If you're hearing this message, I am probably not here. Or I am furiously pressing every button I can because I forgot how this thing works. One of the two! Either way, I will get back to you...eventually.
APPLICATION
Aug. 22nd, 2015 03:58 pm〈 PLAYER INFO 〉
NAME: Jansen
AGE: 27
JOURNAL:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jacket
IM / EMAIL: symbologic at gmail
PLURK: jackets
RETURNING: Current player, also playing Barnaby Brooks Jr. (attainment)
〈 CHARACTER INFO 〉
CHARACTER NAME: Manolo Sanchez
CHARACTER AGE: 19
SERIES: The Book of Life
CHRONOLOGY: Just as he's making his heroic sacrifice during the final battle.
CLASS: Hero
HOUSING: If possible, I'd like for him to end up in the same residence as Joaquin Mondragon. Other than that, randomized roommates are awesome.
BACKGROUND:
In a magic-realist version of post-revolution Mexico (1920s), the village of San Angel lies within the center of Mexico, which is said to be the center of the universe itself. Superheroes and supernatural occurrences are fairly common in this particular world, and gods from various origins watch over humanity while ruling over other realms found in the afterlife. These gods are numerous, but the three major players in The Book of Life are La Muerte, Xibalba, and The Candlemaker.
La Muerte rules over the Land of the Remembered, a beautiful world where the souls of the departed spend eternity with their friends and family (so long as they're remembered), feasting on food offerings left by their descendants in what amounts to a never-ending fiesta. Despite basically being the personification of death, La Muerte is said to be made of sugar and everything good in the world and is beloved by everyone who knows her. She, in turn, loves humanity and sees the good in everyone.
Xibalba, on the other hand, is a former heavenly knight who was banished to the Land of the Forgotten, forced to rule over the desolate landscape containing the withering and dying souls of those who’ve been forgotten by the living. Made of tar and other impurities of the world, Xibalba lacks any real faith in humanity and relies on trickery to get his way.
The Candlemaker maintains balance between the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten. He lives in the Cave of Souls, which acts as a link between the different lands of the dead, and he makes candles that embody the life force of each living creature on Earth.
Fully aware of her weakness for wagers, Xibalba makes a bet with La Muerte in order to gain a chance to switch realms with her. While watching two best friends, Manolo and Joaquin, compete for the affections of their friend Maria, they each pick the boy they believe will grow up to marry her. After testing Manolo’s character and blessing him with a pure and courageous heart, La Muerte picks Manolo as her champion. Xibalba, however, offers Joaquin the Medal of Everlasting Life, a relic that grants the wearer invincibility and great courage.
After Maria frees a bunch of animals slated for slaughter, Maria’s father General Posada decides to send her to a convent in Spain for ten years. On the other hand, Posada is impressed with the strength and courage Joaquin demonstrates while protecting the villagers from one of the rampaging boars, and he takes the boy under his wing for military training. Meanwhile, Manolo’s father Carlos realizes his son possesses an extraordinary gift for bullfighting, and makes preparations to personally train him to become a great matador.
Before embarking on their respective paths, both boys see Maria off at the train station. Manolo gives Maria one of the piglets they set free. In return, Maria presents him with a new guitar (to replace the one destroyed during the animal incident) with the following message carved into the side: Always play from the heart. Manolo promises to play for her when she returns.
Over the next ten years, Manolo tries to juggle matador training with developing his musical talents. The truth is, Manolo would much rather play in a mariachi band than become a bullfighter, but his father Carlos strongly disapproves of Manolo’s love for music because he believes it’s a distraction from his son’s true destiny -- becoming the greatest bullfighter in the Sanchez family. Bullfighting is the mark of becoming a true Sanchez man, and Carlos insists that Manolo will tarnish their family name by pursuing a career in music.
Although Manolo is a remarkably talented matador who’s capable of seamlessly guiding an angry bull’s charges while also captivating the audience with his grace and flare, there’s one problem – Manolo believes killing for sport is wrong, and he refuses to stab the bulls he’s supposed to be fighting. Despite his father’s pleas to reconsider his stance, in the climax of Manolo’s first public bullfight (of which a newly-returned Maria is among the spectators) he throws down his sword and tells the audience he won’t kill an innocent animal. After getting booed and pelted with things, Manolo’s heart is broken when his father tells him he is no man, let alone a Sanchez.
What Manolo doesn’t realize is that Maria, who often feels just as alienated for not conforming to traditional ideas of femininity, has started to see him as a kindred spirit.
After hitting up some bars with his mariachi friends and generally feeling sorry for himself for most of the night, his buddies encourage him to serenade Maria from underneath her balcony. His friends’ attempts to get her attention leave much to be desired, but Maria is moved by the sincerity of Manolo’s song to her. Joaquin walks in on this exchange, and promptly decides to propose to her in front of the whole town. Although Maria feels a stronger affinity for outlier Manolo, she feels pressured to accept her other friend’s proposal because it means Joaquin, who has become a legendary hero, will stay in San Angel and protect the village from bandits. She says she’ll consider his offer, but doesn’t formally accept.
