#conversational post

This is a pathetic sight. Why should my friends and comrades have to endure this? You should be ashamed. I love this community with all my heart and I DO NOT want to turn a blind eye to some cowardly person trying to harass people here.

Do you understand how Omi felt when good Chase said he had to drink Lao Mane Long Soup?

He knew he had made a stupid mistake because of his somewhat selfish desire - he had set himself a grand challenge to become a leader (and rid the world of evil), but he hadn't thought his plan through well, so his friends had died. After that, he had no choice but to correct the past, but in the end, it made things worse for the whole world. And now he, who'd made so many senseless sacrifices, watches Chase defect to the Heylin, powerless to oppose his choice. Everything he'd started this for had collapsed completely. And in the end, Chase's sacrifice had done more good than all his sacrifices combined.

(And good Chase doesn't even know how much Omi sacrificed to save him from siding with the Heylin...)

And, frankly, young Chase didn't need this saving (I call him young, not good. Good Chase has no pride, but a sense of responsibility, and he's ashamed that he ever wanted to be evil). He clearly considered himself smart, but was easily deceived (no, he was communicating with a villain, is that a sign of intelligence? Just a thirst to become great), and in general he has a lot of self-importance. But, unlike Guan in the same situation, he betrayed Hannibal and imprisoned him in Ying-Yang World, making things better for everyone. It's ironic, because it was Chase who did more to rid the world of evil by getting rid of... a rival of sorts, an extremely dangerous and cunning one.

Interestingly, both when Omi traveled to the future ruled by Jack Spicer and when he returned to the present, where the Xiaolin Temple had been destroyed, his friends didn't scold him for his mistakes (even the villains, though they didn't know the whole mess started with Omi's disappearance; Chase was actually happy to see him). They helped him fix them. This is great, because Omi himself realized he had made these mistakes and repented.

Unlike Omi, Chase had thought through his plan. He didn't just deceive Omi, but also developed a relationship with him. Hannibal, for example, didn't see Omi as an ally and sought to exploit his weaknesses—his ego and his thirst for knowledge of who he was and who his parents were—which is why Omi distanced himself from his friends, making both himself and them more vulnerable. Chase exploited both Omi's strengths and weaknesses, demonstrating a keen understanding of his own actions and insight. What was he really trying to achieve by making Omi promise not to seek a way to destroy evil and using the "Reversing Mirror"? After all, it's a win-win situation: either Omi destroys good himself, or Chase does it, following his plan (most likely, he also knows a way to destroy good, and his words about the prophecy can confirm this; however, I'm not sure, because he never managed to destroy good after Omi turned evil). But why did he make Omi promise? Wouldn't it have been simpler to let him tell his friends about the way to destroy good? Did he really want to teach him honor? Perhaps the destruction of good begins with the destruction of positive personal qualities, and therefore involves breaking promises and lying? So many questions...

In my opinion, their relationship is the best because it constantly makes me think about their actions and reasons.

Don't worry, I have something to say about our Asian Princess, too. My thoughts are still fresh, fresher than bread in my shop, but I think I can explain them. But I can't help but mention Ninja at every opportunity, as he serves so well as both a counter-example and a mirror image.

The thesis goes something like this: despite all the tragedy of Ninja's character, he still found peace. And Chase, for all his feigned lightness and cynicism, has promising tragic potential. The obvious is incredible! Okay, jokes aside – it's not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Perhaps I'll start with their canonical development paths: it's interesting that the arcs of the First Ninja and Chase Young echo the themes of the future.

Ninja's arc speaks to the idea that we are the architects of our own destiny – and the importance of legacy. He was fortunate to witness all his efforts and struggles pay off in the future, to find his calling as a mentor to future Ninja, and to meet Randy—a worthy successor, albeit not perfect, who has every chance of making his dream come true (which is precisely what happened at the end of rc9gn, when Randy healed and defeated the Sorcerer). Ultimately, to immortalize the memory of his dear family in Nomicon, which is more in line with his personal desires. I think there's a certain peace in this. All his life's goals are fulfilled, Norrisville is thriving, the clan has at least remained intact somewhere, he can catch up on his life's sleep—what more could he want?

