Line #52 Main/OverclockingAttack


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4	[[quoteright:204:[[Webcomic/BobAndGeorge https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2004_03_03.png]]]]
5
6	->''"I will build machines which simply fail when overloaded, rather than wipe out all nearby henchmen in an explosion or worse yet set off a chain reaction. I will do this by using devices known as 'surge protectors'."''
7	-->-- #225 on [[EvilOverlordListCellblockB The Evil Overlord List]]
8
9	%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional quotes on the quotes tab.
10
11	A popular strategy to destroy the BigBad's big doomsday device is [[PhlebotinumOverload to overwork it]] until it blows up. Overclocking any AppliedPhlebotinum, especially the evil kind, won't just shut it down but will cause it to explode beyond repair. But in this case, the "explosive" part of ExplosiveOverclocking is not the risk but the goal. Then your job is done, since, of course, there are NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup.
12
13	A common way to achieve this seems to be to hit every button and pull every lever within reach as fast as you can.
14
15	The idea could be connected to how a computer will "crash" (that is to say, shut down or freeze) if you try to run too many applications at once. Of course, in the real world, a ''computer crash'' is very different from a car crash, and a computer - or any machine, really - is very unlikely to [[ExplosiveInstrumentation explode when it crashes]]. A closer analogy might be how a fuse will blow from using too much electricity on one circuit, but we have precautions to take for that in the real world. You'd think the Big Bad would be smart enough to take the same precautions for his weapons, but then destroying them [[RuleOfCool wouldn't look half as cool]].
16
17	Sometimes given a HandWave involving some {{Technobabble}} about "overriding the [[PowerLimiter safety protocols]]" (which will usually entail [[HollywoodHacking typing the word 'override' into a nearby console]], and if that doesn't work, ''typing it harder'').
18
19	The opposite of TimTaylorTechnology. Goes hand-in-hand with DestructionEqualsOffSwitch. Compare LogicBomb and GoingToGiveItMoreEnergy. Compare and contrast PentUpPowerPeril when the ''lack'' of usage creates similar results. Next step up from SelfDestructMechanism.
20
21	Not to be confused with {{Overcrank}}ing an [[AdrenalineTime Attack Shot]], a.k.a. "[[Creator/ZackSnyder Snyder-vision]]".
22
23	Somewhat similar to [[RealLife real life]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overclocking "overclocking,"]] which increases processing speed at the cost of lifespan (although too much overclocking can achieve the same result as this trope).
24
25	----
26	!!Examples
27
28	[[foldercontrol]]
29
30	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
31	* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Normally, an ayakashi medium's control of LifeEnergy promotes growth and healing, but Shadow Mei is able to twist it into making it go out of control and destroy living bodies. When used on some plants, they grow wildly and then disintegrate seconds later. When hit on the hand, Matoi is able to use KiManipulation to keep it from spreading, but it still paralyzes her arm. Mei says it would have instantly ''mummified'' a regular person.
32	* ''Anime/BattleProgrammerShirase''[='s=] first arc (Episode 3) has Shirase destroying the King of America's computer through [[spoiler:using a mobile phone to "double compile" the code, causing his computer to overheat and explode.]]
33	* ''Anime/DragonBallZ''
34	** One NonSerialMovie has a giant metallic energy-absorbing star as the evil Applied Phlebotinum device. Goku and Vegeta defeat this by overloading it with their own Super Saiyan energy, which causes it to explode in a chain reaction.
35	** Goku defeats the light-eating monster Yakon by feeding him with energy until he explodes. Goku is far stronger than his opponent, and can output more energy than Yakon can handle--Goku could have defeated him using more conventional methods if he desired; he was partly toying with his enemy.
36	* In the second season of the anime adaptation of ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'', protagonist Misaka Mikoto uses her Electromaster power (basically the ability to generate and control electricity freely) to remotely destroy several laboratories from a phone booth using the phone lines by hacking into their networks with her power, then wiping all data and critically overloading all the equipment, blowing them up and confusing the scientists as to why the hell all their stuff started randomly exploding.
37	* ''Anime/FZeroGPLegend'': Black Shadow's doomsday device draws power from the Reactor Mights of the machines driving around it, and Ryu Suzaku's machine with two Reactor Mights is able to overload it. The resulting explosion can be seen from the side of the galaxy.
