Blu5.com - NEW & NIFTY POWERS: A UPN thing, or just a progression?

New Powers?

Posted by Mia of the Wild Sirens on 10-19-2001 08:47 PM:

NEW & NIFTY POWERS: A UPN thing, or just a progression?

QUESTIONS: This hit me like waaay late, so I apologize if it's already been discussed. Okay, so there's nothing too Earth-shattering about these musings, but I was just wondering...

~ The "mind-warp" or "mural-warp" thing... Since when can Max do this? Have we seen him do other total illusion stuff like this before? This should be very handy when it comes to sneaking around and hood-winking Liz's parents. I'm also curious why Iz hasn't Dreamwalked Jesse yet, for her own protection, and the group's.

~ The "making an updraft/wind gust" thing... This is also a new one, isn't it?

~ The "red lazer beam cutting tool" thing... Which probably first was seen in its infancy during the Leanna-torching scheme at the dorm, that Liz thwarted. Gotta watch them hot lil hands, Max. But why, then, didn't he go through an outside wall at the convenience store, under the cover of darkness, to enter the basement? Certainly the beam is not limited to cutting sheetrock? He seemed to have exquisite control over directing it. Why not kinda just burrow in through a tunnel? So much risk of exposure was taken for something that could conceivably been done better..... I know I know. Writers.

~ The "gun-melting" thing... That made me wonder why he didn't just change the molecules of the diamond/key into something like an earring, or his undershirt, or a ring, or something, so it didn't have to be out of his possession. This matter-manipulation ability seems to be used as the plot-device-du-jour, but only when desired. Why is it forgotten when it can be really handy?

Are we to understand that each alien can now do just about anything? I know Max did the matter-changing of the head sculpture in the pilot, but mainly it's been just green force fields, healings, flashes, and some power-surge things with his hands... right? What am I forgetting? I guess there was Skin and Bones...

In the same vein, I'm assuming that Michael made the ceiling fall down on Carl because it wouldn't raise his suspicions particularly. He did it really sloppily, though. And he didn't use his powers on the Mafioso dude in Utah? But he did a really nifty and delicate "healing" on that VHS tape at the plant, don't you think? Hasn't he only healed like once, with Riverdog in Into the Woods? I guess healing is not really any different than sculpture molding, tho? Or fingerprint changing like in White Room?

This brings up my wish from early this summer, that Roswell kept a thoroughly complete PLOT/CHARACTER BIBLE to keep their signals straight between eps and seasons, and so that we have parameters we can grasp and allow for. I kind of wish they all had either their own specially tailored gifts, or that they had specific limitations that explained why they aren't all rolling in $100 bills and better cars, and perfect report cards? The nebulous nature of their powers seems weasly when left wide open. If they have so much control and ability, they should have far fewer worries in their everyday existence.

Certainly bad hair days should be a thing of the past, by now. *tries not to make eye contact with Mike or Izzy*

Posted by Sweet_Pea on 10-19-2001 08:51 PM:

I'm just throwing this out there, but maybe its like Human Physiology in a way, as in a person really doesn't stop growing and developing until like age 22. So maybe in a way thier powers are still developing. Anyway......I just remembered a shred of class material from my psyche class....whew......my Psych professor would be so thrilled......lol

sweety

Posted by greg5 on 10-19-2001 09:05 PM:

The mind mural/warp thing- good point. It probably was a bit of mind warp there otherwise the whole world would have noticed. Max should, in theory, be able to do mindwarping. Remember that they all have basically the same powers, they are just more gifted in some. this would have been a small scale mindwarp.

The wind thing- well we did see Isabel make it snow...

The laser beam thing- yah, I think we saw it before with the Leanna incident.

The gun- He simply fused metal to metal, and he never retrieved the gun.

I think there's still rules. But hey... it's TV...they're aliens...we can't put anything past them...

Serina (Seven of Five)

Posted by greg5 on 10-19-2001 09:08 PM:

Oh! Duh! (Serina smacks her forehead). The crystal! Well... umm...It's alien. Maybe he can't change it or maybe he's afraid if he changes it, it won't be any good anymore.

Serina (Seven of Five)

Posted by greg5 on 10-19-2001 09:12 PM:

I love questions!

~ The "mind-warp" or "mural-warp" thing... Since when can Max do this? Have we seen him do other total illusion stuff like this before? This should be very handy when it comes to sneaking around and hood-winking Liz's parents. I'm also curious why Iz hasn't Dreamwalked Jesse yet, for her own protection, and the group's.

I remain convinced that all the aliens can do the same things, but learn or develop their powers according to their personality. For example, Iz can heal (which Max described as Molecular Manipulation-Pilot). This may just be the first time either of the guys have had to or had the opportunity to use a mind power.