And even though he has no place in a bright future, he has finished his life's journey with dignity.

Chase's arc, in turn, shows that sometimes a bright future requires sacrifices that leave us without a place in it. In total, we were presented with two character developments:

1) Chase takes personal ambition to the extreme and, as a result, turns to evil. BUUUUT Chase does several significant things to preserve the world: he imprisons Hannibal in the Ying-Yang World (getting rid of a rival/terrible threat to the entire world) and remains principled, in a sense limiting the threat posed by himself. Why did this happen? I have a few guesses.

~ Chase follows the concept of "the strongest will wins." Willpower must be nurtured, for example, through hardship. Chase has personal ambitions, like any other villain, but he despises other villains for their weakness of spirit and for choosing the easy way to achieve their goals (like Shen Gong Wu). If Chase, with such a philosophy, wants to become the strongest warrior in the world, then it's logical that he'll take a more difficult path—direct physical development, deals, a code of honor. He'll become the strongest, first and foremost, in his own eyes. And, of course, this will fuel his pride and make immortality a little sweeter.

~ Chase understands what he's getting into and can't simply accept it. He's depriving himself of his humanity, but in exchange, he sets a condition for himself: maintaining/developing his integrity. He doesn't want to completely lose himself on the path to his goal and realizes he still has a long way to go, so he's in no rush. Forgive me, but a sane person can't calmly pay with their soul, because that would be a crime against themselves.

Be that as it may, this leads me to believe that Chase Young values ​​individuality and freedom. His individuality manifests itself in his integrity, his rejection of the ideas of the factions he belonged to, and his disdain for those willing to lose themselves for their own goals or ideas. His freedom manifests itself in his conscious choice of methods and lifestyle, and his independence from the opinions of others. Chase doesn't become a "bridge" between good and evil. Chase uses the advantages of good and evil to further his personal and physical development.

2) Omi prevented the deal between Chase and Hannibal, and now there is no one to stop the latter. In a world ruled by evil, Chase becomes the last bastion of good and completely renounces personal ambitions in favor of serving others. Essentially, he follows the path of Ninja (this is what makes their images mirror each other; this gives us the opportunity to speculate that they could have followed each other's paths, which is already the basis for a Reverse AU). When Omi offers a glimmer of hope for a better future, Chase sacrifices himself for this chance, knowing full well that he will become an outcast and unable to live in this bright future. He makes the ultimate sacrifice for others.

From this, it becomes clear that regardless of the path he chooses, Chase will end up with the same fate—to be a villain. As he himself said in the second path, this may not be the future he wants, but the one that must exist for the greater good. Moreover, Chase creates a bright future, but there is no place for him in it. He is an outcast, doomed to eternal wandering and the impossibility of finding peace.

This fundamental difference between the characters' fates allows us to view their sacrifices differently.

This is something to keep in mind as you watch Chase take everything he can from life. It's not just "wanting for the sake of wanting," but a search for happiness and one's place in the world, an attempt to fill a void in one's soul. As the scale of life and opportunities grow, so do personal ambitions, to the point of being impossible to satisfy. When you're immortal, you can set any goal, but once you achieve it, you have no choice but to set a new one or live without a goal at all. And, of course, Chase was probably surprised that he was defeated by a man with a rather "modest" list of goals and an attitude toward life. That's because the devil is in the details, and strength can be achieved in many ways.

Ninja is the very embodiment of the concept of "strength through will." His life is one of deprivation and humility. The mask, which serves as his instrument of power, embodies his impersonality and devotion to duty, the very essence of Ninja as a protector and the symbol of the city. By rejecting his identity, the doubts and torments associated with it, through devotion to an idea, Ninja achieved the point where he was able to defeat Chase in their first battle (if we're considering SW), and to develop an unbreakable will.

