A Matter of Trust by Robert Moriyama

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kailhofer
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A Matter of Trust by Robert Moriyama

Post by kailhofer »

What makes a good villain?

I believe the answer to that question has a direct bearing on this story, and the whole Majius series.

To me, good villains are the flip side of a hero, and must necessarily be directly in the way of the hero's progress (and vice-versa). Heroes and villains usually have similar traits and abilities. Sometimes, they even have similar attitudes: Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter may both hate rude, self-serving individuals, but where she will ignore them, he will serve them on a plate at a dinner party.

A villain does evil deeds because he/she/it believes they are for the greater good--but from a twisted perspective or sense of morality. Their good is the hero's bad, and to the villain, there was nothing wrong with what they did. The good villain's worldview has to believe that what is done was for the better--otherwise he/she/it is just a monster, not a villain.

Jaws was a monster. Hannibal Lecter was a villain (and voted the greatest movie villain of all time by the American Film Institute). He was the best because conscious, deliberate action is the next hallmark of a great villain, IMO. Everything he did or said was for a reason. In the movie version of Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal is only on the screen for (I believe) 18 minutes (yet enough to win an Oscar for Anthony Hopkins). Consider the effect if instead, Hannibal got chatty and just mused about the world because he felt like talking. If anything he says is not about scaring the hell out of us, revealing the depth of his character, or manipulating others, he is reduced to something less. Less scary=less of a challenge.

There are differing kinds of villains, of course: There's the turncoat villain, who started as a good guy, but then obsesses over something until it consumes them. Annakin Skywalker is a good example, and his obsession with gaining the power to save Padme helps turn him into Darth Vader. Because we saw how good he was with a lightsaber and jedi powers before, we know how much harm he could do as a bad guy.

Once he's Darth, however, he's a different kind of villain, a charismatic one. Darth might have turned back to the good side at the end in the last film, but in the beginning there was nothing good about him at all, and yet still thousands of kids dress up in masks and black cloaks for Halloween. That takes charisma.

There are the behind the scene villains like Emperor Palpatine, who pull strings and manipulate others to win out for their side. In stories, however, this kind of villain usually requires another lesser villain to keep the hero busy until they discover the truth.

So what kind of villain is the Morningstar?

Last time out, I said that he was underpowered. I realized after reading this one, that my statement wasn't really what I meant. I think Robert went to great lengths to show what kind of things he is powerful enough to do with the wards, and discussion of whole worlds he frightened into submission or healers he fried. Instead of underpowered, what I should have said was that Morgie is underfocused. (I just invented a new word!)

Sciavone describes him as "a being of enormous strength, but without discipline, without thought." Such a description would put him in the monster category, like Jaws, rather than a villain.

Jaws, Frankenstein, Dracula, etc were all great monsters, and certainly inspired a number of sequels. However, is dispatching a monster a challenge equal to Al's hero abilities? Personally, I don't think so.

Monsters are usually out-thought in fiction. Heroes who keep their cool can stake a vampire through the heart or trick the shark into biting a power line or an explosive tank. However, the Morningstar intended to kill Janine from the beginning, which implies intelligence, and that throws him back out of the monster category.

Now, I applaud the use of Janine in the story to build risk. She doesn't have magic, just guts, and I think that is good writing. However, I think Morgie's actions actually made him less of a villain.

Janine holds him off with a handful of the gunk he had embedded in his face. He already lived with it for months, and did great deeds of magic with them stuck there. He barged into the Conlegium and beat up Blackstone with them in. A great villain would have laughed in her face, knowing that he could still use his magic to kill her. Even if the shards did somehow absorb all his magic, he would still know that he could use his bare hands. Instead, Morgie hid, afraid.

I say a great villain is not afraid, and the lack of fear adds to his or her mystique, and character.

Up to this point, I think this was a pretty good story. Janine put her non-magical butt on the line to try to solve their dilemma against a powerful monster. The plot thickened, tension raised. Morgie talked too much, but was about to make his move for the climax--but then she just gets away when, logically, she shouldn't have.

Honestly, I think a more logical choice would have been to use the shards to absorb the magic (if they really could--I'm not convinced of that), and then kick him in the balls. If he's physically perfect, they'd still work, and he'd feel it. It's the same kind of outside the box thinking that Al used in the duel with the vampire, were Al stabbed him in the heart with his hardwood wand.

Maybe the kick wouldn't be enough for her to get away on her own, but there's still Al to swoop down and save her at the last second.


I don't know, Robert. I think it may be a problem created by your skill. You make interesting characters. You have some of the snappiest dialog I've ever read. You create interesting, unique challenges that show great improvement in your plot arcs. However, I think the way you've written them in this universe of yours, the Morningstar may never be a good enough villain, or enough challenge, for Al.

