5-4-08

Talking about superheroes. With Sam.

Sam: "What'd be really interesting is a superhero whose only power is that he's immune to the Grandfather Paradox."

Me: "Does this power actually let him travel back in time?"

Sam: "No. But all he has to do is find a way to go back in time and he'll be able to do really cool things."

Amanda: "I don't understand."

Sam: "Well, this superhero would be the only person in the world who could go back in time, kill his own grandfather, and not cease to exist or cause the universe to explode. What this really means is that he's immune to causality. You see, normally the Grandfather Paradox makes it impossible to go back in time and complete a mission, because if you succeed, then it eliminates need of going back in the first place; and if you fail, then what's the point of going back in time? But because he's immune to causality, it's actually possible for him to complete missions."

Amanda: "That doesn't make any sense. Wouldn't it still change everything?"

Sam: "No it wouldn't. Here, suppose I've got this power and I've gone back in time and killed Hitler. Ask me any question."

Amanda: "Okay. Did World War 2 ever happen?"

Sam: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Amanda: "Um. Was there a World War 2?"

Sam: "I don't understand what you're saying."

Amanda, me, and David: "..."

Sam: "You see? That's his power. He doesn't understand any of your questions."