33. Art of the mc chapter

We have worked our way through the first three chapters of Apocalypse World 2e and are about to embark on a close reading of the fourth chapter: “The Master of Ceremonies” (79-94).

This may seem silly to post about, but I want to take a moment to say how much I love the image selected for the Master of Ceremonies chapter. It’s the same image used in the first edition: the person with the wind-blown hair and sunken eyes who is clasping their hands over their nose and mouth. The expression might be one of shock or horror or simply disbelief. This person seems to me to stand in for the players, the MC, and the reader all in one.

The most controversial paragraph in the entire book is on the next page (you know the one, the “I’m not fucking around” paragraph), and this graphic tells us that the authors are well aware of the explosive nature of the contents just ahead.

The graphic is emblematic of the players who have rolled a miss or given the MC an “opportunity on a golden plate” and are about to be challenged with a move as hard as the MC likes.

The person is the future MC about to be restricted to 14 moves, guided by 11 principles, and bound by 3 agenda items. The future MC is going to see in those restrictions and limitations endless possibilities of drama and fun. The future MC is about to be entrusted with elements of the game upon which “the whole rest of the game is built.”

Every other chapter gets an image of badass people in badass poses doing badass things. But here we have this horrified/shocked/unbelieving character with no weapon and no defense. It’s striking and it prepares the reader for something . . . unusual. The very image sets us up for something big and strange. It’s a fantastic introduction to the AW MC.

(OK, the “Threats” chapter is another unexpected graphic—and I think that one’s a brilliant choice as well.)