Even though Carlos and his great-grandmother Anita are still deeply disappointed in Manolo for his failed bullfight, they are supportive of his feelings for Maria, and it is Anita who prods him into making a proposal of his own by reminding him that Maria hasn’t actually agreed to marry Joaquin yet, which is as good as saying “no”. For that reason, Manolo arranges to meet Maria outside of the village at dawn. Though he has no ring, no fancy title, or anything else of material value to give her, he promises he’ll never stop loving her.
Unfortunately, Xibalba doesn’t take kindly to losing his wager with La Muerte, and he sends a snake to strike at Manolo just as Maria starts to accept his proposal. Maria pushes Manolo out of the way, however, and takes the bite for him, which seemingly kills her. Although he screams for help, there's nothing he can do to save her. Heart-broken, Manolo carries her body back to town. When Joaquin and General Posada blame Manolo for what happened, he doesn't even bother trying to defend himself. All he can do is despondently stare at the ground, unable to meet his best friend's gaze. It should have been him to die, Manolo says. "Yes, it should have," Joaquin agrees before leaving him alone at the edge of town.
Devastated, Manolo returns to the spot where he proposed to Maria, only to find Xibalba waiting for him. Manolo, knowing that his words will result in his own death, tells Xibalba he wants to see Maria again. Two snake bites later, Manolo instantly collapses to the ground and dies with a smile on his face.
When he wakes up again, he finds himself in the Land of the Remembered, and is amazed by the colorful landscape and festive atmosphere. He is soon reunited with his mother Carmen, who died protecting Manolo during the revolution, and he also meets the Sanchez bullfighters who came before him. While eagerly searching for Maria, though, Manolo is shocked to discover Xibalba is the realm’s new ruler.
As it turns out, Maria, who was only bitten once, awoke from her death-like coma after her body touched Joaquin’s Medal of Everlasting Life. She is left with no choice but to accept Joaquin’s proposal in order to guarantee San Angel’s protection from bandits, which means Xibalba wins the wager. Manolo, on the other hand, is beyond saving because Xibalba’s snakes bit him twice, which means he can never return to marry Maria himself.
Enraged, Manolo gets into a heated argument with the death god, warning him that he will expose his trickery to La Muerte. Even though no one has ever successfully completed the journey before, Manolo, his mother, and his grandfather all embark on a quest for the Land of the Forgotten. Thanks to Manolo’s unusually pure and courageous heart, he is judged worthy to enter the Cave of Souls, which contains portals to many different realms.
It is here they meet the Candlemaker, who shows Manolo the Book of Life, a tome which contains everyone’s individual life stories, including what will happen in the future. When the Candlemaker turns to Manolo’s pages, however, he’s shocked to find that they’re completely blank. This is because Manolo continues to reject the narratives that would normally dictate a person’s life (family traditions, societal norms, etc), and is actively fighting against the destiny that was handed to him. He is, in essence, “writing his own story”.
Soon after, the three Sanchezes enter the Land of the Forgotten and finally meet La Muerte. Manolo tells her everything, and she furiously summons Xibalba. It is here that Manolo also learns about Joaquin’s Medal of Everlasting Life, and he finally understands why Joaquin never gets injured.
Although Xibalba’s cheating is now exposed, he refuses to give Manolo his life back. Consequently, Manolo decides to exploit his weakness for wagers by making one of his own: if he completes a task of Xibalba’s choosing, no matter how big, the gods will resurrect him. Xibalba agrees under the condition that Manolo will be forgotten forever, a fate far worse than death, if he loses the bet.
With a single look, Xibalba deciphers Manolo’s worst fears. Using this knowledge, he announces that Manolo’s task is to defeat every single bull killed by the Sanchez family. Once the bullfight begins, countless bulls are unleashed into the ring. Manolo’s fears are compounded when he realizes Carlos is also watching him, and the bulls’ souls merge to form a giant, terrifying beast bent on seeking vengeance.
Manolo is then presented with a choice: reach for his sword to kill the giant bull, or grab his beloved guitar. Much to his father’s dismay, Manolo chooses the guitar. With Maria’s request that he always sing from the heart in mind, he uses music to express his deep remorse for every injustice, every senseless death the bulls suffered at the hands of the Sanchez family. Manolo’s beautiful song calms the animals’ wrath, literally freeing their souls in a flurry of marigold petals. Carlos realizes that his son has truly become the greatest Sanchez ever-- not by killing animals for sport, but by staying true to himself in the face of insurmountable pressure from the world around him. He apologizes to Manolo for forcing him to become a bullfighter, to which Manolo says he knows Carlos just wanted what was best for him.
He can’t bask in his victory for long, though. As it turns out, Carlos is dead because the ruthless bandit Chakal is attacking San Angel in a bid for Joaquin’s medal. If everyone in the village dies, no living person will be left to remember anyone, and everyone’s souls will wither away. Determined to do what he can to protect his loved ones, Manolo is finally sent back home.
With the help of his dead family, Manolo and the rest of the villagers defend against Chakal and his men. When Chakal realizes he’s been outmatched, he lights several bombs strapped to his chest, determined to take everyone with him. Manolo, who doesn’t realize Joaquin pinned the medal to his back, shoves his friend out of the way and uses the church bell to contain the upcoming explosion – trapping himself in the process. “Never stop fighting for what’s right,” he tells Joaquin. Then, looking at Maria, he adds, “Don’t forget me.”
