others. I would never dare criticize John Irving--his gifts to me as a reader far outweigh drippy endings. And this is only one woman's opinion. The characters in his stories live in my head, for all time. The reason why I cannot allow myself to criticize is that endings are very difficult for me--a great ending is rare and monumental. Perhaps I should heed his advice and start writing my endings first, and then allow Rule #10 to alter as needed. That would be the smart thing to do.




Theme song: Immigrant Song/Led Zeppelin

Know Your Archetype: Maiden, Mother, Crone

Seems nice enough: she gave me her hat, after all.

(Really trying to get over whatever it is that makes me want to pinch Kristin Stewart. I adore Charlize Theron, so I think I'll be able to stomach my way through this seemingly gorgeous film. It looks beautiful.)

But this is a tale as old as any--the passage of time personified by a wrinkle, or lack thereof. The Maiden, Mother, Crone archetype is the embodiment of promise, desire, fertility, and then wisdom. At every stage of life, our roles and responsibilities change. As I am sitting here, I find myself having a hard time writing about this archetype(s). The cliches are too thick to wade through, and--oh, must be honest. I am too in the middle zone of this phase of life to be a fair judge of either one to my left or right. No longer the young maiden, and not quite to crone phase, this middle zone is pulled.

But let me work in a fairy-tale framework:

The maiden, pure, and innocent, her only gifts or attributes of any value are her youth (beauty) and innocence.  I hope that when a younger audience reads anything from Game of Thrones they at least spend a few moments to look up 'maidenhead,' and hopefully will not find it in the Urban Dictionary. So much stock is placed on virginity, and from a biological imperative there is good reason.  (Seriously, forget Guild Wars or WoW - how about Biological Sperm Wars!) Sorry, my apologies. I realize some of you have not had your morning coffee yet. The power of the Maiden is in her power of promise, of potential. It's either in her child-bearing hips or her rose-red lips. But it's all about the visual; she doesn't need a personality or wisdom at this stage of the game, she has her looks.

The Mother figure has her own archetype, but in this triptych, she is simply the nester. She watches over her little chicks as best she can, and in most fairy-tales is usually dead before the turn of the second page, because the real conflict is between the maiden and the crone. Those two are separated by years of hardship, wrinkle cream, and mirrors. The Mother is all about sacrifice: she is devoted to her child/ren, and her sexuality or personal desires are a far distant memory from what she may have hoped for in her maiden phase.

The Crone: of the three, she is perhaps the most interesitng and dynamic. She ranges from evil witch, surrounded by fear and superstition,  or a jealous woman past her prime (again with the wrinkle cream! Stop!) to the wise sage of the village, the Mother Goose, story teller, advisor, and nurturer. She doesn't have to compete with the maidens any more, so she can relax and revel in her glorious moo-moo dispensing wisdom and cookies. But mostly she'll cut out your heart or chase you with flying monkeys: don't piss her off.

Now, looking forward to the next phase of my own life, I was telling cross-dressing rogue I wouldn't mind going into it looking like Helen Mirren. But damn, not sure I looked that good when I was the maiden. Sure there's a photo around here somewhere.

The problem with these archetypes is not that they exist, but that they are still so pervasive in our culture. Why can't the Queen "win" because she's smart, not because she's evil? Why can't Snow White get a pimple? But they are difficult to escape. As I have said before, I am not a 7'tall Draenei female in real life. "No?" you say. "No." But for a few hours I get to look at a mirror-mirror computer screen and be forever young, and strong. And if I stack up my intelligence rating, smart, too.

Looks good on me...

Know Your Archetype: The Villain

Warning: If you have been living under a rock since 1987, there may be spoilers. 

For weeks now, I have been intending to have Zep finish up her Firelands' dailies on the Molten Front, and complete Leyara's Locket. It's not that "she" needs anything from there, or gear, but that if I could have three wishes in WoW one would be that I could switch from Draenei to Night Elf without the race change fee, in a click and flick of a button. Alas, I cannot, and the locket is the next best thing.

But, there is something else. I have always felt empathy toward that sad, lost family. And today, Harpy's Nest posted this wonderful post about Staghelm.

To get at the core of a villain, it's all about choices.

But what makes a good villain? To me, it's about potential redemption.

Consider the robotic villain in No Country for Old Men, or Halloween: those villains are paradoxically static and terrifying because of their lack of depth. Their complete void of human empathy or narrative makes them simply killing machines. And though those are vastly different examples of horror genres, my response to the villains is the same. It really isn't about them.

