Reed Richards Is Useless: Difference between revisions

* In one dream sequence at the end of the ''Anarky'' mini-series (1997), Anarky unleashes his device that makes everyone realize the goodness of the individual and induces mass honesty. Bruce then diverts all Waynecorp weapons manufacturing towards civilian applications, such as using Mr. Freeze's technology to advance space exploration and Poison Ivy's botanical knowledge to help find a cure for cancer. Then it starts going horribly wrong since, even with the goodness of the individual in full force, there are still jerks out there too insane to express it correctly.

* This trope was used to justify Barbara "Batgirl"/"Oracle" Gordon remaining wheelchair-bound despite the ready availability of possible cures in [[The DCU]]: she doesn't want to receive special treatment and therefore dishonor public servants who were disabled in the line of duty; either a cure becomes available for everyone, or she stays in the chair. Of course, that raises the question of why can't the numerous DC Universe cures be made available to the public. The reboot has changed this (see below)

* Lampshade hung, and almost subverted in James Robinson's ''[[Starman (comics)|Starman]]'', where the original Starman (the title character's father) dedicated his later years to turning his cosmic rod into a more general energy source that would revolutionize the world. Although a visitor from the future claimed his success led to him becoming a scientific hero on the level of Einstein, it never actually happened in the present day DCU.

* Stories set during [[World War II]] explained why the superheroes didn't just Blitzkrieg into Berlin and end the war: Adolf Hitler had acquired the Spear of Destiny, which he could use to control any superpowered being that entered the boundaries of the Reich. (The same was true of Imperial Japan and the Holy Grail.) Later, Hitler's belief in the Spear's power was discussed in an episode of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]''.

* There was this one Marvel webcomic focusing on a documentary exploring whether or not Galactus was a myth. There were commercials advertising products only available in the Marvel Universe. This troper never read the comic book, only read about it. If anyone knows the name of the story, please share it.

* One arc of [[Power Pack]] has the Power's mom in the hospital, barely clinging to life, after being injured by a super-villain shoving her aside with super strength. When Katie decides to be [[Lonely Together]] with the various heroes the group has met and she invites [[Cloak and Dagger (comics)|Cloak and Dagger]] as well as some Morlocks to Thanksgiving dinner with them. Dagger's healing abilities and the Morlocks knowing fellow Morlock [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Healer]] are never mentioned. Used literally when Reed Richard's son is working with Power Pack and his parents are either out of town/off planet or subjected to [[Adults Are Useless]].

 

==== Ultimate Marvel Universe ====

 

== Film ==

* In the [[Superman (film)|''Superman'' films]] our hero has a Fortress of Solitude filled with "the accumulated scientific knowledge of dozens of different worlds". Rather than flying around stopping accidents and robberies, wouldn't he make a far greater contribution to mankind if he just used that technology, to, say, cure cancer? Looks like Luthor was right about him: "Gods are selfish beings who fly around in capes don't share their power with mankind."

** The first film has Jor-El's order to not interfere in human history, giving reasons like over-reliance from humanity and making a target out of his loved ones. And the one time he tried a direct approach was in ''Superman 4'', the lesson here apparently that trying to force humanity forward will result in people trying to capitalize on your attempts.

** But why won't Tesla make use of the technology, especially since his lab was just destroyed by [[Thomas Edison|Edison]]'s goons? He considers it an abomination, even though it could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. Factories would be unnecessary. You would just need to make 1 of everything and then keep copying it, as long as you have enough power.

*** So the machine - if available everywhere - would actually create something akin to a post-scarcity economy (endlessly replicating fuel would create endless power) and change society beyond recognition in ways we still find hard to fathom. If enough people had the machines, Tesla wouldn't even really be "rich" in our sense of the word.

* The ''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]'' possess enormous amount of confiscated advanced technology. While they ''do'' release some of the technology to the public, holding the patents on numerous alien technologies sold to the public—velcro, microwave ovens and CDs, to name a few—they are doing great deal of constant memory erasing to hide alien existence to avoid possible panic.

* In ''[[Star Trek (film)|Star Trek]]'', Scotty (with a little help from the future) quickly modifies a transporter so it can send people across vast interstellar distances. This is used, of course, to get Scotty and Kirk onto the Enterprise (which has been travelling away from their starting point for hours at [[Faster-Than-Light Travel|high warp speeds]]). So the transporter modification is used to resolve a dramatic point in the plot, but no-one seems to realise it could also be used for [[Casual Interstellar Travel|mundane travel between star systems]].

{{quote|'''Raoul Puke''': So the Neweyes fart tells them that he can use the time machine to travel back in time to grant the wishes of all the children of the world. I would have used it to stop 9/11... unethical jackass. I mean, the Kennedy assassination? The bombing of Pearl Harbor? Really? None of these are more important than entertaining whiny little bastard children? Well, while you're taking requests, [[Godwin's Law|here's a kid named Hitler]]. He just wants to start his own Third Reich and bring joy and happiness to the world. Why don't you grant him that wish? Huh? HUH?}}

* ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film)|Charlie and The Chocolate Factory]]'': Willy Wonka can make an entire meal come out of gum, an ice cream that stays cold and doesn't melt in the sun, build a chocolate palace without a metal framework, teleport things into TV screens, and has anti-gravity technology - yet he only applies his know-how to candy. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] by Mike Teavee in the 2005 movie: "Don't you realize what you've invented? It's a teleporter! It's the most important invention in the world! And all you think about is ''chocolate''!"

