Why You Shouldn't Overpower Your Characters

Superpowered characters are great, aren't they? They can do all these amazing things and save the world and they're just plain cool! You can't go wrong.

Or can you?

There are people who will disagree, I've seen them on Pinterest, but I think most people would agree that you shouldn't overpower your characters. It makes them unrelatable, undefeatable, lack character growth, and, okay, it does often make for some cool visuals. I'll give you that.

Let's look at a couple of these things that make overpowered characters...not the best with a few examples from popular culture.

Live-Action Mulan vs. Animated Mulan

They're the same character, right? Well, not really. Both of them may be Chinese girls who don't really fit in, who go to war in their father's place and end up saving China, but that's about where the comparison stops. Animated Mulan is an outspoken tomboy who loves her family and, through hard work, perseverance, and ingenuity becomes the person she needs to be in order to save China. Live-action Mulan basically just has superpowers. All she has to do in order to be what she needs to be to save China is decide to use her powers. And that doesn't really take much convincing either.

We see a lot of character growth in the animated Mulan. She's really kind of a mess when she arrives at the army encampment. She has no idea how to blend in, she's no good at any of the training exercises, and she's about ready to get sent home. Now, a lot of her growth in her abilities does happen in a training montage during a song, which isn't necessarily the best way to do it, but it's much better than not doing it at all. And it's a triumphant moment when she comes up with her way to use the weights to get to the top of the pole.

Live-action Mulan has superpowers as a kid that she's told to hide. And she does, until she gets tired of not doing well in training, and then she just decides to use her powers after all. That's pretty much it. And then because she has these superpowers that she decided she wanted to use after all, she was able to take down the Huns...oh wait, they weren't Huns in this movie...and have a showdown that's not really earned. Animated Mulan earned her victory. Live-action Mulan just did it with her Jedi powers.

Rey vs. Ahsoka

Disclaimer: I'm a huge fan of Ahsoka Tano. But you know, I actually did used to like Rey, before I realized she was one of those characters who can do literally anything the plot requires with no need to learn how to do it. And that's just not relatable.

People do have innate talents. I'm not going to argue with that. But you still have to learn how to use them. Even someone with innate musical talent still has to learn and practice in order to become a great musician. It may come easier to some people than others, and some will attain higher levels than are possible for others, but that doesn't mean it just happens with no effort.

And that's what I mean by being relatable. Rey has a lot of power and a lot of potential in the Force. I don't have any issue with that. But when I see her using a Jedi mind trick when she's only just heard of the Force and basically lifting an avalanche of rocks when her only "training" consisted of Luke telling her why the Jedi needed to be gone, well, it just doesn't work for me. Also, she doesn't actually fail. Even in TLJ, which was pretty much all about learning from failure, she doesn't fail. And that's an impossibly high standard. No one can actually relate to that. (If they'd played up her abandonment trauma, it would have been different, but they were too busy trying to move the characters through the plot points.)

Ahsoka, on the other hand, actually fails a lot. And learns from those failures and succeeds next time. She is powerful, but she has to learn how to use those powers. She's not perfect. For instance, she completely loses her Force grip on Steela Gerrera when she gets shot in the shoulder and drops Steela over the cliff. (Not that I was that sad...Steela was trying to make a move on Lux Bonteri and I ship Luxsoka. But anyway.) 

Ahsoka's a much more relatable character. While none of us can (obviously) relate to her Force powers and I certainly hope none of us can relate to being a child soldier or having a "friend" frame us for murder, I'm sure there are a lot of us who can relate to being a cocky kid who thinks she knows everything, talking back to authority figures, and making stupid (and sometimes very costly) mistakes because we think we know what we're doing and we really, really don't. And when we see Ahsoka overcoming her flaws, learning from her mistakes, and growing into a truly remarkable young woman, we know that we have the ability to grow into greatness as well. But Rey, well, she can already do everything she needs to do.

Captain Marvel vs. Black Widow

This is probably an unfair comparison because technically Black Widow has no superpowers, but TBH, I was having a really hard time finding a good contrast for Captain Marvel. But seeing as how I want to talk about invulnerability/undefeatability and its effect on the stakes of a movie and Nat literally did die, I'm going to make it work. (And I'm still waiting on that Black Widow movie, Marvel...)

We all want the hero to survive. We want them to win. But...we also want there to be stakes. We want to feel like that victory was earned. Like there is a possibility that they might die instead (even if we know they won't because they're in the next movie). Because without some stakes, why should we really care?

When Captain Marvel taps into her full power, she becomes basically indestructible and all powerful. To quote "Pitch Meeting," the powers she has is "all of them." She defeats a whole bunch of aliens singlehandedly with basically no effort and comes out of it pretty much without a scratch. The whole fight scene looks pretty cool, I'll give you that. But there's no wondering if she'll fail, or if she'll win but have to spend a month in a bacta tank afterwards. Sorry, mixing together my fandoms. But you get my point. Yes, we know her adversaries could destroy everything, but we also know they won't because literally no one stands a chance against fully powered Captain Marvel.

Nat doesn't have any powers and they still haven't actually come out with her solo movie which we were supposed to get nearly a year ago, so I'll do my best. But the fact is, she's super awesome, being a highly trained assassin, but she's not invulnerable. Evidenced by the fact that she did die to get the soul stone. The chances of Nat losing a fight are small. But you know, she can't blast someone with unlimited power if a villain gets the upper hand. And she can fall off a cliff and die.

When the protagonist is completely unmatched by anyone else in the story, there aren't really any stakes, and that just makes it less interesting. But when your character could die, when they could fail, that raises the stakes and makes it a whole lot more interesting.

Overpowered characters might happen a lot in fiction (and according to Google is apparently super common in anime), but there are better ways to do it. Ways that create characters that are more relatable and more inspiring with stories that have more interesting stakes.

Have a Studio C about the creation of Superman, yet another overpowered character. 😆

My Favorite Fictional Characters Are Like What? pt. 2

"How 'bout a girl who's got a brain

Who always speaks her mind?"

