Memes

Not funny pictures of cats, but the original coinage’s meaning. Ideas which propagate themselves across time, almost independently of their media of propagation (language, art, thought). It’s one of those comforting ‘we’re not so different after all’ realizations that certain stories, certain characters are universal to all societies, regardless of time, space, culture or race.

There are all the obvious, big, important myths, such as Creation (Kamiyonanayo, Gaia) and Destruction (Revelation, Ragnarok). Character archetypes are also universal, from the Trickster (Anansi, Coyote) to the Sage (Merlin, Mr Miyagi).

Wax on, Wax off

What I find amazing is the level of detail to which these ideas can replicate themselves. It’s not just the big, broad-brush stock characters which keep popping up everywhere. You can get down to very specific character and plot points and still keep finding almost direct one-to-one comparisons. Here are three for your consideration –

The Robot Protector. Sent back in time by benevolent forces to forestall a disastrous future for a still youthfully innocent male protagonist.

The Mute. Purposefully denied the power of speech by its creators, and treated as nothing more than a commodity to be discarded when its overlords grow bored or feel it has outlived its utility. Trapped in a nightmare world of non-expression; unable to laugh, unable to cry, unable to scream.

The Magical, Edible Friend. A humanoid being created by an apparently omniscient, supernatural paternal figure who is capable of resurrecting the character when necessary. The character encourages people in need to eat of its own body, and has sundry other superhuman abilities.

You saw that one coming a mile off, didn't you?

A lot of credit where it's due.