38	* ''Anime/Gundam00AWakeningOfTheTrailblazer'': [[spoiler: Andrei Smirnov, along with almost every other GN-X IV pilot in the process of assimilation]] does this (using [=TransAm=]) as a [[HeroicSacrifice last ditch attempt]] to destroy an ELS battleship thats heading to earth.
39	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' has an arc where All Might goes up against a [[BioweaponBeast Nomu]] tailor made to counter [[SuperStrength his abilities]] with [[HealingFactor Super Regeneration]] and [[EnergyAbsorption Shock Absorption]] quirks. All Might notes that the wording is [[ExactWords "Absorption", not "Nullification"]], and correctly guesses that there is an upper limit to the hits it can take, resolving to [[RapidFireFisticuffs exceed that limit post haste]].
40	* ''Manga/{{Pretear}}'': The huge evil tree in the anime disintegrates when Himeno feeds it a large amount of LifeEnergy. [[spoiler:It's ''her own'' LifeEnergy, and she dies afterwards -- but this is what the TrueLovesKiss is for.]]
41	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' features a biological version of this being inflicted on a minor villain. He had strength, speed, and size--but as Kenshin kept dodging and pushing him into going faster, on top of tricking him into repeatedly turning on the same leg, the villain's knee eventually buckles from the prolonged strain.
42	* In ''Anime/ShinMazinger'', Count Brocken attempts to do this with Energer-Z by overloading its Photon Power Core. It begins shooting out powerful beams of Photon Energy until Mazinger-Z uses the God Scrander's Big Bang Punch attack to destroy it.
43	* In ''Devil & Devil'', Ios tries to off a time-sucking tentacled monster this way, by letting it gorge on as much time as it likes, as [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld Ios has tons of it to spare, being an angel]]. It doesn't work as well as he expected, though, and merely damages the monster instead of destroying it outright.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Comic Books]]
47	* Used by the Justice League to defeat four-fifths of the Crime Syndicate (their evil twins) in their first battle; Flash gives Johnny Quick extra speed so that he loses control, Wonder Woman lets Superwoman take her lasso knowing her foe can't control it, Green Lantern feeds so much energy into Power Ring's own ring that he can't use it properly, and Superman tricks Ultraman into coming in contact with a vast meteor of kryptonite (Ultraman [[IgnorantOfTheirOwnIgnorance unaware that Superman is ''weakened'' by kryptonite rather than gaining powers from it]]) which gives him so many new powers he can't use any of them.
48	* In the ''ComicBook/XMen'' ''ComicBook/{{Civil War\|2006}}'' storyline: While [[MindControl Mind Controlled]], [[EyeBeams Cyclops ]] hits [[EnergyAbsorption Bishop]] with more energy than he can actually absorb. Bishop is able to vent it in time, with enough interest to blow the limb off a [[HumongousMecha Sentinel]]. They later (when Cyclops is no longer mind controlled) use the combination intentionally to [[BatteringRam break down a bunker door]] before it [[SelfDestructMechanism explodes]].
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Card Games]]
52	* In ''Doomtown'', Hot-Loaded Rounds lets you boost a weapon bonus for one round of a shootout, after which the weapon is destroyed. [[spoiler: But the destruction is tied to comparing poker hands, so if you win the shootout before it gets that far, then you get to keep the weapon. Particularly obnoxious with a Shotgun.]]
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Fan Works]]
56	* A sidestory of ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'' has a trainer named Sho and his Mega Manectric fighting Gym Leader Volkner and his Electivire. Electivire's ability is Motor Drive, which enables it to absorb electric attacks to boost its speed. However, this ability has a limit of how much energy it can absorb at once, so Sho has Manectric keep up a Discharge attack longer than Electivire can stand, overloading him and forcing him to unleash the excess, depleting his own energy reserves in the process.
57	* The fan-made game ''VideoGame/PokemonUranium'' has a final boss at a much higher level than you're likely to have, with powerful nuclear-type moves that can easily sweep an entire team. However, if you can provoke it into repeatedly using its fire-type move, "Overheat", it will substantially weaken itself (essentially burning itself out) and become a more manageable threat.