I started thinking about common characteristics in my favorite female characters because I'm having trouble connecting with Hadassah in Mark of the Lion, and I wanted to figure out why. I think it's because she's kind of mousey. She's firm in her faith, and she's kind and giving, which are all great characteristics, but she has very little spunk, and she's not particularly stubborn. She's never going to tell someone off the way Gwen did Arthur (quickly followed by ducking her head and saying, "my lord" 😆), she's never going to take down a droideka, and I kinda doubt she knows what banter or friendly bickering even is. So basically I tend to like my girl characters spunky and stubborn with something of a mouth on 'em. Wonder what that says about me...😉

As a kid, there were three characters I very badly wanted to play in a movie or TV series: Jill Pole (Narnia), Meg Murry (A Wrinkle in Time), and Darra Thel-Tanis (Jedi Quest series). I'm too old for...all three of them now, but I stand by my opinion that I could have pulled off Meg way better than the girl in the 2017 movie. She was just too sweet to make Meg's attitude believable. Anywho, on to the characters themselves.

Do I want to admit the ways I relate to Jill Pole? I guess I'd better. Jill argues a lot. I mean, it's pretty constant. She's easily distracted from her quest by the idea of hot baths and sleeping in a bed again. (I like being outside and I like the idea of adventures, but, yeah, I think I'd have been tempted by Harfang too.) And she's squeamish to begin with. Throughout the fight with the serpent she was going "I hope I don't faint—or blub—or do anything idiotic." (Though she did fight and kill enemies in The Last Battle. She got tougher for sure.) She's certainly not the mousey, sweet kind of character. She's stubborn, not afraid to say what she thinks, kind of a showoff at the beginning of The Silver Chair, and she develops skill with a bow and arrows, and with tracking and moving silently through the woods. Ooh, does that mean that by The Last Battle, she was a Ranger? But I know the Four Signs better than she did. I'm still proud of that fact.

I always really connected with Meg. She's got a temper, she's stubborn, she's determined, and she really loves her family. (Still want Charles Wallace to be my little brother.) And yes, she has kind of an attitude. I'd like to think I grew out of the attitude I had when I met Meg Murry, but I'm sure I could tap into it if I wanted to. She has some major flaws, but your weaknesses are always your secret strengths. She learns to turn that stubbornness in a positive direction, holding onto her love for her brother with a tenacity unparalleled. I need to go reread this book for the millionth time.

Okay, so Darra's a little different because she's the kind of person I want to be. She's a determined sort too, and she's good with a lightsaber (except when Anakin accidentally pushed her into the line of fire or in that whole disaster on Korriban that was not her fault, but anyway). She's positive and selfless and cheerful and kind, and I love her wisecracking, sarcastic sense of humor.

*after Anakin and Ferus agree on something for one of the only times ever* "We have an agreement. Remind me to declare this an annual holiday once we get back to the Temple."

“Remind me to get you guys the next time my comlink malfunctions. You’d probably rebuild it into a cargo lifter.”

Anne is the character everyone knows. Emily is the L.M. Montgomery character I relate to most. She's also stubborn, and though she's not the chatterbox Anne is, she will say what she thinks. (Well, except when it comes to Teddy. Those feelings she holds close, and that's a situation she's also very stubborn in.) She's got the "Murray pride" for sure. Emily's "Flash" is the same kind of feeling I always got when reading the last few paragraphs of The Last Battle as a kid. She's very serious about her writing, determined to climb the Alpine Path. She's destroyed writing she wished she hadn't, though Seller of Dreams was good, and I just think it would be fun if I could pull out "The Silly Monster and the Seven Orphan Babies" or "Seven Dogs for Anda." Writing is as much a part of her as breathing, but she also went through a period of time where she couldn't write. I've written multiple letters to myself in the future because Emily did. And when I read the Emily books, I feel understood.

I mean, Peeta's my favorite character in THG, hands down, but Katniss is still important to me, and I'm not sure Emma Edsel would be here without her. She's also a stubborn one...stubborn and good with a bow, as Peeta said. Her life story is a tragic one. She'll never be the same. She may be stubborn and not come off as a nurturing sort, but she's willing to sacrifice everything for her sister. And while some of her decisions as her mind goes cuckoo may be questionable, it's undeniable that her initial motivation comes from a good place.

Stubborn, spunky, got a mouth on 'er...yup. Anne fits the bill. I do relate to Anne, even though I relate to Emily more. I'm a chatterbox, and have I mentioned I'm stubborn? I've got a wild imagination... I think we all probably know Anne pretty well, so I'll leave this here. (But I'm never dyeing my hair. Anne scarred me for that.)

Belle's a good mix of sweet and spunky, and that's what I love. She's willing to look past the outward appearance and see the heart, but she's also not afraid to yell at people if that's what needs doing. "You should learn to control your temper!" She's fiercely loyal, and self-sacrificial when it comes to her loved ones. She has to be pretty stubborn to hold out against Gaston as she has. And she loves books.

Feistypants. 😁 Anna's a very determined sort of individual. She won't leave Elsa no matter what, and even charged up the mountain by herself still in her ball gown in the snow. She's quirky and fun, but I'd say she qualifies for stubborn. And Kristoff even calls her "feistypants."

Mara Jade Skywalker is really cool. She's stubborn and loyal and her son got his mouth from somewhere. 😉 I really do love when she calls Luke "Farmboy." She's very capable; she was trained as an assassin by Palpatine. I suppose you could describe her as a Jedi Black Widow. But what I also love about Mara is that even with her background and her skills and her personality, she's a good team player (at any rate, when Zahn writes her), and especially when she's teaming up with Luke. She's totally willing to argue with him when he wants to put himself in danger doing something they both know suits her skill set better, and she wins the arguments, but she's not afraid to step aside and let him do the thing when it's something he's better at. She's probably not "feminist enough" (kinda like Claire from Jurassic World) because despite being so awesome and capable, she's very much in love with Luke and is proud to be his wife, refusing to let people leave Skywalker off of her name. But that just makes me love her more.

Snips is also stubborn and has a mouth on 'er. 😆 She's snarky and impulsive, brave and kind, and she goes through so much. She was a cocky little thing when we met her, and she's so much more mature by the Siege of Mandalore. Disillusioned in regards to the Jedi, after how they handled what Barriss did to her (still mad about that), but Trace and Rafa recognize in her what a Jedi should be. Someone selfless who helps people. Plus Ahsoka's just plain cool. And her banter with Anakin is great. They're such siblings. And it's too soon after finishing the Final Season, so I need to go cry.

