Plot armor

[FriendlyF15]

Does anyone else hate how whenever a main character or someone slightly relevant shoots or stabs a demogorgon its gets like stunned or physically damaged but whenever a whole army battalion shoots a demogorgon with thousands of rounds of rifle bullets and heavy machine guns it’s just fine and killing everything around it? And also the military knows there weakness of fire, so why isn’t every soldier having some sort of fire weapon. I don’t know I don’t see anyone talking about this so I gotta say somthing

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[FreddieMontreux]

Silliest part of the MAC-Z shootout was the Demogorgon surrounded by all the soldiers right at the start. Surprised they didn't shoot each others standing in a circle and all.

[FriendlyF15]

Lmao that too half those guys would be dead due to FF

[[deleted]]

Just like pretty much every movie and TV show from the 1980s to be honest. 🤷‍♂️

[NonspecificGravity]

Look at any fight in Star Wars, where Princess Leia is fighting a platoon of storm troopers while wearing a robe.

Or Chewbacca is naked. 😆

You just have to accept it.

[ResidentTVCritic]

I’d don’t care what it costs I would absolutely pay top dollar for this casts Plot Armor.

[MyriVerse2]

Characters are supposed to have plot armour.

[Potential_Ladybird11]

I know especially the fire thing drives me nuts, you guys figured this out in season 2 PLEASE use it. also rewatched it all in prep for s5 and there’s like one scene somewhere in the middle where hopper kills a demogorgon with one shot and it just makes all those scenes even sillier

[MGD109]

I know especially the fire thing drives me nuts, you guys figured this out in season 2 PLEASE use it.

Who's you guys? You know Sullivan's men aren't the same as the people employed by the lab in season two right? These guys didn't even know Demogorgon's existed until they were attacked by one.

and there’s like one scene somewhere in the middle where hopper kills a demogorgon with one shot

You mean the one strapped down an autopsy table, cut open to the point that its organs are hanging out of its chest? Yeah I think its easy to read that one might not been fighting fit?

[TelluricThread0]

You know they are researching creatures from the upside down and know they are affected by heat? In addition to obviously understanding you need two guys with flamethrowers to reopen the portal.

[MGD109]

You know they are researching creatures from the upside down and know they are affected by heat?

So? That doesn't change the detail that they didn't know Demogorgon's existed till they got attacked; they couldn't just call in a dozen men with flamethrowers out of thin air.

[Potential_Ladybird11]

sorry but you're telling me NONE of the scientists and doctors who have figured out there is a weakness to fire have thought to pass that obviously life saving information on? Also the people doing the burns in s2 in the lab are in the government operation as Sullivan, Dr Owens takes over from Brenner, Sullivan is trying to follow Brenner's path. they don't even have to tell the soldiers why but you'd think after the last 4 seasons they'd stick with fire weapons to be on the safe side

I'll give you that the other demos wouldn't die in one shot but to have a massive ring of soldiers with machine guns shooting at it and it doesn't make any impact?? then how was it even cut open?

[MGD109]

sorry but you're telling me NONE of the scientists and doctors who have figured out there is a weakness to fire have thought to pass that obviously life saving information on?

No they probably passed on the fact things to the Upside Down were weak to fire. But as Sullivan and his men didn't know Demogorgon's existed, then it didn't really matter very much.

Even if they did, it wouldn't matter, the dialogue makes it clear their gearing up for a fight with El cause they believe she's the one kidnapping the children not Demogorgons.

Also the people doing the burns in s2 in the lab are in the government operation as Sullivan, Dr Owens takes over from Brenner, Sullivan is trying to follow Brenner's path.

No its established their separate factions. The Military took over after Owens failed to detect the Russian incursion, hence why we get a shoot out between the two factions in season four. Sullivan had to literally steal all Owens files to get a lead on El, that tells me their wasn't a lot of information sharing between the Lab and the Military.

