Why Kopeke As Chronicler?
In Ko-Koro, we respect knowledge above all things.
--Kopeke
--Kopeke
Well now that the Chronicler contest is over, and the final results are in, Kopeke will be the next Chronicler! He is also who I ended up voting for, so I'm happy with these results, just personally. But what about whether he fits the job? A lot of people have posted things like "his personality doesn't fit" or the like, and just generally asked, "Why Kopeke?"
Well, I can only speak for myself as far as why I voted, but I thought it would be helpful to list the reasoning that went behind my vote (based on original list I posted here). Note, please, this -is- partly my personal taste, since I'm deciding to go with logical reasons he'd work as a Chronicler and coolness of the character in those terms over other things like cool speeches or other "crowd pleasers" that just make the character endearing overall, but not as a Chronicler. Other people are of course free to have different criteria. Still, hopefully this will help show why Kopeke does fit the job description well, if not best.
First of all:
What are the Criteria for being a Chronicler?
I consider them to be the following:
1) Observativeness. Gotta be interested in observing to fill this role. Someone like Okoth could probably do the job if lives depended on it and nobody else could, but over a Kapura or a Kopeke, shopkeepers, crafters, etc. aren't the best choice.
2) Restraint. Chroniclers do their job best when they are not interested in taking all the glory for themselves. To a degree, Takua failed in this respect, though as far as "crowd pleasers" go, Takua obviously was a cool character anyways. Someone like Onepu fails miserably here, for example.
3) Staying alive. Chroniclers are often in dangerous situations (this is where Takua gained tons of ground, BTW), so they need to adept at avoiding the fate of Kodan. Experience in battle, special advantages, anything like that is good here.
4) Alertness. Part of staying alive--using observativeness not just for the job, but to remain alive and avoid things like ambushes.
5) Desire to travel. Many Matoran from Mata Nui have to go against their traditional nature and force themselves to travel. Though most are probably getting over this with the move to Metru Nui, there are certain Matoran, including Kopeke, Kapura, and Taipu, who love venturing out there, so are better for the job in this way.
6) Carving. Just a simple one--should be interested in carving down all that they observe when possible.
7) Real world parallel. This one is personal to me, probably differs from person to person. Kopeke is much like me in personality, and I ended up as a reporter here, lol, as an example, and though I am usually quiet in real life, I type like mad.
For this blog entry, I will reshift the list a little from what I've posted before, and add an 8th main note that many people have brought up:
8) Outgoingness. Many have alleged that Kopeke's aloofness is a weakness. To a degree I disagree, given #2, #3, #4, and #7. That said, Kopeke's "aloofness" could be interpreted as "shyness" and it was my main question before I decided finally to vote for him. If you are willing to travel but not willing to discuss things you didn't personally witness with Toa and others, this could be a weakness for the job.
9) Wisdom/intelligence. Another addon to my original list. Kapura, Kopeke, score highly. Taipu doesn't, for example.
Then there are two crowd pleasers, and I could add a third that I didn't list before. Note that each of the above is, in my mind, worth 1 point, but the following is only about half a point each:
10) Speeches. Kapura's Makuta Speech, Nuju's Flux Speech, Tamaru's Bohrok Taunt--cool speeches like those. Many of the Matoran have very interesting dialogue in MNOG and elsewhere, and this could make what they write as Chronicler actually interesting enough to read. Especially the ability to be cryptic in speech, and have more than one level of meaning. Kapura stands out to me with this. To a small degree, Kopeke's got this two. Just a lot less of it.
11) Mysteriousness. This one is a 2001er's thing, might not matter to as many fans now, not sure, but personally mystery is really interesting. Someone like Okoth isn't mysterious. Both Kopeke and Kapura are.
12) Coolness. This is a vague concept that will differ for everyone, but I felt it was worth throwing in as a general catch-all for any "crowd pleaser" aspect not covered by the other two. Kapura's cool. Kopeke's cool. Hafu's cool. Even Ahkmou is cool to a degree, XD. Random guard standing by a Koro gate? Eh.
Next:
Who are the best front runners?
I'd like to briefly compare Kopeke to the other front runners--Kapura mainly, and Taipu. Also, Hafu, Macku, and Tamaru are other names I've seen at least a few people vote for. Onepu too.
Kapura is in my mind the only clear contender with Kopeke for this position. He likes to travel, he is observative, and he has that nifty power that lets him travel far by moving slowly. Note: Greg does not know what that "power" means, so probably can't actually put it in the story, though as Ikki pointed out, it's in the encyclopedia, so it is official. The idea came from Bob Thompson, not the web producers, who has since left, so the world may never know, unless Greg can find out from Leah or simply make up a new explanation. So it's in doubt for story use, which was the main reason I hesitated to vote for Kapura. I'll list his specific standings on the Criteria List along with Kopeke later.
Taipu is one that I don't get why his vote was so high. Endearing character, but not suited to Chronicler. He is super-strong; he could manage #3 well, stay alive. He's uberstrong on #5, desire to travel. He could probably carve, to a degree, though he's clumsy so I can't really call that--his "carving" experience is slamming a pick into rock to dig. But he's very dense in de head, hurting him on #1, the most important one, and #2, #4, and #9. His gullibility also hurts him in #9, and it could very well hurt him on #3 too. He rates a 3, including outgoingness. We can also give him #12 for a 3.5.
Hafu would do well, much better than Taipu, IMO. He's obviously strong on #6 carving, and his courage is well known so he could stand #3 well, and as a crafter, he's probably observative, so 1 and 4 he does well on. He'd do notoriously poorly on #2, though, restraint, and I question his wisdom, or at least have not seen evidence that he's exceptional in this category. #1 might be hurt a little, and #8 too, by his ego--he may only observe that which reflects well on himself. And I have to say--though it was a great line, he would get hurt a little on #10, since after everything he wrote down, he'd declare "Another Hafu original!" He is cool, so he gets #12, and his skill can seem slightly mysterious, so a #11 too. He gets a5.
