Chapter Twenty-Two

Dani’s fight with Redneck Whiskey plays on a line from JMS’s Babylon 5.  “They were the bad guys and we were the good guys and they made a satisfying thump when they hit the floor.”  The character is celebrating having a clear-cut black-and-white moral choice after years of dealing with shades of gray.  Dani is also giving herself the freedom to enjoy a righteous ass-kicking but I wanted to look at how justified it truly is.

Redneck Whiskey is a jerk and a predator, but does he deserve to be hurt physically or killed for his actions?  If we do, are we not sinking to his level?  Those are the questions I wanted to explore.  Michael acts as the voice of law and conscience.  No one has the right to be judge and executioner, no matter how emotionally satisfying it might feel in the moment.  And yet, it’s hard to feel bad about it when it is framed as defending the innocent.

Bringing Joe back in to touch base with Michael let me deepen their relationship.  Initially Joe only appeared in the first few chapters but his character grew to be much more.  I suspect he’ll have his own book and adventures before much longer.  He wants to help but is tied to the law with all its preconceptions and checks and balances.