Captain Quail 11 - Martial Arts (Sept. 2, 2013)

I have just returned from a trip through the central valley of California, visiting Yosemite and then returning over the course of two whirlwind days. I've made this trip a number of times, as I have family that lives near one of the entrances to Yosemite, but something struck me this trip that I don't think I would have thought had I not started writing regularly: "Epic stories need epic spaces."

As I rode past miles and miles of mountains and fields, and looked out on a sky that seemed so much bigger than the sky in the sub/urban area where I live, I was struck by a sense of scale that I hadn't ever noticed before. I think the Western Genre draws us in partly because it normally happens in these wide open spaces, where the sheer size of the landscape seems to focus all your attention on the actions of a few characters. Its part of the reason why epic stories that happen in cities don't just happen in any old city. They happen in mega-cities. Metropolis. Gotham. New York. Cities that, real or fictional, operate like gravity wells in a narrative ecosystem, drawing all the action around them into them.

I also thought a second version of the thought above: "Epic stories need epic spaces. And there is no more epic space than space." When we call space the 'Final Frontier', we aren't just expressing our desire to explore, we're harkening back to the Western stories that seemed bigger than life for generations from a previous century. Every action that happens in space is all the more significant because of the vastness its happening in. A single light in a pitch black room is the center of attention. Even a somewhat-cocky commanding officer getting thrashed in a sparring match with his subordinate feels bigger because its taking place in a tin can hurtling through the void.

Speaking of genres and tropes, I'm pretty sure the 'Superior officer passing off losing as letting the other guy win' predates written stories. Nobody wants to look foolish, especially Quail captains. Also, Skuak is shaping up to be a pretty excellent foil for Gabriel Quail, and this makes me happy more than I thought it would. Hopefully you share in our joy.

Thanks,

Philip