All Articles
Healing and Temperance in Knights of the Old Republic
A pivotal theme of Bioware’s seminal Star Wars story Knights of The Old Republic, still very influential even many years later for its branching story and the codification and questioning of many concepts of the myths of the galaxy populated and threaded by the Force is the essential nature of healing and temperance. KOTOR is…
One Small Scene: “I will miss our conversations.”
In the midst of the romanticised death of the traditional samurai, gunned down by an unscrupulous businessman, the opportunistic foreign investor, and the apathetic Emperor there is time for a short joke and memory shared before a warrior aids a samurai in ritualistically taking his own life. “No.” “You have your honour again. [Smiles] Let…
Character Analysis: Atris
The Echani are not only good guards and allies for a fugitive, historian or leader, but perfect for the Sith. Aside from not detecting the dark side, they would passively accept such a person who valued Sith ideals such as the empowering nature of strength, both ideologies venerate the accumulation and demonstration of strength, and…
A Few Thoughts on Beauty
Beauty is transient, but it exists. Not in universals, not in something as crude as physical lusts, or what we are conditioned to assume it to be. but in embodying something, in the mixture of toil and effort and planning to obtaining beauty, and the repose and casual nature of how it speaks for itself,…
A Look at the Lens: A Thought on There Will Be Blood
Watching There Will Be Blood for the first time through with my parents and them seeing it for the first time, knowing them to be quite vocal commentators I was curious to hear observations as much as feeling I would come away with another detail. Many films, for example one of my favourites The Prestige…
A Grain of Sand, Thoughts About Dune
Evil or great, the mighty remain human beings with all the grandeur and humbling that can imply. That is a ringing theme in Dune I very much enjoy. Science fiction without presenting aliens as reflections of us, but warped humans merely hyper-conditioned. Arrogance obscuring clarity is something that while sounding simplistic is the multifaceted enemy…
Character Analysis: Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye being the Queen within her commander and partner Roy Mustang’s chess motif is an accurate analogy. The most visible, competent piece of great value, as well as implicitly partnered with the King. She has always been useful and her arc is passing from childhood abuse and military abusive orders to serving, directing, and…
One Small Scene: “He was my enemy too at one time.”
The words themselves suggest a lightness, something pensive or forgiving when it is of nothing of the sort, espoused by a jolly dictator about to turn: “You’re just like your father! Ha ha! Always wanting the Republic! Ha ha ha ha! He was my enemy too at one time.” I had no idea Brian Blessed…
Character Analysis: Elric of Melniboné
The embodiment of the addictive power, a moralistic parasite, a questioner. All Elric is, his physical, magical, even mental strength is subject to flux. The character is never quite in command of the situation, and a testament to the power of the arcane and unknowable as much as the Conan character Michael Moorecock enjoyed enough…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Kreia II.
“To believe in an ideal, is to be willing to betray it.” Much is made of Kreia’s quote about betrayal, an interesting consideration of the nature of truly following ideals: “The galaxy needs its betrayers, especially in the times to come.” While something auguring a dark time and worse to come (applicable both in-setting, and…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Kreia I.
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] Last but not least, fittingly we come to the unseen dominator of the KOTOR II companions. Seemingly impossible not to include writing about even in articles not centred upon her, Kreia equals this importance in game, possessing a seemingly unending…
How Retinues Reflect Tyrion Lannister
While I really enjoyed Alt Shift X’s look into Tyrion Lannister and don’t have an interest in writing a broad article about the character, I noticed an aspect of the individual and something pertinent to many feudal stories that escaped notice somewhat: the importance of a powerful character’s retinue. When purely considering the literature, rather…
Character Analysis: Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
While famous for irreverent comedy, blending a given demon of the week with quips and a tight cast, the transition from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Angel lent itself to surprising depth. In shows that continue on for a while, logically there is the opportunity for side characters in one setting to gain prominence, and…
Bin Men and The New Scientist
Are they reading the paper? One of them is reading something. A couple of voices add something in, that even memory cannot furnish for me. But the cover I recognise. It’s something my stepdad has showed me many times, lending me copies since I was 13. I hear their points about gravity and black holes.…
A Look at the Lens: Farscape
A diamond in the rough, that looks like a rough diamond. If you want original science fiction, truly original and not a rehash of what Star Trek or Wars covered before, Farscape is it. Truly alien in every sense, by intention. Cobbled together design, without the now fairly typical junker aesthetic. Sense of plot and…
Harry Potter: Jealousy as Poison to Love
Love, the acceptance of death, protection and unveiling of mysteries are the constantly reinforced lifeblood of JK Rowling’s seminal series. But underneath the vein of love, given a blunt, transmutative and literal magical power, later books delving into domineering and sadistic personalities portray the corruption and negative expression of human feeling in another more sinister…
Mud and Fertiliser
