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No, this topic's not about the Reckonerverse characters re-imagined in a kindergarten setting. (Though for the record, if we ever have that conversation I want to be a part of it.)  This topic is for discussing a new WoB about Epics, and attempting to decipher what it could possibly mean.

 

At the Reddit AMA, Brandon Sanderson was asked whether Epics could have children, and whether their children would in any way inherent their parents' Epicness. He responded like so:

 

Yes, Epics can have children. Epicness does not necessarily travel down the line, but it can. (I have to be vague here because of the next book.)

 

 

For a long time, I believed Epics were sterile. I believed this largely because of the info on Epic genetics we received in the first book, informing us Epic DNA is mutated from the normal human genome. I assumed that such mutants would be incapable of reproduction.

 

I was, in a word, wrong. Not only can they reproduce, but their children can in some cases inherit Epicness from their parents. But how exactly does that work as a mechanic? Do they inherit the same powers as their parents, or do they gain new abilities of their own? Do they inherit the same weaknesses? How many Epics have sired or given birth to offspring since Calamity first rose?

 

 

As a side note before I turn over the reins of conversation to you guys, I'd like to place my bet now that Night's Sorrow, long speculated to be in the final book, is a child, and possibly the spawn of two Epics. We'll see if I'm any closer to the truth now than I was about Epic sterility. :ph34r:

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Well if memory serves Epics have mutated mitochondrial DNA, which is only passed down maternally, so perhaps male Epics can have children but women can't? Or they both can but only the womens children are also Epics.

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The most ineresting thing about this news of children potentially inheriting the Epic gene is that they've yet to live. As many of us here seem to agree, an Epic must have suffered some form of trauma to then have a weakness when powers develop. Baby Epics seems to throw this out the window, as babies lack the memory capabilities to remember any form of trauma they might have during birth. Unless they don't develop powers until a later point, once a trauma has in fact been established.

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The most ineresting thing about this news of children potentially inheriting the Epic gene is that they've yet to live. As many of us here seem to agree, an Epic must have suffered some form of trauma to then have a weakness when powers develop. Baby Epics seems to throw this out the window, as babies lack the memory capabilities to remember any form of trauma they might have during birth. Unless they don't develop powers until a later point, once a trauma has in fact been established.

This is why I'm tentatively embracing the theory that only an Epic who has faced their fear can pass their Epicness along. Maybe it has something to do with the powers coming under their control? I know this isn't a complete theory, and it's probably hilariously wrong, but I'm considering it for now.

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Hard to track down all the people who knew you best when you don't even have object permanence yet.

"Peek a boo, I see you!"

"And now you shall perish! I shall destroy all you hold dear and raze the world around yo- WHERE DID HE GO!? WHAT DEVILRY IS THIS!?"

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"Peek a boo, I see you!"

"And now you shall perish! I shall destroy all you hold dear and raze the world around yo- WHERE DID HE GO!? WHAT DEVILRY IS THIS!?"

 

"Give me back my nose and I promise your end will be swift, knave."

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"Huh!? Where'd the quarter go... uh... oh it was in your ear the whole time!"
"This quarter-ear production is merely the most recent development of my INDISPUTABLE POWARRRRR!"

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I wonder, if an Epic has children does he given them a normal name like Revolution Sunburst Johnes Paul or an Epic name like Nighthound jr Babinator and would the child, should it be an Epic, pick its own new Epic name once it's old enough.

 

Concerning weaknesses and the like. It's possible that children inherit the epicness but only gain power and/or weaknesses and/or Rending once they had some kind of trauma.

 

For the record, even babyfication can't make Obliteration cute. :P

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I wonder, if an Epic has children does he given them a normal name like Revolution Sunburst Johnes Paul or an Epic name like Nighthound jr Babinator and would the child, should it be an Epic, pick its own new Epic name once it's old enough.

