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We're used to the goodies running through enemies like a ball through skittles, and even when it's a plucky underdog protagonist, we don't usually lose hope that he will triumph against adversity eventually. When the protagonist suddenly meets his or her match, gets shook and runs away, or (apparently) is killed by the formidable enemy it can be quite unnerving. It makes you uncomfortable as a viewer. It's disappointing. But a well-crafted story can use this scenario to good effect.
I expect a lot of people are already thinking Rocky, and Rocky does lose to Apollo Creed at the end of Rocky I. But it's a kind of moral triumph, better than expected result and trampolines his career so I wouldn't use that fight. From the Rocky series I think a good example is Rocky vs Thunderlips in the charity exhibition match in Rocky III.
Rocky is the champion after beating Creed in II and defending the belt ten times, and is well established as a super tough character who can batter just about anyone and take their worst. Ok there's the threat of Clubber Lang on the horizon (Primary Antagonist) but Rocky's the King of the Castle.
However with the introduction of Thunderlips it's like a curtain is pulled back introducing a whole new world in which Rocky is completely out of his depth. Thunderlips physically dwarfs him and is also much more sexy, charismatic and stylish. Remember Rocky's embarrassing failure at advertising in II. Thunderlips also has an entourage of beautiful girls while Rocky has mousy, autistic Adrienne. He makes Rocky look like a joke in every category, and helplessly brutalises him in a comical manner, ie entertaining the crowd and not even trying hard. Even when Rocky gets the upper hand at times it's only Thunderlips letting him work (some people disagree). At the end of the match Rocky is shocked, asking him why he got so crazy out there, and Thunderlips is just relaxed like that's what I do every night. Rocky even asks to get a picture with him.
Then as far as I remember Thunderlips disappears down the corridor and that's the only time wrestling has appeared in the series. A really humbling, if not emasculating experience for the Primary Protagonist and I never looked at him the same afterwards. It adds a whole new, not completely comfortable dimension to the storyline of the films, while making Rocky more relatable to ordinary people. Even as champ he's still kind of an underdog, and suffers unpleasant things he is powerless against. He goes on to get rekt by Lang, Mickey dies and he has a breakdown. In fact the first signs of Mickey's heart troubles are during the stressful mayhem of the Thunderlips fight. So Rocky goes on his redemption arc and ends up defeating the Primary Antagonist, Clubber Lang, but Thunderlips was a great and really damaging Secondary Antagonist that kept us on our toes as supporters of Rocky, and as I said the situation isn't resolved, he is neither defeated nor redeemed. Clever writing.
I expect a lot of people are already thinking Rocky, and Rocky does lose to Apollo Creed at the end of Rocky I. But it's a kind of moral triumph, better than expected result and trampolines his career so I wouldn't use that fight. From the Rocky series I think a good example is Rocky vs Thunderlips in the charity exhibition match in Rocky III.
Rocky is the champion after beating Creed in II and defending the belt ten times, and is well established as a super tough character who can batter just about anyone and take their worst. Ok there's the threat of Clubber Lang on the horizon (Primary Antagonist) but Rocky's the King of the Castle.
However with the introduction of Thunderlips it's like a curtain is pulled back introducing a whole new world in which Rocky is completely out of his depth. Thunderlips physically dwarfs him and is also much more sexy, charismatic and stylish. Remember Rocky's embarrassing failure at advertising in II. Thunderlips also has an entourage of beautiful girls while Rocky has mousy, autistic Adrienne. He makes Rocky look like a joke in every category, and helplessly brutalises him in a comical manner, ie entertaining the crowd and not even trying hard. Even when Rocky gets the upper hand at times it's only Thunderlips letting him work (some people disagree). At the end of the match Rocky is shocked, asking him why he got so crazy out there, and Thunderlips is just relaxed like that's what I do every night. Rocky even asks to get a picture with him.
Then as far as I remember Thunderlips disappears down the corridor and that's the only time wrestling has appeared in the series. A really humbling, if not emasculating experience for the Primary Protagonist and I never looked at him the same afterwards. It adds a whole new, not completely comfortable dimension to the storyline of the films, while making Rocky more relatable to ordinary people. Even as champ he's still kind of an underdog, and suffers unpleasant things he is powerless against. He goes on to get rekt by Lang, Mickey dies and he has a breakdown. In fact the first signs of Mickey's heart troubles are during the stressful mayhem of the Thunderlips fight. So Rocky goes on his redemption arc and ends up defeating the Primary Antagonist, Clubber Lang, but Thunderlips was a great and really damaging Secondary Antagonist that kept us on our toes as supporters of Rocky, and as I said the situation isn't resolved, he is neither defeated nor redeemed. Clever writing.