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Film- Animated]]
61	* In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda3'', [[spoiler:Po defeats Kai by firing his chi, which manifests into a dragon, at him. Kai is at first pleased, but soon realizes that the chi is too much for him to handle and promptly explodes]].
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Film- Live Action]]
65	* ''Film/DrNo'': Film/JamesBond overheats a nuclear power plant so it blows up and ruins the BigBad's plan. It seemingly doesn't matter that it would [[GoingCritical cause serious environmental damage]]. It is Film/JamesBond, after all.
66	* This is what the Hulk does to the Absorbing Man (natch) in Ang Lee's 2003 ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' movie. Ew.
67	* In ''Film/IronMan'', [[spoiler: Tony instructs Pepper to overload an Arc Reactor by "opening all the circuits and overriding the safety protocols". This remarkably simple exercise results in a ''massive'' electrical arc that shoots up to the sky.]]
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
71	* ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark'': In "The Tale of the Virtual Pets," one girl tries to destroy the invading aliens' computer before they can upload her friends to their spaceship by running too many applications at once. It almost works, but the computer magically reboots.
72	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
73	** In "The Sontaran Stratagem" [[spoiler:the Doctor confuses a Sat Nav that wants to kill him with a LogicBomb and it explodes... in a fairly small-scale and unimpressive way to which the Doctor responds disappointedly "Is that it?" ]]
74	** In "The Mind Robber", a computer was destroyed by people hitting lots of buttons and giving it too much to do at once. Well, either the computer was destroyed, or it was unable to perform various important functions that stopped it from being destroyed.
75	** In "The Invasion", Zoe instructs a bureaucratic computer to [[{{Technobabble}} "Real sum positive, delete square... print out Y to the minus variable X one"]], then watches gleefully as it explodes.
76	** Finally, in "Family of Blood" [[spoiler: the Doctor disables the Family's ship by "accidentally" falling against the various switches in a corridor, causing the ship's systems to overload.]]
77	* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Kirk preferred {{Logic Bomb}}s or plain old phaser fire, but he used this approach at least once.
78	** In ''Charlie X'', when Charlie used his PsychicPowers to take control of the ''Enterprise'', Kirk had his crew activate every system aboard to give Charlie so many things to think about that it overloaded his control capability.
79	** Also, as nearly done in "The Menagerie", hand phasers can be set to overload and cause a huge explosion. This is a deliberate feature.
80	** In the prequel series ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', the crew installs "Phase Cannons" (read: clumsily named proto-phasers) when they are beset with an enigmatic and superior alien attacker. In testing, a glitch in the system caused the phase cannons to overload, obliterating a mountain used as a test target. When the standard settings of the phase cannons don't work against the alien ship, Archer orders Malcolm to deliberately overload them again and the phase cannons finally give the aliens something to worry about.
81	* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', [[EvilCounterpart Bizarro]] is [[spoiler: killed by Clark this way. He gives Bizarro a chunk of Blue Kryptonite. Just as Blue Kryptonite [[KryptoniteFactor nulls Clark's powers]], it overloads Bizarro's powers, causing him to explode.]]
82	* In ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'', the High Guard's Force Lances can be set to overload and used as a grenade. This is a built-in feature.
83	* As seen on ''Series/MythBusters'', you can turn a hot water tank into an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bU-I2ZiML0 explosive house-demolishing missile]] by disabling the safety features and then pumping up the pressure, akin to a massive Alka-Selter Rocket.
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Literature]]
87	* In the VideoGame/{{Skylanders}} book series ''Mask of Power'', the final book has [[BigBad Kaos]] finish building the [[MacGuffinTitle titular doomsday mask]], only to be defeated when the skylanders tricks his ego into trying to use ''all'' of their powers at the same time, something that should never be attempted, mask of power or no mask of power. Kaos attempts this challenge, and the resulting explosion destroys the mask and immobilises Kaos.
