Best Books/Shows of the Year, 2014

I know people who read more than me. I know people I read way more than. Same goes for shows and movies. Whatever relationship I have with you in that regard, here are my top discoveries for the year. Please note that these aren't necessarily books and shows that came out this year, just books and shows I read or watched this year.

Top Reads

(In no particular order. With each of these books, I was thinking about them when I wasn't reading them, always a good sign)

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

Hero of Ages is the last book in the Mistborn trilogy, so I'd rather not give you a synopsis that spoils the other two books. All I want to say is that this is one of the most epic conclusions I've ever read ever. I don't think I've seen a conclusion to a series that was this epic since Lord of the Rings. Given, if you read more than me, you might disagree. Hero of Ages was fresh with surprises but with an ending that still ties everything together. The characters, world, history, and abilities are awesome. Definitely recommend this series for the high fantasy reader. The second book was just okay. The first was great, and the third was amazing. Read my review of the first book Mistborn here.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Live Through (Writing Tip) + Conclusion

We’re coming to the end of my “A Writer’s Take on Trigun” post series. Thank you for all of the awesome comments and feedback. They mean a lot to me.

Here is one plotting technique to really get the feels of your readers. Figure out the absolute worst thing for your character, and make him live through it. I'm not talking about just physically the worst thing, but an event that rocks his identity, his emotions, and puts him through heck. For Vash, it's killing Legato. He can't live with himself with having done that.

The only reason, though, that it hits us in the guts is because of the all the work done in the set-up. Prior to that event, Vash spends the entire series protecting life, preaching to others the importance of saving everyone, and we see him go to great lengths to save criminals, innocents, bounty hunters, and enemies alike, because he believes no one has the right to kill another. He tries to save everyone.
So what is the worst thing that can happen to him?

Him killing someone.

How can he live with himself after that? Well, he can't really. He's tormented by it.

So think about the worst thing you can put your character through, and make sure to set it up appropriately for the strongest effect.

What I love about the example in Trigun, what I think kicks this technique up a notch, is that Vash's absolute torment comes from something he did, not something that was done to him. His worst suffering comes from his own actions. Really though, Vash killing someone? Genius.

It sounds like a simple technique, but it's a powerful one.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Knives, Part 2

So last time I mentioned that the Trigun series really revolves around a war of values and ideas. Knives' logic of survival and killing for self-preservation vs. Vash's morals of saving and caring for everyone.

Get this: Everything Knives does to Vash in the series is used to not only cause Vash suffering, but ultimately for Knives to prove his point: that you can't save everyone. If he can break down Vash's values, he can beat Vash. So we see all the situations Knives forces on Vash, putting him in circumstances that hit at Vash's morals hardest. Here are some:

• Knives creates situations where Vash must risk injury and his own life to save people, like in the third-to-last episode, "Sin," when Midvalley is attacking humans, and Vash goes out of his way to block them, receiving personal injury.

• Knives shows that even those Vash saves end up dead. He does this by killing those Vash cares for, and by even killing the Gung-ho Guns Vash spares, like Dominique and Monev. 

• Knives mocks Vash's inability to save people by having characters like Caine and Midvalley commit suicide right before Vash's eyes. I mean, there is literally nothing Vash could have said to stop Caine or Midvalley. And because saving others is so important to Vash, he takes the death on as if it was his fault and mistake. He feels like a failure because he couldn't save Caine. And Knives wants Vash to believe that if Vash had died, these other people wouldn't have. (You can't save everyone.)

• Knives plans to show how even Vash's friends will kill those closest to them. He does this by assigning Wolfwood to kill Vash. I really don't think Knives expected Wolfwood to succeed in beating Vash, but it would have added to Vash's torment to have Wolfwood try.

• And finally, the closing act is to prove to Vash that even he has to kill to save others, and Knives does this through Legato. For Knives, it was imperative that Vash shoot Legato dead himself. It wouldn't have had the same effect if Legato had made him do it. Knives scores a goal in this because Vash does shoot Legato and he does it to save Meryl and Milly, driving home that "you can't save the butterflies without killing the spider" mindset.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Knives (Analysis and Themes)

(Knives--This character analysis is crazy.)

Origins

It's interesting how Vash and Knives grew up as twins in the same environment and how they turned out so differently. Where does Knives veer off course? I think most fans would say it happens when he kills a spider to save a butterfly--that's the first real manifestation of it--but honestly, it starts before that.

It starts when Commander Joey of the SEEDS ships explains why they were sent to find a new planet. Not only does he reveal the faults of the human race, but also their drive to survive, and he explains that they use logic to "make the smallest sacrifice they can think of at the time."

