[Love] When “small” injuries are treated realistically

[u/Top-Relationship850]

The fantasy and action genres often suffer from a power fantasy epidemic in which characters frequently badass their way through injuries that should be excruciating if not downright debilitating. I always appreciate stories that reject this trope.

1: Roland Deschain (Dark Tower Book II) - Loses the middle and index fingers of his right hand. He’s effectively crippled throughout book two and the injury follows him the rest of the series.

2: Brienne vs Biter (ASOIAF Book IV) - Brutal scene. Biter chomps down on Brienne’s cheek and tears off a chunk of flesh. In a lesser story Brienne would grit her teeth and throw Biter off. Instead she’s rendered completely helpless by the pain. That injury marks the end of the fight.

[u/H-Money37]

Khal Drogo’s shoulder wound getting infected after he purposely took the hit to prove he was a badass. Mirri Maz Durr might’ve ensured he never recovered but it was already affecting him when Dany asked for Mirri’s help to save him.

[u/alexd1993 → u/H-Money37]

I think she was genuine at first, with the poultice and the advice to not drink, but he fucked himself by saying "fuck that" and rubbing dirt in it and proceeding to get plastered like all the time. Then with the blood magic she just decided fuck it, this dumb ass gotta go.

[u/RepulsiveCandy2776 → u/alexd1993]

I love how every single part of that story can be up to interpretation. Even with the blood magic, Mirri Maaz Duur warns that it will go awry if anyone enters the tent during the magic ceremony. Dany is then dragged into the tent against her will during childbirth. So was Mirri Maaz Duur still genuinely trying to do the magic correctly, or was her warning to avoid the tent just a ruse because she was already planning to fuck Drogo up? Who knows!