Showdown with Hobbes - can anybody explain the language he uses?

D

-danr-

Vice Admiral
This is going to sound like a stupid question, in fact, it is a stupid question...But it's been bugging me some, 15 years, so I figure now's the time for a stupid question, if ever.

In WC3 - Blair scrambles from the Victory (at Alcor V I believe) to go after Hobbes following Cobra's murder. At the navpoint, Hobbes says his little piece over the comms about meeting as enemies, fighting with honour to the death, quite a well written scene I always thought.

But I never understood what Hobbes means by

"may our last meeting be subject not to arbitrary twists of fate"

Now I consider myself quite au fait with language and grammar, but I've always struggled with the word 'arbitrary' - it seems to have many uses and meanings. Can somebody explain exactly what Ralgha is getting at with this interesting choice of word? Again, sorry for the stupid thread, but I need to bury this question once and for all :D
 
I think what he means is he hopes it isn't interrupted by something silly like Tolwyn jumping in with the Vesuvius and saying "Hey guys! Sup?" as Hobbes becomes a bug smeared on the windshield, or having a trigger word reveal his true personality was also an overlay and he's really a Steltek agent, and he must go now because there's a drone on the loose out in Gemini.
 
Basically he didnt want either one of them to score a lucky hit or anything like that. He wanted to fight and either kill or be killed based on who was the better warrior.
 
frostytheplebe said:
Basically he didnt want either one of them to score a lucky hit or anything like that. He wanted to fight and either kill or be killed based on who was the better warrior.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. Not wanting to accidentally get caught in the crossfire of another ship that wasn't part of the fight, get hit by a piece of debris, etc. He wanted a good old fashioned slobber knocker, and he wanted it to be to the death, with the victor scoring a clean, honest kill. He wanted a battle of skills and will, not "Well, good thing that piece of debris got lodged up his tailpipe and made him blow up!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top