Random Stuff

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

This isn't really a joke, more of a pondering.

On the show Once Upon a Time, stealing someone's heart allows the thief to control that person. This has been used to devastating effect multiple times, as several villains have stolen hearts and used the victims as their personal puppets, giving them the element of surprise when they send their puppet to attack their own loved ones.

This raises some questions.

1. Is every victim of this particular brand of theft aware they are no longer in possession of their most vital organ, or are the vast majority unaware?

2. Does awareness influence the limits of what the villain can force you to do, or is this unlimited?

3. Are characters with no hearts capable of warning their loved ones?

And now for the more interesting legal questions.

1. Is "I had my heart stolen" a valid legal defense in that world?

2. Say a victim of heart theft is capable of warning their loved ones. Would they be held partially responsible for the atrocities they committed if they failed to warn others?

3. What is the punishment for heart theft? Is it a capital offense or more of a felony?

4. Is there some sort of spell to determine whether a heart really was tampered with? If not, do murderers claim heart theft in an a attempt to escape punishment?

5. There is a character who collected hundreds of human hearts. Would she be seen as a serial killer (because she collected hearts) or a warlord (for raising an army of obedient slaves)?

Edited December 17, 2014 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[Kobold King]

This isn't really a joke, more of a pondering.

On the show Once Upon a Time, stealing someone's heart allows the thief to control that person. This has been used to devastating effect multiple times, as several villains have stolen hearts and used the victims as their personal puppets, giving them the element of surprise when they send their puppet to attack their own loved ones.

This raises some questions.

1. Is every victim of this particular brand of theft aware they are no longer in possession of their most vital organ, or are the vast majority unaware?

2. Does awareness influence the limits of what the villain can force you to do, or is this unlimited?

3. Are characters with no hearts capable of warning their loved ones?

And now for the more interesting legal questions.

1. Is "I had my heart stolen" a valid legal defense in that world?

2. Say a victim of heart theft is capable of warning their loved ones. Would they be held partially responsible for the atrocities they committed if they failed to warn others?

3. What is the punishment for heart theft? Is it a capital offense or more of a felony?

4. Is there some sort of spell to determine whether a heart really was tampered with? If not, do murderers claim heart theft in an a attempt to escape punishment?

5. There is a character who collected hundreds of human hearts. Would she be seen as a serial killer (because she collected hearts) or a warlord (for raising an army of obedient slaves)?

 

Very interesting questions, those.

 

Frankly, I don't think cardiomancy is a common enough offense for the Enchanted Forest's culture to have quite wrapped around it yet. The impression I got from the show is that only the most powerful of sorcerers are capable of performing the spell. Only three characters over a span of several centuries were shown taking hearts, and two of the three learned the spell from their older and more knowledgeable mentor. The fact that nobody else on the show seems to be familiar with the magic before it's used against them leads me to believe it was a fairly esoteric piece of dark magic.

 

Now, it's harder to answer your questions about what the victim's awareness. Not because of a lack of knowledge on the subject--quite the opposite, in fact. A victim of the spell is shown in quite a bit of detail on the spin-off show, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

 

Without getting into spoiler territory, here's a general idea of how the spell works: when a man's heart was taken, the cardiomancer was capable of issuing commands to him. Those commands could be quite detailed, such as "Hop on one foot," or they could be more abstract, such as "Kill So-and-so." When given a more abstract command, the victim experienced a compulsive urge to carry out the command in any way he could, though at times he expressed compassion and regret to his target.

 

So a victim of cardiomancy could most likely warn his loved ones, unless he was very specifically ordered not to do so.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

Very interesting questions, those.

Frankly, I don't think cardiomancy is a common enough offense for the Enchanted Forest's culture to have quite wrapped around it yet. The impression I got from the show is that only the most powerful of sorcerers are capable of performing the spell. Only three characters over a span of several centuries were shown taking hearts, and two of the three learned the spell from their older and more knowledgeable mentor. The fact that nobody else on the show seems to be familiar with the magic before it's used against them leads me to believe it was a fairly esoteric piece of dark magic.

Now, it's harder to answer your questions about what the victim's awareness. Not because of a lack of knowledge on the subject--quite the opposite, in fact. A victim of the spell is shown in quite a bit of detail on the spin-off show, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

Without getting into spoiler territory, here's a general idea of how the spell works: when a man's heart was taken, the cardiomancer was capable of issuing commands to him. Those commands could be quite detailed, such as "Hop on one foot," or they could be more abstract, such as "Kill So-and-so." When given a more abstract command, the victim experienced a compulsive urge to carry out the command in any way he could, though at times he expressed compassion and regret to his target.

