Tell Me Why, My Brother

Brother, my brother
Tell me, what are we fighting for?
We've got to end this war
We should love one another
Oh, can't we just pretend
This war never began
We can try,
Brother, my brother
-- "Brother My Brother", Blessid Union of Souls

Among the three problems I discussed in yesterday's post, the last of them is probably the most harrowing. It brings to mind the conflict from the very first Pokémon feature film or movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back, which in recent times has been remade (with the tag of "Evolution") as well as released on streaming media. In the original English dub of the movie, there was a song that was played near the middle of the main conflict, seemingly placed in an attempt to "quell" the conflict. That would be the song I've quoted above.

This song has a very simple structure. The chorus actually plays first, for which the first chorus is as quoted above. There is a second chorus that plays after each of the two verses that play after the first chorus, as well as an outro. In the movie, however, owing to scene considerations, only the first chorus, first verse, and second chorus are played. The rest of the song can be listened to on the ("alternative") soundtrack that accompanied the movie's English release.

The message of the song is one of peace. It asks two parties that are at odds with each other to put an end to the conflict between them, as it does nothing for either party, even if either one prevails; it only leads to chaos between the two. The song also asks the parties to settle differences and embrace each other in order to focus on the more important things in life that aren't the conflict. There is the hope that the resolution of the conflict will allow the two parties to harmonize.

That last problem I previously discussed has a conflict between the "misled" and "straight" parties, and this almost smacks of the original-versus-clone conflict in the movie. Even so, that conflict seems to run deeper than the one in the movie, more than I can say in a couple of posts. It will surely take time for this conflict to be resolved, and that may be at best. The resolution may also not necessarily take the same form as the movie, but peace is certainly expected.

No one wishes for problems to occur, let alone with conflict seemingly as major as that of the movie. And yet, based on my experiences, it has actually happened. That makes it all the more appropriate to bring up this song, which ties together the two matters. Now if only the two parties of the conflict by the problem can settle it and make peace like brothers among men (or in general, siblings among mankind).

One year ago: (Make Way for a) Local EX Raid, 3/6/2019
Two years ago: Bipeds and Quadrupeds
Three years ago: Ride the Pokémon