Hello and welcome back to my blog! To start, I'll explain a bit of the plot of this book, as it can get a little confusing. Scumbag System, also known as The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, is about a fan of novel who is transmigrated into the body of the villain/mentor of this book. The plot centers on this character, Shen Qingqiu, as he tries to change the outcome of the book, so that he doesn't end up with the terrible fate of the original Shen Qingqiu. However Shen Qingqiu is controlled by something called 'the system' which forces him to follow the events of the original plot of the novel. The book is a satire on badly written fantasy novels and pokes fun at the common tropes and plot holes of the genre.
Now let's meet the mentor of this novel!
The mentor is an important role in every story, and has become an archetype in itself. The role of the mentor is to guide and/or motivate the protagonist. Mentors often teach the protagonist valuable lessons about life, and help give the protagonist the strength they need to complete their end goal.
However, in the novel I'm currently reading, it is a bit different. The story centres on the mentor of the novel's 'protagonist', Shen Qingqiu, as he tries to avoid his eventual death at the hands of the protagonist. In this book the role of the mentor is satirized, as the author makes fun of the disposable nature of this role, and how the mentors always seem to die at the hands of the protagonist. We see this in the following passage:
"Especially Luo Binghe's [Protagonist] master, that Shen Qingqiu, basically an idiot among idiots, scum among scum! His only purpose was to dig his own grave, and when he didn't manage to finish, get killed by the protagonist!" (Tong Xiu, Scum Villain's Self Saving System, Ch.1)
Like all mentors, Shen Qingqiu has the same key characteristics: kindness, bravery, and a willingness to self-sacrifice. To progress the plot of the novel, Shen Qingqiu must throw Luo Binghe, the protagonist, into an abyss, in order for Luo Binghe's character arc to complete. However leading up to this Shen Qingqiu does show kindness to Luo Binghe, often saving him from being harmed. We can see that Shen Qingqiu does care for Luo Binghe in this quote-
"'Silly child.” He smiled weakly: “……The original purpose was for you not to get hurt. If I hit back and hurt you, would there be any meaning?'" (Ch. 17)
Along with helping Luo Binghe achieve his true potential, Shen Qingqiu also teaches him kindness. I believe that is just as important.
Before meeting Shen Qinqiu, Luo Binghe is hated and outcast by his peers. He has no friends and is forced to sleep in a wood shed instead of the boarding rooms that others his age stay in. He is made to do all of the chores, and his belongings are stolen. However, with the help of Shen Qingqiu, he learns to value himself a little more, and that what doesn't kill him makes him stronger. Shen Qingqiu showed Luo Binghe kindness when no one else would, and that is the greatest gift you can give someone.
Ultimately Shen Qingqiu significantly impacts Luo Binghe and his journey, from initiating Luo Binghe's ascension to power, to throwing Luo Binghe into the abyss so that he can find his true potential, and finally sacrificing his own life to save Luo Binghe. It is clear that Shen Qingqiu has had a significant impact on the protagonist's journey.
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