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The Grandmaster (51)
Project: Family movie (“The Journey”)
Known as: The Grandmaster of the Order of Stability
Real name: Unknown to most
Group affiliation: The Order of Stability
Physical description: Few know what the Grandmaster actually looks like. She is frequently in her armor (including a face-shielding helm), which steel-gray, well-crafted, but very utilitarian without flourish. The only distinguishing mark is the symbol of the order (a bulwark – a section of wall with turrets on the end) on the right shoulder. When not in her armor, she wears very humble clothing that does typically have the Order’s symbol on it somewhere. In normal clothing she wears a mask/hood. This is also unadorned.
Personality: Dedication and service defines the Grandmaster. She wears the mask and generally conceals her identity as a gesture towards humility. Also, she feels she represents the average, non-magical person – so hopes in having no identity beyond “Grandmaster” she is a constant reminder that the Order serves the everyman. By not emphasizing herself as a person she hopes to be a symbol.
There is nobility in how principled she is and in being so dedicated to an ideal. However, she lacks compassion. She definitively believes in the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few (or the one – Spock in da house!). She illustrates how wild dedication to a cause can sometimes lead to questionable actions.
History: In a world where gods walk among you and in fact the line between powerful person and god is blurry, religion takes an unusual shape in the kingdom. Rather than dedication to an entity, “religion” in the kindom tends to focus on unwavering dedication to an ideal. One such example is the knightly Order of Stability which believes that society thrives when things are controlled, predictable, and safe.
Only a few of the inner circle know the true history of the woman who eventually became Grandmaster of the order. She was a young knight who took a vow of anonymity both as a gesture towards humility and in honor of her order’s ideals. Individuals and personal goals and values do not serve stability and order. She aimed to be an example of sacrificing identity itself in service of the greater good.
This sacrifice quickly made her (ironically) stand out in the order. Where an organization is defined by an ideal, it is natural for a person personifying the ideal to advance. She was also a great leader and highly competent and rose quickly. She was the youngest person to ever become Grandmaster and seemed well on her way to sainthood.
This seemed to be solidified when she saw the opportunity in the creations (and fall of) Calis. She led the production of more of his inventions and testing the concepts with a few communities. These communities indeed became some of the safest, most stable, and even prosperous in the kingdom. The Order went from more of the more formidable groups to looking like they would rule the entire kingdom. And if some individuality was lost that seemed to be an easy price to pay for the Grandmaster who had already personally paid that price.
She is now getting close to the Order realizing all its dreams. The forced Union of the shrinking number of magical people and creatures in the kingdom is regrettable, but necessary.
Others see the death of magic as the death of a magical kingdom.
Role in the narrative: The Grandmaster is Kana’s view on who she has to become to be a grownup (this will become clear when she is unveiled). Kana is afraid she’ll have to give up her creativity and freedom and become serious and responsible. Grandmaster also reflects how as adults we sometimes have to choose between our freedom/personal goals and the rules/group goals of society.
At this point in the story, Grant will have started to win Kana’s respect and love again (the latter he never really lost – it was just buried). This will enable him to change into King Granite more often. He is surprised to find out how much he likes being King Granite and how it affects his confidence (he wasn’t even aware he had insecurities). He begins to connect with Patron, reflecting how some of his issues with Mai are around how he feels guilty and unworthy around her as he knows he has been a poor husband and father. This foreshadows a possible reconciliation in the real world with Mai as Grant will consider that he might be able to step up and be a better family man, rather than “hiding” at work where he is always confident in his abilities.
More importantly, Grandmaster not only reflects Kana’s fears of adulthood, but also fears of becoming like Grant. This realization will be what finally makes Grant realize his job isn’t to save the kingdom, and it isn’t to get Kana to believe in him again. It is for him to find a way to help his daughter believe in herself and her future.
Abilities: The Grandmaster is tireless, dedicated, and inspirational to her followers. She is smart and sees the patterns of society and recognizes opportunity. She is a formidable combatant.
Inspirations: The “hide my identity so I can be a symbol” was implanted in my head by countless superheroes (let’s give Batman a shout-out). As I mentioned in the prior entry, there is some Syndrome from the Incredibles here. But where Syndrome carried a grudge for not being allowed in the “super” club, the Grandmaster sees people with extraordinary abilities as a threat to stability and order. The only way for everyone to feel safe is to share in power equally (sort of a twisted take on Arthur’s Round Table). One of the fun things about doing this project was how I only planned Grandmaster to serve the character of Kana but stumbled into some pretty universal themes as a result.
100 Characters Blog 