Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Tangential Post to my Women and Blizzard Post


Thrall couldn't imagine Taretha being illiterate.  Books were what had bound them to each other in the first place.  Without her notes, he might never have escaped.  He had thought her fate in the true timeway a brutal one, felt that it was unjust to one who was so kind and greathearted.   
But in a way, the life she had been leading here was almost worse. 
Aggra had accompanied him on his shamanic vision quest, and had, in a fashion, "met" Taretha. 
She should not have died, Thrall had said on that spiritual journey. 
How do you know this was not her destiny?  That perhaps she had done all she had been born to do? Aggra had replied.  Only she knows. 
And Thrall realized with a lurch in his heart that Taretha--in both timeways--did know. 
"To hear this from you--to know that my being alive mattered to anyone, let alone to nations, to...to the history of the world--you don't know what it means to me.  I don't care if I died.  I don't care how I died.  At least I mattered!"  - Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects, pp 121-122
There was a lot I hated about Twilight of the Aspects (and I do mean a lot), but this scene here where Thrall speaks with the alternate-universe Taretha Foxton was one of the worst parts of the book.  I was reminded of it after writing my entry on women in World of Warcraft and talking about the purpose many of the female characters seem to serve.  Here in this book is a canonical example of Blizzard (via Christie Golden) stating outright that a female character was created for the sole purpose of being brutally murdered to give an important male NPC motivation.

And this is supposed to be tragic, which it is, but tragic only in the sense that Blizzard believes this is a compelling tug-at-your-heartstrings story.  What would have been a true tragedy?  That Taretha in a world without Thrall could have been something more.  Maybe only Thrall could have been the one to unite the orcs and Horde the way he did, but Taretha still could have done something worthwhile in that world.  Perhaps she was running something of an underground network of people intent on seeing the orcs set free.  Maybe she was organizing a small rebellion against Blackmoore and doing the best she could with what was given to her.  I'd like to think Taretha without Thrall could still be smart, fierce, and canny enough to be a thorn in Blackmoore's side.

What's more, she could have done all that and still be destined to die.  Meaning: She would have served a noble purpose and died with or without Thrall.  That way Blizzard gets to play the "Death was her destiny" trope while still making it terribly tragic (and a death Thrall would mourn while recognizing its necessity) without reducing Taretha to an illiterate, helpless woman who is only strong enough to survive (and have it implied she's raped by Blackmoore under the guise of being something less than a mistress).  That doesn't remove Thrall as being an important component in the correct timeline since we'd still have needed him to ultimately create the new Horde and rid the world of Blackmoore once and for all.

Instead we take the premise that Thrall is the only one we need, that without him Taretha has no purpose and is in fact nothing without him.  Taretha had to be brutally murdered and beheaded by Blackmoore so it'd enrage Thrall and motivate him to end Blackmoore, and that's the only way she could have died and had a purpose.

And look, I'm not even touching what happens to Alexstraza in this book.  Even the freaking Aspect of the Red Dragonflight must become weakened and needs Thrall to set her back to rights again.  Yes, the book was about Thrall, but it could still be about Thrall and how he's Orc Jesus powerful and important he is without de-powering the women connected to his story.  Besides, it's Taretha's fate that I feel is the real tragedy here.

Just one more example of how women in Azeroth can't win if there's a man's story to tell.

Monday, December 3, 2012

A Passive-Aggressive Letter to Thrall

Dear Thrall,

Oh, no, it's okay, really.  I didn't need any help with that elite level 90 Kor'Kron guard.  Sure, you can stand there and express your disappointment in Garrosh some more while Doomhammer hangs uselessly on your back.  No, really, this isn't a bad time for you to tell me all about your special friendship with Vol'jin.

What's that?  Um, sure, I guess I can go handle the Kor'Kron who are holding the island under martial law.  You want me to go kill them all by myself?  Oh, why the hell not?  I mean, you said you'll wait for me before we go take out the general overseeing the occupation.

Oh.  I see.  No, no, it's fine.  Those two minions, the doomguard, and the elite boss?  Yeah, sure, I've got it. You keep standing over there polishing Doomhammer.  I'd hate to see you, I don't know, crack one of your beads or, heavens forbid, a tusk.  Aggra might think you a lesser orc.  Do you think, maybe, like when we fought Benedictus together you could throw a heal or two my way?  No?  Ah, yeah, I'll just use my healthstones here, I mean good thing I'm not a mage or hunter or anything.

Yes, yes, reassure the trolls that we're looking out for them even though I'm pretty sure I was the one bashing some Kor'Kron skulls in.

Fine, I'll go back and make nice with Garrosh and pretend this never happened.  Whatever you say, Thrall.

Jerk.

With Flagging Admiration,

Folami

(In case it's not obvious, I've been doing the Domination Point dailies and yesterday I helped out Vol'jin by going to warn Thrall of what Garrosh is doing.  Thrall was...not so helpful.  It's okay though, I really could handle it by myself, on my Warlock at least.)