Chase, by contrast, doesn't burden himself with an idea or duty to any factions. The only limitations he imposes on himself are those that satisfy himself. All his efforts are aimed at preserving his individuality, freedom, and control over his life. But this is precisely why he has isolated himself from both good and evil. No one can share his fate.

Honestly, I didn't watch Christy Hui's original post; I heard about it from friends. I haven't yet figured out whether this is a continuation of the original story or a soft reboot, like with Chronicles, because Chronicles was released in this form due to rights issues with the characters and some attributes. These issues still exist, judging by the fact that Dojo has changed colors again. Now we have a traffic light Dojo, my dears.I don't expect anything on the level of Showdown, given the current trends in animated projects, especially those with a long-standing concept. Showdown doesn't so much need a sequel as it does a spinoff or a prequel. Its plot is complete, but questions remain. The first thing that comes to mind is Omi's origin. Many characters weren't revealed or developed (lol, Chase was one of the few who got a semi-solo episode, hanging around in a blue shirt). I'd be interested to know why Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay decided to become Xiaolin monks and break away from their normal lives. I'd love to learn more about the structure of Xiaolin Showdowns—Dashi and Wuya were part of the first one, so they probably laid the groundwork. It would be nice to learn more about all of that. But I wouldn't mind a good story, like in the good old days, where the monks slowly develop and overcome difficulties.

I'm talking about Chase again, because I feel like I don't really love him enough. I've been thinking about him a lot lately, so I won't have a specific thesis today, but I want to turn to fanfiction again and discuss his character.

The starting point was the dialogue between Chase and Li Hua from the third chapter of "Dress to Impress." You and I remember that Chase was simply distracting the kitsune at that moment, but if you dig deeper, you'll realize that this plot element is incredibly important. I remember skipping it the first time I read it, which led me to think of Li Hua as an impulsive and vengeful character, which was disappointing. That's true, but let's thank her for giving us lore and food for thought.

You see, I know every episode with Chase by heart, and at least half of his important lines, and he's one of the few characters whose past we've seen. Omi was unlucky in this regard. But some gaps and plot inconsistencies remain. For example, why do Chase and Guan still have roughly the same level of strength as warriors (hell, they fought for three days straight, but the next time their fight lasted only a few minutes, and Chase was defeated... okay, that's just a plot device)? Hannibal didn't give him significant power; he simply pulled him to the side where he had no competition, so no one could outshine him. And what's the point? Was it worth the loss of your soul? And remember that Chase somehow opened a portal to the Ying-Yang world without the necessary Wu, or someone else did it, even though only Hannibal's bird can do that. Overall, there are problems, but the fanfic patches some of them quite well.

Before reading it, I thought Hannibal wasn't really aiming to create a powerful ally with whom he could share the reins of power and to whom he could impart his knowledge, as Chase himself did. Hannibal could easily have done this simply to aggrandize himself and cement his image as a tempter and demon capable of breaking even monks, in order to obtain this "eternal soul" or the good part of Chase's Qi. In the same situation with Omi, the balance of the world was shaken, so it made sense. Plus, Hannibal himself is weak, he needs hands that would bring destruction and fear. I can't overestimate the effectiveness of Lao Mang Lone soup - in my opinion, the price is simply not comparable to its effect. Selling his soul for an easy path to power and madness? Chase will ultimately follow the difficult path of self-improvement, as we will find out later.

(By the way, why the hell does the soup just turn you into a mindless monster the first time, but then return you to human form the next time? Either Chase tweaked the recipe, or there's a missing Reversing Mirror effect somewhere that hadn't yet manifested itself, or there's a script error.)

What does Li Hua say to Chase? "Either way, you were his favorite little pet project, weren't you?" This fits perfectly with everything I just told you. Chase was humiliated, trampled into the dirt, and shown that this can happen to anyone. Good is not invincible, and Hannibal is a dangerous and cunning opponent. The true Heylin followers laughed at the thought of a former monk becoming the head of their food chain. But for Hannibal, spending years trying to help Chase regain consciousness was a fatal mistake. He underestimated him. He probably wanted the young man to simply depend on him and be controllable.

