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Post by mmderdekea on Sept 26, 2008 15:47:43 GMT -5
I don't believe that being AROUND some toxin will affect Ralph in the suit; hell if the plutonium didn't affect him, I don't think some other type of gas would! Cold didn't affect him, for example, as he flew to the Arctic in "Newlywed Game".
What would happen if Ralph INGESTED something is up in the air--the two times he ingested toxins into his gut, alcohol and some diarrheal microorganism, he experienced both toxins. Another time he sucked in tear gas into his lungs and had zero effects from it.
The suit presentation is inconsistent in the series. It does seem to help Ralph's skin heal up quite quickly--we see Ralph's skin injury in "Beast in Black" (beast claw wounds) and "This is the one" (bad sunburn). Ralph has pain but it soon disappears and his skin apparently recovers very quickly. He also recovers quickly, relatively, from head wounds. Also, the diarrhea appeared to quickly go away too, which is not what generally happens for those of us who have had Montezuma's revenge--it's not just one bout of diarrhea and then you're healed.
So, I think the suit CAN heal up skin and internal toxins quicker than normal. Why the alcohol took so long to clear it unknown. It would be interesting to think that perhaps there is a Kryptonite weakness to the suit; maybe it cannot eradicate alcohol intoxification, of all things, although other toxins are quickly hypermetabolized by Ralph.
Or, again, we come back to "intention"--Ralph intended to save Ira from the tear gas so the suit did not allow it to cause problems; same with flying in the cold to prevent the Russians from being a problem to the US; same with being around the plutonium rods to prevent a general mass contamination. However, Ralph was ignorant of the diarrheal bug and was consciously engaged in drinking to get drunk with the Mexicans, so there was no INTENT to prevent a reaction.
More and more it seems that Ralph's mental INTENT was the key to how the suit functioned.
It's fun to think about.
Mona
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Post by MelMac on Sept 26, 2008 16:05:41 GMT -5
Just to clarify, I've been refering to if he acutally ingested/inhaled the components. Being around them... nah, wouldn't affect him right off either like most of us. Now, I do think long term he'd have better protection than someone out of the suit though.
Overall, I think a Mickey Finn could affect him given he can get drunk in the suit, but something like knock out gas wouldn't. Of course, even there you could have a possible negative effect - if say Ralph took off the suit before the gas was metabolized from his system, he could be affected. While that isn't in any story shown, it does make you wonder given how tear gas and later on being drunk affected him.
That said, I personally think that Ralph thought he could drink forever with the suit's protection (you don't see him that sauced until that episode), but the suit must not have been adapted to it and therefore it affected him.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Sept 26, 2008 17:34:54 GMT -5
Good points, Mona. I agree that the intent might indeed save him from some of the side effects of the things he had to save people from, including himself.
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Post by MelMac on Sept 26, 2008 18:28:00 GMT -5
Of course, this all goes to bear that in Holly's world of the suit, would these powers still work like they did for Ralph or not? Could some powers that worked for Ralph not work on Holly? Could she get powers that Ralph didn't have? Could she be affected by things Ralph was not affected by? (Going by "GAH" cannon, these would be yes - but this questioning is going by The Greatest Italian Hero's reasoning for the episode - that it's an alternate universe. So, with that, feel free to use your imagination. )
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Post by MyTatuo on Sept 26, 2008 23:35:46 GMT -5
My thoughts on alcohol and tear gas effects:
I'm gonna guess that without the suit, Ralph's probably more of a light-weight when it comes to alcohol. Not that he gets drunk after half-a-beer, but I doubt he could guzzle tequila like the guys in that bar probably do on a daily basis. And since Ralph has a tendancy to get cocky in the suit (like thinking he can ski better, etc), he may have consumed more than even the suit could handle in an attempt to drink those guys under the table. Don't know how well the suit helps him recover from hangovers, but he was back to normal not long after Pam showed up.
And the tear gas did have a little effect on Ralph; it made his voice hoarse for about a minute!
