Exact Time to Failure: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
{{quote|'''T-Rex:''' Whenever there's trouble, their computer is always all "15 seconds until fatal radiation exposure", as though if you get 14, you're fine, and if you get 16, you're dead for sure! Expiry dates, like those on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|ST:TNG]]'', are false and needlessly strict.
{{quote|'''T-Rex:''' Whenever there's trouble, their computer is always all "15 seconds until fatal radiation exposure", as though if you get 14, you're fine, and if you get 16, you're dead for sure! Expiry dates, like those on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|ST:TNG]]'', are false and needlessly strict.
'''God:''' MAN T-REX YOU'RE ABOUT THREE SECONDS AWAY FROM FATAL RADIATION EXPOSURE YOURSELF
'''God:''' MAN T-REX YOU'RE ABOUT THREE SECONDS AWAY FROM FATAL RADIATION EXPOSURE YOURSELF
'''T-Rex:''' It's different when YOU do it! Sheesh! Also what?|''[[Dinosaur Comics]]'', [http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000554.html Episode 554]}}
'''T-Rex:''' It's different when YOU do it! Sheesh! Also what?|''[[Dinosaur Comics]]'', [http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000554.html Episode 554]}}


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** The English version ("Star Blazers") theme song took it further, claiming that if they weren't back with the [[Applied Phlebotinum|CosmoDNA]] in one year, "mother Earth will disappear." Not "life on Earth will disappear," which would have scanned just fine and would have been a little more plausible, but apparently the planet itself. Naturally they got back at the last moment and there was no mention of the slightest damage or harm beyond what we'd seen at the beginning of the series.
** The English version ("Star Blazers") theme song took it further, claiming that if they weren't back with the [[Applied Phlebotinum|CosmoDNA]] in one year, "mother Earth will disappear." Not "life on Earth will disappear," which would have scanned just fine and would have been a little more plausible, but apparently the planet itself. Naturally they got back at the last moment and there was no mention of the slightest damage or harm beyond what we'd seen at the beginning of the series.
* Planet Namek during the Frieza Saga of ''[[Dragonball Z]]''; the planet was about to be destroyed, with "five minutes" mentioned at least once, for ''ten episodes''. Indeed, one episode had "two minutes" mentioned at the beginning, and "one minute" mentioned at the end.
* Planet Namek during the Frieza Saga of ''[[Dragonball Z]]''; the planet was about to be destroyed, with "five minutes" mentioned at least once, for ''ten episodes''. Indeed, one episode had "two minutes" mentioned at the beginning, and "one minute" mentioned at the end.
* Subverted in ''[[Mai-HiME]]'': the time until Artemis the [[Kill Sat]] is ready to fire is announced, then it gets prepared earlier than expected, catching the protagonists (and the viewers) off guard. It is explained that "just because it's a satellite doesn't mean it moves at a constant rate".
* Subverted in ''[[My-HiME]]'': the time until Artemis the [[Kill Sat]] is ready to fire is announced, then it gets prepared earlier than expected, catching the protagonists (and the viewers) off guard. It is explained that "just because it's a satellite doesn't mean it moves at a constant rate".
* In later episodes of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]] StrikerS'', the exact time for the Cradle to orbit Mid-Childa is shown at the end of the episode. A bit of a plot point considering that the Dimensional Fleet will be six minutes ''too late'' unless the Cradle's ascension is somehow slowed...
* In later episodes of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]] StrikerS'', the exact time for the Cradle to orbit Mid-Childa is shown at the end of the episode. A bit of a plot point considering that the Dimensional Fleet will be six minutes ''too late'' unless the Cradle's ascension is somehow slowed...
* In ''[[Saint Seiya]]'', some manner of contrived [[Heroic Sacrifice]] (or enemy deathtrap) will kill Saori Kido, reincarnation of the Goddess Athena, [[When the Clock Strikes Twelve]]. And it's always ''exactly'' twelve hours. To the ''second''.
* In ''[[Saint Seiya]]'', some manner of contrived [[Heroic Sacrifice]] (or enemy deathtrap) will kill Saori Kido, reincarnation of the Goddess Athena, [[When the Clock Strikes Twelve]]. And it's always ''exactly'' twelve hours. To the ''second''.