Let's remember what Guan became in the alternate future, where he was turned to the Dark Side. This is how Chase could have remained if he hadn't started working on himself. He literally says that he had to rebuild himself from scratch and, moreover, betray Hannibal in order to move on. I think he did it not only because he wanted to get rid of a competitor, and not only to establish himself as a more cunning and dangerous villain. At that moment, Chase hardly thought about this. His first task was to emerge from Hannibal's shadow and take revenge on him for everything. Sounds plausible, I believe it.

It's ironic that Chase follows in Hannibal's footsteps, but does everything in his own way. Raise an army, stripping every warrior of their personality and turning them into animals? Sure, but only after a fair fight, not by deception (haha, sorry, Omi, not this time). Sway the monk to your side and use him for your own ends? No problem, but he specifically could retain his identity, and even seriously offer to rule together. Omi is special, and Chase treats him that way. Of course, he deceives him, but before that he builds a trusting relationship with him and confronts him with the fact that evil is closer than he thinks. Such a convenient truth that allows Omi to later accept the negative aspects of herself and not be afraid of them.

Interestingly, it's precisely in the battle against his former comrade that Chase makes a different demand. Not "You will become part of my army," but "I will take your weapon, and I will only return it if you bring me a dragon." Watch my hands. Chase literally demands that Guan compromise his principles for the sake of weapons. Hannibal demanded that Chase sacrifice his principles for power. Chase is treating his friend as he was treated. Acts as the one he hates did. Perhaps he still considers Guan a traitor who wanted to overshadow him (though it's strange that he still believes the fairy tales that scoundrel Hannibal fed him), so he decides to humiliate his honor and dignity.

But what if it wasn't about the dragon or the desire for revenge? Deep down, Chase might have hoped that Guan wouldn't agree to this condition. After all, no one told us that bringing the dragon was a condition for defeat—as far as I understood, the condition was giving up the weapon, and returning it was optional. Why, you ask? Because Chase wanted to believe that Guan was principled, that he was different from most people, that he deserved respect. Only such a person could claim to eclipse him, because in Chase's eyes, he looked better than the version of himself from the past, deceived by Hannibal. Chase would have to sort out his past, one way or another. But Guan didn't live up to his faith. That's why Chase doesn't even bother to show his face and tells him, "Go away and never come back." This isn't just pride—it's contempt. We're shown Guan as an ambiguous character, and it's no surprise that he, too, defected to the Heylin under Hannibal's influence.

And you know who doesn't deserve contempt? Omi! And it's not just his abilities. He restored Guan's faith in himself and his principles, which earned him his weapon. He puts first not material goods or ephemeral things like power, but the lives of his family and friends. He's so principled that even after gaining an advantage through dishonest means, he's not willing to use it—because he gave his word. Words have real power in this world, especially for monks. Incidentally, it seems time to remember Grandmaster Dashi, who most likely founded this system. He's Chase's only true master. Not Hannibal, not anyone else. My headcanon is that Dashi was older than both Guan and Chase, and taught them a lot.

And Ninja, of course. There are so many reasons to respect him. Well, besides the fact that he almost killed a child by mistake. Luckily, Chase doesn't know that yet :)

I'd like to conclude my thoughts where I planned to begin. Chase has two interesting traits: pride and a desire to annoy others. He simply bullies both Hannibal and Li Hua, which is a good way to gain control of the situation and hide his weaknesses. Sometimes he seems like a difficult teenager who just wants to rage-bite someone. It's so funny. I just described my complex vision of this character, after which I'll summarize with the most obvious fact about him. DtI is my favorite fanfic; it gave me so many impressions and images that can be developed.

Although wait, I need to finish by telling you my schizo-theory. Do you remember the Heylin Eclipse? It's a solar eclipse, when the Moon's shadow falls on Earth. And you know what I associate Chase with? Earth. It's so symbolic that he becomes weaker during the Heylin Eclipse. Because for him, being in the shadows is weakness.