88	* In the ''Literature/WorldsOfPower'' book about ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster,'' the heroes stop the Doomsday Device by frantically pressing random buttons on it until it's overloaded and shuts down.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
92	* ''TabletopGame/{{Lancer}}:'' HORUS Kobold pattern-group mechs are less actual war machines, and more civilian construction/mining equipment hijacked by a virus during printing to produce something overclocked and overtuned to function as an improvised but effective war machine. However, the process is ''straining'', and many would-be Kobolds fall victim to ExplosiveOverclocking and melt into piles of slag... However, even in successful machines, the Virus remains - and a good enough pilot can upload weaponized versions of it to other machines as Electronic Warfare measures: One version will cause a damaging reactor blowout if the machine is/isn't standing next to a large enough entity (Kobold's choice), and a more developed version can either crack the reactor's shielding and overheat the enemy with every step, or cause it to vent red-hot slag all around itself, creating damaging and difficult terrain for itself and anyone nearby.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Video Games]]
96	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'': In the ''Shivering Isles'' expansion, the obelisks that summon the minions of the BigBad can be powered up by inserting the crystal hearts of said minions. The only way to destroy an obelisk and prevent more minions from being summoned is to overload it by inserting several hearts in succession. It is something of a subversion, as the Obelisks don't blow up when overloading -- they simply turn off. Looks like someone remembered the surge protectors.
97	* In ''[[VideoGame/AdvanceWars Advance Wars: Dark Conflict/Days of Ruin]]'', [[spoiler: you win the last mission in the campaign by destroying five laser cannons attached to a laboratory, causing the whole thing to overload and destroy itself, killing the BigBad in the process.]]
98	* During the climax of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'', the heroes discover that the source of BigBad [[spoiler:Wesker]]'s [[GodMode insane powers]] is [[spoiler: [[ArtisticLicenseBiology a virus]]]]. They also discover that [[spoiler:the virus is unstable and must be injected regularly in precise doses]], so their grand plan to defeat him amounts to overclocking ''him'' by [[spoiler:injecting him with copious amounts of it]]. [[spoiler:It doesn't do anything but make him angry]]. [[spoiler:It also hideously disfigures him. If he [[JokerImmunity somehow survived]], the next time we see him he'll be a crispy mass of tentacles with CoolShades.]]
99	* An attack similar to the above example can be performed in ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'' with a Fortifier chemical, which temporarily increases your damage resistance, but the withdrawal takes away a chunk of your health, and overdose cancels the positive effect and causes immediate withdrawal. You can make lots of it and inject several into enemies during a fight, causing significant damage each time. Note: do not give this to your followers or they will attack you.
100	* Aera in ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' use Photon Emission on Shield Collapse warheads. That's right, they weaponized "shield flash on hit" effect -- a Photon autocannon shell or Photonswarm rocket is capped with an overloaded [[DeflectorShields shield]] emitter, which fails when runs into anything, delivering both massive damage of a disruptor (shield like weapon) ''and'' a shield-piercing laser flash at point blank. Each shot consumes energy needed to charge the warhead and deteriorates with range, but less than disruptors, and it's still more energy-efficient than lasers.
101	* The ''Overload'' and ''Sabotage'' talents in the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series, the former downs shields and damages synthetics while the latter overheats weapons and burns the wielder.
102	** In one of the sidequests of [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], a sentient computer tries detonate itself and kill Shepard in the process. When Shepard points out that there's no way the computer could have smuggled explosives onto the Citadel's Presidium, it replies that its components will approximate a self destruct when stressed.
103	* ''VideoGame/RingRunnerFlightOfTheSages'' features weapons can add to the target's energy or heat pools, eventually resulting in them overloading or overheating. Overload weapons can be used by [[SpaceMaster casters]], while overheat weapons can be used by [[FragileSpeedster fighters]].
104	* ''VideoGame/Destiny2'' 's ''Shadowkeep'' expansion comes with new mods, some specifically designed to deal with Champion-tier enemies. Among them are '''Overload Rounds''', which work best on Overload champions, which are very aggressive and can't be stopped with normal fire. Firing on the target with the right mod installed will eventually shoot an Overload shot, which causes the Champion to become temporarily stunned and left wide-open to attacks from you or friendlies.
105	* In ''VideoGame/GrimDawn,'' Occultists have a spell called "Bloody Pox," which plagues an enemy mob. Its upgrade "Fevered Rage" doubles its damage but buffs attack damage and speed.
