Does Statesman deserve a potential killing off? I don't agree

Hi all.

I think the title here suggests the level of disappointment I had in reading the announcement that in some form is being 'killed off', whether that's temporary or permanent. I have to admit to eye-rolling at those who thought this was a victory for (well...what? 'Realistic' superheroes? So we all want to live in a Christopher Nolan-verse where we're all hunted vigilantes?) their cause or that this was somehow the death of the representation of a person who for years hasn't even been associated with the game company.

I already mentioned in the discussion about the announcement that I felt it broke a cardinal rule in writing, and I hold to that. You can't create any suspense or even hold it if you announce what most people think the story is actually about, true or not. It destroys anticipation for the story because you've already given away the biggest part of it. It's like giving away the key plot points from the last Harry Potter novels or the last five minutes of Inception. If people told you the outcome, however percieved, your interest in the story and its outcome decreases accordingly. I only speak for myself when I say the story will have to do a lot to recapture my interest.

Why, some may ask? Because I don't carry any preconceptions into the story or the game about Statesman. I saw enough in the character to write an AE arc celebrating him because the Praetorian storyline had disaffected me for such a long period, and his actions had been maligned to the point of self-parody it'd become ridiculous. The nadir of this was the 'shipping' threads created, because some had devalued the character to a point in their minds where it was fine to characiture Statesman as having no consequence.

But what's wrong with him? If we live in a city called Paragon, shouldn't there be a Paragon of virtue to look up to? Or are we sufficiently 'mature' enough to say 'no, we can be our own paragons, we don't need some 1950's flag-waver', which is deeply ironic considering how bandyed about patriotism can be even today and how genuinely and seriously it is taken by significant sections of the community, such as the military.

There's no apparent concern for the loss of Statesman; but then there wasn't much apparent concern for the loss of another supporting character last month, either. I know as a writer someone invested themselves in the creation of these characters with lives and foibles and emotions of their own and to see them brushed aside with joke banners or simple speculation of 'oh, can we have his power now instead?' seems to cheapen the very experience.

Noone I know who has played the story arc of an older hero written by Troy Hickman has failed to be moved by both the actions of that hero and Statesman's reaction to his passing. If the passing of Statesman hadn't been so painfully overstated, I may've gone into it feeling something for a character that I personally respect and like. Instead, I feel like I'm being told how I should feel and react instead of coming into it naturally.

Does Statesman deserve this 'killing off'? I disagree. And I disagree because I feel the character serves a purpose and has a place in the game, and because I think people have become so self-absorbed in what's self-referential and 'appropriate' for 'modern superheroes' that fundamental and lasting values and defining traits are being treated as 'childish' and immature.

Maybe I'm alone. I hope I'm not.


S.

Actually, based on a comment from David Nakayama, or what I can infer from it, the reason Statesman is being killed off is because out of all of them HE'S the one that's supposed to be invincible. The rest of the Phalanx are tough, but storywise, you could kill all of them except Citadel with a bullet to the head, and even Citadel might be forced to shutdown.

Personally, I do agree that it's a bit of a shame that instead of choosing to better write and develop Statesman, they choose to kill him off. But at the same time I understand the reasoning behind it, which is: This guy was a symbol of the pinnacle of power in the game and now he won't be, that's the player's role.

So ironically, Statesman was chosen to die because he is the toughest. But on the plus side, if we look at the guy in a more positive and tragic light, he's earned this, after more than a hundred years of life. A life that has seen him lose countless loved ones and friends, lose the ability to relate to his fellow man, and every day lives in fear that the Well of Furies could take him over and drive him to slaughter everyone for a cheap laugh, he's earned his rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

So, like, it's cool now to just post this as thread titles, now?

There's a difference between spoiling it within a thread, where you can choose to avoid it by avoiding said thread, and spoiling something in the thread's title, where you can't really avoid seeing it unless you just don't go looking for threads at all. Which means pretty much avoiding the forums altogether.

Wow. I just thought the devs posted about it in that one thread. They went effing balls out on making sure no one has a chance at being surprised.

I am disappoint.

Statesman won't die, he'll just go into a coma that appears to be death.

Meanwhile replacements will arise.

There will be a guy who calles himself "States". He will wear a power suit that makes him powerful. Not as powerful as Statesman but he'll do his best.

There will be a kid called Statesboy. He will claim to be a clone of Statesman.

Then there will be a Cyborg who calls himself Statesman and claims that he has no memory of who saved him by grafting robot parts to him.

The hate for states is all because of the dev who had the same name. It's pretty silly, people even attribute his attitude to the character. The only other thing he's done is been one of the strongest signature heros in the game, and people just cant stand to have someone other than their characters in the spotlight.

Does any Hero -deserve- to die? No, not really. There's not a single hero in the Phalanx that -deserves- to be killed, they've all accomplished a lot in their careers, saved countless lies.

but another cardinal rule of writing is this:

Kill your darlings.



Life is unfair. Life has tragedies. Good people die, bad people live. Making Statesman purely a symbol is kind of pointless, it makes him less a character and more a cardboard cut out. Heroes fight, and sometimes heroes die.

Wait, Statesman dies?


THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER.

Quote:

Originally Posted by G_Savior The hate for states is all because of the dev who had the same name.

No, it's because Statesman casts a shadow over every man, woman, and robot in the city. He is the best at EVERYthing. If he has a simple lawnboy alter ego in another dimension, I can guarantee you it comes from a world covered in thick grass where lawn mowers are the last providers of oxygen necessary to keep the world breathing and only he has the strength to operate it--although he wants to retire, he suffers in loud and perfect silence. The man is so perfect he's even the best at being indifferent. When you encounter Arachnos on the STF does he say "I'll even defeat those incredibly strong heroes who made mincemeat of my best henchmen?" No, he waxes eloquent about "even mighty Statesman" not being able to defeat him now. When you go incarnate, do you get to see your own, very powerful, character being respected? No, you see two or three versions of Marcus Cole.

Hopefully whatever kills Statesman does it in the most undignified, unheroic way possible and the character is simply remembered as "that generic super strength dude who is now dead although no one remembers who killed him or why."

All of the Signature heroes deserve much more in the way of stories in the game that show us who and how they are before killing them off will have the level of tragedy such an event should have.

I will miss Statesman, just because of his iconic costume and his status as a Superman expy. Every comics company benefits from a such a character as a 'bar' for other characters to measure up to or not.

His passing irritates me. I don't feel any aspect of it has been handled well and acheived what such things are intended to acheive.

Is anyone really going, "Gasp! No way!"
Is anyone going, "Not him, he was my favorite!"
Is anyone going, "Now I have to pick this up to see where the story goes!"

I just hope the writing of the actual moment is done well.

I won't miss him.

Firstly . . . . . bad form at the title! There are global channels ingame where people are said NOT to spoil anything and people dont want to visit the forums at the moment for the huge spoiler and titles like this is the reason why!
If you read the article spoiling it, fine thats good. Dont assume everybody else wanted to read it though!

*coughs* Anyway . . . . .

I dont mind that he's going to die, the way he acted in the incarnate initiation arc proves that he has zero trust in anybody and he refuses to let people get the power which he has or maybe even stronger.
Anybody who says they're the only ones who can be trusted with such power, needs to be smashed!