He then allows the bell to encase him and Chakal. Just as the explosion happens, he’ll end up in MoM.
PERSONALITY:
In spite of the horrific upheaval of the revolution that violently claimed his mother and defined most of his childhood, Manolo happily gives his possessions away to the needy and offers a hand to anyone who's down on their luck. La Muerte witnesses this rare quality for herself when she poses as a homeless beggar and asks him for a loaf of bread. As a reward, she offers the following blessing:
“May your heart always be pure and courageous.”
It can be inferred that these words protect Manolo's good nature, and help serve as a ward against corruption and cowardice. For that reason, it is safe to say his intentions are genuinely good, even if other people don’t always understand or appreciate his actions.
He is also apparently curious about new ideas and things, as well as willing to think outside of the box. This is best seen when he’s clearly intrigued and excited by young Maria’s plot to free the animals before they’re butchered, and happy to disregard Joaquin’s shocked protests.
Even as an adult, however, Manolo maintains his unconventionality. In fact, he's one of the only men in the entire film who's clean-shaven, sticking out like a sore thumb in a world where mustaches and beards are synonymous with manliness. Sometimes, this disregard for gender norms comes at a great personal cost to himself. The best example of this is when he refuses to kill the bull during his first public bullfight, even though he knows failure to do so is widely viewed by the villagers as “unmanly”, a sign of weakness, and a reason to treat him poorly. Even his best friend Joaquin indirectly questions Manolo’s masculinity, going as far as to suggest he’s not suitable husband material because of his soft-hearted nature. After all, if he can’t kill a bull, is he really going to have what it takes to defend his future wife? The fact Maria later “dies” protecting Manolo from a snake only seems to drive Joaquin’s point home.
Not surprisingly, he’s quietly insecure for a good portion of the film. Every time Manolo swells with pride and happiness at Joaquin’s achievements, sad feelings of inadequacy quickly catch up to him. Manolo is not the town hero, something the village and audience are both reminded of when he tries to defend the San Angel from bandits, only to be out-shined by Joaquin, and promptly reduced to someone who’s barely fit to hold the "real man's" gear. Indeed, out of the three amigos, he’s probably the least skilled when it comes to offensive close combat (lacking Joaquin’s military training, as well as Maria’s extensive study in fencing and martial arts). It can be inferred that Carlos believes bullfighting would give Manolo the confidence to stand beside Joaquin as an equal -- if it weren’t for Manolo’s pesky “no killing stuff", anyway. Well aware that he’s become an outcast, Manolo’s feelings of isolation are reflected in the song “Creep” by Radiohead. (I'm serious.)
Family clearly means a great deal to Manolo, which adds to his pressure to uphold the Sanchez legacy by becoming a great matador. Even when he’s arguing with Carlos about his future, Manolo is almost always soft-spoken toward his father. His sense of duty toward family and his disdain for bullfighting clearly pull him into two different directions at once. This is seen when Carlos asks Manolo if he loves his family enough to kill the bull. Manolo, who is in the middle of walking away from him, pauses and reluctantly agrees to fight. In addition, despite his repeated failures as a bullfighter and a Sanchez, Manolo still returns home to his father and great-grandmother like the dutiful son he is. He also apparently still feels like he can talk to them about some of his problems, as seen by their chat about Joaquin’s proposal to Maria. It’s worth noting that he tenderly kisses his great-grandmother on the cheek after she gives him some much-needed advice.
Whenever Manolo needs someone to tell him to be himself, however, he turns to Maria. She, too, is an outlier, and he relies on her strength of character to serve as his compass. The first example of this is when Manolo sees Maria’s horrified expression reflected in the blade of his sword, just moments before he’s supposed to kill the bull. This is what pushes him to finally throw down his sword and defiantly declare that bullfighting is wrong. Furthermore, it is Maria’s guitar to him that reminds him to “always play from the heart”, which enables him to stay true to himself and apologize to every bull killed by the Sanchez clan. This helps him conquer his greatest fear of disappointing the people he loves most, which literally gives him back his life. In this sense, Maria continues to save him even when she isn’t physically present, and Manolo is well aware of this fact.
Despite the challenges he faces, Manolo is still capable of doggedly tackling any problem with gusto, and he is perfectly willing to stand up for himself if pushed too far. A prime example of this is when he angrily tells Xibalba he’ll expose his trickery to La Muerte, and doesn’t even flinch when the death god warns him that no one has ever spoken to him with such impudence and gotten away with it. The final wager between him and Xibalba is also his idea, and he seems confident in his ability to complete whatever task he’s given. This likely goes back to his “pure and courageous” heart, which allows him to feel secure in the knowledge that his intentions are good, and that his goals are worth pursuing until the bitter end.
Having such a heart can lead to some very rash (and occasionally unwise) choices on his part. Aside from basically committing suicide by cop in order to reunite with Maria, he mouths off at Xibalba, allows a giant sword to fall on top of him despite the real danger of getting destroyed if deemed unworthy, dives into the portal that leads to the Land of the Forgotten without listening to the Candlemaker’s warnings, makes another wager that almost costs him his soul, and ultimately decides to sacrifice himself for the good of the town.