I have to make a list of some honorable mentions, because my list was way too long and I had to cut some. So here goes. Kit Tyler (The Witch of Blackbird Pond), Polly Plummer (Narnia), Eilonwy (Prydain), Siri Tachi (Star Wars Legends), Kyrin Altair (Ilyon Chronicles), Aravis (Narnia). And I could probably go on, but I think those are the most important.

So yes, I like stubborn girls with spirit, who aren't afraid to speak their mind, but I also like them to be compassionate. To love their families, and be willing to help others. Not every character I love has every characteristic I like, obviously, but these are the sorts of characters I can relate to, characters I can find something of myself in.

And I still want to be Jill Pole.

My Favorite Fictional Characters Are Like What? pt. 1

I always thought I didn't have a "type." Because, I mean, Teddy Kent looks nothing like Peeta Mellark, and Sam Gamgee and Luke Skywalker could not be more different. (Though Luke is short, just not hobbit short...)

But I was thinking about my favorite fictional guys (and girls too, but I'll get to that in a bit) and I noticed a pattern of...guys who take forever to talk to/get the girl, or don't get the girl at all looking at you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. And I was like, "what?" I mean, I've liked Teddy Kent (Emily of New Moon series) since I was 15, and man is that an extreme example of takes forever to get the girl, but that there are others like Teddy? Whhhyyyyyy?????? This from the girl who hates relationship drama with a vengeance. 😜 But I stick by my faves.

The king of it all is Teddy, and why do I like him? I dunno. He's an artistic, quiet, dreamy sort of person, and despite knowing Emily since they were kids, it takes them until ten years after high school to actually get together (yes, I went through Emily's Quest once counting the years). Part of it's not totally his fault *River Song voice* "Spoilers," but if he hadn't let his shyness keep him from telling her how he felt about her in person when they finished high school like he tried to do and then didn't, it wouldn't be a problem. Or any of the myriad opportunities throughout the years where they instead perpetuated their misery. Just FYI, Emily's Quest is kinda depressing. But yet I like it. Happy for deep people?

Peeta Mellark. Notices Katniss when his father points her out on the first day of school when they're five years old. Likes her pretty much from the start. Saves her life by giving her bread when they're eleven. Doesn't talk to her until they're reaped in the Hunger Games at age 16. Then doesn't tell her to her face that he likes her, but mentions it in their televised interviews after asking to be coached separately. But he really is a good guy who loves her unconditionally and does all he can to protect her...until he gets hijacked and I'm never going to get over that. But eventually it's as okay as it can ever be after all they've been through and they're together.

"Go on, Sam. Ask Rosie for a dance."
"I think I'll have another ale."
"No you don't." *Frodo pushes Sam to Rosie*

Didn't think Sam counted for this until I remembered. He wouldn't even go ask Rosie to dance before the whole Mount Doom thing happened. And that adventure gave him the courage to go straight to her when they got back (after 13 months of near death). Merry and Pippin's faces in that scene are the best. 😆

Hey, Luke and Mara also took ten years (and a near death experience) to get together. I mean, Luke did have other girlfriends, but several of them were only after him to use him/betray him, one of them being straight up an Imperial and later Sith. (I mean, Mara was a former Emperor's Hand and when they met she wanted to kill him, but that's beside the point. She stopped wanting to kill him in 9 ABY and they didn't get married until 19 ABY.) For ten years, he'd ask her to come complete her Jedi training, and then when she came he'd barely spend any time with her because he was focused on his students and so she'd leave. Until Han Solo and Talon Karrde decided they needed to force Luke and Mara to spend time together, and, well, things didn't go how anyone thought they would, but Luke and Mara ended up trapped in collapsed, rapidly flooding caves pretty much sure they were going to die, getting engaged. So things worked out. Eventually. Until Darth Caedus, but that's another story.

😭😭😭😭😭😭

Obi-Wan just straight out gave up the girl because his duty to the Jedi (and her duty to the Jedi) was more important than their love. I'm talking Legends here, because it's Siriwan all the way for me. (Though to be fair, he gave up Satine too. I'm just not a Satine fan.) See, as padawans, Obi-Wan and Siri were several times paired up on missions and on one when they're in their upper teens, they discover their love for each other. And very shortly thereafter put their commitment to the Jedi above their feelings. And their friendship isn't quite the same, they're still a good team, but there's a barrier between them. And when finally they talk about it again, twenty years later during the Clone Wars, well, then she gets killed. But yet Secrets of the Jedi by Jude Watson (where this all happens) has been my favorite Star Wars book since I was 13. Whhhhyyyyyy??????? (I mean, it's a really good book, but 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭)

For Arthur, it's not his fault. Gwen's a servant and he's the crown prince and so he has to wait until his father dies and he becomes king, and then Agravaine and Morgana try to mess it up further. So they aren't able to get married until the end of season 4 of 5.

I'll finish up with Will Treaty. To be perfectly honest, Will's a real dope when it comes to girls. Brilliant battle strategist, completely clueless about girls. And so despite growing up with Alyss and her obvious interest in him, it's years before he tells her he loves her, and then it's only to break her out of a hypnotic trance wherein she's literally about to be forced to kill him. And then she's not sure he actually said that and he's not going to bring it up, and so they're all awkward about it. But at least Horace knows what went down and tells Alyss to just ask Will about it, that they need to stop thinking so much about things and come out and say them. So Alyss writes him a letter and Will goes to her and they're finally a thing, but yet 4 books later, Will's still kind of an idiot about girls. But Will Treaty is amazing. Just sayin'. November 3rd can't come soon enough.

So yeah, all these guys who are too shy or too clueless or too duty-bound to get the girl in a reasonable amount of time. Why do I like them? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I mean, they're all great characters, but that's a strange trend that I can't pretend to explain. Especially since such behavior creates relationship drama and I hate relationship drama. But yet...yeah, I can't explain why my faves have this in common.

Well, that went on longer than I thought it would, so I'll talk about the type of girl characters I tend to like best/relate to most next week. See ya then!

Can't Resist a Bad Boy?

My family and I like to talk (and joke) about what to do to get Mitchell (main guy of Acktorek) fangirls. Because obviously that's the goal, right? To get fangirls?

