Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:17 pm
Ranking the Opening Ceremonies for the Summer Games
Reporting for V3 News Services, Rin Slakori
We at V3 News decided to do something a bit different. In an effort to shift gears as well as lend an ear to the historical context of these games, we've revisited the Opening Ceremonies from years' past and ranked them according to our standards. Our metrics are simple - were they entertaining? Did they teach us about said nation's / city's past? Were they inspiring and had an underlying message of peace and unity? And, finally, were they groundbreaking in any aspect? After ranking, each editor added their own take on the Opening Ceremony, along with a featured highlight and lowlight. Where will the Opening Ceremony of Republica in Free Republics Rank? Time will tell!
8 Game VI - Lasft, Cafundeu
Highlight: An 80-year-old singer who was not a washed-up crooner, but could still belt out rock tunes (even if we didn't get the lyrics)!
Lowlight: No lights for 20 minutes? What a dark prospect!
Cafundeau, a nation that had previously hosted the Winter Olympics, made some questionable calls here. Sure, there was excitement, motorcycles, and dancers from not just their nation, but from other, unknown parts of the 'verse, but the whole ceremony seemed... detached like there really wasn't a theme. Was it impressive? Certainly. Did we not fall asleep when their comedian was cracking jokes? Well, we tried. All in all, this Olympic Ceremony truly had just a little bit of everything peppered in between.
7 Game VIII - Orean, Liventia
Highlight: The replica of Orean rising up from the ground, centered about Grovers Park!
Lowlight: The small confines of the historical park. Worked for us, but some did find it difficult!
Liventia by this time was a seasoned veteran when it came to hosting Olympic venues, so it was no surprise that the city of Orean took a more conservative approach here, initially beginning with some clips from the previous hosting sites and ending with a detailed representation of the city at large. However, what typically goes unnoticed here is that these games were rumored to have been made possible by one man - Organising Committee Chairman (and retired Vice-Admiral to the Navy) Royston French, who was said to have worked as long as 19 hours a day to ensure the most meticulous detail would not go unnoticed. And, in this case, the bevy of work certainly showed.
6 Game XI - Aeropag
Highlight: That lighting of the torch! Precise, and at the same time, safe!
Lowlight: Well, the theme, for a Vekaiyun, of course!
The Opening Ceremony in Aeropag was what one would expect by now in these eleventh games, with the typical pomp and circumstance surrounding the origins of the region and how it came to be. It was initially feared that the same-day suspension of the Republican Olympic Committee would cast a shadow over the ceremony, but it seemed mitigated by an artistic performance. Still, that's not to say it was free of controversy. This was the ceremony that seemed to produce a rather confusing message, one that every Vekaiyun seemed to have an opinion on by the next day - human nature. If not for that theme stressed, and merely showcasing the feats of the denizens of Aeropag, it would have likely been looked upon fondly, especially considering this ceremony featured the best lighting of the torch we've yet to see - a sort of golden canon shooting fire at a torch which was designed to be the actual tower. That's an accomplishment... and because of that, we can't really score this all that much lower.
5 Game V - Outineau, Kelssek
Highlight: Holographic whales and owls done up by fair lights. Simply breathtaking!
Lowlight: 15 minutes of fireworks?! Please be kind to the vulpine ears!
As this was the first Summer Olympiad Vekaiyu participated in, it wouldn't really be fair for us to rank the previous four games, now would it? That being said, it was a sharp divorce from the current political climate of Kelssek during those days, and such an avoidance to interior issues was a welcomed aspect we generally don't see in Opening Ceremonies. While the ceremonies were indeed spoken in French, helpful translators were able to translate from French to Codexian, and then from Codexian to Unonian. It was a night of pride for Vekaiyu, their first ever entry into the games, and one that would usher in a tradition of non-human nations becoming a regular occurrence in international athletic competition.
4 Game VII - Emberton, Krytenia
Highlight: Quite possibly the loudest-ever reception for the home team recorded!
Lowlight: The message from His Majesty King Tristan. Was his mic on?