Macku? Well, strong on #5, obviously... other than that I frankly don't see enough evidence to judge. She stayed alive in MNOG and was able to rescue her Koro, but that was only because of luck--she had disobeyed her Turaga to run off to Hewkii, and just happened to be out of town when the Tarakava attacked. #1 she'd probably be reasonable at, possibly #4 too. #3, I don't really think so. #6, not expecially, and quite likely not #9, even though her disobedience -did- help the Koro. She didn't know that and didn't do it for that reason. Personally, she's also just not that interesting of a character--she's Hewkii's girlfriend, basically, and not much else. She gets a 3.
Tamaru... I just don't see it. He'd probably hold his own at #3, and he too was in the Chronicler's company so I suppose he'd be okay at #5 travel--he also did "leafrun" a lot, which is travel, though as part of his duty to protect the Koro. #9, he'd probably do alright at. #1 though? I dunno, and #8 might be a problem. He'd be another that could do it if nobody else could, but he doesn't stand out for the job. Tamaru does have a lot of #10, and #12, to be fair. He gets 3.
Onepu. No. The one thing he'd be good at is #3, staying alive, but he would fail in #1, #2 (especially #2, with his ego and also his being used to leading troops), #5, #6, #8 in the sense that his ego would grate on people, and #9 as well. He can have #12, to be fair, giving him a total of 1.5.
Kopeke versus Kapura
Okay, so how do the front-runners stack up?
1) Observativeness. Kopeke built a Wahi-wide ice-lense security system in MNOG. He... sees all. [ominous]He is watching you.[/ominous] Kapura is observative enough--he makes those cool riddles with what he's observed, which is a plus. But ya can't beat a Wahi-wide security system, sorry. This one goes to Kopeke, with, to be generous, a 0.3 to Kapura.
2) Restraint. Silence is a virtue. Kopeke being quite might hurt him on #8, but here it's a strength. Someone who's willing to be quiet is probably going to notice a lot more, and with Kopeke's history of noticing things, I have no doubt he would have a greater understanding when chronicling. I think many people are confusing talkativeness with wanting to write a lot--I disagree, just from how I am. I don't like talking much in real life, but I love writing. Kopeke way ahead of Kapura here. I'll throw in a 0.5 for Kapura to be fair though.
3) Staying Alive. Complicated--Kapura usually stands out as being able to escape with his "travel power". But--for it to work, he apparently has to slow way down. In an ambush, you can't afford to slow down, so I see it as up to battle smarts. Now, Kapura is a fair warrior. Sure. But so is Kopeke. I'd consider them tied, but Kopeke is pushed higher with his observativeness. This one goes to Kopeke, with a 0.5 for Kapura.
4) Alertness. As said above, seems to go best to Kopeke.
5) Desire to travel. Kapura and Kopeke tied here. Both spent tons of time outside Koro when possible.
6) Carving. I've seen no evidence Kapura's the kind of guy who'd want to sit down and carve out records. He'd probably prefer to... practice. But Kopeke carved in ice all the time, including that spy-lense, and carving that key. Goes to Kopeke.
7) Real world parallel. I'm a lot like Kopeke. I'm a reporter. Of course, not sure if that's close to universal, lol, but this is my view I'm talking about, so it counts. That's a Kopeke.
8) Outgoingness. As said above, I disagree to an extent that Kopeke's "aloofness" counts as "shyness", since he seems perfectly willing to do what needs to be done and to say that which is vital to be said. However, we can give this to Kapura for sure. I will give Kopeke a 0.3 to be fair though.
9) Wisdom/Intelligence. Gotta go with a tie here. Kapura illustrates wisdom and intelligence, while Kopeke speaks of his wisdom and hints at in in intelligent ways. What little he says shows that he's not making it up.
Then the half-point "crowd pleasers":
10) Speeches. Obviously, Kapura wins, though Kopeke's speeches are interesting enough. Overall, no justification for a tie, though, so 0.5 for Kapura.
11) Mysteriousness. Kopeke and Kapura are close to tied--Kopeke might not have cool speeches, but characters of few words can be even more mysterious than those with many riddles. Kapura, of course, makes up lost ground with the whole traveling thing, whether it can be in story or not--Greg doesn't even know what it means, XD. So Kapura wins this round with 0.5.
12) Coolness. This one is very subjective, with these two more than anybody. I think Kopeke is a super-cool character, personally, so I have to give this to him, with the possibility of a tie. However, I love the concept of mysterious powers that even mere Matoran can tap into, and we do know this is official, and Kapura also has cool MNOG speeches. That said, if that power cannot be in the official story, his coolness factor goes waaay down, to me, though of course I'd love it for my fanfics. A Kapura in the story without that is, to me boring--his cameo would probably be nothing better than his one book cameo already, in Metru Nui, which was boring as all get out. For the speeches alone, I have to give him this to for the tie, but if that power -could- make it into the story, I would see that as so rad cool that the value of #12 would automatically go up at least 1 above whatever's needed to beat Kopeke. But since that hangs in the balance, this one goes as a tie to both Kopeke and Kapura.
Now for my favorite thing in the whole world. Math.
Kopeke gets a 8.8, overall. And Kapura gets a 5.6. Correct me if I counted wrong--quite possible, XD.
But it's clear that by those criteria at least, Kopeke is a better choice for the job than Kapura. Kapura is only slightly ahead of Hafu, as I'm counting it, in fact.
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