This wisdom sticks with Knives, we see, because he repeats the advice to Vash when Vash is crying. Steve told Vash "he's not human" (an insult Vash himself uses on Knives later). And when talking about the humans, Knives says, "Remember what Joey said? We have to make the smallest sacrifice we can think of at the time."

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: The Moriarty Method (Writing Tip)

"The Moriarty Method" comes from the Sherlock Holmes stories. In them, we see that Sherlock is a genius sociopath who has super human capabilities when it comes to solving crimes. He's cool precisely because he's so exceptionally gifted. At the starting of his story, we get to see him solve case after case, but then someone shows up who is equal to or better than Sherlock: Moriarty.

His appearance takes the story to the next level.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Milly Thompson (Character Analysis)

Milly doesn't have the character growth the other main characters have, because Milly already has a good and stable head on her shoulders and a firm identity. But as the series progresses, we do get to see other aspects of her character. Honestly, Milly seems the most stable out of everyone. She never doubts herself. She's completely authentic,

One thing I love about Milly is how intuitive she is. We get another (surprise!) great contradiction with her character--she often gives the impression that she doesn't know exactly what's going on, but more often than not, she understands better than anyone, whether she realizes it or not.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Contradictory Goals (Writing Tip)

One writing technique that can breath some life into your story and also give you a whole bunch new story stuff to play with is giving your characters contradictory goals.

I've talked a lot about contradictions with Trigun--that's because the writer of it, Nightow, is great at them. Look at all the irony in his characters, their relationships, and roles. Ever since his protagonist, Vash, was a child, he's had contradicting goals. He wants to save the spider and the butterfly, which is impossible. If you cater to the spider, it will eat the butterfly. If you save the butterfly, the spider will die from starvation.

And yet, through most of Trigun, Vash is trying to save both. One of my favorite aspects of the movie Badlands Rumble, is that Vash is freaking running around trying to save criminals and innocents. He's trying to save an outlaw, the outlaw's victims, and the bounty hunters. What's funny about the outlaw vs. bounty hunter scenario is that those two kinds of people are literally trying to kill each other. And Vash is in the middle of everything trying to keep them safe. While also trying to keep himself alive.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Meryl Stryfe (Character Analysis)

Oh Meryl. . . people both love and hate her. I love her. Okay, maybe the very first time I saw the show, she wasn't my favorite in the first few episodes, but that's because I didn't understand her or her role. I think I do now. Out of all the Trigun characters, Meryl has the biggest contrast between what she feels and what she says, and I find that interesting. She also fulfills a pretty important role in the story.


I think the fact that Meryl was assigned to hunt down the most dangerous man on the planet says a lot about her capabilities and work ethic. Her tightly wound personality provides more opportunities for Vash to be humorous. She provides a nice foil for him. And one of the most important aspects of her as a character is that she embodies (almost) everyone's experience with Vash the Stampede. So many minor characters go through theses same stages.

For Writers: You might want to consider creating a character that embodies the average guy or girl (generally speaking). Sherlock had John Watson. John Watson embodies the average guy and as such, he helps us as an audience keep up and connect with the psychopath genius. Not every story needs an "every man" character, but if you're audience isn't connecting with your story or characters, consider creating one.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: The Quiet Battle

So in Trigun, we've been following this ongoing feud between Vash and Knives, which turns out to be a war over the whole human race. I feel like the only reason the human race has lasted this long on Gunsmoke is because Vash blasted Knives in July City, and Knives had to spend years regenerating from it. Knives' plan for the destruction of the human race was kind of put on hold; he's also upset with Vash about everything and wants to torment him, after all, that was what he was taught to do as a child from the SEEDS crew. They abused and tormented him, which is also partly why he wants to obliterate the whole human race.

So Knives wants to eradicate humans. Vash wants to save them, which is such a beautiful contradiction in and of itself, because if anyone is keeping count, Vash has been wronged way more times by humans than Knives has, or probably anyone for that matter. Vash is trying to save the very people who want to kill him. (I'm telling you, this series is pro at irony and contradiction!) He's like that literary Christ-like figure; he forgives them because they don't really understand the forces at work here. He also forgives them because of Rem's teachings, and he values them because Rem gave her life to save these people here. Rem had such an effect on Vash that if Rem values these people, Vash will too. Also, since she did give up her life to save them, keeping them alive and safe is like keeping Rem alive. If the human race dies, Rem dies in vain.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Nicholas D. Wolfwood

Walking Contradiction

Wolfwood is another walking contradiction. Let's look at the opposites he embodies to create a fascinating character.

