Most ridiculous character shield

Setzer · Post by **Setzer** » 2003-01-20 08:07pm

Which group in a sci-fi universe has the most unlikely chance for success, yet is obviously being favored by the author?

For example, the Draka's insane technological superiority with an economy based on slave labor, or the Mankind Reich of Abh's method for conquering planets (give it an ultimatum for surrender and burn it from orbit if they decline. Note that of this series, I only have the scripts to Crest of the Stars, so I may be wrong). Or the UFP. 'Nuff said.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-01-20 08:11pm

It's fantasy, but... Conan.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-01-20 08:11pm

Like Bean has said, Conan's inverse character shield is the most powerful and works so that Conan's chance of winning increases as the odds against him increase.

Of course, this only applies if you consider Conan part of sci-fi.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-01-20 08:11pm

Earth...Marvel/DC Universe.

Far too many times they face things that have either collapsed universe, galaxies...realities...etc.

And they WIN?!

Seriously too many times a batch of them face of godlike being #12417201 and said being loses because he has some hidden weakness to cheese or porn.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2003-01-20 08:18pm

The New Republic for Star Wars or Pamby Jedi Luke.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-01-20 08:33pm

owen deathstalker. you cannot kill the bastard while he's maze powered. he kills armies. survives disruptors by the dozen. can regenerate being crushed into a peice of paper. can time travel.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-01-20 08:36pm

Vladimir Taltos. He has fought gods, been a footsoldier, sent time in the land of the dead, assassinated powerful lords, evaded a massive and merciless criminial organization bent on ripping his soul from his body, etc. etc.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-01-20 08:36pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:owen deathstalker. you cannot kill the bastard while he's maze powered. he kills armies. survives disruptors by the dozen. can regenerate being crushed into a peice of paper. can time travel.

But is he hopelessly outmatched yet still wins? Or is he just uber-powerful and wins because he is just really really powerful?

jaeger115 · Post by **jaeger115** » 2003-01-20 08:38pm

John Anderton surviving the creation of his own car in Minority Report.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-20 08:38pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:owen deathstalker. you cannot kill the bastard while he's maze powered. he kills armies. survives disruptors by the dozen. can regenerate being crushed into a peice of paper. can time travel.

and yet gets killed by drug addicts...I think we have a new winner for "most inverse character shield"

Darth_Shinji · Post by **Darth_Shinji** » 2003-01-20 08:45pm

I love the series but Seaton from The Skylark series of books. The guy orginaly finds a metal to build an ftl spaceship. He then goes though the rest of the serios gaining and making technology that is in some ways supior to the Culture! In one human life time? In fairness he does have somewhat reasonable explanations... Usaully anceint races.... But even Smith rekonizes his character sheilds. "You are gods fair haired child Seaton."

beyond hope · Post by **beyond hope** » 2003-01-20 09:35pm

Nathan Brazil from the Well World novels. The man can't die because he's a technician for the giant supercomputer that maintains reality.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-01-20 09:38pm

Starblazers, for reasons posted in the last character shields thread, befriending strange space gods, winning over honorable enemies, always getting the wave motion gun ontarget...

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-01-20 09:38pm

neoolong wrote:Like Bean has said, Conan's inverse character shield is the most powerful and works so that Conan's chance of winning increases as the odds against him increase.

Of course, this only applies if you consider Conan part of sci-fi.

But that would increase his chance of winning, therefore nullifying the effect

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-01-20 09:50pm

Oberon in the Chronicles of Amber.

He just won't die. No matter WHAT people do to him.

Even throwing his body into the abyss doesn't seem to get rid of him.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-20 10:03pm

If we extend it to fantasy with Conan, then I propose Tasslehoff Burrfoot. Despite active attempts to murder him by some of the most powerful people on the planet, he's survived everything from collapsing castles to being stepped on by the father of the gods.

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-01-20 10:07pm

Homer Simpson.

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2003-01-20 10:28pm

quite.

Homer Jay Simpson's got one tough character sheild.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-01-20 10:41pm

Commander Sinclair (Babylon 5). Let's see, not only did this man survive the Battle of the Line, but he also beat up Neroon. That seen struck me as being LUDICROUS. Marcus didn't stand a chance against Neroon, and only lived because Neroon realized Marcus was ready to die for Delenn. Neroon is a member of the warrior caste, and an exceptional soldier. How the hell could Sinclair beat him up?

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2003-01-21 12:31am

Master of Ossus wrote:How the hell could Sinclair beat him up?

Vorlon intervention.

I'm serious. There isn't all that much stuff out there to establish the upper limit of Vorlon metaphysical powers but there's no way the Vorlons would accept Valen getting killed early (or late, depending on your perspective) before he had the chance to make a severe mess out of the Shadows. It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that the Vorlons might have been using telepathy and/or telekinesis to ensure that Neroon lost.

Sheridan is really in the same league, too. Surviving ones own death by virtue of a deus ex machina requires an industrial-strength character shield.

Other could candidates would be Delenn , TNG USS Enterprise, USS Voyager, and Janeway.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-01-21 01:23am

The Draka's shield is the worst. It supports an entire ridiculous civilization on it's back, protecting the entire thing from the dreaded beast realistic writing.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-01-21 02:00am

IG-88E wrote:Homer Simpson.

Homer Simpson is pushing it for sci-fi.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-01-21 02:00am

IG-88E wrote:Homer Simpson.

Homer Simpson is pushing it for sci-fi.

Post by **Lagmonster** » 2003-01-21 08:23am

Conan's is the worst. He has no magical powers, mutant abilities, enchanted weapons, or even brains. He does not take on whole armies. He is designed as a real human body, albeit a strong and fast one, whose success against the entire cosmos is based exclusively on the most incredible character shield in existance.

Even the X-Men and other guys who can 'survive anything' often do so because of special powers or physical abilities or last-minute-technobabble that gives them the living edge.

In Conan's world, things that he goes up against, no matter how powerful, undergo a spontaneous and massive lowering of the IQ, followed by a complete impotence of all their godlike powers, for NO GOOD REASON, immediately followed by being spontaneously susceptible to a knife through the head, when they could previously walk through suns and lay waste to entire continents.

Kenny_10_Bellys · Post by **Kenny_10_Bellys** » 2003-01-21 10:43am

If you want a character shield of enormous proportions (with a secondary chick-magnet function) then look no futher than Captain James Tiberius Kirk. The fat macho idiot makes Picard just look even more professional and level-headed than he already is. No force, no matter how omnipotent or powerful, machine, man or godlike being can stand up to the force of a fully functional ripped shirt Kirk.