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Why I like Shang Tsung
This is a serious prose about why I like Shang Tsung.
People are always going to ask that question that really bothers me: "Why Do You Like Shang Tsung So Much, Anyway?"
That question bothers me because it�s much, much more complex to answer than to just say "because he interests me"
or "because he strikes me as cool" doesn�t answer it. It�s not just that. It�s much more, much much more.
It isn't an obsession, or 'what Yuffie is into for the moment.' It drives back, way back.
I'm writing about exactly why Shang Tsung is who he is and why he holds a nice place in the shrine of my, erm� heart?
Yes, I suppose it is in my heart. There are many a video game character, manga character, movie character, and JRocker who resides in the shrine of my heart.
Shang Tsung is not the only one, but to list them all would require a novel of some sort, and this is a Shang Tsung shrine.
Alright. I am piecing this by sections, I suppose. It�s probably easier and if someone wants to read by section,
then just hit Ctrl and F at the same time to bring up a little box to find text and enter in �Section 1� or whatever section you wish to read.
Section 1. A little bit about Shang Tsung.
Section 2. Why Yuffie Likes Him.
Section 3. How Yuffie Applies What She Learns Through Shang Tsung In Her Life.
Section 1. A little bit about Shang Tsung.
Shang Tsung is a villain in the Mortal Kombat series. He's Chinese and weighs about 210 pounds and stands at 5'11. And how do I know this? Because it says so on the game, Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance.
Shang Tsung's ultimate goal is to consume souls and live forever. He actually needs to, or he'll die.
Probably like a vampire, if a vampire does not consume blood, he or she will cease to exist.
His styles of fighting consist of Snake and Crane. He wields a Straight Sword for weapon Kombat.
He seems to have a great affinity for snakes and Chinese art, because on the game, there is an arena where you can fight in his palace or outside his palace.
Outside, you see pieces of Chinese art such as stone lions, and his whole palace is Chinese looking.
Inside his palace, you see the staircase and instead of a standard railing, it�s a snake, and he's got green tiles on his floor and there are Chinese symbols written there.
Section 2. Why Yuffie Likes Shang Tsung.
Why I like him is an easy, but hard question to answer. It�s not about what he looks like, or who he is. It�s more than that.
What draws me to a character is, Character. He's not one of those soupped up characters with raw power and god-modding.
I hate god-modding. God-modding is when you make a character have unholy strength and no weakness.
That is purely annoying, at least by my standards.
Really, God-modding is what makes a character weak.
The fact that the sole character has to rely on his or her producer for the power is pathetic. They didn't go out to achieve it and get stronger on the way, they were born with it.
Sorry, that doesn't cut it.
The fact that Shang Tsung had to rely on some outside assistance in achieving Lui Kang's soul proves that he's only human and everyone needs backup every now and again.
The idea that he started out weaker in the previous games and got stronger is one of those vital laws of nature that I like to see in a worthy character of my liking.
One cannot always rely on him or herself. There are times even the strongest need assistance, but when you are god-modded it seems you don't need that assistance and that just makes you a fairy-tale character.
Some people argue and believe that it was because of Shao Kahn did Shang Tsung acheive all that power. I feel that Shao Kahn exploited that power.
Seeing Shang Tsung lose to Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat Deception really did upset me, but I'd rather see Shang Tsung struggle through the fight than to do 2 hits and sigh at Quan Chi because he was so weak and himself so strong.
That is boring. Who wants that? Surely not me,
I adore characters who help themselves and go out of their way to achieve their goal.
And one day, he probably will triumph over Quan Chi, with more determination and training.
This determination in him (as well as in other characters) is something much worth admiring. Why admire a god-mod character?
I could finally laugh and enjoy seeing Shang Tsung break Lui Kang's neck. To me, it was like he dreamed of this moment, and finally achieved it: a few games later, rather then at the first game.
It was a story of determination and undying zeal that crushed his opponent.
Now I don't totally hate god-moddedness all together. I do admire it, when a character sets out from being a nobody into achieving that 'raw power and no more weakness.� Like Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII.
So when Shang Tsung finally does achieve his dreams, he will really deserve my admiration then.
In all the games, I see Shang Tsung get stronger and it makes me like him more because he's worthy of my attentions.
Section 3. How Yuffie Applies What She Learns Through Shang Tsung In Her Life.
The story of Shang Tsung can be applied in my life, or I apply it anyway.
Sitting around moaning and whining about how you suck at something never cuts it. Only by finding your own personal star inside and letting it shine is how you'll achieve greatness.
Figuring out ways to win and ways to prevail in life are the lessons that I take from Shang Tsung that I apply to my life.
To fight and study hard and finally achieve an A in a class is something I'm going to use in this metaphor.
It�s like I started out weak and accomplished strength in learning and getting that an in class. You can't just absorb something by just existing, you have to take it in and put it back out.
When I took martial arts (which I don't because my instructor was such an asshole)
Even though I got beaten down pretty badly and I wasn't that great at it at first. Kind of like Shang Tsung, he got beaten down but he didn't give it up.
My opponent was really stronger then me, but I kept at it and went back in, even though it was impossible, I didn't give it up.
So the thought that I didn't give up is what made me pleased at myself in the end.
If had I seen more of Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance I probably would of applied this lesson better and thought more about him and probably would of won out better.
And this concludes Yuffie's thoughts.
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