One word seemed to resonate with the Olympic Ceremony in Emberton - inclusion. After introducing the Olympic Estoile utilizing inspired and curious children to carry and extend the six-colored logo, and following a thoughtful and wonderous "dance" performed by likenesses of a dragon and a lion, was a grand delegation of Krytenians from all walks of life - but not just in occupation. Indeed, ursines and vulpines from delegations who had since found their home within the balmy shores of Krytenia were represented here, thoughtfully, and among humans as a sort of nod to the different intelligent species that were competing in these games. The "tour of the torch", as it came to be known, was a fascinating journey that followed gold-medal performances from an array of Krytenian athletes.
3 Game IX- Kytler Bay / Zube, The Kytler Penninsulae
Highlight: Hands-down the "Dawn of a Nation" board game moment. It was unique, quirky, and decidedly quiet.
Lowlight: A sixty-second countdown to start? What were they thinking?
Despite the undertones of the scars of colonization, along with the slaughter of native people for the want of uranium, the Opening Ceremonies hosted by The Kytler Peninsulae was certainly memorable if not full of variety. This marked the first time two cities in the same nation co-hosted an event. Generally speaking, the theme of this Olympic Ceremony seemed to be a jaunt through the history of the nation, beginning with a nautical James Kytler and his first steps onto the sandy shores, and ending with the formation of the conglomerate nation in a most historical barn. Was it free of controversy? Well, no. But it at least appeared to show its many facets in an honest light.
2 Game X- Centralis, Electrum & Nassau Bay, New Gelderland
Highlight: We... actually really liked the didgeridoo. For some reason. Also, the sweet, staccato tones of Kalosianë Amurë was definitely a hit among our editors.
Lowlight: That darn beady-eyed troll that was used to show the formation of Bittern Bay! Or when the audience had to sing O Electrum!" (we didn't know the words).
In the spacious confines of the decidedly blue Centralis Stadium was host to one of the more riveting Opening Day Ceremonies, complete with nearly-drowned but still-defiant plucky pilgrims meeting up with friendly natives, the two sides representing the origins of what would become a 27-group strong of unique ethnicities. Albert Burns' speech on accepting the natives from Eura was certainly inspiring to those who had never heard the story before (that would be us). We were then spirited away and treated to several musical entries of different styles and flairs (and much different than the music used among the first segments). Even though the dancing and the "gyrations" were perplexing, we were later told this was a means by which humans declare intimacy. Just kidding, we vulpines dance as well, though perhaps with much less provocation. After the speeches (oh dear the speeches) and the lighting of the two cauldrons, the games for the first Olympiad held in two different nations had begun!
1 Game XII - Novonaya, Kelssek & Provinsk, Vekaiyu
Highlight: The Vekaiyun flag as it waved high in the night sky, marking the first-ever human-minority nation ever to co-host an Olympiad
Lowlight: Replacing the Olympic Estoile with the Vekaiyun Star was... probably not the best decision to make.
In these games, two nations co-hosted the event, with Vekaiyu performing the opening ceremony while Kelssek held the closing ceremony. What can we say about this Opening Ceremony? It had some early history peppered in with the formation of the state after the initial occupation. It showcased a wealth of different indigenous animals that lived in the nation and showcased the people's prowess for aquatic activities. Speaking of aquatic activities, the lighting of the torch was certainly a memorable one as retired Olympic swimmers spanned the distance of the makeshift pool as the fire remained alight well below water. There was industry. There were costumes, both of the past, the present, and of mermaids. There was kikale. There was a heartfelt rendition of "Eternal Vekaiyu". And there was a lot of nationalistic pride in seeing our people co-host these games!
((OOC: Anyone who thought a team of editors from Vekaiyu would not rank their nation's OC first is only kidding themselves. That being said, they're all good and it's been really fun re-reading these again because everyone's own writing style really comes out. I highly recommend everyone to take a look at them. Also sorry for not including prior OC's or the winter ones in this little list. Vekaiyuns can overlook things, after all))