On the other hand, he also wears hearts on his traje de luces, which, according to the art book, symbolizes the fact that Manolo is very much a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. We see this multiple times throughout the story, such as when he expresses deep remorse for all the bulls who died because of his ancestors, and when he serenades Maria with his love songs. As sweet as Manolo generally is, though, he’s also got a sassy streak to him, which manifests itself through sarcasm or teasing. We see this most prominently during the scene where his mariachi buddies are repeatedly trying (and failing) to impress Maria with their singing, and when he smugly announces that he’s going to teach Joaquin “some manners” during their argument at General Posada’s house.
POWER:
Manolo's powers in MoM can be divided under two umbrellas: 1) music, and 2) the ability to change into his "remembered" form.
1. HEARTSONG:
a) Can summon his guitar at will from anywhere, even if it's been previously lost, damaged, or destroyed.
- In reality, the guitar is an extension of his soul. If it becomes damaged or destroyed, Manolo may sustain physical injuries, emotional distress, or temporary mental damage.
- The guitar itself may need time to regenerate if it breaks. Depending on how badly it's damaged, this could take anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks.
b) Music that contains healing magic.
- Cannot be used on himself, but it instead encompasses the area immediately around him.
- Better suited for hospital wards or someone's bedside than on the battlefield.
- "Healing magic" includes surface wounds, stabilizing would-be mortal wounds, and easing symptoms for illnesses.
- Also has the potential to heal mental damage (brainwashing, etc.), but only if the victim is someone he personally knows and cares about (and the player agrees to it).
c) Can form a temporary protective barrier around himself.
- The barrier itself is stationary and relies on Manolo's guitar to keep it intact.
- Can shield others who are near him, but he can't "cast" it away from himself.
d) Can temporarily affect the emotional state or mental alertness of people who listen to his songs.
- Can alleviate guilt or depression, soothe anger or fear, inspire bravery or courage, etc.
- Basically, he's the guy you want playing your epic background music when you're facing a Big Bad.
- He's also capable of serenading people to sleep, if that's his intention.
e) His music also has the power to charm animals.
- This can make animals relaxed and docile for a little while, and they're also more likely to just chill out near him while he plays.
- However, his songs don't actually train or control critters (so no army of squirrels at his beck and call). It just makes trips to the park a little more interesting.
2. REMEMBERED FORM: (Visual Reference)
a) Grants him some degree of invincibility, namely that he can't technically die while in this form (since he's not exactly alive). Doesn't need to eat, breathe, or sleep. Pain in general is dulled when compared to his mortal body.
b) However, he can't withstand as much direct physical damage, which means he's more prone to certain injuries, such as dislocating a shoulder or maybe losing a limb entirely. He'll still be able to function in these cases, but any damage done to his body will carry over to his living form unless he manages to get it healed beforehand.
c) If his living body is already wounded or ill, he can't switch to this form very easily (if at all). Any attempts to do so might aggravate his condition.
〈 CHARACTER SAMPLES 〉
COMMUNITY POST (VOICE) SAMPLE:
[Manolo stares into the camera, brows furrowed in concentration. Then, as if realizing his device is actually on, he abruptly leans back with a wide-eyed look.]
Um, hi there. Hahah…
[Okay, not the best start. Let’s try that again…]
So! For anyone who doesn’t know, today is the Day of the Dead. Back home, it's a time to remember those who’ve passed on before us, to make sure the dead aren’t forgotten.
I may not be in my village anymore, but today is still important to me, and it’s probably important for some of you too.
That’s why, if anyone wants to talk about dead friends or family, I’d love to hear about them. You know…what kind of person were they? What are your favorite memories of them? That kind of thing.
...Oh, and if some of you have died back home, you’re welcome to share stories about your life here too. Not the traditional way of doing things, but that only seems fair.
[There’s an awkward pause here, since he’s unsure how he ought to end this message. It’s not like a letter, but it’s not like talking with someone face-to-face either.]
Ah, right! Maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Manolo Sanchez, and I’m…looking forward to hearing from you?
[Then he gives a pleased little smile, because aw yeah, baby’s first video post!]
LOGS POST (PROSE) SAMPLE:
http://etcelsior.dreamwidth.org/27189.html?thread=18950453#cmt18950453
FINAL NOTES:
Although Manolo is unknowingly wearing the Medal of Everlasting Life at the canon point I'm taking him from, it won't be Ported with him into MoM.
NAME: Jansen
AGE: 27
JOURNAL:
jacketIM / EMAIL: symbologic at gmail
PLURK: jackets
RETURNING: Current player, also playing Barnaby Brooks Jr. (
attainment)〈 CHARACTER INFO 〉
CHARACTER NAME: Manolo Sanchez
CHARACTER AGE: 19
SERIES: The Book of Life
CHRONOLOGY: Just as he's making his heroic sacrifice during the final battle.
