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Aberrant RPG - Good Examples of Novas in the Media...?


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It's been a while since I've visited N! Prime, and I've liked the changes I've seen, by the way. So, thus saying, I might be out of touch with things, please pardon any indiscrepencies on my part, thanks! ;-)

Anyway, I'm not sure if anyone's brought up this subject before, but I still felt compelled to do so...

Having watched The One recently, I was mesmerized by much of the movie. It seemed to me a perfect illustration of what a Mega-Attribute oriented nova would/could be like, especially Mega-Dexterity and Mega-Wits.

Aside from general superhero-ish movies, what other good examples are out there of Nova-like abilities and themes in popular (or even unpopular) media? I'd be interested to know for inspirational and game purposes in the future, aside from those given in their books, etc. Thanks!

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Watch Iron Monkey (or any martial art movie from China/Hong Kong) for another good example of how mega attributed Novas might fight. Jordan Rossi's style if very similar to what you see there.

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*Grin.* So there are two of us, is there?

The obvious answer would also be "The Matrix", of course, with its´ neat concepts fo Mega-Dex, Wit (observe Morpheus moving through the crowd in the training construct; while not technically the effect of Mega-Wits, it´s damn impressive), Str (Agent Smith punching through walls, anyone?) et cetera ad nauseum.

Any Wuxing HK flick is good watching material whenit comes to Mega-Dex combat with a dramatic hands-on flair. Notable examples would be Tai Chi Master, Moon Warriors and the Fong Sai Yuk movies (though, of course, technically not Wuxia).

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Ok, this was a crap movie, but there were some examples of potential Novas.

Master of the Flying Guillotine.

I remember some Indian dude using something like Flexibility to stretch out his arms to ridiculous length.

The Master himself has HyperHearing to compensate for his blindness.

Some chickieboo had a viscious Eagle Claw technique that was a nice example of claws not necessarily having to be nasty sharp bits.

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I may sound stupid for this, but an... interesting example of Mega-Charisma (and in particular, the Seductive Enhancement) would be Austin Powers (in both of them). His Mojo is the perfect example of Seductive. So powerful, even hardened female assassins can't help themselves...

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I'd actually consider Hannibal Lecter as a perfect example of someone with Mega-Manipulation, with perhaps a dash of Mega-Intelligence on the side. A dangerous combination if ever I saw one...

The seduction I'd just place on the shoulders of his fantastic manipulative capabilities, personally.

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There was a television show on a few years ago (it’s still on Sci-Fi Channel from time to time) called the Sentinel. A very good example of Mega-Perception.

Then there’s Dark Angel. Max is a good example of all the Mega-Physicals as well as most other Mega-Attributes.

Cin

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Another Mega-Charismatic character out there, this time from TV-Land.

Anyone remember Get Smart? In particular, the episode where Agent 99 was in labor, and we saw Simon the Likable?

A little silly, but it's a perfectly valid way of playing a Mega-Charismatic...

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How about Bean from Orson Scott Card's Shadow series? I would say he has a dot or two in mega-intelligence as well as eidetic memory and tactical genius, probably a few others as well. Most of the kids in Ender's Game and Shadow of the Hegemon has the tactical genius enhancement though they probably don't have mega-intelligence.

The Bene Gesserit have plenty of enhancements too.

I just realised that we were talking about media to which I don't usually count literature. Luckily, the Bene Gesserit have been filmed although without much of their powers (they kept the Voice tough)and Card's novels are on their way to be filmed, or so it is said...

[ 06-18-2002: Message edited by: Centipede ]

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  • 3 weeks later...

How about Smallville? Their portrayal of Clark Kent as a teen is very cool and there's not a costume in sight.

The show Tracker has a good example of Superspeed or Time Control's Accelerated Time.

Without the supernatural elements, Buffy the Vampire Slayer would be a great Physical Prodigy. Also, there is a great new "cartoon" called Phantom Investigators that has some good examples of novas, again if you removed the supernatural elements.

Finally, the end of Akira has what I consider to be the ultimate visual of what going Taint 10 might look like.

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Quote:
Originally posted by Omni:
How about Smallville? Their portrayal of Clark Kent as a teen is very cool and there's not a costume in sight.


I like the "villian of the week" for the effects of taint far more than Clark. Like that heat absorbing guy. He got his powers, and the first thing he did was kill his girl friend. Not because he disliked her, because he was cold. And he displayed no sense of remorse or anything. Power-mad right out of the box.
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The only idea I can think of, aside from all these good examples (can't believe I forgot about the Sentinel until now!), is Mutant X. I haven't watched it very much at all, but obviously there are "superhumans" involved there.

And what about the Mystery Men? smile

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As an aside, here, I wonder how various Novas might do in those "Reality TV" shows. Imagine a Mega-Social Nova in Big Brother or something...

I think there's a thread or some other reference that comes to mind that I can't remember in relation to this... ???

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Quote:
Originally posted by James 'Prodigy' Meehan:
Does anyone remember Misfits of Science? We had Sizemorph:Shrink , Quantum Bolt, Hyperspeed and another one I can't remember.


It was Telekinesis if I remember correctly, man I loved that show!

Say, does anyone know where you can get old tapes of shows like these? I'm looking for an old show almost no one remembers, I think it was called "Automan."
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Bean in Orson Scott Card's novels would have at least 3 dots in Mega-intelligence with tactical prodigy and analyze weakness. All the children from Battle School would have at least a dot of Mega-intelligence.