And what we've said many times is that he needs to murder somebody (he doesn't murder anybody), because girls have a thing for murderers. We laugh about it, but it's not something we've pulled out of thin air. Fangirls actually do seem to have a thing for...murderers. And I find that to be a rather disturbing trend.

I mean, there are certain circumstances where I do understand (like Leith Torren and Peeta Mellark), but those are very different situations, and I'll get to that in a bit. I'm going to start with the ones I really don't get.

Erik/The Phantom of the Opera

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It really bothers me when I come across stuff on Pinterest saying the Phantom deserved better than Christine. I'm just like, what? Implying that the Phantom is this great guy and Christine was stupid for not choosing him. And really, there are people who love the Phantom. I guess because of his voice? (Glad to see there are a few voices of reason in this GR thread.)

People, he's a serial killer. Maybe Christine was naive and easily manipulated (okay, yes, she definitely was), but she was seeing Erik pretty darn clearly IMO in the final lair sequence when she sang "This haunted face holds no horror for me now/It's in your soul that the true distortion lies." There's nothing attractive about a manipulative serial killer, regardless of his face. And before you defend him with "The world showed no compassion to me!" yes, he was treated badly, but there's no reason for that to have turned him into a serial killer. Or for that to have convinced Christine to overlook unrepentant homicide and stay with him out of pity.

Loki

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I'll give you that Loki is an interesting character, when he and Thor are acting like brothers it can be hilarious, and Tom Hiddleston seems to be a good guy. But...he killed 80 people in two days. That qualifies as mass murder in my book. I've seen fan theories that he was under the staff's control during The Avengers, but I don't remember enough about the theory to know if I think it sounds plausible. Regardless, even if he was under the staff's control, he never shows any repentance for it. Which other characters who killed while mind-controlled do. So not an excuse.

Seriously, mass murder is not attractive.

Kylo Ren

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Why oh why do people find him attractive? I mean, I like that he gets himself angry for the role by thinking about traffic and taxes, but still. He throws tantrums, he's manipulative, and everything about his relationship with Rey is abusive (yes, he helps her in TROS after Leia pulls him back to the light, and I'm glad he turned back, but it did feel kind of abrupt). He kills people without a thought and doesn't really show any remorse for it. And girls were all into Kylo way before he was redeemed, so what? And what is romantic about Reylo? I really don't get it. He's an abuser.

Anakin Skywalker

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I mean, I don't dislike Anakin, and I'll give you that he's even hotter than Owen and Beru Lars at the end of the fight on Mustafar, but...

Anaking Screaming GIF from Anaking GIFs

Okay. I do like Anakin. He has a tragic story. I love that Luke was able to bring him back to the light. However. I'll never not say that Padmé was stupid to have married him. I mean, someone had to be Luke and Leia's mother, but still. She knew he was capable of mass murder. He straight up admitted it to her when he killed the Tusken Raiders after his mother's death. He wasn't remorseful. He knew it was wrong, he knew that especially as a Jedi he was better than that. But his sentiment was still that he hated them. And Padmé just sat next to him, put her arm around him, and told him that to be angry is to be human. Yes, but being a mass murderer isn't.

I know, he already was somewhat under Palpatine's influence, but the fact remains that he knew right from wrong, and still did wrong unrepentantly. And then when it came to the point, he chose to pledge himself to the evil Sith Lord who had been deceiving them all for over a decade because of a vague promise that he'd teach him to save his apparently healthy pregnant wife. Turning his back on all his friends, and once again committing mass murder. So while I can't say I totally don't understand girls liking Anakin, please don't be Padmé about it. Don't love him in a way that turns a blind eye to mass murder. Love him the way Luke did, the way that didn't excuse mass murder, but believed he could be redeemed from it. And still, give me Obi-Wan and Luke over Anakin any day.

Now to get to those who I'm more okay with, but it's still wise to use caution...

Bucky Barnes and Peeta Mellark

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I'm doing them together because it's a very similar deal. They're both good guys who were experimented on by evil scientists and turned into a weapon. In their right minds, they'd never murder someone. In their right minds, they show great remorse for what they've done, even though they had no control over it. Bucky wanted to be cryogenically frozen until they could remove the Hydra conditioning. Peeta straight up wanted them to kill him after he saw what he was like when he went mutt, before he hurt or killed anyone else.

These are guys who need help. They didn't ask to be turned homicidal, and they don't want to stay that way. They don't want to hurt anyone. (And I wanna wrap them both in bubble wrap and keep Hydra and the Capitol away from them.) But they are dangerous. Or were. Both of them have hope. Bucky seems to have done well in Wakanda. Peeta will never be the same, but he can control his mutt tendencies, sort out real from not real, and was cleared to go home to Twelve. But while Haymitch's reprimand to Katniss about her treatment of hijacked Peeta was well deserved, it's also true that it would be very foolish for her to be around him at that time without safety measures. Just like it was dangerous for Bucky to be on the loose as long as the Hydra conditioning was still in his head, as we saw in Civil War.

Honestly, I don't really consider either of them (especially Peeta) to be "bad boys," but they are dangerous.

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Jace Ilvaran and Leith Torren

(I wish I had gifs for them, but they don't have movies. 😢)

Okay, so I said at the beginning that guys like Leith were a different case, and here's why: redemption.

To start off, neither Jace nor Leith were exactly mass murderers. Jace accidentally killed a bully slave who kept stealing food from weaker slaves one day when he just snapped. He immediately regretted it and believed he deserved to die for it. Then he was forced to be a gladiator, where eventually he started refusing to kill, even though he knew he'd likely eventually be killed by his master. Leith was trained to be an assassin from his youth, a life he didn't choose, where it was kill for Respen or be killed by Respen. And with Brandi to show him the way, he rejected that life, and became a double agent to end Respen's reign of terror. They both have killed, they're both still capable of it (and good thing too, since they're at war), but they both regret it. And they're both cinnamon rolls when it comes down to it.

They're a product of circumstances, similar to Bucky and Peeta. Something to approach with caution because of what they have done (and Kyrin and Renna both do), but there are no limits to God's grace and forgiveness. And their stories honestly are about what they do once redeemed, about making things right...not all about the things they did before.