CLASS: Hero
HOUSING: If possible, I'd like for him to end up in the same residence as Joaquin Mondragon. Other than that, randomized roommates are awesome.
BACKGROUND:
In a magic-realist version of post-revolution Mexico (1920s), the village of San Angel lies within the center of Mexico, which is said to be the center of the universe itself. Superheroes and supernatural occurrences are fairly common in this particular world, and gods from various origins watch over humanity while ruling over other realms found in the afterlife. These gods are numerous, but the three major players in The Book of Life are La Muerte, Xibalba, and The Candlemaker.
La Muerte rules over the Land of the Remembered, a beautiful world where the souls of the departed spend eternity with their friends and family (so long as they're remembered), feasting on food offerings left by their descendants in what amounts to a never-ending fiesta. Despite basically being the personification of death, La Muerte is said to be made of sugar and everything good in the world and is beloved by everyone who knows her. She, in turn, loves humanity and sees the good in everyone.
Xibalba, on the other hand, is a former heavenly knight who was banished to the Land of the Forgotten, forced to rule over the desolate landscape containing the withering and dying souls of those who’ve been forgotten by the living. Made of tar and other impurities of the world, Xibalba lacks any real faith in humanity and relies on trickery to get his way.
The Candlemaker maintains balance between the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten. He lives in the Cave of Souls, which acts as a link between the different lands of the dead, and he makes candles that embody the life force of each living creature on Earth.
Fully aware of her weakness for wagers, Xibalba makes a bet with La Muerte in order to gain a chance to switch realms with her. While watching two best friends, Manolo and Joaquin, compete for the affections of their friend Maria, they each pick the boy they believe will grow up to marry her. After testing Manolo’s character and blessing him with a pure and courageous heart, La Muerte picks Manolo as her champion. Xibalba, however, offers Joaquin the Medal of Everlasting Life, a relic that grants the wearer invincibility and great courage.
After Maria frees a bunch of animals slated for slaughter, Maria’s father General Posada decides to send her to a convent in Spain for ten years. On the other hand, Posada is impressed with the strength and courage Joaquin demonstrates while protecting the villagers from one of the rampaging boars, and he takes the boy under his wing for military training. Meanwhile, Manolo’s father Carlos realizes his son possesses an extraordinary gift for bullfighting, and makes preparations to personally train him to become a great matador.
Before embarking on their respective paths, both boys see Maria off at the train station. Manolo gives Maria one of the piglets they set free. In return, Maria presents him with a new guitar (to replace the one destroyed during the animal incident) with the following message carved into the side: Always play from the heart. Manolo promises to play for her when she returns.
Over the next ten years, Manolo tries to juggle matador training with developing his musical talents. The truth is, Manolo would much rather play in a mariachi band than become a bullfighter, but his father Carlos strongly disapproves of Manolo’s love for music because he believes it’s a distraction from his son’s true destiny -- becoming the greatest bullfighter in the Sanchez family. Bullfighting is the mark of becoming a true Sanchez man, and Carlos insists that Manolo will tarnish their family name by pursuing a career in music.
Although Manolo is a remarkably talented matador who’s capable of seamlessly guiding an angry bull’s charges while also captivating the audience with his grace and flare, there’s one problem – Manolo believes killing for sport is wrong, and he refuses to stab the bulls he’s supposed to be fighting. Despite his father’s pleas to reconsider his stance, in the climax of Manolo’s first public bullfight (of which a newly-returned Maria is among the spectators) he throws down his sword and tells the audience he won’t kill an innocent animal. After getting booed and pelted with things, Manolo’s heart is broken when his father tells him he is no man, let alone a Sanchez.
What Manolo doesn’t realize is that Maria, who often feels just as alienated for not conforming to traditional ideas of femininity, has started to see him as a kindred spirit.
After hitting up some bars with his mariachi friends and generally feeling sorry for himself for most of the night, his buddies encourage him to serenade Maria from underneath her balcony. His friends’ attempts to get her attention leave much to be desired, but Maria is moved by the sincerity of Manolo’s song to her. Joaquin walks in on this exchange, and promptly decides to propose to her in front of the whole town. Although Maria feels a stronger affinity for outlier Manolo, she feels pressured to accept her other friend’s proposal because it means Joaquin, who has become a legendary hero, will stay in San Angel and protect the village from bandits. She says she’ll consider his offer, but doesn’t formally accept.
Even though Carlos and his great-grandmother Anita are still deeply disappointed in Manolo for his failed bullfight, they are supportive of his feelings for Maria, and it is Anita who prods him into making a proposal of his own by reminding him that Maria hasn’t actually agreed to marry Joaquin yet, which is as good as saying “no”. For that reason, Manolo arranges to meet Maria outside of the village at dawn. Though he has no ring, no fancy title, or anything else of material value to give her, he promises he’ll never stop loving her.
Unfortunately, Xibalba doesn’t take kindly to losing his wager with La Muerte, and he sends a snake to strike at Manolo just as Maria starts to accept his proposal. Maria pushes Manolo out of the way, however, and takes the bite for him, which seemingly kills her. Although he screams for help, there's nothing he can do to save her. Heart-broken, Manolo carries her body back to town. When Joaquin and General Posada blame Manolo for what happened, he doesn't even bother trying to defend himself. All he can do is despondently stare at the ground, unable to meet his best friend's gaze. It should have been him to die, Manolo says. "Yes, it should have," Joaquin agrees before leaving him alone at the edge of town.
