Thursday 7 May 2020

The Man

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
-copied from here.

As I understand it, a "son of man" is just a man whereas "one like a son of man," coming on heavenly clouds, means a supernatural humanoid being, thus not a man. 

Bertram Davis has this Messianic status at the end of Poul Anderson's Virgin Planet:

"'Welcome,' said a voice. 'Welcome, Man.'" 
- CHAPTER XIX, p. 147.

However, in contravention of fictive conventions, it is Davis' women friends that save him - and save the day - at the end, not vice versa. Perhaps the Messiah acts through his followers.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

It was part of the humor of VIRGIN PLANET that Anderson had the hapless Davis Bertram constantly being shown as totally unheroic, mever mind Messianic!

Ad astra! Sean