So yeah, I don't get why murder is attractive. Mitchell doesn't murder anyone. He's made mistakes that resulted in death and they haunt him, but he's never going to be a murderer.

Even murderers and assassins can be redeemed, and they should be judged on who they are now, not who they were before they found Jesus. But guys like the Phantom? Just no. Murder isn't attractive and it never should be.

And I'm never going to forgive Suzanne Collins for what she did to Peeta. 😉

I'd Like My Romance With a Side of Near-Death, Please

I'm not really a Valentine's Day person. I don't hate it, exactly, I just simply don't care. It's just a day in February that precedes candy sales, which I also don't care that much about unless you're talking M&Ms (particularly peanut butter M&Ms) or Reese's peanut butter cups. But because it was Valentine's Day and romance is a Valentine's thing, I was reflecting on the romances I like. Mostly because I was wondering if you can count Thor as a romcom. I mean, it has romance and it's funny and it was the next movie in our Marvel marathon. And I realized something. My favorite romances come with a healthy dose of near-death.

Yes, if I'm in the mood, I like to watch Jane Austen, but honestly, I have to be in a very particular mood. Given the choice between Pride and Prejudice and Catching Fire, well, nine times out of ten I'm picking Catching Fire without a second thought. So thinking through my favorite stories that involve romance...

The Hunger Games trilogy. Thrown into an arena (twice!) where they're literally supposed to kill each other, as Katniss finally starts getting a little bit of a clue that she actually loves Peeta, he gets taken by the Capitol, hijacked, strangles her nearly to death, and then they go into the Capitol and lose almost every member of their team, including newlywed Finnick. Poor Annie.

Ilyon Chronicles. Where do I even start? Um, gladiator, ryrik attacks, soldier attacks, beaten within an inch of his life, almost executed (both Jace and Kyrin), battles, almost bleeding out, deadly illness, and we've still got one book to go.

Blades of Acktar. Leith really should be dead. Beaten, tortured, assassins, this stuff happening pretty much every day, he really should be dead. And you also had Martyn surviving being burned at the stake.

Ranger's Apprentice. Becoming slaves, multiple battles, poison, dangerous espionage situations, tigers, and then SPOILER Alyss really DOES die in a fire and I will NEVER forgive John Flanagan for that END SPOILER.

Frozen. Hans tries to kill Elsa, he tries to kill Anna, Elsa accidentally almost kills Anna, Anna turns to ice. But it's a Disney movie and she's not a Disney parent, so she's okay.

Tangled. This is the story of how I died. Eugene would have actually died if Rapunzel didn't have magic tears.

Beauty and the Beast. Kill the Beast! Gaston nearly kills the Beast, and he would have died if Belle hadn't broken the curse by admitting her love. Oh, and Belle was nearly killed by wolves too.

No Chance Meeting. Struggles with suicidal thoughts, Riley beaten up really bad.

Fierce Heart. Troll attacks, literal almost death only prevented because of a special magical thing that's probably a bit of a spoiler.

Star Wars. Han and Leia: space battles and torture by Vader and Jabba trying to execute Han and Kylo Ren actually killing Han and SPOILER Leia giving up her life to reach Kylo to turn him back END SPOILER. Anakin and Padmé (Anakin's a super creep in love, but it's still part of the story): space battles and execution attempts and war and Anakin burning in lava and Padmé  actually dying and eventually Anakin actually dying too. Obi-Wan and Siri (Legends): realizing their love in a near death situation as padawans, deciding not to act on it because it's more important to be Jedi, going on lots of dangerous missions together, then she dies in a battle close to the beginning of the Clone Wars and he dies on the Death Star.

The Flash. Um, nearly dying is pretty much an everyday thing for Team Flash. Season 3 revolved around trying to prevent Iris's impending death.

Emily of New Moon. Emily realized Teddy was the only one for her after she saved him from going to his death on the Flavian.

Anne of Green Gables. Anne realized her love for Gilbert when he was dying of an illness.

Percy Jackson. Monsters are always trying to kill them. Like, constantly. And then there's that time Percy and Annabeth had to travel through Tartarus.

Little Dorrit. Arthur Clennam became very ill when he went to debtor's prison and Amy had to nurse him back to health.

A Series of Unfortunate Events. Yes, I ship Violet and Quigley. Count Olaf is always trying to kill Violet. And Quigley vanishes into the Great Unknown.

Blood of Kings. Battles and Achan being stupid and nearly getting killed and Vrell being stupid and nearly getting killed and Vrell being nearly lost to the Veil.

The Princess Bride. Westley was supposedly dead and then he was mostly dead and Buttercup almost killed herself.

And I feel like I could go on forever and ever and ever. So I guess the bottom line is, if you're writing me a romance, add a side of near-death. XD

Charles Wallace Murry--A Wrinkle in Time

Please allow me to introduce you to my little brother.

What? You mean I can't claim Charles Wallace as my little brother? I'm Meg Murry, right?

Okay, so maybe he's not my little brother, but I always wanted him to be. Once as a kid, I made up a little brother named Charles Wallace—though, if I remember right, that was a part of a fantasy that somehow combined an Indian in the Cupboard style cupboard with...a dance studio. Don't ask. I don't remember how it all worked. Just know that whenever I name a character Charles it's after Charles Wallace Murry. And if all you know about Charles Wallace is from the 2018 movie, forget everything you know right now. Even the personality was radically wrong for my baby brother.

Charles Wallace is a blond haired, blue eyed five-year-old, though I actually picture him like this because of the TV movie:

He's different. Somehow new. A very special little boy.

He's the youngest of the Murry children, about five years younger than the twins, and brilliant far beyond his years. But so not like anyone else. He didn't begin talking until he was nearly four—after his father had disappeared—and with none of the usual baby preliminaries, using full sentences. But he doesn't usually talk to people outside the family, except to Calvin, who basically is family, and, well, people who aren't from Earth. He always seems to know things, to be able to read people, to communicate in ways that are beyond speech, which we learn in A Wind in the Door is kything. A language beyond speech, beyond telepathy, even. He's kind and sensitive, often seeming older than Meg (who's probably about 12, since she's older than the twins [10] and younger than Calvin [14], but it's unspecified).