Peter Pan - when kids erupt!

Quinton Taratino in Four Rooms is a great example of persuassion with Mega-Manipulation.

The Pre-Cogs in Minority Report are great examples of pretergognition and premonition.

Erin Brockovich for Mega-App. She won a legal case through the cunning use of cleavage.

The Usual Suspects for Mega-manipulation.

I know it is sappy but Phenomenon. Travolta's character gets Mega-perception, telekenisis, Mega-Intelligence,speed reading, mathamatical savant(he could break codes by listening to them), linguistic genius, scientific and engineering prodigy. And, look at the scene where he is tested for IQ. Great inspiration for a nova with Mega-int.

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Quote:
Originally posted by Omni:
It was Telekinesis if I remember correctly, man I loved that show!

Say, does anyone know where you can get old tapes of shows like these? I'm looking for an old show almost no one remembers, I think it was called "Automan."


Ooooh, as much as I love scifi and stuff, that one was just a big pile of reeky nasty rotting garbage.
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John Murdoch from Dark City. For those of you who have not seen it -- what am I doing?! See it!!! It is a great movie and I advise all of you to see it or recieve a swift poke in the eye from me!!! Anyways, this movie has examples of Molecular Manipulation, Telekenisis, Gravity Control.

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Quote:
Originally posted by David Smith:
"Convincing John" from "Fraggle Rock" for Mega-Manip. laugh


Fraggles and novas in the same posting... horrible aberration pictures now entering head... argh!

Oh and I don't recall seeing it mentioned but what about this movie I've seen advertised. Lucky Star. He looks like an example of a nova.

Becka

[ 07-20-2002: Message edited by: Elizabeth Rayne ]
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  • 6 months later...

The newest Musketeer movie has some Hong Kongish examples of Mega-Dexterity. "Powder" and the Carrie movies are good examples of eruptions. The X-Men movie is an excellent example of political turmoil and the Teragen (Senator Kelly could be straight from the American Eagle Party). Daredevil is coming out soon, he kind of reminds me of Epoch from the Teragen (just not so murderous). The Incredible Hulk is in the works, and is a good example for aberrations and dorming down. Oh, and if any of you guys have seen the Boondock Saints, you'll probably agree that those guys would probably have about a million dots in Luck if they were novas.

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Depictions of character and/or attitude (not power or origin):

Gabriel in The Prophecy / God's Army. Talking monkeys indeed! Walken gestalts a to me very typical Terat, who despises humans but can go out of his way to try to convince someone he considers worthy.

Roy Batty in Bladerunner. He is superior and he knows it.

Pinhead from Hellraiser would make a nice taintridden nova. Again, it's just his general manner I'm referring to.

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A less obvious example of individuals with Nova abilities would be in Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles. Mega-Endurance, Mega-Strength, and the ability to move between parallel realities. The Trump are something of a Warp-driven power, and there are fairly good examples of shapeshifting and telepathy.

Though not "Media" for the most part, mythological figures from the Beowulf-type sagas and some of the greek Heroes would also be Nova-equivalent. I'm also thinking figures like Paul Bunyan from American Frontier myth and Native American myths for (especially) Coyote.

Stonewall

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  • 2 weeks later...

In the new Time Machine movie. The Uber-Morlock. He had powers of telepathy, telekinesis, domination, and mirage. He also probably had a dot or two of Mega-Int with the analyze weakness enhancement since he showed Alexander his one weakness, his desire to change the past. And the exposed and enlarged brain that was fused down his spine would be a great example of aberrancy related to mega-int.

Also the Star Wars series. From either the movies or the novels, the Jedi and Sith just reak of Nova powers.

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I guess that psi would be a better power framework for jedi and sith, but the system doesn't accomidate the power of them. The best example of just how powerful jedi can be is the example of how a small group of jedi repelled a fleet a star destroyers in orbit of Yavin IV by flinging them to the outer edges of the Yavin system. I'm sorry but I can't think of which particular noval that is from, but it's later in the series as the group of jedi is led by a bunch of Luke's former students. And there are examples in all the novals of Jedi using powers from other disciplines as well; vitaknisis, electroknisis (ala Emperor's lightning), and telepathy. They don't have the ability to teleport or have malible flesh though. At least not in any of the novels I've read, and I have yet to read any of the New Jedi Order series.

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Quote:
Originally posted by Anomie:
I guess that psi would be a better power framework for jedi and sith, but the system doesn't accomidate the power of them. The best example of just how powerful jedi can be is the example of how a small group of jedi repelled a fleet a star destroyers in orbit of Yavin IV by flinging them to the outer edges of the Yavin system. I'm sorry but I can't think of which particular noval that is from, but it's later in the series as the group of jedi is led by a bunch of Luke's former students. And there are examples in all the novals of Jedi using powers from other disciplines as well; vitaknisis, electroknisis (ala Emperor's lightning), and telepathy. They don't have the ability to teleport or have malible flesh though. At least not in any of the novels I've read, and I have yet to read any of the New Jedi Order series.
There are rules for Psychomorphs (Capable of manifesting multiple types of powers) and combining powers with ther Psions contained within Trinity.
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Kane, I was wondering where the rules are, in Aberrant Players Guide and I just missed them, or in one of the Trinity books?

And another movie with good examples of Nova powers is Powder. He tested off the I.Q. charts indicating Mega-Int and shows some aspects of the magnetic mastery power, telepathy, and a sort of animal mastery power, along with the aberrations albinaism and hairless.

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