One Glance

one glance

I'm only 50 or so chapters into kingdom, yet I can tell I'll really enjoy it because of this one non-verbal interaction

Oh. My. GOSH

Where do I even start. Firstly, we don't really get into Ei Sei's head. He's an incredibly stoic character, the cool calm tempering Shin's fire. He often listens to Shin's rants with annoyance or frustration, and you might think that he doesn't think that highly of Shin at all. But this moment completely overturns that. It demonstrates that when Ei Sei isn't speaking, he's observing and learning. In his silence, there's an internal monologue reflecting on what others say and adapting his worldview accordingly.

Both Shin and Ei Sei depend on each other and acknowledge that fact. Ei Sei glances at Shin after his statement to let Shin know that he understands what he said and respects him for it. Likewise, Shin knows that he has to serve Ei Sei for a while before becoming the greatest general in the heavens. Both of them understand their friendship is also a vehicle to achieving their individual goals and don't resent that fact.

lydia bennet-19th century sansa stark

Poor Lydia. Her dreams were realized, but, unlike Sansa Stark, she never recognized they were nightmares too. Sansa and Lydia were beauties who insulted their sisters for not adhering to societal standards. Sansa grew exasperated with Arya's boyishness and called her a horseface. Lydia snarks about Wickham's previous love interest and insults Mary's performance. Sansa, however, quickly gets bitten in the butt by the standards she revered. Numerous tragedies, such as the Battle of the Blackwater and Joffrey's abuse, force Sansa to confront how women's conformity only leaves them at the mercy of others.

By contrast, Lydia seems to be rewarded for fitting into society's mold. She and Wickham are deep into the honeymoon phase when they get married. By the end of Pride and Prejudice, she still doesn't know about Wickham's manipulativeness. Lydia even gloats about her marriage to Wickham, seeing no issue with her actions. Slowly but surely, reality sinks in. In the epilogue, Lydia and Wickham move frequently, saddled by debts. Lydia isn't great at managing her money, but Wickham is expected to provide a living income. Even if she were a financial mastermind, Lydia's livelihood would still be hurt by Wickham's inability to manage money. However, the Wickhams are always cushioned from the consequences of their mismanagement. Sadly, it seems like Lydia will always remain blinded to the issues within her society.

How did someone I despise as a petty bully become a favorite character of mine? When I first saw James Doakes in Episode 1, I wrote off his suspicions about Dexter as him bullying the weird kid. In a job that prioritized level headedness, I found Doakes to be very short tempered.

My opinion shifted when I saw him mentoring Debra, who's my second favorite character. Doakes was capable and encouraging, giving Debra guidance when she needed it. Ok, so he wasn't the nicest person, but at least he was competent.

What tipped Doakes over from being a likable character into my favorite one was the episode "Father Knows Best". We get some more background about Doakes, including the fact that he was Black Op who fought against the Tonton Macoutes in Haiti. His suspicion towards Dexter clicked for me.

The Tonton Macoutes, according to Doakes, were pure evil. They were sadists who unleashed unbridled misery and terror unto the people of Haiti. Doakes has had direct experience with evil, of the likes many of the Miami PD possibly can't imagine. That explains his antagonism towards Dexter. Given his background, he probably can tell that there is something seriously off about the forensic blood splatter analyst.

This doesn't excuse the way Doakes treats Dexter, however. It's unprofessional and makes Doakes look petty. Granted, I am a bit more sympathetic towards him and I'm eager to see what is done with him later in the show.

Petyr the Disillusioned Hero

Petyr Baelish's story could be ripped out of a fairytale: the wimpy heir to a poor, unremarkable noble house fights for the affections of his beloved. I wouldn't be surprised if Petyr's bravery (one might say foolhardiness) was inspired by songs. Much to his disappointment, however, life did not reward his bravery. It's no wonder, then, that he frequently warns Sansa that life is not a song: he fell into that trap and paid dearly for it. Life taught Petyr no lessons, it only gave him more grudges to hold.

Podrick Payne- The Boy Littlefinger was

I read a post a while ago about how Podrick only joined Brienne to search for Sansa, not for Tyrion. Podrick's chivalrous love for Sansa reminded me of Littlefinger's infatuation with Catelyn. Both Littlefinger and Podrick came from small houses, were fostered by a Great House, (in Podrick's case, he was Tyrion's squire), and developed a crush on someone unattainable. Sansa's romantic ending is still uncertain. However, if she rejects Podrick, I don't think Podrick will fall into self-pity and bitterness like Petyr did.

Tenma and Lunge are the same character but with a slight twist. They're both workaholics who let their passion destroy their personal lives. However, Tenma's position as Chief of Surgery strengthens his relationships with others, while Lunge's obsession with detective work only further isolates him. Tenma's rapport with former patients is so strong that when he is jailed for murder, they form an advocacy group and pay for the best defense lawyer they can find. Lunge's relationship with his clients is nonexistent in contrast. He doesn't view his clients as people but as puzzle pieces that must be fitted together.