Timber wolves are not kindling. I'll concede that calling it a Justified Trope may not have been accurate, but I think comparing my edit to a Justifying Edit was a bit harsh. I've altered it. The thing is, it's perfectly possible Spike didn't bother using the fire because he knew it wouldn't work, so it's still quite easily not a case of forgetting.
Edited by GoblinScribe Hide / Show Replies
I'd agree Spike didn't bother using fire because it wouldn't work. He's only a baby dragon, and his flames barely shoot out more than a foot from him.
They weren't strong enough to stop King Sombra's emanations at the beginning of this season, and even if they did set a Timber Wolf on fire, the flame would burn too slowly for it to slow the beast down.
We don't have to be mean. Remember - no matter where you go, there you are. —Buckaroo Banzai
Also, since they're some kind of elemental, they may be fire-proof.
The first warning sign of a justifying edit (which is value neutral as far as I'm aware, so I don't get how it can be "harsh"—it's not like a called you an idiot or anything) is that it looks like it's based on guesswork, and saying "It's perfectly possible...." is guesswork.
Something like this still needs to be justified in the episode itself. We knock exposition, but it's actually very valuable to storytelling when the story is in danger of being unclear or contradictory. Having Spike say "My fire breath isn't powerful enough to burn timberwolves!" (it's not like he didn't spend the whole scene up to that point talking to himself) or even more simply, having him try to torch them and fail would explain why he doesn't use his powers to get himself out of danger. Otherwise, it just seems like he forgot about the fact that he's toting around a flamethrower.
As for the power of his fire breath, it's never been especially consistent. In Over A Barrel, he can shoot a stream of flame across a train car and instantly pop a popcorn kernel, so that's what? About 400 degrees at a distance of fifteen feet? The burning point of wood is 500-something, so whether he can up the temperature another 150 degrees is debatable.
Just not on the main page.
Edited by WarriorsGate
Fair enough, sir. Though I said it was harsh because a Justifying Edit is an inherently bad thing—that's why they get cut out automatically.
Is there a trope for, when Spike wanted to have fun, he pulled out a checklist just like how Twilight used a checklist for the slumber party in Look Before you Sleep? I was thinking Shared Family Quirks, but I'm not sure. I mean, its not as long as Twilight's but its still the same quirk.