So a victim of cardiomancy could most likely warn his loved ones, unless he was very specifically ordered not to do so.

I think what prompted those ponderings was the frequency with which it's utilized by the show's villains. All of the three cardiomancers use it, and they seem to use it with impunity. (Two of them have collections of hundreds of human hearts, each in it's own individual drawer! That is a lot of hearts. A lot of victims.) While as you point out only three seem to know how to use it, a few others seem aware of the effects a stolen heart can cause, although they themselves are incapable of using the spell.

Another thing that prompted the questions was the way a certain victim was portrayed on the parent show. He was fully aware of the spell, having been awake (and in pain) the moment his heart was taken. The villain the explained, in detail, what he was going to do and why, since he had no choice. He apologized to several of his victims, but never once warned them. Did the spell leave him incapable of warning others, or did he simply not warn them because reasons?

And another thing: Now that the Enchanted Forest is more or less permanently in a modern American setting, with good and just people in law enforcement who are aware of cardiomancy, why have they not at least attempted to address it as a crime? Yes, the mayor knows the spell and has used it in the past, but given recent developments it seems she would be receptive to placing some limits on that form of dark magic.

Finally, why bother with cardiomancy at all when the Spell of Shattered Sight will make a victim go just as berserk on his or her target?

[Kobold King]

I think what prompted those ponderings was the frequency with which it's utilized by the show's villains. All of the three cardiomancers use it, and they seem to use it with impunity. (Two of them have collections of hundreds of human hearts, each in it's own individual drawer! That is a lot of hearts. A lot of victims.) While as you point out only three seem to know how to use it, a few others seem aware of the effects a stolen heart can cause, although they themselves are incapable of using the spell.

Another thing that prompted the questions was the way a certain victim was portrayed on the parent show. He was fully aware of the spell, having been awake (and in pain) the moment his heart was taken. The villain the explained, in detail, what he was going to do and why, since he had no choice. He apologized to several of his victims, but never once warned them. Did the spell leave him incapable of warning others, or did he simply not warn them because reasons?

And another thing: Now that the Enchanted Forest is more or less permanently in a modern American setting, with good and just people in law enforcement who are aware of cardiomancy, why have they not at least attempted to address it as a crime? Yes, the mayor knows the spell and has used it in the past, but given recent developments it seems she would be receptive to placing some limits on that form of dark magic.

Finally, why bother with cardiomancy at all when the Spell of Shattered Sight will make a victim go just as berserk on his or her target?

 

I'm going to go with "he didn't warn them because reasons." Said victim displayed a very large degree of autonomy in every other degree, and the cardiomancer was never shown ordering him not to warn anyone. (Though it's possible I'm merely forgetting something.) Much as I love the show and it's setting, I'm afraid this particular detail can be chocked up to a writer's plot hole rather than an intrinsic law of the magic.   (Though there's also an argument to be made that warning a victim would run directly contrary to the order, and would thus be prohibited. Personally I doubt it, but it's merely my opinion and can be freely disputed.)

 

I think if there were more cases of cardiomancy in Storybrooke, then the law enforcement would definitely be compelled to craft solid rules for its usage. As things stand, however, only two people in the whole town are capable of it, and when they do practice it, it's usually in the pursuit of much larger crimes that take judicial precedence over the abuse of dark magic. There have been no grey cases; cardiomancy is either left unused, or it is used for a crime. Policy would require either a judge's precedent or a new piece of legislation, and the lack of morally or legally grey scenarios has left both unnecessary.

 

As for the Spell of Shattered Sight... well frankly, the Spell of Shattered Sight is a very poor choice of offensive magic. Its effects are simply too unpredictable; victims of the curse have reacted in a plethora of unique and varied ways. Some victims reacted by flying into a violent frenzy in which they attempted to murder anyone within their vicinity; others merely began saying hurtful things to each other. For its intended purpose of depopulating cities, the Spell is extremely inefficient. It could just as easily result in a tyrannical despot seizing control over his fellows as it could in initiating genocide. Cardiomancy is far more precise, and thus, far more effective for a far greater range of nefarious uses.

[Delightful]

So, check out this awesome video. 

A guy gives a homeless man money, then follows him to see how he spends it. And he spends it on other homeless people, to give them food.      

[Kobold King]

Merry random Christmas!

 

Avengers spoiler, kind of.

​

Edited December 25, 2014 by Kobold King

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

Merry random Christmas!

 

Avengers spoiler, kind of.

​

 

 

On that note...

 

And if any of you happen to be Trekkies...

Edited December 25, 2014 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[mail-mi]

It's 360 days til Christmas and people already have their Christmas lights up.

