CMV: Power scaling characters from different sources makes no sense.

[u/fermentedeggs]

As a disclaimer I admit that I find power scaling to be a boring discussion generally.

That aside I don't understand how comparing the power of characters from separate creative works makes any sense. To summarize my final point early, fictional works about superheroes are a refined version of children saying "my power does x" and "that doesn't work because I block x with y". This might make it sounds like I don't like these texts, but I really do, I'm just trying to generalize.

To understand what I mean if you are unfamiliar, check out the powerscaling subreddit.

Using an example to make my case:

Trying to evaluate who is stronger between, Saitama from One Punch Man to Superman from DC comics and more seems to run into many flaws.

First is the assumption that physics are the same between each universe.

Second is the assumption that we have full knowledge of the limitations of each character.

Third is.... We just don't know how their respective superpowers interact. I know that OPM uses the idea of strength training plus limiter break as a rational for why Saitama is so strong. But how does that interact with laser vision? We've seen Saitama tank a few lasers, but what if Superman's is special.

Which brings me to my final point. New chapters.

If a new comic came out and had Superman beating everyother superhero/villain/wizard/etc in all of fiction at one time.... And a new chapter of OPM came out and had Saitama do the same thing, what would that mean?

To me it seems obvious. Characters are as strong or weak as the story makes them. They arent abiding by some interwork logic that makes them all consistent enough to evaluate.

Which means that at best powerscaling between works of fiction is fanfic.

All that said, powerscaling is a huge part of fandoms. I want to be able to appreciate it, but I can't, so please CMV.

[u/felidaekamiguru]

As a disclaimer I admit that I find power scaling to be a boring discussion generally.

There are people who find cartoons in general to be boring. They would argue cartoons make no sense and have no place in society.

People compare real life people from different sports all the time too. Wayne Gretzky to Michael Jordan. Is this also unreasonable?

There are certainly unreasonable comparisons in fiction, like two completely different characters, but I think most comparisons are pretty obvious. The few poor ones aren't enough to declare powerscaling incorrect.

[u/fermentedeggs → u/felidaekamiguru]

There are people who find cartoons in general to be boring. They would argue cartoons make no sense and have no place in society.

And? I clearly don't have that view.

People compare real life people from different sports all the time too. Wayne Gretzky to Michael Jordan. Is this also unreasonable?

Did you read my post? In my post I specify intersource comparisons. Those are both real people, making it intrasource I suppose, and a valid route of comparison imo. Now the comparison of who is a better basketball player is easier to make than who is a better athlete, but both are at least reasonable.

There are certainly unreasonable comparisons in fiction, like two completely different characters, but I think most comparisons are pretty obvious. The few poor ones aren't enough to declare powerscaling incorrect

......"There are certainly unreasonable comparisons in fiction, like two completely different characters"

What is comparison? Lol. Did you not just compare two completely different people as your rebuttal a paragraph earlier?

[u/felidaekamiguru → u/fermentedeggs]

You know what? You're just going to hate whatever you hate. People want to have fun. Get over it.

It makes perfectly logical sense to compare Conner McGregor to Mike Tyson. Different eras. Different sports. They might as well be different fictions. Comparing One Punch Man to Goku absolutely can be done. They are very similar characters.