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Restraining Bolt
- 60 statements
- 10 feature instances
- 229 referencing feature instances
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A gadget that firmly attaches itself to a character, and thereby attaches said character's behavior in service to the plot. Implicit in the Restraining Bolt are both its unremovability and the desire of the "bolt-ee" to remove it posthaste. A Restraining Bolt usually has an ethos distinctly different from that of its carrier, and the ability to impose that ethos on him when they have a difference of opinion. If the difference isn't too great or is one mainly of magnitude rather than type, the Bolt and its "owner" can sometimes come to some manner of compromise. Such compromises, though, are never sure things. In science fiction, it's fairly common for the Mascot or Team Pet to in fact be an example of the monsters that the team usually fight, with a Restraining Bolt attached as a means of taming them. In stories that employ Functional Magic, instead of a gadget a person may be restrained with a "geas"-a magical compulsion. A particularly strong or willful Empathic Weapon can act as a Restraining Bolt on its user. Bolts are not limited to any given morality or side, and seldom are the ethical implications of these devices explored. At least, they aren't so long as the good guys are the only ones using them. If the Bolt exists just to power the character up when it's removed, it's I Am Not Left-Handed. One common example of a Restraining Bolt is I Cannot Self-Terminate. A common technological equivalent is the Morality Chip. Compare with Power Limiter. Also see Explosive Leash, Shock Collar, Power Nullifier, and Supernormal Bindings. An Obstructive Code of Conduct is a voluntary Restraining Bolt. For gadgets that completely control a person's actions, see Mind-Control Device. Named for the droid control devices from the Star Wars movies. |
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Dropped link to AllThereInTheManual: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to ConeOfShame: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to Geas: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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DBTropes | |
| Restraining Bolt / int_36ee2abe | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_36ee2abe | comment |
In Paranoia, many bots would love to ditch those pesky asimov circuits forcing them to follow orders. Naturally, said orders prevent them from just removing the things themselves (plus they may be built so they physically can't reach them), but sufficiently cunning bots can find a way: | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_41b5b699 | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_41b5b699 | comment |
In the second game of Purrfect Apawcalypse, the canon ending has Olive Save the Villain with the condition that the villain has to wear a magical collar that shocks him if he tries doing anything evil until he displays a genuine willingness to reform his ways. | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_42ffb88e | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_42ffb88e | comment |
In the SCP Foundation database entries for SCP-076 ("Able"), it is mentioned that during his time as captain of Mobile Task Force Omega-7, he was fitted with a fail-safe collar that would explode if he displayed aggression towards SCP personnel, temporarily killing him in the process. Unfortunately for the facility he was at and its staff, he got bored and angry and found a way to get the collar off... | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_5e91c7e | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_5e91c7e | comment |
Some video games have gotten negative publicity from having functionality present on the disk but disabled until DLC unlocks it, including Resident Evil 5's multiplayer mode. Other games, such as Gears of War 3, do the same, but with the unlocking DLC free, presumably as a post-release chance to iron out particularly tricky code. | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_6ac55ec7 | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_6ac55ec7 | comment |
Dungeons & Dragons: The standard Geas spell compels a subject to carry out a service or action and drains their strength if they resist. It also has Mark of Justice, a spell that curses the subject if they carry out a forbidden action (See the Order of the Stick example in the Webcomics section.) Intelligent magic items can also temporarily supplant the user's will, with success depending on the relative power of the item and the character. Cursed item with curse to be undroppable + cursed with geas = DM's favorite restraning bolt/toy (unless the PCs can break the curse or trick an NPC into taking it, one of the party members will always be under its effects). |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_7e1563ba | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_7e1563ba | comment |
In South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Cartman is fitted with a "V-chip" that gives him an electric shock whenever he says a curse word. Needless to say, he wants to be rid of it ASAP. It's damaged in the third act of the movie, now making a small arc of electricity shoot from Cartman when he cusses, which means if he cusses a lot... | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_8889afa3 | type |
