Akiko Yosano (Bungo Stray Dogs)
Healing characters in fiction is always a challenge. You don’t want to make it too easy or you lose tension. Too hard and there’s no point in having the option. The methods are a challenge as well because you have spells, potions, powers, etc. We tend to box ourselves into the established norms as well since healing can feel secondary, especially in fantasy stories. Just plop a priest down and have them pray the damage away. That can get boring. Then, there’s the following question
What does the woman with a chainsaw have to do with healing?
Akiko Yosano is from the series ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ and she has a healing ability. She brings her companions back from the brink of death all the time. Unfortunately, ‘brink of death’ is the key phrase. She can only heal people when they are on the verge of death, which means some injuries require that she . . . Well, you see the chainsaw. This is all implied and not shown, but it got me wondering about unique methods of healing characters. Never heard of this version before, which got me wondering if there are more ways to pull off this rather basic action.
I can’t think of any other strange ways to heal others. I’ve seen healing kisses and characters with blood that acts like potions, but that might be it. The genres of fantasy, superheroes, and science-fiction tend to be where you find people willing to try something new. Even then, it’s usually a technology that is fairly easy to understand or a spell/ability that is simple. The more complicated the healing ability, the harder it might be to rationalize using it so often. ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ went the route of implying or casually mentioning Akiko used her ability after the initial introduction. This made it that limbs were restored within a scene or two. This is why I think complication can be an issue, but it might be a way to stand out.
A question that should be asked is if going so far with a healing ability is necessary. The presence of these skills opens the door for characters to take risks because there is a certain level of damage that will be erased. They might not do it consciously, but the author will have them get hurt just to rationalize having the unique skill. You can lose tension and suspension because the audience no longer thinks the characters are in danger of death. As long as their healer is around, they’re fine. This can result in eliminating the healer, which gets rid of the skill that an author put so much work into crafting and establishing. Doesn’t seem worth it if that’s what you have to do.
Personally, I don’t think I would go too far with the healing abilities in my stories. I established auras and their manipulation as the source of magic, which includes healing. The healer uses their energy to repair the damage of another and the success depends on the strength of those involved. The more complicated the spell, the higher the chance of failure or the need for a second requirement. For example, resurrection in Windemere requires some of the dead’s aura and a person who has a strong mental/emotional connection to them. That person needs to remain focused on the ritual to make it successful, which is difficult. It’s why the spell isn’t used often. It sounds complicated, but it’s fairly standard and simplistic to avoid confusion.
So, what’s the weirdest method of healing you’ve ever seen in fiction? Any methods that you can come up with for your own stories?
Legends of Windemere 