~ The "making an updraft/wind gust" thing... This is also a new one, isn't it?

If the shield that Max erects is telekinetic, then that would explain the draft.
If the shiled that Max creates is a changing of molecules, then I guess we're lucky M&L didn't just plunge to their doom. sorry I've no other explanation!!!

~ The "red lazer beam cutting tool" thing... Which probably first was seen in its infancy during the Leanna-torching scheme at the dorm, that Liz thwarted. Gotta watch them hot lil hands, Max. But why, then, didn't he go through an outside wall at the convenience store, under the cover of darkness, to enter the basement? Certainly the beam is not limited to cutting sheetrock? He seemed to have exquisite control over directing it. Why not kinda just burrow in through a tunnel? So much risk of exposure was taken for something that could conceivably been done better..... I know I know. Writers.

Well, he may have gone in from the inside because he felt/sensed it there. He may not have had the same sensation from outside.
He also had to go downstairs as soon as he opened the door, so there may not have been a way to get to the stairs (or the undergound storage area) from outside.

~ The "gun-melting" thing... That made me wonder why he didn't just change the molecules of the diamond/key into something like an earring, or his undershirt, or a ring, or something, so it didn't have to be out of his possossion. This matter-manipulation ability seems to be used as the plot-device-du-jour, but only when desired. Why is it forgotten when it can be really handy?

Well now this is true... but I think that the writers are careful (and have to be) with Molecular Manipulation. Otherwise (Like Fido and I have discussed on th board before) that power is virtually unlimited. The limit of MM has to come from the character's psyche. If he doesn't just think he can "create anything" or change anything, then he probably won't. But from what we've seen them do, there could be very little they couldn't do with that power.
For the record, I'd do just about anything to have that power... bwah-ha-hah

Are we to understand that each alien can now do just about anything? I know Max did the matter-changing of the head sculpture in the pilot, but mainly it's been just green force fields, healings, flashes, and some power-surge things with his hands... right? What am I forgetting? I guess there was Skin and Bones...
The unlocking thing-which is either MM or telekinesis...

From others: the creation of soda, the changing of condiments, the cooking of food, dream-walking, the changing of their outward appearance (Michael=White Room)...

In the same vein, I'm assuming that Michael made the ceiling fall down on Carl because it wouldn't raise his suspicions particularly. He did it preally sloppy, though. And he didn't use his powers on the Mafioso dude in Utah? But he did a really nifty and delicate "healing" on that VHS tape at the plant, don't you think? Hasn't he only healed like once, with Riverdog in Into the Woods? I guess healing is not really any different than sculpture molding, tho? Or fingerprint changing like in White Room?

One, I think Michael was more afraid for his life in the Snapple caper. Even after the guy shot out the window. He never really threatened to harm Michael then. Carl on the other hand...

Michael and healing. I think this is the perfect example of how tied the Podster's powers are to their psyche. The more confident (and comfortable) with himself that he gets, the more Michael's powers seem to be developing. Don't forget, he's also been practicing (we saw that last season). But back to healing. In the Miracle ep, Michael said he wished he could have healed the kids Max couldn't get to (though I didn't see any still in their beds). But he had already healed before. He just didn't think he could affect the kind of change that Max was.

His fingerprint on the other hand was hard for him. The pressure was a lot greater. I mean here's Nasedo (another failed father figure) pushing him, with Max's life on the line. Now that's pressure.
The VHS on the other hand would be easy. One, no one was watching. Two, he was desperate and he needed the tape. Not like when he blew up Maria's car (285S).

Whew!

Okay. I have to go to the bathroom. (Which undoubtably is the truest part of this post).

Thanks Mia!!!

Greg

Posted by Mia of the Wild Sirens on 10-19-2001 09:25 PM:

Can you say "TMI", Greg?!? (too much informaton)

And I mean about the call of nature thing, NOT your responses to these musings, which were great! Thanks!

Posted by Berengaria on 10-19-2001 09:29 PM:

Posted by greg5 on 10-19-2001 09:29 PM:

Incorigable.

Greg!

Posted by Sweet_Pea on 10-19-2001 09:31 PM:

spelling fairy

in·cor·ri·gi·ble

sweety

Posted by Mia of the Wild Sirens on 10-19-2001 09:41 PM:

Freakin A, incor'ri'gi'ble to the core, Sweets. Men...

And what d'ya wanna bet that toilet seat's still up...

Posted by greg5 on 10-19-2001 09:43 PM:

Spelling is a virtue.

Of which I am seldom blessed.

