> > > You'll notice that Tom hasn't sworn at anyone.
> > Yet, he hasn't. Liu Xi is young and lets things get her angry sometimes. With her elemental power, it's better than obliterating anyone who makes her angry.
>
> How old is she meant to be now? Tom can't be much older than she is, in his very early twenties.
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She's around 19 or 20. Tom seems to be more Lara's age - though Lara has always been very calm and mellow.
> > > > > Tom's meant to be a somewhat grey character, so he has to have significant flaws as well as some virtues.
> > > > The problem is, the flaws are turning him into everyone's enemy.
>
> That's not a problem, it's a series concept.
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Only if you're not Tom.
> > > Where are all the attempts to befriend him? Asil made the effort and Tom was pretty decent to her - before things span out of his control.
> > There's two parts to this: a) He's talking to the wrong people - the Feds and Sir Mumphrey don't try to befriend anyone. And b) It's no one's job really to try to befriend him.
>
> Likewise then it's not his job to try to befriend others.
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Sure it is. You can't expect people to try to work hard to befriend you if they don't know you.
> > Lara, remember, met with the Carnifex and was very nice to him, but that's just her nature. If she met Tom she probably would have behaved the same way, at least until he became rude - because she doesn't really owe him anything either.
>
> Noted.
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Of course the difference here is Lara wouldn't be rude in return. She would simply become cold and distant and defensive. Liu Xi would probably curse at Tom for the rudeness.
> > Chiaki would pointedly consider his use of power to be reckless and stupid. She carries a sword, but she never implies it will be used - that would be an example of reckless and stupid. Instead she tries to make people around her feel at ease so they would never expect her to draw the sword and attack (unless they've already become aggressive and she's forced to defend herself or others).
>
> Carrying a sword is an overt threat in its own right.
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It is, and that's why Chiaki has learned she must *make* people around her at ease, since they won't be when she first meets them.
> > The point is, Chiaki knows carrying a sword makes people around her uneasy - so she doesn't contribute to that by being arrogant too. She tries to calm them so they forget about the sword and focus on the topic at hand.
>
> Good luck with that.
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It works pretty well. If she doesn't draw attention to the sword herself, then people around her don't think she'll use it. Of course that works against her sometimes, when she's trying to be intimidating.
> > > Nobody's asked Tom to help out the LL.
> > He never offered. Lara did, even though the LL resisted at first because she's a civilian. Chiaki didn't wait for an offer, she just took the initiative.
>
> Lara's first meeting with the LL went differently to Tom's.
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In a sense, yes. But Lara admits she had a hard time really being accepted at first, or at least taken seriously.
> > That depends on the situation on the ground. Chiaki probably would have tried to negotiate her way out of it. Failing that she would have used trickery and disappeared at Heathrow. Either way, the other passengers on the plane would have been blissfully unaware.
>
> Those things are within Chiaki's ability range. Tom had to use a solution that was within his. And he needed to get to Egypt too, and establish his credentials with Koo Koo Ka Choo.
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Chiaki would point out that her solutions are readily available to anyone, short of swordplay. She also would believe Tom lacks the discipline to carry it through, though.
> > > Innocent people are entitled to privacy and therefore are allowed to hide things, whatever cops might want to think.
> > That's true, but it's also a matter of what kind of impression you leave. Tom exhibited the behavior of someone who knows he has the upper hand, and that makes the cops nervous.
>
> Job done, then.
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Contrary to that, Chiaki would have been having tea with the Feds within a few minutes. Rather than make everyone around her feel nervous and intimidated, she strives to do the opposite.
> > That's what they were expecting, yes. What Tom should have given them is what they didn't expect - someone polite, cooperative, and not dangerous looking at all. Then the Feds may have called Project Pendragon and told them Tom is being cooperative.
>
> Or taken him into custody and dissected him.
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Most experts would hopefully tell them that would accomplish nothing.
> > Tom is definitely behaving within his rights. The problem is, because he has a power that's deemed dangerous he has a responsibility to go beyond rights and go out of his way to make other people comfortable with him.
>
> I agree with this, but Tom wouldn't.
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That's why I said the power was making him a jerk.
> >> But really, unless Liu Xi is dating Vinny can she really give him grief for seeing someone else?
>
> > Yes, because she can.
>
> Hmm.
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Noted.
