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Post by Whitedwarf on Jan 23, 2008 14:55:52 GMT -5
Starsword-induced powers, I mean.
It is pretty obvious that Blackstar got enhanced senses, thus even a telescopical sight (that's why he can ride Warlock so well). Now I'm wondering if he owns night vision too. Is there any evidence of it in the series? After all, if he can't see in the dark, he can always make the Starsword glow.
Finally, I'm also wondering if - among his augmented physical faculties - nearly unlimited apnea capability (or "super breath") is included as well. What about the episodes featuring the flying whales or any other marine creature?
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Post by validus on Jan 25, 2008 11:46:45 GMT -5
This just seems like a lot of conjecture on your part. I don't remember any of these factors being supported in the series (which is canon).
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Post by zimraphel on Jan 25, 2008 20:20:00 GMT -5
One thing Lou Scheimer lamented in the DVD commentary was that Blackstar really didn't have any superpowers and thus (in his mind) one couldn't really do anything with him as a character. If you're looking to work with a He-Man-type character, that might be true, but I always thought Blackstar had a lot more dramatic potential.
I wrote Blackstar as having to be trained in the use of the Starsword and in the use of weapons altogether. I don't imagine Mara and the Trobbits could simply hand this alien guy a weapon of such power and just expect him to go to town against the Overlord.
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Post by Whitedwarf on Mar 8, 2008 13:06:54 GMT -5
One thing Lou Scheimer lamented in the DVD commentary was that Blackstar really didn't have any superpowers and thus (in his mind) one couldn't really do anything with him as a character. Well, I just like the idea that Blackstar realized to be an unique man ONLY on Sagar... and that the Trobbits realized that he was the right keeper of the Starsword just by accident. Scheimer is totally wrong, because in the end the writers gave Blackstar a specific set of superhuman powers --- it's an undeniable FACT. Maybe his memories on the subject are fuzzy. Blackstar manned the Starsword by his choice, without a proper TRAINING, and just discovered to be the right man to pull it off. The Starsword gave him almost-unlimited physical powers, but his biggest abilities were wit and bravery anyway.
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Post by zimraphel on Mar 9, 2008 1:37:07 GMT -5
The only power Blackstar had in the series was super strength. That was it. Nothing else was shown.
I would argue that there's an awful lot Blackstar doesn't know about the Starsword or about the way things work on Sagar in general. If you look at the series closely you'll see examples of this--like the fact that he doesn't seem to know the basic geopolitical landscape--Taleena and the Demonlands, anybody? Don't you think he ought to know that such a place exists and the person who rules in the West (Kanos, since Blackstar obviously doesn't seem to know the name of the kingdom) is Thorg, not Taleena?
And when he's told not to touch the Starsword because it's burning hot or will go thermonuclear because it's been infected, does the guy listen? No, he doesn't. In fact, his first instinct in any given situation seems to be to reach for the Starsword whether it's a good idea or not.
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Post by Whitedwarf on Mar 11, 2008 17:35:15 GMT -5
Super strength and invulnerability (try to give a punch to solid rocks and see how it hurts )... but then, if you think about it, he must be faster and I bet that his ENTIRE body has been enhanced.
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Post by metaldragon on Sept 17, 2008 13:52:30 GMT -5
From dialogue in City of the Ancient Ones and as demonstrated in the rest of the series, it appears that the Star Sword gives Blackstar enhanced strength, limited invulnerability to impact, and some resistance to cold and heat. Man, I wouldn't want to be flying around on Warlock wearing only a furry loin cloth, boots and a big gold necklace without some kind of protection from freezing wind. Brr!
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Post by Whitedwarf on Sept 17, 2008 14:00:13 GMT -5
From dialogue in City of the Ancient Ones and as demonstrated in the rest of the series, it appears that the Star Sword gives Blackstar enhanced strength, limited invulnerability to impact, and some resistance to cold and heat. Man, I wouldn't want to be flying around on Warlock wearing only a furry loin cloth, boots and a big gold necklace without some kind of protection from freezing wind. Brr! Dialogue? Oh my God, so it's *CANON*. Jokes apart, what you see on-screen is what you get as "canon". Of course, the sharpened senses is a conjecture from my part, but that's not so far-fetched. Can you transcript the dialogue(s) from that specific episode? Welcome aboard, MetalDragon, you're one of the BIGGEST fans... post the link to your marvellous Planet_Sagar Yahoo Group somewhere, even.
