randomprojects wrote:

Ok, so we all know about the fateful encounter that changed little Utena's life, but...

What if other characters had a similar encounter? How would they react? Under what circumstance would it happen? How would Akio/Dios try to persuade them?

Are you talking about Utena's childhood encounter with Dios?  Or something else?

Dios chose Utena because he thought she was the only one with half a chance of saving Anthy. I can't imagine anyone else being suitable.

brian wrote:

Dios chose Utena because he thought she was the only one with half a chance of saving Anthy. I can't imagine anyone else being suitable.

And by "Dios" we mean "Akio," right? And by "saving Anthy" we mean "growing up with a princely heart?" Or do you not take him at his word when he says that he was the one who saved her?

Anyway, this whole thing is kind of a difficult question, because each of the Duelists do have an encounter that sets them down the path to dueling... they're just (presumably?) not engineered by Akio. (Saionji, Touga: their encounter with Utena. Miki: the disastrous concert. Juri: Shiori's little "miracles" speech. Nanami: probably the kitten murder.)

If Akio/Dios had intervened directly in their lives, especially if they were at as young an age as Utena was, wouldn't they have turned out to be significantly different people? I mean, just imagine what Utena would have been like if Dios hadn't appeared to her. Probably not the same! The fact that Utena was young and malleable (and in deep despair) was presumably a big factor in how and why Akio appeared before her. I can't imagine him trying the same thing when she was ten, for instance. And there's no real need for him to intervene at such an early age if he's just looking for normal duelists like the Student Council members - life produces enough flawed, obsessive people already.

So it seems like part of the question becomes "what were the Duelists like as little kids?", which I think the forum has talked about haphazardly, but not in a dedicated thread. Alternately, are you suggesting that theoretically, Akio/Dios might have a different purpose in staging an "encounter" with each of them, other than to create a princely champion?

(EDIT: Whoops, sorry! You posted your clarifying comment while I was writing this one, and I didn't see it. Also, this is totally the appropriate board for any SKU discussion, don't worry.)

Last edited by Dallbun (01-07-2010 05:39:16 AM)

So they all saw Anthy pierced by the swords when they were little kids...so how would our Utena cast react? I definitely think each would probably make a vow to do something about it.... Some just like Utena, “I’m going to save everyone in practice for this soul.” But others, like Saionji might say, “I’m going to center my life on saving this one solitary person, to the exclusion of the affairs of all others.” And some like Wakaba, would she vow to do something, but then her mind flits away to the next interesting thing that comes along? By seeing it, and realizing they could do nothing right then, who would be crushed? Touga?! Shiori?! Who could promise to get stronger for later, knowing someone is suffering eternally all along? Juri? Kozue? Who would be overwhelmed by the hopelessness and eternally crushed? Miki? Nanami? I think they’d all care, but how they’d each respond, it is interesting to wonder about. Good question!