Ideal Giant Robot Pilot

[Crossroads Inc.]

I don't see a Kamina option.

More then likely the same option Coop would be in. really if you think about it the two are very similar. They both have that "Reality? who care about reality?" personality as well as an utterly unbreakable optimism. I mean Kamina early on takes on a Mecha virtually Barehanded, and Coop takes on Macross rip-off transforming spaceship, and Both win.

Dear gods consider THAT for a crossover, MEGAS meets Gurran Lagann!

[Vendetta]

I don't see a Kamina option.

He's basically Coop but with less pies and collateral damage.

[Sidewinder]

I'm gonna nitpick. Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. He also isn't over confident, nor does he try to 'show up' anyone.

Luke was already an accomplished pilot, before he got in an X-Wing's cockpit- remember Biggs Darklighter's comment on his skills? By the time of The Empire Strikes Back, he was Rogue Leader, which suggests he went to the Rebel equivalent of Officer Candidate School.

[lord Martiya]

According to Wookiepedia, when they were both on Tatooine Biggs was the better pilot, but Luke was an hell of a shot, good enough to reliably hit 2 meters womp rats and make money from that (there was a need for pest control, and the Imperial Prefect offered a bounty of ten credits per rat. He made enough money to pay the admission tax to military academy, even if Owen kept him home, and did so from what basically amounted to an airplane with a BFG strapped on it.).

[Havok]

I'm gonna nitpick. Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. He also isn't over confident, nor does he try to 'show up' anyone.

Luke was already an accomplished pilot, before he got in an X-Wing's cockpit- remember Biggs Darklighter's comment on his skills? By the time of The Empire Strikes Back, he was Rogue Leader, which suggests he went to the Rebel equivalent of Officer Candidate School.

Blah blah blah I suggest shit that didn't happen blah blah blah.

Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. If the bullshit you 'suggest' happened, he wouldn't be 'fresh' out of it.

[Darth Tedious]

I'm gonna nitpick. Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. He also isn't over confident, nor does he try to 'show up' anyone.

Luke was already an accomplished pilot, before he got in an X-Wing's cockpit- remember Biggs Darklighter's comment on his skills? By the time of The Empire Strikes Back, he was Rogue Leader, which suggests he went to the Rebel equivalent of Officer Candidate School.

Blah blah blah I suggest shit that didn't happen blah blah blah.

Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. If the bullshit you 'suggest' happened, he wouldn't be 'fresh' out of it.

Hey! Don't forget that Han Solo was promoted to General in RoTJ! Clearly, he must have attended Rebel Scum Academy, too.

[Vehrec]

Have you forgotten that Han attended the Imperial Academy, graduated first in his class, and then got railroaded out because he saved the life of a Wookiee on a chain-gang from summary execution? After this, he backslid into his previous life of crime, until he met a certain Jedi and farmboy.

[Darth Tedious]

As a matter of fact, I had.
However, General Calrissian did not attend Imperial or Rebel Scum Academy.
The point is that the rebels promote people based on performance, not academy attendance. E.g.: Luke being made Rogue Leader was probably because he blew up the Death Star.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Ye gods oyu people!!

Did we seriously go from an awesome Giant Robot thread, discussing awesome things like Kamina Coop and Gurren Laggen and Macross7 and Gundam, to debating the finer points Luke Skywalkers Education and the Education of Rebel Scum?

Oy! You would think this site was some how devoted to Star Wars or something! Go figure!

[Darth Tedious]

Sorry about that. Anyhow, I voted for the specifically bred pilot. Which may have been obvious given my Ayanami Rei question.

/nudges the conversation back on topic

[Sidewinder]

Sorry about that. Anyhow, I voted for the specifically bred pilot. Which may have been obvious given my Ayanami Rei question.

Rei was bred to be the catalyst of a controlled Third Impact, NOT to be a perfect killing machine or human weapon. That's why I didn't list her- she wasn't good enough at the "Killing Angels" part of her job.

[Sidewinder]

Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. If the bullshit you 'suggest' happened, he wouldn't be 'fresh' out of it.

