Rodoan

<<< Deep South boy. (hmm, there's a hero name there...) only been to the Dakotas once, and that was North, up by Fargo & Grand Forks. Never saw the Badlands, sadly.

I'm thinking practical here: multi-man powers. Go to work, help my invalid dad, certify in the latest technology, clean the house, wash the car, volunteer work, pan for gold, go back to college, take up herbalism and art, vacation with relatives, tour the globe, and work 3 other jobs just for the pay bonus...all at the same time.

It would be nice to have a brief, alert chime go off if the team leader passes the star to you.

I thought about this last night when the team lead without warning passed the star to me to clear the current visual bug. He eventually had to ask for it back because I was not playing a healer or other character that needed to closely follow the team roster, and therefore had no idea the star was passed.

Now, yes, leaders should communicate more effectively, but really many just don't and the rest of the team should not receive delays because of it. For example, many is the time over the years, that I've seen a team exit a mission, they all go to train, are on their training screens, and the crummy leader drops team unannounced (or gets disconnected, in which case they're not so crummy). Everyone waits around for the person who received a star to notice, but for whatever reason (in this case, a training screen) they don't. A chime that sounds while they're on their training screen might alert them to at least pass the star to one who is available, or to watch for the true leader's return from dc'ing.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD.

Thoughts, questions, and ramblings on Warehouse 13. Feel free to contribute your own. -

Question: Have all the "superpower" countries to the warehouses been stated at any time? What I known/speculate so far:

1. Persia ?
2. Egypt (under Alexander)
3. Greece? (after the loss of Warehouse 2 & death of Alexander)
4. Rome?
5. Eastern Rome/Constantinople ?
6. Holy Roman Empire (Charlesmagne)?
7-10?
11. Spain ?
12. British Empire
13. USA

Thought: Alice and the Mirror should have been bronzed, for the safety of everyone.

Question: Does the Warehouse really have the tacit permission/authority of foreign powers to forcefully remove an artifact from a foreign country? Its implied that there are arrangements in the USA from the highest levels, probably the President. But I find it odd that they pop over to London or wherever and start flashing their Secret Service badges and are not challenged more.

Question: Do they really have the authority to seize all artifacts, even those that are peaceable in nature?

Question: Did anyone get a good look at the crew that were bronzed next to Jinx? The camera slowed down to view the "statues" as if we'd recognize at least one.



Thoughts: Untapped/underdeveloped potentials in the series:

1. Studied artifacts: Season 1, maybe even the first episode, suggested that not only were artifacts to be locked away, they were to be studied until science could provide an explanation for them. Basically the old A.C.Clark's law: technology-appears-magical bit. To the best of my memory, so far, the only "research" we've seen is Claudia's natural ability to adapt and refine devices to achieve her goals, most notably the Tesla and Farnsworth devices. There ought to be storylines where select scientists, under the watchful eyes of the Regents, visit the Warehouse to either study items onsite, or more likely (and with greater story possibilities), check out devices to be studied in special labs. It would also make for fun storytelling if the Warehouse were funded, in part, by the discoveries made from previous artifacts. A good example of this, they can poke fun at, is the Men In Black comment that stated the microwave and other inventions were of alien origin introduced to the Earth by MiB as a funding effort.

2. The Average Joe: There ought to be more stories of artifacts not tied to famous people. Sure, its fun to create an artifact story tied to Lizzie Bordon, but artifacts most likely arise from any source, not just the famous. Joe the deli owner might have an artifact as well. As Quantum Leap demostrated, stories about the ordinary guys can be powerful, too. (this could dovetail nicely with point #10)

3. Warehouse "X" backstories: There's a lot of warehouses not mentioned much. Its implied, every time Artie starts talking about having read about an artifact that does "X", that previous warehouses learned and recorded this information without recovering an artifact. The "Joshua's horn" storyline did a good job of showing how the efforts of multiple warehouse dovetail, now expand on that to reach back into the names and stories of warehouses before H.G. Wells came on the scene.