Strength comes from high and low places. Argument is meaningless, often entrenching people further in a contrary belief. I have, likewise, never seen complaining do anything more than fill time, and bring an addictive, low level entertainment that you could find by simply discussing the day, or watching the average comedy show. It is a…
The Voices of Invigilata
“Greetings, Astartes”. The wobbling, reverberating quality of the Titan machine’s speakers, represented in the moving calligraphy style also gives birth to a voice layered with feminine welcome and basso impression. “Waste no time on pleasantries. Stormherald wakes, and soon I must walk. Speak”. I have never heard a quality quite like it, how effectively a…
The Shifting Medium: An Example
I want to delve a little further into a previous article, discussing The Shifting Nature of Documentaries, and give an example of what I mean by a successful documentary channel thriving and original in its expression and productivity. In this case; ‘The People Profiles’ channel began with the express purpose of trying to produce television…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: The Handmaiden
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] As with The Exile, The Disciple, The Twin Suns; many characters are named by their role or given a cognomen rather than a straightforward name, many due to circumstance also as is the case with Canderous being Mandalore. Brianna is…
One Small Scene: “When this world began…”
[Spoilers from Boardwalk Empire, Season 4 will follow] After excusing herself to go on stage and sing for the crowd, Dr Valentin Narcisse buttons on his shirt, adjusts his moustache, and settles himself in front of a backstage mirror to listen to Daughter Maitland sing. The cresting voice rises, and as his eyes close and…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Visas Marr
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] Visas Marr begins the game as a combatant and assassin, and from the beginning of her unexpected attack and induction KOTOR II starts early with exploiting audience expectations to think very hard about notions of betrayal and slavery. The notion…
Character Analysis: Samus Aran
Credit: Chriskot One of the most distinctive characters of the Nintendo staple, a very early heroine; it is perhaps bemusing but accurate to compare Samus Aran to the Mario character. Popular in appearance, in the satisfaction of gameplay and marketing. Where we do not really consider -aside from the inventive RPG titles- concepts such as…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: The Disciple
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] Of all the KOTOR II companions, this one is cloistered and aberrant in quite a bookish and straightforward environment. His stolid, expository tone and affable demeanour seems out of place given how much it contrasts the other males, how he…
The Shifting Medium of Documentaries
If I were to mention the word ‘documentary’ to you, what would you think? If you were not taken to imagine the scenic shows covering the geography, flora and fauna of the Earth? The fact is, television fails to provide anything save stale World War II, alien theories, and mean-spirited caricatures of treasure hunters and…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: HK-47
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] HK-47 is a character that the writing team could clearly allow to play out, fitting entirely within the tone and atmosphere of both games where many others could not. And as with Mandalore, this opportunity was taken to enhance the…
Reader’s Recommendation: Sigismund: The Eternal Crusader
“We are all nothing until we decide what to become.” This was good. Shockingly good, and I knew the moment I ordered it the novella would be an enjoyable read. John French since Praetorian of Dorn has hardly let any Imperial Fist enthusiasts down, and he understands how to write a good yarn for their…
Reader’s Recommendation: Godborn, by Dan Davis
How many fantasy tales of the Bronze Age are there? I’ve only heard of one, mostly because I just finished reading it. Godborn is as enjoyable as I expected, an original gem like an amber stone. Earthy, bone and spear tales of what one might associate with the prehistoric or our mythic cycle. There’s roots…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: GOTO
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] “You do not know the indignity of being compelled to save something you do not believe can – or should – be saved. It is beneath me.” I find this is a great line, much like the fantastically verbose rant…
Reader’s Recommendation: The Song of the Cid, translated by Burton Raffel
Three beautiful cantos, then a smattering of notes. From nine days, the beginning of exile, the evocative imagery of furs and hawks and the voice of the titular Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid, ‘The Lord’ a reader knows the kind of epic poem this will be. It’s a beautiful thing, in the way both…
Character Analysis: Benjamin Sisko
The greatest Commander, promoted to Capitan, from the series that aged best. Star Trek may have elected to forget Sisko and his crew existed while Voyager, the films, and the reboot bloated and declined in quality; but many audience members didn’t. And I would suggest both Star Trek and science fiction fans take a look…
Reader’s Recommendation: Chivalry, by Maurice Keen
There is nothing quite like reading the pleasure of a concise classic. As one feels appreciating the size of The Book of Five Rings or Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, it’s brilliant to read a work that’s so intelligently written, it has respect for the content and your time. Chivalry is absolutely packed, with source material,…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Bao-Dur
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] The most enigmatic companion with much to write about; although little is said. As far as understated characters, as well as those missing the largest amount of content and what may have been I would say only Mira has more…
One Small Scene: “To the death, Tybalt”
