Stormtrooper effect
Encyclopedia
The Principle of Evil Marksmanship (also known as the Stormtrooper Effect) states that enemy marksmen
in action film
s are often very bad shots and almost never harm the main characters. They are generally only capable of hitting a target if the target is either of no value to the plot or if their death will advance said plot. The term first appeared in film critic
Roger Ebert
's 1980 book "Little Movie Glossary", and had been submitted by Jim Murphy of New York. It was defined as:
The theme is commonly seen in cowboy films
, action film
s, martial arts film
s, and comics
, and is often a source of mockery by critic
s, satirist
s, and fans
. Ebert often uses the term in his reviews.
s in the original Star Wars
trilogy possessed overwhelming numbers, professional military education and training, full armour
, and military-grade firepower. At the beginning of the original 'Star Wars' movie (subsequently renamed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
), the Stormtroopers are portrayed as lethal when boarding a rebel ship, overwhelming it and killing most resistance in what seems like mere moments while taking only minimal losses themselves. At one point Obi-Wan Kenobi
even comments on their effectiveness to Luke Skywalker
when the pair find the destroyed Jawa sandcrawler, saying "These blast-points... Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise." Despite this, stormtroopers appear to be incapable of defeating the film's protagonists.
This concept can also apply to aerial combat. In Something Something Something Dark Side (a Family Guy
parody of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back), Peter Griffin
(as Han Solo
) comments as they are being chased through the asteroid field, "Look, we've got four of the five main characters on this ship. I'm pretty sure we'll be fine." In the same parody, as they escape Cloud City, Stormtroopers who were chasing them ask after they escape "Have we ever hit anything with these guns?"
The GURPS
roleplaying game makes reference to an "Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship
", whose graduates are inexplicably poor shots; for example, "The Nazis
in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
must all have studied at the Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship." The game system includes optional rules titled Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy designed to make large numbers of nameless characters ineffective.
"In any situation where the hero is alone, surrounded by dozens of bad guys, they will always obligingly attack one at a time."
This can traditionally be observed in many martial arts movies. During a typical fight, the hero will engage against one opponent. Upon knocking that man out, another will attack. The surplus enemies will circle the fighting pair striking fearsome poses, indicating willingness to fight at a second's notice, yet be unwilling to help the current aggressor attack the hero. The real world reason for this is that if the hero is simultaneously swarmed on all sides by enemies, it becomes difficult for the film director to frame the fight scene while still having an unobstructed shot of the action.
The 1995 live-action adaptation
of Fist of the North Star
took this to extremes in a scene where Kenshiro
defeated over thirty men in the span of a few minutes with the vast majority of them attacking one at a time and being knocked unconscious with a few strikes.
In Austin Powers: Goldmember, Austin's father Nigel Powers
is being held captive by Dr. Evil
. Nigel quickly knocks out the guards, and when more begin to surround him he orders them to stop and says, "Oh, come now, is this your first day on the job? All right, look ... you all attack me, one at a time, and I knock you out with a single punch." They immediately do so and he knocks them all out.
This principle was also parodied in a 1993 Saturday Night Live
skit, "Ninja Pep Talk". Among other tips, the leader of a group of ninjas reminds the ninjas to attack "all at once", not "one at a time," using chalkboard diagrams to drive the point home.
Terry Pratchett
cited this rule in the introduction to his 1989 novel Guards! Guards!
, stating that the role of guards in heroic fantasy is to "attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered".
attacking in large numbers, or as nearly invulnerable solitary warriors (who are often unmasked in contrast). In effect of this common approach, a single/small group of protagonist ninja often easily defeat waves of incompetent enemy ninja on multiple occasions only to have far more trouble when facing a more competent lone ninja. This seemingly inconsistent portrayal is jokingly explained using the sarcastic "Inverse Ninja Law", (also called "Law of the Conservation of Ninjutsu" or the "Law of Diminishing Ninjas" or even the "Law of the Conservation of Whoopass") which states that ninja are weaker when they are in larger groups.
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
in action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
s are often very bad shots and almost never harm the main characters. They are generally only capable of hitting a target if the target is either of no value to the plot or if their death will advance said plot. The term first appeared in film critic
Film criticism
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films, individually and collectively. In general, this can be divided into journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, and other popular, mass-media outlets and academic criticism by film scholars that is informed by film theory and...
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
's 1980 book "Little Movie Glossary", and had been submitted by Jim Murphy of New York. It was defined as:
The theme is commonly seen in cowboy films
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
s, martial arts film
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
s, and comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
, and is often a source of mockery by critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
s, satirist
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
s, and fans
Fandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
. Ebert often uses the term in his reviews.