To me, a "good" villain shows the audience that one moment when they had potential for redemption, when their humanity tripped them up, and their emotional losses took control. Static villains are only in it for some purpose that no one can claim resembles any part of being a human. It is pure sin. (Yawn.)

When thinking about this on my walk today, I thought of Voldermort, the ultimate villain in recent literature. And my theories on the "good" villain came to light: I don't really care that Voldemort dies. It is extremely anti-climatic. Harry looks around, and every one is kind of, well, shell-shocked. But the one we thought was the villain, and some may argue is/was, Snape, turns out wasn't such a bad guy after all. He did it all for love, too. Just like Harry.

Now, in Azeroth, I think what left folks somewhat in yawn-mode was the fact that Deathwing had none of these redemptive qualities. But, man oh man, Arthas sure did. And so does Garrosh. I realize Blizzard doesn't want to do the big, grand-scale epic sort of narratives anymore, but I cannot help but suspect that they can't get away from it, either, and nor should they. The protagonist needs the antagonist, no question about it. And so do we.

Right, Harry?

Postscript: http://sacredduty.net/2012/04/09/dragon-soul-retrospective/

Know Your Archetype: The Temptress

It's always a dame.

Ah, the Temptress: the other woman, the she-devil, the hussy.

In Azeroth, aside from some players who may or may not be female tempting players with flirtatious sexual overtones, (I'm not sure what button* is your feminine wiles buff, but hey, you'll have to answer to your game-girl sisterhood on that one), the Temptress is the ultimate self-actualized chica. She really doesn't care whether or not she's liked, but succumbing to her charms is non-negotiable. It starts off with heavy dose of Circe, a dash of Eve, a great haircut from Delilah, and the Southern drawl of Scarlet. of "Don't Give a Damn, not in the letter "A." Hester Prynne is so misunderstood. Which brings me to this thought: why is the temptation in mythology always in female form? Is it just because women aren't often the protagonists in tales? I know we need to change that. And speaking of the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is indeed the protagonist, and is Dimmesdale the tempter? He pays the price for it though, and most temptresses don't. Okay, except for maybe Cleopatra and that incident with her asp.

The temptresses in the game tend to be the succubi,  the Night Elf handmaidens, the charming-whipping-put-you-to-dreamy-sleep-slip-a-mickey-in-your-mead types. Which leads me to this, too: there aren't enough female bosses in the game. Oh, sure, there's Queen Azshara, Lady Sylvanas, and Tyrande, and this monument to "Not Everyone Should Wear Lycra:" Queen Therazane. While doing research again, I see that even Rades has mentioned this.  I don't consider Tyrande  a temptress, though. She's solidly in the 'mother' wing of archetypes. And I'm not sure who would be tempted by Therazane, but to each his own.

The Temptress uses sex and hedonism to get the hero off-task, and I'm not going to try to say it delicately. What I appreciate about femme fatales in mythology/legends is that they are so unapologetic about it, too. Circe doesn't give one fig if Odysseus gets home to a hot supper; Calypso does, and that is the heartbreak. But Circe, nope. One more man-bear-pig and she's good to go. Stick around, boys. Men are their playthings, their toys. And this begs the question, when one has little power, is sexual power better than nothing? (I swear I do not ask these rhetorical questions because I have answers - I really wonder about this stuff sometimes. That's a lie. I've spent a lifetime thinking about it in one context or another. Maybe I'll get a chance to see my friend with the PhD in Medieval Women's Theatre/ Literature and discuss sexual-historical paradigms in gender-politics. Or maybe we'll just have a martini. Heck, what am I thinking? We're WOMEN! We can do both!

But who in game might be a temptress given the various classes/races? I would say Trolls and Night Elf Druids, and Worgens, too. It's the shape-shifting, seductive dances, and dreamy green sleep that produces this tempting effect. But really--the shape-shifting. The ability to be many things at once, ferocious and primal--very intense stuff.

In looking for images I ran across this:

and it reminded me of Bettie Page, 1950s "star." Nothing is ever new, is it?

*Can you imagine the icon for that spell? Think about it. Use your imagination.

In any case, Bear's post and links today have me all kinds of laughing. Check it out.

Update: Forgot to add this theme song: Tempted/Squeeze

Know Your Archetype: The Hero

Or,  how to go from a Hero to Zero, in no time flat.

