Themes
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
— Sun Tzu · The Art of War
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The contrast makes preparation more important than the order in which blows are exchanged. The successful strategist creates the conditions for winning before committing to battle; the unsuccessful one starts fighting and hopes to discover an advantage afterward. Victory is treated as something to arrange, not merely pursue.
Context reviewed