The following exchange of comments subsequent to the recently posted new story by Centurian is one I think deserves its own thread. So here it is.
I completely agree with Flirty's take on this. And her examples of champions who come back after defeats is spot on. It's often how a person responds after a huge setback that defines their character. Nobody never gets defeated. So when a champion gets knocked down, if they stay down, that says an awful lot about them. And none of it good.flirty_but_nice wrote: ↑5 years agoGPC, that thought of yours has actually been a huge debate point between Centurion and I, he tending to agree with what you say. I, on the other hand, have disagreed with that notion over and over. Does a top ranked tennis player retire in shame in having lost to an unranked player in the first round of a tennis tournament? Does a champion boxer retire in shame after being upset and losing for the first time? Does a championship caliber football team pack it in the first time the are beaten by a huge underdog?GeekyPornCritic wrote: ↑5 years agoI respect an artist and writer holding his ground. This is his masterpiece and expression after all. I too would have loved to read Fox's defeat and sexual humiliation in the ring for the world to see. However, her character would have loss all creditability with the public. She would be forced to retire as superheroine as the public would not respect her especially if Shadow Tiger brought out her kinky side.
My thought is, hey, shit happens. Just because the Fox might suffer a loss here and there, even if such loss is to a normal person in shocking manner, that’s no reason to feel utterly “humiliated”, afraid to ever show her face in public again. I kind of prefer to think she’d just rise up, dust herself off, and then continue with her super heroine ways, generally kicking butt!
So anyway, this is always the debate point in Centurion not taking things as far as I am often lobbying for and resisting me at every turn. lol He is generally of the attitude that she cannot simply lose and or be taken sexually, unless some plot device can be created to justify how such has to be by her choice or there has to be a very powerful mitigating excuse. I keep saying I think the “humiliation” thing is an overstated concern.
I do agree, though, that with very public losses or near losses, criminals and villains might become increasingly emboldened, less respectful or afraid of what has now been shown to be a callable super heroine. To me, this is the great allure of it, though, for as a result, she might have to face increasing “challenges” to her power.
Good talking / debate points.
But Flirty's other point about that hero/heroine losing his or her luster in the public's eye is also true. Villains will be emboldened and that just enriches the drama of that world. Heck, that's one reason why Endgame just made $2 billion!
But what does everyone else say? Are there defeats that champions can't come back from? Or shouldn't try to come back from?