Post by samt on Oct 30, 2015 18:46:21 GMT
When a character is so perfect, can do no wrong, and has the world bend to meet their needs, can they really be considered human anymore? This is what I was thinking as I finished an Honor Harrington book and started reading an old Lost Fleet book I had. You see Honor Harrington can do no wrong, she's perfect and can come up with perfect strategies all on her own. If you know how many militaries work, you'll realize how bullshit that is. Even the most brilliant generals in history overlook small details that could become critical to their success. Its up to the command staff to advise or act on the commander's behalf in these areas to keep them operations successful. But Honor Harrington does not have such problems, she comes in and makes her plan and everyone is awestruck at it. Nevermind the fact that the plan relies on the enemy being stupid or her being lucky (something no commander should do if they have a choice). But it works almost EVERY SINGLE TIME, when it doesn't work its because it was someone else's fault. To add to this she is a perfect compass in sound strategy and morality, if you do not agree with her in both you're either wrong, evil, or stupid. And then after all that we add in the fact that she has a mascot animal that chose her because she is special and it gives here telepathic powers to read other's feelings. Finally to top it all off, she's the most decorated Admiral of two nations, a noble of two nations, the champion of a king, and she did all this by coming up from humble beginnings. All of this adds up to character that is impossible to relate to or really root for, at least for me.
After I read that Fanfriction, I read Lost Fleet again and the differences are staggering. John Geary is human but just one different from the people he works with. This occurs due to him being thrown into the future due to suspended animation shenanigans. His biggest asset to the fleet he commands is his different perspective on things with lost skills few have anymore. He is worshiped but that is actually more of a worry rather than another feather in his cap. He is always worried his worshipers might not advise him against actions that they figure to be bad because they believe it will magically work out if Geary orders it. The plot helps him at times but other times it goes against him and creates an incredibly dangerous scenario that he can not get out of without sacrifices. His dynamic with his trusted officers is one where he provides a solution based on his lost skills and fresh perspective while the officers draw on their lifetime of experiences and knowledge of events and technology he is unaware of. Even when negotiating he has a politician (battlestar galactica-style) helping him to see through the deceit. Overall Geary is a well trained average joe from another time willing to take one for the team and almost desperate to listen to trusted advice.
I have no doubt that if Honor Harrington and John Geary would clash, Geary would lose, but I would be rooting for Geary regardless since one is distinctly perfect while the other is distinctly human. Its a similar reason why the old idea (screw your perpetual, custodes, terminator crap GW) of Ollanius Pious remains so strong in the thoughts of some 40k players in the ways the primarchs likely never will be.
After I read that Fanfriction, I read Lost Fleet again and the differences are staggering. John Geary is human but just one different from the people he works with. This occurs due to him being thrown into the future due to suspended animation shenanigans. His biggest asset to the fleet he commands is his different perspective on things with lost skills few have anymore. He is worshiped but that is actually more of a worry rather than another feather in his cap. He is always worried his worshipers might not advise him against actions that they figure to be bad because they believe it will magically work out if Geary orders it. The plot helps him at times but other times it goes against him and creates an incredibly dangerous scenario that he can not get out of without sacrifices. His dynamic with his trusted officers is one where he provides a solution based on his lost skills and fresh perspective while the officers draw on their lifetime of experiences and knowledge of events and technology he is unaware of. Even when negotiating he has a politician (battlestar galactica-style) helping him to see through the deceit. Overall Geary is a well trained average joe from another time willing to take one for the team and almost desperate to listen to trusted advice.
I have no doubt that if Honor Harrington and John Geary would clash, Geary would lose, but I would be rooting for Geary regardless since one is distinctly perfect while the other is distinctly human. Its a similar reason why the old idea (screw your perpetual, custodes, terminator crap GW) of Ollanius Pious remains so strong in the thoughts of some 40k players in the ways the primarchs likely never will be.