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

[trobadora]

I'm not sure about the "wants them to be good to and for each other" at this stage? I think it's more that ZYL wants to be free to sacrifice himself, but it pushes all his childhood-trauma buttons if anyone else does the same, and especially someone as important to him as Shen Wei.

No, at this point I think he's definitely there - he just told his father about SW being genuinely good to him, and you can't tell me he doesn't want to reciprocate. Also, IMO at this point in time he's not thinking in terms of self-sacrifice - he still thinks they can win this. I don't think he thinks the situation will get so dire as to require a sacrifice until after he gets slapped in the face with the cost to SW; before that, he thinks the Sundial exchange was an unqualified win, and why shouldn't they have another?

I was talking about reassurance in the "will be fine" sense

Oh, right! Though like I said, SW is (IMO very deliberately) not saying he'll be fine, only that he can handle it.

But I agree that it matters IMMENSELY that SW is strong enough, and that what he ultimately does with the white energy is his choice, because he can not only handle it, but make it into an opportunity he wouldn't otherwise have had. Which I love! A lot! And actually, you know, that part I find immensely reassuring myself, so I guess I'm talking myself round to your POV now, LOL.

And Shen Wei's ghastly smile is even rejecting that much -- he doesn't want sympathy or comfort.

Yes, very good point! ZYL tries to offer sympathy with "it must hurt a lot", but SW essentially waves that off with that smile and the "used to it" line.

[china_shop]

No, at this point I think he's definitely there - he just told his father about SW being genuinely good to him, and you can't tell me he doesn't want to reciprocate. Also, IMO at this point in time he's not thinking in terms of self-sacrifice - he still thinks they can win this.

Oh, you're right. Good point! (But I still think ZYL is expecting the job will kill him one day, like he tells Zhu Hong in the street. He's still wired to throw himself in the line of fire at the drop of a hat. So he either thinks Shen Wei will live on without him (ie, hasn't applied the "do you think I could be okay without you?" corollary in both directions), or he hasn't confronted the contradiction there at all... which may be necessary for him to continue to do his job.)

Though like I said, SW is (IMO very deliberately) not saying he'll be fine, only that he can handle it.

He's strongly implying it, imo. ;-p If he didn't look so weak and grey, he might even have been convincing.

But I agree that it matters IMMENSELY that SW is strong enough, and that what he ultimately does with the white energy is his choice, because he can not only handle it, but make it into an opportunity he wouldn't otherwise have had. Which I love! A lot!

YES!!!!

And actually, you know, that part I find immensely reassuring myself, so I guess I'm talking myself round to your POV now, LOL.

*wins* :D :D :D (And oh, I just realised! The blindness was from Ye Zun's attack, and Shen Wei manages to belatedly pay it back to Ye Zun a hundredfold. Which means Ye Zun is the root cause of his own destruction! THIS SHOW!!! <333)

[trobadora]

So he either thinks Shen Wei will live on without him (ie, hasn't applied the "do you think I could be okay without you?" corollary in both directions), or he hasn't confronted the contradiction there at all...

I think a little bit of both, probably.

Which means Ye Zun is the root cause of his own destruction! THIS SHOW!!! <333

Ooh yes, I hadn't thought about it in those terms before, but you're totally right! THIS SHOW!!!! :D

[china_shop]

I think a little bit of both, probably.

I think so, too.

Ooh yes, I hadn't thought about it in those terms before, but you're totally right! THIS SHOW!!!! :D

:D :D :D

[facethestrange]

"And oh, I just realised! The blindness was from Ye Zun's attack, and Shen Wei manages to belatedly pay it back to Ye Zun a hundredfold. Which means Ye Zun is the root cause of his own destruction! THIS SHOW!!! <333"

Okay, this is COOL AF. Ye Zun, just don't blind people and you're gonna be fine. xD xD

[china_shop]

:D :D :D :D :D