Couple questions about the lasso...

[Vanguard01]

I've come up with some more questions about the specific nature of the lasso's power that I'd like some clarification on.

First, does the lasso negate a person's powers when he/she is bound by it? For example, if Diana fights an out-of-control Superman again and she ties him up, we know he can't break out of it because the lasso is unbreakable. But would it stop him from using his other powers? Could he try to fly away with the lasso still around him? Could he still try to blast Diana with his heat vision? Or does the lasso somehow cut him off from all his powers?

Second, it's often said that no one can escape the lasso. This typically means that no one can break it (we're looking at you, Matt Wagner :evilangry: .) I think I've also heard it said that if Diana ties it in a knot, the knot cannot be untied. However, there are other ways to escape a rope, especially in comics. For instance, could a teleporter simply vanish from the lasso's coils? Could someone with the power of intangibility simply phase through it? Could someone like The Atom shrink to a smaller size and walk away? How about stretchy guys like Plastic Man? Could he just go really thin and slide out of it? Or, for a more mundane idea, Zatanna is an accomplished escape artist. She's been doing rope escapes for most of her life. Could she simply writhe loose from the lasso's coils?

Have any of these ever been addressed? If not, what do you think would happen?

[gwydion]

I've come up with some more questions about the specific nature of the lasso's power that I'd like some clarification on.

First, does the lasso negate a person's powers when he/she is bound by it? For example, if Diana fights an out-of-control Superman again and she ties him up, we know he can't break out of it because the lasso is unbreakable. But would it stop him from using his other powers? Could he try to fly away with the lasso still around him? Could he still try to blast Diana with his heat vision? Or does the lasso somehow cut him off from all his powers?

Second, it's often said that no one can escape the lasso. This typically means that no one can break it (we're looking at you, Matt Wagner :evilangry: .) I think I've also heard it said that if Diana ties it in a knot, the knot cannot be untied. However, there are other ways to escape a rope, especially in comics. For instance, could a teleporter simply vanish from the lasso's coils? Could someone with the power of intangibility simply phase through it? Could someone like The Atom shrink to a smaller size and walk away? How about stretchy guys like Plastic Man? Could he just go really thin and slide out of it? Or, for a more mundane idea, Zatanna is an accomplished escape artist. She's been doing rope escapes for most of her life. Could she simply writhe loose from the lasso's coils?

Have any of these ever been addressed? If not, what do you think would happen?

The bolded one happened in JLE Quarterly #8 IIRC, when a shape changer changed his shape from a human into some sort of tiny insect. He was stopped if you can believe it when Dr. Light hit him with some rays and blinded him, (didn't know that works on an insect).

Don't know if it would still work.

[Vanguard01]

So shape-changing seems to work. I thought it might. What about the others?

[Atomcrush]

These are very good questions. I don't have any answers, save for one. As far as someone being able to use powers while bound, Decay was able to fly while bound in the lasso (with Diana in tow). That's the only image that immediately comes to mind as far as an adversary using the power of flight while bound.

[gwydion]

Oh yes, in Brave and the Bold, Power Girl was able to fly while in the lasso. Presumably that means she could have used her other powers, which likely means so could Superman, or for that matter any one else.

[turnedm]

To answer the first question: No, the lasso doesn't block the powers of whomever is bound in it. As far as I'm concerned, not all the properties of the lasso has been explored, but the most common traits are that the one bond is forced to tell the truth, and that the lasso is supposed to be unbreakable. I have not seen evidence of the power blockage.

[Vanguard01]

To answer the first question: No, the lasso doesn't block the powers of whomever is bound in it. As far as I'm concerned, not all the properties of the lasso has been explored, but the most common traits are that the one bond is forced to tell the truth, and that the lasso is supposed to be unbreakable. I have not seen evidence of the power blockage.

I see. Yeah, that just occurred to me as something of a complication for Diana when she tries to tie up people with powers. Yes, the lasso makes them tell the truth, but what if they just decide to blast her rather than answer her questions?

[gwydion]

I see. Yeah, that just occurred to me as something of a complication for Diana when she tries to tie up people with powers. Yes, the lasso makes them tell the truth, but what if they just decide to blast her rather than answer her questions?

Which is as it should be. No point in making it easy or safe for Diana. An enormously powerful weapon like that should have its limitations.

[PyroTwilight]

One thing that's always made me wonder is this...

The lasso makes you tell the truth, but...
What if the person decides just not to speak? It isn't a lie if you're not talking! Or does the lasso also make the person have to talk?

[Atomcrush]

One thing that's always made me wonder is this...

The lasso makes you tell the truth, but...
What if the person decides just not to speak? It isn't a lie if you're not talking! Or does the lasso also make the person have to talk?

The lasso has long held the ability to compel a person to speak.