What was the secret to AMBER's nigh-instant success? Most claim, the personalities of its original Competitors and Stakeholders.
AMBER took what so many people already loved about the Arena and amplified it - turned the spotlights up to maximum, and the drama up to the nth degree. On an instinctual level, they recognised Bastion's sheer, Fannish love of stories: the delight at seeing friendship, love, hatred and rivalry blossom in an incredibly human way in the Arena.
Each fight was narratively significant. Every twist in the tale was memorable.
There was Malbec, the flawed yet ultimately loveable hero. Born into a family of greats, and accustomed to living in their twin shadows, she clawed her way up to the top on her own merits, and was willing to do anything to stay there. Her determination captured Fans' hearts, but her dark, secretive past barred her from forming bonds of trust. Her story arc was a classic hero's journey, but the ride was anything other than smooth. Still, with the rideable sheep MonoChrome to aid her in her travels, it was certainly bearable.
Then, there was her rival and nemesis, Thistle, whose dark, sardonic antics dominated the stadium. Thistle was an interesting case: on the face of it, a plain-dealing villain whose thirst for power and fame acted as the twisted mirror to Malbec's own ambition. However, occasionally, flaws in the facade showed: Thistle's ill-concealed weakness for cute, fluffy things, and her genuine love for her husband (and frequent guest star) Crabgrass, to say nothing of her ironclad loyalty to her gigantic spiked Monster, Thorn, gave the impression of a vulnerable, complex individual.
Meanwhile, Malbec's friend and on-again, off-again Doubles Partner, Cyclops, was a beloved Fan favourite, whose commitment to Monster rights made them one of the most endearing figures in the stadium. A decent, all-round believer in fair play, they often kept Malbec on the straight and narrow - and backed her when she fell foul of Thistle's schemes. Their Monster-taming skills were second to none, as prominently displayed by their characteristic move of riding the lightning-fast Frost Wyrm into battle and charging. Meanwhile, they often headed the crowd-pleasing 'cutesy' fights at the beginning of each installment.
Finally, Blanket, a late addition to the original crew, introduced during a dramatic surprise revenge sequence against Malbec, commanded vast amounts of Fan attention. A seasoned Alpha Division Trainer, he brought with him a tremendous amount of support, and though bent on exacting comeuppance against Malbec for her betrayal, lacked the sly malevolence of Thistle, and came across rather as a justice-loving vigilante. Footsie, re-rebranded after its brief stint of Hard as Nails, delighted audiences with its socky breakdancing routines, and was a staple of AMBER's half-time shows.
Fic, art and fanwork of all varities was published on the topic of this ensemble. Nothing, it seemed, could rival AMBER's sense of narrative drive: when it came to creative, moving plotlines, it was second to none.
Others, however, attribute AMBER's success to the ample skills of its commentator, Decibel. With nothing more than their own raw charisma, Decibel could ensure that crowds flocked to AMBER; their Fanbase was large, unruly and utterly ride-or-die. It is down to Decibel, perhaps, that AMBER possessed that rare, electric energy that made it so striking. They had an uncanny eye for detail, and were able to effortlessly show AMBER's stars in their best, most theatrical light with a single, seemingly throwaway comment, or a well-timed witticism. Part of the draw of AMBER was not just seeing a story unfold, but being told that story - hearing, as well as seeing it in action.
Nonetheless, it was not solely their aesthetic sensibilities that kept them afloat. Without the economic acumen of Tatters of Tatters Trading Industries, AMBER would undoubtedly have sunk. Following a number of narrowly-averted marketing mishaps, Tatters seemed to take AMBER's ongoing financial stability into her own hands, implementing changes that encouraged, not just a steady Fanbase, but profits. AMBER's merchandising drive was masterminded by its sponsor - albeit in absentia, as Tatters soon left for the Wasteland after AMBER began to take off. Still, her budgets, long-term plans and regulations remained - just as well, considering what might have otherwise happened had AMBER fallen victim to the misguided efforts of the commercially illiterate Wreath, its co-founder.
Overall, then, AMBER was able to listen to the dictates of its heart and its head. With its efficient yet utterly transparent operations, it was something of a model business - and, to this day, is much-loved by the Fans of Bastion.
From The Fall of the Bastion Network, by Relic