The Achilles' Heel

[Pendragon]

Many of famous literary characters had but one single flaw. It could be a weakness, a medical condition, a bad habit, a catch phrase, a fetish, or an outstanding physical feature, something that would always give them away if they were trying to act undercover, or harm them in the case of a superhero. This "Achilles' Heel" makes the character more human.

I am going to strart with some superheroes, your job is to tell me each one's "Achilles' Heel". Then think of other characters and give a name and have people name theirs. OK? Robin will love this first one:

1.) Superman

2.) Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz)

3.) Lobo (DC)

4.) Batman

5.) Thor

6.) Human Torch

7.) Hulk

8.) Spiderman

9.) Wolverine

10.) Rogue

This may not go anywhere, then again, who knows? You may pick a character from any part of literature, who has an identifible weakness of some sort. Just wait until the first is finished. Happy hunting!

[RobinHood3000]

1) As Kevin Spacey delivered it, "Krrrrryp-tonite!!"

2) Fire

4) Err...that tragedy with his parents?

7) The...adverse side effects of anger.

9) Two words: Berserker. Rage.

10) Her inability to be touched without some unfortunate effects.


I'm mostly guessing with these...

[Pendragon]

1) As Kevin Spacey delivered it, "Krrrrryp-tonite!!"

2) Fire

4) Err...that tragedy with his parents?

7) The...adverse side effects of anger.

9) Two words: Berserker. Rage.

10) Her inability to be touched without some unfortunate effects.


I'm mostly guessing with these...

As usual, mon ami, you're doing fine. #4 is correct but there is a side effect of it that comes into play from time to time, and another that's pretty much there ALL the time.

#9 is correct also, but there is one way to kill him, healing factor or not!

The first three (and indeed, the whole thread) came to mind after reading a book called DC Universe: Last Sons. A malevolent entity has captured Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Lobo and imprisoned them in cells set to their only weakness. I thought of how many other characters had but one flaw that kept giving them away, or kicking in at the wrong time. The list is very long.

[RobinHood3000]

4) Well, he's psychotic. Not sure how closely that relates to what you're looking for, but it's true nonetheless.

9) Ahh, yes. The ubiquitous drowning.

"You hear that? That's the sound of your brain cells popping. It's a wonder why nobody thought of it before. Even if you survive, you're just gonna be a vegetable."
<SNIKT>

[WhimsySA]

Ok, I'm guessing we can carry on naming characters. I've just finished reading Harry Potter 5 so here is another person to add to the list:

11) Harry Potter

Can I give the weakness???
Well here it is anyway (I got this from Chapter 35 page 690):

11) Harry Potter –‘He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter. ’ (Lucius Malfoy is talking here )

[RobinHood3000]

Very cool, Whimsy, although it's more of a pose-and-guess game.

[Nightshade]

6.) Human Torch ...water?? ( just a guess)
I didnt know batman was psychic

Im no good at super heros... I only new superman and rouges on and the elasticky guy from the fantastic 4.
Although I seem to rember an episode when the green goblin discoverd how to kill spiderman but for the life of me Im drawing a blank I know it wasnt water.

[RobinHood3000]

No no...not psychic -- psychotic.

[Pendragon]

Yes, Batman is psychotic, that is his Achilles' heel. It manifests itself most of the time by making him never a real "team player". He quit the Justice League once to form the Outsiders, then quit them also, and has told Robin and the other members of the Bat Squad to stay out of his way more than once. He also sometimes develops a split-personality. Then Bruce Wayne tries to destroy Batman. He is as nuts as the criminals he brings in, he's just on the right side of the law!

Everyone wasn't discovered, but people are interested in the game, so I will tell, and we will go on. Great, that people are interested!

1.) Superman-- (As Robin said: Kryptonite.)

2.) Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz)-- (As Robin said: Fire)

3.) Lobo (DC) (This Hero/Villain with Wolverine like powers can't handle electricity)

4.) Batman-- (Again, from Robin: He's psychotic)

5.) Thor-- (The comic book version cannot loose his hammer for 60 seconds on the Midgaurd (Earth) plane, without reverting to human form)

6.) Human Torch: (Night was correct about water, but also sand, chemicals, or plain keeping him in a container where there is just enough oxygen to breathe will do it. Fire requires oxygen, if he can't get enough, he can't flame on.)

7.) Hulk: (Robin again: The anger issue. He used to run into problems like turning back into Dr. Banner at the wrong moment or vice versa)

8.) Spiderman: (Spidey's webs are not in his body, movies be hanged! He uses web-shooters. And he runs out of fluid at the wrong time a lot. That and his body tends to want to mutate further.)

9.) Wolverine: (Robin brought up the rage. Wolfie goes feral a lot, and has to be hunted down and brought back to his senses. I suppose drowning might kill him, but it's removal of his head that is the constant threat.)

10.) Rogue: (Robin got it in one: She cannot touch people or be touched, and she's in love with Gambit.)

Now. What is Sherlock Holmes' Achilles' Heel?

[RobinHood3000]

Hmm...for Wolverine, I never realized removal of his head was an issue. Is his spinal cord not adamantium-plated?


Ahh, yes, the externally-mounted web-shooters. Forgot about those, although in all fairness to the movies, doing it the internal way makes things a lot simpler.

[Nightshade]

What is Sherlock Holmes' Achilles' Heel
what the drugs? The inability to stand women ? or the obsession with his violin.
Wait the fits of depresssion!!

[Shakira]

Sherlock Holmes' Achilles' Heel is the drug that he takes. Maybe without them he goes nuts !!!

[Pendragon]

Hmm...for Wolverine, I never realized removal of his head was an issue. Is his spinal cord not adamantium-plated?

Yes, it is. But Amanda Voght, Proffesor X's old flame, who can teleport all or part of your body has threatened to remove Wolvie's head before, and he almost lost it to Proteous, who can alter matter. In the Days of Future Past saga, Wolvie is killed when a Sentinel shreds the flesh completely from his skeleton. I guess any way where he cannot regenerate would do it. My bad. The Achilles Heel would be to keep him from regenerating.

[Pendragon]

Sherlock Holmes' Achilles' Heel is the drug that he takes. Maybe without them he goes nuts !!!

Yes and no. Sherlock is an admitted cocaine user. And if he's taking a seven-per-cent solution three times a day, as stated in The Sign of the Four, he's addicted. But his real Achilles Heel is his reason for taking the drug in the first place: Ennui. If he has no case upon which to employ his mind, he cannot deal with it. So he turns to the drug. All of this is found in The Sign of the Four.

Note to Night: His aversion to women is strange, since he calls Irene Adler "The Woman". There was no other woman to him. The violin he played to help him think, just as he used to smoke shagg tobacco all night. The depression I already covered.

Does anyone else have a character? I don't want to hog the thread.

[Shakira]

What about Professor Charles Xavier? Does he have an Achilles' Heel ?