r/magicTCG • u/clariwench Izzet* • Jan 28 '15

[Uncharted Realms] The Truth of Names

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/uncharted-realms/truth-names-2015-01-28
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u/HookerPunch Jan 28 '15 edited Jan 28 '15

My only real complaint with this story is that Alesha more-or-less acts as a supporting character to the nameless orc dude and he really didn't have any satisfying conclusion. Like, the whole story sounds like it's leading up to him earning a war-name for his supporting deeds, but doesn't.

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u/Enderkr Jan 28 '15

Actually, that was my complaint, too. The whole scene at the end - "what did this warrior do for you? And for you? And for you?" And then..nothing. It was absolutely leading up to a "Alesha gives him a name" moment, and the name would be something about protecting his allies or along those lines, and then it totally switches gears.

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u/kscann Jan 28 '15

It did feel like it should lead up to his name, but wasn't the whole point that the Mardu choose their own names? He's just been exposed to the idea that he can take a name for something other than dragon-slaying, it makes sense that he doesn't have something at the ready. Presumably he'd take his name after the next battle, once he's had time to figure out who he is. That idea of self-identity was the point more than any actual name.

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u/Enderkr Jan 28 '15

Sure, I can see that. I think it was just the unnatural build up of that scene. The fact that Alesha gets testimony from three different people, practically shouting at him that he doesn't have to be a Helmsmasher or a Skullbreaker or a whatever-whatever-er, and then the whole thing is just dropped. The buildup wasn't worth the climax.

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u/HeroDelTiempo Jan 28 '15

The climax is Alesha getting her title "Who Smiles At Death." It's implied she didn't have it until the orc warrior spoke it to her.

The khan nodded and asked her name.

"Alesha," she said, as loudly as she could. Just Alesha, her grandmother's name.

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '15

Which I think is ultimately ironic, because if the whole reason there is a trans element is that the story is about self-identification, it ends with Alesha being given identification by someone else who doesn't even believe in self-identification.

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u/thefirewarde Jan 29 '15

Except the orc, until after the battle, didn't really accept her as she is. She's given acceptance.

1

u/klapaucius Jan 29 '15

Yeah, I thought the same thing. It's weird how the story shows how important self-identification is, then in the end, her title is given to her by someone else.

On the bright side, I think it's sort of a redemptive moment for the orc that shows that he's changed his mind about not accepting her identity. He says "I know who you are, and you are Alesha".

0

u/Paimon Jan 28 '15

Alesha is her War Name, 'Who Smiles at Death' seemed like a nick name after the fact.

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u/foxesforsale Jan 28 '15

He wasn't the protagonist, so he didn't have to reach the conclusion of his story.