In a message dated 12/17/2001 9:16:39 PM Eastern Standard Time, avona@jps.net writes:

Is there anyone good at spotting non-Avon avatars who'd like to weigh in on this?

Not much free time now, but Tarrant avatars abound. The archetype is the free-spirited hero/knight-errant/wuxia. Important values include honor, loyalty, and individual justice. The archetype can (and often does) operate outside the law.

There are a few lines in the book "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon--A Portrait of the Ang Lee Film" that could be a blueprint for Tarrant:

"Like the Arthurian legends of Europe, the wuxia promoted a conception of knightly virtue. The roaming hero was not only strong and skillful; he or she also had an obligation to right wrongs, especially when the situation seemed dire. The hero fought for yi, or righteousness--not for rights in the abstract or for society as a whole, but for fairness in a particular situation--usually seeking retribution for a past wrong."

Carol