Discussion topic: Victor's Totem Choice
Added 2022-08-10 12:02:26 +0000 UTCHi, everyone. I got an email notification while I was sleeping that one of you posted a lengthy message about how they didn't think Victor's choice made any sense. I logged in to reply this morning, but I couldn't find the post. I thought it was a really good message, and I think it merits some discussion, so I was hoping I could get some feedback on the matter. I'll try to summarize the message below and then respond, and maybe those of you that are interested can share your thoughts.
The gist of the message was that a coyote was the exact opposite of who Victor is. They are "weaker wolves" that are less capable in combat, and they work in a pack (unlike Victor).
I don't think any of that is wrong, really. I think I must have missed the mark with my narrative because the reason Victor chose the coyotes wasn't because they were like him, but rather because they represented something he admired - he likes their tenacity, and I think he's envious of their pack.
Additionally, he had fond memories of their (annoying to some people) yipping and talking through the night, which for some reason comforted him.
He didn't choose the bear because, in his mind, the bear was like him - solitary and intimidating. He was wanting to carve his spirit shard into something that wasn't what he already was.
Similarly, he didn't choose the axe because he already had a strong axe with a spirit inside it.
Does this make sense? Did anyone understand Victor's motivations from my narrative? Should I add more explanation? I could always add more when he first uses the spell.
Let me know your thoughts, please!
-Plum
Comments
Now that I'm caught up, I don't see a problem with how he came to his choice... it isn't what I'd choose in his shoes, but very few of his choices are the ones I would make. I reckon with spirit magic the image of what a coyote is, is far more important than the reality anyway.
Tsula
2022-08-10 23:59:27 +0000 UTCThanks for the support and for the feedback :)
Plum Parrot
2022-08-10 19:45:42 +0000 UTCI'm still catching since I became a patron last night. I don't have much to say about his choice since I haven't seen it. I think it's awesome that you are asking for feedback But man, Florida Coyotes must be super different from Arizona Coyotes. In my experience Coyotes, if you see them alone are cowardly as all getout. I never did see a pack in my area though. I hear packs can be scary. Now I've lived in AZ for a year and a half and haven't seen any! But I don't take 1 AM drives anymore either. If I was going to pick an animal that was clever and tenacious I'd pick Raccoon.
Tsula
2022-08-10 16:30:32 +0000 UTCDon't count it out :D
Plum Parrot
2022-08-10 14:37:04 +0000 UTCidk I would have liked to have seen Victor go Super Saiyan 2 :P
mallix
2022-08-10 13:41:33 +0000 UTCThis experience - the totems and Victor's feelings about them - isn't complete. It's not over, is what I'm saying. Victor will be learning about himself for a couple thousand more pages and learning to accept the things he doesn't like about himself while also learning that he can make the changes he wants.
Plum Parrot
2022-08-10 13:08:53 +0000 UTCThanks for sharing your thoughts. There are some of both those things going on - part of the reason Victor rejected the bear was because it was like him but reflected aspects of himself that he's not sure he likes. Meanwhile, the coyotes share some traits with him while embodying things he admires but doesn't necessarily think he has (the pack, the cleverness, etc.)
Plum Parrot
2022-08-10 13:07:30 +0000 UTCI think I misunderstood, I thought Victor was saying that his tenacity was something he admired abt himself, not as a disconnected concept. I also think I connected his rejection of the bear to his rejection of the giant warrior class, not wanting his identity tied exclusively to that archetype.
Charlie
2022-08-10 12:58:50 +0000 UTCI thought you had explained it well, I gathered all the points in your above message from the previous chapter.
Joshua Malone
2022-08-10 12:41:42 +0000 UTCYeah, honestly some real exposition on how the coyote jives with his psyche is what's lacking, and I just assumed we'd see that in the coming chapter. Admittedly the end of the last chapters have felt more like they were just wordcount cutoffs than they were good points to cut between scenes, so if that wasn't the case I wager we wouldn't even be having this issue, assuming you had more thought out re: the coyote choice
Sebastian Viller
2022-08-10 12:30:09 +0000 UTCI agree
Beeees!
2022-08-10 12:25:52 +0000 UTCThis did make sense! I understood the gist of Victor’s motivations I think people are just curious as to how a Coyote Totem will work in battle. More explanation when he first uses the spell might help people understand more.
Kris Boxall
2022-08-10 12:10:25 +0000 UTC
