Re-powering a de-powered character

[Mouse]

What are your thoughts on a character whose abilities/powers have been removed, getting those abilities/powers back? (a la Magneto in the whichever X-Men film that was). Is it a cop out? Would you like to see how that character copes now without those abilities/powers? Or would you rather they got back to what made them them?

Alternatively, what if the character now had different/slightly altered abilities/powers? (a la the cast of Misfits).

 

[AlexH]

I think it's all in the writing. If I believe how and why a character got their abilities/powers back, then fine. Though stories are all about struggle so it'd be interesting to see how they cope without.

I haven't seen Misfits, but again, as long as it makes sense and doesn't seem too convenient I think it'd be fine.

I imagine that's all difficult to pull off.

 

[Mouse]

I'd definitely show them coping without them for a while as I think it'd be interesting, but would want them to return eventually. Just worried about it being a cop out. I got annoyed when matey grew his eyeballs back in that Amber book (in fact, that's when I stopped reading).

 

[-K2-]

Simply something similar that might answer a few of your questions... Wasn't there a scenario where Superman was faced with such a choice and consequences?

Though I typically enjoy working at the other end of the spectrum (those average who excel due to character, be it positive or negative traits), what has always struck me is the desire of all people to have/be what they are not. The poor wish to be wealthy, weak-powerful, common-famous, dull witted-smart, and so on, also goes the other way. Those with great power/intelligence/looks/etc. who do not set standards by such measure, often also seek the opposite.

A simple life without responsibility or notoriety a strong enticement for the gifted.

IOW, becoming re-powered might be viewed as a curse.

K2

 

[Mouse]

That's a good thought, thanks!

 

[EJDeBrun]

The only way I would think of this as a cop-out is if the writer relies heavily on tropes to resolve the issue. Otherwise, I think it's an device with a lot of potential and I'd really love to read something where the character deals with it in a different way. (Deadpool 2 comes to mind, where he's glad to be rid of his powers so he can die)

 

[Abernovo]

It all depends how they lost their powers, and what their reaction to that is.

I wouldn't be interested in reading a character who was 'nothing' without their former powers. That would smack of arrogance and demeaning normal people. I know you write some great anti-heroes, main characters who are flawed and frustrating, but they're always likeable; I can always root for the protagonist. So, I don't think you'd do this anyway, but you could lose me if you did.

That said, someone feeling that they had lost everything, and were now nothing, because their powers were the only thing that made them special, I could understand. That's when you need a friend to slap you up the back of the head.

I'd be more interested if, once they had their powers back they were (or felt) different -- I once lost my sense of smell and taste for about a year and, when they came back, my perception of some things had changed -- but that could have been my memory playing tricks (at least my taste was thankfully consistent on the fact that Marmite was, remains, and always will be just wrong! ).

A branch of the 'came back different' approach would be the character having grown whilst living without enhanced powers, so that (after a small moment of hedonistic rejoicing) they might approach how they use their powers differently. So, not taking them for granted, and taking a night off to be with friends.

Tl;dr: I don't think it would be a cop-out if I was reading it, but I would want some sort of change/growth -- in the abilities and/or the character.

 

[AlexH]

I'd definitely show them coping without them for a while as I think it'd be interesting, but would want them to return eventually. Just worried about it being a cop out. I got annoyed when matey grew his eyeballs back in that Amber book (in fact, that's when I stopped reading).

Then you could set up the power returning before they lose it, subtly enough so it's not obvious but doesn't annoy the reader when the power returns. Or something like the loss would always be temporary, but would the character survive until the power returned.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Oh, good question, Mouse. I've been facing a similar question with a character I've been writing about. How much to give back to her and how. So far I'm thinking that I should withhold the ability that means the most to her, so that the loss will be a real one. But I'm still thinking it over. So I'll be paying attention to the answers people are giving in this thread because they may apply to my story, too.

 

[AlexH]

What if there was a massive cost to getting the power back, and they had to make that decision? That would be interesting, as they'd still have to live with the decision they made.

 

[Mouse]

Ok, I really want to write this now! Thanks, guys. Not a good time for me to want to be writing as I've got a ridiculous amount on at the mo but I've had the niggle for a while. I was considering just not having the characters (there's two of them) appear in the sequel but now I think their journeys would be really interesting.

Glad it's helpful, Teresa.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well I did it and couldn’t have imagined the pathos of the return of K’s powers working without having shown what it was like to be powerless. I think it also made me think about the concept of power. Also, as a character, K struggled with the source of his new powers which drove great conflict.

I say go for it!

 

[Boaz]

@Mouse For me, one of the primary functions of powers should be how they reflect the heart of the character. Don Quixote, d'Artagnan, Superman, Katniss, Tarzan, etc. Another function should be to juxtapose their amount of inner strength compared to their outer power. Samson, Achilles, Lancelot, Morgoth, Wolverine, Prospero, etc.