Originally, I was going to address the Temptress in the archetype series, but too many recent posts conspired and coalesced that I changed my mind, and decided to tackle heroes/heroines. (Although conquering one’s desire with the femme fatale would be very challenging, especially with all these posts on feminism. All hail Samantha Bee! All hail Kristin Shaal! Felicia Day,Gloria Steinem – remember when feminists got upset when she got married? She of the a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle fame?

What qualities make a ‘hero?’ Courage, bravery, willingness to help others in times of difficulty, selfless acts of generosity of spirit, time, and resources. Wait. Am I describing a hero or a Labrador Retriever?

 or

It is not my intent to debate the definition of bravery or courage. No one will ever agree on these, their connotations versus denotations. It is only my intent to describe the archetype of a hero in mythology, and in the mythos of gaming. Walk down the gallery of busts and pedestals, the annals of history, and see what we can see. (But I kind of failed at this.)

This comment interested me:

Syl March 27, 2012 at 11:15 pmI’m not sure being controversial or stirring shit for the sake of it has much to do with bravery. just as a side-note, definitions are getting a bit too mixed up for me here and there. my own definition of bravery is that one must overcome his own fears and therefore in fact be afraid to do something and yet do it. if you’re not afraid to be loud or honest or of potential reader reactions, then you are in fact not brave – no matter what the topic is.I am not even sure such a thing as “internet bravery” exists; that is my view based on people I have met in real life and what they have gone through and put up with everyday. nobody on the important internet will ever hear their story. it’s all wonderful to pat shoulders in internet communities, but sometimes I miss a bit of a reality check among the self-bravado. I will never consider any act of mine that requires me to push a publish button behind the safety (and anonymity) of my PC screen an act of true bravery.so yeah, I second Rohan on the complicated topic http://www.mmomeltingpot.com/2012/03/on-honesty-and-bravery-in-blogging/

Is it brave to get out of a bad marriage? Sit by a sick child? File a harassment suit? Stand up to a bully? It is not for any of you to judge the small acts of courage. Nor is it your task to heap guilt on the ones you don’t think are behaving in a courageous manner. That whole free-will thing and all that. We honor the heroes because they do step out way in front, but sometimes they step out in front because everyone else has taken five steps backwards.

I’ll let that one sink in.

It is facing what we fear. Say someone posts something difficult. We just read words. We don't see them. We can’t know if the person started crying after reading a response, or if their fingers were shaking before they hit publish. I do think we have all become a bit jaded when it comes to courage; we are fatigued as a world. Like an old fire horse who jumps out the door at the sound of the alarm, some of us still jump at the plea for help, and don’t turn our backs on others.

But heroes get tired, too. I always think of the opening exposition in The Incredibles when the hero is so weary, but still, wanting to be out in the fray, in the action, and he risks everything, especially the aggro-threat of wifely nagging. Oh, there is no sharper weapon than a woman’s disappointment.

We keep rehashing what I wish and feel should be done, and over. But maybe that is the essence of a cycle, a journey. It ends and begins again, with each generation trying to define their sense of community and involvement.  Where is the place for a paladin now? I keep remember my friend saying months ago, “We used to be kings of this world.” I wrote the Paladin’s Tale based on that comment. Washed-up, has-been, themes of former glory (just watch any Wes Anderson tale, especially The Royal Tenenbaums if you want stories of former glory and present-tense redemption.)

Keep Calm and Carry On, or as one Twitter-er’s avatar states, Keep Calm and Disengage, Oh Shit!

Azeroth lets us vicariously become heroes, just for a moment or two, if we so choose. One cannot extricate personal motivations from rewards that may result. There are no guarantees. So, does this mean that if we are also motivated by selfish reasons, our actions are any less heroic? Perhaps.  Heroes are complicated lots. The fewer dimensions they have, the shallower, the more they move away from the hero spectrum to static or flat character. Heroes only get interesting when we witness their inner turmoil and then –here is the critical piece –are made to feel an important part of helping them work through it. Heroism is all about the greater good. Kind of sucks during loot rolls, but sometimes...it works.

How many news stories have you read where someone just says, “I did what anyone would do.” And it is true. If someone can, most often, they will try to help. I believe this. Now, our choice of help and protest is befuddling to me sometimes. I am not sure what exactly triggers the protest of one young man, a tragedy, when so many are killed every day? Why does it take the one to speak for all? These are questions I will ask my entire life.

