The Art of Dialogue and the kitchen knife scene

[china_shop]

I was watching a YouTube video about how to write snappy dialogue (banter) by heyjameshurst. The creator used examples from The Princess Bride, The Empire Strikes Back, His Girl Friday, and The West Wing to illustrate that good dialogue is like a tennis match, a playful competition, and in each volley the tension escalates to "a sudden, sharp reveal of truth."

Afterwards, I was thinking about it in terms of Guardian, and the first scene that came to mind was the kitchen knife scene. Wow, this is a stellar example of what the video talked about! It's dynamic because every line fires back in a way that is difficult for the other person to respond to. (Often they're reacting to the subtext -- or actually, what they perceive the other's subtext to be -- rather than the words, and sometimes slightly at cross-purposes, so lines that could be non-sequiturs feel seamless.) And the truth is forced out of them. It's so impressive!

ZYL: I woke up because I was hungry.
SW: *turns and drops the knife*
ZYL: *strides over and grabs his wrist* Don't you think of lying to me. What did you do in order to heal my eyes?
SW: *starts to leave*
ZYL: You used the Longevity Dial.
SW: *stops*
ZYL: *moves to his side* You shared your life force with mine. You used your power to neutralize the corrosion of my body. Am I right?
SW: My... My... My body's energy structure has suffered a severe blow. I need to exchange all my energy.
ZYL: It must hurt a lot.
SW: *ghastly smile* Fortunately... Fortunately, I'm used to getting injured.
ZYL: I do not deserve what you are doing for me.
SW: You're worth it.
ZYL: *explodes* Then, what do you want me to do? Be indebted to you? To bow to you? You are not immortal! Why should I so casually owe you a life?
SW: This life is what I'm returning to you.
ZYL: ??????
SW: You should rest soon.

There are so many truths here!! <3 <3 <3

Thinking about it also made me realise something about Shen Wei's initially trying to leave and his "Fortunately, I'm used to getting injured" line, which I will explain in six screencaps:













Newsflash, Shen Wei: Zhao Yunlan's tactics are no more reassuring or less infuriating when you try them.

Comments

[china_shop]

And if it does require consent for the sacrifice, that means that Xiao Guo opted in. Aww! :D

[trobadora]

Oooh, very curious now!

But as for this version, yeah, I don't know if I'd like it either. It'd introduce a whole new level of guilt and obligation and responsibility, and it'd skew the dynamics a lot - it'd be difficult to balance it.

[trobadora]

Yeah, that's a good point about the inactivity! He'd probably be okay while he's out and about doing stuff, but downtime could be hard.

[trobadora]

I like that idea! Of course it can't be informed consent, or ZYL would have known about the cost to SW, but even so!

[china_shop]

It'd introduce a whole new level of guilt and obligation and responsibility, and it'd skew the dynamics a lot - it'd be difficult to balance it.

Yeah, exactly. (But if someone could pull it off and still get them to the "right" place, that would be pretty amazing...)

[china_shop]

Maybe they can only know as much as each other?

[facethestrange]

Yeah, it's probably why it doesn't get written much? And I wouldn't want it in canon either. Like, it's still them, they would be fine in the end, but it is SUCH a different place to start from. I've seen a lot of stories with either of them getting hurt in YOHE after they've already bonded or got together, but an obligation to take care of a total stranger (who also happens to be pining for you for some reason) is... a lot. I'd love to see someone try to navigate that, though (and actually I'm pretty sure people already did, I just haven't found it yet).

[facethestrange]

"I actually have a different plan to change their start (which I won't say in case I ever get around to writing it)"

*eyes light up* :D :D

[facethestrange]

Oooh, I didn't even think of how similar this was to the Awl's power, but obviously it is! And the Hallows can do just about anything (especially when someone as determined as Li Yufen nudges them onto the right path :D), so they can probably borrow each other's powers, why not! But I guess not fully, so it would make sense that it was only temporary.

[facethestrange]

"And if it does require consent for the sacrifice, that means that Xiao Guo opted in."

Hmm, even if Li Qian's sacrifice didn't fully go as planned, it still worked, so I'd say at most it would require consent to work smoothly and perfectly. In some more imperfect way it works regardless of consent.

[china_shop]

but an obligation to take care of a total stranger (who also happens to be pining for you for some reason) is... a lot. I'd love to see someone try to navigate that, though

Yeah, exactly. And same! It would be such an interesting needle to thread.

[china_shop]

Hmm, even if Li Qian's sacrifice didn't fully go as planned, it still worked, so I'd say at most it would require consent to work smoothly and perfectly.

Oh, great point, yeah. Hmph. Ah well... :D

[trobadora]

Yeah, it's a great concept, just difficult to pull off in a way I'd like. *g*

[amedia]

Of course CSZ will be fine and won't have white energy corruption - GCC didn't have black energy corruption! Whatever curing him cost him, it had to be in some ways equivalent to what GCC was suffering from.

It works so well!!! And it fits in with what we learn later in the drama, that GCC's white energy is so pure it can even be blended with black energy. Or, as Ye Zun says, "His spiritual energy is pure and bright."

"Rather, they're perfectly compatible."

So GCC couldn't have had black energy corruption!

[facethestrange]

Ooooh, this is a fantastic observation! It all fits together so neatly to explain why the exchange consequences for CSZ and SW were so different. *adores this fandom* ♡♡♡

[trobadora]

YES! That's an excellent point, thank you!

[china_shop]

Ooh, thanks for pointing this out! <3