Possession Implies Mastery: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''"How do people in movies always know how to do this stuff without practice?"''|'''[[Roger Ebert]]''' in a review for ''[[Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time|Prince of Persia the Sands of Time]]''}}

* [[Averted Trope|Conspicuous by its absence]] in ''[[Macross]]'', where barely understood higher technology acts like it. Multiple plot points involve the protagonists being forced to use a foolhardy technique or maneuver and having it blow up in their faces. {{spoiler|The [[Cool Ship]] first takes off using alien antigravity generators, which proceed to tear through the hull and float off into the sky. The second attempt is done with ordinary engines. On the other hand, the crew then pulled off an extreme low altitude space fold jump to outmaneuver the Zentrandi, leaving them astonished that their enemy could do something they thought impossible. Simply, the inexperienced and desperate Macross crew [[Achievements in Ignorance|did not know that themselves and succeeded by pure luck]].}} This actually works somewhat in their favor since their enemies are kept continually off guard with each stunt, unable to decide if their completely unpredictable enemies are pathetic amateurs or half-crazed tactical geniuses.

:It is a plot point in UBW''Unlimited Blade Works'' that {{spoiler|Gilgamesh and Shirou}}, as mere "owners" rather than "wielders" of their weapons, generally suck in comparison to other servants in direct combat because they don't have the mastery gained by focusing in one weapon. {{spoiler|Shirou actually points this out, and wins because Unlimited Blade Works provides him with an infinite amount of duplicates that are summoned faster than Gilgamesh pulls stuff out of his arsenal. He uses the duplicated proficiency and overloadoverloads the duplicates to repel or destroy Gilgamesh's originals and forces the latter on the defensive.}}

** It helps that {{spoiler|Shirou}}, when recreating his weapons, copies the history of how they were made and ''how they were wielded'', giving him a level of skill with them.

* This is the power of the Gandalfr Familiar, the position held by Saito, in ''[[ZeroThe noFamiliar Tsukaimaof Zero]]''. If it's made for battle, he can use it. This is demonstrated when a shiny display sword given to him by Kirche completely fails in battle.

* A lot of characters in ''[[Code Geass]]'' seem to be able to pilot [[Mini-Mecha|Knightmare Frames]], despite having [[Falling Into the Cockpit|found themselves using them for the first time]]. Somewhat justified in that Suzaku mentioned having had some military-mandatory training on simulators in the first episode, Lelouch having used the Ganymede to make giant pizzas during previous school festivals, and Kallen having assumedly had some time to practice with that old Glascow. Still, a line from the [[Abridged Series]] is used as the page quote for [[Falling Into the Cockpit]]...

* Subverted mercilessly in Marvel Comics' ''GLX-mas Special #1'', where the second Grasshopper is taking his first jumps in a brand-new super-suit. After foiling a villain, Grasshopper is approached with a dinner invitation by his unwitting sister. After denying her advances, he makes a heroic exit by engaging the suit's "Maximum Jump" ability, {{spoiler|which propels him into space, killing him instantly. Sidenote: to this day,{{when}} there have been three Grasshoppers in Marvel continuity, and not one have them have survived more than a single issue. The most recent one debuted and was killed in all of three panels.}}

* ''[[Ultimate X-Men]]'' member Colossus lampshades this when Weapon X forces him to stop a train, pointing out that just because he's super strong doesn't mean he's strong enough to do this {{spoiler|though it turns out he is.}} Weapon X doesn't care.

** This being the Ultimate Universe, things aren't quite that simple though. {{spoiler|His initial warning is true, he ''doesn't'' have super strength; this was later proved to be a side effect of a [[Super Serum]] called [[Shout-Out|Banshee]] that amplifies mutant powers. Without it, Colossus would have just been a metal man, too heavy (it's implied) to even breathe for any extended period of time. In true comic book form, they [[retcon]]ned this by saying this was why he was working for the Russian mob in the first place, they paid (or were a meantsmeans of payment for) the drug. By the end of that arc, however, it seems that the super strength is now a permanent side effect, effectively keeping [[Status Quo Is God]].}}

*** Which brings up the [[Fridge Logic]] of {{spoiler|how Colossus still had his strength after weeks of captivity. But then, that will happen with a story about a drug made out of Wolverine.}}

* In a similar vainvein, a recent{{when}} story looking back on the early days of [[Superman]]'s career shows that the man of steel knows he's strong and invulnerable but doesn't know how strong and invulnerable he is. He briefly panics when his lungs fill with lava while submerged.

* Inverted in ''[[Harry Potter and Thethe Deathly Hallows (novel)|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'', where it becomes a key plot point that merely wielding a certain wand is not enough to be its "true" master. However, there is no requisite knowledge the wielder might lack, just the requisite action of "defeating" the old master.