In all of the confusion, we have lost sight of our old (in fact, ancient) friend Rutentuten a bit – today, we catch up with him, and see him off to… his destiny.
Okay, I have to admit that I have just the smallest of a weak spot for villains. Probably got something to do with Kindergarten, back when we were playing Star Wars, and I always was Darth Vader. Anyway, I thought Rutentuten deserved a happy end, as well. Of sorts, at least. By the way, the tablet in the last panel depicts Isis and Osiris, Ancient Egypt’s most popular immortal/undead lovebirds.
Happy ends for villains are a growing trend in Hollywood, anyway. 40 years ago, it would have been totally unthinkable to have a villain escape his just punishment (with the guy in the museum, all the al-Extras and the British regiment, Rutentuten’s bodycount runs in the hundreds), but off lately, the more charismatic ones are occasionally left of the hook if test screenings show audiences to identify strongly with them. And often, ‘Love’ is used for general redemption. The first incidence of this I can remember is James Bond’s nemesis ‘Jaws’ (Richard Kiel), who massacres legions of people in two Bond movies, then falls in love, changes sides, and escapes in the end.
Interestingly, when ‘Treasure Island’ was originally published, Stevenson was criticized for depicting Long John Silver to sympathetic, and allowing him to escape in the end – people feared that might confuse impressionable young minds as to what is right and wrong. Recently, however, I saw a late 80ies Canadian TV-movie adaptation of it, with Jack Palance as Long John, where the whole conclusion was rewritten to even turn it into an outright victory for the one-legged pirate: It ends with Long John and Jim, having killed the others, sail away with the Hispaniola and the treasure into the sunset. Needless to say, this is now my favourite adaptation. XD
So, with this, the curse of Rutentuten has now officially run it’s course ( a curse’s course), and the only thing left over is seeing our heroes off back home, and a little epilogue – and then the next thrilling chapter of BMC will be opened… (voicetype:eerie) ‘Attack of the >description withheld for not spoiling the suspense<' Speaking of curses, one that has not yet run it's course is my lack of net access- this comment comes courtesy of my mom's e-mail. According to my provider (name withheld to protect the innocents), I might not get my new connection until Friday. So If you've sent me any e-mail, I'll definitely answer, it just might take some days more. In conclusion, thanks for reading, thanks for voting (please go on) and come back on Thursday, when our heroes will finally leave Egypt behind.