Spoken like someone who has NO FUCKING CLUE how a military is run. If they put Luke in charge, they at least made him a shake-n-bake officer- considering his vital role in Rebel propaganda, they were likely more thorough than that, to ensure Luke didn't embarrass them with bad leadership decisions.

[Darth Tedious]

Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. If the bullshit you 'suggest' happened, he wouldn't be 'fresh' out of it.

Spoken like someone who has NO FUCKING CLUE how a military is run. If they put Luke in charge, they at least made him a shake-n-bake officer- considering his vital role in Rebel propaganda, they were likely more thorough than that, to ensure Luke didn't embarrass them with bad leadership decisions.

That makes sense for Luke (with there being three years between ANH and ESB), but not so much for Lando. His adventures in the year betweem ESB and RoTJ are fairly well-documented. It's probably worth considering that the rebellion is more of a guerilla/terrorist organisation than a real military. But that debate is surely for another thread.

Back to the giant robots, lest we attract more wrath from Crossroads Inc....

Point taken on why you didn't list Rei. She hardly ever got to fight any angels, and when she did it was usually pretty messy. I only asked because she seemed to fit your description perfectly.

[Havok]

Luke Skywalker didn't graduate from military academy. If the bullshit you 'suggest' happened, he wouldn't be 'fresh' out of it.

Spoken like someone who has NO FUCKING CLUE how a military is run. If they put Luke in charge, they at least made him a shake-n-bake officer- considering his vital role in Rebel propaganda, they were likely more thorough than that, to ensure Luke didn't embarrass them with bad leadership decisions.

Right. I wasn't in the military so how could I possibly know how it is structured and ran, I mean, they keep all that information secret just for people that actually served.
I also hear the military never, EVER gets someone who makes bad leadership decisions that goes through all the proper training, schools and academies. Oops.

Again, bullshit that didn't happen. And again, as I said, even IF they put him through any formal training AFTER he blew up the Death Star, he would not be 'fresh out' now would he?

[lance]

As a matter of fact, I had.
However, General Calrissian did not attend Imperial or Rebel Scum Academy.

Didn't he have experience leading a force defending Nar Shadaa?

[Darksider]

Didn't he have experience leading a force defending Nar Shadaa?

That was Han. IIRC Lando was there, but Solo was the one who organized the defense.

EDIT: according to wookiepedia, I was wrong. Lando was a part of Solo's command apparatus, but Solo and Mako Spince planned the battle strategy.

[lord Martiya]

Lando got his command because the command heard of what he had been dared to do at Tanaab.

[Darth Tedious]

The point was, regardless of experience, Lando had not been to any academy! Now back on topic before Crossroads Inc. kicks our arses!

How about those giant robot pilots, eh? I would think the ideal pilot may hinge on the nature of the giant robot. A robot which is simply controlled by the pilot would be very different to something like the EVA units.

[Ryushikaze]

One of my favorite mecha pilots ever was Garrod Ran from Gundam X, an option 2 who thought he was an option 5, only to realize he was a 5 for the small pond of mercenary stuff he'd been doing for most of his childhood (Post Nuclear War esque scenario, a lot of the western world is basically the wild west with high technology, he's lived in that his whole life). He doesn't pilot Mecha for the most part (Operate, yes, fight with, no), mostly taking out idiots who think they can pilot them, but then he finally does start piloting one to save a girl he realizes he's actually been kidnapping, and learns that he's alright, but everyone's a lot better and he has a ways to go, so he keeps training.

It helps he has a few actual 5s as his squadmates and as his commander.

[Sriad]

I ALSO voted for Wedge Antilles Option 5.

[Sidewinder]

Right. I wasn't in the military so how could I possibly know how it is structured and ran, I mean, they keep all that information secret just for people that actually served. :lol:

If you can't even consider how YOU would run a military, i.e., see things from another person's POV, you EPIC FAIL at reading.

I also hear the military never, EVER gets someone who makes bad leadership decisions that goes through all the proper training, schools and academies. Oops. :lol:

In a real military, someone who makes a bad leadership decision, will face a court martial, demotion, loss of command, forced retirement, and other penalties. Real-world militaries use these methods to eliminate bad leaders from their ranks.