Devastated, Manolo returns to the spot where he proposed to Maria, only to find Xibalba waiting for him. Manolo, knowing that his words will result in his own death, tells Xibalba he wants to see Maria again. Two snake bites later, Manolo instantly collapses to the ground and dies with a smile on his face.
When he wakes up again, he finds himself in the Land of the Remembered, and is amazed by the colorful landscape and festive atmosphere. He is soon reunited with his mother Carmen, who died protecting Manolo during the revolution, and he also meets the Sanchez bullfighters who came before him. While eagerly searching for Maria, though, Manolo is shocked to discover Xibalba is the realm’s new ruler.
As it turns out, Maria, who was only bitten once, awoke from her death-like coma after her body touched Joaquin’s Medal of Everlasting Life. She is left with no choice but to accept Joaquin’s proposal in order to guarantee San Angel’s protection from bandits, which means Xibalba wins the wager. Manolo, on the other hand, is beyond saving because Xibalba’s snakes bit him twice, which means he can never return to marry Maria himself.
Enraged, Manolo gets into a heated argument with the death god, warning him that he will expose his trickery to La Muerte. Even though no one has ever successfully completed the journey before, Manolo, his mother, and his grandfather all embark on a quest for the Land of the Forgotten. Thanks to Manolo’s unusually pure and courageous heart, he is judged worthy to enter the Cave of Souls, which contains portals to many different realms.
It is here they meet the Candlemaker, who shows Manolo the Book of Life, a tome which contains everyone’s individual life stories, including what will happen in the future. When the Candlemaker turns to Manolo’s pages, however, he’s shocked to find that they’re completely blank. This is because Manolo continues to reject the narratives that would normally dictate a person’s life (family traditions, societal norms, etc), and is actively fighting against the destiny that was handed to him. He is, in essence, “writing his own story”.
Soon after, the three Sanchezes enter the Land of the Forgotten and finally meet La Muerte. Manolo tells her everything, and she furiously summons Xibalba. It is here that Manolo also learns about Joaquin’s Medal of Everlasting Life, and he finally understands why Joaquin never gets injured.
Although Xibalba’s cheating is now exposed, he refuses to give Manolo his life back. Consequently, Manolo decides to exploit his weakness for wagers by making one of his own: if he completes a task of Xibalba’s choosing, no matter how big, the gods will resurrect him. Xibalba agrees under the condition that Manolo will be forgotten forever, a fate far worse than death, if he loses the bet.
With a single look, Xibalba deciphers Manolo’s worst fears. Using this knowledge, he announces that Manolo’s task is to defeat every single bull killed by the Sanchez family. Once the bullfight begins, countless bulls are unleashed into the ring. Manolo’s fears are compounded when he realizes Carlos is also watching him, and the bulls’ souls merge to form a giant, terrifying beast bent on seeking vengeance.
Manolo is then presented with a choice: reach for his sword to kill the giant bull, or grab his beloved guitar. Much to his father’s dismay, Manolo chooses the guitar. With Maria’s request that he always sing from the heart in mind, he uses music to express his deep remorse for every injustice, every senseless death the bulls suffered at the hands of the Sanchez family. Manolo’s beautiful song calms the animals’ wrath, literally freeing their souls in a flurry of marigold petals. Carlos realizes that his son has truly become the greatest Sanchez ever-- not by killing animals for sport, but by staying true to himself in the face of insurmountable pressure from the world around him. He apologizes to Manolo for forcing him to become a bullfighter, to which Manolo says he knows Carlos just wanted what was best for him.
He can’t bask in his victory for long, though. As it turns out, Carlos is dead because the ruthless bandit Chakal is attacking San Angel in a bid for Joaquin’s medal. If everyone in the village dies, no living person will be left to remember anyone, and everyone’s souls will wither away. Determined to do what he can to protect his loved ones, Manolo is finally sent back home.
With the help of his dead family, Manolo and the rest of the villagers defend against Chakal and his men. When Chakal realizes he’s been outmatched, he lights several bombs strapped to his chest, determined to take everyone with him. Manolo, who doesn’t realize Joaquin pinned the medal to his back, shoves his friend out of the way and uses the church bell to contain the upcoming explosion – trapping himself in the process. “Never stop fighting for what’s right,” he tells Joaquin. Then, looking at Maria, he adds, “Don’t forget me.”
He then allows the bell to encase him and Chakal. Just as the explosion happens, he’ll end up in MoM.
PERSONALITY:
In spite of the horrific upheaval of the revolution that violently claimed his mother and defined most of his childhood, Manolo happily gives his possessions away to the needy and offers a hand to anyone who's down on their luck. La Muerte witnesses this rare quality for herself when she poses as a homeless beggar and asks him for a loaf of bread. As a reward, she offers the following blessing:
“May your heart always be pure and courageous.”
