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This is a common problem for sequels of works that end with the protagonist unlocking their full power. Once they get [[Super Weight|too much power]] they win the [[Superpower Lottery]] and become [[Physical God|godlike]] or worse, ''[[God Mode Sue|Suelike]]''. On the other hand, a simple or limited power can lead to viewers [[Fridge Logic|asking]] "[[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|Why doesn't he just]] use his power of X to do Y and stop the bad guy/get the [[MacGuffin]]?". The easiest way to tell if this trope is in effect is when the writer resorts to handing the protagonist the [[Idiot Ball]] and [[Forgot About His Powers]] to keep the character from using their powers in a straightforward way. |
This is a common problem for sequels of works that end with the protagonist unlocking their full power. Once they get [[Super Weight|too much power]] they win the [[Superpower Lottery]] and become [[Physical God|godlike]] or worse, ''[[God Mode Sue|Suelike]]''. On the other hand, a simple or limited power can lead to viewers [[Fridge Logic|asking]] "[[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|Why doesn't he just]] use his power of X to do Y and stop the bad guy/get the [[MacGuffin]]?". The easiest way to tell if this trope is in effect is when the writer resorts to handing the protagonist the [[Idiot Ball]] and [[Forgot About His Powers]] to keep the character from using their powers in a straightforward way. |
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In order to challenge the protagonist the writers will have to [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil|ramp up the villain's power]], [[How to Stop The Deus Ex Machina|find a way]] to otherwise [[Deus Exit Machina|remove or sideline]] them, [[De Power]] them or at least [[Power Limiter|reduce it]] to more reasonable levels, [[Bag of Spilling|take away their weapons]], or give them a [[Drama Preserving Handicap]] of some sort. Otherwise, the character will be [[Too Powerful to Live]]. On a bit of a tangent, there's a reason why this trope applies mostly to protagonists; we ''expect'' the [[Big Bad]] to have a nigh unbeatable edge and get beaten nonetheless, giving us a [[Underdogs Never Lose|typical underdog story]]. Though this isn't to say it's ''good'' for a villain to have a [[Story |
In order to challenge the protagonist the writers will have to [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil|ramp up the villain's power]], [[How to Stop The Deus Ex Machina|find a way]] to otherwise [[Deus Exit Machina|remove or sideline]] them, [[De Power]] them or at least [[Power Limiter|reduce it]] to more reasonable levels, [[Bag of Spilling|take away their weapons]], or give them a [[Drama Preserving Handicap]] of some sort. Otherwise, the character will be [[Too Powerful to Live]]. On a bit of a tangent, there's a reason why this trope applies mostly to protagonists; we ''expect'' the [[Big Bad]] to have a nigh unbeatable edge and get beaten nonetheless, giving us a [[Underdogs Never Lose|typical underdog story]]. Though this isn't to say it's ''good'' for a villain to have a [[Story-Breaker Power]], because they run the risk of becoming a [[Villain Sue]]. This is why most stories with such villains actually focus on stopping them from getting these powers. |
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The abilities most likely to be Story |
The abilities most likely to be Story-Breaker Powers without careful use are: |
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* [[Anti-Magic]] or its equivalents in a setting where magic is used frequently. |
* [[Anti-Magic]] or its equivalents in a setting where magic is used frequently. |
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* [[My Significance Sense Is Tingling|Omniscience/prescience]] |
* [[My Significance Sense Is Tingling|Omniscience/prescience]] |
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* [[Winds of Destiny Change|Probability manipulation]] |
* [[Winds of Destiny Change|Probability manipulation]] |
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* [[Reality Warper|Reality warping]] is almost always a story |
* [[Reality Warper|Reality warping]] is almost always a story-breaker. |
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* [[Super Speed]] |
* [[Super Speed]] |
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* [[Telepathy]] |
* [[Telepathy]] |
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Compare [[Deus Exit Machina]] and [[Story-Breaker Team-Up]], where this trope appears not because of a power itself but because of disparities between them. [[Game Breaker]] is a similar but otherwise unrelated trope, when a player manages to inflict this on a game. |
Compare [[Deus Exit Machina]] and [[Story-Breaker Team-Up]], where this trope appears not because of a power itself but because of disparities between them. [[Game Breaker]] is a similar but otherwise unrelated trope, when a player manages to inflict this on a game. |
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{{examples}} |
{{examples}} |
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* In ''[[Bleach]]'', Ishida Uryu's Quincy Final Form nearly turns him into this. It dials his normal abilities [[Up to Eleven]] and then some, making him a quincy who can effortlessly absorb all the spirit particles around him (through that wing) and turn them into sheer destructive power. While fighting in a universe where literally everything is ''made entirely of spirit particles'' (Soul Society in this instance, though the same is true of everywhere but the real world), giving him access to a basically limitless amount of power. Averted because of the Final Form's [[Drama Preserving Handicap|extreme drawback]]: his human body can't withstand that much energy, so his powers burn out within minutes of using it. He got better, but can not use this form anymore. |