Nate
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Re: A Matter of Trust by Robert Moriyama

Post by Robert_Moriyama »

... It wasn't the miniscule bits of mana sink debris that frightened Morgenstern -- it was the possiblity that he might ingest the contaminated liquid if Janine threw the gunked-up, soggy bandages at him. Remember, his magic couldn't be used to deflect the stuff, or to remove it from his system if he inhaled or swallowed even trace amounts. Embedded in his skin, it had been a constant drain on his strength, so much so that even a brief battle with Blackstone left him momentarily weak; worse, it had made the lacerations from the glass splinters immune to magical healing. INSIDE his body ... nobody could say what it might do, but it would have forever to do it.

Morgenstern has ALWAYS been vain, and vainglorious. He was a bully when he was alive, and death and godlike power (however tempered by the constant debilitating effect of the mana sink debris) have not changed him. And bullies -- are often cowards, particularly when there are few witnesses.

At the same time, his ego demands that he at least PRETEND to relish a worthy opponent. Hence he used Al's weakness after his desperate attack with the encapsulated mana sinks (in 'A Matter of Urgency') as an excuse for letting him live, when it was largely fear and confusion at sudden and unexpected evidence that he was NOT untouchable that led him to flee.

So ... he ain't Voldemort, or even Snape. He's more like Doctor Zachary Smith with a laser chainsaw. Dangerous -- definitely. But 'Paradise Lost' Lucifer-level noble / magnificent? He'd like to think so, but his own ancestors would probably view him with contempt.

(As you say, Sciavone has his number, and seems to characterize him as a monster -- a rogue elephant, not an evil prince. But rogue elephants can kill you quite handily if you don't treat them with great respect...)

Before Morgenstern is through, I think at least one major character will die. (I'll have to introduce a brave artificer -- someone who crafts magical weapons and armor to supplement rather minor magical powers of his own -- make everybody like him, and then have Morgenstern reduce him to a pile of smoldering, greasy rubble in front of Al, just so Nate can take him (Morgenstern) seriously. I think I'll call him ... Cale Natehoffer ... ::))

Robert M.
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Re: A Matter of Trust by Robert Moriyama

Post by kailhofer »

Before Morgenstern is through, I think at least one major character will die. (I'll have to introduce a brave artificer -- someone who crafts magical weapons and armor to supplement rather minor magical powers of his own -- make everybody like him, and then have Morgenstern reduce him to a pile of smoldering, greasy rubble in front of Al, just so Nate can take him (Morgenstern) seriously. I think I'll call him ... Cale Natehoffer ... ::))

Robert M.
Go ahead, but call him Kyle. That's closer to the pronunciation. ;D


Actually, something like this may be just the ticket. Since Morgie imposed himself on many worlds, there should be many wizards who were ticked off. Perhaps one such master could come to train Al to a higher skill level. Drawing a parallel, said person should be impossible to please and hated because he is always right. ;) Before Kyle meets his doom from some sinister trickery, he can import some special lesson about life (in the way one would least expect) that Al will eventually use to win in the final battle.

That would be a pretty good story.

Nate
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Re: A Matter of Trust by Robert Moriyama

Post by Megawatts »

I’m at a disadvantage when reading a story about magic, demons, and wizards because I never read them. I intent to, but for some reason I never do! The little I know about that genre tells me that it is a very fruitful and expanding one that supports creativity to its utmost.

My first thought about this story is a good one: All the characters had human qualities, and I could see them by thinking about people I know who act like them! Yes, even  Magister Morgenstern reminded me of someone, except for his magic of course.

Magister Morgenstern came through as a deadly adversary who has beaten all his rivals, secured his prominence and intents to keep it at any cost. If that’s not a human quality  then I don’t know what is! And he is after Majius out of vengeance. Another human quality that is below an enduring
tyrant, for a powerful and adept tyrant knows that his personal vengefulness is a weakness that can be exploited by his enemies. And the pain in his face? Well, even Mao-Zelong, the former ruler of China, had a secret that he didn’t want out, but our C.I.A found it out anyway. You see, Mao was constantly constipated!!! And during those highs of constipation he was the most imitable individual on the face of the earth!!  I wonder why? But after he had a good day on the john, he was rather pleasant and agreeable!! It is easy to see why the C.I.A. and Mao’s top official were concerned about his---personal problem.

Janine realized his weakness and suggested they exploit it. And Janine’s feminine features shows by the way she interjected her idea.

Thinking outside the Magic box is a good one!! I still heard down at work that we have to think outside the box, but that phrase is waning along with the other stuff that was so popular at one time.

I liked the story from beginning to end. It was mythical, magical, but created in a concrete form in which a reader can place all the individua in the story with known people around him. The personalities gave the story its worth, for without good characters most stories would be bland.

This type of genre is interesting for there are no limits! Anything is possible because this genre integrates every other one and leaves a open universe for much more. Human qualities can be expounded on in way that is not imaginable in other forms of writing.

A shy demon that is capable of destroying an army with one wave of his hand or some form of magic, but is too shy to do it, is really an area that can be developed in this type of genre!!!  

I can think of many others, but with a little imagination one can see in which direction I'm heading!
Tesla Lives!!!
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