Inconsistent description: Awesomeness By Analysis

So, the laconic version is "Using observation and calculation to succeed." Good, that's what the title suggests to me. The picture supports that. So does the page quote, to a degree.

But then the first paragraph is about methods of study, which makes no sense because it's irrelevant how you got the ability to apply your analysis of a situation to your advantage. To take the page quote, I'm pretty sure Sherlock homes had to study a lot in order to learn all the details of how the human body works. With the example of "how to fire a gun", I doubt characters who are capable to calculate the path of a bullet did study at least some elementary physics (or else there would be mistakes like "a light bullet is going to fall slower than a heavy one"). Then it talks about the Badass Bookworm-trope, I'm sorry but aren't bookworks usually people who read a lot of books? As in, not the type described in the first paragraph? And what the fuck does Mega Manning have to do with anything?

I might be misinterpreting the trope, but I think that the laconic description of it is consistent with its actual description. I can understand how what you mentioned about methods of study may make the trope sound confusing, but I think that the key thing is that the character in question usually does not actually have much practice or expertise in the specific field (or at least does not need it). In the gun example, the character in question knows a lot about physics and math and somehow is able to fire a gun perfectly despite having never practiced it.

The character in question probably does read quite often, but I think that he or she tends to use his or her knowledge of subjects like math and science to do something like shoot a gun rather than working based off of experience. That being said, I think some of the characters in the examples actually do have experience and specific expertise, so I wonder if those are examples of misuse.

As for Mega Manning, I think that some characters who use this trope are able to copy someone's abilities through mere observation rather than through practice.

edited 28th May '11 2:39:37 PM by LouieW

I agree the description could be improved. Also, the examples need to be cleaned up — some of them are just cases of a person being intelligent and calculating, rather than them doing something specific by calculation.

Is the problem still there? I don't see a line about studying.

Badass Bookworm probably shouldn't be on there, as it's under TRS for the sort of misunderstanding this is about.

Yes, Mega Manning is an option if somebody with Awesomeness by Analysis since they can just mimic all of their opponents skills.

Bump for resolution.