One way of watering down the effects of violence is to approach it in a more lighthearted way. I don't mean to say that you laugh when somebody has their arm sawn off, but you can diffuse fear with humour.
“I like emotions, but I really don't like sentimentality, and I don't like when things break their spell.”
“Arguably, Blackburn have got the best forward line in the Premiership. There's no denying that.”