*** Velma says at the end that the professor is a suspect because he "...could make a quarter of a million dollars..." at the competition the game and invented laser was being entered into instead of pointing out he could take control of the world with a sustained and protected power source and a few petabites of memory.

** The Phantom Virus, the title "ghost," is sent out from a virtual world and acts upon real objects with super natural powers. It knows to chase the real Mystery Inc. but leaves the virtual ones alone until they interfere showing some semblance of AI. Same with the virtual Mystery Inc. who have chosen to stay on the most diverse level.

* Averted in ''[[Megamind]]'';{{spoiler|when [[Face Heel Turn|he becomes the hero]], Megamind uses his advanced technology to rebuild the damage to the city caused by the super-battle against Tighten.}}

** In the sequel short, he proceeds to {{spoiler|sell all his evil inventions at a garage sale}}.

** It's also factually incorrect: [http://glitterpancake.tumblr.com/post/110382878890/bruce-wayne-outside-of-batman Bruce Wayne's philanthropic efforts in the comics] have been repeatedly and thoroughly lampshaded across multiple authors and editorial eras, and are vast and lavish to the point that you wonder how even his vast fortune can possibly pay for it all.

{{quote|'''Batman''': Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity! Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job is finished. }}

* In the movie ''[[Dungeon Master]]'', the main character has invented a pair of glasses that can control numerous electronic devices such as traffic lights, and ATM machines. He doesn't bother to market the invention, and remains stuck as a low-paid IT assistant.

 

== Literature ==

** One guy's saliva could cause weight loss. Companies sought him out to potentially market a revolutionary weight-loss drug. But it turns out that {{spoiler|the saliva doesn't stop working and eventually the people who were under its effects become emaciated.}}

* In one episode of ''[[Law and Order]]'', a misogynist modifies a commercially available machine pistol from semi-auto to [[More Dakka|full-auto]], turning it into a highly efficient killing machine. He uses it to shoot a group of female med students, killing 15. He pleads out by about 0:35, and in a brutal subversion of [[Your Princess Is in Another Castle]], Jack McCoy decides to go after the pistol's manufacturer for knowing their product could be easily modified and not doing anything about it. (It's mentioned that the gun has been used in a hundred-odd crimes in a few years, and in every case but six the gun was modified.) 15 counts of negligent homicide, and the city of New York wins. While everyone except the defendant is celebrating, the judge goes "Hold it!" and delivers a directed verdict of "Not Guilty", due to the people basing their case on emotion rather than fact. Immediately followed by an [[Author Tract]], in classic trope style, about how the problem can't ''really'' be solved by putting people in jail. If the original verdict had held, it would've heralded the start of a new age of corporate accountability, leading to widespread change in the L&O'verse. Can you say [[Status Quo Is God]]?

* The [[Stargate Verse]] is full of this. While the series begins with 1995 people using 1995 technology, and the SGC really hadn't managed to collect much alien tech (let alone understand it), the end of the series has them in the possession of the full library of knowledge of two distinct intergalactic cultures, one of whom left ''detailed replication instructions for everything'', not to mention a bunch of alien allies and enough offworld colonies to solve pretty much every population problem (living space, famine, etc.) on Earth five times over. Getting public support would probably allow Earth to expand across the entire galaxy in the span of a few decades. While the later episodes indicate some of this tech is beginning to filter down (a prototype energy weapon, medical nanites in development, etc.), for the most part the government is unwilling to break the ruse since other groups consistently misuse the technology. It also helps that they're constantly in the middle of secret wars and probably don't want to reveal themselves at a "low point".

** Not only that, but they've learned from the experience of one of their former allies, the Tollan. The Tollan shared their advanced technology with a neighboring world, only to watch as that world destroy itself, devastating the Tollan homeworld in the process. There's a good reason the SGC is introducing things slowly.

* Justified in ''[[Fine Structure]]'', which makes this a plot point. Scientists would like to use The Script for teleportation and other discoveries, but they'll only work until the ''the fundamental laws of the universe'' are changed by Something so it can never be used again.

* The ''[[SCP Foundation]]'' could have changed the world with the SCPs...[[Justified Trope|if they weren't so dangerous]] and most of those that aren't are mostly used to help containing other SCPs. And the Serpent's Hand still consider the Foundation enemies, because they do not want to improve the world with [SCPs=].

* [[Chuck Norris Facts|Chuck Norris' tears can cure cancer]]. Too bad Chuck Norris has never cried. [[Do Not Taunt Cthulhu|Selfish bastard]].

 

** Remember that 'only 1 in 100,000 chance of lethal failure' = 'for every million customers, you get ten fatal accidents'. "Safe enough for test pilots/astronauts/the military/etc." and "safe enough for commercial sale" are two very very different things for a reason.

* Electric and hybrid cars may be an attempt to "replace" the petrol engine, but now [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4133668.ece petrol made from genetically engineered bugs] is being created. However, this '''will''' be used in an attempt to solve the world petrol crisis, making this a [[Inverted Trope|deconstruction]] of why this trope ''can'' be bad.

** There's pretty much no way that these technologies would be enough to sustain the world's need of oil should production start dropping (do you have any idea HOW much oil would be needed in a SHORT amount of time). Still, it's always nice to have stopgap solutions to make the transition process easier.

** One energy policy analyst once said that switching from petroleum energy to solar power is like "being addicted to vodka and switching over to gin." Therefore, the analyst stated that instead of trying to develop some revolutionary new power source, the solution should focus more on less energy consumption and a diversity of energy sources.