Advantage Ball: Difference between revisions

This is a status that is bestowed to one side at a time in conflict. Whoever holds the Ball is not necessarily invincible, but certainly more effective, more skilled than usual, [[Plot Armor|less likely to fall prey]] to bad luck or [[Diabolus Ex Machina]]. Similarly, their adversary is confused, fallible, [[A -Team Firing|less accurate in their attacks]], more likely to make mistakes.

Ownership of the Ball is determined primarily by morale. Whichever side is more confident has the advantage. This tends to result in [[Hollywood Tactics]]: using your resources strategically is not as important as making a show. If you can [[Despair Gambit|break the spirit of your enemy]], you are probably going to win even if they greatly outnumber you and have a far superior position. On an individual scale, if a combatant is unsure either of his chances, or his reasons, he will fare badly. [[Epiphany Therapy|But once he has an epiphany]], [[Heroic Resolve|is reminded of what he's fighting for]], receives words of support from his allies, wins the respect of a neutral observer, or gets news that help is on the way, he will instantly become much stronger, even to the point of [[Hollywood Healing|forgetting previous injuries]]. A well-placed [[World of Cardboard Speech]] or [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]] can render his enemy demoralised and weakened. In mediums dealing with sound, a [[Theme Music Power -Up]] is almost required for these occasions.

{{examples|Examples:}}

* Most fights that isnaren't a straight up [[Curb Stomp Battle]] in later episodes of [[DragonballDragon Ball]] Z are a match of 'who has the most transformations'. Every time a character turns into a new form, they hold the [[Advantage Ball]] untill their opponent does likewise.

* ''[[Naruto]]'' has a bunch of advantages when he has to fight [[Person of Mass Destruction|Pain]], including [[Mons|a bunch of strong toads to fight alongside him]], a new [[Super Mode]], the [[Super -Powered Evil Side|Ninetails]], information on Pain's abilities, and Pain's temporary loss of his [[Gravity Master]] powers.

** His earlier fight against Sasuke followed the [[DragonballDragon Ball]] Z approach of passing the [[Advantage Ball]] for a few rounds by unlocking increasingly more power.

* The Ball is carefully minded throughout ''[[A KnightsKnight's Tale]]''. At the beginning, William and Adhemar are evenly matched, and the latter wins by his greater experience. In the final, decisive joust, Adhemar holds the Ball at first due both to the efforts of his herald and copious amounts of cheating, but after [[Geoffrey Chaucer (Creator)|Geoffrey Chaucer]] gives an impassioned speech, the audience changes sides and William wins ''without even his armour''.

* This is well demonstrated by the [[Flynning]] in ''[[The Princess Bride]]'', where the advantage is determined solely by who [[I Am Not Left -Handed|most recently switched hands]].

* The film of ''[[The Lord of the Rings (Filmfilm)|The Lord of the Rings]]''. In addition to [[Hollywood Tactics|many other lapses in tactical realism]], advantage in battle seems to be principally a matter of who makes the most [[Big Entrance|badass entrance]], regardless of such matters as numbers and equipment.

* The Church Knights of the ''[[Elenium]]'' and ''Tamuli'', being basically [[The Paladin|Paladins]], have superlative training and political support. Moreover, they have a fierce (deserved) reputation, and armour which not only [[Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me|protects them]], but is also intimidating at the same time. Combining this with the [[Plot Armor|extra plot protection]] that the [[Nominal Importance|named protagonists enjoy]], the Knights have the ability to steamroll over practically any force, almost regardless of the opposition's numbers, tactics or equipment. This is taken [[Up to Eleven]] at the climax of the Elenium, when Sparhawk is driven into an [[Unstoppable Rage]] and kills probably dozens of [[Mooks|enemy combatants]] without effort or personal damage. Soon after, however, he faces [[The Dragon]], a man with considerable anthropic weight, and barely defeats him in single combat.

* Most stretches of dialogue in [[Girl Genius]] can be described according to this, with the butt of the jokes being the ones not currently possessing the humorous Advantage Ball.

{{quote| Tarvek [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120210 grabs the ball]! Gil struggles, but [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120217 Tarvek gets in a solid jab]! But who's that? Bangladesh Dupree [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120222 tackles Tarvek] from out of nowhere, grabs the Ball and starts piling on the humiliation... But then [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120224 Vole appears], charming Bang's pants off with a bloodthirsty Villainous Rant, and picks up the ball. Ball occupied, Gil and Tarvek are able to have a conversation on equal terms, until Othar Trygvassen, GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER!, gets the drop on Vole! But what's this?! Gil goes for the dropped ball, [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120305 grabs it with both hands], runs with it AND HE SCORES, dropping three of his opponents down a trapdoor to a long fall, and wounds the last - Bang - with a [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date{{=}}20120307 vicious playground taunt]! What a game, ladies and gentlemen, what a game!

[[Category:TropeBall Index]]