By the Battle of Hoth, Luke had served as Rogue Leader, for three years. If he kept making bad leadership decisions during those years, he'd be in an early grave- if the enemy doesn't kill him, his own subordinates will- NOT in the snowspeeder cockpit, fighting off AT-AT walkers.

But enough with the arguments. You're driving this thread off topic. Stop spamming, or I'll draw this to the mods' attention.

[Sidewinder]

At the time of this post, there are three votes for "Teen who found himself in the cockpit, against his will, while a battle rages around him. Lacks self-confidence, often accused of being a whiny bitch," one for "Teen who jumps into the cockpit, at his own free will, while a battle rages around him. Hot-headed, will beat up anyone who accuses him of being a whiny bitch." Why is the stereotypical whiny bitch, more popular than the hothead? Is it due to concerns the hothead would accidentally destroy the city he was supposed save, in a trigger-happy orgy of violence?

[Darth Tedious]

In a real military, someone who makes a bad leadership decision, will face a court martial, demotion, loss of command, forced retirement, and other penalties. Real-world militaries use these methods to eliminate bad leaders from their ranks.

By the Battle of Hoth, Luke had served as Rogue Leader, for three years. If he kept making bad leadership decisions during those years, he'd be in an early grave- if the enemy doesn't kill him, his own subordinates will- NOT in the snowspeeder cockpit, fighting off AT-AT walkers.

But enough with the arguments. You're driving this thread off topic. Stop spamming, or I'll draw this to the mods' attention.

The thread had just gotten back on topic, dammit! Now, for the last time:-

• The Rebellion is not a real military, they're a guerrilla/terrorist group.
• Luke not making any bad decisions and not being demoted is not proof that he went any academy.
• The entire idea that Luke went to any academy is an assumption, with absolutely no proof anywhere in the entire SW canon.

Give it a rest! Bitching to the mods because you got pulled up on a completely unproven assertion won't do you any good.

Back to topic...

At the time of this post, there are three votes for "Teen who found himself in the cockpit, against his will, while a battle rages around him. Lacks self-confidence, often accused of being a whiny bitch," one for "Teen who jumps into the cockpit, at his own free will, while a battle rages around him. Hot-headed, will beat up anyone who accuses him of being a whiny bitch." Why is the stereotypical whiny bitch, more popular than the hothead? Is it due to concerns the hothead would accidentally destroy the city he was supposed save, in a trigger-happy orgy of violence?

Could be because of Shinji's precedent. He was extremely effective. And unlikely to cause unnecessary collateral damage (fits of beserker rage aside- they were dircted towards the Angels, and tended not to do too much needless damage).

[Sidewinder]

At the time of this post, there are three votes for "Teen who found himself in the cockpit, against his will, while a battle rages around him. Lacks self-confidence, often accused of being a whiny bitch," one for "Teen who jumps into the cockpit, at his own free will, while a battle rages around him. Hot-headed, will beat up anyone who accuses him of being a whiny bitch." Why is the stereotypical whiny bitch, more popular than the hothead? Is it due to concerns the hothead would accidentally destroy the city he was supposed save, in a trigger-happy orgy of violence?

Could be because of Shinji's precedent. He was extremely effective. And unlikely to cause unnecessary collateral damage (fits of beserker rage aside- they were dircted towards the Angels, and tended not to do too much needless damage).

Comparing Ikari Shinji to the likes of Kabuto Koji or other Nagai Go characters, is like comparing the WWII-era "baka bomb" to the Enola Gay- which aircraft did you think had a greater impact on the war? Replace "aircraft" with "giant robot pilot," and the answer is still the same: the kid with the mushroom cloud hairdo, and a temper to match.

[Darth Tedious]

Comparing Ikari Shinji to the likes of Kabuto Koji or other Nagai Go characters, is like comparing the WWII-era "baka bomb" to the Enola Gay- which aircraft did you think had a greater impact on the war? Replace "aircraft" with "giant robot pilot," and the answer is still the same: the kid with the mushroom cloud hairdo, and a temper to match.

Point taken. I wasn't actually making that comparison, merely speculating on why people may have voted 1/Shinji on his own merits.
I didn't vote 1 myself, so speculation is all I can really offer. I will now shut up and turn the floor to people who actually voted 1 to explain themselves (if they wish to).