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* Parodied in ''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]''.
* Parodied in ''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]''.
{{quote|'''Jay:''' A galactic standard week? How the hell long is that?
{{quote|'''Jay:''' A galactic standard week? How the hell long is that?
'''Kay:''' [[Microts|One hour.]]
'''Kay:''' [[Microts|One hour.]]
'''Jay:''' One hour? Then what?
'''Jay:''' One hour? Then what?
''[Incoming message: Deliver the Galaxy or Earth will be destroyed. Sorry.]''
''[Incoming message: Deliver the Galaxy or Earth will be destroyed. Sorry.]''
'''Jay:''' Aw, that's ''bullshit''.
'''Jay:''' Aw, that's ''bullshit''.
''(cue clock)'' }}
''(cue clock)'' }}
** Averted rather than parodied, it's another race threatening earth, rather than a machine about to blow up.
** Averted rather than parodied, it's another race threatening earth, rather than a machine about to blow up.
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== [[Live Action TV]] ==
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* ''[[Star Trek]]'' does this one all the time.
* ''[[Star Trek]]'' does this one all the time.
** Happens constantly with the Vulcans. Made more logical when they made an android a crewmember in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|Star Trek the Next Generation]]''.
** Happens constantly with the Vulcans. Made more logical when they made an android a crewmember in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''.
** ''[[Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek Voyager]]'' played with this when Janeway decided to take a bunch of her worst crewmembers out on a mission to get them to shape up. One of them, a woman who can't do 24th century math to save her life, gets put in charge of the one thing you need math for: calculating time to impact.
** ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' played with this when Janeway decided to take a bunch of her worst crewmembers out on a mission to get them to shape up. One of them, a woman who can't do 24th century math to save her life, gets put in charge of the one thing you need math for: calculating time to impact.
{{quote|"Shockwave impact in three, two, one. *pause* More or less."}}
{{quote|"Shockwave impact in three, two, one. *pause* More or less."}}
** The quote from [[Dinosaur Comics]] at the top of this page refers to an episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|Star Trek the Next Generation]]''. The ship is being subjected to severe radiation. The computer reports the exact time, down to the second, when the accumulated dosage will become lethal. The implication is that this time is meant to be uniform for all crew members. But even if it were, say, the time when radiation would be lethal to the lowest common denominator (the [[Littlest Cancer Patient]], for example), it's still a long stretch to believe that any time before that, the damage would be perfectly fine to recover from, but the instant you hit that deadline, it becomes lethal with no hope of recovery. And presumably any damage before that point could be cured with a complete recovery, otherwise Dr. Crusher ''et al'' would be working a lot faster before those radiation burns, mutations, and sterility become downright miserable.
** The quote from [[Dinosaur Comics]] at the top of this page refers to an episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''. The ship is being subjected to severe radiation. The computer reports the exact time, down to the second, when the accumulated dosage will become lethal. The implication is that this time is meant to be uniform for all crew members. But even if it were, say, the time when radiation would be lethal to the lowest common denominator (the [[Littlest Cancer Patient]], for example), it's still a long stretch to believe that any time before that, the damage would be perfectly fine to recover from, but the instant you hit that deadline, it becomes lethal with no hope of recovery. And presumably any damage before that point could be cured with a complete recovery, otherwise Dr. Crusher ''et al'' would be working a lot faster before those radiation burns, mutations, and sterility become downright miserable.
*** The majority of the ship's crew appears to be human, and it's quite possible that most other species have near-human fatal exposure levels. There will also likely be an acute (short time/instantaneous) exposure level beyond which even 24th century medicine is unable to stave off imminent death.
*** The majority of the ship's crew appears to be human, and it's quite possible that most other species have near-human fatal exposure levels. There will also likely be an acute (short time/instantaneous) exposure level beyond which even 24th century medicine is unable to stave off imminent death.
* The Cylon virus attack in the new ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined]]''. A second-season episode involving the virus was partially subverted when Lt. Gaeta, in charge of watching to make sure the virus doesn't make it through the network firewalls he installed, ducks under the table to disconnect the network, and fails to notice that the VIRUS INFILTRATED THE SYSTEM.