And just so smart. Here's an example from the book:

"I'm a sport."
At that, Charles Wallace grinned widely. "So'm I."
"I don't mean like in baseball," Calvin said.
"Neither do I."
"I mean like in biology," Calvin said suspiciously.
"A change in gene," Charles Wallace quoted, "resulting in the appearance in the offspring of a character which is not present in the parents but which is potentially transmissible to its offspring."
"What gives around here?" Calvin asked. "I was told you couldn't talk."
"Thinking I'm a moron gives people something to feel smug about," Charles Wallace said. "Why should I disillusion them?"

But because he's so far beyond everyone in his normal world, he has much more confidence in his abilities and his strength than he should. His pride and arrogance may—and do—cause his downfall, but that brings me to the next bit of his story that's just so sad (and also why he's a difficult character for such a young actor to play, though David Dorfman did a really good job).

He thought he could go into the Man with the Red Eyes, go into IT, and keep part of himself out. He thought he was strong enough. But he wasn't. And Charles Wallace controlled by IT was so cruel and evil. So not himself. It took the power of love to bring him back. Meg's unconditional love for her baby brother. This sweet little boy who's so very, very special.

And then in the next book, the Echthroi—those who destroy—are trying to kill him. He's so important to this fight of good vs. evil, has so much more to do, that they go into his very mitochondria, become part of his farandolae, to destroy him. And it's up to Meg and Calvin and Proginoskes the singular cherubim to save him. My poor baby brother.

Then in A Swiftly Tilting Planet, the fate of the world is truly on his shoulders as he uses kything to "go within" people throughout history, changing "might have beens" to prevent nuclear war.

He's such a hero. So smart. So special. So empathetic and kind. And I still wish he was my brother.

Puddleglum--The Chronicles of Narnia

Favorite character post!

Puddleglum, the only character Pauline Baynes asked for extra advice on how to draw.

Puddleglum is a Marsh-wiggle. He lives in a wigwam in a marsh at the northern end of Narnia, just south of the Shribble and Ettinsmoor. He's quite a wet blanket, always expecting the worst, and, well, Eustace says he's always wrong, but that isn't strictly true.

Saying that the wood would be wet, or it would rain and put out the fire, or that eel stew would poison Jill and Eustace, or that inside the suit of armor could be a skeleton or someone invisible, or a hundred other things aren't quite true. But when it comes right down to it, Puddleglum is wise and sensible and he was the one who saved them all.

I do have to wonder, though, what the other wiggles are like. Considering "They all say—I mean, the other wiggles all say—that I'm too flighty; don't take life seriously enough. If they've said it once, they've said it a thousand times. 'Puddleglum,' they've said, 'you're altogether too full of bobance and bounce and high spirits. You've got to learn that life isn't all fricaseed frogs and eel pie. You want something to sober you down a bit. We're only saying it for your own good, Puddleglum.' That's what they say. Now a job like this—a journey up north just as winter's beginning, looking for a Prince that probably isn't there, by way of a ruined city that no one has ever seen—will be just the thing. If that doesn't steady a chap, I don't know what will."

Puddleglum may overreact to imagined dangers, but when it comes to real ones, he's spot on. He didn't trust the Lady of the Green Kirtle, and he didn't think going to Harfang was a good idea. He did see that they were in a ruined city, he just wasn't forceful enough to make Jill and Eustace stop and see. He's loyal and determined, and helps the children do all they need to do in their quest. Even though Jill takes offense when he suggests she isn't remembering the Signs correctly. He's far from perfect, what with his wet blanket, pessimistic complaints, but he's still wonderful and has some good quips. Like this bit:

"Many have taken ship at the pale beaches," replied the Warden, "and—"

"Yes, I know," interrupted Puddleglum. "And few return to the sunlit lands. You needn't say it again. You are a chap of one idea, aren't you?"

And I love this:

"And you must always remember there's one good thing about being trapped down here: it'll save funeral expenses."

But the best part about Puddleglum, and I think everyone will agree, is his speech in Underland. I'll let it speak for itself.

"One word, Ma'am. One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things—trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world that licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say."

He's faithful and amazing, and as Jill put it, "You're a regular old humbug. You sound as doleful as a funeral and I believe you're perfectly happy. And you talk as if you were afraid of everything, when you're really as brave as—as a lion."

He really is quite the reshpeckobiggle. XD

*all pictures are photographs of my copy of the full-color collector's edition of The Silver Chair, illustrated by Pauline Baynes

Ranking Disney Princesses

I had the idea the other day at the library to rank the Disney Princesses. And looking up the list of official princesses, I discovered Anna's not considered part of the official lineup. Apparently because Frozen was so popular, Anna and Elsa are considered their own franchise affiliated with the Disney Princesses, but not part of the official lineup so they don't overshadow the others. Weird. But she's Anna, so I'm including her anyway.

So here's my ranking of the official Disney Princesses from princess.disney.com + Anna.

13. Ariel

So, no, I'm not a big fan of Ariel. She's a spoiled brat. She basically sold her soul to the devil (Ursula, the sea witch) for a chance to be with a guy she just met. What even? I actually liked the Twisted Tales version better than the actual movie because Ariel was forced to grow up. But I do love the songs in The Little Mermaid. And I love Eric. He's pretty awesome. (And deserved better than Ariel.)

12. Aurora

Honestly, she just doesn't have much personality and doesn't do much in her story. She's okay, I guess, but I'm not a huge fan of Sleeping Beauty in general. Something about the story structure feels off and in the original fairy tale, she slept for one hundred years. Though certain versions of the story are very not child appropriate, so there's that.

11. Moana

I'll stick Moana here because while I think her movie is annoying and the songs never leave your head, I guess she's okay as a character. She's determined, wants to save her people, and won't let anyone stop her. But "You're Welcome" is super duper annoying. 

10. Pocahontas

So I love the songs in Pocahontas. But that movie is so unbelievably historically and even geographically inaccurate. I've been to Jamestown. It doesn't look like that. But the Disney Pocahontas is cool. And mostly I just really like "Colors of the Wind" and "Just Around the Riverbend."

9. Snow White

If I'm perfectly honest, Snow White is kind of a cardboard character. She's sweet and naive and talks to animals, and that's about all there is to her. But I grew up on the movie, and while I enjoy making fun of certain aspects of it (she runs away screaming from the stalker that climbed over her wall, and then later in the movie, she's singing about how romantic he is), it's still a special movie to me. Plus, it's a piece of history. The first full length animated feature ever. So I do like Snow White. 