It can be inferred that these words protect Manolo's good nature, and help serve as a ward against corruption and cowardice. For that reason, it is safe to say his intentions are genuinely good, even if other people don’t always understand or appreciate his actions.
He is also apparently curious about new ideas and things, as well as willing to think outside of the box. This is best seen when he’s clearly intrigued and excited by young Maria’s plot to free the animals before they’re butchered, and happy to disregard Joaquin’s shocked protests.
Even as an adult, however, Manolo maintains his unconventionality. In fact, he's one of the only men in the entire film who's clean-shaven, sticking out like a sore thumb in a world where mustaches and beards are synonymous with manliness. Sometimes, this disregard for gender norms comes at a great personal cost to himself. The best example of this is when he refuses to kill the bull during his first public bullfight, even though he knows failure to do so is widely viewed by the villagers as “unmanly”, a sign of weakness, and a reason to treat him poorly. Even his best friend Joaquin indirectly questions Manolo’s masculinity, going as far as to suggest he’s not suitable husband material because of his soft-hearted nature. After all, if he can’t kill a bull, is he really going to have what it takes to defend his future wife? The fact Maria later “dies” protecting Manolo from a snake only seems to drive Joaquin’s point home.
Not surprisingly, he’s quietly insecure for a good portion of the film. Every time Manolo swells with pride and happiness at Joaquin’s achievements, sad feelings of inadequacy quickly catch up to him. Manolo is not the town hero, something the village and audience are both reminded of when he tries to defend the San Angel from bandits, only to be out-shined by Joaquin, and promptly reduced to someone who’s barely fit to hold the "real man's" gear. Indeed, out of the three amigos, he’s probably the least skilled when it comes to offensive close combat (lacking Joaquin’s military training, as well as Maria’s extensive study in fencing and martial arts). It can be inferred that Carlos believes bullfighting would give Manolo the confidence to stand beside Joaquin as an equal -- if it weren’t for Manolo’s pesky “no killing stuff", anyway. Well aware that he’s become an outcast, Manolo’s feelings of isolation are reflected in the song “Creep” by Radiohead. (I'm serious.)
Family clearly means a great deal to Manolo, which adds to his pressure to uphold the Sanchez legacy by becoming a great matador. Even when he’s arguing with Carlos about his future, Manolo is almost always soft-spoken toward his father. His sense of duty toward family and his disdain for bullfighting clearly pull him into two different directions at once. This is seen when Carlos asks Manolo if he loves his family enough to kill the bull. Manolo, who is in the middle of walking away from him, pauses and reluctantly agrees to fight. In addition, despite his repeated failures as a bullfighter and a Sanchez, Manolo still returns home to his father and great-grandmother like the dutiful son he is. He also apparently still feels like he can talk to them about some of his problems, as seen by their chat about Joaquin’s proposal to Maria. It’s worth noting that he tenderly kisses his great-grandmother on the cheek after she gives him some much-needed advice.
Whenever Manolo needs someone to tell him to be himself, however, he turns to Maria. She, too, is an outlier, and he relies on her strength of character to serve as his compass. The first example of this is when Manolo sees Maria’s horrified expression reflected in the blade of his sword, just moments before he’s supposed to kill the bull. This is what pushes him to finally throw down his sword and defiantly declare that bullfighting is wrong. Furthermore, it is Maria’s guitar to him that reminds him to “always play from the heart”, which enables him to stay true to himself and apologize to every bull killed by the Sanchez clan. This helps him conquer his greatest fear of disappointing the people he loves most, which literally gives him back his life. In this sense, Maria continues to save him even when she isn’t physically present, and Manolo is well aware of this fact.
Despite the challenges he faces, Manolo is still capable of doggedly tackling any problem with gusto, and he is perfectly willing to stand up for himself if pushed too far. A prime example of this is when he angrily tells Xibalba he’ll expose his trickery to La Muerte, and doesn’t even flinch when the death god warns him that no one has ever spoken to him with such impudence and gotten away with it. The final wager between him and Xibalba is also his idea, and he seems confident in his ability to complete whatever task he’s given. This likely goes back to his “pure and courageous” heart, which allows him to feel secure in the knowledge that his intentions are good, and that his goals are worth pursuing until the bitter end.
Having such a heart can lead to some very rash (and occasionally unwise) choices on his part. Aside from basically committing suicide by cop in order to reunite with Maria, he mouths off at Xibalba, allows a giant sword to fall on top of him despite the real danger of getting destroyed if deemed unworthy, dives into the portal that leads to the Land of the Forgotten without listening to the Candlemaker’s warnings, makes another wager that almost costs him his soul, and ultimately decides to sacrifice himself for the good of the town.
On the other hand, he also wears hearts on his traje de luces, which, according to the art book, symbolizes the fact that Manolo is very much a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. We see this multiple times throughout the story, such as when he expresses deep remorse for all the bulls who died because of his ancestors, and when he serenades Maria with his love songs. As sweet as Manolo generally is, though, he’s also got a sassy streak to him, which manifests itself through sarcasm or teasing. We see this most prominently during the scene where his mariachi buddies are repeatedly trying (and failing) to impress Maria with their singing, and when he smugly announces that he’s going to teach Joaquin “some manners” during their argument at General Posada’s house.