* The Cylon virus attack in the new ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined]]''. A second-season episode involving the virus was partially subverted when Lt. Gaeta, in charge of watching to make sure the virus doesn't make it through the network firewalls he installed, ducks under the table to disconnect the network, and fails to notice that the VIRUS INFILTRATED THE SYSTEM.
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** Might it be possible that the margin of error shrinks as the time to collapse approaches? In other words, the margin of error itself is a percentage based on the estimate.
** Might it be possible that the margin of error shrinks as the time to collapse approaches? In other words, the margin of error itself is a percentage based on the estimate.
* Averted in the opening of ''[[MadWorld]]''. The [[Big Bad]] unleashes a deadly virus across the city. He warns the citizens that everyone will be dead in 24 hours and that anyone can get an antidote as long as they kill someone. Seems like a pretty straight example of the trope so far, but then a member of the crowd collapses bleeding. The [[Big Bad]] then suggests they hurry up as the virus' incubation time varries from person to person.
* Averted in the opening of ''[[MadWorld]]''. The [[Big Bad]] unleashes a deadly virus across the city. He warns the citizens that everyone will be dead in 24 hours and that anyone can get an antidote as long as they kill someone. Seems like a pretty straight example of the trope so far, but then a member of the crowd collapses bleeding. The [[Big Bad]] then suggests they hurry up as the virus' incubation time varries from person to person.
* ''[[Starcraft]]'' has a few missions in the brood war campaign where a character manages to estimate the exact amount of time until an important event will happen. These estimates are used as setups for timed missions.
* ''[[StarCraft]]'' has a few missions in the brood war campaign where a character manages to estimate the exact amount of time until an important event will happen. These estimates are used as setups for timed missions.
* ''The Subspace Emissary'' story mode in ''[[Super Smash Brothers Brawl|Brawl]]'' has a boss fight with [[Metroid|Meta-Ridley]] while a bunch of characters are escaping a self-destructing ROB factory on [[F-Zero|Captain Falcon's]] Blue Falcon. The fight itself gives you two minutes to defeat Ridley before the factory explodes while you're still inside (and subsequently lose the battle).
* ''The Subspace Emissary'' story mode in ''[[Super Smash Brothers Brawl|Brawl]]'' has a boss fight with [[Metroid|Meta-Ridley]] while a bunch of characters are escaping a self-destructing ROB factory on [[F-Zero|Captain Falcon's]] Blue Falcon. The fight itself gives you two minutes to defeat Ridley before the factory explodes while you're still inside (and subsequently lose the battle).
* In ''[[Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors|Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors]]'', the participants of the [[Arc Number|Nonary]] Game have ''9 hours'' to escape.
* In ''[[Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors|Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors]]'', the participants of the [[Arc Number|Nonary]] Game have ''9 hours'' to escape.
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== Web Comics ==
== Web Comics ==
* [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0186.html This comic] from ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]'' has the magical version of this. [[Justified Trope|Justified]] because Vaarsuvius is just ''that'' intelligent.
* [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0186.html This comic] from ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]'' has the magical version of this. [[Justified Trope|Justified]] because Vaarsuvius is just ''that'' intelligent.
** It also should be pointed out that in ''[[Dungeons and Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons]]'', [[RPG Mechanics Verse|on which the comic is based]], one round is six seconds. This would simply mean that Vaarsuvius knows that the spell will end in two rounds.
** It also should be pointed out that in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', [[RPG Mechanics Verse|on which the comic is based]], one round is six seconds. This would simply mean that Vaarsuvius knows that the spell will end in two rounds.
*** ... and then spends one round explaining things, so verbosely that it's no longer [[Talking Is a Free Action|a free action]]. The next two rounds are spent disintegrating the dragon (presumably s/he won initiative).
*** ... and then spends one round explaining things, so verbosely that it's no longer [[Talking Is a Free Action|a free action]]. The next two rounds are spent disintegrating the dragon (presumably s/he won initiative).
**** The Wizard ALWAYS wins initiative.
**** The Wizard ALWAYS wins initiative.
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[[Category:Applied Phlebotinum]]
[[Category:Applied Phlebotinum]]
[[Category:Index Failure]]
[[Category:Index Failure]]
[[Category:Exact Time to Failure]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Exact_Time_to_Failure"