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Post by mmderdekea on Sept 27, 2008 1:02:07 GMT -5
My thoughts on alcohol and tear gas effects: I'm gonna guess that without the suit, Ralph's probably more of a light-weight when it comes to alcohol. Not that he gets drunk after half-a-beer, but I doubt he could guzzle tequila like the guys in that bar probably do on a daily basis. And since Ralph has a tendancy to get cocky in the suit (like thinking he can ski better, etc), he may have consumed more than even the suit could handle in an attempt to drink those guys under the table. Don't know how well the suit helps him recover from hangovers, but he was back to normal not long after Pam showed up. And the tear gas did have a little effect on Ralph; it made his voice hoarse for about a minute! Actually, MyTatuo, the smoke in the building in Good Samaritan made his voice hoarse, too, for a minute or so. Bill was sweetly concerned about that! Still, thanks for agreeing HD, but intent does seem to lend the most protection to Ralph. Mona
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 9:44:41 GMT -5
You know, thinking about it, the fact the suit's protection being slightly inconsistent is one of the charms of the series. Ralph has to be more conscious of the fact that the suit can protect him, but doesn't fully at times. He can't get too cocky about its protection, or he might not be as well protected. That might explain why he ends up getting knocked out in the suit. Of course, that's also IMHO what ruined part of the fun of "GAHeroine." Holly actually had suit powers down pat, such as invisibility. She turned invisible at the drop of a hat. She didn't - at least initially - have to go through the same trials and errors in the suit that Ralph did. Then again too, Holly's suit is so powerful in that story it also rips off jeans when someone grabs only her shirt to try and stop her from fighting in the bar.
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Post by mmderdekea on Sept 27, 2008 10:57:30 GMT -5
I hope we aren't always going to bring in Holly and GAHeroine when talking about the REAL show and Ralph and Bill. I vote for leaving GAHeroine to her own thread, please!
Mona
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 11:18:09 GMT -5
I hope we aren't always going to bring in Holly and GAHeroine when talking about the REAL show and Ralph and Bill. I vote for leaving GAHeroine to her own thread, please! Mona Um, Mona, this IS a thread that started based on "GAHeroine." First post has The Greatest Italian Hero debunking the show: The events in 'The Greatest American Heroine' spin-off pilot movie are set in an parallel universe, more specifically on an alternative Earth. "Alternative" from the 'GAH' series point of view, so to speak. The topic turned into this topic based on a comment I made to HD based on the old "bashing someone over the head with a frying pan joke.
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Post by The Greatest Italian Hero on Sept 27, 2008 11:19:52 GMT -5
Let's return to the whole multi-universe parade, then.
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 11:26:09 GMT -5
Let's return to the whole multi-universe parade, then. I agree. While I am not a fan of "GAHeroine" and debate it's canon, this is in the folder for that show and therefore her escapades with the suit are up for debate. And, given some of the things that happened in the alternate universe story (well, can be debated that way), it'd be interesting to wonder the what-ifs of her suit. Any ideas anyone?
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Post by The Greatest Italian Hero on Sept 27, 2008 11:35:31 GMT -5
Since it's a parallel universe, her suit might get different powers as well...
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 11:58:27 GMT -5
Since it's a parallel universe, her suit might get different powers as well... One power I could see with Holly is the suit actually will morph into another form. Could see that with Ralph too mind you, but it might work better for a woman for this reason: The drawback though is that it stays in the same color scheme and the suit emblem is constantly visible. Of course, the debate here could be would the powers actually still work if it was in a different form or if it had to still look like the unitard (her's was one piece while Ralph's had the tunic and tights) and cape she wore.
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Post by The Greatest Italian Hero on Sept 27, 2008 12:07:05 GMT -5
Call me stupid, call me fool, but I'm starting to think that - OVERALL - 'GAHeroine' should belong to the one and only 'GAH' universe... it's not that bad... and who knows, maybe Ralph will be given a brand-new suit to fight along with Holly...
