Capstone Essay
Natebanko
HighlanderRecognizingProxiesintheWoldofImmortals.pptxHighlander
Recognizing Proxies in the World of Immortals
What is a Proxy?
In the stock market, when an important decision must be made, shareholders can give a representative their proxy, allowing the person to vote on the shareholder's behalf. In a trial, an attorney acts as proxy representing the interest of a client, such as the state (prosecutor) or the accused (defense attorney). If you give someone your power of attorney, that person can speak on your behalf (serve as proxy for you), if you are incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself (i.e., in a coma).
Proxies in Literature and Art
How might a concept, idea, or theme serves as proxy in a work of literature? You may have heard teachers speak of subtexts in literature, encouraging you to read between the lines of beneath the surface. More directly, you may have been taught about symbolism in literature (i.e. a white Dove symbolizing peace, or a black Crow foreshadowing death). To a certain degree, each of these concepts is related to the process of identifying proxies to distinguish between the plot and the message.
Proxies in Storytelling
Part of the art of storytelling is the ability to tell a story which has an obvious surface significance, yet conceals a deeper meaning. In troubled times (i.e. in societies ruled by a dictator, or under a Fascist regime), it may be simultaneously necessary and dangerous to call out political leaders. Authors will consequently cloak their critiques beneath an apparently innocuous (harmless) tale.
Proxies in Highlander
It has been previously proposed to you that Highlander is actually a critique of war. Although there was no genuine danger in the late 20th century of openly addressing this topic, the art of storytelling through subtext and allusion (hints or indirect suggestion), has become such an integral part of storytelling, that without it many tales would be bland and uninteresting.
Proxies in Highlander (continued)
If Highlander is actually about war, one would expect to find any number of allusions to war; and in that respect, one would not be disappointed. In “The Gathering," there was a flashback to MacLeod surrounded by the bodies of Indigenous people who had been slaughtered by the military. Duncan suggests that the victims were a peaceful people who lived in harmony with nature. Nevertheless history records that Native American executions were performed by people who declared them subhuman to justify cultural the appropriation of their lands.
Flashbacks in Highlander
In addition to providing a sense of the history of MacLeod and other immortals, the flashback is one of the most overt forms of evidence of the significance of war to the overall storyline. The backdrop of war is the most common flashback scenario of the series.
Proxies in the Immortal Way of Life
Beyond flashbacks, Highlander is filled with proxies for war, as evidenced by the Immortal way of life itself. Examples include: the “Buzz,” which alerts one immortal of the presence of another immortal, the rules of the Game, collateral damage, the Prize, holy ground, the inevitability of the Game, and the mystery surrounding their origins, coupled with the presumption of a fight to the death against other immortals the very first time they meet.
The Task at Hand
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it” (props to Mission Impossible), is to begin to decode the oral, visual, and conceptual language of Highlander, and to begin reading the selected episodes as though you they were articles on war.
Things to Look For
Among the details you should seek to identify are:
The overall point of view and message being conveyed. You should ask yourself, what do the writers and directors seem to be suggesting repeatedly.
For which aspects of war are specific details of the Immortal way of life serving as proxies (see the previously provided list)?
Given the thread pertaining to good and evil, what are the obvious distinctions between those on either side? Of those distinctions, which are directly connected to their immortal status; and how do they affect their participation in the game? In what way would that be important in an actual war?
Getting Started
One hint to get you on your way can be found in “The Gathering.” Slan Quince tells the MacLeods that they cannot both fight him at once (something you can be certain neither of them would ever do). Yet in the actual battle, Slan wears a metal “mask or face covering” (a little 2020 cultural humor), and shoots a concealed projectile dagger from the end of his sword, mortally wounding Connor.
Getting Started (continued)
No other immortal wears a helmet (unless of course it is in traditional battle), because it is not part of standard protocol; and the dagger is comparable to using a gun, which is a flagrant violation of the rules of the game. It has been established that the game is the common term immortals use for their way of life, the actual engagement, and the protocols associated with it.
Decoding Slan to Decode The Game
The questions to ask here are :
How does Slan’s way of playing the game connect to war in general?
What proxies are represented by his unorthodox mask and his projectile dagger?
If he were a soldier in a traditional war, what actions or techniques might he be using that would not be sanctioned, or for which he might be condemned by parties on both sides?
Decoding Slan (continued)
Why would Slan so blatantly violate the rules?
What does it say about him that he is willing to behave in this manner?
Is it more likely that he is the only immortal to violate the rules in this manner or that many others would likely do the same (think about humans before you answer this one)?
In what way is this breach of ethics a commentary on war in general?
From Slan to Eternity
Once you have satisfactorily answered the preceding questions, you will be well on your way to translating the proxies, decoding the message, and gathering material that will be essential to your final Capstone essay, using Highlander as the centerpiece for a discussion on war. Use the process highlighted here, as you view the next episode, “Brothers in Arms,” as well as additional episodes.