So, is our call to action to ask writers/bloggers to be honest and brave? Why, I wonder? Is it enough to be the reporter, the storyteller, or the provoker, in terms of getting  conversation and community together. I never even considered any post through the measuring stick of “is this writer brave or not?” Never even crossed my mind, unless it was a post like Apple Cider’s. That one will stick with me forever, and not just because it was brave, but because it was important. I will use her example in my professional and personal life. I do not expect or demand that writers share their personal stories with me –that is ludicrous. It is choice. If they want to, great—honor and respect. If they don’t- great. Honor and respect.

I have analyzed the role of a tank before, for my own clarification, and what I have to say is trite and tired. Tanks are there to make others look good. That’s it. The job requirements create a clear rubric: keep all from dying is the low-end of the scale, to make everyone succeed without noticing your presence.

What has happened though is that tanks made everyone look so good no one seems to need them anymore. Comments of “my HP is higher than the tank’s,” or “keep agro” and that no one seems to know what to do with a tank, exactly, they just know they need one, like the rationale for changing your underwear every day. You don’t know why you do, really, you just do. Or put on deodorant. You probably don’t stink that bad, but still…In professional lives, consider the really good supervisor, the one who organizes, boosts morale, knows when to give you the pat on the back or the gentle nudge. You learn to take them for granted. And then they get fired, demoted, or promoted, and then you realize how awesome you had it. If you’ve never had a good boss, I am sorry. They do exist, albeit rare. 

But are they “true heroes?” No. Not really. But on a concentric scale, yes, in my estimation. They are the players who make the game more fun, who are inclusive, and generous, and funny. But, they also enjoy the praise, too. All part of the hero hubris.

Ever hopeful, sweet Lupe

How cool would it be to give the “tanks” – wish there was another term for this role—a path of their own? Where they do have to save the day, prove their stamina, test their mettle? I don't want to be king of the world again, but I also don't want to have to slide off the ship's door into the icy depths to save some skirt. (Just kidding. I loved Titanic.) Maybe I want to be Rose and grab onto Jack, and live happily ever after, and not happily in the ever after-life.

But I now I shift to maudlin: when I look at this little brave tank I naively started, sometimes she breaks my heart. Really. Real tears time. There is no place for her, no motivation, she just does her job, her thankless job, and survives on parry moves and a great defense made from a wonderful offense. I read these two posts today:
http://sacredduty.net/2012/03/28/i-was-a-25h-progression-tank/
and the other day:
http://sacredduty.net/2012/03/27/weakauras-strings-protection-paladins/
and thought "Why should I efffing bother?" I mean -- look at the number chart on that second link! It's amazing! It's a rocket-science description of tanking when I'm still trying to find the constellations. See that? Over there? Yes. That's Orion's Belt. You'll never get it, because you can't raid. You're lame. And don't know what you're doing, and no one needs you. That star over there? That's part of the Superfluous Nebulae. Yeah, can't get there from here. A million light years away. But see, see what happens? That's my ego getting bruised, my motivation is off. If someone needs me, I'll be there for them. That's all.

I think this is one of the greatest acts of cowardice I have witnessed in a long time.  You can judge me, the story, or the entire series of tragic events. Waiting for a hero on this one.

Know Your Archetype: The Anti-Hero

Load Your Lock, People!

Don't know why I am concerned about the disappearance, the endangered species if you will, of Warlocks in Azeroth. This worry inspired me to put together this collage of Locks, a call to action, a recruitment poster, or base propaganda and pandering. No matter.

Cynwise has taken the extremely scientific and meta-analysis approach; Tome, and Godmother, the more qualitative analysis, and me, well, I mess around with .jpgs for a while in stead of doing the dishes. Spooky, I know. But with all the chatter, keep in mind there are big changes coming to Warlocks in the new expansion, and their specializations are some of the most complex and difficult to master, as well as having a very challenging lore. They are the anti-heroes of the game. Anti-heroes are the heroes we love to hate. They are not perfect. They never become perfect. Apotheosis? Bah. Rather smoke a cigarette and drink Scotch than turn all squeaky-clean Boy Scout. They are the protagonist, but with an antagonistic edge. I was going to write that my impression is that rogues fall in this category, too, and then found this on Wikipedia:

O MalandroA typical kind of Brazilian stock character who is often depicted as a trickster who lies, steals, and has little qualms about manipulating even his best friends. Despite this rather negative and villainous attitude, the malandro is often depicted as a hero because, in contrast to his methods, he does not use his cunningness for true harm and malice. Rather, he uses it to prevail against the adversity that surrounds the character, and his actions may actually have positive effects on the others, even if unintended, thus making him a sort of Lovable rogue.