4. Network of Agent Support. The Shadow had this: a network of common people called upon for their special positions or abilities. There should be at least one scene when agents return to the States from abroad, of a special customs agent appearing and dismissing the regular customs agent. Of course, this new guy is arranged by the Regents to facilitate the arrival of artifacts too large to hide by normal means in luggage. He may even be a Regent himself, since they've been shown to be people from all walks of life (and yes, 3 agents are Fed officers and might not need such aid, Claudia is not, and Artie might not be any longer, so there's still a need for customs help)

5. Warehouse 14: With the real life uncertainties in the US market, and the perception by some that the USA may cease to be a world power, the writers should take advantage of that to write a story suggesting that the percieved change in the balance of power may mean the Warehouse may be forced to move again to a rising power...to China. There could be many levels of storytelling in that: the fears and concerns of the agents, the question of what Communist China might do with all that power in a Warehouse 14, etc., with the situation ultimately resolving with keeping Warehouse 13. (please note: I'm not trying to kick off a political debate here. Merely suggesting a course the writers could take based on some current perceptions not held by everyone).

6. Regents as facilitators: Similar to #4. This was observed briefly when one regent journeyed with them to Warehouse 2 (with a stupid conclusion to that arrangement. Mark Sheppard is an entertaining actor and they should have thought to keep him around for more) I'd like to see an episode where the agents must enter a country hostile to Americans or Westerners to retrieve an artifact. At that time, they could be introduced to a Regent who is friendly to that country.

7. Leena is an underdeveloped character. She's been the 5th character since day one, had a brief but interesting cliff hanger first season, and then...not much. Even Jinx is getting more air time of late. Perhaps a family story or backstory. We've got background info on everyone else working for Artie except her.

8. Special abilities: lost in the shuffle - those of the original team seem to have nearly been forgotten. Jinx's ability, which I admit is incredibly useful, is getting all the glory of late. Its almost like Pete no longer has a "spidey sense" and Leena's aura perception is never mentioned anymore.(which ties back to the previous point)

9. Anti-Warehouse: I'm supposing here that this is not the arc story playing out this season with the unknown baddies. We've seen multiple bad guys that steal artifacts to their own end. The Warehouse set up was agreed to by the nations as a place to keep items dangerous to the world. What if not all the nations agreed to this? What if there was a counter movement, from one or more nations, to build and maintain their own warehouse? I could see Eastern powers doing this since the history of the warehouses seems tied to a westernized world. At first the Regents could downplay it, but clashes with agents in the field might require a head-on tackling of the situation.

10. Newly-minted artifacts: To the best of my memory, artifacts are always shown as past tense items. I'd like an episode where the audience gets to view the moment an artifact is created.

11. Purple Goo: It need only be a scene, but since they use an awful lot of purple goo, it might be interesting to see how it is made/acquired. Also a statement on how it was discovered would be interesting.

* looks at group's name, looks at masks and costumes*

So what do you call this group for our French players? Cirque Du Soleil?

Also, the name "Barnaby of All Colors" is very cool!

for a movie called Up, y'all sure make it seem like a downer.

Spoilers (somewhat)

Artie is smarter than this episode portrayed him. He's the only one who was on to HG's schemes last year. Now he only has a feeling something's wrong. Based on the events that happened just prior to that, he should have been Tesla'ing the daylights out of a certain sweet talker.

Also how did the warehouse gang make it to the video game party in mere minutes? Last I checked South Dakota was not that close to California. Yet the first guy they talk to states the status of his buddies was only minutes.

bonus points if he's in front of a little house at the base of the new buildings, and with a few balloons tied to the porch

Reminds me of two things:

1. The long-pitched long-sided Freedom Ship, which is more of a floating island.
I'd read somewhere that they had intended to have a significant security force, including computerized anti-aircraft weaponry and intercept aircraft.

2. A less than pretty retreat, the Principality of Sealand

two thoughts:
1. If Lady Grey is the Lady of the Lake, why didn't Hero 1 send the sword back to her instead of giving it to Ms Liberty?

2. I'd like to ask if the Letter Writer couldn't be the Dream Doctor. The writing style sounds similar. He sounds like he's found a way to overthrow mortality. Although most player comments I've read suggest he's working on the Rularuu issue, perhaps he sees a bigger picture. From the paragon wiki article:

You put some love in there for Dieselpunk! Thank you! (I'm big on "Style C")

Nice looking 'zine!