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	Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot
	Posted By: Joyeuse	Date: 9/16/02 5:06 p.m.
	In Response To: Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot (Scifiteki) : Hmmmm.... : Well, I always harboured the suspicion that the AI's were equivalent to the : gods of Norse mythology. I've never really gotten around to doing some : actual research on this, but some kinda obvious parallels pop up... : (Tycho=Loki, Duranal=Hemdall, Leela=[Freya]?) Loki was the Norse god of : mischief, who conspired with the powerful Frost Giants, the enemies of the : humans and the gods(The Ph'for?) Hemdall could hear all... : Unfortunately, in my current position, I'm not really able to do any : background on this, so I'll have to leave that to others, or at least till : I can do some research. Perhaps the Vallhalla of the Jjaro was the : universe itself, which m,ight be why they help you in infinity... Wait, wait, wait. Durandal as Heimdall? Surely, you jest. :) I don't think he's buttoned down enough to be Heimdall--he's much more a Lokean type, unless you subscribe to the "Loki=EVAL" theory. Which I don't, particularly--there's sufficient evidence to suggest that while malevolent, he wasn't as, ah, unilaterally evil as the Judeochristian Satan (or the Zoroastarian Ahriman, who he's been compared to--check out Robert Zelazny and Thomas T. Thomas' The Mask of Loki, an excellent book with lots of chewy parallels betwen Zoroastarianism and Norse mythos). A lot of his actions were actually for the good of the Aesir, and much of the mischief he caused ended up rebounding on him (and spectacularly!). Indeed, whenever a problem cropped up, it was generally Loki's arm that the Aesir twisted to get it fixed. (The whole episode with the giant builder comes to mind...) He also ended up taking a lot of punishment despite his ability to worm out of bad situations; along with being threatened with death innumerable times, he also had his lips sown shut by the dwarves, was forced to bear the horse Sleipner, and numerous other indignities. (I won't relate the story of how he forced one of the Aesir goddesses to laugh; it's a little more, er, crude than I feel this post should be.) Another thing that tends to be disregarded in 'popular' culture about Loki is that he was one of Thor's companions in said thunder-god's jaunts about the countryside. Generally, when Thor got into trouble by his own brutish nature, it was Loki who got him out. The story of how Thor ended up losing Mjolnir to one of the giants on penalty of Freya marrying the giant comes to mind--Loki dragooned Thor into cross-dressing as the blushing bride, dressed up as the bridesmaid, and carted his lackwitted friend to the home of the giant. Thor proceeded to act brutish throughout the marriage dinner, with only Loki's quick tongue saving them both from discovery. Then there's Lokasenna...but I think I'm running on at length about one of my favorite mythological figures. :) While I certainly think that the Durandal-as-Heimdall, Tycho-as-Loki parallel is interesting, and has a lot of merit to it, all in all, Durandal's personality is more like Loki's, and Tycho's more like...uhm...get back to me on that one. :) I'm tempted to say Odin, because of the very interesting parallels between Odin and Loki as far as their positions as 'outsiders' among the Aesir are regarded (they both used rune-magic, for one), which would tie into Tycho's being ressurected in Durandal's image. Or maybe Tycho's Thor. :) Which would make another interesting kind of sense, considering it was Loki who's meddling originally caused Mjolnir to be created (albiet with a fractionally shorter handle than it was supposed to have had). Leela as Freya/Frigg is certainly an interesting idea, to be sure. :) Come to think, Freya got her own choice of slain warriors, in addition to Odin's Einherjar... I'll leave that to people who know more about that aspect of the mythology, though. Interesting discussion, however! I like the suggestion of the Mjollnir Recon Units being sentient robots VERY much...

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Replies:

	Mjolnir = sentient robot	Agent Shem	9/15/02 9:14 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot	archon	9/15/02 3:29 p.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot	archon	9/18/02 4:08 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Agent Shem	9/18/02 6:18 p.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Scifiteki	9/18/02 9:23 p.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Boomer	9/19/02 12:26 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Scifiteki	9/19/02 12:49 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Agent Shem	9/19/02 6:44 p.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	D-M.A.	9/20/02 12:45 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	darakat	9/21/02 12:39 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	D-M.A.	9/21/02 3:39 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = slave	Agent Shem	9/21/02 8:35 a.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot	Scifiteki	9/15/02 4:51 p.m.
	Re: Mjolnir = sentient robot	Joyeuse	9/16/02 5:06 p.m.
	Ooooh I live in Sweden, I'm so cool *NM*	Vid Boi @ Linux @ School	9/16/02 2:01 a.m.
	Thanks for that enlightening little piece, Boi.: ) *NM*	Scifiteki	9/16/02 4:28 a.m.
	Yeah! We swedes rule! Let's drink some mead! *NM*	Boomer	9/16/02 7:22 a.m.
	Sweden owns!!!! *NM*	goran	9/16/02 8:17 a.m.

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