 Warlocks, well, I need to do some further study on these elusive, mysterious heroes. I start warlocks all the time, but never finish them. While reading Game of Thrones, I started one named Hallyne for the alchemist creeps who made the wildfire that sets all ablaze with eternal toxic poisons. Every time I play with a warlock I feel spun around, and a bit bewitched. I can't really tell if that green stuff is a good or bad thing, or if I should call a medic. And let's not forget poor Escarlata, who is well, not a nice girl, dead or alive.

So, go to your local server slot today and rescue a lost or abandoned warlock. Locks need love, too.

Breaking news! Updated animations coming!

Know Your Archetype: The Joker

Joker Card by Anry on Deviant Art

Do you know someone named "Jack?" Jack-Be-Nimble, Jack Spratt, jumping over candlesticks, Pumpkin Kings, Jack of All Trades, Jack in the Box, Jack O'Lantern, Jack in Lord of the Flies, Jack the Ripper, and "the Man Jack" in Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, and the list goes on...

Well, if you don't know anyone named Jack, you probably know a rogue or two. And I'd wager a mage, also.

Jokers are the tricksters, and their idea of a good time is on a spectrum from "harmless prank" to "psychopath." They are the coyote of lore, the Loki, the unknown element, the surprise. I am fascinated by Ares' sister, Eris. While he ruled over war and large-scale catastrophes, I always held the opinion that her deeds cause more harm in the world. She is the goddess of strife and discord, and her ploy with the golden apple toppled kingdoms. Oh, she starts plenty of sh*t, that's for sure. Every playground fight can trace its roots back to Eris' gossipy ways. But she is not a joker, per se. The joker, well, jokes. and the whole notion, "it's funny because it's true," and the fine line between tears and laughter is no archetypcal accident. We laugh at slapstick--and I am going to stop analyzing humor. To me, that's like pulling the wings off of a butterfly and wondering why it won't fly anymore.

Just--be cautious of the joker, for oftentimes the joke's on you. Empathy is not their strong suit, recognizing when they've taken something too far is a challenge for them, and not one of their priorties. They are in it for the spectacle, the laugh. If you want to read more on some of the best "joker" archetypes around, read Neil Gaiman's works, especially The Graveyard Book. The Man Jack, and other Jacks in the story, will make your blood run cold.

And be careful when you click that portal. You might get a surprise.

Postscript: To my former guildmaster, you may be a joker, but there are more than one of us who still consider you one of the best raid leaders of all time - an Ace, truly. 

Know Your Archetype: Queen

Ceniza confronts another image of Azshara...

The Queen is often portrayed as a woman/female figure who is self-possessed, and in control of her surroundings and subjects. The ascription of being a 'queen' can mean a stand-offish attitude. She will care for you, but you must be loyal. Hugs are not in abundance, but if she so deems, she can save your head from the chocking block, (if she didn't put it there in the first place), or finance a voyage to the new world.

Damn, baby, you may be a beeotch, but you know how to throw a cocktail party...

But here in Azeroth, the supreme queen is Azshara. She lives in memory and hauntings, replayed time and again in the Well of Eternity. Every time one of those men decree, "At your side, my lady!" a tiny part of me (and I mean at the molecular level small) cringes/dies. The swept-off-your-feet-man-trap power is sublime, and all little girls are fed a heavy dose of mythical imagery of why we shouldn't want to be 'queen.' You end up ugly, old, and thrown off cliffs. Only good little girls stay young, sing well, get bluebirds to do their bidding, and get the prince (who becomes king, so then they become queen, and then...) Lest you think I'm going to get into a whole feminist diatribe, relax. These are archetypes, remember, and there are plenty for males as females which can be equally unbalanced and unfair. Marketing companies long ago figured out they could manipulate the mirror-mirror and use him as a powerful spokesman to get women (and men) to change or try to stop time, at least the signs of it physically. But there's always some new girl in town, apples and bluebirds optional.

Queens come in two flavors:

1. Those who are always in control:

Lie back, and think of England

Godspeed, Freddie Mercury

2. Those who "lose it:"

Queen of Heart Attack

Locked inside your heart-shaped box...

How do you know in the company of a queen? If you have to ask...well, you may want to make sure that blade is sharp, and keep those tarts coming.

And get on the good side of the huntsman.

Theme songs:

Clair de Lune/Debussy

Victoria/The Kinks

Bohemian Rhapsody