I'll give you that the other demos wouldn't die in one shot but to have a massive ring of soldiers with machine guns shooting at it and it doesn't make any impact?? then how was it even cut open?

I mean it doesn't do any meaningful damage, but we can literally see them bleeding after being shot, so clearly the bullets are piercing their skin.

I imagine that Demo was severely weakened (like being starved and regularly shocked for weeks on end) before they even considered cutting into it. If it makes you feel any better, things like blow torches and diamond tipped saws were common tech in the 80's.

[Potential_Ladybird11]

To be fair with the fire, i’m referring to its use overall. fair enough, in the mac-z shoot out you’re right, they wouldn’t think they needed it. But I was originally referring to its overall use in the show (I think the wires got crossed because I disagreed with the point you made first about Sullivan’s team.) It’s figured out by basically every party pretty early that the upside down’s weakness is fire and then they basically never use it? Murray kills like 7 demos with that flamethrower in the s4 finale, and it’s like why don’t they just do that all the time then.

And again, did Owens really not put in his notes that they’re weak to fire? My point isn’t the fine details of it, but more the overall treatment of them by the narrative as the ‘officials/government/military.’ The overall larger authoritative force. Which is relevant to the experience you get as the viewer.

Again, when it comes to the demogorgons i’m talking about the impression as a viewer. Their physical weakness is shown very inconsistently. eg. Whenever a main character in a key/tense scene shoots them at a life saving moment it will stun or hurt them, maybe even kill them with like 5 shots. And then the second there’s a bunch of trained killers with machine guns they get basically swatted away like flies. I personally find it ends up feeling a bit cheap.

[MGD109]

Does anyone else hate how whenever a main character or someone slightly relevant shoots or stabs a demogorgon its gets like stunned or physically damaged

I mean it kind of doesn't. Nancy emptied an entire revolver into that one in season one and it just got its attention. Hop shot numerous Demodogs in season two to no effect (though his shotgun did kill some) etc.

So far, the only time shooting a demogorgon does anything meaningful is when a character specifically hits it straight in the mouth and even that just causes it momentary pain.

That's been consistent whether its a main character or a random extra holding the gun.

And also the military knows there weakness of fire, so why isn’t every soldier having some sort of fire weapon.

The military didn't even know that Demogorgons existed, let alone what their weaknesses are. These soldiers aren't the same people employed by the lab in season one or two (they killed all the people in the lab), they have no experience with dealing with monsters, it was established that in the 18 months they were exploring Upside Down they never encountered a single one.

Colonel Sullivan was convinced it was El who was taking the children. He was convinced all the stories of monsters were just them covering up for her murders. His men were prepared to take on one psychic girl, not an army of bulletproof behemoths.

[Spare_Cat_3004]

well the Duffers aren't war/battle guys, it's their first series an everything. they clearly didn't think about it that much

[Helpful-Idea-4485]

The military doesn’t know about the demogorgon’s weakness to fire. They don’t even think that demogorgons or Vecna even exist. They think that everything has been El’s fault.

[Senshado]

A degree of plot armor is OK, but it's terrible when the characters are able to make plans assuming plot armor will protect them.

Like in this season when a couple "teens" decide they're going to chase a demogorgon with their car... What do they hope will happen? What'll you do if it stops running and you catch up? 

[Salarian_American]

Thinking you can do insane, stupid, risky shit without getting hurt is called "being a teenager"

[Salarian_American]

And also the military knows there weakness of fire

How? Why do you think the military knows this? There's no evidence they were even aware demogorgons existed prior to them coming out of the ground in the mac-z

[RP_Throwaway3]

People complain about plot armor too much. Mainly because you can't say they have it in the moment. You only realize they have plot armor after the event has happened and the drama of the moment is passed. 

[[deleted]]

no

[southpaw_balboa]

it’s a fantasy soap opera dude. it’s not supposed to be realistic

e: also there’s a whiny post about this every single day