A PSA for my brain

[terajk]

Just because we have no antagonist, you cannot latch onto the zombie apocalypse meme. Stop trying.

But zombies are the duct tape of literature!

No. They are the duct tape of film--and we can barely make icons. Besides, what could Toph do against zombies?

Maybe you need to light them on fire and then bury the ashes.

Now you've made Ash Williams cry. Although we want Toph and Azula to need to handle the threat by themselves, we don't want everyone else to be DEAD.

They're not dead--they're zombies!

But you just said--

I say a lot of things.

You know that flesh-eating plague zombies only go back to 1960s Pittsburgh. The Avatarverse wouldn't have zombies.

But it could have a disease that makes people kill each other but doesn't make them undead.

Then why would those people need to be burned AND buried?

Uh.

Comments

[fulselden]

Dude, zombies are UNIVERSAL. And the Avatar world has canonically active spirits if you don't want to do violence to medical science (not that that's a bad thing...). P-perhaps the zombies need to be buried to, uh, lay them to rest?

[terajk]

Dude, zombies are UNIVERSAL.

They are, indeed. Would Sokka survive the undead plague? I can see him not ("MEAT!"), and yet I can see him coming up with some clever plan to outwit the hordes, such as pretending to be one of them.

DUDE! What if Long Feng has developed a mass form of mind-control that's transmitted via a visual mechanism and doesn't affect Toph? And what if it makes people kill each other? (What the hell, Tera? How did you combine Avatar with The Crazies?) And what if it doesn't affect Azula, either, because she's already a sociopath? But if she does live in the palace, Zuko, the children and possibly Mai would all be dead by chapter 2. And why would Long Feng do this? You can't control people if they're dead. Confession: I have wanted to involve minor villains in this for a while--sadly, Zhao is dead. Wait! Maybe HE'S a spirit! Speaking of which...

And the Avatar world has canonically active spirits if you don't want to do violence to medical science (not that that's a bad thing...).

Yes! I've actually thought about using spirits. And I really don't mind butchering medical science for scariness--my love of Cabin Fever is unmatched and nonsensical. I even like the godwaful sequel, which manages to kill science (and storytelling, and character development, and dialogue, and plot, and pacing) entirely.

Can some Lovecraftian horror fit in here? Oh, dear.

[fulselden]

Oh, man, Cabin Fever! Excellent - though, heh, I avoided the sequel on the grounds of reported godawfulness, though it must have tried pretty hard if it managed to be worse on the medical science front than the first one.

Sokka pretending to be a zombie would be priceless. Though if that failed, I'm not sure what he could come up with, oh dear...

And the idea of a spirit-Zhao is somehow HILARIOUS. And also AWESOME. I like the Long Feng idea as well, mind you. As also Lovecraftian horror!

[terajk]

Oh, man, Cabin Fever! Excellent

Yay! Someone else liked that movie! My friend doesn't like it and my mother thought it was "dumb," although in her defense that may be because I forced her to drive me halfway across town to go see it. And then embarrassed her by applauding when that jerkass Jeff came back to the cabin and got himself shot. Which reminds me: I should really make an "I made it!" icon.

I avoided the sequel on the grounds of reported godawfulness, though it must have tried pretty hard if it managed to be worse on the medical science front than the first one.

Indeed. The virus has mutated into something even MORE badass/ridiculous--now with more projectile blood-vomiting!--which is a feat considering that Paul is still barely alive. The movie also explicitly states that the virus is (supposed to be) necrotizing fasciitis, IN A MEDICAL TEXTBOOK. Cabin Fever 2 is, all around, a truly impressive display of awful.

And the idea of a spirit-Zhao is somehow HILARIOUS.

Zhao: I have cheated death! I am legendary!

Toph: Who is this joker?

Azula: Some captain or other.

Zhao: I am NOT a captain!

Azula (waving her hand): Commander, then.

Sokka pretending to be a zombie would be priceless. Though if that failed, I'm not sure what he could come up with, oh dear...

RUN!

[fulselden]

But ... Cabin Fever knew it was dumb! That's why it was good! And, heh, Jeff. That would make an excellent icon.

Also: what?! They kept Paul [SPOILER] alive(ish)? Sigh. It's not as if he was the most compelling character ever or anything. Just let him have his moment of lemonade-infecting glory and start off with an all-new crop of fresh young things to die in inventively gory ways.

And that Zhao conversation - EPIC.

[terajk]

But...Cabin Fever knew it was dumb! That's why it was good!

Exactly! And Eli Roth knows how movies like that are supposed to work. Plus, it had tons of auditory cues in it. I even thought the virus made a noise (it sounded like Rice Krispies in milk), but I think maybe the speakers in the theater were just messed up.

Also: what?! They kept Paul [SPOILER] alive(ish)? Sigh.

Oh, no. It's brilliant, actually. (Or audience abuse. I'm not sure). Because it really is Rider Strong, but he's so sick/made up that you can't recognize him, he has no lines, and he stumbles around painfully until a bus hits him. Cue opening credits.

They also brought back the stoner cop and Giuseppe Andrews tries his damnedest, but he doesn't really have anyone interesting to play off of.

And that Zhao conversation - EPIC

He'd make his twitchy-face afterwards, of course.

[fulselden]

It's brilliant, actually. (Or audience abuse. I'm not sure).

Ok, that is actually pretty satisfactory! (though ... poor actor. That must have been an awkward conversation with his agent - 'yes! they are hiring you back! ... for a lengthy makeup session and not much else').

Interesting about the audio cues in the first movie - I can't remember the virus being rice-crispies-ish, but, wow, if so that is some excellent sound design.