‘To the death, Tybalt,’ he said. He put his bolter in Marr’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. Scrambling in the dark, the underground ambush of an elite force drilling into the Saturnine wall and intending to deliver a decapitation strike to the Imperial defenders, Tybalt Marr finds his entire company shredded by a counter ambush.…
Character Analysis: Viserys I (House of The Dragon)
[Heavy spoilers for House of the Dragon will follow] I’m glad Paddy Constantine got a leading role and found him not only a surprising choice, but knew he would be both the most divergent character from the source material and one of the better actors of the cast. Viserys was nothing in the books, let’s…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Hanharr
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II] An evil Wookie. Such a simple concept, but never repeated. The obvious idea of exposing how insidious a life debt is one thing, but wrapping it around another thing about Wookies which we see in A New Hope. They’re massive,…
Character Analysis: Heather Mason
It’s very enjoyable to experience the journey of a teenage heroine that actually has something to offer in terms of investment and personality. Heather isn’t a microphone for screaming, a pithy empowerment message or blank slate. Heather Morris (the original voice actress, I know Amanda Winn-Lee was the HD voice but Morris is the voice…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Mira
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] “There’s a lot of lost people out there scattered ever since the Mandalorian Wars. Sometimes it’s like you can almost hear them, like an echo calling out for each other. And maybe, just maybe by finding them I can start…
Reader’s Recommendation: L.A. Confidential, by James Ellroy
This novel is brutal. Rude. I was apathetic about advertising it on a couple of sites honestly due to how people can virulently react to media being looked at. To me, the offence (aside from being relevant to the time, and part of the theme of how sickening such behaviour is) loops back into absurdity.…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Mandalore
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] Still the best Mandalorian in my view, a hard-bitten companion in two very good games. You owe it to yourself to listen to John Cygan’s excellent voice acting if the fictional warrior culture appeals to you. I can’t sell it…
One Small Scene: Leaves from the Vine
In an episode divided into vignettes already, the ending of Iroh’s particular story of a day in Ba Sing Se punctuates a very quiet, but very poignant scene about help and heartbreak. At the culmination, in a scene as long as two sentences and a song, the old man speaks to a portrait coming into…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: Atton Rand
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] As mentioned in the series introduction, as the first humanoid companion to be introduced, and also filling the temporary role of ‘protagonist’ while The Exile is incapacitated for a brief section in Nar Shaddaa provides the option to be more…
On The Name
As many of you will know, Nemean is a name that’s familiar in mythology. It’s hardly the only name for an organisation either (although I have to say the gigantic list of other things called Nemean looked as daunting afterwards as much as it affirmed being quite a cool name). So why was it chosen?…
KOTOR II Companion Analysis: T3-M4
[The following article gives heavy spoilers for Knights of the Old Republic I and II.] Before playing The Exile, at the very beginning of the story we do not see the world from the eyes of a former Jedi; or even a humanoid. The first character to be controlled, the companion and temporary protagonist immediately…
Character Analysis: Arrian Zorzi
[Spoilers regarding the Fabius Bile series, and Horus Heresy arcs concerning the World Eaters and Emperor’s Children Legions will follow.] From a literary perspective, the World Eaters have come a very, very long way. Always popular, but they have become popular and complex subjects of novels as well as one of the most recognisable factions…
A Look at the Lens: Stargate Atlantis
Stargate is about exploration of the alien, making sense and appreciating old civilisations, and the struggle against false divinity and predatory parasitical alien life in all of its inceptions. Atlantis provides new exploration in an alien galaxy, cutting off and keeping humanity away from the familiar Earth and surrounding it with the alien as well.…
An Introduction to The KOTOR II Companion Series
“You see, the war, the true war, has never been one waged by droids, warships, or soldiers. They are but crude matter, obstacles against which we test ourselves. The true war is waged in the hearts of all living things, against our own natures, light or dark.” A slave to your most intimidating enemy. A…
One Small Scene: “A Quiet Thing”
“It is such a quiet thing.To fall.But far more terrible, is to admit it.” Kreia, Darth Traya, possibly Arren Kae are all names belonging to a unique Star Wars character. Perhaps the most fleshed out mentor in all of the Expanded Universe; and also an utter inversion. Among many of her schemes, lies, and arguments…
Reader’s Recommendation: The Beautiful and Damned, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Many novels mention or state that they tackle themes of decadence and wealth. But, to my knowledge there is no clearer window into the realistic fall, the apathy of the wealthy, the vapid, consumptive, hungry nature of the idle rich and nouveau riche than The Beautiful and Damned, one of many great novels written by…
Reader’s Recommendation: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, by George Raymond Richard Martin
Before the widespread popularity of Game of Thrones, there was a short story collection that slipped through the cracks. In a setting known for its extensive cast and expanded materials such as The World of Ice and Fire, the entertainment one gets from reading A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms stems from it being a…
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