106	* In ''Videogame/FateGrandOrder'', Chen Gong's [[LimitBreak Noble Phantasm]] "Two-Pronged Formation" is a particularly cruel variation. He specifically overclocks [[TeamKiller his allies with Mana and uses them as a living bomb]] while trying to pass it off as him firing an explosive arrow. Mechanically, it deals a shockingly high amount of [=AoE=] damage for [[ComMons his rarity]] while sacrificing one of your Servants.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Webcomics]]
110	* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'': [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/040303c George deduces that his attacks are not just going away and goes for the overload]]
111	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': When Agatha's RayGun starts [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050715 malfunctioning]], she [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050718 intentionally overclocks]] it so that she can use it to [[spoiler:[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050722 blow up a bridge]]]].
112	** Also, a rare ''human'' example. [[spoiler: Zola]] imbibes some of Violetta's Moveit 11, making her extremely fast and strong. This, in addition to her considerable martial art skills, makes her completely unstoppable. Violetta's solution? Inject [[spoiler: Zola]] with even ''more'' Moveit 11, so that her body can't handle it and melts down. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for our protagonists, Zola managed to keep herself long enough to still wreak some damage. She's badly beaten by Tarvek, but she ends up in a hospital and is saved before Violetta's plan works]].
113	* ''Webcomic/SecondEmpire''; Anzollo, knowing the Millennium Thargon has no hope of outrunning the attacking Dalek saucers, instead blows the gravity lenses of the Thargon to release a crippling gravity wave, which succeeds in tearing apart many of his pursuers.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Western Animation]]
117	* Used by the BigBad against the hero in ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'': Vilgax manages to remove the [[ClingymacGuffin Omnitrix]] with a simple overloaded pulse of energy bigger than its feedback pulse.
118	* In ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "Pied Piper Power Play" the team destroys Nimnul's rodent-powered generator by convincing the mice to constantly run the treadmills. The twist is: the explosion would kill them all, as well as all the Nimnul's hostages, so they have to stop it afterwards.
119	* The pilot for ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' does this - to destroy the Waddlemeyer Ramrod, a device that "makes things float and stuff", the titular hero starts randomly pushing buttons, causing it to start firing randomly and finally explode.
120	* The standard MO of Ron Stoppable from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''.
121	-->'''Ron''': This is a precision instrument, very complicated. Better mess with everything.
122	%%* ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'': Sonic has been known to do this from time to time.
123	* ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'': Gear stops Brainiac, the living computer brain that has invaded the Justice League's Watch Tower, by linking his computer/robot to it and downloading the same song billions of times -- "just like when my computer crashes when I try to do too many things at once." [[spoiler: It only appears to work, though.]]
124	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': In the episode "Wavelength," Cyborg destroys Brother Blood's underground base by "boost[ing] the wavelength in the transmission matrix, triggering a meltdown in the amplification system." Which is funny, because increasing a wavelength will result in a loss of energy, instead of an increase.
125	** Also, in the special episode "The Lost Episode," Beast Boy taunts the [[ThePowerOfRock guitar-shredding]] villain Punk Rocket into overloading his guitar amps by turning the volume up to ten.
126	* ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'': In "WesternAnimation/ACloseShave", Shaun the Sheep tries to shut down the ConveyorBeltODoom by randomly flicking a panel of switches. It doesn't work, but it does turn on a huge neon advertising sign outside so Gromit realizes where they are and flies to the rescue.
127	* In ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'' episode title "The Computer Walks Among Us", Velma use this strategy to deal with her robot, the Dinkley 2000, which follows every command until it gone crazy. The robot catches the gang off guard and grabs Freddie, Daphne, and Shaggy, and devours them, before moving in on Velma. After asking Scooby something, she gets an idea to stop the robot. She and Scooby ask the robot to do several chores at once until it overloads. Freddie, Daphne, and Shaggy then emerge from the robot unharmed. Velma explains that Scooby reminded her that the robot was designed to follow every command.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Real Life]]
131	* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet Stuxnet]] computer worm [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet#Natanz_nuclear_facilities attacked and incapacitated the Iranian uranium enrichment plants at Natanz]] by raising and lowering the speed of the centrifuges, causing them to spin erratically until they sustained critical physical damage.
132	[[/folder]]
133

Context Main / OverclockingAttack