Thursday, October 30, 2014

A New Halloween Origin?

I am generally not one to praise a remake over an original, but what we witnessed October 30, 2014 put a modern spin on horror classic Halloween and we are all richer for it. Gone is the story of the troubled youth, the loner with a dark side and a bad haircut. In its place is something more open, more innocent and that makes the twisting to evil all the more compelling.

Michael Myers was not always known as Michael Myers, he did not always where a mask and he most certainly did not have the ominous presence known so well today. In fact, back in 2013 he was charming, affable, popular with a winning smile and unlimited potential. Fans were awed by his talents, floored by his combination of speed and athleticism, intrigued by his innocence. Jameis Winston could seemingly do no wrong, give him a lane and he would not stop until the endzone. Make him throw and he methodically worked down the field, eating up yards and clock, driving up the score again and again until at the end the result was always the same FSU > anyone they played. Accolades piled up, player of the week, the month, the ACC, Heisman Trophy, National Champion and on it went. He was riding so high he moonlighted as the closer for the baseball team just so he had somewhere to sign autographs. However, all was not right with Jameis Winston and it was a matter of time before it consumed him.

Early in his tenure at Florida State Jameis was introduced to Seminole lore, culture and tradition. A mystical place where the witches could lure 1,500 red-blooded Americans to become willing sacrifices to their efforts. The dark mysticism of Seminole culture appealed to Jameis, he sought to control the power, to use it to bring a once proud tribe back to power. Early attempts to corral this power were brushed aside through bungled investigations and a boys-will-be-boys mentality. Sam Loomis Police Chief Tom Coe forever questions his actions at that time and if he did the right thing. He could not have known, for he was already under the Seminole spell, wherein winning brings in more believers and greater sacrifices and feeds upon itself in an all consuming quest not to just win, but to always win. It is a heady power and while many have attempted to harness the power they all fall, unable to wield a power far greater than a mere mortal could hope to contain for long.

Such was the stage on a chill October night in Louisville. Well traveled coach Bobby Petrino had fallen to dark magic before and created a counter spell. Protected from star gazing, the Cardinals team raced out to a 21-0 lead, forcing Jameis to draw more fully on the dark Seminole powers. The powers surged inside of him as he fought back, intent on winning --just winning--only winning, yet when the final horn sounds should the Cardinals hold on to defeat the Seminole magic, Jameis will consumed by the dark power and as the clock turned past midnight Jamies Winston will disappear and Michael Myers will be free once again.


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