To De-Sabatier

The origin story, the most boring of unnecessary explanations, whose purpose is not to make us relate to the character, but to make all his or her radical qualities palatable. It is the boring psychology version Vonnegut’s ‘Harrison Bergeron’, where all characters are rendered equal via being explained by their history. It is especially egregious in the case of Lisbeth Salander, whose ‘daddy abused her’. Otherwise, what reason could you have to be a powerful female character? This would be called de-fanging, but Hannibal Lecter preferred carbon steel, as, despite the attendant rust and high maintenance, it keeps the finest edge. It’s the kind of object that our democratic culture abjures. Unlike the use of the word ‘abjure’.

The struggle was between how terrible my artistic ability remains, and how good the bit was. I gave it a shot. Points if you get it. Points if you work hard to get it. Points, also, if you agree that Hr. Mads Mikkelsen is becoming the superior Hannibal. Points, finally, if you tell me that this resembles, in any way, Hr. Mikkelsen himself. Or a kitty. I’ll take what I can get.