I was bothered by
the characterization of Cologne. Although Cologne can
be ruthless, arranging for women to be raped, including
gang-rape, seems more than a trifle extreme for her.
Even though Akane and Ukyou aren't Amazons, I can't
see an Amazon leader sanctioning rape as any sort of
legitimate tactic.
I tend to agree. IMHO, whenever Cologne is portrayed by
Takahashi-sama, she has a certain ... business-like quality about her,
much like Nabiki. She IS ruthless when she wants something (using the
Cat Tounge to keep Ranma as a girl), but she follows her own code of
honor. Therein lies the debate, ne? What exactly ARE Cologne's
principles? She is an Amazon first and foremost. More importantly, she
is a/the (?) Matriarch (what exactly IS her position in the tribe?), and
she takes her responsibilities seriously. Would she twist the tribe's
laws to match her own view of a situation? I believe she wouldn't, but
there are NUMEROUS fics out there that disagree with me (*grin* You
people know who I'm talking about). In these fics, Cologne is a power
hungry, slightly deranged, yet brilliant, crafty, and experienced foe. I
think one of the best representations of Cologne was in "Descents and
Inversions." (BRAVO! Great fic) It's hard to say what I mean w/o
giving away the ending, so I'll just leave it up to you guys and gals to
read it. Regardless, Cologne is an extremely traditional woman, and
(IMHO) she seems like someone who would follow her tribal laws to the
letter.
Everyone, please keep this thread going (but don't repeat what's
already been said). I've always wondered why various authors decide to
portray Cologne in such a ... vicious (?) manner. *grin* Wow, my first
ever (well, second) post to the mailing list. Hope it's
thought-provoking. Ja mata!
doKuSHInsHA
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