tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GodzillaThresholdGodzilla Threshold
There are situations so bad that anything that would end them is justified. Anything.
There is wisdom in facing a threat with a proportionate response. Sure, There Is No Kill Like Overkill, but it'll likely cause a lot of avoidable collateral damage, and it'll guarantee that tomorrow the next threat is stronger. But there are times when the threat is so great and things have gone so horribly wrong that there is no appropriate response. The situation is so dire that it justifies the use of any and every thing that might solve it, no matter how crazy, nonsensical, or horrific, regardless of cost or collateral damage.
Things are at the point where even summoning Godzilla, king of monsters and patron saint of collateral damage, could not possibly make the crisis any worse. The situation has crossed the Godzilla Threshold.
Once the Threshold is crossed, ANY plan, with even the smallest possibility of success, no matter how ludicrous,
impossible, dangerous or abhorrent, suddenly becomes a valid option. This serves both narrative and authorial purposes. Suppose the heroes have an awesome weapon that nonetheless causes a lot of property damage, like a Kill Sat, or a captured or dormant monster. Or one knows a Dangerous Forbidden Technique that will put his life at risk. They have to use it, but it can't be done lightly without portraying them as either careless or cruel.
So the author contrives to make the situation call for its use in such clear terms the audience understands this was done as a last resort — and, if it's handled properly, the audience doesn't even notice.
Often, the threshold is engineered. If done wrong, it can cause some serious Fridge Logic. This is usually the case when the heroes' actions or failures to act cause the situation to cross the threshold. Usually, there's an Idiot Ball (or Idiot Plot), a General Ripper, or Poor Communication Kills to thank for that.
Some plots center around avoiding the Godzilla Threshold and keeping the trigger happy person in charge of the "failsafe" from pushing the button. Sometimes, they even succeed.
The Godzilla Threshold is what happens just before the Willfully Weak character gives the "World of Cardboard" Speech and turns the Power Limiter off, uses the Forbidden Chekhov's Gun, uses lethal powers, turns to the Nuclear Option, or casts Summon Bigger Fish. When begged, the All-Powerful Bystander may even be willing to lend a hand. In video games, this is the time to use items that are Too Awesome to Use.
Contrast The Unfettered, who lives and acts as though the situation is always past the Threshold, even when there's no good reason to do so. Compare the Tyson Zone.
blog.bioware.com/2012/07/31/operation-overwatch-success/From: Admiral Steven Hackett
Re: Operation OVERWATCH
Confidentiality classification: XB-PRIME
Distribution: N7 Forces Only
Soldiers of the Milky Way –
By now you have probably heard that Operation OVERWATCH succeeded on many fronts. Frankly, I would not be surprised if this message goes unread until tomorrow due to excessive celebrating. You have struck the Reapers where they are strongest and lived to tell the tale. Credit goes to you, to those shuttle pilots who retrieved your teams, and to the many personnel who supported and planned the missions.
But I also want to speak to some of what you may be seeing in the media soon. Eventually, it will be public knowledge that we had operations on Earth, retrieving data and personnel necessary for the military and economic well-being of the galaxy.
This success will bring hope to billions of people. It will also enrage some of them. Be prepared for the tough questions – when are we starting our full-scale assault? Why retrieve this helium-3 magnate but not another one, or save my loved ones? Who are you to play God? There are no good answers to these questions. The reality is, the Reapers have almost every conceivable advantage — numbers, firepower, technology – and we make do with what we have. We strike and retreat because facing the foe head-on would be a disaster. Nowhere is this truer than at Earth.
We have started to give them a death by a thousand cuts. Take heart in this, celebrate, and relax tonight. Tomorrow morning, we will get down to business, because there’s nine hundred and ninety left to go.
–Admiral Hackett
Modifié par Bill Casey, 07 août 2012 - 10:42 .
Retour en haut
:lol:
