I picture Fanatic being cast from a mold similar to Castiel.
"I am a soldier of Heaven."
If anyone's read The Dresden Files then they'll get this reference. I picture her as a female Michael Carpenter, with wings.
I can see that.
YES. Absolution is totally excalibur. Totally.
Would that make Apostate kind of like a Nicodemus? Mr. Fixer can be Shiro!!
Fixer is okay and all, but he's about ten orders of magnitude shy of being as cool as Shiro.
And Michael is a great lens through which to view paladin-ey characters, but I just don't see any evidence that Fanatic has that sort of restraint or moderation. Sure, she left her Convent due to their inaction - and also the fact that they cast her out after she stood up in the middle of a service and declared herself to be God's will incarnate, which they viewed as blasphemy. Maybe you agree, and maybe you don't, but one does have to admit: it's a deeply prideful act. And it's not like the disapproval of the people who raised her changed her mind: her next move was to spend a year in a sewer, mastering combat, so she could stab people and drop them off buildings - I don't think Michael kills humans, save for ones literally posessed by demons who refuse chances to surrender.
Now, maybe that's not howFanatic does things in your head. As discussed before, the cards leave room for interpretation. But if the Fanatic I see had the personality of a Dresden Files character, it would be Donald Morgan. She's certainly on the side of the good guys, but intolerant, prone to snap judgements, and far too prone to resolving every situation by reaching for her sword.
Ironic
P.S. At least, that's how I figure she used to be. When her convictions get shaken and she begins seeking redemption, I imagine she mellows out and matures a good deal - enough to even join a team made of people who follow other religions* and prohibit killing. Indeed, the potential for such growth is a major reason I hold on to the notion of a less-sympathetic Fanatic at the outset.
* No, there is no canonical evidence of Fanatic being intolerant towards other faiths. But coem on - many people who don't ever dress as Crusaders and proclaim themselves to be the Lord's Judgement on Earth would find some degree of theological consternation in working with the Prime Wardens. Maori spiritualism and even a Moorcockian Order/Chaos divide (which teaches that the Earth is an avatar of destruction which hates us) should be no harder for a reasonable person to accept than any major modern faith, but when the list then includes self=asserted Egyptian divinity, the sacred union of the Great Sea mother and Father as presided over by the High Priest of Storms who shall one day awaken from their slumber beneath the waves and usher in a paradise for all children of Maernia, and whatever the heck Red And Gold Guy believes, it could lead to some awkward moments around the holidays.
Strangely enough, if the speculation is right and Fanatic kills anyone, she's breaking one of the Ten Comandments. Which is strange to me, but since she considers herself the Will of God she thinks she can kill on his behalf...
+1. I this is exactly how I see Fanatic as well
Ironic, I like your comparison of Fanatic to Morgan. I'm going to think of her like that from now on.
Edit: Also, whether you think Fixer can hold a candle to Shiro or not I like Fixer a lot more when I think of him like Shiro.
Dead?
Though often translated as 'Thou Shalt Not Kill', the actual commandment is 'Thou Shalt Not Murder'.
And murder is unjustified killing. So, Fanatic would remain theologically consistent if that's the case.
I'd just rather assume that Fanatic embodies something more than a contrarian, moralistic, high-and-mighty stick in the mud. It just seems so...boring. I want another Kurt Wagner, Kitty Pride, or Ben Grimm when it comes to a character with strong theological convictions. Not The Purifiers.
Maybe this is just me putting my own gloss on her, but I don't think she's Purifier. I see her more as having a sort of "self-sacrificing, but by all that I hold holy the REST of you are getting out of this, except for YOU bad guys you're going DOWN" attitude and that's why I liked Michael. He definitely doesn't think Dresden makes good choices.. ever.. but he will move heaven and earth to keep Dresden and anyone else who comes under his aegis safe. And that's where I'd put Fanatic. She feels confident that her life has a higher purpose, so she's bold and unswerving in her willingness to put herself in danger to protect others. And that is, to me, a fascinating take on a religious character.
I'm all for that. I'm just tired of the "And then Fanatic got in a theological argument with THIS character and told them why they're wrong and killed a bunch of people for not saying 'bless you' when she sneezed." I like characters with strong conviction and a belief in something beyond themselves. It's what makes a lot of heroes great. I've just noticed a lot of people falling back on Fanatic being an axe-mudering Jesus freak rather than a convicted, self-sacrificing person of faith.
Ah, alright. And I think that Fanatic would probably have studied that particular writing of the Comandments at the convent.
Added that Michael has certain protections when he's on an assigned mission. Protections that he lacks when he's doing a favor for Harry.
Added that Michael has certain protections when he's on an assigned mission. Protections that he lacks when he's doing a favor for Harry.
Yeah, we can't forget that for all we know, she's right to a certain extent, and her abilities to do radiant damage are tied to some sort of higher/otherworldly power. We're told that she weakened when she lost faith, so maybe she has some sort of "you're only as strong as your conviction and willingness to do good"?
I don't think she's an axe-murdering Jesus freak at all (though I see why others interpret her that way). She just thinks/ has some strangely convincing evidence that she's been tasked with a slightly more... forecful calling.
The violence is inherent in the system. (help, help) ANYWAY- Legacy punches people... for FREEDOM.
As a rule, I don't think heroes kill at all. If they did, whenever we beat a villian, they wouldn't have to fight them again. Remember, this is Silver Age kind of stuff; so Fanatic might rough some people up, and they may be bruised, they may be permanantly broken, but they will never really be killed.
Though this may change if we have a Wolverine-kind of hero. I hear it's hard to be non-lethal with sharp claws...
One thing about Fanatic that might add some depth to her is the card art on Apostate's Remorseless Provocation. It's the one where Apostate blasts fire through a guy, possibly the detective from Rook city? Fanatic is desperately rushing, sword in hand and fist glowing, to save him. It could just be the saving the innocent thing, but what if Fanatic does have a civilian life and this is a boyfriend, or at least very good friend. I have nothing to base this off except Apostate wants to cause her as much pain as possible, and I doubt Fanatic wears her armor 24/7. I'm sure you could find her doing good works under her real name, after all soldiers can't be on a mission all the time.
I often wonder about Fanatic having a secret identity - as with the "dominant" personality of Ra, it's a neat little question I've yet to see any canon allusions to.
Zalrus, SotM heroes kill people. See the Hero Personalities thread for the details, but there is canon confirmation for Expatriette, Fanatic, and Chrono-Ranger killing. The big name villains no doubt escape using the same tricks that big name villains have used to cheat death in countless media, comics included.
I do not think that all heroes with strong theological convictions should be intolerant or violent about it. But I also like characters with flaws and growing room, and ways for heroes to be distinct from each other in outlook. SotM continuity has its share of saintlike Michaels (Legacy, Haka) and quiet-but-determined Ben Grimms (Mr. Fixer, Bunker) already. This is something new, expanding the range of the stories. However, I think we all know where each other stand on Fanatic's personality now - there's cases to be made for multiple interpretations, and no reason for each player not to picture her the way they prefer.
Ironic