• Priest
• Owner of an orphanage
• Hero

vs.

• Ace gunman
• Believes men are closer to devils than angels
• Isn't even sure if he'll be Saved
• Has no problem killing when deemed necessary
• Villain

Really, the whole concept of his character is embodied in his cross. It's a symbol of religion, of Christianity--he says it's so full of mercy--and yet we find out it's packed with guns, weapons of a hard life. That's Wolfwood.

Wolfwood looks like a priest and talks like a priest, but really, Vash, who is the outlaw, is more of a saint than he is. It's an interesting reversal. While Vash tries to save everyone's lives, Wolfwood's hired to kill others (in order to provide for the kids in his orphanage of course). Unlike Vash, Wolfwood doesn't believe every life can be spared. Vash is an idealist. Wolfwood is a realist. To him, In order to save and take care of those you love, you have to kill offenders. Really, it's the same view Knives has. You have to kill the spiders to save the butterflies--it's just repackaged in a more likeable character. (and frankly, this concept is repackaged throughout the series if you watch for it.)

The fact Vash can get away without killing spiders or butterflies bothers Wolfwood, not only because he sees it as naive and unrealistic, but because being around that belief system makes him feel worse about himself. He says that the more he's around Vash, the more he's reminded of everything he hates about himself. An outlaw makes a priest feel unholy. Beautiful contradiction.

For Writers: Remember that even friends and partners have conflicts and disagreements. You can create interesting dynamics in your story by looking at both the positive and negative of your characters' relationships. Wolfwood and Vash are friends, but they rub each other the wrong way, sometimes that's a vehicle for humor and sometimes it's a vehicle for theme and conflict and identity crises

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Vash the Stampede, Part 2

This post is part of a series I’m doing where, as a writer, I’m dissecting Trigun and its characters. We’re getting in deep into this story. Be prepared to freak out about what I found (that’s what I did). And if you're a writer, maybe learn some new storytelling skills along the way.

Character Arcs (Continued)

Character Arc 3

Last time I talked about how Vash grows as a character by learning to be more proactive and independent.

But Vash grows in more ways than that. Another weakness he has is an ignorance of his own nature. It's even suggested that he might have a bit of a fear of it. He's not human; he's a plant, a powerful species engineered by humankind, but Vash doesn't fully understand what that means or what he's capable of. When Knives was a child, he didn't either. Unlike Vash, though, Knives embraces his nature and power, maybe because he grows to detest humans so much.

On the SEEDS ship, Knives finds Vash crying. Vash says he's upset because "Steve says we're not human," which shows Vash identifies himself as human. When the SEEDS ships crash onto Gunsmoke, Vash yells at Knives, "You're not even human," which again shows Vash thinks himself as human. Knives says, "Dang straight I'm not," showing that he strongly differentiates himself from humankind.

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: Vash the Stampede (Character Analysis)

This post is part of a series I’m doing where, as a writer, I’m dissecting Trigun and its characters. We’re getting in deep into this story. Be prepared to freak out about what I found (that’s what I did). And if you're a writer, maybe learn some new skill along the way.

One Charm of Trigun: Walking Contradictions

Remember when I did those posts on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood? I talked about how to create complex characters through contradictions by looking at Ed. Trigun creates a lot of interesting characters by giving them contradictions. I mean, just look at the protagonist, Vash the Stampede.

• One of the best gunman on the whole planet
• He has a $$60 billion bounty on his head
• He's demolished two of the seven cities of Gunsmoke
• He's an outlaw so dangerous, he's been dubbed a "natural disaster" in insurance policies.

But he's also

• A pacifist
• A cry baby--probably crying more than any character I've encountered
• He's never killed anyone
• He's a lighthearted goof-off

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A Writer's Take on Trigun: What the Heck Vash plans to do with Knives After the Series

This post is part of a series I'm doing where, as a writer, I'm dissecting Trigun. We're getting deep into this story. If you're a writer, maybe you'll learn some new skills along the way.

What I love about Trigun is that it's one of those stories that changes every time I watch it. The best stories do that, because they're layered. You know, the kind where you catch onto something new the second time, the third time, the tenth time you watch it. Or the meaning of the story changes because you've changed.


(And I'm not talking about noticing Abraham Lincoln.)

This time when I watched Trigun, I finally really caught on to and appreciated what the heck Vash planned to do with Knives at the end of the series. The show has a pretty open ending. I've always wished there was just one more episode, or even 15 more minutes. What do you do with someone as sadistic as Knives when your morals prevent you from killing him? When no jail is capable of holding him?

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