Champions Universe Plot Hole Plugging

[Metaphysician]

This thread has two purposes:

1. To locate plot holes within the Champions Universe

2. To figure out if there is any reasonable way to explain them

Two things I would prefer not to see:

-Basic genre complaints ( ie, why people are wearing costumes, etc ), that don't involve more explicit contradiction of established facts

-Power level issues and "Why hasn't ____ taken over" questions. For the purposes of this thread, we shall assume that the unstatted major superheroes are sufficient to keep the megabads from blowing up the planet.

[Vanguard00]

I admit that I haven't read all the information provided by the CU books for relavent plot holes (not sayin' there aren't any, but if they're not glaring I apparently missed 'em).

Do you have something specific to address? Something to start us off? Or are you just fishing. And I don't mean that as negatively as it sounds...merely curious as to the origin of the question(s).

[Metaphysician]

Off the top of my head, there's the question of "Why isn't telepathic interrogation standard for all captured VIPER agents, thus forcing all Nests to adopt the described antitelepathy precautions??"

I can answer this one myself, though: "Because there aren't enough sanctioned telepaths of sufficient power to go around." IOW, most of the time all you could get for scanning the average VIPER agent is a normal or heroic normal with Telepathy 6d6, not enough to get much useful without extensive interrogation.

[Vanguard00]

Aah. I gotcha. You're not looking for explicit gaps in CU history or content, but rather more realistic and/or rational explanations for issues/plot devices that might not have been addressed, or adequately so.

That's gonna be hard for me to address, myself, cuz I tend to mentally add rationales very similar to the one you provided above automatically upon reading, even if I never actually come out and say it (mainly because it might not come up in-game). It's just something I do as a matter of course.

Still, it might be fun to see what people come up with. I'll see if I can think of any. If nothing else it'd be good mental exercise.

[Hermit]

I would think that the US government, when Captain Patriot presented himself for duty in WW2, was quick to capitalize on making he and other masked volunteers as colorful or distinctive as they could as an attempt to boost morale. This would start a trend towards costumes being the norm for super humans even to this day.

[Darren Watts]

I would think that the US government, when Captain Patriot presented himself for duty in WW2, was quick to capitalize on making he and other masked volunteers as colorful or distinctive as they could as an attempt to boost morale. This would start a trend towards costumes being the norm for super humans even to this day.

That's exactly what I've been writing in GAC, Hermit. In fact, when the DOJ splits after Pearl Harbor, several of the Homefront Heroes change their costumes to appear more patriotic and distinctive. (Dr. Twilight is particularly not fond of his new one, and after changing several times in 1942 goes back to his trenchcoat and suit, hang what the soldiers say.) dw

[Metaphysician]

Aah. I gotcha. You're not looking for explicit gaps in CU history or content, but rather more realistic and/or rational explanations for issues/plot devices that might not have been addressed, or adequately so.

That's gonna be hard for me to address, myself, cuz I tend to mentally add rationales very similar to the one you provided above automatically upon reading, even if I never actually come out and say it (mainly because it might not come up in-game). It's just something I do as a matter of course.

Still, it might be fun to see what people come up with. I'll see if I can think of any. If nothing else it'd be good mental exercise.

Well, if you can think of any explicit gaps, pointing out those is good, too.

[Hermit]

That's exactly what I've been writing in GAC, Hermit. In fact, when the DOJ splits after Pearl Harbor, several of the Homefront Heroes change their costumes to appear more patriotic and distinctive. (Dr. Twilight is particularly not fond of his new one, and after changing several times in 1942 goes back to his trenchcoat and suit, hang what the soldiers say.) dw

Very cool, glad to see I was on the right track!

And Dr. Twilight seems cranky

[steriaca]

The answer to "Why Hasen't Doctor Destroyer Took Over Yet?" question.

One answer is "He realy dosen't want to take over the world, he realy is board, and springs evil plots to keep his mind fresh". I mean, he is over 80, prime age for mental derangments which cause memory and intelagent loss. That is, unless he keeps him mind active.

Another answer is "Subversive conflicts with others with simuler goles". VIPER, Menton, even The Warlord are playing a cold war with each other so thay THAY will be the one who would control the world. And Doctor Destroyer has to play this game.

[Metaphysician]

*sigh*

If you *really* want to argue it. . .

The reason the second option especially is a *really, really bad choice*, is because it means heroes are meaningless, and the only reason thing keeping the earth free is more bad guys.

[Duke Bushido]

*sigh*

If you *really* want to argue it. . .

The reason the second option especially is a *really, really bad choice*, is because it means heroes are meaningless, and the only reason thing keeping the earth free is more bad guys.

yeah,

that's far too close to the truth to really enjoy playing....

[Enforcer84]

Very cool, glad to see I was on the right track!

And Dr. Twilight seems cranky

You'd be cranky too!
If you know you had superpowers, n'stuff...
I got nothin'.



As to the costume thing. I also think that the brilliantly colored or dark and intimidating costumes help you create a dynamic persona. Thereby making it easier to protect your personal life.

[Dr. Anomaly]

As to the costume thing. I also think that the brilliantly colored or dark and intimidating costumes help you create a dynamic persona. Thereby making it easier to protect your personal life.

In other words, people are more likely to clearly remember the costume, and not the face or voice?

Sounds reasonable...

[WhammeWhamme]

*sigh*

If you *really* want to argue it. . .

The reason the second option especially is a *really, really bad choice*, is because it means heroes are meaningless, and the only reason thing keeping the earth free is more bad guys.

Not so much.

1) Heroes tip the scale. The villains could quite possibly beat each other to the punch and win if you weren't there.

2) Who says you have to accept the Status Quo in game? The PCs would be real heroes if they fixed the little problem, yes?


Winning because you're powerful enough to kick their *** is okay. Winning against the odds because you have to? Heroic.

[Peregrine]

Plot hole: Why doesn't the US military use Cyberline? Cost is less of an issue than with PRIMUS; the Special Operations Command (and assigned units) have a budget at least as large as PRIMUS if not larger. Rarity of Cyberline compatibility is a variable issue depending on the rarity level set; it'd be hard to set a rarity level that gives you the number of Avengers PRIMUS appears to have while justifying no military supersoldiers.

Plugged: In the law authorizing PRIMUS, there was a provision granting PRIMUS a legal monopoly on the technology they use (Cyberline, blasters, etc.). While presented as a way to enforce additional penalties against those who might steal PRIMUS tech, as well as authorizing full government classification of the relevant data, it also had the unstated effect of prohibiting any other branch of the US Government from using it - including the military. This was not an udesirable outcome for many members of Congress who were miffed at the size of the military budgets, etc. of that era (mid-1980s).