Romance of the Three Kingdoms (novel): Difference between revisions

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 * [[The Archer]]: Everyone had to be at least decent in archery, but Lu Bu, Zhang He, Xiahou Yuan, Taishi Ci and Huang Zhong were known for their accuracy. (Heck, Lu Bu {{spoiler|enforces a ceasefire between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu's general Ji Ling by bullseye-ing his own halberd from 150 paces away}}, and once Taishi Ci {{spoiler|while participating in a siege of a castle and being insulted by a defending officer on the rampant who's pointing at the besieging army, ''pins the officer's hand to the castle''}} with an arrow shot. Oh, and soon after his debut, he was surrounded by enemy horsemen while riding with a message but shot them all down.)
 ** There's an archery contest in Cao Cao's new palace where five consecutive officers of Wei competing for a crimson silk robe all score bullseye -- Zhang He shooting backwards, while Xiahou Yuan does it bent over backwards -- but it's Xu Huang who wins... by {{spoiler|shooting the twig holding the robe itself}}.
-* [[Arranged Marriage]]: A staple of the times, not uncommonly forced, but Liu Bei's marriage to Sun Quan's sister is a hilarious subversion of the trope:<br /> {{spoiler|Zhou Yu convinces Sun Quan to do it as a pretext to capture Liu Bei}}. Liu Bei makes [[May-December Romance|an attempt to get out of it]] since he's bright enough to realize the danger, but is compelled to agree on grounds of political expediency (and since Zhuge Liang promises to protect him). When he arrives, it turns out that the Sun family's queen mother hadn't been told -- and Zhuge Liang, having predicted that, got Zhao Yun to publicize the proceedings before the whole town. The mother of the bride is prepared to exercise her [[Parental Marriage Veto]] (by letting the groom be attacked) despite Liu Bei's high reputation, until she and the "State Patriarch" (father of the Qiao sisters and thus Zhou Yu's father-in-law) actually meet Liu Bei and change their minds, blessing the marriage. In the meantime, Liu Bei is scared to death of his new [[Action Girl]] wife, and is stuck in Wu for a whole year after Sun Quan and Zhou Yu switch plans (deciding to keep him "drunk and happy" in hopes of dissolving his force)... When he decides to return, ''his wife'' is the one who proposes the idea of eloping, and then ''[[Crowning Moment of Awesome|scolds four Wu generals into backing down in the course of their escape]]''. And throughout the whole proceedings, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu are put through a massive [[Humiliation Conga]]:<br />1.) Sun Quan's mother and Zhou Yu's father-in-law curse them for ruining the girl, since if the plan succeeds the story will follow her ("what man would want her now?!")<br />2.) Then they curse them for trying to kill Liu Bei after meeting him and giving their approval (despite Sun Quan's mother having been prepared to allow the plot).<br />3.) Then ''the bride'' curses them -- her brother and brother-in-law -- for trying to stop her escape.<br />4.) And just when Liu Bei and his bride escape, Zhuge Liang's chorus line of soldiers is conveniently lined up on the other side of the river ''just to mock Zhou Yu''.<br />Of course, Liu Bei (somewhat), Zhou Yu and Sun Quan are all left holding the [[Idiot Ball]], and Zhuge Liang wins... yet again.
+* [[Arranged Marriage]]: A staple of the times, not uncommonly forced, but Liu Bei's marriage to Sun Quan's sister is a hilarious subversion of the trope:  {{spoiler|Zhou Yu convinces Sun Quan to do it as a pretext to capture Liu Bei}}. Liu Bei makes [[May-December Romance|an attempt to get out of it]] since he's bright enough to realize the danger, but is compelled to agree on grounds of political expediency (and since Zhuge Liang promises to protect him). When he arrives, it turns out that the Sun family's queen mother hadn't been told -- and Zhuge Liang, having predicted that, got Zhao Yun to publicize the proceedings before the whole town. The mother of the bride is prepared to exercise her [[Parental Marriage Veto]] (by letting the groom be attacked) despite Liu Bei's high reputation, until she and the "State Patriarch" (father of the Qiao sisters and thus Zhou Yu's father-in-law) actually meet Liu Bei and change their minds, blessing the marriage. In the meantime, Liu Bei is scared to death of his new [[Action Girl]] wife, and is stuck in Wu for a whole year after Sun Quan and Zhou Yu switch plans (deciding to keep him "drunk and happy" in hopes of dissolving his force)... When he decides to return, ''his wife'' is the one who proposes the idea of eloping, and then ''[[Crowning Moment of Awesome|scolds four Wu generals into backing down in the course of their escape]]''. And throughout the whole proceedings, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu are put through a massive [[Humiliation Conga]]: 1.) Sun Quan's mother and Zhou Yu's father-in-law curse them for ruining the girl, since if the plan succeeds the story will follow her ("what man would want her now?!") 2.) Then they curse them for trying to kill Liu Bei after meeting him and giving their approval (despite Sun Quan's mother having been prepared to allow the plot). 3.) Then ''the bride'' curses them -- her brother and brother-in-law -- for trying to stop her escape. 4.) And just when Liu Bei and his bride escape, Zhuge Liang's chorus line of soldiers is conveniently lined up on the other side of the river ''just to mock Zhou Yu''. Of course, Liu Bei (somewhat), Zhou Yu and Sun Quan are all left holding the [[Idiot Ball]], and Zhuge Liang wins... yet again.
 * [[Arrow Catch]]: Jiang Wei. See below for more details.
 * [[Arrows on Fire]]: A staple of any fire attack.