39,327
edits
Advantage Ball: Difference between revisions
m
Mass update links
(Import from TV Tropes TVT:Main.AdvantageBall 2012-07-01, editor history TVTH:Main.AdvantageBall, CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported license) |
m (Mass update links) |
||
Line 6:
One trope that lies in the middle ground [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|between the idealistic view and the realistic one]] is the Advantage Ball.
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
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
Visually, this trope often expresses itself in a [[Pendulum War]], with the side in possession of the ball advancing and the other clearly retreating. Once conditions change, the Ball may bounce elsewhere and those who were advancing suddenly find themselves falling back. It's noteworthy that it happens at both large and small scales, with whole armies or just two combatants.
Line 14:
When one side holds the Advantage Ball throughout an entire fight, it's a [[Curb Stomp Battle]].
{{examples
== [[Anime]] ==
Line 21:
* This follows naturally in ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'', where, thanks to Spiral Energy, confidence ''is'' combat ability. Except for wild cards like the Mugann, the Ball is in the court of whoever is delivering a [[Badass Boast]] at the moment.
* [[Bleach]] plays with this a lot. In most fights, the ball even gets tossed between combatants at times. Very often strategic use of the Advantage Ball (by the author) results in wins or losses the fandom did not expect.
* ''[[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
** His earlier fight against Sasuke followed the [[Dragonball]] Z approach of passing the [[Advantage Ball]] for a few rounds by unlocking increasingly more power.
Line 36:
== [[Literature]] ==
* In the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] there's Jedi Battle Meditation: an ''in-universe'' Advantage Ball. The side supported by the meditating Jedi is filled with confidence and clarity, while the opposing side is assaulted with despair. [[The Chessmaster|Grand Admiral Thrawn]] once quantified this; apparently, supported by battle meditation, his fighters performed up to 40% better in every category of pilot performance.
* 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.
== [[Video Games]] ==
| |||