Toilet seat? If you put it up you get in trouble for not putting it back down.

Greg

Posted by garnet on 10-19-2001 10:02 PM:

so much personal info....
*garnet runs away*

Posted by banjo_pickin_boy on 10-20-2001 06:33 AM:

The thing about all the new powers that I noticed the most was when Max melted the gun. He put it down on the car's carpeting, then it just dissolved totally into the carpeting. There couldn't have been any heat involved or the carpeting would have at least smoked. Unless you want to add the possibility that he also surpressed the heat effects on the carpet. Also, when it dissolved it didn't just leave a liquid or plastic residue (puddle of goo) that mixed with the carpet fibers, but rather it seemed to be a complete molecular disintegration. Did the gun molecules disperse in the air, or is it even disintegration at the atomic level?

The aliens on the wall signaling to Liz must have been visible to anyone in the Crashdown. If Liz's retinas can receive the photons (I love photons) then so can anyone else's, so he took a risk in doing this, although if anyone else noticed and tried to report it, they would be accused of hallucinations. If it was a mind warp, then why not communicate more directly? Of course that way would have been harder to show to the viewer.

To make the hang glider take off he would have had to create a horizontal wind velocity equal to or slightly above the 0/0 L/D (lift over drag) velocity and then maintain it as they flew away, because they didn't seem to be losing altitude as they receded into the distance. Just creating a "puff" of wind to launch them and then letting nature take its course would have resulted in the hang glider descending at whatever its L/D ratio was. Since that was an old fashion Rogallo style hang glider, you can't expect better than about 10:1 L/D (descends 1 ft. for every 10 ft traveled).

Which reminds me; that dam they jumped off of is a typical big city water reservoir. Roswell gets its city water from wells. There is no surface water source anywhere around that they could dam up and use.

Okay, I've descended about far enough into trivia analysis hell for one day.

Posted by bethalani on 10-20-2001 09:07 AM:

Well, I can only HOPE that they have been trying to hone their skills (even though I doubt it). I have NO clue what each of them were doing for the past 3 months of summer since I got only a snippet of flashbacks in "Busted". They never seemed to be the type to practice cracking rocks like Mike did that one time.
So, I guess they developed these new skills the usual way: They just stumbled on them! lol...

I am not bummed about being introduced to all these new skills all of sudden... they are weak enough as it is and are so not prepared to face any big enemy. So, if the writers want to surprise us with something new without explanation, go ahead. When the enemy shows up, they are already at a disadvantage without Tess already. Just hope that the learn MORE, fast! I want more new powers! Time is ticking!
We have already been introduced to new threatening forces...

Posted by Sweet_Pea on 10-20-2001 10:41 AM:

quote:
When the enemy shows up, they are already at a disadvantage without Tess already

EGADS!!!

Good Riddance I say..........lol

sweety

Posted by AncientRoswellian on 10-20-2001 11:51 AM:

LOL!

And here I've been worrying that even Max's own child who shortly after being born zips into his dad's brain and says:

Hi DaDa, help me, help me! (Sorry, I'm in a strange mood.)
So maybe Max can mindwarp now. That would be very interesting. And if they all have the same powers as Greg5 suggests then Iz won't need to dreamwalk Jesse, she could just mindwarp him but, eventually that would be boring. I agree with Bethalani that they all do appear weak at this point and I would like to see a show of strength.

Don't have any thoughts about the wind gust thing. Just wonder if they might use it again, but not in a cheesy way.

Mia said:

quote:
~ The "red lazer beam cutting tool" thing... Which probably first was seen in its infancy during the Leanna-torching scheme at the dorm, that Liz thwarted. Gotta watch them hot lil hands, Max. But why, then, didn't he go through an outside wall at the convenience store, under the cover of darkness, to enter the basement? Certainly the beam is not limited to cutting sheetrock? He seemed to have exquisite control over directing it. Why not kinda just burrow in through a tunnel? So much risk of exposure was taken for something that could conceivably been done better..... I know I know. Writers.

You know I'd love to be in an AOL chat with the writer's trying to answer that question. And the gun melting thing could be the second question.

Greg makes a good point about the powers developing according to their personality. I'll have to think some more on that one. I'm in total agreement with Serina. " It's TV...their aliens.."

Mia said:

quote:
Certainly bad hair days should be a thing of the past, by now. *tries not to make eye contact with Mike or Izzy*

How true!!!LOL!

And uhm....Greg....Nothin' makes a girl madder than fallin' in.

AR

Posted by passin thru on 10-20-2001 01:06 PM:

Hey Banjo, there is that little dam on the east side of the highway on the way to Carlsbad by that reservoir...but it looked a little skimpy to be that one

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