"i just cut your arm off!" "Did not." "It's right there." "Just a flesh wound."

Probably everyone who's seen the infamous "Black Knight" skit remembers King Arthur defeating the Black Knight. King Arthur cuts off one arm, then another, then one leg and finally the last. The Black Knight cries out that he'll bite the kneecaps off of anyone coming near, then relents to calling it a draw. It was the Black Knight who cried, "I'm invincible!" I love his character, short as it is.

Having recently had both my knees replaced, it got me thinking about how characters within stories cope with lost limbs. For some, like Anakin Skywalker in the recent Star Wars films, the loss is barely even noticed as the character is folded into robotic armor. Others, such as Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol," are defined by their lack of limbs.

I'd like to propose that loss of limb is not what it used to be. With so many action films in our society, seeing a character without a limb is almost common. And in an awful lot of stories today it's actually expected. Can any of you think of a recent action film that didn't include multiple amputations? Neither can I. And that's too bad. The body is sacred, honored, and respected. Having stories show the same kind of respect brings a whole raft of backstory into the picture. That's well worth it.

- M