Elderly martial arts master
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The elderly martial arts master is a mentor/teacher stock character in fiction, especially Wuxia, Chanbara, and other martial arts films. Typically East Asian, he is a near-invincible master of the martial arts, despite being advanced in age and presumed decrease in physical strength. Often they possess the rank of Sensei (or teacher) and are referred to as such by their student. Most often teaches either generic Kung Fu, or an exotic style specific to the fictional period (see List of fictional martial arts). During the films, the master often becomes close with their student, with the master becoming a guardian figure to the trainee, who is, in turn, looked upon as a son or daughter. Usually, when the master is captured or killed, or an iconic portrait of the deceased master has been desecrated by some villains, the hero will take it upon themselves to rescue or avenge their master.
See also
- Wise old man
- Stock characters
- Stereotypes of East Asians in the United States
- Bruceploitation
- Cinema of China
- Wuxia film
- Cliché
