REALLY enjoyed this episode, gentlemen. I've only very occasionally stopped to think about nonviolent endings to action-oriented stories, and I do tend to like them when I see them. Very interesting to think about types of nonviolent endings. I think the "sacrifice" ending is especially powerful. I thought of three other examples, if they qualify according to your analysis. I don't remember how Captain America Winter Soldier ends exactly, but I do remember that Captain America refuses to fight the Winter Soldier because he remembers that they're old friends. Something seemed sacrificial about letting the bad guy beat him up. Other example: does the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender count? After a big epic (and really cool) fight/chase scene, Aang figures out how to drain the Firelord of his power, rather than killing him. Also, Kitara and Zuko win a fight against Azula without killing her. And how about Wonder Woman 1984? She's also all about nonviolence. I know she does fight the cat woman, but I don't remember her killing her. I do recall the big solution being more the "change of public opinion" thrust: convince everyone to let go of having their wish, including the wish-granting villain. That has a sacrifice element too, since she has to give up being with her boyfriend.
REALLY enjoyed this episode, gentlemen. I've only very occasionally stopped to think about nonviolent endings to action-oriented stories, and I do tend to like them when I see them. Very interesting to think about types of nonviolent endings. I think the "sacrifice" ending is especially powerful.
ReplyDeleteI thought of three other examples, if they qualify according to your analysis. I don't remember how Captain America Winter Soldier ends exactly, but I do remember that Captain America refuses to fight the Winter Soldier because he remembers that they're old friends. Something seemed sacrificial about letting the bad guy beat him up. Other example: does the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender count? After a big epic (and really cool) fight/chase scene, Aang figures out how to drain the Firelord of his power, rather than killing him. Also, Kitara and Zuko win a fight against Azula without killing her.
And how about Wonder Woman 1984? She's also all about nonviolence. I know she does fight the cat woman, but I don't remember her killing her. I do recall the big solution being more the "change of public opinion" thrust: convince everyone to let go of having their wish, including the wish-granting villain. That has a sacrifice element too, since she has to give up being with her boyfriend.