Lightning he/him Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 We've seen some strange limitations when epic powers come in contact with organic life. Steelheart's "steelization" power doesn't work on living things, but does work on recently dead bodies. Prof's tensors don't on organic life as well. But we also have some weird examples of epic powers interacting with life, such as Dawnslight's power to make fortune cookie trees. Does anyone have any thoughts/theories about this? I have to say I'm a little stumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 This all depends on whether Instabam can create live potatoes or only dead potatoes. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vineyarddawg Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 This all depends on whether Instabam can create live potatoes or only dead potatoes. Uh... did you just suggest the possible existence of Awakened mashed potatoes? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Uh... did you just suggest the possible existence of Awakened mashed potatoes? No, I implied the likely existence of Awakened mashed potatoes, 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Awakeners tell of one of their number, capable of Awakening massive quantities of mashed potatoes. When encouraged, asked, or even ordered to Awaken something more useful, like coat hangers or a piece of string, the one called "Instabam" would immediately attack the one making the request with wave upon wave of Awakened potatoes. His whereabouts are unknown. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgedancer he/him Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 The Doylist answer would probably be that not having these limitation would make the Epics even more broken than they already are (and in the case of Steelheart completely extincted Newcago, so the book couldn't even happen). A Watsonian answer we don't really have yet, maybe Calamity doesn't want the show to be over early. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smidge Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 The Doylist answer would probably be that not having these limitation would make the Epics even more broken than they already are (and in the case of Steelheart completely extincted Newcago, so the book couldn't even happen). Yep, from what I've read of the genre this sort of limitation is pretty common. Without these limitations simple powers can become overpowered and broken, eg. Steelheart could instantly kill anyone by turning them to steel, Regalia could use the water inside people's bodies to tear them apart from within. A large number of powers become instantly lethal without this sort of limitation, so the options are: - a bunch of cool powers aren't included in the story because of what they could do when used effectively. (the lame powers approach) - they are included and it isn't explained why no one ever uses them to insta-'splode people (the stupid plot hole approach). - some handwaving is done where powers can't be used this way. This is what we got. We may get some story explanation later eg. whatever Calamity's motives are in gifting powers means it doesn't want that sort of thing to happen so doesn't let it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgedancer he/him Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Another point to add is that Epics like Deathpoint prove that organic life isn't generally immune to Epic powers and it is a limitation to the specific Epics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 I'm so glad that Regalia wasn't a bloodbender... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natc Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I'm so glad that Regalia wasn't a bloodbender... My first thought. Bloodbenders are OP. Especially the psychic ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
name_here Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Maybe it's that a given power either doesn't work on organics or only works on organics. Granted, Dawnslight did also cause spraypaint to glow and radios to work, but that could be a separate thematically linked power Actually, we don't have any evidence that Dawnslight can manipulate natural organics. He certainly didn't demonstrate any capacity to control humans. Maybe he can only control things he's created. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AhMayzon Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 It seems to me that there's a distinction in the type of organic matter: it seems like some of the Epics' powers don't work on animal life, but they do work on plants. Notice the park in Steelheart where David comments that the grass was turned to steel and is sharp (I guess it could have all been dead before, but maybe not). And then we have Dawnslight who makes weird plants grow. But then there's still Deathpoint, so it must be Epic-specific. (Maybe he was opposite?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhoof Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 It seems to me that there's a distinction in the type of organic matter: it seems like some of the Epics' powers don't work on animal life, but they do work on plants. Notice the park in Steelheart where David comments that the grass was turned to steel and is sharp (I guess it could have all been dead before, but maybe not). And then we have Dawnslight who makes weird plants grow. But then there's still Deathpoint, so it must be Epic-specific. (Maybe he was opposite?) Actually, you are mistaken- i just read a very specific section where David said that steelheart's transfersion only affected dead plants, such as fallen branches and sticks. However, it still made playgrounds unusable because all the dead weeds around were transformed and bits snapped off, making then sharp. Grass and living plants should be fine, but the dirt under them would have been transformed, killing them anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning he/him Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Are we sure that Deathpoint's power actually interacts with humans? Meaning, if my power is that I throw lightning bolts, is it really my power that kills you, or the lightning bolt that was created by my power? So it could be that Deathpoint is actually creating something that then kills the person. That said, it seems that there are still epic powers that interact with organics/people, like shadow spikes, or hair-color change, or most importantly gifted epic powers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhoof Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hmm that is an interesting point- we simply cannot know, as whatever he created must have been invisible. I think, given the way his power works, that he just kills people from a distance. It isn't like that would be very weird- consider other Epic's whose powers directly affect certain things- like Conflux. He can't shoot electricity, just use it to charge things that need power. So if Conflux has "no power", per say, without electrical items, then why couldn't Deathpoint have no power without people? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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