The Gauche in the Machine (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
china_shop) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sid_guardian2025-04-26 10:56 am
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2025-04-26 10:56 am
Entry tags:
The Art of Dialogue and the kitchen knife scene
I was watching a YouTube video about how to write snappy dialogue (banter) by ![[youtube.com profile]](https://youtube.com/favicon.ico)
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.
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.
no subject
I know, right?! *smishes them*
Which only makes me have even more feelings about the combination of these three scenes, because they're all different reasons and different ways of getting to what is ultimately the same conclusion!
*nodnodnod* I love what the drama does with parallels and repetition SO MUCH!!
Damn, Shen Wei is learning (all the wrong things). xD
Haha, right? /o\ Kunlun was a much better influence than early-canon!ZYL, omg.
And it's especially unnerving when his expression changes into this smile in a blink of an eye.
It's unnerving because he looks so terrible but I'm pretty sure the smile is genuine, and I think that's part of what ZYL can't bear? That SW might have known this would happen, and even knowing, he has no regrets and would do it again in a heartbeat. That ZYL (whose whole life is about protecting people) is responsible for SW of all people being hurt.
*stares at that gif for way too long, hai, I should be asleep like an hour ago* :D
no subject
Saaaaame! ♡
"Kunlun was a much better influence than early-canon!ZYL, omg."
Lol aw, that's not wrong at all, and also it's largely because of Shen Wei's good influence, so in the end it all works out, hah. :D
"It's unnerving because he looks so terrible but I'm pretty sure the smile is genuine, and I think that's part of what ZYL can't bear?"
That's the saddest part for me, I can't even imagine what it's like to be Zhao Yunlan and witness this, ahhh, OUCH.
"That SW might have known this would happen, and even knowing, he has no regrets and would do it again in a heartbeat. That ZYL (whose whole life is about protecting people) is responsible for SW of all people being hurt."
Yeahhhhh, that's what happens when you fall in love with someone whose whole life is about protecting people too. :P
(Sleep well! :) ♡)
no subject
Flings a picspam link at you. :D
and also it's largely because of Shen Wei's good influence, so in the end it all works out, hah. :D
Haha, so true. THESE TWO! <3 <3 <3 ,3
Yeahhhhh, that's what happens when you fall in love with someone whose whole life is about protecting people too. :P
And what's the alternative? Someone who's prepared to stand by and let people suffer? I feel like ZYL has been waiting his whole life for someone who has the same commitment to doing good that he has. He doesn't get to insert an exemption clause just for himself. ;-p
no subject
"And what's the alternative? Someone who's prepared to stand by and let people suffer? I feel like ZYL has been waiting his whole life for someone who has the same commitment to doing good that he has. He doesn't get to insert an exemption clause just for himself. ;-p"
Lol yep, they both ended up in this situation, they both don't get to be the exception. :P
no subject
Lol yep, they both ended up in this situation, they both don't get to be the exception. :P
*smishes them both* (Luckily, there are compensations!)
(Oh, for some reason this makes me think about ZYL trying with all his might not to go rescue Shen Wei from Dixing. He holds back SO HARD because SW asked it of him.)
no subject
Ikrrr. He's not having a good time at all and his willpower is truly impressive.
no subject
no subject
THISSSSSSSSSSSSS, it's so good, and makes everything resonate, which makes everything better!
It's unnerving because he looks so terrible but I'm pretty sure the smile is genuine, and I think that's part of what ZYL can't bear?
Yes, 100% agreed - it's the genuineness that makes it so awful, if he were putting on an act that wouldn't be nearly as bad. :( :( :(