Whoa… applicable lessons from a TV show? Ein’s whole analogy about how assessing somebody’s honesty is like spotting rats (if you notice one, there are just bound to be others) - - that was actually some real, acute insight. What somebody does on the small level, more often not, is indicative of what they’ll do on a bigger level. And there’s the implicit lesson that somebody trying to deceive you is rarely going to go about in some kind of obviously-nefarious way. They’re going go about like this Navy Seal Wallace does. Appear friendly and harmless and spin some personable story to tug at your common ground (“Hey! You look like my kid brother!”) while inching their fingers to the gun.
You know, complaints about pacing are usually the kneejerk criticism. In lieu of saying anything constructive, you can always just say, “Make the story move faster.” It’s more-or-less an equivalent of weather talk. However, I’m appreciating the more deliberate speed of this series, how they’re actually taking time to show how Zwei would realistically get trained. First, they get him so conditioned to handling firearms that it’s second nature. Then, they put him into a slightly-rigged combat scenario to harden his heart against even a sympathetic target.
Heh... I just can see Inferno having some planning meeting before this, spitballing concepts for this particular “exercise.” I’ll bet this was the British guy’s big clever idea of the week.
Barring what I just said though, I do have to point a teeny flaw in Zwei’s training. A full-nelson is not a submission hold. It’s banned in wrestling, sure, but at best, it’s just a control. If I were in Zwei’s position, I would’ve put Ein in tight chokehold there - - but then, I suppose the cute little button wouldn’t been able to get last word in, would she?
Watch this episode “Practice,” below and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
