6A - Monday, December 1, 2014 Arts The Michigan Daily - michiganclaily.com A rts The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom FASHION NOTEBOOK 4 I "Woooooooh!" - George R.R. Martin seeing his creations come to life on the small screen. The'plot armor'of mre i Attention men: These are Mara MacLean approved. JOHN VARVATOS My bizarre love for Chukl~ka Boots A critique of shows that give their characters an easy out from death ByMATTBARNAUSKAS DailyArts Writer Spoiler Alert for pretty much every popular television show. Does this sound familiar? A television series' character, most likely a fan favorite, finds himself cornered. By what? The undead, a dozen or so enemy soldiers, a brutal serial killer ... it doesn't really matter. Somehow, against all odds, he makes his way out. It's thrilling, pulse-pounding suspense. But then he keeps finding himself in the same situation and every time he walks out with only a scrape at most. And he owes it all to the magical device called plot armor. Plot armor is the idea that a character is too important, through popularity or plot significance, to be killed off by a series' writers. Take "The Walking Dead" 's Daryl Dixon. During the show's struggling second season, the redneck archer's character development and general badassery stood out as a bright spot, and people latched on with fans crying "If Daryl Dies We Riot!" The character's popularity has allowed him to be one of the few survivors that .has lasted through every season of the show so far. So far he's survived: being shot, captured and most recently falling off a bridge in a van. I'm as big a fan of Daryl as the next but whenever he's cornered I find myself thinking, "How will he get out?" instead of "Will he get out?" Plot armor can extend to the .majority of many horror series cast. "American Horror Story" 's cast stands as an exaniple. The anthology series has gathered one of the more impressive casts in television, most protected by plot armor. Suspense in horror lies in whether a character will live or die in a situation. That suspense is shattered when I can pretty much guarantee Jessica Lange will make it to the final episode every season she's in. This was most egregious in "Coven" when the plot armor was so strong that it raised characters from the dead, killing any sort of suspense along the way. What good is death when it's easily reversed? Subverting plot armor can lead to effective results. One of the largest draws of "Game of Thrones" is the idea that anyone can die. This was set in stone when Ned Stark's head was chopped off in the show's first season. Ned was a character that would typically be gifted with protection, practically being the first season's central character, but his death served to establish the harsh realities of Westeros, as "Game of Thrones" continuously (and painfully) reminds us. One of the first shows to utilize this subversion of plot armor was "24." In its first season Jack Bauer had saved a presidential candidate's life (multiple times), killed an Eastern European warlord and saved his family ... almost. Following the capture of CTU mole Nina Meyers, Jack looks for his wife only to find her dead from a gunshot wound. The fact Teri Bauer was also pregnant served as a final gut punch to the audience that through the first season. had seen Jack find a way to solve every problem he was in. Teri was the traditionally protected wife of the hero. Hell, she was pregnant; you didn't kill pregnant women back then (at least not until the baby was born - then they were fair game). This set a precedent for "24" - Jack Bauer was the traditional plot armored- hero able to fight his way out of any life-or-death situation but only to see those around him cut down by the brutal world he inhabited. The series never hesitatedt kill Bauer's friends and allies, sometimes to its own detriment. Plot armor isn't bad when it's deployed well. As "24" cut down most of its main cast, it found fewer and fewer people for Jack to connect to. Why grow attached to characters if they're just going to be killed right away? "24" had to introduce new characters routinely near the series initial end and it suffered for it. Thankfully, the series learned the benefits of plot armor before it got to Chloe O'Brian, one of Jack's few surviving friends. Plot armor is a useful trope for series where death is common, but when used too much, can turn a cast into superheroes instead of actual human characters. ByMARAMACLEAN For theDaily While I am generally attracted to Miu Miu pumps or Zara leopard booties, one unassuming shoe does grab my attention when it pops up around campus. The Chukka boot, made from calfskin or suede, with crepe rubber soles, shines like a beacon of hope among a sea of Timbos and decrepit Vans. The boot is so stylish, yet simple, that I am truly confused as to why every college student doesn't own a pair. Jack Kerouac immortalized the look of layers of plaid, jean jacket, cuffed 501s and suede Chukkas in his novel "On the Road." Kerouac and his fellow Beats imparted an effortlessly cool look that does, in fact, stand the test of time. Students are constantly throwing chambray over denim or sporting wayfarers with a beanie saggingbehind. If these famous looks endure, why can't the Chukka boot? The boots fulfill many campus needs with rubber soles that have just enough traction so you won't wipe out on an icy sidewalk. The comfort level is somewhere between Adidas sneakers and Ugg boots. And the best part, unlike Vans or Converse, they. some WI they to a Timb and a the into I sh man the p I-res in ri away tryin who Fr t toy s1 actually look better with and women. The taupe or wear and tear. . oakwood suede make for hile many guys think a fine-looking shoe that have found the answer pairs nicely with the small fantastic look with speckling of salt stains at os paired with jeans the toe that comes with the Patagonia, I would urge winter months. male populous to look For those who have been on a pair of Chukka boots. top of the Chukka boot trend amelessly give every and are looking to expand sporting Chukka boots upon their collection, I would proper check out in an suggest the felt option from pect-you manner. They, John Varvatos. According to eturn, usually shuffle the Wall Street Journal, this , scared, but t'm just boot falls in line with the felt g to appreciate those trend for fall/winter. are aware of fashion. My personal favorite is an unbelievably dope pair from Golden Goose., They have a chic star patch on them, so om Kerouac of course, they are definitely worth the additional 400 o Kanye to bucks. Finally, the Chukka boot, day's Diag, a in all its versatility, has " gloriously tapped into the tylish shoe. Chelsea boot trend. Rail has generously made a beautiful Chelsea chukka that allows one to emulate Kanye. if my approval was not The boot is as stylish as gh, the boots come in it was in the '60s. Whether different price ranges, you associate with the uit any financial or Kerouac or Kanye look, it can etic need. satisfy a serious closet and r the classic Chukka practical need. For optimal or one that closely presentation, I would suggest nbles something dark denim, simple sweater, uac would wear, Clarks and suede Chukka boots. ert Boot" comes in a Then, you are guaranteed my ty of leathers for men utmost respect. As enoun many to s aesth Fot boot, resem Kerot "Desi varie I A q 10 6