#it's still not a writing decision with any integrity whatsoever and my critical brain knows that

[aerithisms]

you know it was always very stupid that fates straight up just had awakening characters in it as fanservice but i don't think i ever appreciated enough how lucky i was from a pure fan perspective that one of my favourite awakening characters (severa) got arbitrarily put in another game and i got all that extra content for her

[bluetinge]

Human ability and helplessness in fantasy/SF media

    Whenever I read a book or watch a TV series about beings with otherworldly abilities, I’m usually the one chanting for Team Human. I think this is probably a pretty normal reaction--we are, as far as I am aware, all humans after all-- and yet humankind has a tendency to be somewhat powerless in such media. In Dr. Who, the vast majority of the time it is the super-powerful Doctor who saves the day, not his helpless human sidekick. In Homestuck, the kids may be powerful and genetically human, but they are also received their powers by being “chosen ones” and, paradoxically, are not even borne of the same human race that inhabits (and completely fails to protect) Earth. There are hundreds of examples of fantasy/sf that, in varying degrees, prop up their heroes and villains as either nonhuman or human-but-special, and this media tends to portray a grand struggle between the Chosen Ones that relegates ordinary humans to the role of helpless spectators, bystanders, and victims. This trope is so common I have to wonder if we humans have some inferiority complex that sees us so quick to condemn ourselves to irrelevancy in the grand scheme of things.

       Encountering media that disobeys this trope, and gives run-of-the-mill humanity a little bit of agency, is usually a nice breath of fresh air. In largely nonhuman- or augmented human-dominated works of fiction, I instinctively cheer for any human characters that happen to be on the periphery of meaningful plot momentum-- I was happy to turn my criticisms of U.S. government agencies away and urgently cheer for Nick Fury in the recent Captain Marvel, for example. And yet, I have recently found myself wishing for the opposite--yearning for the 100% all-natural human brothers of Sam and Dean to have a little more power, a supernatural kick, to give them an edge over both the metaphysical malevolents that haunt their world, as well as the various humans of authority that inhabit this world and enable these evil beings with their skepticism and sense of superiority.

    I should mention, first and foremost, that I am very late to the Supernatural fandom train-- I just started watching a few weeks ago, and I’m only about halfway through Season 1 at the moment. I should also mention that there are plenty of hints that Sam, in particular, is no ordinary human being, and I am certain later seasons have already invalidated a great deal of what I am writing about here. It doesn't change the fact, however, that at present, I can’t seem to shake the feeling that Sam and Dean need to be a little more... powerful than those around them. 

    To start with, there is the obvious problem that in order to accomplish much of anything, Sam and Dean need to lie and make vague appeals to authority in order to make any progress whatsoever in the episode. These attempts frequently don’t work, which is appreciated by the rational part of my brain and frustrates the part that wants a smooth narrative, but even so eventually the skeptical townsfolk around the brothers are required to act in ways that stretch my suspension of disbelief-- all for the sake of plot. If the endangered civilians around Sam and Dean accept their pleas to “just let us look around,” it annoys me-- this is not really how people act, especially towards suspicious strangers. If they reject Sam and Dean, this also annoys me-- its a fairly predictable plot setback that slows everything down. The only solution, it seems, is to give Sam and Dean some otherworldly abilities, some quick and easy way to give the brothers persuasion or stealthy access to off-limits areas (not to mention an easy way to escape their frequent stints in jail).

    This same situation presents itself again with the more violent encounters with the various ghosts and goblins that live in Sam and Dean’s world. I can accept that the brothers have a long history of studying these supernatural events and a great deal of expertise in dealing with them-- I can accept this very easily, in face. Knowing how to exorcise a ghost? Sure-- as long as the requirements of the exorcision are spelled out in advance, I am happy to believe that these two brothers are able to banish an entity far more powerful themselves. Able to successfully defend themselves against said entity? It depends strongly on the episode and the scene, but I am frequently frustrated by how these two powerless meatbags are able to stand up to ghosts that kick cars off of bridges and wendigos that have hunted men for a century, and nothing takes me out of a piece of media more than catching a glimpse of impenetrable plot armor. Naturally, my first thought is these boys need more than wits and a rifle that fails to fire half the time--they need some supernatural chops that can stand up to the forces of darkness.

    I don’t believe, however, that this is the only solution to the problem. We have enough media that shows super-powered humans and aliens as the only ones able to defend the people of Earth-- and while giving these two a magical weapon, or rituals of power might enhance the two while retaining their fundamental humanity, I am more interested in another solution. Can all-natural human heroes stand up to forces of darkness, and make waves through their fellow mundanes, without the need to resort to spells? I believe they can.

    Its a question of narrative framing. How much of what I discussed above was intentional? Good stories require conflict and high stakes, after all--and every plot element I find “frustrating” might be someone else’s “satisfying.” There is no way to please everyone, but I might be more willing to accept knowledge and expertise as appropriate weapons if, well, the knowledge seemed more expansive and the skills, more powerful. I especially am interested in improving the presentation of Sam and Dean’s expertise in dealing with these things-- sure, they should be struggling, but at the same time a little glorification could go a long way. Part of the problem seems to be that there is a disconnect between the expertise talked up by the show, through our background knowledge of Sam and Dean’s lives spent training to deal with any situation, and the reality shown to us on the screen. Could a little bit more fight choreography and attention to detail be enough to bump up these encounters from “barely making it” to “Sam and Dean have a real shot?” What about the attitudes of the characters themselves, which seem to switch from confident to completely-not-in-control as the stakes raise? At a certain point, I start describing a show which is not Supernatural anymore, but thats a show which I might be more enamored by.

    The question of the brother’s conflicts with the average folk around them is somewhat more difficult to solve, but can also be looked at as narrative framing. It is ultimately the decision of the writers to include these subplots, which I find tedious but others might find integral. Could use of plot device solve these problems before they begin? If the helpless victims contact the brothers, instead of the other way around, the skepticism issue is sidestepped entirely. If this is too much, liberal use of victim awareness can still be used to divert it (I’m talking having the victim see something they cannot explain, which has been done in the show a few times with great results).

    Ultimately, it is all a question of what kind of show the writers want to write, and I want to consume. I have a desire for more ordinary human agency, but a tighter suspension of disbelief and a frustration with certain kinds of plots. And despite my initial impulse with regards to Supernatural, I don’t think Sam and Dean need supernatural powers--all the show needs is a willingness to let their human powers shine.