8. Merida

She didn't mean to turn her mother into a bear! Poor Merida, I wouldn't want to marry any of those guys either. They're just weird. Merida's pretty cool...she's good at archery, she's got more on her mind than boys (actually, if she had her way, boys would be the last thing on her mind—girls being boy crazy annoys me), and, well, she did accidentally turn her mother into a bear, but then she spends the movie trying to fix it. And I love how to fix it all, she and her mother both have to change their attitudes and learn to understand one another, truly mending their relationship.

7. Tiana

Tiana deserved so much better than what she got. I really love her as a character, but her movie got so many things wrong. She's a girl who knows what she wants, and she'll work hard to get it. Unfortunately, the movie tells her that she'll never achieve her dream until she marries a rich guy who can pay for it, and it doesn't matter if he's a jerk. No, I don't like Naveen. But Tiana is pretty awesome. And I bet the food in her restaurant is great. I want to write a fanfic where Tiana and Eric get together instead of who they actually end up with in their movies. They both deserve better. 

6. Jasmine

I know there are people both praising and slamming live action Jasmine for being feminist, but does it really make you a feminist to not want to be a doormat and to not want to hand over your people to a foreigner—or worse—Jafar? She's a strong character who wants to be able to decide how she lives her life, not have big life decisions made for her. Including who she marries (which is the extent of it in the cartoon) and who rules her people (in the live action). She's got spunk and she's not afraid to use it.

5. Cinderella

Yeah, I know there's not much more to her personality than sweet and kind either, but I love Cinderella. Especially the live action version. She's horribly mistreated, but she's still kind to her stepmother and stepsisters. Kind and forgiving. Have courage and be kind. And I love the way her relationship with the prince plays out in the live action. That movie is perfection.

4. Mulan

I'll never understand why Mulan is an official Disney Princess. She's not royalty, and neither is Shang. But anyway, I really love Mulan. I love the songs, I love the story, I even love Mushu. See, Mulan isn't going out there to prove that a girl can do whatever a guy can. She's going to war out of a selfless love for her father. Yes, there is some of that feeling trapped in her life in a culture that tells her all she's good for is marrying a guy the matchmaker chooses for her, but her motivation is to save her father. And she's smart. She uses her brains to solve problems, and even when she's in total disgrace, she puts everything aside and does what she has to in order to save China. "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."

3. Belle

I love Belle...animated Belle. She's both sweet and spunky, she doesn't put up with stuff yet she's willing to look past appearances into the heart, she's loyal, and she loves books. What's not to love? She's all about character over appearance, and she's willing to fight for what's right. And did I mention she loves books? How can you get any better than the Beast's library?

2. Rapunzel

I love Rapunzel. She's a dreamer, she's an artist, she can sew, bake, do pottery, she tries to do ballet but gets tangled in her hair, and reads. What else are you going to do locked up in a tower for 18 years? She's torn with guilt over leaving the tower and fully intends to go back to her "mother" and live like they always did...that is, until she discovers that she's the lost princess. She's awesome, and doesn't even really start falling for Flynn until his heart starts changing about his thieving ways. Plus the movie is funny and the songs are awesome.

1. Anna

Anna, who isn't a part of the official lineup. :P I did kind of debate on the order of these last three, but I decided to go with my official order of favorite Disney Princess movies. Anna's fun and quirky and loves her sister so much. And when Elsa freezes their entire kingdom, Anna just says "She's a stinker." Yes, she does get engaged to a man she just met that day, but she realizes the mistake, and ends up with Kristoff, taking their time to actually get to know each other. And she performs an act of true love in saving her sister, and that's what melts her frozen heart. I love how much of Frozen  is about true love, true self-sacrificial love. Now excuse me while I go sing Frozen at the top of my lungs.

So there you have it, my ranking of the Disney Princesses. Who's your favorite princess?

King Arthur--BBC's Merlin

I'm doing a favorite character post today. I'm tired out from book release stuff, work, teaching, headaches, and not having much writing time even though I really want to write my books, so I'm not thinking of a whole lot of post topics. Plus Merlin makes me happy, though we're coming down to the end and I hate the end.

My favorite character in Merlin is Prince/King Arthur. I love saying that as I show someone the first episode. Arthur starts out as such an arrogant brat. He's so inconsiderate, he only thinks of himself, he's rude, he's domineering...but underneath, he has a good heart. It's in the first season actually that he first defies his father and risks his life to save Merlin, even though Uther insists that Arthur's life is worth more than that of a servant. Arthur is very insistent throughout the show that he is not of more value than his people.

Arthur grows up so much throughout the show. It's such a gradual change that you almost don't notice until you're at the end and start looking back. He goes through so much.

He fights with his father when his father is trying to get him to do something wrong. This happens increasingly as Arthur matures and becomes more sensitive to his people...and starts spending more time around Gwen and Merlin. Yet he still respects his father. He still loves him. He still wants to make him proud. And I love how Arthur can stay strong for the truth while still trying to be a dutiful son. It's a hard balance, but he does his best.

Arthur goes through heartbreak when he loses his father. (We were all so ready for Uther to die, but it's still sad for Arthur's sake—and it isn't a spoiler because it's King Arthur legends, not King Uther legends, so obviously his father has to die.) He goes through betrayal when he realizes his uncle Agravaine has been working against him and trying to destroy his kingdom (also not a spoiler because you see in his first episode that he's working with the main villain). You see Arthur go through betrayal again when Guinevere/Lancelot happens (again not a spoiler because if you know anything about Arthurian legend, then duh...what's a spoiler is how they handle it in the show). And it matures him. It helps him become the king he's meant to be. It makes him more loyal and dedicated to his people. It refines his discernment of right and wrong and strengthens his resolve to always do what's right. It displays his enormous capacity for forgiveness and forgetting others' wrongs. It turns him into a true leader.

