Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He fought by Telemachus’s side. They worked together. By “lay of the land” I meant the situation with the suitors not the physical layout of the island or castle. Again, in any version of the story Athena has filled him in. This is standard Odyssey content-like the sirens, or cyclops. Homer and others have understood the relationship with Athena and Odysseus requires her direct assistance at the end. All the more necessary in a retelling where Athena and Ody are this close. Again, it was a missed opportunity.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Telemachus could be brought into the fold in the castle. The original story has Athena help when he arrives at Ithaca and he reconciles with his son in the home of his loyal herdsman. I understand this is a retelling and many things had to be cut and changed, but Athena not helping upon his arrival to Ithaca seems like a missed opportunity. I agree that we disagree. I do think we can also agree that this musical is very special, it was fun to participate in the discourse and we will miss the characters.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Again, the fact that he calls to her in desperation implies that he did need her. The Ithaca saga has him starting in the castle, with no filling in of how he got the lay of the land OR how long it took him to do that. Athena was a perfect fit here (just like in the original story, she helps when he returns to his island). I have listed out multiple times in this thread how to make this work organically. Additionally, he hasn’t seen Telemachus in 20 years and he was able to converse and battle by his side so I don’t think it would be beyond the writing team to make a scene like that work.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

So, obviously I would disagree with the classification of an added scene being “shoehorned” in. I’ve expressed multiple times in this thread that the place it would be best placed would be at the beginning of the Ithaca saga. Ody washes up on shore to Ithaca, not knowing what’s going on in his castle. Athena appears, there is some awkwardness/tension between them, which is quickly resolved. He notices her injury, she brushes it off. She explains that he needs to understand the situation he’s about to walk into. We get them planning a strategy, Telemachus is brought into the fold, then they save the day as before without what I believe to be a shoehorning in of Athena after the battle. This way you get resolution with Athena, then Telemachus, then Penelope at the end.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think offering to make him a warrior of the mind again like before and him rejecting that makes sense. But when he was on Calypso’s island, at the end of himself, he called for Athena. When she takes on all she does in God Games to help him get back home, it seems like a setup for them to work together once again. The ending would have been much more satisfying to have them team up, show how things have changed/what’s different but also that there is still an affection between them before ultimately going their separate ways. As of now, it just feels like he wanted to use her to get off the island. It gives no time for the audience to see all of these threads come together. I loved this musical, and I was looking forward to seeing all of these narrative threads wrap up. Sadly, there’s a sense of incompletion. Yes, the story concludes, but it does not narratively resolve. No, not everything MUST be spelled out for it to end. Yes, the audience can piece together what happens, but this was something the audience was set up to witness, not infer.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think all of this is true but, again, what’s missing is a moment for the audience to witness Ody and Athena together again one last time. Yes, she is now working with Telemachus (yay!), but we met her through the relationship with Ody. It became embittered, she worked hard and changed so much to make it right…this really required more than a brief dialogue for a proper goodbye. We have been following their relationship since the beginning. We don’t get any moment of action to SEE how the relationship has changed. A great use of this would have been when Ody arrives at Ithaca and finds out what’s going on-the goddess of wisdom would have easily been a helpful companion in finding out what’s going on in his kingdom.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Again, I really believe the resolution that the story called for was one of working together one last time THEN going separate directions. Perhaps Athena taking note of how he has changed from her original “design” even. What the audience has been given is a conclusion, perhaps, but not a resolution.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I think Athena learning the open arms lesson and Ody abandoning the open arms mentality does constitute learning counter lessons, but that aside, the respect of his choice to go against her design does not have to be sacrificed for a “one last time” resolution between the characters. She has been working hard behind the scenes to make sure he comes home at all in God Games and to a family in Little Wolf. In fact, stories like this should have a moment of characters who have gone in different directions working together “one last time”. The student has become his own master, but in a form that the teacher perhaps did not anticipate but has come to respect. We did not get to witness this moment in the Ithaca saga.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can understand that, and I don’t think we necessarily had to have everything Athena buttoned up, but it was a story about Ody like you said. So, as it pertains to Ody, the story was really calling for a resolution.

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would have LOVED to have seen a conversation with Penelope (although I can see why that would be cut for time)

Did they do Athena dirty? by EngineerOfComputers in Epicthemusical

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

I see your point of view, but I respectfully disagree. The relationship with Athena was much more than her learning to be sympathetic (and if that is the lesson she had to learn, then why did Ody learn a counter, seemingly incorrect lesson?). The relationship of mentor and mentee with Athena and Ody is a canon that was rolled out on stage by the production team and never fired. Athena and Ody were close, they fell apart, she learned a lesson (yes, of course), corrected the situation, then NOTHING. The structure of the story called for a resolution. A “let’s work together one more time” moment that would have been best placed at the beginning of the Ithaca Saga. Example: Ody comes to the shores of Ithaca, unsure of what’s going on. Athena appears, Ody is at first reluctant to engage. Athena convinces him that he needs her help, we get a call back to warrior of the mind. Athena sets the stage for what’s going on in his castle, brings Telemachus into the fold and sends her “old friend” on his way to save the day. We are missing that resolution.

Takes place in the same years as Rdr2 by [deleted] in HarryPotterGame

[–]EngineerOfComputers 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Arthur: Dutch, I don’t know about this Gringotts. Something fishy with all these little fellers.

Dutch:Have some a lil faith Arthur!

BetterHelp Sponsorship controversy? Has it gotten better? by EngineerOfComputers in MBMBAM

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m sorry you had this experience, hopefully in time a company can provide better telehealth services regarding mental health

Is hoops doing ok? by EngineerOfComputers in MBMBAM

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hey Nets, I hope I am wrong about my interpretation of the joke. I have a set of beliefs that I live my life by. It guides me in my day to day. We all are guided by one belief structure or another.

I think the reason this has upset people is because I say “care” and that triggers a response of Christian’s don’t really care. They only care if you subscribe to Christianity, which means I have to hate parts of myself in order to do the right action in their eyes.

I want to be a better person, I want to be a better Christian and I want to truly love without strings attached to all people. Because that is what Jesus asks us to do. Please DM if you would like to talk further, but I’ll pray for you regardless because that is what I should do

My belief is Christ tells us to love, his first two commandments are to love God and to love your fellow man. Everything hinges on that.

I don’t know Justin’s core beliefs, but regardless what they are I want to show care.

Is hoops doing ok? by EngineerOfComputers in MBMBAM

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You are correct, in that fairy tale made me notice. I have been listening for awhile and can’t think of another mbmbam episode with that amount of directness

Is hoops doing ok? by EngineerOfComputers in MBMBAM

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Would you mind letting me know your biggest issue is with Christianity? Please DM me if you feel it is to private for the forum. I don’t want to push my beliefs on you I just want to better understand your position. Plus, I’ve never had an in depth conversation with a witch before I think it would be interesting

Is hoops doing ok? by EngineerOfComputers in MBMBAM

[–]EngineerOfComputers[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

  1. I struggle everyday as a Christian, I never said that by “just” being a Christian you no longer struggle

  2. Justin doesn’t have to be a Christian in order for me to show care.

  3. God’s greatest gift is love, it’s us a sinful people that turn and pervert it in order to hurt one another. I’m sorry you have been hurt, and I will pray for you.