Once upon a time, Joss Whedon launched a little blockbuster named Avengers and, in one of a billion interviews, spoke of how the faceless people in black masks holding automatic weapons and carelessly broken by superheroes were actually important, and shouldn’t be overlooked. Those little people have stories to tell. They can push the drama in new and exciting directions, if you let them. It’s potent writing advice and you can tell KJ Parker was thinking along the same lines, if not taking it to heart.