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 12:14:19 GMT -5
Call me stupid, call me fool, but I'm starting to think that - OVERALL - 'GAHeroine' should belong to the one and only 'GAH' universe... it's not that bad... and who knows, maybe Ralph will be given a brand-new suit to fight along with Holly... Nah, no one is stupid or a fool here on boards - everyone's opinions on episodes and such change. While overall I am not a fan of "GAHeroine," I do find a couple of ideas of it interesting, such as the possibility of a woman in the suit and what can happen when the previous suit wearer has to move on. Would've rather had it though Ralph left for better reasons than the relatively lame "ego" idea. This goes double given that Katt chose to continue with his "Perry Mason" commitments. The idea too of the greenguys - for some reason or another - having to change their minds and give Ralph a suit of his own is one of the many things that could've happened long term. We just don't know what the greenguys or the suit were capable of doing... at least yet. But - officially, I'm not too sure it's considered canon by SJC, given it was supposed to be just a test pilot in 1986, they're now doing the "GAH" comics and Webisodes present day and beginning with an updated pilot.
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Post by The Greatest Italian Hero on Sept 27, 2008 12:38:35 GMT -5
WE must ask Cannell. CANON or not?
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Post by mmderdekea on Sept 27, 2008 12:59:11 GMT -5
Call me stupid, call me fool, but I'm starting to think that - OVERALL - 'GAHeroine' should belong to the one and only 'GAH' universe... it's not that bad... and who knows, maybe Ralph will be given a brand-new suit to fight along with Holly... It is that bad to me! Everything about it is that bad to me, (except how luscious Culp looked). And, no matter who says what, Cannell included, it never will be canon for me. I've got in my head my own TGAH storyline whereby Bill and Ralph are paired for longer than five years in a whole different plot continuance than that idiocy; one that has some struggles attached to it but looks definitely favorably on our heroes. Would any REAL fan in their own daydreams have created that mishmash of a pilot--I doubt it. Come on folks; we don't have to settle for that. The show is bigger and better than TGAHeroine. It's hard for me to believe that anyone who honors or respects Ralph in any way could be okay with GAHeroine and want it part of canon. Mona
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Post by jopierce on Sept 27, 2008 17:41:53 GMT -5
I agree with Mona that GAHeroine is never going to be part of the storyline for me. I just ignore it. I couldn't care less if other people agree that it is or is not canon.
Has anyone ever seen "After M*A*S*H"? It is the same category to me - it may be out there, but I can ignore it. Obviously enough people ignored it, and it DID go away...
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Post by The Greatest Italian Hero on Sept 27, 2008 19:03:29 GMT -5
MMmmmmm okay. Alternative universe.
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Post by MelMac on Sept 27, 2008 20:46:48 GMT -5
It is that bad to me! Everything about it is that bad to me, (except how luscious Culp looked). And, no matter who says what, Cannell included, it never will be canon for me. I've got in my head my own TGAH storyline whereby Bill and Ralph are paired for longer than five years in a whole different plot continuance than that idiocy; one that has some struggles attached to it but looks definitely favorably on our heroes. Would any REAL fan in their own daydreams have created that mishmash of a pilot--I doubt it. Come on folks; we don't have to settle for that. The show is bigger and better than TGAHeroine. It's hard for me to believe that anyone who honors or respects Ralph in any way could be okay with GAHeroine and want it part of canon. Mona I agree - this is why "TGAH 2008" (a mostly defunct "fan series" Tiziano), didn't work. For whatever reason, they based it loosely on "GAHeroine." But, apparently a "Fan" was the one who created it. Now, I don't see "GAHeroine" as canon - never have, mostly because a. Ralph is treated poorly and b. it was a test pilot that was never to have aired. My opinion, Cannell and NBC should've kept their "No" firm to Robert Culp when he said he would do it if it were Bill and a woman in the suit. While I think there are aspect that might've worked, overall - I think they should've waited until Katt, Connie and Culp were all available - such as in 1993 when Katt pitched an idea to do a TV reunion movie.
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