Stormtrooper Effect
Imperial StormtrooperImperial stormtrooper
The Imperial Stormtroopers are fictional soldiers from George Lucas' Star Wars universe. Stormtroopers are the soldiers of the imperial army under the leadership of the evil Sith Lord and Emperor Palpatine and his commanders, most notably Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.They are shown in...
s in the original Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
trilogy possessed overwhelming numbers, professional military education and training, full armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
, and military-grade firepower. At the beginning of the original 'Star Wars' movie (subsequently renamed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
), the Stormtroopers are portrayed as lethal when boarding a rebel ship, overwhelming it and killing most resistance in what seems like mere moments while taking only minimal losses themselves. At one point Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
even comments on their effectiveness to Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
when the pair find the destroyed Jawa sandcrawler, saying "These blast-points... Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise." Despite this, stormtroopers appear to be incapable of defeating the film's protagonists.
This concept can also apply to aerial combat. In Something Something Something Dark Side (a Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
parody of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back), Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
(as Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
) comments as they are being chased through the asteroid field, "Look, we've got four of the five main characters on this ship. I'm pretty sure we'll be fine." In the same parody, as they escape Cloud City, Stormtroopers who were chasing them ask after they escape "Have we ever hit anything with these guns?"
The GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
roleplaying game makes reference to an "Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
", whose graduates are inexplicably poor shots; for example, "The Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry...
must all have studied at the Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship." The game system includes optional rules titled Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy designed to make large numbers of nameless characters ineffective.
One-at-a-time Attack Rule
Ebert also refers to the One-at-a-time Attack Rule"In any situation where the hero is alone, surrounded by dozens of bad guys, they will always obligingly attack one at a time."
This can traditionally be observed in many martial arts movies. During a typical fight, the hero will engage against one opponent. Upon knocking that man out, another will attack. The surplus enemies will circle the fighting pair striking fearsome poses, indicating willingness to fight at a second's notice, yet be unwilling to help the current aggressor attack the hero. The real world reason for this is that if the hero is simultaneously swarmed on all sides by enemies, it becomes difficult for the film director to frame the fight scene while still having an unobstructed shot of the action.
The 1995 live-action adaptation
Fist of the North Star (1995 film)
Fist of the North Star is a 1995 American straight-to-video live-action film based on the eponymous manga by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. The film was directed by Tony Randel, who also co-wrote the script with Peter Akins, and stars Gary Daniels, Costas Mandylor, Chris Penn, Isako Washio, and Malcom...
of Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
took this to extremes in a scene where Kenshiro
Kenshiro
is the main protagonist of the manga franchise Fist of the North Star by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. According to Buronson, Kenshiro's character design was inspired by the character of Max Rockatansky from the Mad Max film series and martial artist Bruce Lee.In the story, Kenshiro is the rightful...
defeated over thirty men in the span of a few minutes with the vast majority of them attacking one at a time and being knocked unconscious with a few strikes.
In Austin Powers: Goldmember, Austin's father Nigel Powers
Nigel Powers
Sir Nigel Powers is a character who appears in the third Austin Powers movie, Austin Powers in Goldmember. He is portrayed as the father of Austin Powers, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me. He currently resides in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania with his wife and eight sons.-Pre-Goldmember:When Austin and Dr...
is being held captive by Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil is a fictional character, played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers film series. He is the antagonist of the movies, and Austin Powers' nemesis. He is a parody of James Bond villains, primarily Donald Pleasence's Ernst Stavro Blofeld . Dr...
. Nigel quickly knocks out the guards, and when more begin to surround him he orders them to stop and says, "Oh, come now, is this your first day on the job? All right, look ... you all attack me, one at a time, and I knock you out with a single punch." They immediately do so and he knocks them all out.
This principle was also parodied in a 1993 Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
skit, "Ninja Pep Talk". Among other tips, the leader of a group of ninjas reminds the ninjas to attack "all at once", not "one at a time," using chalkboard diagrams to drive the point home.
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
cited this rule in the introduction to his 1989 novel Guards! Guards!
Guards! Guards!
Guards! Guards! is the eighth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1989. It is the first novel about the City Watch. The first Discworld computer game borrowed heavily from Guards! Guards! in terms of plot.-Plot:...
, stating that the role of guards in heroic fantasy is to "attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered".
Inverse Ninja Law
Though depicted as nearly-invincible warriors (especially when they are the heroes of the story), ninja are often conversely depicted as disposable cannon fodder to be dispatched by the hero character, especially one who is a ninja himself. Thus, modern entertainment has shown ninja as either expendable "redshirts"Redshirt (character)
A "redshirt" is a stock character in fiction who dies soon after being introduced. The term originates with fans of Star Trek , from the red shirts worn by Starfleet security officers who frequently die during episodes.-Star Trek:...
attacking in large numbers, or as nearly invulnerable solitary warriors (who are often unmasked in contrast). In effect of this common approach, a single/small group of protagonist ninja often easily defeat waves of incompetent enemy ninja on multiple occasions only to have far more trouble when facing a more competent lone ninja. This seemingly inconsistent portrayal is jokingly explained using the sarcastic "Inverse Ninja Law", (also called "Law of the Conservation of Ninjutsu" or the "Law of Diminishing Ninjas" or even the "Law of the Conservation of Whoopass") which states that ninja are weaker when they are in larger groups.
External links
- Conservation Of Ninjutsu, Mook Chivalry, and Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy at TVTropes