Define "gratuitous". I'm wondering if a particular example counts. In the anime K, a character's backstory involves him having been a scientist in Dresden at that time, so he was employed by the Nazis, even though the No Swastikas approach is taken. His experiment unintentionally makes him immortal and after losing his family in the bombing of Dresden, he retreats from the world until the present-day plot intervenes. There's no real reason to have his origin in that setting - they could have had it anywhere or any time - except to make him look more like a villain and cover up the fact that he's actually the hero. But then it becomes something more of an issue - fans understandably get unnerved at the idea that he was working for them, even though he clearly wouldn't have supported them, and running away from his responsibilities is something of a defining trait for him, so it would fit - rather tragically - that he would have been one of the many that went along with it and didn't realize until afterwards that they shouldn't have - especially since he really is an All-Loving Hero, it probably adds a lot to his guilt complex. But still, I can't help but feel that it's a little gratuitous. Anyone want to weigh in?
(if you want to look for yourself, see the flashback in the beginning of episode 9 of season 1, though I'm not sure how much it fits out of context...)
Define "gratuitous". I'm wondering if a particular example counts. In the anime K, a character's backstory involves him having been a scientist in Dresden at that time, so he was employed by the Nazis, even though the No Swastikas approach is taken. His experiment unintentionally makes him immortal and after losing his family in the bombing of Dresden, he retreats from the world until the present-day plot intervenes. There's no real reason to have his origin in that setting - they could have had it anywhere or any time - except to make him look more like a villain and cover up the fact that he's actually the hero. But then it becomes something more of an issue - fans understandably get unnerved at the idea that he was working for them, even though he clearly wouldn't have supported them, and running away from his responsibilities is something of a defining trait for him, so it would fit - rather tragically - that he would have been one of the many that went along with it and didn't realize until afterwards that they shouldn't have - especially since he really is an All-Loving Hero, it probably adds a lot to his guilt complex. But still, I can't help but feel that it's a little gratuitous. Anyone want to weigh in?
(if you want to look for yourself, see the flashback in the beginning of episode 9 of season 1, though I'm not sure how much it fits out of context...)
Edited by lavendermintrose