A couple of chapters ago we were again reminded that Shin’s unyielding strength stems from all those who have come and gone in his life. We’ve seen this before and I’m not surprised, but I was surprised to see three of the eight characters encourage Shin against someone who like them is fighting for an ideal which to me doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. These are the same people that challenged Shin’s moral point of view and engaged in a fight to the death. I hate to be the bearer of bad news and while some of you like me are happy to see Hou Ken gone for good I’m afraid we might see him again and whole, an apparition, of course. Except, this time he won’t be standing against Shin, he’ll be hovering next to him as all have done before him not necessarily as an ally but as a proponent who’s come to realize after death that he had it all wrong. But, I keep asking myself, are these characters really coming back from the grave to inspire Shin, or is he delirious? Maybe its Shin’s mind coping with the situation unaware of course nevertheless pushing the limits of his current condition in order to gain an advantage against a foe, the same way some cope with traumatic events. For example, people who in life-and-death situations gain superhuman strength and do the impossible. Some have been recorded to lift a car while others defy death itself. My point is, that there’s a common trend of human feats throughout history and Shin is one of many examples.