POWER:
Manolo's powers in MoM can be divided under two umbrellas: 1) music, and 2) the ability to change into his "remembered" form.
1. HEARTSONG:
a) Can summon his guitar at will from anywhere, even if it's been previously lost, damaged, or destroyed.
- In reality, the guitar is an extension of his soul. If it becomes damaged or destroyed, Manolo may sustain physical injuries, emotional distress, or temporary mental damage.
- The guitar itself may need time to regenerate if it breaks. Depending on how badly it's damaged, this could take anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks.
b) Music that contains healing magic.
- Cannot be used on himself, but it instead encompasses the area immediately around him.
- Better suited for hospital wards or someone's bedside than on the battlefield.
- "Healing magic" includes surface wounds, stabilizing would-be mortal wounds, and easing symptoms for illnesses.
- Also has the potential to heal mental damage (brainwashing, etc.), but only if the victim is someone he personally knows and cares about (and the player agrees to it).
c) Can form a temporary protective barrier around himself.
- The barrier itself is stationary and relies on Manolo's guitar to keep it intact.
- Can shield others who are near him, but he can't "cast" it away from himself.
d) Can temporarily affect the emotional state or mental alertness of people who listen to his songs.
- Can alleviate guilt or depression, soothe anger or fear, inspire bravery or courage, etc.
- Basically, he's the guy you want playing your epic background music when you're facing a Big Bad.
- He's also capable of serenading people to sleep, if that's his intention.
e) His music also has the power to charm animals.
- This can make animals relaxed and docile for a little while, and they're also more likely to just chill out near him while he plays.
- However, his songs don't actually train or control critters (so no army of squirrels at his beck and call). It just makes trips to the park a little more interesting.
2. REMEMBERED FORM: (Visual Reference)
a) Grants him some degree of invincibility, namely that he can't technically die while in this form (since he's not exactly alive). Doesn't need to eat, breathe, or sleep. Pain in general is dulled when compared to his mortal body.
b) However, he can't withstand as much direct physical damage, which means he's more prone to certain injuries, such as dislocating a shoulder or maybe losing a limb entirely. He'll still be able to function in these cases, but any damage done to his body will carry over to his living form unless he manages to get it healed beforehand.
c) If his living body is already wounded or ill, he can't switch to this form very easily (if at all). Any attempts to do so might aggravate his condition.
〈 CHARACTER SAMPLES 〉
COMMUNITY POST (VOICE) SAMPLE:
[Manolo stares into the camera, brows furrowed in concentration. Then, as if realizing his device is actually on, he abruptly leans back with a wide-eyed look.]
Um, hi there. Hahah…
[Okay, not the best start. Let’s try that again…]
So! For anyone who doesn’t know, today is the Day of the Dead. Back home, it's a time to remember those who’ve passed on before us, to make sure the dead aren’t forgotten.
I may not be in my village anymore, but today is still important to me, and it’s probably important for some of you too.
That’s why, if anyone wants to talk about dead friends or family, I’d love to hear about them. You know…what kind of person were they? What are your favorite memories of them? That kind of thing.
...Oh, and if some of you have died back home, you’re welcome to share stories about your life here too. Not the traditional way of doing things, but that only seems fair.
[There’s an awkward pause here, since he’s unsure how he ought to end this message. It’s not like a letter, but it’s not like talking with someone face-to-face either.]
Ah, right! Maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Manolo Sanchez, and I’m…looking forward to hearing from you?
[Then he gives a pleased little smile, because aw yeah, baby’s first video post!]
LOGS POST (PROSE) SAMPLE:
http://etcelsior.dreamwidth.org/27189.html?thread=18950453#cmt18950453
FINAL NOTES:
Although Manolo is unknowingly wearing the Medal of Everlasting Life at the canon point I'm taking him from, it won't be Ported with him into MoM.
Note: In-game, these tracks aren't intended to be covers, but are actually original songs of Manolo's. He plays a classical guitar, and his style is very much that of traditional Mexican folk music. In the same spirit as his canon, the music and attached lyrics serve as a thematic equivalent to whatever Manolo is actually singing. Tracks 5 and 9 are the main exceptions. Those songs are more or less as they are here.
If your character ICly references a specific song, feel free to have them use the titles included on here.
( 1. I Would Have Liked You Anyway )
( 2. I Will Wait )
( 3. Passion of Red )
( 4. Weirdo )
( 5. I Love You Too Much )
( 6. See You in the Flowers )
( 7. Wings to Fly )
( 8. Nothing in This World )
( 9. If You Can Forgive )
( 10. Home )
( 11. A Place )
( 12. The Answer )
( 13. Sing Your Own Kind of Song )
If your character ICly references a specific song, feel free to have them use the titles included on here.
( 1. I Would Have Liked You Anyway )( 2. I Will Wait )( 3. Passion of Red )( 4. Weirdo )( 5. I Love You Too Much )( 6. See You in the Flowers )( 7. Wings to Fly )( 8. Nothing in This World )( 9. If You Can Forgive )( 10. Home )( 11. A Place )( 12. The Answer )( 13. Sing Your Own Kind of Song )
