SeptimusHeap
MOD
(Edited uphill both ways)
Nov 29th 2012 at 2:03:01 PM
•••
Renamed from Dead ex Machina per [1]
Old discussion [2]
Copying/moving this here. The second bullet point is very interesting, but doesn't add to why this is an example of this trope.
- Just before the climactic battle of Conan The Barbarian, Conan prays to Crom for the first time, saying that, you know, you could help if you wanted, but if not, screw ya. When Thulsa Doom's Dragon has Conan on the ropes, Valeria,* the warrior-woman love interest killed by Doom earlier, appears in Valkyrie-like armor, blocks the attack, utters her catchphrase ("You want to live forever?"), and disappears. Conan proceeds to stand up and mop the floor with The Dragon. Foreshadowed earlier in the movie, when she swore to claw her way back from the pit of hell to fight at his side if she died.
- Ironically, this could be directly caused by Crom lending a hand. It's not stated in the movie, but in the books it's stated that Crom HATES prayer. Folks looking for handouts get none, while people striving on their own are looked at favorably but don't need help. Crom's help is reserved for those who strive against impossible odds to the very end of their strength. It helps that Conan's prayer shows just the right mix of respect and derision to make the god chuckle and take notice.
Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. -Terry Pratchett