Quote Originally Posted by Osiris View Post
Define and explain Riley's arc.
In the context of comparing Saul's and Riley's arc or just Riley's?
::Putting on my tin hat::

I'm not an English major but looking at Saul and Riley; they have both had (have) a heroes journey within a larger heroes journey ala Joseph Campbell.
A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.
  • They both struck out with another person on a journey in response to the loss of someone they love/cared for after a big battle.
  • They both felt passionately that they had no other choice; even though their search isolates them from the larger group and puts them at extreme risk (even though Saul was forcibly separated; he chose to go find Lizzy).
  • Both journeys have an element of revenge and redemption for them.
  • Both losses are the result of (besides Ink of course) Scratch and the Mallers.
  • One has ended and the other will end with finding and battling Scratch.
  • Both found a safe haven and greater resources and/or information while on their journey.
  • Both reunited with the main group during a time of crisis with Ink.
  • Saul's story had "Lady" as a red herring obstruction; Riley had possible lesbianism
  • Both got drunk at key points in the story and were almost nommed--Saul in the car and Riley in the corn field.


Maybe Riley's arc is partly about learning to get truly close to another human being. She is almost always competent but emotionally distant from those around her. She kept her despair to herself and drank herself into oblivion. We had no idea that she felt that passionately about Angel. Maybe chasing revenge for Angel is easier for her than having a relationship with him.
what do you think?