* In ''[[Bleach]]'', Ishida Uryu's Quincy Final Form nearly turns him into this. It dials his normal abilities [[Up to Eleven]] and then some, making him a quincy who can effortlessly absorb all the spirit particles around him (through that wing) and turn them into sheer destructive power. While fighting in a universe where literally everything is ''made entirely of spirit particles'' (Soul Society in this instance, though the same is true of everywhere but the real world), giving him access to a basically limitless amount of power. Averted because of the Final Form's [[Drama Preserving Handicap|extreme drawback]]: his human body can't withstand that much energy, so his powers burn out within minutes of using it. He got better, but can not use this form anymore. |
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** If that wasn't enough, may I present Kirie Opie, who not only have an even stronger Final Form, but the reishi slavery can enslave and assimilate anything made out of spirit particles including people. Did I mention that he is also just one of the captain, and it was implied everyone in Vandenreich can do that? |
** If that wasn't enough, may I present Kirie Opie, who not only have an even stronger Final Form, but the reishi slavery can enslave and assimilate anything made out of spirit particles including people. Did I mention that he is also just one of the captain, and it was implied everyone in Vandenreich can do that? |
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** Applies to the [[Big Bad]] of the story, Sosuke Aizen as well, whose special ability is complete control over the senses of other people, to the point were they cannot escape his illusions even if they know something's wrong. On top of that, the sheer magnitude of his spiritual pressure serves to make him extremely formidable even without using it. It works on anyone who has seen his sword's release, which is ''everyone'' of considerable power in Soul Society, and as a result it's impossible for any of them to beat him and why [[The Hero|Ichigo]] was effectively the only one who stood a chance. {{spoiler|By the time Aizen actually fights Ichigo, [[Idiot Ball|he doesn't even]] [[Forgot About His Powers|use his powers]] anyways, because both of them have several other story |
** Applies to the [[Big Bad]] of the story, Sosuke Aizen as well, whose special ability is complete control over the senses of other people, to the point were they cannot escape his illusions even if they know something's wrong. On top of that, the sheer magnitude of his spiritual pressure serves to make him extremely formidable even without using it. It works on anyone who has seen his sword's release, which is ''everyone'' of considerable power in Soul Society, and as a result it's impossible for any of them to beat him and why [[The Hero|Ichigo]] was effectively the only one who stood a chance. {{spoiler|By the time Aizen actually fights Ichigo, [[Idiot Ball|he doesn't even]] [[Forgot About His Powers|use his powers]] anyways, because both of them have several other story-breaker powers.}} |
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** Yamamoto, with just his primary release, could be able to {{spoiler|kill every single arrancar, shinigami, and vizard present, plus Aizen.}} Inevitably this leads to {{spoiler|his sword getting sealed eventually resulting in his defeat, though even then he just casually goes about beating up the arrancar who sealed his power with his bare hands. Reminder: this particular arrancar was able to not only fight evenly with the likes of Urahara with his abilities sealed, but also overpower Ukitake, one of the other cemented badasses of the series (albeit by surprise)}}. |
** Yamamoto, with just his primary release, could be able to {{spoiler|kill every single arrancar, shinigami, and vizard present, plus Aizen.}} Inevitably this leads to {{spoiler|his sword getting sealed eventually resulting in his defeat, though even then he just casually goes about beating up the arrancar who sealed his power with his bare hands. Reminder: this particular arrancar was able to not only fight evenly with the likes of Urahara with his abilities sealed, but also overpower Ukitake, one of the other cemented badasses of the series (albeit by surprise)}}. |
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** And then there's Orihime, whose power basically boils down to "[[Reality Warper|Fuck Reality]]" {{spoiler|since she is able to undo anything from lost limbs to death itself. Which virtually makes fights of any kind (note that there is one thing essential in Bleach: fights) pointless. No matter what happens, Orihime can fix it up anyway.}} Kubo hasn't let her participate in the plot since revealing that, because it would ''destroy any conflict whatsoever.'' Aizen himself called her power ''the'' [[Story Breaker Power]]. |
** And then there's Orihime, whose power basically boils down to "[[Reality Warper|Fuck Reality]]" {{spoiler|since she is able to undo anything from lost limbs to death itself. Which virtually makes fights of any kind (note that there is one thing essential in Bleach: fights) pointless. No matter what happens, Orihime can fix it up anyway.}} Kubo hasn't let her participate in the plot since revealing that, because it would ''destroy any conflict whatsoever.'' Aizen himself called her power ''the'' [[Story Breaker Power]]. |