JMS: The Structure of *Rising Stars*

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: s-orso at uiuc.edu (orso steven n)
Date: 16 Jul 2000 21:09:13 -0600
Lines: 34


A question about your story-telling technique for *Rising Stars*:  Would
it be fair to say that for its overall arc, you have opted for a 
rigorous structure of thesis-antithesis-synthesis?  Based upon what we 
have seen so far, the promos at the Top Cow website, the hint you dropped
in your CBS interview some months ago, and your oft-stated love of plot
symmetries, I'm projecting the following:

Act I (Thesis), Issues 1-8:  An unexplained force creates the Specials,
distinguishing them from the Normals; a majority of the Specials try to
live within the ethical/behavioral boundaries typical of the Normals,
but a (growing) minority of Specials resist those limits; the Specials
are much put upon by the Normals

Act II (Antithesis), Issues 9-16:  A majority of the Specials choose to
live outside the old ethical/behavioral limits, but a minority try to
abide by them and reinstitute them; the Normals are much put upon by
the Specials

Act III (Synthesis), Issues 17-24:  The conflicts between the factions 
of the Specials and between Specials and Normals are resolved, with
whatever entity that sent the unexplained force that created the 
Specials playing some role in bringing about one or both resolutions;
the distinction between Specials and Normals ends with the passing of
the Specials (whose history is recorded by Poet)

   
Also, a question about the way issues raised in *Rising Stars* relate to
your larger body of work:  Would it be fair to say that among its concerns,
Act II will explore the kinds of issues that would have arisen in the 
*Babylon 5* universe if Bester's side had won the Telepath War and the Psi
Corps had established dominance over the Mundanes in the Earth Alliance?
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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 16 Jul 2000 22:11:12 -0600
Lines: 15

You're pretty close on all counts.  Good dissection.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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