by Lirenel » February 28th, 2008, 7:31 pm
I just finished rereading PC, something I'd planned to do before the movie but not too close to the movie as to interfere in my movie-gong experience. Anyway, while reading it I was reminded about how much Susan isn't in book. She really doesn't do anything other than complain (which I see as her moving away from Narnia, but that's beside the point.) I remember now that it actually annoyed me when I read PC before. Think about it:
*Peter the High King fights Miraz in single combat.
*Edmund the Just mediates the arrangement for single combat and helps fight in the ensuing battle.
*Lucy, always the most pure at heart, sees Aslan and has a few scenes with that.
*Susan shadows Lucy and complains.
Now I'm not advocating Legolas!Susan, but I can see why they needed to have her actually do something. Lucy as the most faithful has to have the scenes with Aslan, so despite the fact that she's better suited to fighting that Susan, she can't fight because she has to be with Aslan. Susan, though, is almost an extraneous character except as a foil for faithful Lucy, but you can only take so much of her not being as good as Lucy. At least with her archery skills she has something that none of the other characters do.
My conclusion: If they do it right, I actually won't be too disappointed in Susan "kicking-butt' so to speak. (Though it would be nice if they point out that she doesn't like fighting.)
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1
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