Some people *head shake*

[Delightful]

It's 360 days til Christmas and people already have their Christmas lights up.

Some people *head shake*

Some people believe you can never be over prepared

[Kobold King]

I was approached by a military recruiter for the first time today. Unfortunately, becoming Brandon Sanderson's personal escort is "not what the National Guard does," so I had to decline the offer.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

I was approached by a military recruiter for the first time today. Unfortunately, becoming Brandon Sanderson's personal escort is "not what the National Guard does," so I had to decline the offer.

It's sad, how limited our military has become.

I've been contacted by recruiters a few times. Usually, they were all really nice, but the military just wasn't for me.

[Kobold King]

It's sad, how limited our military has become.

I've been contacted by recruiters a few times. Usually, they were all really nice, but the military just wasn't for me.

 

I know. If guarding Brandon Sanderson isn't defending America's resources, I don't know what is.

 

I live in small town Texas, so there are a lot of recruiters and military men in the area. You'll see them in Wal-Mart on weekends a lot; the one I spoke to walked up to me while I was waiting in line at Kroger.

 

And yeah, the military isn't for me either. Unless there's a branch devoted to Brandon Sanderson lore and protection services, in which case I'll sign up in a heartbeat.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

I know. If guarding Brandon Sanderson isn't defending America's resources, I don't know what is.

I live in small town Texas, so there are a lot of recruiters and military men in the area. You'll see them in Wal-Mart on weekends a lot; the one I spoke to walked up to me while I was waiting in line at Kroger.

And yeah, the military isn't for me either. Unless there's a branch devoted to Brandon Sanderson lore and protection services, in which case I'll sign up in a heartbeat.

Brandon Sanderson: America's most valuable natural resource.

They usually approached me while I was a junior and senior in high school. I had a few contact me while I was getting my BA, but now that I'm in grad school I don't really hear from them anymore. I actually seriously considered getting my AA degree and then going in as an officer, while I worked on my BA, but I wouldn't have done well there. I have a friend who joined the Navy, though, and he loves it.

[Delightful]

Is the army really such a big thing that they go recruiting in America? No one I know has been recruited to the Aussie army....actually I have no idea where our Aussie soldiers come from....except for, you know, Australia.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

Is the army really such a big thing that they go recruiting in America? No one I know has been recruited to the Aussie army....actually I have no idea where our Aussie soldiers come from....except for, you know, Australia.

The main reason they talk to high school juniors and seniors is because most branches will pay all or part of your college tuition if you commit to so many years (usually two of active duty) of service, with the added benefit of going in as an officer instead of starting at the bottom. But yeah, I guess it kind of is a big deal over here; there are commercials for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and the Marines (though I'm seeing fewer than I used to). I...never thought of it as unusual, really.

[Kobold King]

I write educational topics, three or four paragraphs apiece, for a homeschooling curriculum. Today I'm writing about ostriches, and came across these two pictures that both made me laugh out loud:

 

First, an ostrich chick:

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happens when a human being discovers that ostriches are strong enough to support human weight:

 

 

 

That is all.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

Aquaman is nobody's favorite superhero. And with good reason: His powers can only be useful in the most ridiculous of circumstances. Most of the time, you could replace him with a goldfish and no one would be any the wiser, least of all Batman, who unlike Aquaman, is not legendary for his lameness. If an Aquaman movie were made, I would be at home not watching it.

But man, is his "Rousing Song of Heroism" catchy or what?

[Blaze1616]

Aquaman is nobody's favorite superhero. And with good reason: His powers can only be useful in the most ridiculous of circumstances. Most of the time, you could replace him with a goldfish and no one would be any the wiser, least of all Batman, who unlike Aquaman, is not legendary for his lameness. If an Aquaman movie were made, I would be at home not watching it.

But man, is his "Rousing Song of Heroism" catchy or what?

 

...you need to read New 52 Aquaman Issue #1...

[Quiver]

Yeah, sorry Twily, but I'm with Blaze on this one. This guy is awesome.

 

Also, if you were watching an Aquaman movie from home... well, I wouldn't blame you, actually. I was excited about BvS at first, but more and more I get the feeling it's going to be the same dull, dark and gritty stuff we've seen before from Snyder. Still, you'd be missing Jasomn Mamoa as Aquaman.

 

Awesome.

(And yeah, fo anyone who doens't know, that is Mamoa's offical look for BvS, tweeted by Snyder. It looks awesome.)

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

Yeah, sorry Twily, but I'm with Blaze on this one. This guy is awesome.