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Post by metaldragon on Sept 17, 2008 16:06:28 GMT -5
City of the Ancient Ones was the first episode of the series. This scene is after the Overlord forces Amber to attack our heroes which ends up with Klone and all the Trobbits but Balkar being sucked into her magic ring. Blackstar, Mara and Balkar climb onto Warlock and they set off in hot pursuit. When the Overlord spots them following he blows them out of the sky with a sandstorm. Blackstar then uses the Starsword to fuse the swirling sand into a sandstone dome. Then Mara boost Balkar's elemental magic to calm the storm and Blackstar comments, "Well, I guess we don't need this dome anymore." and swings his fists around to smash the dome.
He then looks at his fists and says, "I'll never get used to having such incredible strength." Mara replies, "Huh, I hope you never loose it! Let's go!"
It's obvious his fists would have been smashed into a pulp if he didn't have some kind of damage resistance when he smashed the stone dome with his "incredible strength". I also remember him lifting and throwing a boulder at some Lava Locs in another episode. He's also been shown to have survived freezing temperatures in a pair of shorts and boots. He's taken quite a few nasty hits and crashes to the ground with Warlock that would have probably been fatal if the Starsword didn't project some kind of protection around them.
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Post by Whitedwarf on Sept 17, 2008 16:17:17 GMT -5
Terrific report, MetalDragon. I fondly remember the sandstone dome sequence, it was the time I realized that John Blackstar was a "more than meets the eye" affair. You know, in Italy they broadcasted the episodes in a random way. Before that sequence would play out, I always thought that Blackstar had no powers. Less or more. However, Mara's words are enlightening too. They (Blackstar's allies and the Trobbits themselves) were originally unaware that the Starsword would have gradually "enpowered" John. It truly shows that they don't really know anything deep about the weapon's true nature. By the way... can the Starsword only generate concussive plasma blasts and heat, or any other form of energy as well?
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Post by Whitedwarf on Sept 22, 2008 7:03:02 GMT -5
Now that I think about it, he must have some enhanced pulmonary capability since he can fly (while riding on Warlock) through the higher strata of atmosphere without loosing his breath. Likely, his senses are hyper-keen.
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Post by zimraphel on Sept 28, 2008 14:14:58 GMT -5
One thing Lou Scheimer lamented in the DVD commentary was that Blackstar really didn't have any superpowers and thus (in his mind) one couldn't really do anything with him as a character. Well, I just like the idea that Blackstar realized to be a special man ONLY on Sagar... and that the Trobbits realized that he was the right keeper of the Starsword just by accident. Scheimer is totally wrong, because in the end the writers gave Blackstar physical powers --- it's an undeniable FACT. Maybe his memories on the subject are fuzzy. Blackstar manned the Starsword by his choice, without a proper TRAINING, and discovered to be the right man to pull it off. The Starsword gave him almost-unlimited physical powers, but his biggest abilities were wit and bravery. I totally disagree that he wouldn't have to be trained. You don't come from a world that uses guns, etc. and find yourself on a world that uses swords and spears and arrows, and all of a sudden be able to use those weapons like a pro. You have to train. And if the weapon is extremely powerful, you have to train more--it's like driving a car. You might really gravitate toward hot cars, but if you've never driven before, you can't just jump in and hit the highway. If the Starsword were that easy to use, anybody who picked it up would be able to control it. Heck, why not just hand the Starsword over to Klone or Mara if that were so? There are some examples in the show to demonstrate this isn't so. Neptul tries to use the Starsword and can't seem to control it. Nihilis also tries.
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Post by Whitedwarf on Sept 28, 2008 14:58:23 GMT -5
Zim,
Blackstar was special. Maybe his unconscious "affinity" with magic forces (coming from his American-Indian heritage) helped him to "tune" with the Starsword in a way far superior to anyone would manage to do. He was special, even more special than Mara --- he was from a different universe (as the Powerstar???).
He has trained, anyway. I assume that the series starts when Blackstar has been already living on Sagar for one year or two.
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Post by zimraphel on Sept 28, 2008 17:03:43 GMT -5
There was no origin story, no mention of his race (the Native American thing is, while I agree with it, not canon), and no mention of how he came by the Starsword. So saying he came by it because he's special and has an affinity for magic is an interesting idea, but not fact.
Blackstar cannot see in the dark. In "Kingdom of Neptul," he has to use the Starsword as a torch. I doubt he has supersight either. The man ought to be wearing flight goggles and have a proper saddle on Warlock, because he's gonna have some nasty chafing on his thighs.
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Post by Whitedwarf on Sept 28, 2008 18:04:42 GMT -5
Blackstar cannot see in the dark. In "Kingdom of Neptul," he has to use the Starsword as a torch. Good to know! Now I'm sure he hasn't got this superpower! This thread is officially closed.
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