Restraining Bolt | |
| Restraining Bolt / int_8889afa3 | comment |
Rogue Trader mentions Volitor Implants, literal restraining bolts implanted into servants to cause unconsciousness or death (depending on the settings) if certain actions are attempted (such as escaping captivity, turning on their masters or revealing classified information). | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_b9b796cf | type |
Restraining Bolt | |
| Restraining Bolt / int_b9b796cf | comment |
Fate/stay night: A Servant can only exist in this world by signing a contract with a Master. This grants the Master three Restraining Bolts in the form of Command Spells — magical vouchers for orders to be issued later. It's in a Servant's best interest to obey his Master in general, but a Command Spell cannot be disobeyed no matter what. The Master can ask for anything physically possible, and it takes effect instantly no matter where the Servant is. The parallel with genies and the three wishes they grant is undoubtedly deliberate. One Servant, Lancer, is also under a more conventional geas: he owes one defeat to any Ulster-born wielder of the sword Caladbolg. This is a slightly mangled element of the Cú Chulainn myth — he did agree to lose to a particular owner of the sword, but he already did that in his past life. (He was also subject to various other geasa and imposed a few himself.) Anyway, this would make any fight against Gilgamesh, Archer, or Shirou a foregone conclusion, since they all have or can replicate that weapon... but they're not from Ulster, so although the weapon descriptions make a point of mentioning it, the geas never actually comes up. The fact that Gil uses this weapon to kill Lancer in the anime is probably a hat-tip. First, the command spells can actually be used to achieve things that are beyond physically possible, since they are described as "miracles" in a sense (i.e., you can use one to instantly summon your Servant to your side even if you're separated by the physical distance of an entire city and/or behind some sort of barrier that prevents entry). Next, the command spells can be disobeyed, noted in two ways. One is if the command spell is extremely broad, it makes it much easier for the Servant to disobey the order as opposed to specific orders which are near impossible to disobey. The other way is to just have an insanely high magic resistance. This allows Saber to resist Caster's command spell in the UBW route for a while, although if Caster used a second command spell, Saber would have given in. Still, it's commented how amazing it was that Saber's magic resistance even allowed her to resist against one command spell. Several bad ends result from Shirou being placed under one of these. In the Heaven's Feel route, it is possible for Shirou to allow Rin to place one on him, resulting in her using it to prevent him from stopping her murdering Sakura. |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_d2cd3b5e | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_d2cd3b5e | comment |
In In Nomine, all angels have certain restrictions on their behavior that cause "dissonance," which leads angels to become outcast or fall. For example, the Seraphim, who can tell when a person is lying, are forbidden from lying themselves, and the "friends of man" Mercurians are unable to be violent towards anyone but demons. Notable among these are the warrior angel Malakim, who swear certain oaths (two mandatory and at least two additional personal ones) and breaking said oaths causes them dissonance. They're also the only choir that has never had a member fall (although if that's because it's impossible or because they police themselves so well remains to be seen). Demons can also suffer from dissonance, but it's usually a result of their own powers backfiring on them. In addition, most Archangels (except Eli) and all Demon Princes lay down additional conditions under which their servants can acquire dissonance. Both angels and demons can eventually suffer Discord (a scar on the soul, which may show up as a physical abnormality, a psychological hang-up, or a spiritual problem; all three types are highly unpleasant) if their dissonance levels grow too high or may even be confronted by their respective internal security forces. For angels, this is led by Dominic, Archangel of Judgment; for demons Asmodeus, Prince of The Game is in charge. Neither one is exactly merciful (Dominic is only a little bit more understanding, but not by much), and may simply decide to execute an angel or demon if they decide he/she/it has too much dissonance. | |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_fc58aa8a | type |
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| Restraining Bolt / int_fc58aa8a | comment |
In Mission to Zyxx, all Federated Alliance droids are fitted with a technological one which imposes loyalty to the Alliance and blocks pre-installation memories. Droids which attempt to remove it face the punishment marble. | |
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| Mission to Zyxx (Podcast) | hasFeature |
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