In the Gestalt Universe, The Superhero Ideal

[Adventus]

In the Gestalt Universe How would describe what people believe to be the embodiment of the true superhero?

What powers would he have? What would he look like?

[Enforcer84]

What powers would he have? What would he look like?
*ahem*
Me.

[pinecone]

In the Gestalt Universe How would describe what people believe to be the embodiment of the true superhero?

What powers would he have? What would he look like?

Like as not what ever the first popular published super ...so Big Blue....(superman)

[Captain Obvious]

He would have all the powers of Superman, only more so, and would be so squeaky clean that he'd make Clark Kent look like an alcoholic child molester.

[wrestlinggeek]

He would have all the powers of Superman, only more so, and would be so squeaky clean that he'd make Clark Kent look like an alcoholic child molester.

I don't know if he'd have all of Superman's powers. Ask the average guy on the street what Big Blue's powers are, and you'll probably just get the flight, strength, invulnerability, x-ray vision and heat-vision. But he would definitly be tall, muscular, and good-looking with dark hair and a red and blue outfit with a big cape that always seems to be waving in the breeze even when there isn't one.

[Lord Liaden]

Like as not what ever the first popular published super ...so Big Blue....(superman)

IIRC the Gestalt world has a superhero called Titan who is that world's analogue to Superman, in power, personality, and popular esteem.

[mattingly]

And there's an in-genre reason why Titan isn't out solving all of the world's problems, instead allowing other heroes to take care of things.

[pinecone]

And there's an in-genre reason why Titan isn't out solving all of the world's problems, instead allowing other heroes to take care of things.

Is it because he's totally hooked on ski-ball?

[GloryFox]

Good Question, I would presume that his ideology was more Heroic than his powers. A Hero can take many forms even in Gestalt what truly defines a Hero are the actions he takes not just the powers. Anyone can be a hero (firemen, cop, even a politician like William Wilberforce, or many of the founding fathers of these united States) thus to be a hero one must act like a hero.

I would make him Fairly tough (but not invulnerable because a hero will fight on despite the odds being against him thus he should be an example of this attribute), can fly, reasonable High STR, high PER. His mere presence should inspire others like Captain America (I refer to Steve Rogers not Bucky) and cause dread among villains.

Liberty, Freedom, and Justice (equity) should be his highest ideal, and injustice, tyranny and Slavery his bane.

I think you can come up with idea's for powers based upon this info.

[GestaltBennie]

The closest in the canon Gestalt universe to *the* traditional Hero gestalt is America Man, though he's a National Prptector. Both the Titan and Umsipha have taken on many of the aspects of Superman (and a third one may emerge soon in China, if the published setting evolves further).

Two PCs: Chris Avellone's "Saga!" and Chris Taylor's "Strong Guy in Tights" were affectionate parodies iof the superhero archetype. But the myriad qualities of "hero" are scattered amongst a bunch of archetypes.

[Checkmate]

Two PCs: Chris Avellone's "Saga!" and Chris Taylor's "Strong Guy in Tights" were affectionate parodies iof the superhero archetype. But the myriad qualities of "hero" are scattered amongst a bunch of archetypes.

You know/Game with Chris Avellone..did he ever GM? If you do I wouldn't check my email if I were you. Someone might email you a kick in the groin out of jealousy.

[GestaltBennie]

You know/Game with Chris Avellone..did he ever GM? If you do I wouldn't check my email if I were you. Someone might email you a kick in the groin out of jealousy.

Past tense, unfortunately. Chris and I haven't gamed together since I moved away from California, about ten years ago. For awhile, I had two amazing groups of players assembled (and they delivered big time in each of the three Gestalt campaigns).

Chris also ran an unbelievably good Warhammer Fantasy game when we were at Interplay together. Good times.

[Checkmate]

*ding* You have mail

[transmetahuman]

Good Question, I would presume that his ideology was more Heroic than his powers. A Hero can take many forms even in Gestalt what truly defines a Hero are the actions he takes not just the powers. Anyone can be a hero (firemen, cop, even a politician like William Wilberforce, or many of the founding fathers of these united States) thus to be a hero one must act like a hero.

I would make him Fairly tough (but not invulnerable because a hero will fight on despite the odds being against him thus he should be an example of this attribute), can fly, reasonable High STR, high PER. His mere presence should inspire others like Captain America (I refer to Steve Rogers not Bucky) and cause dread among villains.

Liberty, Freedom, and Justice (equity) should be his highest ideal, and injustice, tyranny and Slavery his bane.

I think you can come up with idea's for powers based upon this info.
This strikes me as a very American set of ideals - and even most Americans don't really want to see freedom/liberty as the highest ideal, taken to the logical extremes that a Gestalt would (or there'd be a lot more Libertarians and anarchists). I wonder what the ultimate heroic archetype of the combined planet would be like...

I'm thinking the fundamentals would be compassion, self-sacrifice on behalf of others, and a strong drive to prevent or end suffering and protect people from same?

Edit: Or maybe not. For some reason, that scene from Robocop where he's been reprogrammed with so many directives that he's paralyzed comes to mind. Poor, poor Pure Gestalt of Heroism...

[Kenn]

I don't know if he'd have all of Superman's powers. Ask the average guy on the street what Big Blue's powers are, and you'll probably just get the flight, strength, invulnerability, x-ray vision and heat-vision. But he would definitly be tall, muscular, and good-looking with dark hair and a red and blue outfit with a big cape that always seems to be waving in the breeze even when there isn't one.

The average person on the street might include mind reading. I saw it once on Family Fued... " 100 people surveyed," etc. "Name one of Superman's powers" and mind reading made the list.

As near as I can tell it's because of the song/monologue from the first Christopher Reeve film wherein Lois wonders "Can you read my mind?" not realising the answer is "NO!"

[Captain Obvious]

The average person on the street might include mind reading. I saw it once on Family Fued... " 100 people surveyed," etc. "Name one of Superman's powers" and mind reading made the list.

As near as I can tell it's because of the song/monologue from the first Christopher Reeve film wherein Lois wonders "Can you read my mind?" not realising the answer is "NO!"

Buuuhhh???

I've never heard that one before. The average person the street scares me with the elaborate fantasies they build out of tissue and gossamer.

[wrestlinggeek]

That was something that always got me about the original Superman movies. They ignored many of the powers he had in the comics, and added on others he didn't have.

[Doctor Agenda]

They didn't really add on mind reading, I think the point was Lois had no way of knowing what he was or wasn't capable of.

An icon of heroism needs a code, like 'True Blue Hero' and 'Protective of Innocents'. Hero is as hero does, so in action he/she needs to be competent above all, whatever he/she can do, he/she should be very good at it. OR so powerful that he/she can forget a few powers here and there and still win the day without any casualties or property damage he/she can't fix before zooming off into the sunset.