Power scaling is the practice of comparing and ranking the physical strength, speed, durability, and abilities of fictional characters. The goal is to figure out their maximum speed, strength, and other abilities, usually by using science and math.
For example, in The Boys TV show, we know MM said Homelander can lift a dozen Mack trucks, which means, using math, we know he can lift at least 552 tons. He also moved faster than a C4 explosion in Season 1, so he can move at Mach 24.
In Season 5, A-Train’s top speed was Mach 195 when he was running away from Homelander, and Homelander was catching up with him. So, we know Homelander’s top speed is at least Mach 195, too.
When it comes to durability, that can also be scaled because there are different levels of durability. For example, Luke Cage might be bulletproof, but he’s not completely invincible, and his internal organs can still be damaged. Captain Man, on the other hand, can swallow the core of a nuclear missile and survive.
So, what’s your opinion on power scaling?
Me personally, I like it, but I mainly like it because you can take a character with multiple powers and, depending on how you scale them, they can still be street-level if you want.
However, if you’re going to use power scaling, you need to be consistent with it. If someone can only lift 500 tons, then they shouldn’t suddenly be lifting a massive iceberg. If they can only run at Mach 100, then they shouldn’t suddenly be running at the speed of light.
I think power-scaling can be fun, but I also think it’s like trying to divine oracular messages from an absent-minded fool.
Using your example: when the characters in the show say Big Dick One can lift five trucks, are they exact? Is it hyperbole? Is it even a useful example? Do the showrunners even bother keeping track of that sort of thing?
Now for that last one, that’s a pain point for a lot of power scaling. After all, if you go through all the trouble to mathematically determine that Rex Sciencefist can hold his breath for at least three minutes, but the next episode has a plot point where he can only hold his breath for two? Is there a flaw? Is there some explanation? No, it’s just that you’re looking for consistency in a place that the people making the media just do not give a shit about.
You can be angry with the showrunners for their inconsistency, or you can accept that the people making the show just don’t care as much about the power scaling and are fine with making the characters as powerful as they need to be for the plot to happen.
Because at the end of the day, power scaling is all about trying to determine the limits of a bunch of make-believe characters whose limits exist solely at the whims of the author trying to make neat stories out of them.
I’d say it’s still very important for internal consistency reasons. On top of it being a very good idea to have a story that is internally congruent, if the showrunners themselves don’t care about the show, why should I?
While I personally don’t mind much if they make a mistake here or there, or a few bits of dialog don’t line up, it still makes for a better story and overall show if they do. If they’re not even trying because, “lol it’s fantasy anything can happen”, then fuck 'em. Trash people that shouldn’t be involved in creative works.
I agree with you, but we have to accept that we’re a sad minority. Way too many scriptwriters think ‘internal consistency’ is something you get from eating fibre.
Nope. Most people with more than one braincell rattling around in their head understand how shit most modern productions are, especially if they’re not so stupid as to fail to realize the insane glut of “safe” remakes and similar bets out of Hollywood.
The writers know what they’re doing. That’s why the WGA went on strike in 2023 (and subsequently 2024/25 were pretty dry for smart Hollywood productions). They know even a quick review and edit vastly improves Hollywood drivel, so they ask for a pittance of what their efforts add to a production value.
You seem to not understand who is fucking over creativity in modern times. It is distinctly NOT the fucking creatives themselves.
Blame the people who decide who is hired and at what rate. Not the people who can actually fix this shitshow…
Internal consistency has been a problem in TV / movies since fucking forever. If your argument is that the show runners are not the writers, far as I’m concerned it’s semantics and I don’t really care.
I made no claim of creativity being fucked over. My observation is that too many creatives (producers, directors, writers, whatever) think the Role of Cool trumps everything else, including that unnecessary burden we know as internal consistency.
Edit: Don’t you just love when somebody ninja edits a comment after you replied, without any notice?
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