 

Also, if you were watching an Aquaman movie from home... well, I wouldn't blame you, actually. I was excited about BvS at first, but more and more I get the feeling it's going to be the same dull, dark and gritty stuff we've seen before from Snyder. Still, you'd be missing Jasomn Mamoa as Aquaman.

 

Awesome.

(And yeah, fo anyone who doens't know, that is Mamoa's offical look for BvS, tweeted by Snyder. It looks awesome.)

 

o.O

 

O.o

 

O.O 

 

Hey, Aquaman? I take back what I said about you. Please don't kill me. 

 

Oddly enough, I'm not super excited for BvS. Man of Steel was a fun movie while I watched it, but during the second viewing, I realized it was just another DARK AND EDGY take on Superman that ends with Supes breaking the bad guy's neck. In front of children. Screaming children. Has Snyder ever actually read a Superman comic book? Because seriously. I want to mail him a copy of Kingdom Come with the note "THIS IS HOW YOU SUPERMAN. UR DOIN IT WRONG." 

[Left]

Him killing Zod really didn't bother me at first, but seems like we're heading down the Regime storyline instead of Home-timeline. Superman isn't going to have the character to not kill Doomsday or Lex as far as I can tell. Superman is supposed to be the White Knight, they're kind of scairing me by starting him off this way. (Note, I've not read any comic books but I watched the old justice league animated shows and stuff like that)

[Quiver]

o.O

O.o

O.O

Hey, Aquaman? I take back what I said about you. Please don't kill me.

Oddly enough, I'm not super excited for BvS. Man of Steel was a fun movie while I watched it, but during the second viewing, I realized it was just another DARK AND EDGY take on Superman that ends with Supes breaking the bad guy's neck. In front of children. Screaming children. Has Snyder ever actually read a Superman comic book? Because seriously. I want to mail him a copy of Kingdom Come with the note "THIS IS HOW YOU SUPERMAN. UR DOIN IT WRONG."

Funnily enough... I kind of liked the neck-snap. It was how the movie handled it afterwards that bothered me.

(The following lecture is one of many reasons why my pony OC is so going to be called Soap Box. I seem to lecture people a lot.).

Anyway. One of the key tenets of a lot of modern superheroes is that they don't kill; ever. They find another way, a different way, a better way. Part of that is because they need to keep characters available for future stories, of course- it's why the Punisher doesn't have a regular rogues gallery- but it's also because of mroality; because killing is bad.

I always find it sort of interesting how heroes react to it though. Batman has his rules; no killing, and no guns. He once admitted that he thinks about murdering the Joker all the time (see the Red Hood film/storyline), but he never does it because it would never stop at just one killing. He finds it too easy to cross that line, so he has rules, standards he holds himself to to make sure he never does.

Superman, on the other hand? Just doesn't kill. He doesn't have a rule telling him it's not what he does, it's just... something he doesn't do. He doesn't kill people, ever. Batman has a mental rule to remind himself of that, but Supes just has the whole thing internalised to the point that, if you told him superheroes don't kill people, his response would be "Well, duh."

Which is why I kind of like the killing of Zod. Murder is treated by readers, and cinema viewers, as a casual thing; at the end of the movie, whoever they are fighting gets blown up, or shot, or whatever, and the hero goes on with their lives. Man of Steel's ending had the potential to be awesome; Superman has no choice. Zod is going to kill the planet if he doesn't stop him... and, frankly, how can Superman stop him?

Zod is threatening families, so Superman kills him. He snaps his neck.

And it breaks him.

Zod is a horrible person, but killing anyone- even someone who, arguably, deserves it- is so wrong, so traumatic, that he breaks down. He cries, and screams. I kind of was hoping for everyone to start cheering him, while he has a breakdown about how terrible it is. He felt it- and it's obvious he didn't like it. It whos that killing is wrong.

The problem is that the moment is covered up by him going back to happy, quippy Superman with the government and grinning Clark Kent. I'm not saying h has to brood over it... but it was amoment that should define him. He must never kill again- and the ending kind of ruined the power of that for me.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Quiver

[Frosted Flakes]

I write educational topics, three or four paragraphs apiece, for a homeschooling curriculum. Today I'm writing about ostriches, and came across these two pictures that both made me laugh out loud:

First, an ostrich chick:

What happens when a human being discovers that ostriches are strong enough to support human weight:

That is all.

...Chocobo!

[Quiver]

 

 

 

That is all.

 

You have just validated my childhood.

 

Fetch me a lance.

[Left]

Hey I know that game, it was in "Ready Player One"!

 

Anyway, I have slept less than 8 hours combined in the past two nights. I go to bed around 9 ish and wake up at midnight and just try and fall back asleep until morning. I think my body is telling me that it's time to become batman.