To my knowledge, these are the characters who had powers (or at least political clout), lost them and then regained them...

Samson. The Bible, The Book of Judges, Chapters 13-16. Fulfilling his parent's vow, Samson enjoys God's blessing even though he blatantly disobeys all religious and health commandments. He loses God's favor when he divulges his secret oath regarding his hair. Shorn, blinded, and enslaved, Samson finally admits his need for a relationship with God... and God restores his powers. Samson caves in the enemy temple and they all die together.

Nebuchadrezzar. The Bible, The Book of Daniel, Chapter 4. Nebechadrezzar, the greatest monarch of the Neo-Bablyonian Empire, after admitting God's sovereignty (while ignoring Him), loses his mind. He lives like a beast of the field for seven months/seasons/years at which point his sanity returns and he praises God. He was also the monarch in the story of the lion's den.

Gandalf. The Lord of the Rings. In The Fellowship, Gandalf falls into a seemingly bottomless pit. He reappears in The Towers. He explains that he died and went back in spirit to the Undying Lands and was refreshed by his angelic leaders. In his new (or at least rejuvenated) body, he finds his powers are magnified or even that he has assumed the powers of Saruman. After fulfilling his mission to save the free peoples, he journeys back to the Undying Lands.

Belgarath. The Belgariad. In Magician's Gambit, the third book, Belgarath over extends himself and fall unconscious (slips into coma?). During the fourth book, Polgara and Garion discuss the fact that Belgarath's powers may be gone.... but they also decide not to tell him. They are worried that if he doubts his powers, he'll fail when he tries to use them... which will lead to his death. In Enchanter's End Game, the fifth book, Belgarath tries his first spell in a year... an overly complex and powerful spell that may be beyond his abilities... and he succeeds.

Bayaz. The First Law Trilogy. In Before They Are Hanged, Bayaz (the First of the Magi) has a spell misfire/implode and he falls into a coma. He eventually comes out after a month or so... and he goes on to cast the ultimate spell and defeat the Hundred in the heart of the Union.

Samson, Nebuchadrezzar, and Gandalf all have spiritual/moral awakenings/blessings associated with the restoration of their powers. In the cases of Belgarath and Bayaz, their powers return after extended healing... much like a broken bone.

 

[zmunkz]

All depends what story you want to write. Both are perfectly fair and can be very interesting if handled well. It is only a cop out if you removed the powers in order to tell that kind of story (e.g., to reach some kind of character moment/growth/change) and then didn't see that through by returning the powers at a critical (but arc-undermining) moment.

 

[Culhwch]

Just out of interest, are these magic powers or superpowers? Are they present from birth, gained suddenly at a more advanced age, or learnt? I feel like this origin of the power would have a definite impact on how a character would cope with losing their powers, and how the return of the powers could pay off narratively.

 

[Shorewalker]

I don't think it's a cop-out unless (a) it's easy and has no consequences or (b) it's obvious that it's going to happen or (c) it's poorly executed.

And if done well, it can be a great, great scene.

 

[Mouse]

Thank you, all. The characters are supernatural, so powers from birth.

 

[Overread]

Think of them less as powers and more as just another skill, then realise that the magnitude of powers is only part of the loss and that the loss of any core skill to a person can be quite similar.

You might look at reading from older people or those who have been crippled - ergo people who have had and then lost core abilities. They might have lost the use of their legs; or sight; or had a degrading sense of remembering etc... How they deal and tackle with these issues can vary a lot. For some it might destroy them; others might be crippled but adapt and find a new focus in life; others might fight against it (some might regain some or all of what they once had; others might fail and be locked in an eternal battle).

Another interesting take would be when a character loses what they thought they were going to have and instead ends up with something very different that they don't even want (which might or might not be supported by society at large around them). A good example would be Robin Hobb's Soldier Son series. That said its hard and she takes the depression angle for her character which quite heavily dominates the character and proves very hard to grip readers for a longer period of time. Of course this is a story that focuses on a single character world view for much of the story and thus lacks "breaks" from the characters depressive mood. It's actually quite the challenge to take a character that was building into a hero and then have them fail and founder and fall all the way down to a character most would dislike and don't find heroic.

 

[Mouse]

I've read the Soldier Son series and enjoyed it, though Nevare was a struggle.

 

[Ihe]

I guess in a lot of ways stories are about just that, getting back what was lost, be it home, normality, relationships, pride, purpose, wealth, powers, etc. It's great for a character study.

Instead of getting their powers back, I always feel getting something else at the end is a good way to avoid the predictable outcome of the plot. In their search for their power they might end up gaining a family that can be their new strength and so on, that sort of thing. It leaves you with a message and a touch of realism, as things almost never return to how they were in real life. The change in perception about the returned powers of the character at the end is indeed a powerful climax to their character arc on its own, but I find the "not-quite-what-you-were-hoping-for" ending has its charm and can avoid some railtracks.