Concerning weaknesses and the like. It's possible that children inherit the epicness but only gain power and/or weaknesses and/or Rending once they had some kind of trauma.

For the record, even babyfication can't make Obliteration cute. :P

That would make sense--the powers manifest after a trauma, which would almost be guaranteed with an Epic parent. :unsure:

Would baby!Obliteration point to pictures in a Children's Bible instead of quoting verses? And would he teach himself to read the adult Bible because most picture Bibles don't depict anything from Revelation? :huh:

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That would make sense--the powers manifest after a trauma, which would almost be guaranteed with an Epic parent. :unsure:

Would baby!Obliteration point to pictures in a Children's Bible instead of quoting verses? And would he teach himself to read the adult Bible because most picture Bibles don't depict anything from Revelation? :huh:

(What no horror at the mention of Nighthound jr? :ph34r: )

 

"Child I will now proceed to torture you in a manner that is so convoluted that no one will be able to guess your weakness. But don't worry, I'm only doing it for your own good." :( Why did I think about it.

 

Baby!Obliteration wants a toy horse!

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(What no horror at the mention of Nighthound jr? :ph34r: )

"Child I will now proceed to torture you in a manner that is so convoluted that no one will be able to guess your weakness. But don't worry, I'm only doing it for your own good." :( Why did I think about it.

Baby!Obliteration wants a toy horse!

Some things are too horrifying for words. Nighthound Jr. is so horrifying that just mentioning him is traumatic. :ph34r:

And then Voidgaze blew up the Epic parent, took custody of the child, and took them out for waffles. :ph34r:

And a toy pirate sword?

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Some things are too horrifying for words. Nighthound Jr. is so horrifying that just mentioning him is traumatic. :ph34r:

And then Voidgaze blew up the Epic parent, took custody of the child, and took them out for waffles. :ph34r:

And a toy pirate sword?

Well, tecnically the exsistence of Nighthound jr is entirely possible. Let's just say all the conditions, as far as we know, have been meet.

 

My my, at this point she's going to start an orphanage. :P

 

No, only horses, fout of them to be exact, and it isn't a proper Epic toy until you mount them with flamethrowers. :P

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Oh noes. Bloody Mary is going to be a mother. :wacko:

Well, time line wise she already would be. The limited amount of time just means none of the characters that would have reason to bring it up had a chance to, hypotetically speaking, of course. :ph34r:

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No she's not. Well, she is, but Voidgaze's orphanage will save the child. :ph34r:

JUST LET ME HAVE MY HEADCANON, OKAY?

So what you are saying is that you want me to take a stab in the dark and write an epic baby, so Voidgaze can save it, right? :ph34r:

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Just that if you do write an Epic baby, Voidgaze automatically gets custody, whether or not it makes sense. :ph34r:

 

But for every adorableness there must be an equal but opposite horribleness. So Neverthere would suddenly give birth to a ferocious half-boy half-dinosaur offspring. :wacko:

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Just that if you do write an Epic baby, Voidgaze automatically gets custody, whether or not it makes sense. :ph34r:

Immeadiately at the moment of birth or at the earlyiest possible moment?

 

But for every adorableness there must be an equal but opposite horribleness. So Neverthere would suddenly give birth to a ferocious half-boy half-dinosaur offspring. :wacko:

Kobold, babies are one thing, dinosaur hybrids quite another. :unsure:

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Immeadiately at the moment of birth or at the earlyiest possible moment?

Kobold, babies are one thing, dinosaur hybrids quite another. :unsure:

Earliest possible is fine. If that means giving her a completely unnecessary power to sense when an Epic is going to have a child and teleport there, so be it. :P

I for one don't want to know if such a hybrid is even possible. :mellow:

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But for every adorableness there must be an equal but opposite horribleness. So Neverthere would suddenly give birth to a ferocious half-boy half-dinosaur offspring. :wacko:

Aww man, I was planning on revealing that in the next game day. Thanks for ruining the surprise.  <_<

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