I love how by seasons 4 and 5, Arthur regularly owns up to his mistakes and is willing to take the consequences. If he did something wrong—either recently or in the past—he owns up to it and insists on making it right himself. I love how much more sensitive he is to Merlin. Sure, he still picks on him from time to time, like any good brother, but he notices when something's bothering Merlin and asks him about it. When he's having trouble making a decision, he asks for Merlin's advice. Yes, the king's manservant, trusted advisor, and best friend are all the same person. I love how devoted he is to Gwen, despite all that happened between them. How he trusts her judgment without even questioning it.

I love watching the character arc. It's very well done, and as a writer I appreciate it. But what I love most is the king Arthur becomes. A king who is a true leader. A king who always tries to do what's right, even if it means admitting he made a mistake. A king who is honest and loyal, even though he's been betrayed many times over. A king who is willing to lay down his life for his people. And a king who's also quite hilarious at times.

Arthur Pendragon.

The Once and Future King

Merlin is on Amazon Prime!

A few years back, my family watched every episode of the BBC's Merlin. I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob. It ranks up there at the top, if not at the very top, of my favorite TV shows. Though I have to admit one factor may be that they brought it to a conclusion without ruining it. *glares at Scorpion* When we ended our Netflix subscription, the only thing I was sad about was losing access to Merlin. I even had a hard time listening to the music for awhile, because I'd want to watch this show and I couldn't. Now that it's on Prime, we've started rewatching it, and it's like returning to a very dear old friend I haven't seen in awhile. So today, I'm going to talk about some of the many reasons why I love this show.

The Humor

Let's face it: this show is hilarious. You've got how Merlin is constantly insulting Arthur, and Arthur's awesome responses. Merlin's crazy excuses when he's trying to hide magic. Gwen's adorable awkwardness. Arthur's always thinking Merlin's in the tavern when he's actually off doing something to save Arthur. You've got that episode where Uther marries a troll and Arthur's face is just priceless (don't watch it while you're eating; trolls are disgusting). You've got that part where Arthur starts turning into a donkey, and when he's a simpleton. There's old man Merlin. You've got that time Merlin made death threats against Arthur and Sir Leon just laughs it off. It's all so brilliant.

All the Feels

Goodness, how can a show be so funny and yet so moving? This one is. The love and friendship and camaraderie between the characters. How long Gwen and Arthur are kept apart. Characters dying. Good characters in such a downward spiral becoming the ultimate villain. All the close calls they have and how much the characters care about each other. 

How Gwen doesn't actually have an affair with Lancelot

Everyone knows that in the legends Guinevere and Lancelot have an affair, but the way they handled it in Merlin was the best. SPOILERS While Gwen and Arthur are engaged, Morgana brings back dead Lancelot and enchants Gwen to where Lancelot and Gwen are caught kissing. Gwen's banished for a few episodes, but she and Arthur make it up and get married anyway. The only thing I don't like is that they never discover the enchantment. END SPOILERS

The Character Growth

Arthur grows from a spoiled brat into the best king Camelot has ever known, a man willing to lay down his life for the lowliest person in his kingdom...especially if your name just happens to be Gwen or Merlin. Merlin grows from an idiotic boy who can't stand Arthur and uses magic freely with no thought of consequences to a slightly less idiotic man who regularly risks his life to protect Arthur and uses magic more wisely than before, with saving Arthur in mind. Gwen grows from an awkward and lowly serving girl to a strong and capable queen. Morgana has a downward spiral from a kind and loving voice of reason to a maniac out to destroy Arthur and take the throne for herself, using magic, of course. And we're along for the journey growing and loving and laughing and crying and living along with them.

The Friendships

The friendship between Merlin and Arthur is central to the whole show. At the beginning, they don't get along well, but by the end they're best friends. They're brothers. They rely on each other. They would readily give their lives for each other, and they try on multiple occasions. Merlin, though a manservant, isn't a bit afraid to tell Prince/King Arthur what for. He insults Arthur, tells him when he's being an idiot, encourages him, tells him not to get a big head, and there's no one Arthur would rather have for a manservant. Arthur repeatedly risks everything for Merlin. Uther even threw Arthur in the dungeon once so he wouldn't try to rescue Merlin.

Early on, there's such a camaraderie between Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, and Morgana. They're a foursome. Gwen and Morgana get along well. And of course there's a budding romance between Arthur and Gwen. Gwen tells him off and then apologizes, but it's something Arthur loves about her. Eventually Morgana turns to the dark side and it's sad, but the bonds between Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen only strengthen. I especially love how Arthur is royalty, he has his knights later, who are close to him, but yet his best friend is his manservant, his girlfriend/wife is a serving girl, and his most trusted advisor is the court physician. He is a man of the people.

The Themes

No, I don't love the magic, but for the most part they treat it like an inherent ability that can be used for good or evil, so it could be worse. That aside, the themes of this show are amazing. Over and over again, you see a king who is willing to give his life for his servants, and a servant who will risk it all to serve his king. Hmm, I wonder where we've seen themes like that before? Of course, it's an imperfect example because Arthur isn't perfect—not by a long shot—but still. It's a great picture.

One of my favorite episodes is called "A Servant of Two Masters." I do love it for how funny it is—Merlin has got to be the worst assassin ever—but more than that, I love its illustration of this concept: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." —Matthew 6:24 Merlin is enchanted to serve Morgana instead of his king. He can't do both. When he's serving Morgana, his only thought is to do what is evil, to kill Arthur. When he is serving Arthur, he cannot comprehend serving Morgana's purposes. He hates the one and loves the other, he is devoted to one and despises the other. I don't know if they intended this parallel or realized what the episode title references, but it's there nonetheless and I think it's amazing.

And there's the theme of using our gifts and talents for good. Time and again sorcerers show up in Camelot using their magic for evil. Time and again Merlin puts a stop to them, admonishing them to use their magic for good. To use it to help others. Whenever Merlin himself uses his gift of magic for wrong or selfish or stupid purposes (even if it's just creating shapes in the smoke of a campfire), it backfires. It gets him in trouble. But when he uses his gift for noble purposes, it doesn't. It ultimately comes to good because he's using the gifts he's been given for their true purpose: to serve his King.

There's so much to this show. Such great characters. Such funny moments. Such moving scenes. Such loyalty. Such bravery. Such friendship. And such love that would give all to serve. It's not a perfect show, certainly, but I will always love it. Because it does so well illustrating this truth: 

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." —John 15:13