#as this series influences my ideas about bi han and kuai liang brotherhood from mortal kombat

[cienie-isengardu]

The Brothers Sun

Warning: rant not spoiler-free

Recently, I watched Netflix’s The Brother Sun and to be honest, I’m still not okay, because my mind is for days processing everything and analyzing over and over again.

I don’t watch much TV series and I decided to give the series a chance mainly for the titular brotherhood between Charles and Bruce and the series did not disappoint me in that regard. I’m absolutely drawn to Charles, not just because of his good look (and he does look very good), but his whole character and development through the story and also, how despite being such badass, he was also the one in need to be saved from the life (trap) set by his own father. But above everything else, how much he is similar to his mother, how both sacrificed so much for the family. 

I swear, I don’t remember the last time when a female character captured me the way Eileen “Mama” Sun did. All female characters were pretty cool and each interesting in their own way, but Eileen definitely stole the show and ultimately, it is her and Charles' relationship that glued me to this series. And I still think about the parallels between those two characters, especially in regard to Eileen’s two lines, from episode 3 (how those who cook for you and clean after you are those you forget about) and from last one (how much she sacrificed for Bruce and no one ever asked what she wants). Because Charles is the one cooking for people he cares about and who was showed doing widely understanded cleaning (getting rid of the dead body, unpacking Alexis’ things and making her flat more home-like, tidying own room before sleep and we were told he always loved do that as a child) but also the one trapped, the one who never had a choice, the one sacrificing everything for the family’s sake - even when he was allowed to pursue his own dreams, the family came first. And I’m so, so much thinking about Eileen and Charles, as he was the one that would fully support her when she finally decided to take something for herself, to take control over triads as the Dragon’s Head. Bruce, understandable, didn’t want her to be involved with gangsters and murderers, especially after everything they've been through, but also, he didn’t want that for his own sake. She was his mom, there was a normal life to choose and I don’t think he truly gasped how much Eileen sacrificed to spare him the cruel life his older brother was forced into. But Charles would step away from the position of head of family - something he may never want but would carry on as a dutiful son - just to make her plan (desire) come true and later step away from the one thing (baking) he desired for himself to support and protect her. And I’m truly touched by their relationship and how it evolved from each doing things their own way into a well-working team, but also, if Charles will learn from his mother how to be so cunning, he is gonna be a much more dangerous figure in the future.

#the brothers sun #charles sun #eileen sun #i came for the brotherhood and i got what i wanted and more #as this series influences my ideas about bi han and kuai liang brotherhood from mortal kombat #but above everything else i got wonderful relationship between mother who could save only one of her kids & the son trapped in horrible lif #who both sacrificed so much for the family's sake but also find a support in each other #and now i'm gonna add the feelings the show thrown onto me to the bi han as mama's boy #thanks very much like i was not enough emotional about it to begin with #i'm pretty sure i'm missing a lot nuances and cultural context but damn #that show was a good choice to spend the ~8h of my free time

[cienie-isengardu]

Some people think Sektor and Cyrax were friends prior to the whole Cyber Initiative but personally I can't see them being friends because Sektor just doesn't seem like he'd even understand what friendship is in a normal sense.

I think Cyrax would try being friends with Sektor when they're younger, but given Sektor was the Grandmaster's son I imagine he was kind of getting beat on the head with how friendship was useless so he didn't reciprocate. I imagine Cyrax joined later on so he at least had time to grow an understanding of friendship before he was in the clan but Sektor was probably raised in the clan his whole life so Sektor wouldn't have a good idea what friendship means because of this.

Besides, it seemed like Smoke and Kuai's friendship was an outlier, an exception to the rule. I feel like at best, Sektor and Cyrax were colleagues and teammates, but in a professional sense. Like Cyrax and Sektor give feedback on each other's inventions and go on missions. Maybe Sektor gives a brief compliment when the mission is successful but don't expect any hugs or even a handshake because touching Sektor would probably result in their degree burns.

The problem with Sektor and Cyrax is similar to Bi-Han and Kuai Liang’s brotherhood, there is little direct information we have about their time together before the Mortal Kombat Tournament, so each fan fills the gap on their own. Definitely, Sektor and Cyrax relationship didn’t function the same way as the friendship of Kuai Liang and Tomas, as younger Sub-Zero and Smoke always choose each other over Lin Kuei’s doctrines and C.I. Project, while Sektor ultimately blindly obeyed the Grandmaster - at least until the change into cyborg reshaped his priorities. However I feel like Cyrax needed to matter a lot to human Sektor, if freed from Grandmaster (father)’s control the cyber version of him pathologically clings to Cyrax. And by that I mean, Sektor kept as his enslaved but still second-in-command  person who would rather blow up himself and each cyborg than being one himself, which is a surprising choice on Sektor’s part. And Cyber Sektor is supposedly a perfected final product free from humanity’s flaws, so the logic should triumph over any emotional need he ever had in previous life, right?

The closest thing that comes up to my mind about Cyrax and Sektor during their training days is the scene from an old animated TV series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm #5, Old Friends Never Die, in which Kuai Liang explained to his allies his relationship with Smoke. Sub-Zero mentioned that Sektor and Cyrax trained at the same time as them at Lin Kuei compound and the show implied they sticked together during that time (and yes, their color palletes were switched for whatever reason) 

so I think this certain scene, alongside how those two are visually inseparable in lore, is one of the major reasons why (older?) fans see them as something more than just colleagues. 

I too personally think Cyrax and Sektor relationship went beyond the pragmatic partnership, because otherwise Cyber Sektor wouldn’t be so obsessive with keeping Cyber Cyrax around against his better judgment. As a human, Sektor prioritized Grandmaster’s wish over his own well-being yet that does not mean he wasn’t capable of forming any meaningful relationship through his life. We should however ask, if Sektor was always treated as Grandmaster’s son if his own father sent him to the Mortal Kombat Tournament - in which he could be killed like Bi-Han and then allowed Sektor to volunteer for automation. As much as I don’t have doubt Sektor was deeply influenced by Lin Kuei politics, there is a chance for a period of time, he was treated as any “normal” trainee and during that days formed his bond with Cyrax (the outsider), before father took an interest in him and shaped into ideal warrior (tool) to uphold Grandmaster’s will. What revalued Sektor’s personal needs and mindset to the point he would turn against people that once were his close companions.

I know it is hard to imagine Sektor in any openly, friendly manner interacting with other people, but he was still a human being and humans aren’t solitary creatures. Of course, Lin Kuei is not a healthy place for friendship to flourish in the first place and Sektor may be the best example of that.

#mortal kombat #my replies #sektor #cyrax #to be honest i feel we have more info about sub zero bros training before MK Tournament than about cyrax and sektor?