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Rename Most Common Superpower?

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redlar Since: Jul, 2009
#76: Jul 22nd 2009 at 10:31:25 PM

But her powers lie in her gadgets or super-human skills. You wouldn't include Pamela Anderson as an IRL example, would you?

I laugh in the face of suffering.
GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#77: Jul 22nd 2009 at 10:31:44 PM

The current parameters from what I get.

She can't be a Badass Normal so Batgirl and Catwoman don't count.

She doesn't have to be a prototypical Superhero type, so select heroines from other genres count.

She can't rely exclusively on technology. She must have a power of her own.

We are currently unsure about if ones who've learnt Ki Attacks, Functional Magic, or Psychic Powers from being trained in them actually count or not.

Wizard Needs Food Badly
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#78: Jul 22nd 2009 at 10:57:23 PM

The thing is that if every costumed comic character that is female, humanoid, and at least older teen, counted, then it really would be the most common "superpower".

I mean that. It would make the trope name truly accurate.

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
Sofos Since: Jan, 2001
#79: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:48:32 AM

So let's recap.

Boobs Of Steel is about "strong women get big boobs".

Most Common Superpower is about "super-strong women get big boobs".

So, MCSP is a subtrope of BOS?

Troper said "No! If you rename trope you will BE KILL BY DEMONS" (c) TVTropes: Repercussions of Poor Naming
GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#80: Jul 23rd 2009 at 2:47:01 AM

Possibly... yes. Personally, I would've prefered Most Common Superpower to mean that fictional women tend to have big breasts.

edited 23rd Jul '09 2:50:17 AM by GameGuruGG

Wizard Needs Food Badly
Sofos Since: Jan, 2001
#81: Jul 23rd 2009 at 2:57:32 AM

And it's also a subtrope of Super Physique (ykttw'ed) — which means "super-strong people get ideal or even exaggerated bodies"

Troper said "No! If you rename trope you will BE KILL BY DEMONS" (c) TVTropes: Repercussions of Poor Naming
alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#82: Jul 23rd 2009 at 6:34:46 AM

I think we should include any superheros, not just ones with powers. Not to include Catwoman or any other Badass Normal seems kind of limiting.

Sofos Since: Jan, 2001
#83: Jul 23rd 2009 at 7:28:25 AM

2alliterator: Then it might become suspiciously similar to Boobs Of Steel

Troper said "No! If you rename trope you will BE KILL BY DEMONS" (c) TVTropes: Repercussions of Poor Naming
BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
vigilantly taxonomish
#84: Jul 23rd 2009 at 7:46:19 AM

How about we restrict it to heroic or villainous characters from works in the tradition of American superhero comicbooks?

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Sackett Since: Jan, 2001
#85: Jul 23rd 2009 at 8:10:44 AM

—>The thing is that if every costumed comic character that is female, humanoid, and at least older teen, counted, then it really would be the most common "superpower".

I thought that was what it meant?

Madrugada Zzzzzzzzzz Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In season
Zzzzzzzzzz
#86: Jul 23rd 2009 at 8:37:09 AM

The definition says "metahuman" (i.e. superpowered). Normal humans, no matter what they wear are not metahumans. Catwoman is a normal human with extraordinary skills but she is not superpowered. Batgirl is a normal human with a lot of gadgets. she is not superpowered. Poison Ivy is superpowered — she has abilities (not learnable skills) that normal humans do not.

The definition says nothing about costumes. Costumes do make a metahuman.

The definition says nothing about gadgets and training. Gadgets and training do not make a metahuman.

This trope is not defined by what the woman wears, nor by what her position in the story is (It doesn't matter whether she's a good guy or a bad guy, a main character or a minor one.)

Women who are examples of this trope is defined by two characteristics: she's metahuman (i.e. superpowered) and she's got big honkers. It's that simple.

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.
Sackett Since: Jan, 2001
#87: Jul 23rd 2009 at 8:40:45 AM

Okay, but I thought part of the joke was that all super heroines, even those without superpowers, have the Most Common Superpower.

BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
vigilantly taxonomish
#88: Jul 23rd 2009 at 8:41:38 AM

@ Madrugada: I'm not convinced that's the most useful definition if we're trying to capture the concept as a trope. I'd imagine there's a rather closer relationship between the use of this trope in an American superhero comic by a Badass Normal heroine and the use of this trope in a Japanese manga by a metahuman who is not closely based on American comic books.

edited 23rd Jul '09 8:41:55 AM by BobbyG

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DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#89: Jul 23rd 2009 at 11:03:02 AM

And if Catwoman has the same bust size as Storm, it doesn't really seem like a power if we limit it to superpowered ladies.

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
Hylarn (Don’t ask)
#90: Jul 23rd 2009 at 12:28:46 PM

The original intent of the page was to point out that superheroines (and presumably female supervillains) tend to have large breasts.

 * Because people aren't really into media-specific tropes it eventually became about big breasts in general.

The problem is that this isn't really a trope. The intended version is a minor subtrope, and there's nothing standard if you try to move it to other media. Super-powered girls in general have the same bust sizes as non-superpowered lead females.

SomeGuy Some Guy from totally uncool town Since: Jan, 2001
Some Guy
#91: Jul 23rd 2009 at 12:44:24 PM

That's very debatable. Superheros are infamous for having utterly absurd proportions, in part because since they're drawn, they don't have to do anything like follow the laws of physics. The extent of this trope's appearance in the Comic Book industry is rather obvious because of this. While I'm sure Hollywood would like to make all the leading ladies absurdly bosomed, there's not enough actress well-endowed in both skill and nipple tissue for it to be practical. Not to mention Comic Books are a much more heavily gender-stratified viewing audience- women in general see the giant boobs in comics as the biggest turn-offs.

The only real problem with this trope is that it's currently being defined like its supertrope should be. So far as I can tell, we don't have any trope that says Everythings Better With Big Breasts, which is how this trope is usually used as in the vernacular.

edited 23rd Jul '09 12:54:00 PM by Some Guy

See you in the discussion pages.
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#92: Jul 23rd 2009 at 12:51:42 PM

That would be Everythings Bouncier With Big Breasts. ;-)

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#94: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:08:59 PM

More like Every Ladys Bouncier With Big Breasts.

With guys, large breasts are either muscular and don't bounce, or flabby, and don't bounce as much as flail.

edited 23rd Jul '09 1:10:08 PM by DragonQuestZ

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#95: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:19:56 PM

Of course that would make it seem like The Same But Less of Gag Boobs. This is more big breasts come with the costume.

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
Wicked223 from Death Star in the forest Since: Apr, 2009
#96: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:21:38 PM

How about Breast Are The Most Common Superpower? or is that too long?

You can't even write racist abuse in excrement on somebody's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat!
SomeGuy Some Guy from totally uncool town Since: Jan, 2001
Some Guy
#97: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:22:23 PM

Yes, but the supertrope to all of these is the idea that big breasts constitute an automatic improvement to something. That's the concept with no name that needs a name so people will stop using Most Common Superpower.

See you in the discussion pages.
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#98: Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:25:22 PM

There is a ykttw up here for that.

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#99: Jul 23rd 2009 at 2:37:11 PM

... Why not just redefine Most Common Superpower to mean that? I mean there is some similarity between Boobs Of Steel and it at the current moment. I don't see why we need a comic-specific version of what is essentially Boobs Of Steel.

Wizard Needs Food Badly
DragonQuestZ The Other Troper from Somewhere in California Since: Jan, 2001
The Other Troper
#100: Jul 23rd 2009 at 4:07:47 PM

Think we should put the definition up for a crowner?

I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.

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