Exactly how do Midnighter's powers work? [Archive]

Predator

03-27-2005, 07:42 AM

I know that he can somehow anticipate any attack an enemy can throw at him. Is that right? How do his powers work?

Lightbend

03-27-2005, 08:06 AM

In addition to having a level of superspeed and possibly enhanced strength, Midnighter's brain is a tactical engine. Before he even engages in the fight, his mind has replaced millions of different angles and outcomes for the fight-and hence, he chooses the best method before engaging in combat.

west3man

03-28-2005, 01:27 PM

In addition to having a level of superspeed and possibly enhanced strength, Midnighter's brain is a tactical engine. Before he even engages in the fight, his mind has replaced millions of different angles and outcomes for the fight-and hence, he chooses the best method before engaging in combat.
... in theory.

He still tries to fight people he can't beat in ways he can't win.

Paradox

03-28-2005, 09:20 PM

Hmmm...reasons for that could vary.

Ego (unlikely, though). He certainly has a big one, but I don't think that's going to over-ride his "programming".

Unwinnable - His tactical engine tells him the best way to fight with the best chance, but that's not a guaranteed win, just the BEST chance.

Lack of information - Even the best computer can only deal with what input it has.

Crappy writing after Ellis - Um, which one you think I'm going with? :p

Aaron King

03-28-2005, 09:57 PM

One of the guys in Stormwatch shut down his "computer" for awhile to completely wipe the floor with him.

lboinyamouf4sho

03-29-2005, 02:39 AM

In addition to having a level of superspeed and possibly enhanced strength, Midnighter's brain is a tactical engine. Before he even engages in the fight, his mind has replaced millions of different angles and outcomes for the fight-and hence, he chooses the best method before engaging in combat.

is he able to apply these abilities to other fields as well??

aelio

03-29-2005, 06:33 AM

I've never seen him try to apply his onboard tactical comps to anything but fighting; however, Midnighter hasn't really done a whole besides fight and "keep his man happy" if you know what I mean. We've never been shown if the tact comps. come in handy for the second purpose.

Lightbend

03-29-2005, 07:21 AM

is he able to apply these abilities to other fields as well??

Midnighter strikes me as low maintenance. He probably just enjoys kicking the crap out of people as a hobby.

the Monitor

03-29-2005, 02:11 PM

I've never seen him try to apply his onboard tactical comps to anything but fighting; however, Midnighter hasn't really done a whole besides fight and "keep his man happy" if you know what I mean.

what do you mean?

Paradox

03-29-2005, 08:11 PM

**just in case the Monitor isn't just cracking wise**:

what do you mean?

Apollo is his boyfriend/lifemate/lover.

mgs

03-29-2005, 09:06 PM

Apollo is his boyfriend/lifemate/lover.
/teammate

;)

dancj

03-30-2005, 03:08 AM

I'd go for 'husband'

aelio

03-30-2005, 06:49 AM

I'd go for 'husband'
Yes, they are married now. The boys fought hard for a finer world; its too bad they can't live happily ever after in it. Too bad for them, but great for the readers.

And basically what I mean is that, in the books, anytime Midnighter is not being the world's biggest bastard, he and Apollo are in bed: probably just cuddling though. Apollo is a big softie.

the Monitor

03-30-2005, 07:24 AM

I was cracking wise, Paradox. :)

by the way...I love your new avatar and greeting line!

fuaak

03-30-2005, 07:48 AM

is he able to apply these abilities to other fields as well??
It's been hinted at, but not really shown.

Paradox

03-30-2005, 07:47 PM

the Monitor clues me:

I was cracking wise, Paradox. :)

Never can be sure. ;)

Thanks for the update, guys. I was unaware that they got hitched. I bailed on Authority after Vol. 1, and really stopped paying much attention about halfway through Millar's run.

by the way...I love your new avatar and greeting line!

Thanks! It'll be gone soon, though, like all of mine. Weekly Avatar contest on the Comm. Board. I won last week, so I got to pick this week's theme which was "Chemicals". Hence, TIN! ;)

grendel824

04-03-2005, 01:16 AM

I think we may have missed an important aspect of his powers - every time he gets into a fight, he has the ability to explain the fact that he's played this fight in his mind a billion times and has already won it without ever getting bored of saying it.

Paradox

04-03-2005, 08:43 PM

Well, maybe he's the best at what he does and what he does isn't nice. :D

west3man

04-03-2005, 09:00 PM

I think we may have missed an important aspect of his powers - every time he gets into a fight, he has the ability to explain the fact that he's played this fight in his mind a billion times and has already won it without ever getting bored of saying it.
Ha!

I took a quick look at Authority vol. 2 #1 recently and that's just what he did.

I sure do miss "the real" Authority.

Apathy Boy

04-05-2005, 12:21 AM

OK, this isn't exactly on topic, but...

Hey! In AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #6 (which still isn't the "real" Authority but is a pretty decent read nonetheless), we see Midnighter without his mask. Has this ever happened before?

borateen

04-05-2005, 07:44 AM

OK, this isn't exactly on topic, but...

Hey! In AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #6 (which still isn't the "real" Authority but is a pretty decent read nonetheless), we see Midnighter without his mask. Has this ever happened before?

At least once before in Authority v1. In Millar's first arc (I think) he's hanging out with Hawksmoor while the two are looking for the Doctor. Then when he's giving the Doctor a blood transfusion, I think he's also maskless.

aelio

04-05-2005, 08:33 AM

We've seen it a lot. During that long "cow's revenge" scene just mentioned and every time that he and Apollo were in bed during Morrison's run, which seemed like every issue.

Hipnautik

04-08-2005, 02:31 PM

The "real" Authority?

C'mon, they seem like the same Authority to me. Or does the "real" Authority mean written by Ellis only?

This whole Authority was only good in the beggining when Ellis was writing "thing" is getting old. I have all the original stuff in trades, all the second volume, and all the 3rd so far. If you like the 1st volume, and your a fan of the Authority, you'll enjoy volume 2 and 3 as well.

he and Apollo were in bed during Morrison's run, which seemed like every issue. I'll count tonight, bet it's not as much as you think.

I think we may have missed an important aspect of his powers - every time he gets into a fight, he has the ability to explain the fact that he's played this fight in his mind a billion times and has already won it without ever getting bored of saying it. God forbid a new reader gets up to speed on a characters powers....

Apathy Boy

04-10-2005, 06:27 PM

The "real" Authority?

C'mon, they seem like the same Authority to me. Or does the "real" Authority mean written by Ellis only?

This whole Authority was only good in the beggining when Ellis was writing "thing" is getting old. I have all the original stuff in trades, all the second volume, and all the 3rd so far. If you like the 1st volume, and your a fan of the Authority, you'll enjoy volume 2 and 3 as well.Honestly, I don't even particularly like AUTHORITY v.1. The Ellis issues were dull (haven't read STORMWATCH, though) and the Millar issues were entertaining at some moments and irritatingly silly at others.

The Brubaker series, by contrast, is pretty damn good. However, it's not your typical Authority comic with a big and wild "high concept," the constant pushing of the boundaries of good taste and lots of splash pages of alien armadas. It's a very character-driven arc with some really clever plot twists.

AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION isn't the "real" Authority, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.